Monday, May 29, 2017

The Rock Otaku’s Rockin’ Billboard Chart Watch: June 3, 2017

Hello degenerates, heathens, weirdos, and deviants.  I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and let it all out.

Welcome to my Rockin’ Billboard Chart Watch.  Here, I take a break from reviewing classic heavy metal albums, movies, TV, anime, games, and so on to review what is popular in the rock scene according to Billboard.  Back in the late 19th century, the magazine started as a news source for the entertainment industry back in the day (thus, circuses, fairs, and burlesque shows were covered), then, when music became a big business, it started covering music.  Then they started having an album chart, then a singles chart, in the mid-20th century, both of which are still going on to this very day, with changes to accommodate the changes in the landscape of music distribution.  But for the rock stuff, the first chart, which would be known today as the Mainstream Rock chart, debuted on March 21, 1981, with the Alternative Songs chart following suit in 1988, the Adult Alternative chart premiering some time in 2008, then the all-encompassing Hot Rock Songs chart came to fruition in 2009.  Here, I review them all, in order of either mainstream importance, date of creation, or which songs have the most material I can cover each week.

While I may not completely discuss all 4 of those, I will provide my thoughts on this week’s charts.  I’ll provide some of my smooth commentary on the new tracks that came out for each chart.  For the older ones, there are two methods I’m planning: the first is to edit this entry depending on views while also creating entries based on charts made earlier in the year based (again) on views.  So for today, I’ll provide my two cents for the songs that came out for Billboard’s June 3, 2017 versions of the Hot Rock Songs, Alternative Songs, and Mainstream Rock songs in that order.  As for Adult Alternative, that would be more of a special moment if there’s a song everybody reading these things wants me to praise or tear into.

Like with the last few, I’ll review the top 10 songs in order from highest charting to lowest with a short review that’ll provide my thoughts on it as of this week.  That and I’ll discuss songs that Billboard considers having merit, like best increases in position, sales, streaming, and airplay.  But with all of these songs having already been reviewed, and my focus on how many views I’ll need to re-review each reviewed track (which is 100 times the ranking the song is in), that isn’t as likely as of now.  That and the new songs will be reviewed as well, and they’ll definitely be reviewed.  Unless I reviewed it in a previous entry, initially or updated due to it meeting my viewership goals. 

But before we talk about this, let’s get this out of the way.  On May 17, 2017, we lost Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog frontman Chris Cornell at the age of 52.  The reason for this untimely demise would be determined as suicide by hanging, and other details would reveal his use of Ativan pills and how they affected his thought process.  But beyond the details, this is truly a major loss in the rock scene, as Cornell had one of the most distinctive singing styles across multiple genres from grunge to heavy metal and from alternative rock to hard rock, with a strong sense of range and feel to his voice.  That and he was one of the most respected singers in rock music, with strong connections and views on the world, even with a varied solo career.  We may have many rock singers who will rise after him, but there’ll never be another Chris Cornell.  Rest in Peace, dude.
Chris Cornell (1964-2017)
Oh, and something about Linkin Park and Paramore releasing new albums last week.  I’ll get to the former in my Let Them Eat Metal series, but the latter does have several tunes on the main chart.  Anyway, let’s begin.

Now for the Hot Rock Songs, in order of highest position to lowest, with reviews for new tracks:

1.         Believer – Imagine Dragons*


2.         Heavy – Linkin Park Featuring Kiiara


3.         Heathens – twenty one pilots


4.         Human – Rag'n'Bone Man


5.         Whatever It Takes – Imagine Dragons*

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

6.         Thunder – Imagine Dragons


7.         Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden*
With the death of Chris Cornell, it makes sense to look into his music with Soundgarden and others to understand most of his musical thought processes.  In this case, I’m not sure with the video, even if the song has a Beatles-on-90s drugs vibe to it.  The slow beat, the soft and moody verses where the guitars are played with an echo effect, and then there’s the extra intensity with the chorus.  There, the vocals go from basic dark to moody and even belting, leading to a mad guitar solo from Kim Thayil, showcasing his talents and added weirdness.  Plus you have the bass and drums from Ben Sheppard and Matt Cameron adding to the dark vibes of the song.  As for the lyrics, I’m sure this is more about emotions rather than tangibility, as the idea of a black hole for a sun would be disastrous for humanity and the earth in general, as seen in the video.  If there’s a flaw, it’s the vagueness, the moodiness, and the dark melodies being a hard sell for most mainstream audiences, even though the 90s weren’t a time for tangibility.  But that’s what made the 90s memorable, and ultimately this a modern classic.  Definitely amazing.

