Flashback Friday: Aviary - Soaring

"Soaring above the clouds"

How about some lush, grandiose pomp rock today? Queen is pretty much the best known band in this category, while Sparks has more of a hold on the indie world in the genre. Aviary falls somewhere in between. They were a band that only released one album in the glam/prog rock era and have since fallen into relative obscurity. But for fans of big-sounding, melodic rock, their self-titled release is something definitely worth searching out. And rumor has it, the band has returned for 2012...



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

JLS - Have Your Way

"Bad girl at night, good girl at day"

From one X-Factor UK boyband that managed massive worldwide success to one that ventured to America too late to make a dent. It's a shame, really, as JLS seem perfect for the American market. And even though they've yet to record a full album that's connected with me, I'm a fan of many of their tracks (especially the singles from the last album). With Evolution, the guys seem to be struggling a little on the charts, and many have said that the song Hold Me Down is their only other hope for a big single from this album. That song's alright, but I much prefer Have Your Way, which sounds like solo Justin Timberlake before he went all Sexyback and lost me as a fan. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I love the old-school funk sound and their voices sound great. I'm not sure if it would work as a single, but it's my initial favorite on the album.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

One Direction - I Would

"Would he love you like I would?"

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday, but I was glued to election results (and very happy/proud with the results). Anyway, before the election, One Direction's new album went up for streaming and, although I haven't had a chance to listen to it more than once, I can already tell that it's the exact kind of glossy, cheesy, wonderful pop album that I hoped it would be--a natural extension of their debut, in other words. The big difference is that a lot of this new stuff sounds bigger and more confident. It's the type of music I hoped these guys would make back when they were on X-Factor. I know it might be too early to say this, but given the team of producers/writers they've aligned themselves with, I could easily see these guys becoming the male version of Girls Aloud. All they need is a bit more willingness to experiment. I Would is one of the early standouts, a track written by the guys of McFly. I'm loving the Mcfly/One Direction alliance. It just feels right. Add to that some flawless, propulsive production and you've got a surefire hit.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Robbie Williams - All That I Want

"The heart has chosen"

Sometimes with Robbie Williams, I can get a little complacent as a listener. He releases albums so often that I just kind of expect them without appreciating them. But this new one, Take The Crown, might very well be his most consistently enjoyable since Sing When You're Winning, and if not that, definitely his best since Rudebox. The opening two tracks are a definite return to form, with Gospel being especially effective, but I decided to focus on the dancier, funkier All That I Want instead. It really shows how he's not content to rest on his laurels. It's vibrant, expertly produced and ridiculously catchy, while of course maintaining the cheeky type of lyrical content he's known for. And I love when he sings in his lower register. It's all very stylish.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.