Latest Listening Pleasure 20 - Halestorm

I used to brush off Halestorm and Lzzy Hale as radio rock, not to be taken seriously.  I didn't like the look - I felt she was trying too hard to be girly, and I didn't care much for the sound - it seemed too run of the mill, poppy rock to appeal to me.  Until I finally got a copy of their latest album, Into the Wild Life.  They've had, I believe, 5 'hit' singles, many off this album.  The latest, Amen, was what got me to finally listen to the full record.



Yes, I posted the official video above, but I've been more a fan of watching their live stuff on Youtube, as I always am.  She belts it out with the best of singers.  You can hear it on the album but it impressed me more seeing it in live videos.  That is what drew me to them most, her voice on these recent songs.  Of course I have gone back to their earlier stuff to see if I had been missing anything, but no, I had not really missed anything.  Like I mentioned, I did not like the look or sound of Halestorm before this album (okay, except for maybe one or two songs).  And actually, the old man in me doesn't care for the 'Lzzy' without an 'i.' But I do like that she has a more natural look now and the band seems to have a lot of fun on stage.  They have talked about how recording this album was different and heavier than their earlier stuff, and I would have to agree.  I have the album version with 16 songs and most of the songs are very strong, indeed.  I would not be surprised if they get a few more singles off this album.  Of course, that could lead to overexposure and burnout.  But I don't listen to radio often - what do I know?

I didn't plan on Halestorm as my newest LLP post, but that is how it goes.  I can't really plan on the next thing that hits my ears sideways like this did, but I will roll with it and enjoy the ride until the next Latest Listening Pleasure comes along.  This next song, I Like It Heavy, may be my favorite off the latest album.  Here they are doing that song live in London earlier this month:



And I know you may not even play the singles I posted so I will just link to this; a full Halestorm concert from Atlanta earlier this year.  If you like them as I have recently then you will enjoy this show.

*I've had more email readers recently.  This is to remind them that videos do not show in the email, you must click the link at the bottom of the email to go to the actual site to see the videos.

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm

July This and Thats

Happy July!  I hope everyone enjoyed their 3 day weekend, here in the states anyway.  I've been feeling like I should post lately but there is nothing big to write about.  So this is another one of those start-typing-and-see-what-comes-out posts.

• We had no plans for this holiday weekend other that some projects around the house.  Things did come up, like my sister in law wanting to see her dad so she calls my wife to fetch him for her for a visit.  We see him a lot, if she wants to see him she should go get him herself, I think.  Also, Kate helped her friend, Terry, clean up her boat - not go out on the lake, just clean it up while it is docked at the marina.  It has got to be a sin to own a nice pontoon boat, pay to store it on the water, and rarely, if ever, use it.  Sigh.
• My plans for this holiday weekend were to cross things off my list, and I did pretty good.  I got the garage power-washed, also cleaned some foundation which we got painted yesterday morning.  It looks a whole lot better and the fresh black matches the windows better.  Now only 3 more sides of the house to go!  I also got some sidewalk edging done, put gutter covers on the porch (free after rebate!), mowed, removed more irises, and later today I want to fertilize the lawn since rain is expected tomorrow evening.  Aside from fertilizing, I am now done for the weekend.  My feet hurt.  A lot.
• I've talked about getting bicycles, but we have not yet.  I still want to because I feel we would use them more often to get out to local places that we like to visit.  But in actuality that would probably be once a week in the summer time.  It would be nice but not the highest priority when we think about it.  Meanwhile, I have started getting on the exercise bike downstairs 3 times a week to start trying to get into better shape.  There's a great ice cream shop that opened last year that is less than a ten minute bike ride away, only 15-20 minutes away walking but we just never seem to do.
• Not just bikes, everything costs money and it seems like we have been hemorrhaging money lately.  Not even counting having the tree removed and buying a new vehicle.  Just purchases for house projects, cds and dvds, concert tickets, and the like.  On the bright side my wife received a long overdue promotion at work that will help.  Congrats, Kate, you've deserved this for a long time!
• Speaking of concert tickets, we recently got tickets for Garbage's upcoming tour.  It is the 20th anniversary of their debut, self-titled album and they will be playing it in its entirety on this tour.  Garbage started here in Madison and we do like to claim them as our own, though none live here anymore.  Also, Nightwish has announced their 2016 American tour and it includes a stop at the Rave in Milwaukee.  I may never get the chance again, I have to go.  The Garbage show is not until October and the Nightwish show is not until next year February.  They are both quite a ways off but I didn't care, I will be there and wanted my tickets now.  
• I broke one of my commenting rules recently when I commented on Delcatto's blog about his weather.  My personal rule is that if I only discuss me in my comment not to post it, but I did.  He wrote about the heat there and my comment was how we had not turned on the air conditioning here yet despite it being July already.  It has been very nice to have the windows open for this long.  We've been tempted to run the A/C a few times, but have not.  I was even tempted earlier today, but if I look at the next few days it cools off and we would want the windows open again.  I will not start it for one hot day, but if I see a stretch coming I won't hesitate.
• The 30th reunion of the people I went to high school with happens this year, and soon.  I have to decide in the next, like, day if we will be going.  I have not been to any of my previous class reunions.  I did not grow up with them, moving to town for 7th grade.  I had few friends and got picked on a lot.  I was the first in my class to get my ear pierced, I got picked on a lot for that my junior year.  When I came back for my senior year most of those that picked on me had their own ear pierced.  I hated them for that.  I know I was an awkward, stupid teenager and so were they as the jocks, cheerleaders, and geeks that they were.  There are exactly 2 friends that I would absolutely love to see, out of about 100-150 classmates (I forget).  I am certain there would be some others I would enjoy seeing, as well as others that I wouldn't.  But it's been 30 years now.  Do I care?  Do I go?