8.         The Night We Met – Lord Huron


9.         Hard Times – Paramore


10.       Like A Stone – Audioslave*
But Chris Cornell isn’t just known for Soundgarden.  Sometime in the late 90s after the grunge icons’ breakup, Chris Cornell united with various members of Rage Against The Machine, including guitar wizard Tom Morello, into starting an alternative rock supergroup.  While not as heavy as the two bands that this group spun off from, Audioslave manage to be as interesting and impactful on the scene, being among the best supergroups of all time.  And this moody ballad showcases Cornell’s vocal skills as well as Morello’s ability to go from melodic lines to punchy chords, then play one of his mind-bending and sound-bending solos, imitating a DJ while having a noticeable tone on the guitar.  That and the bass and drums are also strong, adding to a great beat.  In short, this song is a good alternative rock tune, even if the biggest flaw is my inability to get a good grasp on what the song is about.  Even then, I do get the sense that it’s about being in some sort of emotional funk.  Even then, this song is pretty good, and it’s definitely recommended.

11.       Wish I Knew You – The Revivalists


12.       Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man


13.       The Chain – Fleetwood Mac

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

14.       Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

15.       Want You Back – HAIM


16.       Fell On Black Days – Soundgarden*
Like with the last Soundgarden track, this is more aobut attitude, emotion, and moodiness in the lyrics than it is about tangibility.  But even then, the title’s sentiment is a lot easier to digest.  As for the song, it’s more on the softer side, even when it has some serious bite to it.  That opening guitar riff is something that can only come from harder, angrier rock than from a Top 40 playlist.  And the vocal performance is equally dark, with a moody vibe and some serious emotion, especially when Chris sings “I wanna know if this could be my fate.”  Plus you have some great bass and drum work from Ben and Matt.  And the solos from Kim are a great mix of the band’s heavy base and the strong psychedelic influence on this track as well as the rest of Superunknown in general.  And the lyrics are strong, having a strong base in negative emotion nearly leading to self-destruction, and wondering if the darker things that have happened are due to some pre-determined fate.  Something that makes sense if you came from or lived in a crappy town like Seattle.  Seriously, it’s dark and cold there, and I don’t see a lot of ultra-happy glam metal bands coming from there.  Bands with an influence from it, but not straight glam.  And Soundgarden is an example of why.

17.       Good News – Ocean Park Standoff


18.       Hunger Strike – Temple Of The Dog*
But Audioslave isn’t the only known supergroup Chris Cornell in.  Alongside several members of Pearl Jam, with those guys originally from Mother Love Bone (Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, specifically), we got this grunge tribute to the closest thing to a glam rock star from Seattle, Andrew Wood.  But their biggest hit was a song about going hungry in reaction to the rich and their actions.  Yeah, it’s one of those weird songs with weird lyrics that you have to dig deep into.  However, the mix of singing of Eddie Vedder (despite his overrated tones) and Chris Cornell is what makes this song work, and the guitars from Mike McCready and Stone Gossard are also done well, with chords, arpeggios, and several licks, plus you have Jeff Ament’s bass and Matt Cameron’s drums keeping things in check.  If there’s a flaw with this track, it’s that, with the benefit of what would happen after this song hit, it sounds generic, basic, and like the kind of rock out-of-touch dads would preach as the Gospel.  Not to say it’s really bad, but that it’s not the kind of rock that’d inspire the next Metallica, Nirvana, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, KISS, or even Linkin Park.  It’s a good song for what it’s worth.

