Finally, we're here. The end of 2016 and about fucking time too. From celebrity deaths to celebrity presidents, it's been an absolute shitshow that all seemed to start with Lemmy's death at the end of last year.
However, despite the overwhelming negatives about 2016, there have been some positives to take away such as a collection of decent Rock/Metal songs that I intend to list here. On previous Tenology posts celebrating the year's music, I don't categorise songs in order of greatness; instead, I just list ten of my personal favourite songs from the year in random order. Since there's no reason to change the formula, that's exactly what I'll be doing this year too!
It's also worth noting that these songs have been chosen based entirely on my opinion, not how well they charted or fared among Rock/Metal fans. If I wanted to write about the "best" songs of the year, I'd spend the whole post wanking off about how amazing Beyonce and Radiohead are. But fuck that, right? Here are 10 songs I liked!
1. "The Getaway" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
If you cast your mind back to July (or click this link and spend a couple of minutes reading the post), you may recall me reviewing The Getaway - Red Hot Chili Peppers and talking about how much I loved this album. It's probably joint-first for my album of the year along with Dystopia - Megadeth and this album opener/title track is a solid reason why. It sounds like classic RHCP but at the same time doesn't feel like the band going through the motions, partly due to Josh Klinghoffer picking up the strings from John Frusciante. Great tune!
2. "Breathing Lightning" - Anthrax
If your mind hasn't returned from July yet (or you got curious and followed this link), you may ALSO recall me briefly writing about the new Anthrax album, For All Kings. Despite not really enjoying it, I did love this song and would recommend it if you like Heavy Metal over the usual Thrash stuff Anthrax is known for. Thankfully, there are some single edits of the song that don't have the shitty instrumental reprise at the end so if you want to buy the track, search for that version instead of the six minute one.
3. "Let It Begin" - The Treatment
Aha, a new track! I've mentioned The Treatment before on a previous Tenology post celebrating 2014's music but this song is stronger than "The Outlaw". It's still another uncompromising Hard Rock track with epic riffs and a catchy chorus by a band who seem to be happy in the ass-kicking-Rock sector of the industry so what's not to like? In a year literally plagued with death and despair, sometimes you need a good Hard Rock track to blast out loud and this song fits the bill nicely.
4. "Moth Into Flame" - Metallica
Back to old tracks again. I liked Metallica's new album and there were definitely some solid contenders on there for this post. However, there was only one track that I knew deserved to be on the main list without a doubt; "Moth Into Flame". Unlike "Hardwired" and "Atlas, Rise!", it contains all the hallmarks of a top quality Metallica song without sounding repetitive or losing too much energy throughout the track. It should've been the lead single from the album as it triumphantly declares "We're fucken back!" much more heroically than the album's title track.
5. "At War With The World" - Primal Fear
I haven't actually discussed Rulebreaker - Primal Fear on the blog yet but if you haven't listened to it, it's a pretty awesome Metal album. Granted there's not much variety on it but if you want pure Heavy Metal, you get exactly that. There were several songs I could've picked for this list but my personal favourite is probably this one due to the steady rhythm and epic chorus. Seriously though, if you like Heavy Metal, seek out Rulebreaker - Primal Fear.
6. "Breakin' Outta Hell" - Airbourne
A track so good, I've discussed it twice; once in an album review, once in a taster session. Basically, similar to "Let It Begin", it's a heavy Hard Rock song by a band that are masters of awesome singles but getting progressively weaker at awesome albums. Despite this, I still love listening to this song and hope that Airbourne will keep churning 'em out every couple of years or so.
7. "The Emperor" - Megadeth
Come on, I couldn't leave out a track from Dystopia from this post. I'll admit that if "The Threat Is Real" wasn't released as a single at the end of 2015, I would've chosen that instead but "The Emperor" is probably my second favourite track off the album. Lyrically and musically, it's fucking great; a song flipping the middle finger off at incompetent leaders with brilliant riffs throughout and a hell of a sweet solo with echoes of "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due".
8. "When The Night Comes In" - Black Star Riders
If you're unfamiliar with Black Star Riders, they're basically a heavier version of Thin Lizzy made up of Thin Lizzy band members who didn't want to record new material for that band without Phil Lynott. I've heard quite a few of their songs and definitely like some more than others ("Valley Of The Stones" over "Bound For Glory", any day) but this is my favourite so far and it just so happens to be a single released this year. If you like Thin Lizzy and heavier music, I'd recommend them unless you're a die-hard Phil Lynott fan, as the vocalist sounds like a poorer version of him and it'd probably just piss you off.
9. "Eye Of The Beholder" - Wolfmother
Another song from an album I've already reviewed. Similar to Dystopia, this might not be my favourite song off the album but it IS my favourite off the songs released this year. It's got your standard trippy apocalypse sound that Wolfmother have cultivated through the use of organ and fuzzy guitars but when you get to the halfway point, the track picks up a bit and shifts gear into full-on Rock. It's a shame they couldn't add a guitar solo to that section but it's still great.
10. "Goodbye Angels" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
What's this? ANOTHER Red Hot Chili Peppers song? Technically, I never said I couldn't include multiple songs by the same band on this post and if I'm being totally honest, I would rate this higher than most of the songs in this list and upcoming honourable mentions. It's not a balls-out riff-heavy Rock anthem but it is pure RHCP at their finest, which is saying something without Frusciante involved. I may have been hasty in the past when I claimed the song would be better without Flea's little bass solo before the outro but having given it some thought, I think it works better that way after all. My personal favourite song off The Getaway and maybe, JUST MAYBE, my favourite song of 2016.
Those were my ten favourite songs from 2016 (that I heard and will probably change over time) but that's not to say everything else was rubbish. Here are five tracks that could've made the list if not for the strength of the ten above:
"Bullets & Tears" - Primal Fear
As I said when writing about "At War With The World", I could've chosen from a few songs for the list and if not for that track, this would've made it instead. I can imagine this track being fucking amazing live when that chorus comes around and for that reason, I love listening to it. However, even though I included two RHCP tracks on the list, I couldn't remove one of my top ten for another Primal Fear song.
"Medication For The Melancholy" - Rob Zombie
Yeah, Rob Zombie released an album this year. I should probably listen to it if only to seek out tracks like this. He doesn't do them often but when Rob speeds up the tempo, he fucking rocks. I didn't include this track because it sounds like just another Rob Zombie track off one of his previous albums and I've already got enough of them in my list. I went with Airbourne instead because I can honestly say I prefer "Breakin' Outta Hell" to this, although it's still a great Heavy Metal tune.
"See You Rise" - Diamond Head
Considering how much I said I enjoyed Diamond Head - Diamond Head in my review this year, some of you might be confused as to why I didn't include any tracks in the main list. I do still love the album and "See You Rise" is still my favourite track off it but it just couldn't beat the others on the list. If it didn't have the slower section in the middle, it may have done.
"This Train" - Joe Bonamassa
I don't think I'll ever quite understand why everyone seems to rave about Joe Bonamassa so much when most of the songs I've heard him involved in are just alright but I have to say, this track is pretty solid. It's a fun Blues number, which makes a change from just about every other popular modern Blues track in existence. It's not strong enough to take on any of the main ten but it deserves a mention here.
"Thundering Voices" - Rival Sons
A late entry, as I only heard this track a couple of days ago. I'm sure I've talked about Rival Sons before and how they're a decent Rock band who probably deserve more attention than I'm currently giving them but the reason I didn't include this on the main list is simple; the other tracks have had some time to get old (except the Black Star Riders one, but I know I'll still like that months from now) and I still enjoy listening to them. I can't say the same about this song yet but who knows, maybe I'll still like it in February next year when we're all absolutely shitting ourselves over what the world has become.
That's all from me this year. I hope you enjoyed my 52 posts and your 2017 is better than 2016...unless you're partly to majorly responsible for how shit 2016 turned out, in which case I sincerely hope your next 365 days are utter wank.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
Saturday, 24 December 2016
Shout Out: Blue For You - Status Quo
I was originally planning to write about the soundtrack to Tearaway Unfolded, a PS4 title that's easily the most innovative and imaginative platformer I've ever played, but after hearing of the death of Rick Parfitt (Status Quo guitarist), I felt like writing this post instead.
If you're reading from America and aren't sure who Status Quo are, they're basically the UK's version of Cheap Trick; all-round, solid Rock for your dad to enjoy. Their most well known tracks are probably "Whatever You Want", "Sweet Caroline", "Rockin' All Over The World" and "Down Down" and, unfortunately, they're not exactly the best tracks to showcase the talent of the band. They're fairly basic Rock songs that rely on simplistic chord progressions and lyrics that sound like the songwriters took an early lunch before recording them. In other words, they're boring.
HOWEVER, despite generally conjuring images of Greatest Hits albums and appearances on The One Show when I think of them, Status Quo are also a band with a collection of great deep cuts and filler tracks that piss all over their signature songs, many of which belong on this album from 1976.
Blue For You opens with "Is There A Better Way", a firm Hard Rock album opener that wouldn't sound out of place on a Blue Oyster Cult album. Hell, maybe that's where they came up with the idea for the album's name but in all seriousness, despite not containing the frills and technical talents of finger-blistering solos and the like, it's a solid tune that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The album is full of these kind of tracks, even going a few steps further with faster tempo tracks like "Rolling Home", "Ring Of A Change" and one of the album's popular singles, "Mystery Song".
There are also slower Rock tracks that sound more like the Quo everyone knows such as "That's A Fact" and lead single "Rain". These provide a welcome break from the better tracks and help add some more variety to the album. Sadly, the album's title track is a bit poor unless you get a rock-on for Bluesy numbers (probably the more likely reason behind the album's name rather than the earlier comment) but considering the majority of songs on the album are belters, I can forgive a misleading title track.
If you like your Rock to actually Rock, I recommend Blue For You. You'll probably find it tame if you're accustomed to modern Rock bands with more energy and louder mixes but if you compare the music on this album to other songs from the same year, you'll find this album can hold its own. Also, whilst I'd normally just discuss the basic album as it was released, this time I'm recommending the 2005 reissue for containing B-sides and a single edit of "Mystery Song"...mostly because that seems to be the only version you can get now that isn't extortionately priced but also because it's worth it. Below is a tracklisting for that version, along with my personal favourites off the album.
If you're reading from America and aren't sure who Status Quo are, they're basically the UK's version of Cheap Trick; all-round, solid Rock for your dad to enjoy. Their most well known tracks are probably "Whatever You Want", "Sweet Caroline", "Rockin' All Over The World" and "Down Down" and, unfortunately, they're not exactly the best tracks to showcase the talent of the band. They're fairly basic Rock songs that rely on simplistic chord progressions and lyrics that sound like the songwriters took an early lunch before recording them. In other words, they're boring.
HOWEVER, despite generally conjuring images of Greatest Hits albums and appearances on The One Show when I think of them, Status Quo are also a band with a collection of great deep cuts and filler tracks that piss all over their signature songs, many of which belong on this album from 1976.
Blue For You opens with "Is There A Better Way", a firm Hard Rock album opener that wouldn't sound out of place on a Blue Oyster Cult album. Hell, maybe that's where they came up with the idea for the album's name but in all seriousness, despite not containing the frills and technical talents of finger-blistering solos and the like, it's a solid tune that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The album is full of these kind of tracks, even going a few steps further with faster tempo tracks like "Rolling Home", "Ring Of A Change" and one of the album's popular singles, "Mystery Song".
There are also slower Rock tracks that sound more like the Quo everyone knows such as "That's A Fact" and lead single "Rain". These provide a welcome break from the better tracks and help add some more variety to the album. Sadly, the album's title track is a bit poor unless you get a rock-on for Bluesy numbers (probably the more likely reason behind the album's name rather than the earlier comment) but considering the majority of songs on the album are belters, I can forgive a misleading title track.
If you like your Rock to actually Rock, I recommend Blue For You. You'll probably find it tame if you're accustomed to modern Rock bands with more energy and louder mixes but if you compare the music on this album to other songs from the same year, you'll find this album can hold its own. Also, whilst I'd normally just discuss the basic album as it was released, this time I'm recommending the 2005 reissue for containing B-sides and a single edit of "Mystery Song"...mostly because that seems to be the only version you can get now that isn't extortionately priced but also because it's worth it. Below is a tracklisting for that version, along with my personal favourites off the album.
1. Is There A Better Way
2. Mad About The Boy
3. Ring Of A Change
4. Blue For You
5. Rain
6. Rolling Home
7. That's A Fact
8. Ease Your Mind
9. Mystery Song (Album Version)
10. You Lost The Love
11. Mystery Song (Single Version)
12. Wild Side Of Life
13. All Through The Night
14. Wild Side Of Life (Demo Version)
ALBUM RATING - 8/10
RIP Rick Parfitt. You may not have been Jimi Hendrix or even Tony Iommi but you made Status Quo Status Quo and you will be missed. After Christmas is done with, I'll seek out more Quo albums to get stuck into.
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas! Next week, I'll be back with the last blog post of 2016!
Friday, 16 December 2016
Taster Session #6
Back for another post and this time, it's a long one!
Previous Taster Session posts usually consist of me discussing five songs from albums coming out within the year before ultimately deciding whether I want to listen to the whole album based on that single. This time, I'm doing something a little different! Since we're coming up to the end of 2016 and there are still many, many, MANY albums I haven't listened to yet from this year, I thought it might be fun to look back over Rock/Metal releases that I haven't covered on the blog and listen to singles from those albums before deciding whether I should visit or review them.
However, after researching album releases for 2016, it turns out there were actually quite a few Rock/Metal albums that I haven't listened to and would consider discussing on here. 12, to be exact. As a result, instead of choosing five to discuss, I'm going to discuss ALL 12 OF THEM! Handy really, as it means I'll be writing about one track for every month of this absolute 9/11 of a year (although not every track/album came out across all 12 months).
So without further ado, let's listen to music I should've listened to months ago when everyone else was excited about it!
"Lazarus" - David Bowie (listen here)
From the album Blackstar (08/01/16)
Remember when Bowie died and everyone thought that would be the shittest thing about this year? Anyway, even though "Lazarus" isn't the lead single off the album, I chose this because it's the song that everyone talked about after his death. I mean, I can't think why, it's not like the song's lyrics or tone have any kind of connection to mortality and anyone who can find a link must be some kind of genius capable of writing the best thinkpieces in all the land!
As for the song itself, I'm no fan but it's not bad. It's gloomy but appropriately so and even though you can call it depressing or morbid, there's a certain kind of bittersweet feeling you get from a well written "sad song" that, thankfully, "Lazarus" successfully pulls off. One good thing I will say about Bowie is that his voice definitely improved over time. He didn't suffer puberty like other Rock vocalists but it became less goofy and more mature, although you could argue that was the result of him dropping the Ziggy persona. I won't be listening to Blackstar anytime soon but I do intend to listen to some Bowie albums from the 70s, the decade where I feel his music had the most value. Speaking of artists who wrote a few great songs in the 70s but sodall else...
"Gardenia" - Iggy Pop (listen here)
From the album Post Pop Depression (18/03/16)
Jesus, I can tell you right now that I won't be listening to this album. I remember hearing this track earlier this year and being incredibly bored by it then but I still decided to revisit it here due to it being the lead single off this album. You might ask why I'd consider listening to this album if I clearly have a preconceived dislike of Iggy Pop but that's not necessarily true. I think Iggy has some great songs that aren't "Lust For Life" or "The Passenger" (my fave of his is "Billy Is A Runaway") but for the most part, his material is a bunch of wank; I'm willing to be proven wrong but sadly, this song isn't the evidence I need.