That's enough for now, more than I thought I had to say so I'm glad I did another This And Thats post.  There's something to be said for just sitting and typing and seeing what happens.  I'm not even a writer, I just pretend to be one on the internet.  PTFO

Latest Listening Pleasure 19... Lindemann

Lindemann is a new supergroup of only two people.  Till Lindemann, lead singer of the German band Rammstein and Swedish multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer Peter Tagtgren, known for his bands Hypocrisy and - my favorite - Pain.

So, last year Peter was working with his band Hypocrisy while I was biding my time until he would finish that up and start on a new Pain album.  I've listened to Hypocrisy but, as much as I like Peter, that music just doesn't appeal to me.  While I have grown more accustomed to the cookie monster* stuff, I really do not care for that kind of vocal.  I sometimes like it better as an accent to the music and regular vocals, like in Amaranthe, my previous LLP post.   Turns out that the timing was right for friends Peter and Till to work on an album together, instead.  Skills In Pills was released this past Tuesday.  I had it pre-ordered so it was here when I got home from work that day.

This album is different than anything I have heard in a while.  For Till, this is the first time he sings an entire album in English.  And Peter, well, he does everything else.  He played all the instruments, wrote all the music, engineered and produced the album.  Just another day at the office for him.  He is the driving force in Hypocrisy, though there are two other full members, and Pain is all Peter Tagtgren until it's time to play live.  This music here is actually very near to what I would have expected from another Pain album, Till's vocals and lyrics are what make this album unusual.  I must say that even I was taken aback a little bit the first time I saw the video for Praise Abort, below.  Other song titles include the title track Skills In Pills, Ladyboy, Fish On, Golden Shower and Fat.  It's hard to say if he is really disturbed or just trying to shock people.  Doesn't matter, really.  Other than worrying what bad words the neighbors may hear, the album sounds great and it has a good flow to it.  Like I said before, the music is not far off from what I would expect from Pain, and I really love that project.

Below is the first video from the album, for the song Praise Abort.  NOT safe for work!


I've had the album for less than a week, but it has fast become my latest listening pleasure.  Check out all my other LLP posts below!

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann


*You know the sound.  Or just do your impression of Sesame Street's Cookie Monster, right now, out loud.  Okay, now sing in that voice.  That's the kind of vocals I'm talking about.  I tend not to listen to bands that do that.

