Yesterday's Reviews

Okay, if you're not listening to Candy Hearts, then take a good long look at yourself, your life and listen to their new EP, "The Best Ways to Disappear" NOW!

Quite easily the best pop-punk band I've listened to in the past year, Candy Hearts just gets better and better and better with each release. The last time I listened to a pop-punk band this good, it was the release of New Found Glory's "Not Without a Fight" album. I have pretty high standards when it comes to pop-punk and Candy Hearts definitely surpasses those expectations.

The EP is outstanding. Lyrically, it's like listening to your best friend give their open and honest opinions. I feel that's the way lyrics should be written: down-to-earth and without making attempts at being the next Jesse Lacey or Morrissey (don't get me wrong, they're fantastic but not everyone should try to be like them).

Every song had me reminiscing about my sophomore year in high school and it's in this regard that Candy Hearts truly triumphs, they bring back the way one felt any number of years or months before. Their music is a love-letter to classic pop-punk, like New Found Glory or early Fall Out Boy.

Final Verdict: I listened to the EP through the Alternative Press website's stream but I wish I had a physical copy so I could listen to it any time. It's a triumph in every sense of the word and I'm glad I got into the reviewing hobby because if I hadn't, I would've never found such an awesome band. If they don't make it big, I'll be severely disappointed in the music industry. You can catch Candy Hearts touring with Citizen and State Champs now and with New Found Glory come December

Score: An absolutely brilliant EP from an absolutely brilliant band, this deserves 5/5 stars without a doubt in my mind.

Track Listing

Bad Idea

Matchbox Cars

Miles and Interstates

Replacement Parts

Sick of It

Ticklish

Ollie Taylor is, quite possibly, one of the greatest new artists I've listened to in a long, long while. His EP, "Legs of Stone" was incredible, to say the least and here I am, it's almost midnight and I'm listening to his new album, "Little Drummer Boy" as I type this.

God, it's so good already. As I type this, I'm only on the second song and my heart is truly rushing at the excitement for what else is to come.

Opening with the track entitled "Love", Taylor draws you in to a world where time doesn't exist anymore. Being a track comprising entirely of music without lyrics, I found myself grow more and more anxious to hear what the second song would have to offer. Thankfully, the music is very well written, and Taylor's vocals compliment it perfectly on the second track, and it's clear (more than clear, actually) that he's not playing around when it comes to his debut album.

This is a musician who gives the music a very high priority. He's not just some kid who writes music to one day play before a stadium of screaming girls (or guys, I'm not one to assume anything. That's his personal life, after all but I digress). Ollie Taylor deserves to be the poster-boy for writing music and spilling gallons of passion into it.

The fourth track, which is also a single available for listen, ends abruptly with a pause before leading into the next song, "Deep Down". A fast-paced piece, I kinda felt myself be a bit disappointed when the music stopped just as suddenly as the last track, only to be relieved the song wasn't over about 5 seconds later.

Lyrically, Ollie Taylor writes as mature as a seasoned veteran in the world of music, which is honestly surprising. Most musicians are pretty weak in their writing ability when they start off. If this is how good he writes in his first album, imagine how great he'll be later on down the road.

Final Verdict: The last time I reviewed one of Mr. Taylor's works, I complained that there weren't enough tracks. Well, thankfully, that was just an EP and this is a full-length album.

Ollie Taylor doesn't impress. No, he doesn't impress at all. Instead, he takes you and completely blows you out of the water.

I highly recommend this album to anyone who comes across this review. Give Ollie Taylor your support because the guy truly deserves it and more. I swear, if he doesn't become popular in the world of music, I'm giving up on the music industry altogether.

Score: Ollie, if you're reading this, great job. I'm so honored you gave me the chance to listen to it. 6/5 stars, for sure.

Track Listing:

Love

This is Love

Stare

Remember This

Deep Down

Anymore

Wrapped

The Eyes that Follow

The Psycho

No More Hiding

I was asked relatively recently to review a band's music. To be quite honest, I thought that was a bit odd because no one ever comes to me for a review or to ask my opinions but it turned out to be for the best because Chase the Enemy is a band very eager to expand their audience.

(Although, asking someone with only 11 followers is pretty odd but whatever)

Chase the Enemy's self-titled EP is about two years old, according to frontwoman Jessica Moore. The small, five-piece band from Essex is looking to explode on the popular music scene with their music and I think they honestly have a shot.