I mean, come on, can we really call it an Iggy Pop track when it's basically just another product of a Josh Homme project with Iggy on vocals? Unlike Bowie's single, this just sounds dreary and repetitive. It's not even a shit song that grows on you over time, I've had a year to take this in and I still fucking hate it. I fundamentally believe Iggy Pop is an overrated Rock artist but hey, if you like Bowie's new material then you'll probably cum over this.
"No Direction Home" - Cheap Trick (listen here)
From the album Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello (01/04/16)
Yeah, Cheap Trick released an album this year. I actually listened to about seven tracks of it before giving up. It wasn't terrible, it was just a bit bland for me. Cheap Trick have proven they can release great Rock songs ("Stiff Competition", "He's A Whore", "Clock Strikes Ten") and even solid modern tracks ("Sick Man Of Europe") but this single is just a bit too average for me to rate it highly. If you like Cheap Trick's sound, give it a listen as it's an enjoyable basic Rock song.
One day, I might complete Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello just to say I've listened to the album as I recall enjoying the first few songs but losing interest after the halfway point. As for "No Direction Home", it's OK. It also sounds like it unintentionally borrows ideas from "I Can't Explain" - The Who and "Fly By Night" - Rush. Can you hear the similarities in the music or am I just going mental? I mean, I am basically talking to myself so there's evidence for the latter...MOVING ON!
"Thank God For Girls" - Weezer (listen here)
From the album Weezer (01/04/16)
Yup, Weezer released an album too. I can't say I'll listen to it as I have next to no interest in Weezer's full albums but I do like some of their songs. This track's alright although I can't say I enjoy it as much as their more Rock based songs; stuff off Weezer and a few tracks off Weezer, ya know (can you guess the colours?)? As an outsider who isn't part of the Weezer fanbase, I'm glad they've still remained a Rock band and haven't pulled a Muse, Kings Of Leon or Coldplay.
However, their sound is a bit too immature for me. No matter what they release, it'll always sound like it should be played as background music to teenagers being dropped off at high school during the opening scene of a film about how hard it is to be young and plagued with constant insecurity and erections. Still, at least their music always has energy to it, unlike the next artist.
"Can't Let You Do It" - Eric Clapton (listen here)
From the album I Still Do (20/05/16)
I remember being tempted to actually listen to and discuss this album in a review when it came out. Can you fucking imagine that?! Anyway, this album features songs written by a string of Blues artists and creatively assembled by Eric Boring Clapton. I'm not sure whether it fits more into covers album or studio album but this song is definitely a new one. I believe it was the lead single and even though J.J. Cale never released it as a solo artist, he wrote it for Eric Clapton. Compared to some of his other tracks, it's got a bit of life in it. However, it's important to remember that Clapton is recording it so as a result, it's still fucking dull.
There is one advantage to Eric Clapton's career; it's given me an appreciation of J.J. Cale, as I probably wouldn't have bothered to check his material out if I only knew about him from Lynyrd Skynyrd's cover of "Call Me The Breeze". I've heard Clapton cover that song, "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" and all three of them are shite compared to Cale's versions so yeah, screw Eric Boring Clapton and screw this album.
"Beautiful Broken" - Heart (listen here)
From the album Beautiful Broken (08/07/16)
Fun fact: this song was actually released in 2012 on a deluxe edition of a previous album and compared to this version, it sounds like a cruddy demo recording. The mix is a lot stronger and the guitars are noticeably heavier, probably down to the inclusion of James Hetfield (Metallica) as a guest musician on this track. Again, you could argue that this isn't really a new studio album if it's just a bunch of rerecordings thrown in with a few new songs. However, what you can't argue with is that this track is great and much better than the original.
I'm tempted to give this album a listen if the rest of Beautiful Broken is this strong, seeing as how they chose to make this rerecording of a deluxe edition extra the album opener, lead single and title track. Whether or not I'll review the album is yet to be decided but I think based on this initial taster, I'm inclined to give Heart the benefit of the doubt and tuck into the rest of this record at a later date.
"Show Me A Leader" - Alter Bridge (listen here)
From the album The Last Hero (07/10/16)
I don't know why I don't listen to more Alter Bridge, as they have almost everything that I love about Hard Rock/Metal. It might be down to the fact that whilst I think I've enjoyed every song I've heard by the band, I don't really love any of them. This track follows the same patterns, as I like the riffs and chorus but I doubt I'll buy the track as it's just missing something that clicks with me. However, if you like your Rock heavy, check this song out. It starts off with a solid little introduction that still leaves something to the imagination and remains strong until the end.
I haven't listened to any Alter Bridge albums yet but maybe this will be the first I check out, as I thought this song was good. If you feel like you understand what I like and dislike in Rock/Metal, feel free to recommend any other songs/albums by Alter Bridge via Twitter or the comments section too.
"Bang Bang" - Green Day (listen here)
From the album Revolution Radio (07/10/16)
Right off the bat, this song sounds a hell of a lot like "Girl's Not Grey" - AFI, which is a great thing. Then, just like every other Green Day song that could otherwise be salvaged, Billie Joe Armstrong opens his mouth and it all falls to shit. Admittedly, he sounds a bit less obnoxious in this song but hopefully he'll hit Rock puberty soon and won't sound like he's doing this in between studying for his midterms. As soon as that happens, I'm all up for giving Green Day a chance as musically, they're alright.
This song's quite good and after catching a brief listen of the title track, "Revolution Radio", I found myself enjoying what I heard too (after tuning out BJ's voice). You know what? I might just give this album a listen one day. If I can stomach Guns N' Roses after realising that Axl's a terrible fucking vocalist, maybe I can do the same for Green Day. Mind you, it'll be a fuckton harder if they continue to remain a Pop Punk band unlike other groups from the 90s who made the successful transition into full on Alternative or just plain Rock.
"The Stage" - Avenged Sevenfold (listen here)
From the album The Stage (28/10/16)
Another album where I'm discussing the album opener, lead single and title track. Fortunately, Avenged Sevenfold have a decent track record so you don't have much to worry about. They're going through the Metal motions to the point that they're starting to become more progressive (musically and lyrically with themes about mankind and the universe) and even though they're going through a Spinal Tap situation regarding their drummers, it still sounds like A7X. However, the fact that their song of choice to be the album opener, lead single and title track is over eight minutes long makes it a bit of a slog to sit through.
The band remember their roots and dedicate a minute in the middle to become Sensitive Avenged Sevenfold, similar to "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica in that there's no real payoff to the build-up. However, that's eight-minute Metal for you. I'd recommend this if you like Avenged Sevenfold as the music is tight and the band still have "it". I'm personally torn as to whether or not I want to choose this as my first A7X album and might opt instead for City Of Evil before giving this a try if I'm feeling adventurous enough.
"Brotherhood Of The Snake" - Testament (listen here)
From the album Brotherhood Of The Snake (28/10/16)
I have a mixed opinion of Testament. They're often considered the fifth band of The Big Four (of Thrash Metal) and whilst I like some of their material, their albums that I've listened to (Souls Of Black and The Ritual) have ranged from alright to shite. Since their early days, their sound has become a lot heavier and their music a lot more aggressive to the point where they sound more like a modern Metal band than an 80s/90s Thrash one. If you like your Metal angry and powerful, this is good for you because the album opener, lead single and title track packs a hefty wallop.
However, I doubt I'll listen to this whole album based on this song. I might cherry pick a few random Testament songs if they get recommended for having strong riffs (think "Electric Crown" level of epic riffing) but I have absolute zero interest in listening to Brotherhood Of The Snake until I accidentally stumble across a much better song from the album that piques my interest again.
"This House Is Not For Sale" - Bon Jovi (listen here)
From the album This House Is Not For Sale (04/11/16)
I was tempted to review this album but since it took Bon Jovi and Spotify two weeks to get the album up, I chose to ignore them. However, this single was released on time so I can talk about it here. It's not quite as energetic or anthematic as some of his earlier songs (even "We Don't Run" from the Bridge Burning collection beats this) but it has a catchy chorus, even if it does sound like JBJ was trying to recapture some of the glory from "Livin On A Prayer". The big question is does the new guitarist, Phil X, meet the standard set by Richie Sambora before he become a druggie tosser? The small answer is not really, but he tries.
It's a solid little Rock number, even if it does reach the border between Rock and Pop, but based on this song, I'd recommend giving the album a try...HOWEVER, I've listened to the first five songs off the album and can confirm that this track is misleading. It sounds like generic Pop to the point where you can sing along to "Labor Of Love" with the lyrics from "Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds. I'm not sure why Jon's chosen to release Pop instead of Rock now; maybe it's because he's losing his energy, maybe he just wants to get into teenage girl panties again but what I do know is this album probably isn't worth your time.
"Just Your Fool" - The Rolling Stones (listen here)
From the album Blue & Lonesome (02/12/16)
Last on this list is a covers album by a band who probably should've jacked it in about 40 years ago. Similar to Eric Clapton's release, this is a Blues Rock covers album which means it shares the additional similarity of being fucking boring, as demonstrated by this album opener and lead single. I can understand a band like The Rolling Stones releasing a covers album of old Blues material as a passion project, their way of saying thank you to the artists that inspired them (which was likely the main inspiration for Eric Clapton's album). However, this feels more like the band attempting to be relevant again.
It's had somewhat of a big release despite the songs being basic and dull, probably all the band can physically play in a studio right now. If you like Blues Rock in all its boring glory, give this record a listen. For everyone who thinks The Rolling Stones had a couple of decent hits in the 60s, when they were almost stepping into Garage Rock territory, but then became shit after that when they were releasing mediocre Rock music for people who don't know what good Rock is like "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up", avoid Blue & Lonesome. At least this song's short so it has something going for it.
That's all 12 of them! If I had to assemble the songs into a ranked list in ascending order based on how much I enjoyed them when preparing for this post (the tracks, not the albums), it'd look something like this:
1. "Beautiful Broken" - Heart
2. "No Direction Home" - Cheap Trick
3. "Thank God For Girls" - Weezer
4. "Bang Bang" - Green Day
5. "Show Me A Leader" - Alter Bridge
6. "This House Is Not For Sale" - Bon Jovi
7. "Lazarus" - David Bowie
8. "The Stage" - Avenged Sevenfold
9. "Brotherhood Of The Snake" - Testament
10. "Can't Let You Do It" - Eric Clapton
11. "Just Your Fool" - The Rolling Stones
12. "Gardenia" - Iggy Pop
This list can and probably will change over time but for now, that's my ranking of all the undiscussed Rock/Metal singles I would've considered reviewing for this blog this year! I have to say, I didn't really love any of these songs so it's probably a good reason I didn't review the albums if these tracks were considered among the strongest by the bands. Anyway, if my maths is correct, there should be another 2-3 posts this year so expect one of them to be video game related.
The other(s)? Who knows? You'll have to revisit to find out!
Previous Taster Session posts usually consist of me discussing five songs from albums coming out within the year before ultimately deciding whether I want to listen to the whole album based on that single. This time, I'm doing something a little different! Since we're coming up to the end of 2016 and there are still many, many, MANY albums I haven't listened to yet from this year, I thought it might be fun to look back over Rock/Metal releases that I haven't covered on the blog and listen to singles from those albums before deciding whether I should visit or review them.
However, after researching album releases for 2016, it turns out there were actually quite a few Rock/Metal albums that I haven't listened to and would consider discussing on here. 12, to be exact. As a result, instead of choosing five to discuss, I'm going to discuss ALL 12 OF THEM! Handy really, as it means I'll be writing about one track for every month of this absolute 9/11 of a year (although not every track/album came out across all 12 months).
So without further ado, let's listen to music I should've listened to months ago when everyone else was excited about it!
"Lazarus" - David Bowie (listen here)
From the album Blackstar (08/01/16)
Remember when Bowie died and everyone thought that would be the shittest thing about this year? Anyway, even though "Lazarus" isn't the lead single off the album, I chose this because it's the song that everyone talked about after his death. I mean, I can't think why, it's not like the song's lyrics or tone have any kind of connection to mortality and anyone who can find a link must be some kind of genius capable of writing the best thinkpieces in all the land!
As for the song itself, I'm no fan but it's not bad. It's gloomy but appropriately so and even though you can call it depressing or morbid, there's a certain kind of bittersweet feeling you get from a well written "sad song" that, thankfully, "Lazarus" successfully pulls off. One good thing I will say about Bowie is that his voice definitely improved over time. He didn't suffer puberty like other Rock vocalists but it became less goofy and more mature, although you could argue that was the result of him dropping the Ziggy persona. I won't be listening to Blackstar anytime soon but I do intend to listen to some Bowie albums from the 70s, the decade where I feel his music had the most value. Speaking of artists who wrote a few great songs in the 70s but sodall else...
"Gardenia" - Iggy Pop (listen here)
From the album Post Pop Depression (18/03/16)
Jesus, I can tell you right now that I won't be listening to this album. I remember hearing this track earlier this year and being incredibly bored by it then but I still decided to revisit it here due to it being the lead single off this album. You might ask why I'd consider listening to this album if I clearly have a preconceived dislike of Iggy Pop but that's not necessarily true. I think Iggy has some great songs that aren't "Lust For Life" or "The Passenger" (my fave of his is "Billy Is A Runaway") but for the most part, his material is a bunch of wank; I'm willing to be proven wrong but sadly, this song isn't the evidence I need.
I mean, come on, can we really call it an Iggy Pop track when it's basically just another product of a Josh Homme project with Iggy on vocals? Unlike Bowie's single, this just sounds dreary and repetitive. It's not even a shit song that grows on you over time, I've had a year to take this in and I still fucking hate it. I fundamentally believe Iggy Pop is an overrated Rock artist but hey, if you like Bowie's new material then you'll probably cum over this.
"No Direction Home" - Cheap Trick (listen here)
From the album Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello (01/04/16)
Yeah, Cheap Trick released an album this year. I actually listened to about seven tracks of it before giving up. It wasn't terrible, it was just a bit bland for me. Cheap Trick have proven they can release great Rock songs ("Stiff Competition", "He's A Whore", "Clock Strikes Ten") and even solid modern tracks ("Sick Man Of Europe") but this single is just a bit too average for me to rate it highly. If you like Cheap Trick's sound, give it a listen as it's an enjoyable basic Rock song.
One day, I might complete Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello just to say I've listened to the album as I recall enjoying the first few songs but losing interest after the halfway point. As for "No Direction Home", it's OK. It also sounds like it unintentionally borrows ideas from "I Can't Explain" - The Who and "Fly By Night" - Rush. Can you hear the similarities in the music or am I just going mental? I mean, I am basically talking to myself so there's evidence for the latter...MOVING ON!
"Thank God For Girls" - Weezer (listen here)
From the album Weezer (01/04/16)
Yup, Weezer released an album too. I can't say I'll listen to it as I have next to no interest in Weezer's full albums but I do like some of their songs. This track's alright although I can't say I enjoy it as much as their more Rock based songs; stuff off Weezer and a few tracks off Weezer, ya know (can you guess the colours?)? As an outsider who isn't part of the Weezer fanbase, I'm glad they've still remained a Rock band and haven't pulled a Muse, Kings Of Leon or Coldplay.
However, their sound is a bit too immature for me. No matter what they release, it'll always sound like it should be played as background music to teenagers being dropped off at high school during the opening scene of a film about how hard it is to be young and plagued with constant insecurity and erections. Still, at least their music always has energy to it, unlike the next artist.