Latest Listening Pleasure 18 - Amaranthe

Elyze Ryd first hit my radar when she had a side gig doing backing vocals on tour with Kamelot back in 2012 when Amaranthe was idle.  I knew nothing of her or the band Kamelot, but they were opening for Nightwish on a US tour when the singer Annette Olson became ill(diva-syndrome?) and left them in a bind.  Instead of cancelling that night's show, they - with the crowd's approval - had Elyze Ryd and another girl from Kamelot fill in and sing Nightwish's songs, even reading the lyrics from paper.  I thought Elyze did a wonderful job and obviously knew Nightwish's material better than the other girl.  It was a unique show and I've watched the videos several times, here's a good one.  Later I learned that she actually auditioned for the band in 2006, when Annette got the job.  Of course, after this last minute replacement singers show the band flew in Floor Jansen from the other side of the world to finish the tour and, eventually, join the band on a more permanent basis.  I cannot disagree, Floor has a wonderful voice and stage presence and I think she fits that band better that Elyze could.

The band Amaranthe got my attention again recently when I saw a blurb somewhere about the new video for their song 'Digital World,' and I really liked the song.  They are a unique band in that they have three lead singers.  Yes, the band has guitar, drums, and bass along with a female clean vocalist, a male clean vocalist, and a male extreme vocalist.  From what I have seen so far, they all sing lead parts on every song and it seems to work for them very well.

Here's the video that caught my attention recently:


I had known about the band for some time, but because of the above video I finally did start taking the time to listen to them and watch them on youtube.  And I know it is like 'pop' metal, but I enjoy this.  It's a good feeling, discovering something new-to-you that makes you feel good - and music makes us feel good, that is why we have it.  I went ahead and bought their latest CD from last October called 'Massive Addictive' about a week or two ago.  I've been playing it lots and really enjoying the first half of the CD, the second half sounds good and sounds like the whole sound of the album but nothing stands out to me so far.  Perhaps when I tire of the first half the second half songs will distinguish themselves to me more.

This is the CD that has helped me test the JBL speakers - with subwoofer - in the new car!  I discovered that it has a 6 cd changer in the stereo but I just plug my phone in and play music from there.  Thanks, Amaranthe!

And because I love the live stuff, here's one more from the latest album:


Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe

LLP Bonus - Nightwish

Live in New York last night to open the new tour!  I've been listening to the new cd since I received it from Amazon on the US release date, March 31.  I have already had them as a Latest Listening Pleasure a few times so did not want to do it again so readily, so this is just a new thing - a LLP Bonus!  I came across this video of last night's show in New York to open their US tour and I wanted to post it because it is the newest live video of them since year before last festival season, and we hear the newest songs live!  The new album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, opened in the US top 40 last week.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Shudder Before The Beautiful
02. Yours Is An Empty Hope
03. Amaranth
04. She Is My Sin
05. Endless Forms Most Beautiful
06. My Walden
07. The Islander
08. Élan
09. Weak Fantasy
10. Storytime
11. Nemo
12. I Want My Tears Back
13. Stargazers
14. Sleeping Sun
15 The Greatest Show On Earth

Encore:

16. Ghost Love Score
17. Last Ride Of The Day

Via Blabbermouth

This and Thats for March

I feel as though I have been slacking, not writing as often as I should.  Nothing has been going on that I have needed to write about, and backing off from posting as frivolously as I had in the past was part of my plan when I took some time off from blogging recently.  So I guess I should just get over it.  I know I'm not going away, just posting less than I have.

Now, having said that again, to start off this This and Thats post is a blurb from a draft I wrote back in December, after I made my decision to back off a bit.