19.       Spoonman – Soundgarden*
“Speak the rhythm with your hands! (Steal the rhythm while you can) SPOONMAN!”

Easily the heaviest single released from Superunknown, this hard rocker manages to still have the bizarre look on reality and society that Soundgarden specialized in.  Here, this is a tribute to, of all people, a musician who’s main instrument is spoons.  Spoons!
Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if the band became fans of The Tick if they knew the connections with this song and that character.  As for the song itself in the music department, do I need to say anything else?  The guitars are heavy, thick and aggressive, so is the bass, the drums are some of the best from that album, and Chris Cornell’s vocal performance is a rock star performance, with throat-shredding vocals and powerful melodies, with a lot of belting.  The solo here is some of Kim’s best work.  And you also get some of the work of the titular spoon performer’s musical abilities, adding to the song rather than being part of some elaborate punchline.  In short, this is a bonafide grunge classic, and a reason that alternative metal exists.

20.       Told You So – Paramore

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

21.       Show Me How To Live – Audioslave*
Yes, there are differences between this and “Cochise,” but it’s weird just how similar those two songs sound.  Or is that just me?  But after listening to that track, I can mention the differences, even if this didn’t get as much radio play as this one.  But then, this song is a great hard rock tune from a band that’s known for brainy hard rock.  And with those opening guitars lines from Tom Morello paired with a thick bass and pounding drum line, we get a cool-sounding tune that makes you feel like a badass when you do things to it.  Especially when you get to Chris Cornell’s vocal performance, with a sense of range and a lot of belting.  And we also get some lyrics dealing with, what I think, having no sense of living and needing a reason to.  After getting a life from someone he knows.  But who cares, this is a song with Morello on guitar, and the solo is as distinctly Morello as you can get, even when it’s more simple and straightforward, along with the riffs.  Is it a brainy tune?  I’m not sure, but I know that this is a badass tune, and one of the best straightforward rock songs from the 2000s (man, that decade sucked for rock music).

Oh, is it me, or does the drummer look like the Winter Soldier?

22.       With Or Without You – Hunter Plake*
Is it me, or are we getting a few songs that came from The Voice.  And they are the ones that are essentially studio and suit-friendly covers of much rawer stuff.  But in this case, it’s not too bad, as it’s a cover of U2’s “With Or Without You,” with the singer, Hunter Plake, being close in tone to the legendary but overrated Bono.  And even the, there are a few moments from his performance that feel a little too off and/or missing in tone.  What I mean is that he’s not exactly Bono, and the song is performed by the backing band competently.  As if they’re just playing a faithful cover of the original song.  Beyond that, it’s just a basic cover of a U2 song that’s been given a glossy makeover for our votes.  It’s alright, I guess?

23.       I Was Wrong – Jesse Larson*
You know, if this was going to be a cover of the Social Distortion song of the same name, I’d have my hopes up.  However, this is a cover of the song by Chris Stapleton, and based on this basic, corporate version featuring a decent singer in Jesse Larson, I might like the original.  With its bluesy approach and chill vibe, this could easily be a song I could just kick back and relax to, even with the guitar solo that’s performed in this track which is a lot more technical than I would have liked (even if it’s appreciated).  But beyond that, I should probably give the original a shot to see if there was a reason to cover this, or if Jesse Larson was following trends.
Okay, so the version from The Voice might be decent, but the original by Chris Stapleton might have to be the better version.  The production is fantastic, being raw and unfiltered to match with the ruggedness in Chris Stapleton’s voice, and while the lyrics really don’t have a clear narrative like basic country music, it’s still better songwriting than most country out there, fitting the bluesy vibe of this track.  And the solo is actually pretty good, fitting the low-key feel of this track.  And his voice.  His voice.  If this is my true introduction to Chris Stapleton, then this might be the saving grace country music seriously needs.  Enough with Sam Hunt; give this guy the record for best-selling country single of all time.

24.       Lust For Life – Lana Del Rey Featuring The Weeknd


25.       I Am The Highway – Audioslave*
So to end our run of nostalgia for the career of Chris Cornell, we end with the track that probably sums up his life.  With this low-key song, we get a clean guitar performance that, alongside some decent bass and drums, adds to Chris’ soulful performance in making this song deal with the sense that he’s not someone’s puppet; he’s the highway.  And yes, this is the kind of song that, due to its lyrics, ends up being riffed by guys like Todd in the Shadows for its weird reference points.  But here, let me say that this song is a great rock tune with strong country influences throughout, from the lyrics to the tone of it all.  And the guitars are done well here, with great use of acoustics and electric guitars, and with all of this adding to a great guitar solo by Tom Morello, showing that he’s able to do more soulful soloing than his more traditional experimental gimmick, giving him more range than shown in RATM.  And Cornell is at arguably his best with his crooning and belting, showing everyone in the rock scene how it’s done.  And now he takes the highway to Rock ‘N’ Roll Valhalla, and he will be missed in Midgard.