"Can't Let You Do It" - Eric Clapton (listen here)
From the album I Still Do (20/05/16)
I remember being tempted to actually listen to and discuss this album in a review when it came out. Can you fucking imagine that?! Anyway, this album features songs written by a string of Blues artists and creatively assembled by Eric Boring Clapton. I'm not sure whether it fits more into covers album or studio album but this song is definitely a new one. I believe it was the lead single and even though J.J. Cale never released it as a solo artist, he wrote it for Eric Clapton. Compared to some of his other tracks, it's got a bit of life in it. However, it's important to remember that Clapton is recording it so as a result, it's still fucking dull.
There is one advantage to Eric Clapton's career; it's given me an appreciation of J.J. Cale, as I probably wouldn't have bothered to check his material out if I only knew about him from Lynyrd Skynyrd's cover of "Call Me The Breeze". I've heard Clapton cover that song, "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" and all three of them are shite compared to Cale's versions so yeah, screw Eric Boring Clapton and screw this album.
"Beautiful Broken" - Heart (listen here)
From the album Beautiful Broken (08/07/16)
Fun fact: this song was actually released in 2012 on a deluxe edition of a previous album and compared to this version, it sounds like a cruddy demo recording. The mix is a lot stronger and the guitars are noticeably heavier, probably down to the inclusion of James Hetfield (Metallica) as a guest musician on this track. Again, you could argue that this isn't really a new studio album if it's just a bunch of rerecordings thrown in with a few new songs. However, what you can't argue with is that this track is great and much better than the original.
I'm tempted to give this album a listen if the rest of Beautiful Broken is this strong, seeing as how they chose to make this rerecording of a deluxe edition extra the album opener, lead single and title track. Whether or not I'll review the album is yet to be decided but I think based on this initial taster, I'm inclined to give Heart the benefit of the doubt and tuck into the rest of this record at a later date.
"Show Me A Leader" - Alter Bridge (listen here)
From the album The Last Hero (07/10/16)
I don't know why I don't listen to more Alter Bridge, as they have almost everything that I love about Hard Rock/Metal. It might be down to the fact that whilst I think I've enjoyed every song I've heard by the band, I don't really love any of them. This track follows the same patterns, as I like the riffs and chorus but I doubt I'll buy the track as it's just missing something that clicks with me. However, if you like your Rock heavy, check this song out. It starts off with a solid little introduction that still leaves something to the imagination and remains strong until the end.
I haven't listened to any Alter Bridge albums yet but maybe this will be the first I check out, as I thought this song was good. If you feel like you understand what I like and dislike in Rock/Metal, feel free to recommend any other songs/albums by Alter Bridge via Twitter or the comments section too.
"Bang Bang" - Green Day (listen here)
From the album Revolution Radio (07/10/16)
Right off the bat, this song sounds a hell of a lot like "Girl's Not Grey" - AFI, which is a great thing. Then, just like every other Green Day song that could otherwise be salvaged, Billie Joe Armstrong opens his mouth and it all falls to shit. Admittedly, he sounds a bit less obnoxious in this song but hopefully he'll hit Rock puberty soon and won't sound like he's doing this in between studying for his midterms. As soon as that happens, I'm all up for giving Green Day a chance as musically, they're alright.
This song's quite good and after catching a brief listen of the title track, "Revolution Radio", I found myself enjoying what I heard too (after tuning out BJ's voice). You know what? I might just give this album a listen one day. If I can stomach Guns N' Roses after realising that Axl's a terrible fucking vocalist, maybe I can do the same for Green Day. Mind you, it'll be a fuckton harder if they continue to remain a Pop Punk band unlike other groups from the 90s who made the successful transition into full on Alternative or just plain Rock.
"The Stage" - Avenged Sevenfold (listen here)
From the album The Stage (28/10/16)
Another album where I'm discussing the album opener, lead single and title track. Fortunately, Avenged Sevenfold have a decent track record so you don't have much to worry about. They're going through the Metal motions to the point that they're starting to become more progressive (musically and lyrically with themes about mankind and the universe) and even though they're going through a Spinal Tap situation regarding their drummers, it still sounds like A7X. However, the fact that their song of choice to be the album opener, lead single and title track is over eight minutes long makes it a bit of a slog to sit through.
The band remember their roots and dedicate a minute in the middle to become Sensitive Avenged Sevenfold, similar to "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica in that there's no real payoff to the build-up. However, that's eight-minute Metal for you. I'd recommend this if you like Avenged Sevenfold as the music is tight and the band still have "it". I'm personally torn as to whether or not I want to choose this as my first A7X album and might opt instead for City Of Evil before giving this a try if I'm feeling adventurous enough.
"Brotherhood Of The Snake" - Testament (listen here)
From the album Brotherhood Of The Snake (28/10/16)
I have a mixed opinion of Testament. They're often considered the fifth band of The Big Four (of Thrash Metal) and whilst I like some of their material, their albums that I've listened to (Souls Of Black and The Ritual) have ranged from alright to shite. Since their early days, their sound has become a lot heavier and their music a lot more aggressive to the point where they sound more like a modern Metal band than an 80s/90s Thrash one. If you like your Metal angry and powerful, this is good for you because the album opener, lead single and title track packs a hefty wallop.
However, I doubt I'll listen to this whole album based on this song. I might cherry pick a few random Testament songs if they get recommended for having strong riffs (think "Electric Crown" level of epic riffing) but I have absolute zero interest in listening to Brotherhood Of The Snake until I accidentally stumble across a much better song from the album that piques my interest again.
"This House Is Not For Sale" - Bon Jovi (listen here)
From the album This House Is Not For Sale (04/11/16)
I was tempted to review this album but since it took Bon Jovi and Spotify two weeks to get the album up, I chose to ignore them. However, this single was released on time so I can talk about it here. It's not quite as energetic or anthematic as some of his earlier songs (even "We Don't Run" from the Bridge Burning collection beats this) but it has a catchy chorus, even if it does sound like JBJ was trying to recapture some of the glory from "Livin On A Prayer". The big question is does the new guitarist, Phil X, meet the standard set by Richie Sambora before he become a druggie tosser? The small answer is not really, but he tries.
It's a solid little Rock number, even if it does reach the border between Rock and Pop, but based on this song, I'd recommend giving the album a try...HOWEVER, I've listened to the first five songs off the album and can confirm that this track is misleading. It sounds like generic Pop to the point where you can sing along to "Labor Of Love" with the lyrics from "Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds. I'm not sure why Jon's chosen to release Pop instead of Rock now; maybe it's because he's losing his energy, maybe he just wants to get into teenage girl panties again but what I do know is this album probably isn't worth your time.
"Just Your Fool" - The Rolling Stones (listen here)
From the album Blue & Lonesome (02/12/16)
Last on this list is a covers album by a band who probably should've jacked it in about 40 years ago. Similar to Eric Clapton's release, this is a Blues Rock covers album which means it shares the additional similarity of being fucking boring, as demonstrated by this album opener and lead single. I can understand a band like The Rolling Stones releasing a covers album of old Blues material as a passion project, their way of saying thank you to the artists that inspired them (which was likely the main inspiration for Eric Clapton's album). However, this feels more like the band attempting to be relevant again.
It's had somewhat of a big release despite the songs being basic and dull, probably all the band can physically play in a studio right now. If you like Blues Rock in all its boring glory, give this record a listen. For everyone who thinks The Rolling Stones had a couple of decent hits in the 60s, when they were almost stepping into Garage Rock territory, but then became shit after that when they were releasing mediocre Rock music for people who don't know what good Rock is like "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up", avoid Blue & Lonesome. At least this song's short so it has something going for it.
That's all 12 of them! If I had to assemble the songs into a ranked list in ascending order based on how much I enjoyed them when preparing for this post (the tracks, not the albums), it'd look something like this:
1. "Beautiful Broken" - Heart
2. "No Direction Home" - Cheap Trick
3. "Thank God For Girls" - Weezer
4. "Bang Bang" - Green Day
5. "Show Me A Leader" - Alter Bridge
6. "This House Is Not For Sale" - Bon Jovi
7. "Lazarus" - David Bowie
8. "The Stage" - Avenged Sevenfold
9. "Brotherhood Of The Snake" - Testament
10. "Can't Let You Do It" - Eric Clapton
11. "Just Your Fool" - The Rolling Stones
12. "Gardenia" - Iggy Pop
This list can and probably will change over time but for now, that's my ranking of all the undiscussed Rock/Metal singles I would've considered reviewing for this blog this year! I have to say, I didn't really love any of these songs so it's probably a good reason I didn't review the albums if these tracks were considered among the strongest by the bands. Anyway, if my maths is correct, there should be another 2-3 posts this year so expect one of them to be video game related.
The other(s)? Who knows? You'll have to revisit to find out!
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Rapid Fire: Boston, Winger, Damn Yankees
Apologies for missing blog posts recently but here's the first of two I intend on posting this week. It's been a while since I've done a Rapid Fire post so for those of you who don't remember, I'm basically going to quickly discuss three different albums that have been out and about for a while now rather than go into one single album with the usual amount of depth that a review contains.
The three albums are often linked in some way, whether it's by genre or decade, but this link is simply self-titled debut albums from different decades. There are several albums to choose from so I may revisit this link one day but for now, I've chosen my three!
First up, we have a record which has been mentioned a few times on the blog and is easily one of the finest albums for the genre ever written.
1. Boston - Boston
Everything on this album is perfect.
From the amazing album cover to the production values, this is a classic and deserves a spot in the Rock & Roll Halls Of Fame (not the tacky one which every Rock star hates, I mean the ethereal one beyond this plain of reality). Album opener "More Than A Feeling" is probably the most iconic Classic Rock song of all time but anyone who's listened to the album will probably agree in saying it's not even one of the best tracks on it. However, it is a great song and a suitable introduction to the album. Each track stands out as being a well-crafted, beautifully written masterpiece and the whole album blends together without fault.
However, behind the upbeat Classic Rock music, the lyrics hint at something a bit more sombre. You could argue that one of the main themes for this album whether intentional or not is suicide as a means of reaching a better destination, as the album is littered with lines that could be interpreted in such a way ("I close my eyes and I slipped away", "you'll forget about me after I've been gone", "all I want is to have my peace of mind"). Hell, "Hitch A Ride" is full of them but that doesn't stop it from being an incredible track and my personal favourite off the album with an excellent guitar solo at the end*.
The main takeaway is that it's a versatile album. Want to listen to it whilst roaring down the highway? Stick "Smokin'" on and have a blast. Chilling in the house/doing some DIY? You want "Foreplay/Long Time" or "Something About You". Feeling relaxed? "Let Me Take You Home Tonight", provided you don't mind waking up a bit during the outro. It suits all moods and has more layers than your average Rock album, clearly the result of artists who took pride and care in their work. It's a shame the studio pressured them into pumping more music out, as the follow-up is OK but doesn't touch the greatness of the debut.
The three albums are often linked in some way, whether it's by genre or decade, but this link is simply self-titled debut albums from different decades. There are several albums to choose from so I may revisit this link one day but for now, I've chosen my three!
First up, we have a record which has been mentioned a few times on the blog and is easily one of the finest albums for the genre ever written.
1. Boston - Boston
Everything on this album is perfect.
From the amazing album cover to the production values, this is a classic and deserves a spot in the Rock & Roll Halls Of Fame (not the tacky one which every Rock star hates, I mean the ethereal one beyond this plain of reality). Album opener "More Than A Feeling" is probably the most iconic Classic Rock song of all time but anyone who's listened to the album will probably agree in saying it's not even one of the best tracks on it. However, it is a great song and a suitable introduction to the album. Each track stands out as being a well-crafted, beautifully written masterpiece and the whole album blends together without fault.
However, behind the upbeat Classic Rock music, the lyrics hint at something a bit more sombre. You could argue that one of the main themes for this album whether intentional or not is suicide as a means of reaching a better destination, as the album is littered with lines that could be interpreted in such a way ("I close my eyes and I slipped away", "you'll forget about me after I've been gone", "all I want is to have my peace of mind"). Hell, "Hitch A Ride" is full of them but that doesn't stop it from being an incredible track and my personal favourite off the album with an excellent guitar solo at the end*.
The main takeaway is that it's a versatile album. Want to listen to it whilst roaring down the highway? Stick "Smokin'" on and have a blast. Chilling in the house/doing some DIY? You want "Foreplay/Long Time" or "Something About You". Feeling relaxed? "Let Me Take You Home Tonight", provided you don't mind waking up a bit during the outro. It suits all moods and has more layers than your average Rock album, clearly the result of artists who took pride and care in their work. It's a shame the studio pressured them into pumping more music out, as the follow-up is OK but doesn't touch the greatness of the debut.
1. More Than A Feeling
2. Peace Of Mind
3. Foreplay/Long Time
4. Rock & Roll Band
5. Smokin'
6. Hitch A Ride
7. Something About You
8. Let Me Take You Home Tonight
ALBUM RATING - 10/10
Strong start, right there. Next up, we have a Hair Metal album from a band that probably deserves a bit more radio airtime than they're getting.
2. Winger - Winger
2. Winger - Winger
Whilst some tracks may give this record the illusion of another bland Hair Metal album, Winger is actually a bit more complex than that. Sure, all the hallmarks are there from sing-a-long choruses to lyrics about love and sex but there's something a bit more technical about the music than your average Poison or Motley Crue track. As well as boasting frenzied solos, the guitar and bass melodies in the verses pack more than a few basic chord sequences and the overall structure for each song is less formulaic than your standard Rock tracks.
Popular hits from the album include obligatory power ballad "Headed For A Heartbreak", thankfully shoved at the very end of the album to wind things down and "Seventeen", a catchy tune about a sexy teenager. However, one of the biggest problems with the album is the lack of variety. Kip Winger, whilst easily a talented vocalist and bassist, only had so much inspiration for songwriting as familiar riffs and sounds creep into the lesser known tracks, e.g. "Without The Night" using similar keyboard melodies to "Headed For A Heartbreak", "Hungry" and "Time To Surrender" containing the same chord transition during the chorus and "Poison Angel" treading dangerously close to opening with a sped up version of the "Seventeen" intro.
Fortunately, this means that if you like Winger's singles, you'll probably love the entire album. Sure, the tracks may share features that are easy to compare but they're all standalone tracks with more differences than similarities. It's a fine album for fans of Hair Metal who want something a bit more stimulating than "Talk Dirty To Me".
Damn Yankees were a supergroup from the 90s featuring the guitarist/vocalist from Styx (Tommy Shaw), the bassist from Night Ranger (Jack Blades), a drummer named Michael Cartellone and Ted Nugent, probably the biggest name out of the bunch and not for good reasons. In all fairness, it's not a bad debut. It also does the job of a good supergroup and sounds like a healthy blend of styles rather than just another vehicle for one member to write the same kind of music but without someone they didn't get along with in a previous band.
It's actually quite impressive that all the positive aspects of each band the musicians came from has been amplified here; the music's more polished than Ted Nugent's, more raw than Night Ranger and heavier than Styx. Granted there are some tracks that you can tell were written by certain band members ("Rock City" and "Piledriver" belonging to Ted, "High Enough" belonging to Jack and "Come Again" belonging to Tommy) but every band member has made their mark on each song. However, unlike music from their previous endeavours, the songs on Damn Yankees are quite homogeneous. You can listen to the album start to finish, enjoy most of it but then struggle to remember which title pairs with which song about ten minutes later.