• "In my first year and two thirds, 2009 and 2010, I posted at an amazing rate of about 20 posts a month.  I took to it quickly and buying our first house at the same time gave me some material to work with.  In 2011 I slowed a bit to about 8 or so posts a month on average.  I think I realized how much time I spent on posting crap.  2012 and 2013 - coincidentally have 99 posts each.  I found my rhythm.  This year was on the same pace, perhaps a few more even, until something... changed.  Changed in that my computer, 10-15% of my normal 24 hour day, took a dump on me.  Changed how I looked at how I spent my time.  Changed because I wanted it to.  Hell, I needed it to." - Scoakat's Blog draft from December, 2014.
• My most recent post was on a day we reached over 70º F, we haven't been even close to that since.  Mother Nature has given us more snow on a few occasions, and I have had to get back out some winter gear for the temperatures.  This week we are to settle in with highs mostly in the 60's.  Hopefully it can finally be - and stay - spring.
• I bought a power washer a few weeks ago.  I liked the gas powered ones a lot but I didn't feel I could justify the higher cost and maintenance for the few uses a year it would get so i got an electric.  I have assembled it but I have not tested it yet, the temperatures have not been warm enough to start anything.  It looks like next weekend I can finally test it out and get started on our foundation - cleaning, sealing and repainting before the flowers come up.
• We bought two very nice new floor lamps for the living room recently so the living room is almost how we want it to be.  We still need a couple nice end tables to replace the very cheap temporary things I bought a few years ago.  And we need to get rid of my La-Z-Boy recliner, it is just too big for the room (and not the best for my back).  We need to replace it with a different kind of living room chair, one that fits and matches the space we are creating.
• We also bought a very nice light fixture for the bedroom (pictured above).  Before, there was just a plain, white ceiling fan without a light.  Since we've had the house I would often hit the switch wanting a light to go on, even recently still, so it was time to get rid of the little used fan and replace it with a nice light fixture.  We could have gotten a cheap but adequate replacement like we did in the other bedroom, our office, when we moved in, but we wanted something nicer.  My wife pointed out one or two of this style and eventually I really warmed up to it.  It was for sure expensive, but it looks great in there I think it is worth it.
• My next two big projects are to look up tree removal services to utilize in the very near future, and to start looking for a new car.  I want both done by summer, and hopefully done by the end of May, my next extended time off from work.  I also have a new shelf to assemble downstairs.  I write that now to remind myself to do it, it's been down there waiting for 2 weeks.
• The new Nightwish album will be released in the US on Tuesday.  Amazon says I should receive it that day so it should be here when I get home from work.  I can't remember anticipating a new release like this in a long time.  Of course, I've had it free from the internet already for about a week, but I do not want to listen to it yet.  I want the CD so I can hold it and read it and follow along with the lyrics, like people used to do for a much anticipated release.  These days most things are leaked early and shared, long before the artist intended.
• I've noted here before how it is a pretty good time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin, and it still is.  The Wisconsin Men's Basketball Badgers have reached the Final Four for the second year in a row.  They play Kentucky next Saturday in a Final Four rematch from last year when we lost to them by one point.  The Badgers are better this year than they were last year, I think they can get by Kentucky and go for the national championship!  I'd love to see that happen but it will be tough, only one team in the tourney ends with a 'W' and only the best are left.  (Congrats to Michigan State, too.  May we meet in the championship game!)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out what my wife and I are up to.  I have high hopes, as we do every spring, but our to-do list this year is very specific and there is much on it - and it is to be done very soon.

We also have enough fun things scheduled out that I'm sure I'll have more to share here in the coming months.  Weather permitting, of course, it would be nice to be able to fully come out of winter hibernation!

Latest Listening Pleasure 17 - Cradle Of Thorns

Wow, I haven't posted a LLP post since last June!  I have been enjoying mostly the music I always have, even thought I have been looking for and listening to what new music (to me) that I can.   I'm always open to new music but sometimes the new music is old music still waiting to be found.

1996 - Download This!

Cradle Of Thorns was first known to me as the CD my latest gal pal in the late mid 90's did not want to lose.  The 1996 CD was called Download This!, I had never heard of them, but she could not wait to play it for me, and yes, I agreed it was pretty great, just not as fanatically as she.  Okay, she'd say, I'll leave it here but you better take care of it and I want it back!  This was a girlfriend that, well, chose me.  You know, you're in a dead spot and she's kinda cute and likes you lots.  Not sure if you want all your friends to know your seeing her but she does some things very well to and for you to keep you there. That kind of thing.

Not really long story short - she wound up off in Montana and her CD was still at my place, not my fault.  It was a really good CD way back then and still is now.  It has some of that in between song annoying, inane stuff, to me anyway, but the songs were innovative and differently good to me at the time.  Plus it had a great cover of Motley Crue's 'Shout at the Devil!'