26.       Help – Papa Roach


27.       Rose-Colored Boy – Paramore*
From the 90s to a former emo act channeling the 80s, we get to one of 5 tunes by Paramore premiering on this chart.  And this song has me in conflict. 
I am a sucker for 80s-style pop and rock, which is probably one major reason why chiptune and hair metal (or any combination of the two) will catch my attention if you use them.  And Paramore does a good job with a more retro, new wave-inspired style.  The guitars are great, the bass is catchy, the drums are fun, and Hayley Williams continues to show why she’s such a talent in the overall music industry.  And the lyrical focus is great as well, matching with that vibe.
The band is known for tunes like “Crushcrushcrush” and “Misery Business,” and this is in direct contrast with that style.  It’s as if Paramore is trying to say that we should forget about their first three albums, as this is the band now.  But it’s hard to bash that when they do a better job at making sugary pop than a certain other band.  When I get to then, I’ll explain my position.

28.       Young And Menace – Fall Out Boy


29.       Saturnz Barz – Gorillaz Featuring Popcaan


30.       High – Sir Sly


31.       Love Is Mystical – Cold War Kids


32.       Invisible – Linkin Park*
So Linkin Park has been going around lately and telling us to stop demanding them to make another Hybrid Theory.  And they’ve been getting crap about it since they did that.  Yet there is a reason they should be listening to their long-time fans.  It’s not that their new stuff isn’t like that classic album.  It’s that their new stuff is crap.  And the pop/EDM influences are the start, with the guitars, bass, and drums, aka the stuff that makes them a rock band, is put into the backmix with the mainstream effects pushed into the foreground.  And to add to that, the vocals are put into a bunch of bad effects, making them sound robotic and less authentic.  But there’s good electronica and EDM out there, so why is Linkin Park making bad music?  Because this is BORING!  It’s white noise.  Even with some of the guitars in the background barely getting some skill and a very fake drum machine, this song could have worked and showed that this direction was worth it if it had any punch or emotion.  This isn’t experimentation or pushing your sound into new directions.  This is selling out.  And the worst part, because of how bored even Chester sounds, it makes the fact that this is a sellout move is made worse.  This is about as bland and inoffensive as most modern pop.  Jeez, no wonder why Todd is suddenly depressed.

33.       Fake Happy – Paramore
And where Linkin Park’s idea of changing sounds is abandoning their old sound and trying to act more mainstream, Paramore’s idea of changing sounds reflects their maturity as well as maintaining a sense of fun.  Even with the opening lines containing a sense of melancholy and wistfulness, the song then punches into gear and has a sense of irony, being very happy and poppy but being about being in a state of despair but not showing it.  And to add to that is Hayley’s vocal performance, showing a sense of sadness within her voice while singing in a slightly upbeat key, the guitars are rightfully happy and jangly with great lines throughout, the bass is thick and chunky, the drums are pretty good and catchy, and the use of synths is welcome, giving this an 80s new wave feel.  In short, I don’t have to go any further, but I can mention that the opening can be a little off for some people, but when the song goes into good vibes disguising the darkness, it jumps up, leading to a good song, especially compared to what Linkin Park is doing.

34.       Cold Cold Cold – Cage The Elephant


35.       Forgiveness – Paramore*
Continuing with the Hayley Williams Band’s dominance of the rock charts, we get to a song about the sense that she won’t give this guy some respect after he hurt her.  But even then, this song is a deceptively happy song, in the vein of Tears For Fears, dealing with such dark concepts here.  Adding to the comparison are the guitars having a jangly vibe similar to their hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”  Then there’s also the bass and drum performance being similar to the aforementioned song alongside the use of keys.  And of course here’s Hayley Williams, whose performance here evokes the classic new wave vocals of the 80s.  In short, this is a great trip to the 80s in tone, even if the concept is pretty dark.

