"Look alive, sunshine"

It's been four years since (the abomination known as) The Black Parade and My Chemical Romance have hit fans with a new concept album that is worlds away from their 2006 release. As if the hype behind this album wasn't successful enough in persuading me to give it a listen, the story featured throughout sealed the deal. Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys follows a group of individuals in a post-apocalyptic society of sorts, set nineteen years in the future, as they attempt to rescue a girl who has been captured by an evil corporation known as BL/ind, or Better Living Industries. Overall, the album is refreshing and fun, and effectively reminded me of the reasons I began listening to this band in the first place.

First of all, it takes a great deal of creativity to come up with a story like the one presented on this album and I'm thoroughly impressed with the delivery. The lyrics on the album, though sometimes nonsensical in nature ("Shut up and let me see your jazz hands/Remember when you were a madman?/Thought you was Batman/And hit the party with a gas can/Kiss me, you animal"), are interesting and, at times, strangely easy to relate to despite the subject matter. The music itself is more polished than on previous efforts, but not in a way that makes the band lose their spark. The synthesizer on songs like "Planetary (GO!)" and "The Only Hope for Me Is You" feels out of place at first, but after a few listens it seems to fit just fine. The low point on the album comes in the form of "Summertime," a love song with awkward placement, especially considering the song that follows is significantly harder and almost has a Jane's Addiction sort of feel to it. One of my favorite aspects of the album is the narration by Steve Montaño (also known as Steve, Righ?, guitarist of Mindless Self Indulgence) as the radio DJ Dr. Death Defying. The interludes act as updates on the Killjoys and really make the story come alive.

I must admit, this album surprised me and in a very good way. It's hard to believe this is the same band I became a fan of all those years ago with the release of I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. Definitely worth checking out.

Verdict: 4/5
Favorite tracks: DESTROYA, Vampire Money, Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back
Bonus: The three-song EP, titled The Mad Gear and Missile Kid, that comes with the special edition of the album features songs that are reminiscent of the band's older sound

All Things Heavy: "Faust"

The Human Abstract are back and they've come to blow your mind out the back of your skull with proggy goodness. The first taste of their forthcoming third album Digital Veil, which features the return of original member AJ Minette and new vocalist Travis Richter (formerly of From First to Last), was released this past Tuesday. The new song, titled "Faust," seemingly shows a return to form for the band after their previous release of Midheaven. That, however, could just be my opinion. Check out the song and decide for yourself.

Happy Halloween!

After spending time at the mall and various stores over the course of the week, it became apparent how painfully cliché Halloween playlists are. One can only listen to "Thriller" and "This Is Halloween" so many times. We here at Rock'n'roll Etiquette put together a list of songs that embody the Halloween spirit in a way that "Monster Mash" does not.

1. Fall Children - AFI
2. One Hundred Years - The Cure
3. Silent Scream - T.S.O.L.
4. Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
5. Panic in the Year Zero - Schoolyard Heroes
6. Filistata - Stolen Babies
7. Singapore - Tom Waits
8. Rasputin - Johnny Hollow
9. Thrill Kill - The Damned
10. Blue - The Birthday Massacre
11. Careful With That Axe, Eugene - Pink Floyd
12. The Walking Dead - Spinnerette

"Enrich the fallow soil with germs of perfection"

In honor of Bad Religion's 30th anniversary, SPIN Magazine and MySpace collaborated with various bands to put together a tribute album. As of October 19, the album has been available for download on the SPIN website... for free! The album features cover songs performed by a variety of artists, ranging from Guttermouth to Tegan and Sara to William Elliott Whitmore. With their politically charged lyrics and energetic delivery, there is no doubt that Bad Religion is one of the most well-known and influential punk bands still making music today. (Their most recent album, Dissent of Man, was released last month, by the way.) Could any of the covers on Germs of Perfection possibly do the band justice?

The answer, believe it or not, is yes. Each of the artists employs their own style to make the songs their own, which is what makes these covers so refreshing. Bands like New Politics ("Generator") and Riverboat Gamblers ("Heaven is Falling") don't stray too far from the original sound of the source material. However, others, like Switchfoot ("Sorrow") and Frank Turner ("My Poor Friend Me"), recorded acoustic covers that add new dimensions to familiar songs. The Weakerthans' version of "Sanity" might just be the strangest cover of them all, complete with bongos and an airy, folk sound.