1994 - Feed-Us

Recently I had been listening to this CD again and I decided to look them up on YouTube.  There is not much to be found.  They put out three albums as Cradle Of Thorns, then a later CD as Videodrone in 1999.   I have the Videodrone CD from a prior re-interest a few years ago (I guess when I have no new music interests I tend to research my prior favorites more).  This time I went back and got their 1994 album, Feed-Us, I ordered the physical CD from my favorite place to shop, Amazon.  This CD has things on it that reverberated on 1996's Download This!, but in my opinion not quite as well.  But I would expect that, as this came before, and as of right now I've just re-added the 1999 Videodrone CD to my digital library to refresh my memory on that.  If I'm still curious later, there is a 1990 CD called Remember It Day out there somewhere, probably waiting to find its way to my collection in another 5 years or so, depending on how bored I get finding new things to listen to.

They have no real 'official' videos that I can find, so try this - the song Flesh, from my newest CD; Cradle Of Thorns, 1994, Feed-Us.


Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns

Prior LLP Bands that have also turned my head recently after the break!  Including a brand new video posted only yesterday!

Kanye... I Agree With SP

Steel Panther saying what we all thought.

Merry Christmas 2014

Warning: Adult Content and Language.

Steel Panther played here at the Orpheum Theater here in Madison last Sunday night, the 21st.  I do like them, and a couple co-workers I know went to the show, but it was on a Sunday night and I just was not willing to get home at midnight or later, not drink at all, and have to get up at 4:30 for my job on a Monday morning.  They're pretty good but they're not 'Faster Pussycat' or 'WASP' good - in my book.

Still, they are a pretty good comedy hair metal show.  I've watched tons of their stuff on Youtube.  Just be obnoxious and have a totally confident, 80's hair metal attitude and dumb chicks jump on your stage, show you their tits and play along.  Amazing.  Sigh, I wish I had that chance to play 'rock star.'  But most guys wish that, so I guess these lucky guys are livin' the dream - at least for today.  Hell, Judas Priest almighty just had them opening out on tour!

Here's the best one of the four videos I found tonight from just downtown here this past Sunday.  One of our town's finest sluts jumping on stage, I'm sure.  I heard there were many more up there that night, but really, I went to every heavy metal concert around here that I could in the late 80's and 90's.  The more sluts shit changes the more it stays the same...


Merry Fucking Holidays, people.  Don't think too much about it, just Rock Out and Roll along with it.  What the hell else can we really do, anyway?

End of the year rant coming soon.

Where Is Hyrax?

Not Hirax, a metal band out of L.A.  Hyrax, an obscure metal band from Germany, as far as I can tell.  I came across this band almost a year ago, (they're one of my LLPs,) though it seems longer, on one of my youtube searches for something fun and new and striking to me.  I found Hyrax by chance and have been loving their music ever since.  Their previous 'debut' album, Over The Edge, is the most available but for early EPs and random stuff.  It came out last year when I first wrote about the band. I'm surprised writing this now that I now it was less than a year ago, the fact that I really like their music and I'm looking for more proves they're doing something right.

Still, there's not a lot of live stuff on the ole internets.  Maybe they're in the studio, I don't know, I don't speak German.  Still, I like it and I'd like to hear more.  Here's a few good ones I found tonight.  Forgive my indulgence, I'm rockin' out!

Hyrax - Too Kind

Hyrax - Your Company

Hyrax - Tasting Pain

Latest Listening Pleasure 16 - Sebastian Bach

I didn't really like Skid Row, but I admit to liking selected songs, mostly years later. When it comes down to it, I liked the singer, the band not so much. Sebastian Bach has had arguably the better career since the split, yet he seems to think a reunion would make them millionaires again or something. I just know what I like, I like Sebastian Bach more than the band he was in, or even much of his solo stuff... Well, there is some real good stuff on his solo albums and he is a great metal frontman and gives it his all. I do see what all the detractors see, but I have respect Sebastian Bach.  Enough that he is now one of my LLPs!  In fact, this is probably the best lyric video that I have seen to date, off his latest release 'Give 'Em Hell.'


This next video, 'Temptation,' is actually the first single of the new album. It features Duff McKagan who also played on some of the album.


*I found this in my drafts from a few weeks ago so I must have been drinking when I wrote it.  In fact, I did post the first video recently, but now it's official - Sebastian Bach is a latest listening pleasure!  Enjoy!


Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat

Faster Pussycat Rock Moment

I've seen this in a few places by now, so I may as well post it.  The bassist in Faster Pussycat gets drunk and takes a header into the bass drum (about 1:30 in) then gets carried off the stage.  The bassist for the opening band steps right in and saves the day!  Pretty Effing funny, to me.  Like Taime says, 'that's rock and roll' and I hope I can give him spit about it in person this weekend.

I'm a huge fan of Faster Pussycat and will see them live - very soon.  I can't believe I haven't had them as an LLP post yet, but that will be resolved, probably this weekend.  I took video of U.D.O. when I saw them last year and it took away from the experience.  This time I will try to get some video, maybe a song, but not much because I really want to enjoy the moment rather than try to capture the show right in front of me on a tiny screen in my face.  But I do want to get something on video and anything less than a complete song is crap on Youtube.  Whatever, I'll do my best and I really won't worry about it as much as I am now. PTFO

Kiss Rock and Roll HOF Induction

My all time favorite band from last night's "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame"* induction. Not the best quality video, but you could wait another month and a half to watch it 'live' on HBO.


*I feel the way Paul Stanley feels about this 'honor.'  If you don't know, look it up.  He's talked a lot about it lately to anyone who will listen.  Probably because his book just came out, too. (I'm about a hundred pages in so far.)

Latest Listening Pleasure 14... In This Moment*

I've been debating myself as to whether In This Moment would be my next LLP post or not.  Then I thought of my Paramore LLP post and what shite that full album turned out to be (for my tastes, anyway).  In This Moment doesn't have much more of a history as a band, but they do have heavier songs and have turned my head and perked my ears lately.  Actually, I may remember hearing the song 'Blood' on local hard rock radio sometime in the past year.  If so, it was purely incidental.  I am not a regular radio listener and haven't been in a very long time.  What gets played on the local hard rock radio station these days doesn't interest or influence me significantly.  The internet is where I find all my new sounds these days, the possibilities are so much greater and global than just what some corporate controlled program director thinks we should all like.  Most times I find something very very new, like the last LLP - Hyrax, and sometimes I'm a little late to the party, this album 'Blood' was released in August of 2012.

In This Moment's current stage show does make me think of 'pop metal.'  I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to see Britney Spears or a similar pop diva do something like this live.  Then again, maybe they do now, I don't pay attention.  They use the latest fad of 'mini-stages-on-the-big-stage' thing like I know Zombie and Manson do now (WASP has been standing on equipment crates since the early eighties), and dreadlocks and skulls are everywhere.  I do like the singer and her voice on most of the songs on the album.  But I also can't help but find myself thinking if this is what Christina Aguilera would be if she were more metal.  All in all, very good performances - if a bit dramatic at times - on the album.   Just my two cents, though.

I don't know if you know what I mean, or if  I  you even care.  It caught my attention, maybe it will catch yours.  I like In This Moment right now and have been enjoying listening to their 2012 album 'Blood' enough lately to make it officially my Latest Listening Pleasure.

And no, it did not hit me like a wrecking ball, but sometimes it strangely - and somewhat uncomfortably - reminds me of one.  Give 'em a listen for yourself!

In This Moment - Blood


In This Moment - Whore (Live, just two nights ago!)



*Update 11/30. 11:37 pm. I saw the below posted today on Blabbermouth.  It confirms that I had heard of them before, among other things.  I am not aware of any release date yet.

IN THIS MOMENT professionally filmed its May 21 concert in Madison, Wisconsin for the group's first-ever live DVD.  IN THIS MOMENT has partnered up with longtime supporter, radio station WJJO, as part of their Mayday Maylay concert series. The band had a bunch of surprises in store for this show, including rarely played songs from their catalog and an all-new stage show created specifically for this concert.

Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax

Latest Listening Pleasure - 13... Hyrax

Hyrax - Over The Edge, released today.

Something caught me, I'm not sure what it was - the name, the description, maybe (not likely) the album cover.