The only track that stands out to me in a good way is the title track, "Damn Yankees". It's got catchy riffs and a chorus that announces their presence on the Rock scene with pride. However, despite standing out, it doesn't have the same repeat value as some of the tracks I've mentioned on this post by the two other bands. I would recommend this album if you like uncompromising Hard Rock and want something to dip into every five months or so but not if you want an album to stick in the car for your drives in and out of work each morning.
Popular hits from the album include obligatory power ballad "Headed For A Heartbreak", thankfully shoved at the very end of the album to wind things down and "Seventeen", a catchy tune about a sexy teenager. However, one of the biggest problems with the album is the lack of variety. Kip Winger, whilst easily a talented vocalist and bassist, only had so much inspiration for songwriting as familiar riffs and sounds creep into the lesser known tracks, e.g. "Without The Night" using similar keyboard melodies to "Headed For A Heartbreak", "Hungry" and "Time To Surrender" containing the same chord transition during the chorus and "Poison Angel" treading dangerously close to opening with a sped up version of the "Seventeen" intro.
Fortunately, this means that if you like Winger's singles, you'll probably love the entire album. Sure, the tracks may share features that are easy to compare but they're all standalone tracks with more differences than similarities. It's a fine album for fans of Hair Metal who want something a bit more stimulating than "Talk Dirty To Me".
1. Madalaine
2. Hungry
3. Seventeen
4. Without The Night
5. Purple Haze
6. State Of Emergency
7. Time To Surrender
8. Poison Angel
9. Hangin On
10. Headed For A Heartbreak
ALBUM RATING - 7/10
Finally, our last eponymous debut is from the 90s so you know it's going to be more disappointing than the previous two.
3. Damn Yankees - Damn Yankees
It's actually quite impressive that all the positive aspects of each band the musicians came from has been amplified here; the music's more polished than Ted Nugent's, more raw than Night Ranger and heavier than Styx. Granted there are some tracks that you can tell were written by certain band members ("Rock City" and "Piledriver" belonging to Ted, "High Enough" belonging to Jack and "Come Again" belonging to Tommy) but every band member has made their mark on each song. However, unlike music from their previous endeavours, the songs on Damn Yankees are quite homogeneous. You can listen to the album start to finish, enjoy most of it but then struggle to remember which title pairs with which song about ten minutes later.
The only track that stands out to me in a good way is the title track, "Damn Yankees". It's got catchy riffs and a chorus that announces their presence on the Rock scene with pride. However, despite standing out, it doesn't have the same repeat value as some of the tracks I've mentioned on this post by the two other bands. I would recommend this album if you like uncompromising Hard Rock and want something to dip into every five months or so but not if you want an album to stick in the car for your drives in and out of work each morning.
1. Coming Of Age
2. Bad Reputation
3. Runaway
4. High Enough
5. Damn Yankees
6. Come Again
7. Mystified
8. Rock City
9. Tell Me How You Want It
10. Piledriver
ALBUM RATING - 6/10
Expect another post this week that may or may not involve video games.
* I know this sounds a bit forced but Brad Delp (lead vocalist) did actually kill himself over ten years ago and guess which song they played at his funeral?
Sunday, 4 December 2016
Tenology: Absolute Axls In Rock/Metal
If you haven't read my Rock Glossary blog post, you might not know what I mean by "Absolute Axls" and I wouldn't blame you, seeing as how I coined the term.
An Axl is a single factor in a pretty awesome Rock/Metal song that spoils it, named after the Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose whom I have determined to be the sole component in every one of their songs that prevents them from being truly great. Granted you can apply this to a bunch of other names known in the Rock community for screwing up perfectly working dynamics in bands (e.g. Yoko Ono, Van Hagar) but to me, none really convey the message that the song would otherwise be bloody brilliant if not for one whiny, mewling, self-obsessed, wankstain of a blemish quite like 'Axl'.
So what better way of introducing yet another dig at the portly GNR vocalist than an entire blog post dedicated to listing ten fuckups in Rock/Metal songs with his name attached to each of them? As usual, Tenology posts aren't the same as Top Ten posts. These are just ten tracks I've listed in no particular order, each with a category of Axl that I've tried to avoid repeating. Also, I'm not including songs from blog posts I've already written about terrible lyrics but if you'd like to read more on those Axls, have at it.
Time to start this celebration of negativity!
1. "Fast Train" - April Wine
Starting off with a fairly obscure song by Rock standards but an Axl just as strong as any other. If you've not heard this song, seek it out on Spotify or Youtube and listen to the first minute or so of it. It's a decent little Classic Rock number with a great acoustic riff and a sweet introduction of drums, bass and electric guitar after the first verse. It sounds like it's going to be a great tune and then it reaches the one minute mark and it all falls to shit.
Have you listened to it yet? It's OK, I'll wait.
Heard it now?
...
WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE THEY THINKING?! It's not even a subtle change like some songs manage to pull off, it sounds clumsy and disorganised on every instrument like they only had one shot at recording the track and decided to keep the balls-up in. This is further backed up when the drummer returns to the original tempo during the guitar solo but sadly, it's not enough to erase this particularly striking blemish from an otherwise alright song.
2. "Deth Starr" - Tenacious D
I remember being so hyped for this song when the album was announced. I'd found live footage of early versions of it in 2014 and probably contributed to at least half of the total view count watching it over and over and over again. It was an explosive bomb track that packed one hell of an intergalactic wallop and fortunately, the studio version lived up to my expectations...at least until I got to the 3:40 mark and the soft introduction came back again. Why did they include a minute-long reprise when all it does is slow down an energetic Hard Rock track and add absolutely zero humour?
It should've ended after 3:40, making it tight and perfect. Also, on the topic of things they should've done with this song, they missed a trick in the clean version lyrics. Instead of "get your ship together, mother trucker", they should've sung "get your ship together, space trucker" as a reference to the Deep Purple song. Would've been neat but ah well.
3. "Rock 'N' Roll Pest Control" - The Presidents Of The United States Of America
This may be a cover version but since the original by the Young Fresh Fellows doesn't have the same guitar solo, I'm only applying the Axl to this recording. It also only really applies to this cover because everything else in the song is excellent, right down to the specific tones used for the guitar. The only thing that lets it down, and my God is it a letdown, is the truly godawful solo. Now I could've chosen from a vast pool of brilliant songs with bad guitar solos such as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult, "One Vision" - Queen or "Ah! Leah!" - Donnie Iris, but only once you've listened to the steaming pile of shite that is this song's solo will you understand why I chose this above all others.
It is, without a doubt in my mind, the single worst guitar solo I have ever heard or will hear in my entire life. It's so terrible that I've stopped listening to this song in public as I refuse to expose unwilling ears to what sounds like a 1970s computer being fucked to death.
4. "Golden Age Of Leather" - Blue Oyster Cult
This isn't one of Blue Oyster Cult's strongest albums but it has a few gems, including this one. However, it's easy to pass this one by if you can't make it past the 23 second vocal chant at the start. It's a right pile of artificial crap with naff lyrics that doesn't even have the right cadence at the end. Fortunately, if you buy this song, you can do what I did and change the start time of the song so it skips the chant, meaning it's not as bad as other Axls that appear in the middle of a track.
Plus, once the first 23 seconds are over, the rest of the song is ace! The second half with the increased tempo is possibly one of BoC's finest moments with a collection of epic Buck Dharma riffs and one of Rock's few suitable uses for a fade out during the outro. Just a shame the opening is enough to make you want to seek better music elsewhere.
5. "Dream On" - Aerosmith
I've never thought of myself as an Aerosmith fan due to their soft underbelly that's always present throughout their career. I know they wrote a song about inappropriate behaviour in a lift and some of their tracks have damn fine riffs (although I reckon that's mostly down to Joe Perry than Aerosmith as a unit) but I still think they're wet blankets in comparison to other Rock bands like The Who, a band that could write softer songs and still come across as a bunch of hard rockin' dudes. Anyway, this song off their debut is a pretty decent power ballad that eventually builds up to Steven Tyler screaming "Dream on!" towards the end. Normally, it'd sound badass. However, in this song, it sounds ridiculous.
I know Steve was insecure about the sound of his voice when they first started out and I can see why. I always picture him sucking helium out of a balloon before he starts screaming those lines. The funny thing is if you compare it to a rerecording by Aerosmith about 30 years or so later, the 2007 version sounds WAY better. It actually has power behind the vocals and makes the original sound utterly limp. Much like the live version of "Do You Feel Like We Do" - Peter Frampton, the rerecord deserves to replace the original as the true version of "Dream On". Until then, consider this another Axl.
6. "Rusty Cage" - Soundgarden
I bloody love this track. That echo effect on the vocals, that thick bass, that bizarre riff, that persistent drumbeat, it all comes together to make a Rock song that sounds like no other. The only thing that would make it perfect is if it ended at 2:56 on the dot before it could devolve into a sludgy poor-man's Black Sabbath knock-off. It ruins everything that was perfect about the song and forces you to listen to another minute and a half of shite.
If you're in the same boat as me and think the song would've been better had it completely shaved that slower section off, there's a version of that edit that appears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on a radio station that may or may not be a single version. Unfortunately, you can't buy that version on iTunes (at least you couldn't when I last looked) but you can find that version on Youtube in pretty good quality so enjoy!
7. "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica
Metallica's signature song and, according to many of their die-hard fans, their best. It's a proper powerhouse of a track full of epic riffs and boasting one of Metal's greatest choruses. However, unlike typical Metallica tracks, this song starts off heavy and then introduces the softer part in the middle (the band have actually acknowledged that this was a play on their usual style). The result of this is a looooooot of build-up to get from slow soft melodies to slow heavy riffs and then to faster heavy music to introduce the solo. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if the solo was fast and furious enough but sadly, much like the "Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater solo, it's over before you know it.
To clarify, this isn't the same as me saying the solo is bad. It's actually a pretty decent solo but it needed to come sooner in the track. Alternatively, if the build up had to stay, it needed to maintain that ferocious energy right up until the return to the first section/verse. I'd argue that the music between 6:08 and 6:48 probably could've been cut or, if the softer section could be shitcanned, extended so that the end of the solo bursts straight into "Hell is worth all that". It would've kept the momentum going and brought the track length down to a much better 7:55, seeing as how the best Metallica songs all stay below the eight minute mark.
8. "Lucky Man" - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
I don't know much ELP but I do know this song and I have to say, I really like it up until the 3:21 mark when what I can only describe as gratuitous synth kicks in. It's a lovely, delicate Folk song with a suitable guitar solo earlier on that could've finished after that chorus but nope, instead you get another minute or so of utterly unnecessary keyboard pitch bending. There's a scene in an episode of Community where Chevy Chase is playing a keyboard solo involving pitch bending and rocks back and forth whilst making silly facial expressions which I can only assume was inspired by this song, as they both go together perfectly.
From what I've heard, they tend to cut out the shitty keys during live performances and there is a single edit which may do without it too. However, the full album version with gratuitous synth still exists and will always be a black spot on this otherwise wonderful song.
9. "Rock 'N' Roll Children" - Dio
There's something about Dio's lyrics that seem a bit pompous and almost silly at times. They're usually focused around mythology and if you're into that kind of storytelling in music, his songs are cracking. For me, they just take themselves a little too seriously which, when paired with synth, doesn't work regardless of how heavy the riffs or aggressive the shredding. However, this song's silly for a different reason. This is where Dio's music crosses into Spinal Tap territory as he sings "just like somebody slammed the door" shortly before he yells "BANG!". I'm sure it was intended to be awesome but it totally misses that mark and manages to sound even more ridiculous than if they actually used a door slamming sound effect.
The rest of the song is a serviceable Metal tune and luckily Dio doesn't pull anymore silly exclamations like that again, even when he sings about door slamming. However, the first and only time is enough to stop me from listening to this song without laughing or at least smiling. It's meant to sound so grand and magnificent and all I can picture is tiny little Dio in a sound booth shouting "BANG!" like a kid with a toy gun...and now you will too!
10. "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" - Fall Out Boy
Whilst I intensely dislike Fall Out Boy and the scene they represent, they do have their moments. This is by far their strongest one to date and if it wasn't by them, I probably would've bought it on iTunes a long time ago. It's surprisingly heavy for them, loaded with catchy vocal and guitar hooks and, perhaps best of all, lacks a middle section where they can slow everything down and get all sensitive like most American bands tend to do. However, there is one thing it's missing; a sweet guitar solo.
If Fall Out Boy had a little bit more talent and set their sights higher than teenage dipshits with daddy issues, they could've found a place for a powerful guitar solo. Maybe it would've happened at 2:12 before picking up with the rest of the song or maybe it would've been an outro solo playing underneath the chanting if the song lasted longer than 3:07; what I do know is it's too short as it is and they needed to take the power they harnessed and fucking run with it.
Do you agree with my list of Axls? Am I being too unfair on some of these tracks ("how can the lack of anything be an Axl?") or have I forgotten far worse Axls that need to be recognised? Let me know in the comments or via Twitter.
Also, some of you might be interested to know that as a result of this post, I'll be writing a similar one at some point looking at the complete inverse; ten absolutely terrible songs each with one amazing factor that manages to salvage it.
All I need to do first is think of a name for that term and yes, suggestions are welcome...
An Axl is a single factor in a pretty awesome Rock/Metal song that spoils it, named after the Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose whom I have determined to be the sole component in every one of their songs that prevents them from being truly great. Granted you can apply this to a bunch of other names known in the Rock community for screwing up perfectly working dynamics in bands (e.g. Yoko Ono, Van Hagar) but to me, none really convey the message that the song would otherwise be bloody brilliant if not for one whiny, mewling, self-obsessed, wankstain of a blemish quite like 'Axl'.
So what better way of introducing yet another dig at the portly GNR vocalist than an entire blog post dedicated to listing ten fuckups in Rock/Metal songs with his name attached to each of them? As usual, Tenology posts aren't the same as Top Ten posts. These are just ten tracks I've listed in no particular order, each with a category of Axl that I've tried to avoid repeating. Also, I'm not including songs from blog posts I've already written about terrible lyrics but if you'd like to read more on those Axls, have at it.
Time to start this celebration of negativity!
1. "Fast Train" - April Wine
Axl: Tempo change
Fuck me, that's an appealing album cover
Starting off with a fairly obscure song by Rock standards but an Axl just as strong as any other. If you've not heard this song, seek it out on Spotify or Youtube and listen to the first minute or so of it. It's a decent little Classic Rock number with a great acoustic riff and a sweet introduction of drums, bass and electric guitar after the first verse. It sounds like it's going to be a great tune and then it reaches the one minute mark and it all falls to shit.
Have you listened to it yet? It's OK, I'll wait.
Heard it now?
...
WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE THEY THINKING?! It's not even a subtle change like some songs manage to pull off, it sounds clumsy and disorganised on every instrument like they only had one shot at recording the track and decided to keep the balls-up in. This is further backed up when the drummer returns to the original tempo during the guitar solo but sadly, it's not enough to erase this particularly striking blemish from an otherwise alright song.
2. "Deth Starr" - Tenacious D
Axl: Pointless reprise
Still my favourite song on the album
I remember being so hyped for this song when the album was announced. I'd found live footage of early versions of it in 2014 and probably contributed to at least half of the total view count watching it over and over and over again. It was an explosive bomb track that packed one hell of an intergalactic wallop and fortunately, the studio version lived up to my expectations...at least until I got to the 3:40 mark and the soft introduction came back again. Why did they include a minute-long reprise when all it does is slow down an energetic Hard Rock track and add absolutely zero humour?
