Rock Music Today

The year 2011 is shaping up to be a great year in music. I just two months, a number of really high quality albums have already come out. Adele’s sophomore album is a thing of beauty and could even be arguably a better album compared to her already stunning debut.
And now it’s Radiohead that has come out with a new album. The critical darlings and rock icons have released The King of Limbs this February and, just like In Rainbows, they released it independently. This second independent release is proof that Radiohead has succeeded in actually making their independent distribution viable. Radiohead is sending a very strong message to the industry – and that is you don’t need the support of a major label to achieve success in the market.

Lot’s  of people  wants to be a rock star.  In this video of Nickelback’s  I want to be a rockstar, people of all ages, personality and regular people  played a part  and lip-synch the song, I enjoyed watching it when I first saw the video in my Facebook FunWall, these guys really know how to make me smile.I  Want to Be a Rock Star is one of the many songs of Nickelback that I really like.  It has fascinating tunes and the lyrics if you noticed typecasting the rock stars way of life.Why don’t you watch the video in YouTube?  Enjoy!(Photo Source: http://www.public.asu.edu)

The influence of rock and roll is far-reaching, and has had significant impact worldwide on fashion and film styles. This impact is broad enough that “rock and roll” may also be considered a lifestyle in addition to a form of music (i.e. “Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll”). However rap and hip hop would later replace this role. Its impact has been positive as well, with the trend of many rock stars facilitating charity events such as Live Aid. Saving the World is becoming a more and more common phrase associated with rock music today.There are also spiritual aspects tied to rock music. Songwriters like Pete Townshend have explored these in their work. The common usage of the term “rock god” acknowledges the religious quality of the adulation some rock stars receive.Source:Wikipedia

Only a few know the band Mayday Parade due to the fact that they’re an Indie rock band, although about a couple of their songs are quietly creeping its way to the mainstream, one being “I’d Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About”, and the other being “Your Song”. The band took all the risks like that of an Indie band when they released their debut EP without a record label to back them up (normally, Indie bands start that way and only a few survive). Surprisingly, it sold more or less 20,000 records and this was the time Fearless Records (their current label) took notice of them and put them under their umbrella. They released another one, an album this time, and critics have been praising their style of music.Photo taken http://www.thisisaccidental.com

As of late, a genre that has come to be known as “indie rock” is emerging. It has come to be characterized by overall low production quality and unconventional songwriting. The Shins. Death Cab for Cute. The Strokes. These are bands that have come to be associated with the genre.

But what is indie rock, really?

Put simply, indie rock is an abbreviation of independent rock.

To be a little more detailed about it, indie rock refers to rock bands that are not under contract with a major label (Sony-BMG, EMI, Warner Music, etc…). Their music is either self-released (independent) or they are signed to a label that is independent of a major label.
So… More than anything else, “indie” is an umbrella term that pertains to unsigned or indie label bands.
But, as always, the term is evolving and may eventually be associated with a particular sound. Even if the bands are on a major label.
When that happens, at least, you know where indie rock came from.

How about rock music for your baby? When I was pregnant to my now 10 year old daughter, I used to put a radio in my tummy and let her listen to different kind of music that I prefer to listen and one of my favorite genre is alternative rock.

I was so excited when I stumble into this site where they turned the punk, metal, classic rock into children’s music which I absolutely agree that both parent’s and baby will enjoy.

This idea was really ground-breaking and yet awed.

If you will visit the site you will hear the rock a bye baby rendition of Green Day.

(Photo Source: http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/web/page.asp)

Radiohead emerged from the waning ’90s Brit-pop incursion with a sound that was moody, melodic, and explosive, with roots fixed strongly in both alternative culture and the art-rock legacy of such classic rockers as Pink Floyd. When they released the 1997 “OK Computer”, they became among the most closely watched bands of the decade. Their influences are Queen, R.E.M and Miles Davis.

The band consists the Singer/guitarist Thom Yorke who was born with his left eye closed and paralyzed, bassist Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien (guitar), Phil Selway (drums) and Colin’s brother Jonny. They started jamming in 1987 with a group name called On A Friday, but been dissolved when they went to different universities.

In 1997 they regrouped again and name themselves Radiohead.