Their EP is very energetic and packs a mean punch for something that isn't meant to be so 'in-your-face'. Opening with the track, "Weigh Me Down", I was filled with a sense of nostalgia. Taken back to the days when I could actually go concerts and listen to bands like Death in the Park, I found myself really enjoying Chase the Enemy's music.

People could very easily write this band off as an English version of Paramore, but to be honest, I don't think that's the angle this band meant to take. Do they sound similar? Yes but then again, the Monkees sounded like the Beatles sometimes and they were still distinctly different bands.

Each band member works together to produce a pop-rock sound capable of appealing to anyone. I loved guitarists, James Buck and Tom Bellman's solid melodies and fantastic rhythms. As for the bassist, Josh Dawson, I couldn't help but envy his skill and talent as a bassist, myself and Thomas Moore's beats were energetic and were really the part that reminded me of the summer of 2008. It is evident that these four musicians work hard and diligently to create the sound of Chase the Enemy. Jessica Moore, the vocalist of the band, is strong and very impressive. I've listened to several bands with female singers and this is easily my favorite. Topping even veteran pop-punk singer, Haley Williams of Paramore. In fact, Paramore needs to watch out because this is a band easily capable of stealing their fanbase.

Final Verdict: My final thoughts? I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. These guys are onto something good. Each member shines and that made this EP all the more enjoyable. Chase the Enemy doesn't play around, they work hard and they truly deserve all the recognition they're sure to receive. I honestly can't wait to see how this band explodes worldwide.

Sometimes, it surprises me that I even have followers. Sometimes, it surprises me that I get notes on my posts. And sometimes, it really surprises me when an artist comes to me for a review of their work.

Enter, Ollie Taylor. A musician from the United Kingdom with an ear for melodies and producing high quality songs.

His EP, "Legs of Stone" is one of the finest pieces of new music I've heard in the past year and I'm proud to say that it definitely receives a passing grade.

It appears to me that Ollie is not the kind of musician who plays around. He doesn't write it off as 'just a hobby'. It's clear that he's passionate about what he does and it shows. Ollie Taylor has a talent unlike any I've heard. He's cut out for great things and I hope that he does succeed in making this a career.

Final Verdict: Ollie Taylor's "Legs of Stone" EP only contains three songs so I found myself longing for more. After one listen, I'm already hooked and excited for what else this crooner from the UK has to offer. My only complaint is that I wish there were more songs.

Score: I guarantee that listeners will enjoy this EP. For a release with only three songs, it's sure to stay with you and have you as excited as I am for more. 5/5 stars.

Track Listing:

Nobody Cares

Anni

You can listen to a the same hundred albums every day and quickly get bored. But then you can hear that ONE EP that manages to shine among a bunch of bores and snore-fests.

In this case, it's "house music" by Marble.

Orlando native, Marble, brings his own take on the ever growing 'psychedelic glitch-hop' genre on this EP. It's a very soothing and very relaxing collection of songs. As I type this, it's 12:30 in the morning and I'm resisting the urge to fall asleep because it's so good at releasing your stresses.

But maybe that's not what the album is mean to do. Maybe it's meant to just be a collection of original songs that one listens to on a quiet day to pass the time.

Whatever the purpose, Marble is a talented individual and I look forward to whatever he has to offer next.

Final Verdict: I loved the EP. It seems that Orlando is teeming with undiscovered talent and I really hope that someone, somewhere takes a gander at it because these artists deserve it. Marble deserves it.

Score: You can really tell how much work was put into these songs and I really appreciate a hard worker. I give 'house music' 5/5 stars

Track Listing:

Intro

Bleach

Labels (Groups Remix)

FREDFLINSTQONE

I Feel (ft. Alex Clements of Out Go the Lights)

David

L.L.

Rough

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Making another Spider-Man film after the cancellation of Sam Raimi's 'Spiderman' franchise is a tall order. Throw in the fact that this is one of the world's most beloved comic book characters and that it must compete with the recent Avengers movie and the soon-to-be-released 'The Dark Knight Rises', and you've got a massive responsibility on your shoulders.

But you know what? The Amazing Spider-Man is a hit. It works and I would watch it twelve more times if I had the money. 

Film - General Points Marc Webb sits in the director's chair for this release. A reboot of the film series, it would be very easy to say that this is just Sony Picture's attempt to milk the Spider-Man cash cow dry but the fact is that Webb's work here is incredible.