It should've ended after 3:40, making it tight and perfect. Also, on the topic of things they should've done with this song, they missed a trick in the clean version lyrics. Instead of "get your ship together, mother trucker", they should've sung "get your ship together, space trucker" as a reference to the Deep Purple song. Would've been neat but ah well.
3. "Rock 'N' Roll Pest Control" - The Presidents Of The United States Of America
Axl: Guitar solo
You might remember this track from an episode of Futurama
This may be a cover version but since the original by the Young Fresh Fellows doesn't have the same guitar solo, I'm only applying the Axl to this recording. It also only really applies to this cover because everything else in the song is excellent, right down to the specific tones used for the guitar. The only thing that lets it down, and my God is it a letdown, is the truly godawful solo. Now I could've chosen from a vast pool of brilliant songs with bad guitar solos such as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult, "One Vision" - Queen or "Ah! Leah!" - Donnie Iris, but only once you've listened to the steaming pile of shite that is this song's solo will you understand why I chose this above all others.
It is, without a doubt in my mind, the single worst guitar solo I have ever heard or will hear in my entire life. It's so terrible that I've stopped listening to this song in public as I refuse to expose unwilling ears to what sounds like a 1970s computer being fucked to death.
4. "Golden Age Of Leather" - Blue Oyster Cult
Axl: Opening vocal chant
Whadda ya know? I included Blue Oyster Cult anyway!
This isn't one of Blue Oyster Cult's strongest albums but it has a few gems, including this one. However, it's easy to pass this one by if you can't make it past the 23 second vocal chant at the start. It's a right pile of artificial crap with naff lyrics that doesn't even have the right cadence at the end. Fortunately, if you buy this song, you can do what I did and change the start time of the song so it skips the chant, meaning it's not as bad as other Axls that appear in the middle of a track.
Plus, once the first 23 seconds are over, the rest of the song is ace! The second half with the increased tempo is possibly one of BoC's finest moments with a collection of epic Buck Dharma riffs and one of Rock's few suitable uses for a fade out during the outro. Just a shame the opening is enough to make you want to seek better music elsewhere.
5. "Dream On" - Aerosmith
Axl: Vocal pitch change
If I ever do a blog post on embarrassing debut album covers, remind me this one exists
I've never thought of myself as an Aerosmith fan due to their soft underbelly that's always present throughout their career. I know they wrote a song about inappropriate behaviour in a lift and some of their tracks have damn fine riffs (although I reckon that's mostly down to Joe Perry than Aerosmith as a unit) but I still think they're wet blankets in comparison to other Rock bands like The Who, a band that could write softer songs and still come across as a bunch of hard rockin' dudes. Anyway, this song off their debut is a pretty decent power ballad that eventually builds up to Steven Tyler screaming "Dream on!" towards the end. Normally, it'd sound badass. However, in this song, it sounds ridiculous.
I know Steve was insecure about the sound of his voice when they first started out and I can see why. I always picture him sucking helium out of a balloon before he starts screaming those lines. The funny thing is if you compare it to a rerecording by Aerosmith about 30 years or so later, the 2007 version sounds WAY better. It actually has power behind the vocals and makes the original sound utterly limp. Much like the live version of "Do You Feel Like We Do" - Peter Frampton, the rerecord deserves to replace the original as the true version of "Dream On". Until then, consider this another Axl.
6. "Rusty Cage" - Soundgarden
Axl: Slower section
Fuck "Black Hole Sun", THIS is top quality Soundgarden!
I bloody love this track. That echo effect on the vocals, that thick bass, that bizarre riff, that persistent drumbeat, it all comes together to make a Rock song that sounds like no other. The only thing that would make it perfect is if it ended at 2:56 on the dot before it could devolve into a sludgy poor-man's Black Sabbath knock-off. It ruins everything that was perfect about the song and forces you to listen to another minute and a half of shite.
If you're in the same boat as me and think the song would've been better had it completely shaved that slower section off, there's a version of that edit that appears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on a radio station that may or may not be a single version. Unfortunately, you can't buy that version on iTunes (at least you couldn't when I last looked) but you can find that version on Youtube in pretty good quality so enjoy!
7. "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica
Axl: Too much build-up, not enough pay-off
Wonder how many metalheads I'll piss off with this opinion...
Metallica's signature song and, according to many of their die-hard fans, their best. It's a proper powerhouse of a track full of epic riffs and boasting one of Metal's greatest choruses. However, unlike typical Metallica tracks, this song starts off heavy and then introduces the softer part in the middle (the band have actually acknowledged that this was a play on their usual style). The result of this is a looooooot of build-up to get from slow soft melodies to slow heavy riffs and then to faster heavy music to introduce the solo. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if the solo was fast and furious enough but sadly, much like the "Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater solo, it's over before you know it.
To clarify, this isn't the same as me saying the solo is bad. It's actually a pretty decent solo but it needed to come sooner in the track. Alternatively, if the build up had to stay, it needed to maintain that ferocious energy right up until the return to the first section/verse. I'd argue that the music between 6:08 and 6:48 probably could've been cut or, if the softer section could be shitcanned, extended so that the end of the solo bursts straight into "Hell is worth all that". It would've kept the momentum going and brought the track length down to a much better 7:55, seeing as how the best Metallica songs all stay below the eight minute mark.
8. "Lucky Man" - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Axl: Keyboard solo
This song loses the fucking plot when the synth comes in
I don't know much ELP but I do know this song and I have to say, I really like it up until the 3:21 mark when what I can only describe as gratuitous synth kicks in. It's a lovely, delicate Folk song with a suitable guitar solo earlier on that could've finished after that chorus but nope, instead you get another minute or so of utterly unnecessary keyboard pitch bending. There's a scene in an episode of Community where Chevy Chase is playing a keyboard solo involving pitch bending and rocks back and forth whilst making silly facial expressions which I can only assume was inspired by this song, as they both go together perfectly.
From what I've heard, they tend to cut out the shitty keys during live performances and there is a single edit which may do without it too. However, the full album version with gratuitous synth still exists and will always be a black spot on this otherwise wonderful song.
9. "Rock 'N' Roll Children" - Dio
Axl: "BANG!"
I was tempted to include this in a terrible lyrics post but decided against it, as it's only one word
There's something about Dio's lyrics that seem a bit pompous and almost silly at times. They're usually focused around mythology and if you're into that kind of storytelling in music, his songs are cracking. For me, they just take themselves a little too seriously which, when paired with synth, doesn't work regardless of how heavy the riffs or aggressive the shredding. However, this song's silly for a different reason. This is where Dio's music crosses into Spinal Tap territory as he sings "just like somebody slammed the door" shortly before he yells "BANG!". I'm sure it was intended to be awesome but it totally misses that mark and manages to sound even more ridiculous than if they actually used a door slamming sound effect.
The rest of the song is a serviceable Metal tune and luckily Dio doesn't pull anymore silly exclamations like that again, even when he sings about door slamming. However, the first and only time is enough to stop me from listening to this song without laughing or at least smiling. It's meant to sound so grand and magnificent and all I can picture is tiny little Dio in a sound booth shouting "BANG!" like a kid with a toy gun...and now you will too!
10. "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" - Fall Out Boy
Axl: Lack of a guitar solo
In an alternate reality where everything is 100% more awesome, this is what Coldplay sounds like
Whilst I intensely dislike Fall Out Boy and the scene they represent, they do have their moments. This is by far their strongest one to date and if it wasn't by them, I probably would've bought it on iTunes a long time ago. It's surprisingly heavy for them, loaded with catchy vocal and guitar hooks and, perhaps best of all, lacks a middle section where they can slow everything down and get all sensitive like most American bands tend to do. However, there is one thing it's missing; a sweet guitar solo.
If Fall Out Boy had a little bit more talent and set their sights higher than teenage dipshits with daddy issues, they could've found a place for a powerful guitar solo. Maybe it would've happened at 2:12 before picking up with the rest of the song or maybe it would've been an outro solo playing underneath the chanting if the song lasted longer than 3:07; what I do know is it's too short as it is and they needed to take the power they harnessed and fucking run with it.
Do you agree with my list of Axls? Am I being too unfair on some of these tracks ("how can the lack of anything be an Axl?") or have I forgotten far worse Axls that need to be recognised? Let me know in the comments or via Twitter.
Also, some of you might be interested to know that as a result of this post, I'll be writing a similar one at some point looking at the complete inverse; ten absolutely terrible songs each with one amazing factor that manages to salvage it.
All I need to do first is think of a name for that term and yes, suggestions are welcome...
Saturday, 26 November 2016
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Another requested post, this time tackling a track-by-track look at the 2008 video game, Guitar Hero: World Tour. If you want to read my analysis of Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock, Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock, The Beatles: Rock Band and Rock Band 4, follow the links provided.
On my History Lesson blog post analysing GH:WT, I claimed that it's a fun game if you give the soundtrack a chance. Well, it's been about eight years since the game came out so now it's time to see if the setlist really has improved over time. I'll be briefly looking at each track and delivering my Thumbs Up/Down verdict based on a) how much the song fits into Guitar Hero (either due to being a well known Rock track or a great song by a well known band), b) how fun the GUITAR chart is and c) how much I like the track on a personal level. Needless to say this blog post is aided by my opinion but I'll try to focus more on the first two factors.
NOTE: I'm not including the Ted Nugent and Zakk Wylde guitar duels as you need to download them both to play completely and are therefore not on-disc tracks, even if you do play part of them as boss battles in the game. If you care about my verdicts, I like the Ted Nugent one a hell of a lot more than the Zakk Wylde one but enjoy both.
Right then, on with the show!
"About A Girl (Unplugged Live)" - Nirvana
Jesus, what a weird start. I can understand the appeal of Nirvana but this seems like such a shite song to pick. For starters, it's dull as fuck. Not just the guitar chart but the track itself, it's the complete opposite of what most people would want from history's most well known Grunge band. Next, it's not only live but it's acoustic. Granted it's from a pretty big acoustic/live session but it doesn't scream "I belong in Guitar Hero" as much as some of their other songs, bringing me onto the last point; the song choice. Not exactly top notch Nirvana, is it? You can argue that it's tricky to find better known songs due to licensing and trouble with master recordings but if that were the case, how come Rock Band 1 and 2 got two masters? Come to think of it, how come Guitar Hero got SIX Nirvana masters as GH:WT DLC that are generally a lot more fun than this one?!
Excuse my epic introductory rant but you know where this is going. THUMBS DOWN, all the way down.
"Aggro" - The Enemy
I can picture Activision employees looking for cheap music to license after blowing the budget on Tool and Ozzy whilst frantically asking themselves "What do cool young people listen to now?!" In the end, the answer to their predicament was a "Flagpole Sitta" - Harvey Danger rip-off, although having played that track as RB DLC I can confirm that this guitar chart is a lot more fun. Ultimately though, it would've been better as DLC...well, DLC if ATVI released more than three songs a week. THUMBS DOWN.
"American Woman" - The Guess Who
It's a well known Classic Rock tune with an awesome intro and a mediocre chart but considering the strong vocal melody, it's no surprise that it ended up in this game. I'm not a huge fan of it but I don't mind it being in the game. THUMBS UP.
"Antisocial" - Trust
Fair play, the music in this song is great. Definitely belongs in GH (presumably why it was released as GH3 DLC before making it to GH:WT) but there is one massive letdown; the vocals. I just can't take the track seriously when it sounds like I'm sat in a posh restaurant listening to the kitchen staff arguing. This is the first of many foreign tracks in the game, presumably because they wanted to give vocalists a selection of nightmare difficulty songs without licensing Queen. However, as I said earlier, I'm not judging the track on these factors. It's still a cool song and a fun chart to play as you listen to people shouting about Aunty Soshall. THUMBS UP.
"Are You Gonna Go My Way" - Lenny Kravitz
Again, not a fan of this track overall but it's got a sweet riff that's perfect for GH and it's somewhat of an American Rock classic so you better believe it's earned a space on the setlist. Fortunately, it's also pretty fun to play if you're not looking for anything too challenging so an easy THUMBS UP.
"Assassin" - Muse
Oh God, really? This was the best Muse song they could get? I would've settled for "Knights Of Cydonia" again over this, or "Hysteria" since that was fun on Rock Band. Muse might not have a treasure trove of epic riffs or solos in their back catalogue but they have material better than this! It sounds like your typical Musegasm so their mindless fans probably would've lapped it up despite having a truly agonising guitar chart and being one of the most dreary Rock songs I've possibly ever played on GH. THUMBS DOWN for the outro alone.
"B.Y.O.B." - System Of A Down
One of the game's most challenging guitar charts but, if you can get the strumming rhythm right, an incredibly fun one too. I love the chorus melody and if everything except the chorus and outro weren't batshit, I'd adore this track. However, it's System Of A Down so it can't just be awesome; it has to be awesome and crap at the same time. For sheer difficulty and popular appeal, this song deserves a THUMBS UP.
"Band On The Run" - Wings
More generic Classic Rock but if you're going to pick a Wings track, it's got to be "Band On The Run". I'm sure I've said in the past that I like the "If I ever get out of here" section despite more or less hating everything else so it's not a complete loss for me. I can't say there are better Wings songs with more fun guitar charts that could've been picked ("Junior's Farm" is a contender though) but with the wealth of truly great Classic Rock bands and songs out there, this song didn't deserve main setlist status. It would've been good as one of the songs in the Wings track pack released as DLC but it's getting a THUMBS DOWN for taking up space.
"Beat It" - Michael Jackson
This was actually one of the songs that convinced me to get the game. I fucking love it. Epic riff and guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen that apparently caused one of the monitors to catch fire, superb vocals from MJ and a true Rock track from a Pop artist. This is the song Prince would've recorded if he was as amazing as everyone seems to think he was now he's dead but luckily, MJ did it. Must've been a pretty expensive track to secure for the game too so props to ATVI for landing that. THUMBS UP.
"Beautiful Disaster" - 311
Heavy Reggae? Not bad but not great. What lets the song down though is the fact that it's utterly forgettable in both chart and music. I listened to all of these tracks again to prepare me for this post and I could just about remember the main riff and vocals a minute after finishing this song. It's strange because I can remember the three Reggae tracks released as GH:WT DLC perfectly, as they were great songs with really fun guitar charts; the complete opposite of this. THUMBS DOWN.
"Crazy Train" - Ozzy Osbourne
Well obviously, this song would make the cut if you're going to get Ozzy involved. It's a very fun guitar chart if you can excuse Randy Rhoads' solo but even if it had the solo cut, it'd still get a THUMBS UP for being an iconic Metal track with a solid chart.
"Dammit" - blink-182
Between 2008 and 2009, ATVI went overboard with blink-182 songs despite having a slim amount of fun guitar songs. However, with the inclusion of new instruments and Travis Barker as an unlockable character, this song was most likely picked for the drums. The guitar isn't terrible but it's not noteworthy either and a song like "What's My Age Again?" would've been more fun. I suppose I can give it a THUMBS UP for being a suitable choice for the game and not being absolute shite like some of their material.
"Demolition Man (Live)" - Sting
An odd choice for this game but one I'm glad they went with. The guitar chart is surprisingly fun (if you can nail that tap section) and it's easily superior in every way to the original by The Police. Similar to the last track, this song was probably picked as one with fun bass and vocals from Sting due to his inclusion as an unlockable character too. For fun value, it gets a THUMBS UP. Incidentally, did you know that they asked Stewart Copeland to test out drums for the game but ended up licensing Sting and using him for mo-cap? Smooth, Activision. Real smooth.
