Music Review

Here’s what you want on your iPod, recommends Luke Kenny.

Asylum
Distrubed
Warner

One of the few metal bands to consistently debut at number one in USA, this is their fifth album and, yes, it has debuted at number one. Fans of the band will be familiar with their sound and like any metal band worth their salt, this one is full of all the sounds and arrangements that go with the genre. They are one of the few metal bands out there that are still ‘heavy metal,’ yet just ‘old school’ enough to keep both sides of the metal spectrum happy. Dark, hard and raw, this one’s one of the better metal releases this year. Check out their covers of U2’s I still haven’t Found and Judas Priests’ Living After Midnight.

Bottomline
Seek this asylum

HT Image

At The Edge Of Time
Blind Guardian
Nuclear Blast Records

Another epic German progressive metal band release their ninth album to much expectation. And epic it is, this is metal by way of the Brandenburg gate with huge orchestrations and progressive arrangements that make it sound like one colossal mammoth metal symphony. The ’80s style vocals by Hansi Kursch remind you of Geddy Lee from Rush and a bit of Kevin DuBrow from Quiet Riot. And that’s not all, they are a highly intellectual band, with songs drawing inspiration from sci-fi and fantasy authors like Robert Jordan, Michael Moorcock, John Milton and George RR Martin. Check out Sacred Worlds, Valkyries and, of course, Wheel Of Time.

Bottomline
Get to the edge of this time

The Reason Why
Little Big Town
EMI

Time now to head out to the American country and check out Little Big Town’s fourth studio album. This is some good sounding, well-produced country-western-pop for you to get you through your day, however good or bad it may be. Little Big Town are a band that know just how to do that, led by the beautiful Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman and supported by Philip Sweet and Jim Westbrook, they bring a good poppy edge to the music. The opening, The reason why sets a good starting mood to the album, which is raised up two notches with Runaway train and then it keeps going on from there. Check out the ballads, Kiss goodbye and Rain on a tin roof for some sublime harmonies.

Bottomline
A very good reason why

Something For The Rest Of Us
The Goo Goo Dolls
Warner

Another return from the guys who gave us the only song you guys out there will probably know — Iris. The Goo Goo Dolls were formed way back in 1986, but only broke through the mainstream in 1994 with their fifth album, A Boy Named Goo. Subsequently, lead singer John Reznik wrote Iris and the band became global superstars. But much time has passed and now, almost 25 years later, with only their ninth album released they remain as relative as ever. Fans of the band will want to check this one out for some stellar songwriting in the modern rock tradition and as for the rest of you, discover a band that is as real as the raindrops falling on you.

Bottomline
This is for all of us.