(Image source: blogwired.com)

Taking Back Sunday has gone a long way. After all the changes they had within their band, lots of members leaving and likewise, being replaced my new ones, they released their EP, but unfortunately it didn’t garner much attention. After another batch of whirlwind changes, the band released an album produced by Victory records. The album sold a little on the market and come 2004, luck came their way. They were able to perform with Blink 182 and other known bands either as an opening or included in the concert. They also had a lot of TV exposures which contributed to their current success. However, last year, another band member separated from the group, but they were able to compensate the loss.

Photo taken from http://mog.com

The Offspring - a band from Huntington Beach, California formed in 1984.

The band’s lineup is  Dexter Holland on lead vocals, guitar, Noodles on guitar, Greg K.  on bass, and Pete Parada on drums.

After seven albums and more than 32 million in sales, The Offspring come full circle with Columbia Records‘ release of Greatest Hits on June 21, 2005, the band‘s first-ever, career-spanning collection of their most memorable songs. The album features thirteen classics that have all reached the Top 10 on Billboard‘s Modern Rock Tracks chart plus the brand new single, “Cant Repeat.“

And while “Can‘t Repeat“ gives a glimpse into The Offspring‘s present and future, the past is well-represented with the three hits from their watershed 1994 Epitaph album, Smash, “Come Out and Play (Keep ‘Em Separated),“ “Self Esteem“ and “Gotta Get Away.“ Smash went on to sell 11 million copies worldwide, making it THE most successful independent release of all time.

The complete track listing includes all the hits from the band‘s Columbia Records catalog: “All I Want“ and “Gone Away“ (‘97‘s Ixnay on the Hombre); “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy),“ “Why Don‘t You Get A Job?“ and “The Kids Aren‘t Alright“ (‘98‘s Americana); “Original Prankster,“ “Want You Bad“ (2000‘s Conspiracy of One) and “Hit That“ and “(Can‘t Get My) Head Around You“ (‘03‘s Splinter). In addition, “Defy You,“ the hit single from 2001‘s Orange County soundtrack, rounds out the set.

The Offspring‘s Greatest Hits was released in two versions, both as a conventional CD and as a DualDisc, with the DVD side including the full album in 5.1 stereo; in-the-studio audio commentary by Holland and Noodles, offering anecdotes and insight into the stories behind the hits; and an acoustic performance of “Dirty Magic,“ a song from the group‘s 1993 Epitaph album, Ignition.

The CD/DualDisc release was followed by The Offspring‘s Complete Music Video Collection on July 19, 2005, a two-and-a-half hour DVD showcasing all the band‘s videos up to their newest single, “Can‘t Repeat.“ Recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, the DVD will also include a selection of live television performances and “Guy Cohen: Where Is He Now?,“ Dexter‘s interview with the kid actor from “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy).”

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Offspring Sites Worth Checking out

Offspring.com
The Offspring
The Offspring Online

Some would argue BEN BURNLEY is a perfectionist. But for BREAKING BENJAMIN’s singer, guitarist, and visionary, there is no other modus operandi for his craft. With that dedication, BURNLEY and his bandmates–guitarist AARON FINK, bassist MARK JAMES, and drummer CHAD SZELIGA–have built 2006’s meticulous, infectious hard rock milestone PHOBIA (Hollywood Records). Building on their trademark hard-charging rhythms, sharp hooks, and soaring vocals, PHOBIA marks BREAKING BENJAMIN’s third album.

For BURNLEY, who typically writes at least 10 songs to yield one, the arduous approach has helped BREAKING BENJAMIN elevate the bar in following up 2004’s explosive platinum-selling We Are Not Alone, which produced a pair of compelling #1 rock hits, “So Cold” and “Sooner Or Later.” “It’s a very time-consuming thing,” BEN admits of his efforts to top the band’s airwave favorites. “I’ll basically write a number of similar songs and cherry-pick the best pieces from all of them and make one.”

With PHOBIA, which confronts anxiety and fear through catharsis and breathtaking melodies, the fruits of BURNLEY’s conviction can first be heard on “The Diary of Jane” –the first single and video–just one in a number of ferocious and hook-injected offerings on the band’s third album. As muscular as it is accessible, “Jane” has the power to invade one’s headspace, and occupy it for days.