The story of Spider-Man is one we've read and watched and seen a thousand times before and there was really not much new to offer in the terms of an origin story. Many critics would say that this is one of the film's weakest points but I personally found it a very enjoyable part of the movie. The relationship between Peter Parker and his relatives was very well established and it made for a heartbreaking scene in which the iconic Uncle Ben is shot to death by a mugger.

After this, the audience is treated the ever prominent 'discovery of powers' montage. This was one of my favorite parts of the movie and though it can be argued that it is unnecessary, it was fun and awesome to watch as Peter Parker went into a war against New York's criminal underground, searching for his uncle's killer.

The story progresses until it reaches the climactic battle between Spider-Man and the iconic Lizard (by the way, the establishment for the Lizard's name was nothing short of perfect. There was no unnecessary acknowledgement of the character's lack-of-title or name. The words 'the lizard' are mentioned in passing as a simple description of the creature). This made for several incredible battles between the two. I found myself smiling ear to ear every time Spider-Man landed a blow unto the Lizard. Eventually the movie reaches the conclusion and it ends on a very solid note. One that definitely implies production of a sequel. (My fingers are still crossed that the studio approves!)

Acting and Characters Part of what makes a great movie, besides direction, is a good cast.

Andrew Garfield plays Peter Parker, a boy genius raised by his uncle and aunt after the disappearance of his parents. (Bonus trivia: Spider-Man's parents actually died after being murdered by Captain America villain, the Red Skull but this is never acknowledged in the movie. Probably because Sony means to distance itself from Walt Disney Pictures) The character of Peter Parker is handled very well. It was a new take, to be sure. Peter is a skateboarding high school nerd with a sharp tongue and smart-mouth. Fans of Spider-Man should be happy knowing that this version of Spider-Man retains the classic, socially awkward style of the comics and yes, he is incredibly cheeky. Just like Spider-Man should be.

Emma Stone and Rhys Ivans play the supporting roles of Gwen Stacy and Dr. Kurt Conners, respectively. This incarnation of Gwen is more assertive than previous versions but she still retains that 'faithful, daddy's girl' role that she's iconic for. Emma Stone knocks the film out of the park in her performance, in my eyes. The character of Kurt Conners eventually goes on to become the iconic Lizard villain who looks less like a creature and more like a mutated human, in some respects. He is still very lizard-like in nearly every single way but the face. Rather than having a lizard's biological resemblance, this version appears to be more humanoid. I found this to be an excellent choice because it portrays Dr. Kurt Connors as a victim of tragedy that the audience can connect more to. It is still obvious that at one point, this was a human being with dreams and aspirations. He's a character marked by disappointment and horror. The vengeful nature of the character was very well executed and I was thoroughly impressed.

The characters of Uncle Ben are not given much screen time in this film but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In the time they are given, it is clear that they try very hard to be surrogate parents to Peter Parker. Sally Field's performance as Aunt May is fantastic as her character is given the news of her husband's death and Martin Sheen shines as a weary old man who tries to give his nephew the best life he can offer. I can't end the character section without mentioning Denis Leary's performance as Captain George Stacy, Gwen's father. Frustrated, tired, and utterly preoccupied are the words used to describe the character here. Leary has a terrific dynamic with Garfield as the alpha male vs the newcomer relationship develops but it isn't until his death that the audience sees that Captain Stacy simply wants to keep his daughter safe within the realms of his duty as a member of the NYPD. I honestly hoped he wouldn't die just so he could appear in a sequel.

Final Verdict Movie critics haven't given this movie the credit it deserves. As a reboot of an already established universe and franchise, the movie does try very hard to find its own footing as a movie of its own but I enjoyed every second of the movie. The 3d effect did a good job of immersing me within the realms of the universe and Marc Webb did not fail to deliver.

To be honest, I was expecting the movie to do worse than it really did. Like I was saying earlier, many professional movie critics have hazed this movie and harshly criticized it but I think that they view the movie from the perspective of someone who is required to judge a movie due to their profession but I'm a fan of Spider-Man. I have always been a fan of Spider-Man, ever since I was a little kid growing up with the 90s animated series.

The movie is honestly not as bad as people make it out to be. I say that people watch the movie but without raising your expectations to extraordinary heights. You may be surprised by how much you enjoy the movie.