36.       In The Blood – John Mayer


37.       Don't Take The Money – Bleachers


38.       Let You Down – Seether


39.       Blame – Bastille


40.       Middle Fingers – MISSIO


41.       Andromeda – Gorillaz Featuring D.R.A.M.


42.       Angela – The Lumineers


43.       The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness – The National*
But if there’s a core style in rock music now that I’d rather not focus on as much, even when it’s merely good, it’s the massive amount of indie pop.  And this track adds to that style with it’s low-key drum, bass, and guitar performance, with the latter being the more interesting style here.  The vocals are low and loaded with vibes that come from an awkward baritone, and the lyrics are pretty pretentious, with its thematic style.  But if there’s a saving grace to this track, it’s the inclusion of a decent and very melodic guitar solo that gets the melodic identity of this song extremely well, even better than the singing.  And the beat is pretty bouncy.  While I don’t hate this kind of song, it’s definitely something that I’ll need more time to digest.

44.       Right Now – HAIM*
First, they take a song title from Cher Lloyd and make a better song out of it.  Now they take a Van Hagar song title and somehow fall short of that rock classic.  What I mean is that this song, on its own, is a decent indie pop tune with a lot of soul, a decent melody line, and some feelings in the lyrics.  And the bursts of guitar add some fire to the track.  But in comparison to the Van Hagar tune, it’s rather tame, and that was a song of revolution and getting off your ass to go out and fight.  Here, this is about relationship woes.  And I’m sure that it’s not going to have the impact that the other song had.  Such a shame, that tune is a rock classic, and this could have been a contender.  Even with the bursts of sound, this is tamer.  Nothing else to say but meh.

45.       Feels Like Summer – Weezer


46.       Love – Lana Del Rey


47.       26 – Paramore*
Whereas Taylor Swift wrote a song about how being 22 is awesome, it’s as if Paramore wrote a song about how much it sucks to be 26.  And it confirms to me that Paramore’s move into pop is not as bad as one may think.  But here’s where this song could have failed: the instrumentation.  Not to trash it, but it’s going for an acoustic performance that incorporates some electric guitar after the first chorus alongside some orchestral strings, with some bass and drums in the mix.  And the focus is on Hayley’s emotional vocal performance, and that’s where this song may be able to get some tears streaming down.  And there’s a sense of melancholy that’s more pronounced this time, making this a much sadder song than the other tunes here.  In short, this is a nice song, but not the best of the band on this album, or their careers.

48.       Reverend – Kings of Leon


49.       Sweet Disaster – DREAMERS


50.       Pool – Paramore*
With the use of what sounds like a xylophone and weird tubes at the beginning, the song kicks into gear when the rest of the band jumps in, with the guitars being a driver here, some kickass basslines, a funky drum performance, and so on.  Then you get to the vocal performance from Hayley, where she sings about being in an environment where she’s on the verge of falling (or drowning) emotionally, and using a pool as the comparison point.  And to add to that, the performance by all members is very emotionally charged, with several moments of great melodic lines and intensity.  Alongside that, the use of the xylophone and tubes, with the synthesizers, is great, adding to the atmosphere.  If there’s a song I’d compare this to, it the band’s “Ain’t It Fun” that I’d do so with, due to the song’s vibe and energy.  In short, this song is pretty good, and a good song to have here.

And for this week thanks to deaths and new albums, here are the dropouts from then:

Sucker For Pain – Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons With Logic & Ty Dolla $ign Feat. X Ambassadors

Fox On The Run – Sweet

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

My Sweet Lord – George Harrison

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay & The Americans

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Father & Son – Cat Stevens

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

call the police – LCD Soundsystem

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Ascension – Gorillaz Featuring Vince Staples


Monster – Starset


Let Me Out – Gorillaz Featuring Mavis Staples & Pusha T


In Cold Blood – alt-J


American dream – LCD Soundsystem

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Homecoming – Josh Ritter

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Judas – Fozzy

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Black Rose – Volbeat


Hard Love – NEEDTOBREATHE


The Violence – Rise Against


J-Boy – Phoenix


Despite previous showcases of my taste in punk and metal, here’s the Alternative Songs:

