Monday Music Monkey Review

Powderfinger - Odyssey Number 5

Hello my bitches, I'm back, hope you had a good weekend. I have been stuffing myself full on whipped peanut butter - delicious!
Today I am reviewing the one and only Powderfinger and the album that will be a classic - Odyssey Number Five. So let's get into it shall we?
This album came out in the year 2000 and is my favourite album of theirs. Powderfinger came to define Australian music and rescue it from the drivel that the rest of the world was producing at the same time. Yes, that includes you moby and Fatboy Slim. Let's kick off the album shall we?
The Album starts with the track "Waiting for the Sun" This song starts with a great riff and it's a really cool song, it has more of a pop feel but the standout is Bernard Fannings voice, superb. We then move onto the biggest hit off this album "My Happiness", this song topped the charts, had massive airplay on radio and is my favourite track on the album, from the opening wah-wah inspired riff, awesome lyrics like this"My happiness is slowly creeping back, Now you're at home.If it ever starts sinking in It must be when you pack up and go".A truly well crafted song, showing the prowess of song-writer and lead singer Bernard Fanning, awesome song.

We then move onto "The Metre" with it's cool intro and that voice, that beat and awesome uplifting lyrics, this is how great songs should sound, just pure magic.
I mean check out these lyrics "Welcome to the saving grace / There's a sunset on the road / reappearing as we go". again another absolute gem from Powderfinger.
Then we move onto the title track "Odyssey # Five" although it is short, it has one of the best lines ever "Welcome to the new suburban fables" it is a sort of divider for the album and acts to settle things back down before we launch into the second half.

The next track is "Up & Down & Back Again" this is an absolute gem of a song and yet again, Bernard Fannings songwriting shines as he deals with his celebrity status I mean with lyrics like this "If everybody knows just who you are
When your walk on role becomes a major part Have you ever attempted to be yourself? When everybody wants you to be someone else? What a seriously cool song, it lifts and builds, the crafting of the music in this song is exceptional. The next track is "My Kind Of Scene" this song is the quintessential Powderfinger song, everything about this song, shows what a masterful band they are. One of my favourite songs on the album.

The next song is "These Days" which was a massive hit for them after "My Happiness" and it really is an OZ classic, it slow start builds and then roars into this massive rock number, what a song what a band! Absolutely perfect song there is nothing more to say. This is followed up by "We Should Be Together Now" which is a really cool song, fist pumping, pure rock hit, straight at you love song it's is a killer track. The next song is "Thrilloilogy" an epic track, the music is haunting the lyrics sublime, the way it builds then turns into a full on jam session is unreal and the way it ends with a piano is unbelievable. This song is an absolute must listen to!

The last song is "Whatever Makes You Happy" which is the perfect ending, slow, beautiful and simply inspiring and truly uplifting both the music and the lyrics. This song really showcase the talent that Powderfinger have.

I am giving this album 4 and 1/2 shots of whiskey out of five, Do yourself and your collection a favour and get this album, you will not be disappointed at all. I had to take half a shot off because they quit.Now go buy it bitch! Till next week
Peace out my bitches

Monday Music Monkey Review

Poison - Open Up and Say Ahh!

Hello my bitches apologies for last week. I was just having a week off and eating quite possibly the best food ever - whipped peanut butter and I think I overdosed on it. I have always been a fan of Pop-Metal, the over the top clothes, makeup, big hair and boots so it is that I will be reviewing the one and only Poison.
It was 25 years ago this album was released (1988) the cover was banned in many stores (see original cover art below) so a censored version was released (see above). It seems that it was a different world back then. To ban this cover, as it seems really quite tame by today's debauched standards.

The album kicks off with 'Love On The Rocks' and is an awesome bit of Rock 'n Roll with a healthy dose of swagger thrown in. I do love the a screaming guitar and C.C. DeVille does a great job on this track. the next track is 'Nothin' But A Good Time' is a ripper of a song, great beat, great guitar, just a real cool, fun song, almost an eighties anthem. I especially love the guitar solo from CC - kick-ass to hear a guitar solo, they are so rare these days.

