mmm bop and Cheap trick = Tinted Windows??

The Tinted Windows is a strange collaboration of debatable has-beens. The lead singer, you may have heard of. Taylor Hanson, mmm bop anyone? The guitarist is James Iha, an origianl member of the Smashing Pumpkins and a member of Perfect Circle. The bassist is Adam Schlesinger from the band Fountains of Wayne, who I am less familiar with. The final member and easily the most perplexing is Bun E. Carlos. Yes, it's true. I am referring to the drummer from the legendary band Cheap Trick.

With the exception of FOW and Hanson both being pop bands, they all come from an assortment of different genres (and even decades). In fact Hanson and The Smashing Pumpkins or even Cheap Trick are on totally different ends of the musical spectrum. That means there is two ways the band could go: The random assortment could provide a unique style and sound, by pooling together their taste and experience to make something magnificent. Or... The band could be too horribly different to unify its sound to make something that resembles music.

Upon listening to a few songs, almost all the members previous influence is apparent. (with the exception of Iha) The songs are kind of catchy, but border on pop. Taylor Hanson's voice, despite obvious efforts to sound more manly, still sounds like he is 12 years old.

I am unable at this point to make a complete judgment on the band in its entirety . The only judging I am doing is that of Bun E. Carlos. Come on Carlos... you wailed out some serious rock music in the 70's and 80's surely this is not what you are reduced to.

Counting on Music

I was watching TV last night, and a commercial I saw actually made an impact on me. It was about how music programs are slowly dissipating from our schools because funding is drastically diminishing. It noted the importance of musical programs within a child's upbringing and schooling. Like how it teaches discipline, encourages teamwork and extra circular activities and deters students from getting in to trouble. With all the programs that remain funded within the Canadian school board I struggle to understand why one as important as music is the one to take the economic fall.

This website http://www.musicounts.ca/ encourages people to get help and help out. If you ever have any extra cash,( I know it seldom occurs, but just on the off chance)give some money to something truly worthy! Music really does count. Who will be the next Neil Young or Burton Cummings if we deprive Canadian children of something so essential?

Here are some Album/Singles Released this week!

Albums released this week:
Iron Maiden - 'Flight 666'
Gary Go - 'Gary Go'
Marilyn Manson - 'High End Of Low'
Grizzly Bear - 'Veckatimest'
Phoenix - 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix'
Fink - 'Sort Of Revolution'
Iggy Pop - 'Preliminaires'
Tinchy Stryder - 'Cloud 9'
Toddla T - 'Skanky Skanky'

Singles released this week:

Crystal Stilts - 'Love Is A Wave'
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - 'Young Adult Friction'
Cornershop - 'Roll Off Characteristics (Of History In The Makin)'
Howling Bells - 'Digital Hearts'
You Me At Six - 'Finders Keepers'
Little Boots - 'New In Town'

Some of this stuff may not sound familiar. But check them out!

Who can resist Muse's new album?

Muse have released the title of their fifth album, it's set to release this August titled “ The Resistance”.

The information was given to fans via Twitter ( I know what a strange communication phenomenon).

The band produced the album with help mixing from Mark Stent, who's worked with Radiohead and Oasis, the album is said to be nearing completion.

Muse's is known for there intense instrumental backing to their equally profound lyrics. Frontman Matt Bellamy said this album has the most orchestral work to date.

It has taken a bit of time to get the album out there because, as you can imagine writing music for a whole orchestra is fairly time consuming. But very impressive.

Bellamy is putting the finishing touches on a 3 part song, where he is arranging all the orchestra's music himself. It has been in the works for several years and will make its debut on this album!

Blinks Back :(

Well Blink 182 are officially back in the swing of things, but it's beginning to look like the reunion may not have been the best idea. Blinks performance on The tonight show with Jay Leno, left much to be desired as the original sound was no where to be found. Sure they were performing one of their classics, but Tom Delongs voice hardly resembled what it had when “ All the small things” was recorded and Angels and Airwave's style was blantantly present within the Blink song.

It has been some time, so it's completely understandable that it wouldn't sound identical. But Blink fans are going to be expecting the comforting familiarity of “What's my age again?”, to sound the same as on their Enema of the State album, they've been overplaying in preparation for their return.

This only being their second performance back together, there is room for improvement. Starting July 24th Blink will be touring with Fall Out Boy and or Weezer depending on the date and location. I have high hopes for Blink, here is their performance:

Follow up to "In Rainbows" - In Progress!

Radiohead is back in the studio to create magic for their follow up to 2007's In Rainbows. With such outstanding success as there last album there may be a bit of pressure to make something equally as phenomenal. But the album is in the early writing stages, they have joined up again with long time producer Nigel Godrich and have high hopes with him on board.

In recent reports, it was rumored that the band was encouraged to break up. But this puts a halt to the erroneous rumors as thus far all has run smoothly and we can expect a new album...eventually!

The Modest Shins

The Shins are shuffling their band mates about and welcoming drummer Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse.
Shins main man James Mercer decided it was time for a change, Marty Crandall, the keyboardist is also no longer with the band while Ron Lewis from Fruit Bats takes his place.
Mercer, the primary song-writer, singer and guitarist for The Shins, wants to take the music in a bit of a different direction. In doing so he believes it is necessary to change the dynamic of the band. There are no hard feelings with the leaving members, Mercer said he would work with them again, but this is an aesthetic decision.
The Shins and Modest Mouse being two of my favourite Indie Rock Bands, I couldn’t be more pleased with the collaboration. The new members of The Shins will be working on the album set to release next year!