Anyway, it caught my interest long enough for me explore them a bit more via the interwebs and youtube.  This is actually how I find most of the music I listen to these days.  I look around at what's out there - and in this global internet there is a lot of music out there - and occasionally I find something that I find greatly appealing to my eclectic (read: odd, heavy-ish and sometimes unexplainable) tastes in music.  Of course, 9 out of 10 of my inquiries range from music that I will never listen to again to good but forgettable stuff.  Then there is the occasional hit, that rare kind of sound that seems to really grab you.  You know that feeling, or at least I hope you do.

I've listened to the Hyrax album at least a couple times a day all week now, and I really like what I hear.  Hyrax's album, Over The Edge, is their first as far as I can tell.  I believe there are two EP's that they released since 2011, but I can't find them in a cursory internet search.  There also isn't much of this band on youtube, most of it can be found on their channel here.  No wiki page yet, but I believe they are from Germany.  And they're kids.  They gotta be, look at them.  Pick any two and they may not total my age.  *Sigh.*  Actually they remind me of when I found out about CKY, in fact I see quite a few similarities, except that when I found out about CKY they had a few albums for me to look back to and enjoy while this is, as far as I can tell, Hyrax's first full length release.

This first video, Desire, is similar to the second, I Never Thought, in that he has the aggressive-but-not-quite-cookie-monster vocal.  On the album, which is bookended by these songs, they actually come across with a good mix of this aggressiveness but also some harmonies that work well and set up the next aggressive verse - it all works very well.  I also like how they chose to film their two official videos, below, both are single camera, one take shots.  The first appears to be the first single, but I may like the second better.

Okay, enough review, check it out if you're intrigued - like I was.   NSFW (language)

Hyrax - Desire



Hyrax - I Never Thought



Previous LLP Posts...
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O.
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield


Honorable Mention after the break!

Latest Listening (Guilty) Pleasure... Rick Springfield

Here's another guilty pleasure of mine, for all the world to see.  Yes, I know he was Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital.  Yes, I know middle aged women are his core audience.  I can't explain it, but I like Rick Springfield.

This has been on my mind lately because I found out he will be a few blocks away, at the Barrymore Theater on December 4, and I feel a bit conflicted.  I'd like to see him live, but it's just a 'stripped down' tour and tickets are 50 bucks.  Sorry, Rick, I know you can rock out when you want to and I'd love to see that, but I think I'll have to pass this time.  I did spend a few hours watching youtube videos of his shows the other night.  It may be a guilty pleasure, but I like what I like and won't apologize for that.  Rock on, Rick Springfield!

The promo clip for his upcoming tour:


This clip is very recent, from this year's Sweden Rock Festival.  I get a kick out of seeing the 'spider' stage lights in the background.  Obviously Kiss was to perform later that night on the same stage.  (See my Kiss LLP post here!)



Wow, three posts in one day - and I still have more on my mind!  Best save some for later.  PTFO

Latest Listening Pleasure... KISS

My latest listening pleasure is also my oldest and dearest listening pleasure, the band KISS.   I have been a fan since I first found out about the band, probably 1975 or 76 when I could still count my age on my fingers.  Recently I found a podcast about all things Kiss called 3 Sides of the Coin which brought me back to the band that started it all for me.  When I was a kid I collected everything Kiss that I could get my hands on, which was mostly second hand albums and posters bought with my weekly allowance or traded for other things that are important to a kid that age.  I still have one of my Kiss posters, the first Kiss poster, now framed and on my wall almost 40 years later.  As I was growing up I completed my album collection and still collected all things Kiss that I could manage, but I did soon see that getting everything was an impossible task so I had to pick and choose with the little resources I had.

Kiss' first official poster, 1975

In drafting this post I tried to remember all the times that I saw Kiss live, which didn't come easy to my rusty little brain.  I came up with 10 times that I can for sure recall and I know I'm forgetting and just can't place some others.  For a long time I went to see them whenever they were in Wisconsin, but over time it became less of a priority and/or they just came around less.  Now, if given the chance, I would go see them if they came to town again, but I do not wish to travel to Milwaukee, Lacrosse, or even Alpine Valley anymore unless I expect something amazing will happen.  They're getting old, Gene Simmons is overexposed, Paul Stanley can't hit the notes anymore and Tommy Thayer just bugs me (fake Ace).  The new 'spider' stage set looks pretty good, though, and about time, too.  A couple tours ago they were using Justin Bieber's old stage set!  The 'spider' set is more like it - and original to Kiss.  Yes, if they came to town I would go, but it may not be quite the event it once was for me.

