April of 2008 - RAG Magazine

RAG’s CD REVIEWS
Sevendust
Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow
Asylum Records
Vocalist Lajon Witherspoon continuously
finds an outlet for his voice, and Sevendust’s
new record is no exception. On Chapter
VII: Hope and Sorrow Sevendust remain in
the promised land, their energy level has never
been higher, and their aggressive nature has
matured and increased in volume.
Enlisting the assistance of Alterbridge members Miles Kennedy, Mark
Tremonti, and American Idol’s Chris Daughtry, Sevendust emerge with yet
another gripping collection of guitar-battering riffs, but with a new sense of
melodic flow. “Inside,” starts the album off with Sevendust’s signature volatile
distorted sound, but the lyrics express a more relaxed sense of reality. “Hope,”
featuring Mark Tremonti, slows the music down a bit, only to be picked up
seconds later by some of Tremonti’s most passionate work yet.
The addition of Daughtry only adds fire to Sevendust’s fuel, as his contribution
will also meet the qualifications of loyal Dust fans abroad. Chapter VII: Hope
and Sorrow is one of those albums that you’ll want to take with you on a long
drive; as you listen carefully, you’ll begin to understand why this band has
lasted so long. It’s not pure luck, but pure heart and dedication. Sevendust
deserve all the attention, and they are becoming one of the more credible
acts this industry has seen. –Joseph Vilane
The Murdocks
Roar
Surprise Truck Entertainment
The jangly sing-a-long anthems that The
Murdocks have to offer, will send you on a
journey back to the ’60s; you’ll then make
a left turn into the ’70s, skip the ’80s, and
venture throughout ’90s alternative rock. So
where does that leave relevance for this
current decade of songwriters? In The Murdocks, what we have are three
confident musicians; they have spent nearly a decade finding comfort in their
songwriting, and creating quite the reputation in their home state of Texas.
With Roar, The Murdock’s latest release, the band continues to shock
their listeners. On “Die Together,” vocalist Franklin Morris recites “and
when die together it feels like holding hands,” which sounds like something
that Romeo and Juliet pondered many moons ago. However, it’s the
Murdocks keen sense of humor that is no doubt preparing them for survival
in the ever-changing music industry.
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their past mistakes with their latest EP American Gothic. In a way, the
disc’s title is somewhat of an allusion to the simplicity and plainness of
the famed Grant Wood painting.
A great melody line starts, “Rose March,” along with the unmistakable
voice that is Corgan’s, layered throughout in an effort to put a chill through
your body. As gentle and folky as the song may be, it doesn’t lose any of
its edge, and your imagination still lends itself easily to the rhythm of that
familiar Pumpkin essence. The recurring themes in Pumpkins songs have
always had something to do with faith —whether religion or love. Here,
the always hopeful Corgan laments just that, “So fall in love if you must /
But don’t let go,” on the track, “Again, Again, Again (The Crux).” If ever
there was a tune that was stripped down on American Gothic that was
begging to be electrified, it would have to be, “The Pox.” The drumming on
this tune is tasteful and top-notch, but that’s to be expected with
Chamberlain. Further, the guitars and bass just push out of your speakers,
and you can’t help but move.
If Smashing Pumpkins were painting themselves, their music would look
like this: no studio wizardry, with lush walls of sound. It’s what the Pumpkins
are known for: stripped down and bare bones, to the purest form possible.
- Matthew Pashalian
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The Used
Shallow Believer
Reprise Records
We’re in the digital age now, so let’s face
it: you can get almost anything “On
Demand.” There’s also the instant
gratification felt by the experience of the
World Wide Web. The music industry is
starting to realize the uber power of
technology, by taking advantage of it, and
delivering fans more of what they want. So what do fans of The Used
want? How about the breadth of The Used’s recorded material, that has
The Murdocks quirky song titles, “Playhouse Down,” and “Sleepy Queen
and Charlie Brown,” may leave you scrambling for peanuts, but once the
melodies draw you in, you’ll feel pleasantly at home. The raspy vocals of
Morris strikes a thunderous chord of lightning, adding flavor to The Murdocks
progressive sound. It’s hard to compare The Murdocks to anything that
exists musically today; although, they cite Nirvana as a major influence,
yet it’s hard to wrap yourself around just one comparison. With Roar,
you’ll venture down a road of once forgotten memories, and revise your
days with a refreshing new sense of balance. –Joseph Vilane
Smashing Pumpkins
American Gothic
Reprise/Martha’s Music
With the triumphant return of Billy Corgan’s
Smashing Pumpkins last year and the
successful Zeitgeist album, Corgan and
drummer Jimmy Chamberlain have shown
us, once again, that they were not only a
musical force to be reckoned with, but still
have it. Apparently, one of the regrets that
the Smashing Pumpkins always had, was not recording more of their
ideas 12| DEC RAG in between MAGAZINE tours. This time around, Smashing Pumpkins rendered
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