"Do It Again" - Steely Dan
Yeah, I guess this deserves a space. It's a fairly well known track and it has a really fun sitar solo followed by a less fun keys solo charted on guitar. It's also got some neat little guitar fills floating around throughout so it's definitely a great chart. The obvious choice for a Steely Dan song on GH would've been "Reelin' In The Years" but this is a suitable pick for the on-disc setlist. THUMBS UP.
"Escuela De Color" - Radio Futura
I kinda like this song. It sounds like inoffensive music from a beach level of a video game and the guitar chart wasn't too horrible, if I remember correctly. Plus, I know I gave the French language shit earlier but Spanish vocals work pretty well with the music here. THUMBS UP.
"Everlong" - Foo Fighters
Ugh, bland bland bland. Can't see the massive appeal to this song in the slightest. It's a shame "All My Life" was released as GH3 DLC as that would've been more fun for this game, giving the alphabetically arrange soundtrack a stronger start after two weak songs. Chances are it was included for the drum chart but it's a definite THUMBS DOWN from me.
"Eye Of The Tiger" - Survivor
No surprise this was included. It's an all-rounder entry level track on each instrument that comes together well to form the ultimate band song. For guitar alone, it's worthy of a place due to the epic chords and rolling strumming so THUMBS UP.
"Feel The Pain" - Dinosaur Jr.
Funny, I thought we already had a Foo Fighters song on-disc. Ah well, Fake Fighters are just as good. Yet another track picked for drummers, leaving guitarists remembering the days of HMX made GH games. I suppose this chart isn't consistently boring like some of the songs in GH:WT and it's not all bad to listen to either. Eh, THUMBS UP.
"Float On" - Modest Mouse
Meanwhile, this song gets a THUMBS DOWN. Dull chart, dull song, a proper fucking chore to get through.
"Freak On A Leash" - KoRn
I'm no KoRn expert but I know some of their big songs like "Falling Away From Me" and "Here To Stay". Both tracks would've been much better on guitar than this, although I reckon this song's more well known than the latter. However, if you want KoRn, this is KoRn in all their glory. If you want fun, better luck next time. THUMBS DOWN.
"Go Your Own Way" - Fleetwood Mac
Fuck, this game's just laying it on with tepid Classic Rock, huh. I assume "The Chain" was (and still is) unavailable for licensing as that would've beaten the shit out of this. However, it's a well known song with a fun chorus to sing along to at parties and guitar solos easy enough for you to fluff your way through them and not look like a tosser in front of your party-going peers. I can't think of many other Fleetwood Mac songs that would be more appropriate for GH except maybe "Oh Well" but this will do. THUMBS UP.
"Good God" - Anouk
I have a weird amount of respect for this song. If you listened to a brief snippet of this track, it'd sound like a shitty Amy Winehouse knock-off. However, when you play it, it's fucking great! The guitar isn't "Crazy Train" levels of fun but it's a neat little tune with good riffs throughout. It's also fairly short so it doesn't drag like some of the entries on this list. I can't say I've ever heard the song or artist outside of this game so can't comment on whether it's well known enough to warrant a space but I fail to see a reason why it shouldn't be included outside of "it's not proper Rock". Yeah, good choice! THUMBS UP.
"Hail To The Freaks" - Beatsteaks
I think this was the last song I played on-disc and that's about all I can remember. Listening to it again, it sounds like a fairly generic Rock song that would play in the background of a bar or party scene on a TV show. Yeah, got to be a THUMBS DOWN I'm afraid. Nothing stands out and it was likely picked because one of the developers had it on their iPod.
"Heartbreaker" - Pat Benatar
Whilst "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" might be the more well known Pat Benatar track, this is easily the more fun one. It helps that it's also a Rock radio staple and contains a kickass outro solo for guitarists to get stuck into. Solid choice that's perfect for any main GH title. THUMBS UP.
"Hey Man, Nice Shot" - Filter
A pretty eerie song that packs a surprisingly fun (if not slightly repetitive) guitar chart. This is a good example of a track that fits in well with the new era of GH games; it's got a fun chart but wouldn't work in a game where you could only play that instrument. It's another all-rounder for each instrument and is well known enough to get a THUMBS UP.
"Hollywood Nights" - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Well would you look at that! ANOTHER middle-of-the-road Classic Rock song. ATVI are really representing the genre well here, aren't they? It might be one of their signature songs but it's nothing special on guitar. Definitely more of a vocal driven song and would've been better suited for the Bob Seger track pack released as DLC. As for a better pick? Well, how about "Old Time Rock & Roll" instead of releasing that as DLC, considering that's also one of their signature songs with a much more fun guitar chart AND was used in promotional adverts for this game when they parodied the famous Risky Business underwear scene. THUMBS DOWN.
"Hot For Teacher" - Van Halen
100% picked for the drum intro but luckily, it's also got a right bitch of a guitar chart. It's catchy, fun when mastered and boasts difficult riffs and solos throughout THE ENTIRE CHART. Yup, no slacking off in the verse this time. As far as final bosses go in the Guitar Hero series, this is a worthy follow-up to "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" - Steve Ouimette from GH3 (and definitely "Train Kept A Rollin'" - Aerosmith from GH:A). THUMBS UP, no question.
"Hotel California" - Eagles
Back to limp Classic Rock already? OK then. Nah, this song's a solid choice for the game. Easily the band's signature song and a popular tune from the 70s with an iconic solo at the end. As an added bonus, the rest of the guitar chart's pretty fun as well. Despite the fact that I personally can't stand it (unless you speed it up a little bit, then it's much better!), it deserves a THUMBS UP on almost every level.
"The Joker" - Steve Miller Band
Finally, a Classic Rock song that isn't boring! Well, that depends on personal taste I suppose but if we're just talking guitar charts, this track's surprisingly fun. It's not really tricky in the slightest but if you like your charts relatively simple, it's brilliant. Plus, it makes me laugh when I think back to that scene in The Simpsons where Homer sings along to it. THUMBS UP.
"Kick Out The Jams" - MC5's Wayne Kramer
An interesting choice. On the one hand, it's cool to see more 60s Garage Rock in GH and it's the most well known song by MC5. On the other, it kind of seems odd to pick a track that's a blend of old and new; a track with original vocals and rerecorded guitar (or is it the other way around?). Part of me feels like they should've just waited until technology improved to the point where they could get the original master. Another, much bigger part of me simply says THUMBS UP for being a good track to play.
"The Kill" - 30 Seconds To Mars
I think Jack Black put it best when I saw Tenacious D live. "30 Seconds To Mars? More like 60 Seconds To Bullshit". THUMBS DOWN.
"L'Via L'Viaquez" - The Mars Volta
I'm glad they included an edit of this song instead of the 12 minute original but at least the edit has fun guitar sections. I couldn't tell you anything else about this band an whether it's the best song they could've picked but once again, it's another (semi) foreign track that doesn't feel out of place. THUMBS UP for the fun chart but I can't say I'm a fan of the track, especially the creepy bits throughout the middle before the guitar solos.
"La Bamba" - Los Lobos
Out of all the foreign language songs in GH, this and, begrudgingly, "Du Hast" - Rammstein are the two best choices. It's a classic track covered by Los Lobos with cleaner, beefed up charts for each instrument that make it WAY better to play. However, the guitar solo stands out in comparison to the original as it manages to make rapid strumming partway fun. It's also a tight edit compared to the one with the extended outro but that's only a small part of it deserving a THUMBS UP.
"Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pickups
"Hey, I remember this song from a trendy new TV show that all the kids are talking about or some shit!" is what I imagine the initial response to hearing this song when playing it in GH:WT to be. It's an acceptable guitar chart for a relatively dull song so I suppose it's an OK track to include in the game. It'd be a lot better if it wasn't as long but it still gets a THUMBS UP. Just.
"Livin' On A Prayer" - Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi makes his GH debut with his most well known and overplayed song. Even if it didn't have such an anthemic chorus, Richie Sambora's guitar deserves to be played (when he's with JBJ). Luckily, it does have an anthemic chorus as well so you've got a fun entry level song for people transitioning from one difficulty to another, a relatively easy song to blast out loud at parties and a top quality Hard Rock song for GH purists. Perfect choice, really. THUMBS UP.
"Love Me Two Times" - The Doors
Props to ATVI for securing a song by The Doors, one of the most expensive Rock bands to license along with The Beatles. However, anti-props for choosing such a shite song. The guitar riff with the annoying trills is a right cunt to play and it's not even one of their better known tracks. If you were going to get a song by The Doors from Strange Days with fun guitar, why the hell wouldn't you pick "People Are Strange"? Or better yet, why not pick another song by The Doors with fun guitar that's as well known (if not more so) than this track like "Peace Frog" or "L.A. Woman"? THUMBS DOWN for the only song by The Doors in GH. Shame.
"Love Removal Machine" - The Cult
Fuck. Yes. This is a great song and perfect for GH. Sure, The Cult aren't known for their wide array of diverse hit singles or iconic Rock tracks but when they rock, they fucking rock. This is a song where they fucking rock so with the exchange rate in play, that means they fucking fucking rock! Great riff, fun guitar throughout, TWO challenging solos and an outro that mixes the usual Cult formula up a bit. THUMBS UP.
"Love Spreads" - The Stone Roses
This song certainly grew on me after a couple of plays/listens and thankfully, I still love it. Possibly one of the best guitar charts in the entire game and a solid block of Rock with some groovy bass thrown in for good measure. It might seem quite long but trust me, it flies by when you're playing it. Songs like these make ATVI-era GH worth playing again so you better believe it gets THUMBS UP.
"The Middle" - Jimmy Eat World
Maybe this is a poor reflection on my experience with music up until about 2008 or maybe it was just a lot bigger in American than in the UK but I'd never heard of this song until GH, then it seemed to appear everywhere. However, it's a pretty solid Pop Rock hit with a surprisingly tough guitar solo for what it is and an incredibly catchy chorus. No complaints about this being in the game. THUMBS UP.
"Misery Business" - Paramore
It's no secret that I think Paramore are a joke BUT if every Rock band has at least one track for everyone in them, this is mine. It's a proper (albeit vocally dominated) Rock song that's just as fun to play on guitar as it is to listen to. As far as songs go, it needs a better guitar solo but I get the impression that the Paramore guitarist is only there because he was the only one with a car big enough to take all of them to the recording studio. All the same, THUMBS UP for not-shit Paramore!
"Monsoon" - Tokio Hotel
I don't remember hating this guitar chart but I remember feeling immensely bored when I listened to this track again. Another song where someone at ATVI Googled "popular songs among the alternative kids these days" without stopping to think that maybe this sort of anaemic toss isn't what GH is about. THUMBS DOWN.
"Mountain Song" - Jane's Addiction
I think GH wanted me to hate Jane's Addiction until they finally saw the light and licensed "Been Caught Stealin'" for GHWOR. However, this crappy excuse for a bland and repetitive song from an album where almost every other track has an awesome guitar chart (going by the album DLC for Rock Band) earns a great big THUMBS DOWN.
"Mr. Crowley" - Ozzy Osbourne
The second Ozzy song in the game (or first, if you're going by the Career Mode order) and definitely the superior of the two if you can excuse the Spinal Tap vibe coursing through the introduction. RR actually plays guitar solos that aren't complete wank and it transitions incredibly well into GH. Another song that's among my top favourites on-disc, even if I'm not a huge fan of the song on its own. THUMBS UP.
"Never Too Late" - The Answer
The Answer won a competition to be featured in GH (you know, the competition where they DIDN'T promise things they failed to deliver on like a bunch of twats) and as a result, one of the most fun and challenging songs on-disc was chosen. Not only a fucking insane intro solo but a pretty tricky one appears later too, giving casual and hardcore fans something special. It's a shame more tunes by The Answer weren't picked for GH as they have a bunch of great guitar based tracks across Rise, Everyday Demons and Revival. THUMBS UP.
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" - Beastie Boys
It's debatable as to whether Beastie Boys belong in GH outside of "Sabotage" but with an intense solo from Kerry King, this track just makes the cut. However, as far as playing it goes, it's a pain in the arse. Boring throughout, stupidly tough in the middle, boring at the end. It's a pain sandwich, basically. THUMBS DOWN for not being "Fight For Your Right", a much better Rock song/parody off the same album.
"Nuvole E Lenzuola" - Negramaro
Uhhhhhhhhh...yeah, THUMBS DOWN. The music is incredibly bland and I literally cannot recall a single thing about playing this chart. Would've preferred something else from Heroes Del Silencio since "Entre Dos Tierras" sounds good on guitar and they've had a song in GH already.
"Obstacle 1" - Interpol
I keep expecting this song to break into "By The Way" - Red Hot Chili Peppers...but it never does. It just breaks into boredom. Fuck knows why this was chosen for GH. THUMBS DOWN.
"On The Road Again (Live)" - Willie Nelson
Fair play, it might be live but it's got a solid guitar chart and it's a well known Country track by Ol' Willie. If we could've had any live Country song, I would've pushed hard for "Classical Gas (Live)" - Glen Campbell for having what sounds like an amazing guitar chart but I'm happy with this. THUMBS UP.
"One Armed Scissor" - At The Drive-In
Ooo fuck me, this song is so edgy! It might sound like pure whiny teenage anger blending into a fine dust and then painstakingly converted into an .mp3 file BUT it does have an OK guitar chart. I suppose if whiny teenagers have to be represented as a core part of the GH target market, it's better that everyone else has to play this than some shitty MCR track. However, proper Rock will always be better than music aimed at that market and crippling a franchise to appease those fuckwits didn't help so it's THUMBS DOWN without regret.
"The One I Love" - R.E.M.
I don't know what's stranger; the fact that R.E.M. were considered for Guitar Hero or the fact that after this bland track with slightly less bland guitar, they were considered AGAIN for Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock. Either way, R.E.M. have a wealth of popular tracks to choose from and I guess on the surface, the riff that plays throughout this creates the illusion of "Rock" more than something like "Everybody Hurts". I would've preferred "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" (especially if you're after something for drummers and vocalists) or something off Green like "Stand" or "Pop Song 89" so it has to be a THUMBS DOWN.
"One Way Or Another" - Blondie
Blondie could fucking rock when they wanted to and this is a good example of that. It's one of those tracks that utilises fun guitar that you wouldn't ordinarily notice in the mix of the original song, making it a treat to play and listen to even if you've heard it a bunch of times before. GH could've done with more Blondie like "Hanging On The Telephone" or "Atomic" but this is just as good. THUMBS UP.
"Our Truth" - Lacuna Coil
OK, we all know Nu-Metal sucks but this isn't that terrible. Lacuna Coil have been in GH before so it makes sense that they'd appear again. It's got a solid guitar chart that could've been improved with a tasty solo (guitar solos? In Nu-Metal? What a novel concept!!) but luckily the riffs throughout are decent. Not a personal favourite but I don't mind playing it so THUMBS UP.
"Overkill" - Motorhead
I'm glad Motorhead weren't completely shafted by GH, as there was some kind of licensing issue that meant only rerecords from 2008 could be used in GH/RB. However, even though I like this song and it's got a decent guitar chart (we won't talk about bass...), I can't help but feel like it's a weak choice. I don't know exactly how many songs were rerecorded, though I think it's at least 9 or 10, and I'm not sure which song I would've preferred but it's missing something. Compare it to DLC track "Love Me Like A Reptile" which is fucking awesome on guitar; it would've been good to get something like that. Ah well, I can't fault a Motorhead choice, especially one that's probably the most logical. THUMBS UP.