In short, Germs of Perfection: A Tribute to Bad Religion is worth checking out. There's something for everyone on this album, whether you're a long-time Bad Religion fan, like myself, or a fan of some of the featured artists. Listen with an open mind and you might be surprised with the songs you end up enjoying.

Verdict: 3.5/5
Sounds like: What do you think?
Favorite tracks: "Suffer" (performed by Tegan and Sara), "Against the Grain" (performed by Ted Leo), "Better Off Dead" (performed by Polar Bear Club)

To download the full album for free, click here.

All Things Heavy: Kvelertak

Need a heavy music fix? A song, video, or band to kick your teeth in with heaviness? Well then, you've come to the right place.

With music as powerful as a punch to the groin and vocals akin to a snarling wolf just before it rips your throat out, Kvelertak are gearing up to take the metal scene by storm. That is, if people can get past the language barrier.

Kvelertak, who sing in their native language of Norwegian, get their unique sound by blending elements of hardcore punk, metal, and classic rock, resulting in something totally badass. Don't believe me? Then check out the video for "Mjød," where the band is so awesome that everyone in the room decides to fight to the death to prove who their number one fan is (not what really happens) or check out their song "Sultans of Satan," where the band decides to take a break from doing their own thing mid-song to pay homage to Jimi Hendrix by playing a bit of "Foxy Lady." Actually, check them both out.

Mjød


Sultans of Satan

Shameless Plugs: Rock and Roll Writing Class

An e-mail was received here at Rock'n'roll Etiquette about a month ago (oops!) from someone who found this blog via a Google search for "rock and roll writing." It turns out there is an online class by that name and we were asked to check it out by the aforementioned e-mailer. The class is offered by the Basement Writing Workshop, which features a series of creative writing courses, such as the Memoir Writing Class and the Comedy Writing Class. Why a rock and roll class, of all things? I think the description explains it well enough:

"Consider the rock and roll writing section of your local bookstore. How big is it? Where is it located in the store? How does it compare to other genres? It's strange how slim the pickings can be when you consider the amount of people who love rock music, buy records, go to concerts, and harbor hopes of one day being rock stars themselves. Our class will explore the current state of rock lit and discuss what we as writers can do about it. Come prepared to write about your rock and roll experiences-why your characters love the music they love, what happens backstage or on the tour bus, what it feels like to play in your band...or jam along with your iPod-and learn ways to make your prose the kind that could inspire a rock lit revolution."

The class is taught by Arthur Edwards, former bassist of The Refreshments (they did the theme song for King of the Hill), and runs from October 4th to December 12th, so there's still a bit of time left to sign up if anyone is interested. There is a fee, of course, just like with any class you'd be taking on a college campus. For anyone with $320 -- the discounted fee -- burning a hole in their pocket, this might be what you're looking for to kill some time or brush up on your writing skills.

If you don't have the money, there is also a writing contest you can enter to win a free class. The writing prompts for the contest are posted on Facebook and Twitter and aren't limited to just essays; you can write a poem, a story, or anything else you can think of. Submissions must be 2,500 words or less and the winner can choose from any of the writing classes offered. The deadline is November 1st, so get writing!

Jersey Spotlight: The Static Jacks

We've been absent on this blog for a little over a month. I apologize for that, but think of it as an internet vacation. Anyway, in order to make up for getting rid of the news posts (I really just don't have the time to keep up with them every week) I'm going to introduce a new feature called "Jersey Spotlight" that I hope you guys will enjoy. Every so often we will try to showcase great local bands from New Jersey in an attempt to get the word out on them. These bands need all the support they can get.

Without further ado, I present to you The Static Jacks, a five-piece indie band from Westfield. I use the term "indie" loosely, as that is what they are considered by the majority. Don't let that stop you from giving this band a listen. If their gritty, soulful music doesn't grab you, their catchy hooks certainly will. The vocals even remind me a bit of a young Glenn Danzig at times. They may not have complex guitar riffs or masterfully written lyrics, but what these guys do have is raw talent and a love for what they do.

Despite having been featured in various MTV shows, namely The Hills and Jersey Shore, it doesn't seem like this band is getting wide recognition. I recently had the pleasure of seeing them open for Biffy Clyro in New York and their set was fantastic. Before the show, a few fans waiting in line relayed a story about the previous night: The Static Jacks weren't able to play at the 21+ venue because some of the members are underage. They tried to find a place to crash for the night, but no one was generous enough to offer up their floor, so they slept in their van. The next day they tore up that stage in NYC and made me fall in love with their music.


The Static Jacks "My Parents Lied" from Michael James Murray on Vimeo.