Years ago I started to try to get all the albums on cd but never did finish, everything was going digital so the cds that I had just sat on a shelf.  Eventually I gave many to my nephew (though he should share with his sister) since he was becoming a young fan, including the most recent releases.  I haven't given the music much of a chance since 'Psycho Circus' came out, but listening to 3 sides of the Coin has given me a new perspective and I have been enjoying catching up lately.  Up next is a new video from their newest album, 'Monster.'

Kiss - Right Here Right Now (Lyric Video)

Kiss is out on tour now supporting their newest release.  U.S. dates may not happen until fall or else next year, though.  Well, that's what Youtube is for these days.  Here's a pretty good high quality video from a couple weeks ago.  Enjoy!

Latest Listening (and Viewing) Pleasure - Nightwish's Imaginaerum Movie

My latest listening/viewing pleasure is the new movie," Imaginaerum,"  by Nightwish.  My favor for Nightwish has been well documented by LLP posts here and here.  In the former I claim I shall buy the box set when the movie comes out, and I stick by that if it ever becomes available in the US.  I share the movie here because, well, it is available on Youtube now, and just because I can.  But also because no one who sees it here on my lil' ole site knows what this is anyway, and maybe they'll like it and become a money spending fan like I and enjoy and support the band.

Really, Nightwish is an incredible experience and this movie shows just what an inspired effort between an excellent composer and an imaginative director can produce.  The music is almost secondary in this movie, though it only happened because of the music, and it outlines the themes with the band only playing in the background.  This story is of a dying composer caught within his own memories and his daughter caught resenting, then understanding her dying dad as he relives his memories and ultimate legacy.  This is very much oversimplified, but I wouldn't post this unless I felt that strongly about this band and this project.  Remember, normally I'm not a movie guy at all, but I say watch this now!  Fullscreen!

Nightwish - Imaginaerum - The Movie

Update 12/9/13:  Link is dead and has been for quite some time.  I have not been able to find the full movie online and it is not offered for sale yet.  Read wiki here for a great description.  Spoiler Alert!

Update 7/18/15: The movie is available worldwide now.  I have a dvd from Germany that I got last year, and a month or two ago I got the US dvd+blueray when it was released.

Update 5/21/16

Post U.D.O. Show Glow

Last night was the U.D.O. show in Janesville.  I went with a  bud, Mike, and we had a hell of a great time.  In fact, I have much I want to write about here but, even though I took today off, I just don't feel like writing a lot today.  We got back to town at almost 1 in the morning and home after 2.  I slept in and then Kate and I went out to eat a late lunch* and now we are just relaxing at home.  I had a blast at the show and I was front and center for all of it!

Here's a preview video, minutes before they came out I did a quick 360 degree look around the club.  I was disappointed for the band that there weren't more people and happy for myself that it wasn't shoulder to shoulder.  You can see I was front and center for the forthcoming metal assault!



*We went to Brothers Three for lunch and I must have looked hungry because James made me an incredible bacon cheeseburger with two grilled cheese sandwiches for the bun!  I've only seen things like that on the internet, but it was delicious!

Upcoming U.D.O. Concert

I've been a huge Udo Dirkschneider fan since I saw the german band Accept a couple times back in the eighties, opening for Kiss and for Iron Maiden.  The band U.D.O. has been around since 1987 (restarted twice following Accept reunions).  They are playing 9 U.S. shows (and 3 in Canada) and I will be at the one on Wednesday in Janesville, Wisconsin.  I knew they were coming over for a short tour but I was not going to drive for hours, especially in the middle of the week.  Dates and venues have been changing a bit lately, the show I'm going to was actually scheduled next door in Verona for a while, but I can't argue with less than an hour drive to Janesville.  After all, I may never get another chance to see one of my favorite metal singers.  My next LLP post may be the video I take on Wednesday night!

Here is U.D.O. playing 'Vendetta' last night in New York City.


Bonus video of 'Balls To The Wall' from the same show after the break!