"Parabola" - Tool
One of three Tool songs picked to be in the game, presumably because Tool are a right bunch of picky bastards about how their music's used. I don't want to be too positive about them on those grounds but let's look at undeniable pros to this being in GH: it's got a heavy riff that's fun to play, there are other heavy riffs that are fun to play throughout as well, Tool are a highly sought after band and this is one of their notable songs. Cons: aside from the fun riffs it's kind of dull, the outro is far too long, it doesn't really belong in GH other than the fact that it's Tool. Verdict? THUMBS DOWN on this one.
"Pretty Vacant" - The Sex Pistols
Another Sex Pistols rerecord and this time, it's not as crap as "Anarchy In The UK". Sadly, it is still The Sex Pistols so it's pretty bad by general music standards. Aside from the fact that you get to sing and drum along to a Sex Pistols song, there's not really any reason to include them in GH anymore, hence why this was their last appearance in the franchise. THUMBS DOWN.
"Prisoner Of Society" - The Living End
This is an example of Punk done well. It's fast, it's aggressive and you can tell the musicians actually have talent, unlike everything about The Sex Pistols. In terms of good Living End songs, the best choice probably would've been "Carry Me Home" but that's already in GH2 so naturally it falls to this track. It's a fun song to play on guitar and it's made me want to listen to more of The Living End. THUMBS UP.
"Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater
ATVI finally answered the call and included a solitary Dream Theater track in the GH franchise. Not just any Dream Theater track but the most well known one at that. That alone should be a good enough reason to include it on the main setlist IF they had any plans of more Dream Theater material. If they knew this would be the only one planned, it should've been something a bit more challenging. Something like "As I Am" or "Under A Glass Moon" would've been more fun for those wanting a suitable credits song but I guess this is a good song all the same, even if the solo is all fart and no follow through. THUMBS UP.
"Purple Haze (Live)" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Going through these songs, I keep remembering things I'd forgotten about GH:WT like the fact that Jimi Hendrix was a playable character and that the Hendrix estate used to have stupidly high standards before they became a bunch of money grabbing shits. Anyway, "Purple Haze" is one of his bigger known Rock songs so it makes sense to include it if you've only got a limited number of Hendrix tracks to use. Why they chose a live version, I'm not sure, but it's fun to play and it doesn't sound as fuckawful as some of his live recordings so it gets a THUMBS UP.
"Ramblin' Man" - The Allman Brothers Band
A fine choice indeed! Gentle Southern Rock with an excellent guitar chart and what sounds like fun charts for the other instruments too. I'm not sure why the guitar solos on the album version sound different to the one used for this game, as both tracks are structurally identical, but at least they didn't cut bits out or make it worse. THUMBS UP.
"Re-Education (Through Labor)" - Rise Against
I'm not one of the GH players holding unquestionable love and devotion to Rise Against (and during the GHWOR days, there seemed to be fucking hundreds of them) but this is a great track. Great Rock tune, solid guitar riffs and even if it's not the most fun song to play, it's enjoyable from start to finish. THUMBS UP.
"Rebel Yell" - Billy Idol
Yep, love it. Great guitar throughout and along with "White Wedding", one of Mr Idol's signature songs. It might not be a track I can imagine being included in GH without drums and vocals but it makes sense to include in the game so it's a clear THUMBS UP.
"Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" - Lostprophets
Even if they weren't involved in some kind of paedophilia scandal, it'd still be a THUMBS DOWN. Boring guitar, whiny vocals, not a song that belongs in GH. I do like the double time section towards the end, though. If the whole song was like that, I may have overlooked the nonce on vocals.
"Santeria" - Sublime
Considering ATVI got Chad Smith to test the drums out with Stewart Copeland, they should've just licensed "Under The Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers instead of picking yet another song that sounds similar to one of theirs in the introduction. At least it's got a fun guitar solo and it's a chilled out little tune so I can give it a THUMBS UP, even if "What I Got" is more fun.
"Satch Boogie" - Joe Satriani
Sheeeeeit, just hearing this song gives me 'Nam flashbacks to that slider gem section in the middle. It's a really fun song if you're good enough to take on the mantle although a real bitch if you're still learning. I'm glad they chose this song for GH:WT and not one of the previous titles, otherwise it may have given me an aneurysm trying to play it. THUMBS UP.
"Schism" - Tool
Let's face it, everyone only knows this for the bass...and my God, what an awesome bassline. You get to play it on guitar now and then so there's moderately challenging joy to be shared. If I had to name the most famous Tool song out of the three, I'd probably guess this one and if only Tool song could be picked for GH, this would be the obvious winner. Hence, THUMBS UP.
"Scream Aim Fire" - Bullet For My Valentine
I hate this style of Metal but damn it, I really like this song. It's mostly the awesome chorus that improves the rest of the song for me but from start to finish, it's a consistently fun guitar chart if you can look past the screaming. I'm not familiar with this band's work outside of this song but if I had to give my verdict based on whether this is a fun and worthy song for the main disc setlist, it has to be a THUMBS UP.
"Shiver" - Coldplay
*Lana from Archer voice* NooOOPE! THUMBS DOWN.
"Some Might Say" - Oasis
OK, this isn't the Oasis song I would've picked off (What's The Story) Morning Glory but it's a great song regardless of how much better other tracks on the album are. The obvious choice would've been "Don't Look Back In Anger", the weak popular choice would've been "Wonderwall" and the best choice would've been title track "Morning Glory". But it is what it is and whilst the guitar isn't extreme, it's fun in its own way. THUMBS UP for Oasis from the 90s in a music game.
"Soul Doubt" - NOFX
More Punk that pisses all over bands from the 70s. You're in for more of a challenge keeping up with the rhythm than in "Prisoner Of Society" - The Living End but luckily, it's not all strumming here. There are some tricky riffs now and then and it actually represents the genre in a fairly positive way. I'm giving it a THUMBS UP for the same reason I give most Punk tracks that don't suck one; it's a Punk track that doesn't suck.
"Spiderwebs" - No Doubt
Why, out of all the songs on Guitar Hero: On Tour, was this pile of arse chosen to be on GH:WT? Pop Rock Reggae fans can enjoy this track far away from me as everything about it just about sucks. Guitar chart isn't fun, song is annoying and it goes. on. for-fucking-ever. THUMBS DOWN.
"Stillborn" - Black Label Society
Zakk Wylde appears as an unlockable character/boss battle so obviously one of his songs will appear in-game and obviously it won't be from his time with Ozzy. It's not bad, I guess. Solid riff, moderately fun solo and I can imagine it in GH3 when ATVI took over. THUMBS UP.
"Stranglehold" - Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent ALSO appears as an unlockable character/boss battle so we get treated to some of his music as well. Sadly, instead of one of the many songs he's written with amazing solos and fun riffs, we get this long rerecorded (?) yawn. I cannot fathom why so many people like "Stranglehold" outside of its main riff and even that's average at best. THUMBS DOWN for not being "Stormtroopin'".
"Sweet Home Alabama (Live)" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
I've discussed the live album that this track came from on the blog before. If you can't be bothered to follow the link and read it, the summary is I fucking love it and this track put me onto it. It might have different solos to the two different takes on the deluxe edition but it's one of my favourite charts in all of GH and my number one favourite song to play from GH:WT. Excellent live recording, more fun guitar and a Southern/Classic Rock hit. Perfection! THUMBS UP.
"Today" - The Smashing Pumpkins
"Cherub Rock" was awesome in GH3 but no Smashing Pumpkins song in GH or RB since has come close to being as awesome. It's a shame because Siamese Dream has a couple of decent tracks like "Rocket" and "Geek U.S.A" that would've been awesome on GH. Instead, we get this dreary number that came with a free Billy Corgan going through chemotherapy unlockable character. THUMBS DOWN.
"Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast" - Airbourne
Not to be confused with Ska track "Too Much, Too Young" - The Specials. It's great that Airbourne has at least one song on GH but...this one? It's great, yeah, but it's kind of dull until you get to the solo. Would've been better to get a more energetic one and then release an Airbourne track pack down the line with this song in it. Still, it got me into Airbourne and it's good to listen to whilst you're strumming away so THUMBS UP.
"Toy Boy" - Stuck In Sound
The main reason I'm hesitant to give this a Thumbs Up straight away is due to the vocals in the chorus. They're too screechy and the vocalist does it a fucking lot towards the end. The guitar's OK, if not a little repetitive and ordinary, and the song itself is passable for a filler track on GH. I doubt I'd lose any sleep if I learned that this song was considered and then removed so I'm going to be harsh and give it a THUMBS DOWN.
"Trapped Under Ice" - Metallica
Smart choice picking a fun, well known Metallica song from an early album but not one of the big ones that wouldn't export into Guitar Hero: Metallica. I really like this song, much more than "One", and whilst it's a shame I can't play it on GH:M, it's still great on GH:WT. It's actually a pretty good way to introduce casual players to Metallica without using one of their biggest songs. THUMBS UP.
"Up Around The Bend" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I'm glad CCR were used in GH:WT but it's not really the best song they could've gone for. It's a neat little tune but hardly worthy of main setlist status when tracks like "Fortunate Son" and "Bad Moon Rising" had yet to be included. The guitar's alright and the song is catchy but I have to give it a THUMBS DOWN in favour of much better CCR tracks that deserved a spot over this one. Still, at least it's not the Hanoi Rocks version.
"Vicarious" - Tool
The last Tool song, picked because of Neversoft's relation to Vicarious Visions. Of course not, but other than it being another Tool song, I'm not entirely sure why it was picked. It's like a lesser version of "Schism" with a few fun little riffs, but then I suppose that could be said of most bands with their own personal sound. At least it's better than "Parabola" so THUMBS UP.
"VinterNoll2" - Kent
Another foreign track that's forgettable but not actually too bad. It reminds me of Poets Of The Fall, a band with material that's better suited for GH/RB than most of the filler bands picked here. I couldn't tell you much about the guitar chart without looking it up on Youtube and because the song's not strong enough to motivate me to open another tab on my browser as I'm typing this, it's a THUMBS DOWN.
"Weapon Of Choice" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Short and sweet, this song's definitely worthy of being in GH:WT. The guitar chart uses the sustain-within-sustain mechanic added to the game to make the chart new and interesting without being too hard to turn people away. It's also a solid Rock song so a THUMBS UP is well deserved.
"What I've Done" - Linkin Park
The first of many Linkin Park songs to curse GH over the years. Fuck, I hate this fucking band and their terrible music. Just chords and strumming and chords and strumming and memories of Transformers followed by more pissing chords and strumming. THUMBS DOWN.
"The Wind Cries Mary" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
If you had to pick a softer, more psychedelic Hendrix song with a fun guitar chart, I'm glad they picked this. It doesn't showcase his exceptional talents on the six-string but it does showcase his ability to write great music and lyrics. Yep, I enjoy this one too although "Castles Made Of Sand" would've been great. THUMBS UP.
"You're Gonna Say Yeah" - Hushpuppies
Our last entry here is...well, it's not bad but it's a bit typical of shouty modern Alternative bands that have littered this setlist. If GHWOR proved anything, it's that modern Alternative songs with really fun guitar charts did exist around that time so there was no excuse for choosing songs like these over better ones. THUMBS DOWN.
After my incredibly in-depth analysis of the game's on-disc soundtrack, the final score is 53 for Thumbs Up and 31 for Thumbs Down. That's honestly better than I thought it would be but I guess I was being quite generous to some of these songs.
Don't worry, non-video game posts will be back soon.
On my History Lesson blog post analysing GH:WT, I claimed that it's a fun game if you give the soundtrack a chance. Well, it's been about eight years since the game came out so now it's time to see if the setlist really has improved over time. I'll be briefly looking at each track and delivering my Thumbs Up/Down verdict based on a) how much the song fits into Guitar Hero (either due to being a well known Rock track or a great song by a well known band), b) how fun the GUITAR chart is and c) how much I like the track on a personal level. Needless to say this blog post is aided by my opinion but I'll try to focus more on the first two factors.
NOTE: I'm not including the Ted Nugent and Zakk Wylde guitar duels as you need to download them both to play completely and are therefore not on-disc tracks, even if you do play part of them as boss battles in the game. If you care about my verdicts, I like the Ted Nugent one a hell of a lot more than the Zakk Wylde one but enjoy both.
Right then, on with the show!
"About A Girl (Unplugged Live)" - Nirvana
Jesus, what a weird start. I can understand the appeal of Nirvana but this seems like such a shite song to pick. For starters, it's dull as fuck. Not just the guitar chart but the track itself, it's the complete opposite of what most people would want from history's most well known Grunge band. Next, it's not only live but it's acoustic. Granted it's from a pretty big acoustic/live session but it doesn't scream "I belong in Guitar Hero" as much as some of their other songs, bringing me onto the last point; the song choice. Not exactly top notch Nirvana, is it? You can argue that it's tricky to find better known songs due to licensing and trouble with master recordings but if that were the case, how come Rock Band 1 and 2 got two masters? Come to think of it, how come Guitar Hero got SIX Nirvana masters as GH:WT DLC that are generally a lot more fun than this one?!
Excuse my epic introductory rant but you know where this is going. THUMBS DOWN, all the way down.
"Aggro" - The Enemy
I can picture Activision employees looking for cheap music to license after blowing the budget on Tool and Ozzy whilst frantically asking themselves "What do cool young people listen to now?!" In the end, the answer to their predicament was a "Flagpole Sitta" - Harvey Danger rip-off, although having played that track as RB DLC I can confirm that this guitar chart is a lot more fun. Ultimately though, it would've been better as DLC...well, DLC if ATVI released more than three songs a week. THUMBS DOWN.
"American Woman" - The Guess Who
It's a well known Classic Rock tune with an awesome intro and a mediocre chart but considering the strong vocal melody, it's no surprise that it ended up in this game. I'm not a huge fan of it but I don't mind it being in the game. THUMBS UP.
"Antisocial" - Trust
Fair play, the music in this song is great. Definitely belongs in GH (presumably why it was released as GH3 DLC before making it to GH:WT) but there is one massive letdown; the vocals. I just can't take the track seriously when it sounds like I'm sat in a posh restaurant listening to the kitchen staff arguing. This is the first of many foreign tracks in the game, presumably because they wanted to give vocalists a selection of nightmare difficulty songs without licensing Queen. However, as I said earlier, I'm not judging the track on these factors. It's still a cool song and a fun chart to play as you listen to people shouting about Aunty Soshall. THUMBS UP.
"Are You Gonna Go My Way" - Lenny Kravitz
Again, not a fan of this track overall but it's got a sweet riff that's perfect for GH and it's somewhat of an American Rock classic so you better believe it's earned a space on the setlist. Fortunately, it's also pretty fun to play if you're not looking for anything too challenging so an easy THUMBS UP.
"Assassin" - Muse
Oh God, really? This was the best Muse song they could get? I would've settled for "Knights Of Cydonia" again over this, or "Hysteria" since that was fun on Rock Band. Muse might not have a treasure trove of epic riffs or solos in their back catalogue but they have material better than this! It sounds like your typical Musegasm so their mindless fans probably would've lapped it up despite having a truly agonising guitar chart and being one of the most dreary Rock songs I've possibly ever played on GH. THUMBS DOWN for the outro alone.
"B.Y.O.B." - System Of A Down
One of the game's most challenging guitar charts but, if you can get the strumming rhythm right, an incredibly fun one too. I love the chorus melody and if everything except the chorus and outro weren't batshit, I'd adore this track. However, it's System Of A Down so it can't just be awesome; it has to be awesome and crap at the same time. For sheer difficulty and popular appeal, this song deserves a THUMBS UP.