1.         Believer – Imagine Dragons


2.         Wish I Knew You – The Revivalists


3.         Love Is Mystical – Cold War Kids


4.         Blame – Bastille


5.         Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man


6.         Cold Cold Cold – Cage The Elephant


7.         High – Sir Sly


8.         Human – Rag'n'Bone Man


9.         Don't Take The Money – Bleachers


10.       Sweet Disaster – DREAMERS


11.       Reverend – Kings of Leon


12.       Feels Like Summer – Weezer


13.       In Cold Blood – alt-J


14.       One Of Us – New Politics


15.       Hard Times – Paramore


16.       Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay


17.       Green Light – Lorde


18.       Doing It For The Money – Foster The People


19.       Hot Thoughts – Spoon


20.       Suit And Jacket – Judah & The Lion


21.       The Violence – Rise Against


22.       Middle Fingers – MISSIO


23.       High Enough – k.flay

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

24.       Too Much To Think – 311


25.       J-Boy – Phoenix


26.       Lights Out – Royal Blood


27.       Dig Down – Muse*
I’m sure that this is from that album they did about how dangerous drones are.  Adding to that idea is the bizarre opening musical elements, going for electronic bass sounds and wubs that incorporate a few melodic electronic swells.  That being driven by a pounding set of electronic drums.  Adding to that are some strong melodic lines where Matt Bellamy goes for a throat-pushing vocal performance.  All leading to a powerful chorus.  After that are some guitars or some extra sounds in the second verse and chorus.  And while there aren’t a lot of guitars, they are all saved for a shredding solo that goes into crazy licks in the final chorus.  Overall, this is a thought-provoking, hard as heck song from these British prog masters.

28.       Good Morning – Grouplove (Need 10 views to review)
29.       Kill For Candy – Dreamcar (Need 20 views to review)
30.       Down – Marian Hill


31.       Goodbye Angels – Red Hot Chili Peppers


32.       Set On Fire – Magic Giant


33.       Howl – Biffy Clyro


34.       She Said – Sundara Karma


35.       The Night We Met – Lord Huron


36.       A Change Of Heart – The 1975


37.       Help – Papa Roach


38.       Little One – Highly Suspect*


39.       Let You Down – Seether


40.       Home is Such A Lonely Place – Blink-182*
While the rest of their work lately, the stuff they previously showed, is based around their punk roots and classic pop punk sound, this is more of an acoustic performance.  And it’s not bad, but isn’t the classic they want it to be.  While I may have discussed the band before and given them kudos, I have to bring up that their new singer is no Tom DeLonge, but he’s a decent singer in general, and he does add to the sound of the band while fitting in like a glove.  And this ballad is a good showcase of how his sound not just fits in the band overall, but his talents as a singer, but at the same time, it’s a decent but generic ballad about loneliness and the stuff that non-emo fans used to make fun of in the genre, from the emotive vocals to the lyrics.  In general, this has some good instrumentation, but that’s also added by Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, and it’s a decent song in general.  Not great, not awful, but alright.

And here are the dropouts from last week:

Take It All Back – Judah & The Lion

Nimble Bastard – Incubus


Rhythm & Blues – The Head And The Heart (Need 30 views to review)

And finally, my favorite one to look at due to a combination of my musical interests, nostalgia, and biases: the Mainstream Rock Chart:

1.         Let You Down – Seether


2.         Monster – Starset


3.         Help – Papa Roach


4.         Black Rose – Volbeat


5.         Show Yourself – Mastodon


6.         Nimble Bastard – Incubus


7.         Now That We’re Dead – Metallica


8.         Back From The Dead – Skillet


9.         Song #3 – Stone Sour


10.       Lights Out – Royal Blood


11.       God Damn – Avenged Sevenfold


12.       Madness – All That Remains


13.       The Violence – Rise Against


14.       Aftermath – As Lions


15.       Breathe – Through Fire


16.       Little One – Highly Suspect


17.       Howl – Biffy Clyro


18.       LOUD (F**k It) – Motionless In White (Need 10 views to review)
19.       Anti-Everything – DED


20.       Bullfight – A Day To Remember

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

21.       Middle Fingers – MISSIO


22.       Alone – I Prevail


23.       Believer – Imagine Dragons


24.       New Land – Avatar


25.       Dark Black Makeup – Radkey (Need 20 views to review)
26.       I Want It All – Hell Or Highwater (Need 30 views to review)
27.       Cheaper To Drink Alone – Black Stone Cherry


