Tag: adrian woods

Album Review: The Mars Volta – The Mars Volta

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Clouds Hill; 2022]
Rating: 6/10
Key tracks: Blacklight Shine, Flash Burns From Flashbacks, No Case Gain
The Mars Volta have finally made their long awaited return with their seventh studio album, The Mars Volta. After the duo of Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala had broken up ten years ago, fans weren’t sure if the two would ever make music again. Evidently, they wanted to, and when The Mars Volta announced their newest single with an album to follow, fans were eagerly awaiting the release in September. 

Coolio, rapper behind “Gangsta’s Paradise” passes away at age 59

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Photo courtesy of Grunge.com]
On September 28, rapper Coolio unexpectedly passed away at a friends house at the age of 59. Reports came out from Rolling Stone on the day of his passing. Coolio is best known for the 1995 hit song “Gangstas Paradise”. 

Album Review: Built To Spill – When The Wind Forgets Your Name

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Sub Pop; 2022]
Rating: 7/10
Key tracks: Gonna Lose, Rocksteady, Spiderweb
Built To Spill is back with their first new material since 2015, When The Wind Forgets Your Name (The band released a Daniel Johnston cover album in 2019, but, obviously, no original songs were on it). Of course, being one of the most beloved indie rock groups to come out of the ‘90s, every release is going to be highly anticipated, and while this album may not be even near the level of quality of their earlier records such as Keep It Like a Secret or Ultimate Alternative Wavers, When The Wind Forgets is still a fun album that keeps in the spirit of a Built To Spill album.

Herb Alpert releases new single “Here She Comes” from upcoming album

By Adrian Woods, Contributor [Photo courtesy of herbalpert.com] Herb Alpert released new single “Here She Comes” Tuesday from new album Sunny Side Of The Street. The album is set to release on September 30.   Alpert said that he wanted the song to be “sexy and upbeat.” “This track is vibrant, fun and kind of has…

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Album Review: Ghost — IMPERA

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Loma Vista Recordings; 2022]
Rating: 5/10
Key tracks: “Kaisarion”, “Call Me Little Sunshine”, “Griftwood”
The heavy and glam metal outfit Ghost is back with their fifth studio album, IMPERA, and when I say “glam metal” for this album, it is total glam metal. A lot of this album feels like a rock opera, and while that may sound like a positive thing, it ends up being a negative. If Ghost were to just make a pure metal album, it would sound so much better. However, the “glam” sound on this album mixed with the heavy metal instrumentation makes this album feel mixed and disjointed, not quite sure of what it exactly wants to be. Glam metal can be done well, with example from bands like Scorpions and Bon Jovi, that have the perfect mix of using that glam sound while the instruments fit in perfectly. Ghost tries to achieve that level of prestige, but falls achingly short.

Album Review: St Paul & The Broken Bones — The Alien Coast

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Self-Release; 2022]
Review: 5/10
Key tracks: “Tin Man Love”, “The Last Dance”
St Paul & The Broken Bones are back with their fourth studio album release, Alien Coast. Listening to their past records, this one felt like a drop in quality for the group. If anticipating another retro-dance R&B record, this album falls flat and feels like just another generic, modern day R&B album. 

Album Review: 2nd Generation Wu — The Legend of Shaolin

By Adrian Woods, Contributor[Round Table / Blurred Noise / Intellectual Ent.; 2022]Rating: 6/10 Key tracks: “There Will Be Blood”, “No Place 2 Hide”, “Decimation of Frauds” Being the sons of Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and U-God, who were part one of the most influential and groundbreaking rap groups of all time, The…

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Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt — SICK!

By Adrian Woods, Contributor
[Tan Cressida; 2022]
Rating: 7/10
Key tracks: “2010”, “Lye”, “Titanic”
Earl Sweatshirt is back with his first studio album since 2019’s Feet Of Clay. The new release has so much of what one would expect from an Earl Sweatshirt album: it’s packed with interesting, creative samples and head-turning, dark lyrics, all wrapped up within a short runtime. Even with these similarities, Earl brings a fresh sound with SICK!