Allow me to just get one thing out of the way:

No, I haven't read the books. I'm reviewing a movie from the view as a fan of movies in general. That doesn't make me any less of a fan.

Okay, now that's done and over with...

Film - General Points Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins teamed up to produce a film adaptation to the latter's successful book series and walking out of that movie theater, I have got to say I was blown away.

The film tells the story of a young woman's struggle to survive after volunteering in the place of her younger sister to participate in an event known as the "Hunger Games", a dangerous survival-of-the-fittest challenge in which 24 children (two from each of the twelve districts, a boy and a girl) are forced to kill one another to bring (essentially) nothing but bragging rights to the winner's district.

The movie opens by establishing the setting of District 12 of the fictional North American country, Panem. Gary Ross does a great job of demonstrating the sad and barren existence of the citizens of District 12. My only complaint about the establishment of Panem is Gary Ross' decision to over use the "shaky-cam" effect. It was not very necessary, showing District 12 off using a static camera should have done the job just as well.

From there, the movie flows very naturally and smoothly with a nice, even pacing. Not once did I feel like anything was too rushed or without reason. Every detail in the movie added to the pressure of the plot.

Acting and Characters Katniss Everdeen is the main character of The Hunger Games. Jennifer Laurence plays her beautifully. A talented actress, she really had me rooting for Katniss the entire time. The character of Katniss is often compared to Bella Swan of the Twilight series but I have to say the two are nothing alike. While Bella is more willing to force her boyfriend into not participating in fights, Katniss is independent and strong. She is headstrong and a true fighter.

The supporting cast comprises of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy. I'll admit, I was incredibly skeptic of Mr. Hutcherson's acting prowess because the last time I saw him in a movie based a book series (Bridge to Terebithia), I felt nothing but sheer frustration in how bad of an actor he was but he really erased my doubts of playing a character well in this movie. I praise his portrayal of Peeta Mellark. Haymitch's character is shown to be a wise-cracking drunk who mentors Katniss and Peeta after being thrown into the Hunger Games. According to the backstory, Haymitch was once a survivor of the Hunger Games and Woody Harrelson plays him very well but I found him lacking as an actor when it came to portraying Abernathy.

Final Verdict A great movie from start to finish, the Hunger Games is a must see. If you're a fan of anything but Twilight, this is the movie for you.

So, I was gonna review it but then I got slammed with a lot of school stuff. Eventually, a bunch of personal things happened and I ended up not reviewing the album. It's over a month old so I'm not gonna bother. People have already formed their opinions of the album.

Yep, they're 27 and still writing pop-punk.

I gotta tell you guys, from the moment I pressed play on this band's Bandcamp page, I started falling in love.

Who is this band? Their name is Shambles and they just released their new EP. A love letter to the pop-punk genre, this is an amazing EP and I'm glad to have had the pleasure of listening to them.

The EP opens with the track "Yep, 27 and Still Writing Pop-Punk". Now, it may sound ridiculous to be nearing your thirties and write music like this but this rock trio wears the pop-punk suit perfectly. It's not every day that one listens to a band like this (unless your life revolves around promoting for pop-punk outfits) and up to this point, they've been the highlight of my day.

I turned on the music and immediately, I was filled with a nostalgia I haven't felt since I was in elementary school hearing songs like "Stacy's Mom" on the radio and watching promos for Malcolm in the Middle.

Lemme get one thing out of the way: yes, this EP does have that feel to it that demonstrates that this was most likely self-recorded but who say's that has to be negative? Heck, it compliments the entire sound of this band in a way that shows just how much integrity they have as a band.

Final Verdict This six song EP is wonderful. A great listen. I can't say a simple bad thing about Shambles and their music. The only things that I find just a tad strange are the song titles, but that's not a major issue. They are definitely a band that more people should be listening to. Tell your friends!

Score If you like pop-punk, if you miss the late 90s and early 2000s, if you're just looking for new music, Shambles is the band for you. I'll proudly give this EP a 9/10.

"Shambles EP" Track Listing:

Yep, 27 and Still Writing Pop-Punk

Wait, So Umm, You Eat Chicken, Right?

I Award No Points and May God Have Mercy on Your Soul

ATL...DTF?

Everybody's In Love With Someone Who Isn't You

I'm reviewing Fun.'s new album, "Some Nights"