Yet BREAKING BENJAMIN’s namesake didn’t always think so highly of PHOBIA’s first single. “Ben is his biggest critic,” bassist MARK JAMES acknowledges. “He’ll write stuff that is undeniable. And everyone else knows it’s undeniable. But he’ll think it’s not good enough and he’ll go back to the drawing board. With ‘The Diary of Jane,’ he had three or four different options lyrically and melodically before we even entered the studio. He had all of these variations that he presented to [producer] David [Bendeth]. And as is the case nine out of ten times, it’s almost always his initial gut feeling that wins out.”

BURNLEY’s instincts have guided BREAKING BENJAMIN from the bars and clubs of Wilkes-Barre, PA to a platinum album certification, all in the course of five years. On the strength of the quartet’s first hit, “Polyamorous,” from its 2002 major label debut Saturate, the group’s alt-metal leanings–inspired by the likes of Tool, KoRN, and Nirvana–earned the band prompt recognition.

With the aforementioned radio darling We Are Not Alone (which also contained the memorable ballad “Rain”) the group aligned with producer David Bendeth to forge a partnership that only grew stronger by the time work on PHOBIA commenced in early 2006. “We knew what to expect,” BURNLEY says. “We knew what he’d want out of us and knew what we’d want out of him.”

“Mark, Chad, Aaron, and Ben gave this record everything they had, worked their asses off and never settled for second best,” David Bendeth says proudly of BREAKING BENJAMIN’s new material. “The melodies are strong and memorable and we all feel it is a lot stronger than anything they’ve ever done. I worked BEN hard and he pushed himself. He has such a great instinct for lyrics and melody. He really knows what he wants and he never ceases to amaze me. He has a natural talent, a gift.”

That gift is evident in “Evil Angel.” which has a vibe akin to Alice in Chains, replete with AARON’s expressive, thunderous riffs giving way to a newfound rootsy, organic approach. Elsewhere, “You” finds the band operating in a rarely-used standard tuning, and relying on the highly capable rhythmic wares of MARK and drummer CHAD–who only recently joined the group but is an obvious ideal fit. “It was back to basics for us,” MARK says of the latter. “It’s so direct, more simple than usual. It’s definitely more of a feel than anything else propelling that song.”

The sonic epic “Dance With The Devil” also stands out as AARON’s fluid, forceful guitar lines and monumental drumming ideally interface with the power and range of BURNLEY’s voice. And despite his heartfelt delivery of lines like “I believe in you/I can show you that,” Ben pauses when it comes to talk about his deeply personal verse.

“I want the listener to analyze my songs,” he says. “I don’t want to do it myself. If someone thinks the song is about something and I come along and say, ‘No. The song is about this.’ I could ruin it for them.”

One thing that won’t be damaged at this point is the infrastructure of this band, helped by a newfound openness. “One thing in the past that affected us in a negative way was that we didn’t always speak our minds,” MARK says. “We’d keep stuff bottled up. And then maybe we’d feel regret or resentment. This time around, we made a point to say what we’re feeling.”

Finding a balance between enjoyment and ambition, BURNLEY thrives by challenging himself on PHOBIA. “I’m doing things vocally that I haven’t done before and we’re using different time signatures and tunings that are new for us,” he says. “I look at evolution this way: Every time you write a song, it’s one less thing that you can do. Of course there is always pressure to at least match what you’ve done before, but there is nothing I can do about it other than write the best possible songs I can.”

“I’m really proud of these songs,” MARK says. “BEN has done a fantastic job providing great hooks and phrases. I feel very strongly about every track on this record, which isn’t something I was always able to say. I think we really tried to approach every song by never trying to overstate an idea. If there was a catchy riff that AARON was doing, I never wanted to step on it. I’d try to seek a different way around it.”

Thinking outside the box, the men of BREAKING BENJAMIN have faced down their fears, put their hearts and their heads together to woodshed PHOBIA. Regardless of whether you’re afraid of heights, snakes, bees, air travel or whatever, this stellar song-cycle pays big dividends. Summing up BREAKING BENJAMIN’s new album, the band’s bassist concludes, “The goal was to make a solid, mature and cohesive record.”

Mission accomplished. PHOBIA is a damn-near faultless rock album.

Visit the Breaking Benjamin Site at ShallowBay.com