Hot Mess Review

Despite being on the soundtrack for Snakes on a Plane, despite being on the soundtrack for TMNT, and despite being part of the Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen crowd, Cobra Starship never struck me as being as famous as bands like Panic at the Disco or The Academy Is...

I'm of the opinion that that's a shame. Cobra Starship has a unique sound that's like a fusion of '80s pop and modern rock. And unlike PatD's attempt to be unique by aping the Beatles, it really works for Cobra Starship.

Hot Mess is Cobra Starship's third album. With a lot of bands, it usually takes them awhile to mature as musicians and find their sound. I'm not really sure that's the case with Cobra Starship, though, and I'm not really sure where they're going musically.

I don't mean to imply that Hot Mess is a bad album, though. Although not as strong as their first album, it feels more solid and more cohesive than ¡Viva la Cobra! All of the songs but the final track, "The Word Will Never Do", are enjoyable, even catchy songs. But none of them really stand out the way "Send My Love to the Dance Floor" did from the first album, or the way "The City is at War" did from the second album.

On the whole, I'm going to recommend this album. You can get it at Best Buy or Target for $10, which makes buying an actual CD with a case and cover art cheaper than buying the digital version in a lot of cases.

Album highlights:
"Nice Guys Finish Last"
"Good Girls Go Bad"
"Hot Mess"

Final Score: A-

Folie à Deux Review

Bear with me, since I've never written a music review before. And it seems inherently more difficult... with a movie you can talk about the plot and the acting. With a game, you can talk about mechanics and gameplay. Music seems to come down to "I like it" or "I don't like it" for nebulous reasons like "it's too whiny" or "it sucks."

Fall Out Boy's new album, Folie à Deux, does not suck, though. I'd actually say that it's quite good.

I've been told that it doesn't sound like Fall Out Boy. I don't think that's entirely accurate, though. When you compared their previous works, like Infinity On High to From Under the Cork Tree, Infinity On High sounded quite different. And it is true that Folie à Deux sounds a little bit different from either album. The difference, though, is less jarring than Panic at the Disco's transition from music people their age would listen to to music their parents would listen to. I don't think Fall Out Boy is switching genres on us or anything like that. I would suggest that they're growing as musicians and becoming a little more versatile, and in doing so setting them apart from every other high-school pop-punk/emo band flooding the market these days.

And for the most part, they're successful in their attempt. Most of the songs on the CD have a sound and style that's unique from any of the other songs on the CD, and they run the gamut from 70's style rock to synth rock to aping Panic at the Disco's 60's sound. Yet, even as they experiment with these different styles, they never stop sounding like Fall Out Boy. The end result is a CD that might not be as good as Infinity on High was, but is definitely close. In fact, if I had to find any faults, it's that the Deluxe Edition bonus track "Pavlove" is really good and I wish it were on the actual CD, and that if Pete Wentz can get married, have a baby, and write more mature songs, then he should really drop that stupid emo look.

Songs I'd really recommend from Folie à Deux:
"I Don't Care"
"Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet"
"Tiffany Blews"
"w.a.m.s."

Final Score: A+

Mike Reviews Rock of Ages

Or at least, the performance by the cast of Rock of Ages on Late Night with Conan O'Brian.

Now, as near as I can tell, Rock of Ages is a new Broadway musical. The plot is, given the synopsis, paper-thin, and serves as little more than an excuse for the cast to sing something like hits from the '80s (ironically, some of the songs are actually from the early '90s, and Def Leppard's hit "Rock of Ages" seems to be absent from the musical, despite being the inspiration for the title).

I grew up in the '80s. Transformers was my favorite cartoon, Knight Rider was my favorite live-action show, Reagan was (and still is) my favorite President, and Def Leppard was my favorite band. So a lot of the songs featured in the musical might not be on my iPod right now, but chances are I had them on cassette at some point. I'm not against music from the '80s, no matter how big the hair.

But... raise your hand if you thought '80s rock would be awesome as showtunes.

Okay, if you have your hand up, you can stop wondering, you are in fact gay. Mind you, I don't have a problem with gays, but we're not talking Will from Will & Grace here, we're talking Jack from Will & Grace. The poor fairy stereotype that other gay guys are pissed at for giving them a bad name. The kind that major in theater because they freaking love showtunes.

Which, I suppose, explains how Rock of Ages came to be.

In that sense, Rock of Ages (unfairly judged by a quick plot synopsis and the cast performing Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" on Late Night With Conan O'Brian) is the most self-indulgent piece of crap ever to hit Broadway. I mean, it does have a target audience, but that's a subset of gays that I assume from TV exists, but doesn't actually even apply to the two or three gay guys I know.

Here's a tip for those of you out there who like '80s rock. Form a cover band. Not only will you need a lot fewer people, or a lame plot, but you'll hopefully not be ruining the music in the process. Don't sing it as showtunes (and worse, pretend your an artist or a legitimate actor for doing so).

Final Score: F-

Duffy on SNL Review

You know, prior to SNL, I'd heard of Duffy, but I'd never actually heard anything by her or heard her sing. Now I kinda wish I didn't watch SNL tonight.

Can someone explain to me, how did she get famous? Her album debuted #1 in the UK? For real? Do British people not have a good taste gene? Or ears?

Let's be clear on one thing here... this is a woman who clearly cannot sing. You know how American Idol has that one episode where they show some of the worst auditions? That's where she rightfully belongs. So if I had to guess, maybe she slept with some bigwig at a record company in exchange for an album.

If you find yourself at a record store, holding a copy of Duffy's Rockferry CD, PUT IT BACK. Seriously, I can't stress that enough. It's an assault on the ears. I mean, when it comes to getting info out of terrorists, I think it's ok to waterboard the crap out of them, but I'd have to draw a line at making the terrorists listen to Duffy.

The sad irony is that the musicians and the songwriting don't appear to be that bad. In the hands of maybe Beyonce "Mercy" would be a sort of catchy pop tune, if not my particular cup of tea. Duffy's singing is just so bad that it takes decent songs and turns them into something so foul that you might begin to wonder if Duffy is, in fact, the Devil.

Final Score: F-