We then move onto 'Back To The Rocking Horse' starts off with a cool driving drum beat. The lyrics are quite simple all about going back to simpler time, still a good song though. Again the guitar shines, another blistering solo, awesome.Next up is 'Good Love' which starts with drums and guitar, some cool singing by lead singer Bret Michaels. We then move onto the track 'Tearin' Down The Walls' which has a real hard rock feel to it. The riff is unreal and the way they scream the lyrics makes it a really cool song it has a real anthem feel about it.

The next track is 'Look But You Can't Touch' a song about trying to seduce a girl who plays hard to get. It is an awesome song that starts with another blistering guitar solo and I love the opening line "good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to hell". This is one of my favourite songs and it's like my theme song for all my lady friends because I ain't for keeps.I especially love the guitar squeals in this song. the next track is one of my favourites and is a bit of a classic 'Fallen Angel', a song about about a small-town girl whose dreams of show business include wanting a life in the fast lane, "rolling the dice of her life." This is a really cool song.

Then we move onto  the power ballad 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn', this was a number 1 hit for them. It is a lament or break-up ballad but it has such an emotional feel to it that makes this song sound as good now as it did in 1988, the true test of any song and this does stand the test of time. With lyrics like this "like the knife that cuts you/the wound heals, but the scar, that scar remains," A truly great rock ballad.

Then comes their cover of Loggins and Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance," which is good old fashioned rock and roll from the 1970's. It is a good song, fun and they make it their own thanks largely to CC DeVilles awesome guitar playing. the last song on the album is 'Bad To Be Good' which is good song, love the guitar riff and the solos are unbelievable which makes this song a really cool finish to a great album.

Look as far as Pop-Metal albums go, this is unreal. I love the guitar solos and for that reason I am giving it 3 and a half shots of Whiskey out of five, well deserved and it sounds as good today as it did back in 1988.
Till next week
Peace out my bitches!
Herbie

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Original Cover Art

Whipped Peanut Butter

Monday Music Monkey Review

Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

Hello my bitches! I hope that you have had a great weekend, today i am reviewing a new album to my collection - Imagine Dragons and their debut album Night Visions, man what an album it is so full of stadium and dance floor anthems that it's hard to stop listening, so lets get into it shall we?

The album kicks off with the mega huge hit 'Radioactive' and what a song it is, full of this pulsating beat and vocals that compliment the beat it is a seriously cool song it has a cool post apocalypse vibe to it. The next song is 'Tip Toe' this song sounds pretty awesome on first listen then it just grows on you, which I love in a song, pretty soon it gets stuck in your head like some sort of musical infection and you find yourself singing it all the time.

'It's Time' is the next track and this would have to be the song of the year from it's mandolin start, to it's incredible vocals, I absolutely love this song!. 'Demons' is the next track and the focus on the vocals which dominate this track give the lyrics more potency, and unreal song very up lifting. the next track 'On Top of the World' 
is so cool, just an awesome fucking song, catchy, great music, great lyrics, this song makes you feel awesome, man what a song.

'Amsterdam' is the next song and it is a bit more subdued than the previous songs but it has a cool beat and the vocals Dan is one hell of a singer, sounds so old school. I love this track especially how it builds towards the end. the next track is 'Hear Me' with it's cool beat, awesome guitar and even better vocals is one hell of a great song. The next track 'Every Night' is a slower song, it's cool but not my favourite, but that's OK, it's just my opinion.

Then we move onto 'Bleeding Out' the lyrics are unreal, the vocals are outstanding, the beat is unreal, man this is a killer track and a stand out on the album, it's sounds so raw and powerful! Then we move onto 'Underdog' this song has a cool dance beat and sounds a bit more pop than the other tracks but it is still a really great song, the lyrics and beat make this song and who doesn't love an underdog?

The next song is 'Nothing Left to Say/Rocks' one of the darker songs on the album, but it is unbelievable, inspirational lyrics, eerie music, there is something so haunting about this song, which makes me love it even more. 'Working Man is Imagine Dragons at there best, the vocals, the music is so cool. I love this song it is another one that just grows on you, every time you listen to it.The last song is 'Fallen' and what a way to finish an awesome debut album.

I absolutely love this album and it has been on heavy rotation since I got it. I am giving this 5 shots of whiskey out of 5 that's how cool this album is and how cool Imagine Dragons are. Do yourself a favour and go and get this album NOW! You can check them out here;

http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/home

and until next week
Peace out my bitches