28.       Catch Me When I Fall – Stitched Up Heart


29.       Sick Of Me – Beartooth


30.       Oh Lord – In This Moment*
Fun fact: I used to like this band, but their ventures into more industrial, pop-based sounds versus their earlier melodic metalcore roots is causing me to lose faith in them.  However, this song does start with some decent elements from a good drive and beat as well as Maria Brink’s sleazy vocals to the eastern influences in the melody.  And the song does get some drive in the second part of the verse.  But then the chorus hits, and it’s another basic nu metal-inspired chorus with the vocalist being the only source of melody, a plodding beat, and even some generic guitars.  And the song after that starts to lose steam fast, even with the continued aggression.  And, of course, Maria Brink is the best part of the track, with her vocal performance combining sleaze, anger, and frustration while dealing with being corrupted by dark forces leading to easily the most memorable aspect of this track.  I don’t know why, but with the generic guitars, bass, drums, and synths, I will probably forget this track after listening to death metal, power metal, black metal, j-pop, and Europop as well as drinking and watching anime, all not in any particular order.  But I do expect multiple AMVs of this in the future.

31.       Run Rabbit Run – Black Map


32.       Hurricane – Thrice


33.       Feed The Machine – Nickelback


34.       Revolution Radio – Green Day*
Now for a punk onslaught from a band famous for being a melodic take on punk fury.  And their sound is as angry, furious, destructive, and melodic as their earlier stuff, a major shift in quality from the Uno, Dos, and Tré set of disasters.  And while this isn’t as chaotic as “Bang Bang,” it’s still a blast of fury that fits the messed-up nature of modern society and politics (especially if you consider what’s going on in D.C.).  And it has a pretty decent guitar solo as well, plus the great riffs and chord progressions aiming for the throat.  That and the bass and drums are furious as well.  In short, this is a fun, simple, but furious song, and possibly a sign that the band is still filled with energy and creativity.  You can also consider this a gateway song into punk rock in general.

35.       Rivers – Chevelle*
More music from Chevelle?  Sweet.  For this track, this definitely has more of an exotic vibe from the melody of singer Pete Loeffler.  That and the guitar performance having a flamenco vibe to it, but that’s me.  All of that being buildup into a loud, furious chorus that is loaded with rage and fury.  And during this, the bass and drums pick up to match with the increase in distortion in the guitars here.  You also get a great guitar solo (make that two after a simple section of the bridge literally bridging both solos) as well.  And the production really adds to the sound and fury, keeping things on the soft side in the verses while going on full blast in the chorus, making is so that casual listeners end up getting something from the track after being drawn in by the siren wails of the verses.  In general, this is a great tune, and an example of why Chevelle are among the best in post-grunge, specifically the more metallic and progressive side of it.  Definitely recommended.

36.       Can You Hear Me – Shallow Side


37.       Out Of My Hands – Chrysalis

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

38.       Come Together – Godsmack (Need 50 views to review)
39.       Heavydirtysoul – twenty one pilots


40.       Promise Everything – Basement

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

And here are the dropouts from last week:

Striking Matches – Cover Your Tracks

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Mad Love – Bush

Here’s the original review here: http://rockotaku92.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-rock-otakus-rockin-billboard-chart_17.html

Stones – Manafest


So those were my thoughts on the charts and the new arrivals.  If you feel that I skipped out on certain songs, then feel free in the comments what songs you want me to elaborate on.  I have plans depending on how this is received for what I will review next week as well as what is new next week for the chart(s) I ultimately look at.  If you have different opinions on the songs I reviewed, feel free to tell me in the comments as well.

Also, make sure to like my Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/RockOtaku92/.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/RockOtaku92, my Instagram page is here: https://www.instagram.com/rockotaku92/, and my Tumblr is at this link: https://rockotaku92.tumblr.com/.  That and be sure to follow my blog.  The way to do so is to the right of this page.

Finally, expect updates to the reviews (specifically songs I’ve missed) when this entry gets a certain amount of views each time.

Until Next Time, This is The Rock Otaku.  Live Loud and Play Hard.

All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original creators. 



Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)