"Band On The Run" - Wings
More generic Classic Rock but if you're going to pick a Wings track, it's got to be "Band On The Run". I'm sure I've said in the past that I like the "If I ever get out of here" section despite more or less hating everything else so it's not a complete loss for me. I can't say there are better Wings songs with more fun guitar charts that could've been picked ("Junior's Farm" is a contender though) but with the wealth of truly great Classic Rock bands and songs out there, this song didn't deserve main setlist status. It would've been good as one of the songs in the Wings track pack released as DLC but it's getting a THUMBS DOWN for taking up space.
"Beat It" - Michael Jackson
This was actually one of the songs that convinced me to get the game. I fucking love it. Epic riff and guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen that apparently caused one of the monitors to catch fire, superb vocals from MJ and a true Rock track from a Pop artist. This is the song Prince would've recorded if he was as amazing as everyone seems to think he was now he's dead but luckily, MJ did it. Must've been a pretty expensive track to secure for the game too so props to ATVI for landing that. THUMBS UP.
"Beautiful Disaster" - 311
Heavy Reggae? Not bad but not great. What lets the song down though is the fact that it's utterly forgettable in both chart and music. I listened to all of these tracks again to prepare me for this post and I could just about remember the main riff and vocals a minute after finishing this song. It's strange because I can remember the three Reggae tracks released as GH:WT DLC perfectly, as they were great songs with really fun guitar charts; the complete opposite of this. THUMBS DOWN.
"Crazy Train" - Ozzy Osbourne
Well obviously, this song would make the cut if you're going to get Ozzy involved. It's a very fun guitar chart if you can excuse Randy Rhoads' solo but even if it had the solo cut, it'd still get a THUMBS UP for being an iconic Metal track with a solid chart.
"Dammit" - blink-182
Between 2008 and 2009, ATVI went overboard with blink-182 songs despite having a slim amount of fun guitar songs. However, with the inclusion of new instruments and Travis Barker as an unlockable character, this song was most likely picked for the drums. The guitar isn't terrible but it's not noteworthy either and a song like "What's My Age Again?" would've been more fun. I suppose I can give it a THUMBS UP for being a suitable choice for the game and not being absolute shite like some of their material.
"Demolition Man (Live)" - Sting
An odd choice for this game but one I'm glad they went with. The guitar chart is surprisingly fun (if you can nail that tap section) and it's easily superior in every way to the original by The Police. Similar to the last track, this song was probably picked as one with fun bass and vocals from Sting due to his inclusion as an unlockable character too. For fun value, it gets a THUMBS UP. Incidentally, did you know that they asked Stewart Copeland to test out drums for the game but ended up licensing Sting and using him for mo-cap? Smooth, Activision. Real smooth.
"Do It Again" - Steely Dan
Yeah, I guess this deserves a space. It's a fairly well known track and it has a really fun sitar solo followed by a less fun keys solo charted on guitar. It's also got some neat little guitar fills floating around throughout so it's definitely a great chart. The obvious choice for a Steely Dan song on GH would've been "Reelin' In The Years" but this is a suitable pick for the on-disc setlist. THUMBS UP.
"Escuela De Color" - Radio Futura
I kinda like this song. It sounds like inoffensive music from a beach level of a video game and the guitar chart wasn't too horrible, if I remember correctly. Plus, I know I gave the French language shit earlier but Spanish vocals work pretty well with the music here. THUMBS UP.
"Everlong" - Foo Fighters
Ugh, bland bland bland. Can't see the massive appeal to this song in the slightest. It's a shame "All My Life" was released as GH3 DLC as that would've been more fun for this game, giving the alphabetically arrange soundtrack a stronger start after two weak songs. Chances are it was included for the drum chart but it's a definite THUMBS DOWN from me.
"Eye Of The Tiger" - Survivor
No surprise this was included. It's an all-rounder entry level track on each instrument that comes together well to form the ultimate band song. For guitar alone, it's worthy of a place due to the epic chords and rolling strumming so THUMBS UP.
"Feel The Pain" - Dinosaur Jr.
Funny, I thought we already had a Foo Fighters song on-disc. Ah well, Fake Fighters are just as good. Yet another track picked for drummers, leaving guitarists remembering the days of HMX made GH games. I suppose this chart isn't consistently boring like some of the songs in GH:WT and it's not all bad to listen to either. Eh, THUMBS UP.
"Float On" - Modest Mouse
Meanwhile, this song gets a THUMBS DOWN. Dull chart, dull song, a proper fucking chore to get through.
"Freak On A Leash" - KoRn
I'm no KoRn expert but I know some of their big songs like "Falling Away From Me" and "Here To Stay". Both tracks would've been much better on guitar than this, although I reckon this song's more well known than the latter. However, if you want KoRn, this is KoRn in all their glory. If you want fun, better luck next time. THUMBS DOWN.
"Go Your Own Way" - Fleetwood Mac
Fuck, this game's just laying it on with tepid Classic Rock, huh. I assume "The Chain" was (and still is) unavailable for licensing as that would've beaten the shit out of this. However, it's a well known song with a fun chorus to sing along to at parties and guitar solos easy enough for you to fluff your way through them and not look like a tosser in front of your party-going peers. I can't think of many other Fleetwood Mac songs that would be more appropriate for GH except maybe "Oh Well" but this will do. THUMBS UP.
"Good God" - Anouk
I have a weird amount of respect for this song. If you listened to a brief snippet of this track, it'd sound like a shitty Amy Winehouse knock-off. However, when you play it, it's fucking great! The guitar isn't "Crazy Train" levels of fun but it's a neat little tune with good riffs throughout. It's also fairly short so it doesn't drag like some of the entries on this list. I can't say I've ever heard the song or artist outside of this game so can't comment on whether it's well known enough to warrant a space but I fail to see a reason why it shouldn't be included outside of "it's not proper Rock". Yeah, good choice! THUMBS UP.
"Hail To The Freaks" - Beatsteaks
I think this was the last song I played on-disc and that's about all I can remember. Listening to it again, it sounds like a fairly generic Rock song that would play in the background of a bar or party scene on a TV show. Yeah, got to be a THUMBS DOWN I'm afraid. Nothing stands out and it was likely picked because one of the developers had it on their iPod.
"Heartbreaker" - Pat Benatar
Whilst "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" might be the more well known Pat Benatar track, this is easily the more fun one. It helps that it's also a Rock radio staple and contains a kickass outro solo for guitarists to get stuck into. Solid choice that's perfect for any main GH title. THUMBS UP.
"Hey Man, Nice Shot" - Filter
A pretty eerie song that packs a surprisingly fun (if not slightly repetitive) guitar chart. This is a good example of a track that fits in well with the new era of GH games; it's got a fun chart but wouldn't work in a game where you could only play that instrument. It's another all-rounder for each instrument and is well known enough to get a THUMBS UP.
"Hollywood Nights" - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Well would you look at that! ANOTHER middle-of-the-road Classic Rock song. ATVI are really representing the genre well here, aren't they? It might be one of their signature songs but it's nothing special on guitar. Definitely more of a vocal driven song and would've been better suited for the Bob Seger track pack released as DLC. As for a better pick? Well, how about "Old Time Rock & Roll" instead of releasing that as DLC, considering that's also one of their signature songs with a much more fun guitar chart AND was used in promotional adverts for this game when they parodied the famous Risky Business underwear scene. THUMBS DOWN.
"Hot For Teacher" - Van Halen
100% picked for the drum intro but luckily, it's also got a right bitch of a guitar chart. It's catchy, fun when mastered and boasts difficult riffs and solos throughout THE ENTIRE CHART. Yup, no slacking off in the verse this time. As far as final bosses go in the Guitar Hero series, this is a worthy follow-up to "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" - Steve Ouimette from GH3 (and definitely "Train Kept A Rollin'" - Aerosmith from GH:A). THUMBS UP, no question.
"Hotel California" - Eagles
Back to limp Classic Rock already? OK then. Nah, this song's a solid choice for the game. Easily the band's signature song and a popular tune from the 70s with an iconic solo at the end. As an added bonus, the rest of the guitar chart's pretty fun as well. Despite the fact that I personally can't stand it (unless you speed it up a little bit, then it's much better!), it deserves a THUMBS UP on almost every level.
"The Joker" - Steve Miller Band
Finally, a Classic Rock song that isn't boring! Well, that depends on personal taste I suppose but if we're just talking guitar charts, this track's surprisingly fun. It's not really tricky in the slightest but if you like your charts relatively simple, it's brilliant. Plus, it makes me laugh when I think back to that scene in The Simpsons where Homer sings along to it. THUMBS UP.
"Kick Out The Jams" - MC5's Wayne Kramer
An interesting choice. On the one hand, it's cool to see more 60s Garage Rock in GH and it's the most well known song by MC5. On the other, it kind of seems odd to pick a track that's a blend of old and new; a track with original vocals and rerecorded guitar (or is it the other way around?). Part of me feels like they should've just waited until technology improved to the point where they could get the original master. Another, much bigger part of me simply says THUMBS UP for being a good track to play.
"The Kill" - 30 Seconds To Mars
I think Jack Black put it best when I saw Tenacious D live. "30 Seconds To Mars? More like 60 Seconds To Bullshit". THUMBS DOWN.
"L'Via L'Viaquez" - The Mars Volta
I'm glad they included an edit of this song instead of the 12 minute original but at least the edit has fun guitar sections. I couldn't tell you anything else about this band an whether it's the best song they could've picked but once again, it's another (semi) foreign track that doesn't feel out of place. THUMBS UP for the fun chart but I can't say I'm a fan of the track, especially the creepy bits throughout the middle before the guitar solos.
"La Bamba" - Los Lobos
Out of all the foreign language songs in GH, this and, begrudgingly, "Du Hast" - Rammstein are the two best choices. It's a classic track covered by Los Lobos with cleaner, beefed up charts for each instrument that make it WAY better to play. However, the guitar solo stands out in comparison to the original as it manages to make rapid strumming partway fun. It's also a tight edit compared to the one with the extended outro but that's only a small part of it deserving a THUMBS UP.
"Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pickups
"Hey, I remember this song from a trendy new TV show that all the kids are talking about or some shit!" is what I imagine the initial response to hearing this song when playing it in GH:WT to be. It's an acceptable guitar chart for a relatively dull song so I suppose it's an OK track to include in the game. It'd be a lot better if it wasn't as long but it still gets a THUMBS UP. Just.
"Livin' On A Prayer" - Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi makes his GH debut with his most well known and overplayed song. Even if it didn't have such an anthemic chorus, Richie Sambora's guitar deserves to be played (when he's with JBJ). Luckily, it does have an anthemic chorus as well so you've got a fun entry level song for people transitioning from one difficulty to another, a relatively easy song to blast out loud at parties and a top quality Hard Rock song for GH purists. Perfect choice, really. THUMBS UP.
"Love Me Two Times" - The Doors
Props to ATVI for securing a song by The Doors, one of the most expensive Rock bands to license along with The Beatles. However, anti-props for choosing such a shite song. The guitar riff with the annoying trills is a right cunt to play and it's not even one of their better known tracks. If you were going to get a song by The Doors from Strange Days with fun guitar, why the hell wouldn't you pick "People Are Strange"? Or better yet, why not pick another song by The Doors with fun guitar that's as well known (if not more so) than this track like "Peace Frog" or "L.A. Woman"? THUMBS DOWN for the only song by The Doors in GH. Shame.
"Love Removal Machine" - The Cult
Fuck. Yes. This is a great song and perfect for GH. Sure, The Cult aren't known for their wide array of diverse hit singles or iconic Rock tracks but when they rock, they fucking rock. This is a song where they fucking rock so with the exchange rate in play, that means they fucking fucking rock! Great riff, fun guitar throughout, TWO challenging solos and an outro that mixes the usual Cult formula up a bit. THUMBS UP.
"Love Spreads" - The Stone Roses
This song certainly grew on me after a couple of plays/listens and thankfully, I still love it. Possibly one of the best guitar charts in the entire game and a solid block of Rock with some groovy bass thrown in for good measure. It might seem quite long but trust me, it flies by when you're playing it. Songs like these make ATVI-era GH worth playing again so you better believe it gets THUMBS UP.
"The Middle" - Jimmy Eat World
Maybe this is a poor reflection on my experience with music up until about 2008 or maybe it was just a lot bigger in American than in the UK but I'd never heard of this song until GH, then it seemed to appear everywhere. However, it's a pretty solid Pop Rock hit with a surprisingly tough guitar solo for what it is and an incredibly catchy chorus. No complaints about this being in the game. THUMBS UP.
"Misery Business" - Paramore
It's no secret that I think Paramore are a joke BUT if every Rock band has at least one track for everyone in them, this is mine. It's a proper (albeit vocally dominated) Rock song that's just as fun to play on guitar as it is to listen to. As far as songs go, it needs a better guitar solo but I get the impression that the Paramore guitarist is only there because he was the only one with a car big enough to take all of them to the recording studio. All the same, THUMBS UP for not-shit Paramore!
"Monsoon" - Tokio Hotel
I don't remember hating this guitar chart but I remember feeling immensely bored when I listened to this track again. Another song where someone at ATVI Googled "popular songs among the alternative kids these days" without stopping to think that maybe this sort of anaemic toss isn't what GH is about. THUMBS DOWN.
"Mountain Song" - Jane's Addiction
I think GH wanted me to hate Jane's Addiction until they finally saw the light and licensed "Been Caught Stealin'" for GHWOR. However, this crappy excuse for a bland and repetitive song from an album where almost every other track has an awesome guitar chart (going by the album DLC for Rock Band) earns a great big THUMBS DOWN.
"Mr. Crowley" - Ozzy Osbourne
The second Ozzy song in the game (or first, if you're going by the Career Mode order) and definitely the superior of the two if you can excuse the Spinal Tap vibe coursing through the introduction. RR actually plays guitar solos that aren't complete wank and it transitions incredibly well into GH. Another song that's among my top favourites on-disc, even if I'm not a huge fan of the song on its own. THUMBS UP.
"Never Too Late" - The Answer
The Answer won a competition to be featured in GH (you know, the competition where they DIDN'T promise things they failed to deliver on like a bunch of twats) and as a result, one of the most fun and challenging songs on-disc was chosen. Not only a fucking insane intro solo but a pretty tricky one appears later too, giving casual and hardcore fans something special. It's a shame more tunes by The Answer weren't picked for GH as they have a bunch of great guitar based tracks across Rise, Everyday Demons and Revival. THUMBS UP.
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" - Beastie Boys
It's debatable as to whether Beastie Boys belong in GH outside of "Sabotage" but with an intense solo from Kerry King, this track just makes the cut. However, as far as playing it goes, it's a pain in the arse. Boring throughout, stupidly tough in the middle, boring at the end. It's a pain sandwich, basically. THUMBS DOWN for not being "Fight For Your Right", a much better Rock song/parody off the same album.
"Nuvole E Lenzuola" - Negramaro
Uhhhhhhhhh...yeah, THUMBS DOWN. The music is incredibly bland and I literally cannot recall a single thing about playing this chart. Would've preferred something else from Heroes Del Silencio since "Entre Dos Tierras" sounds good on guitar and they've had a song in GH already.
"Obstacle 1" - Interpol
I keep expecting this song to break into "By The Way" - Red Hot Chili Peppers...but it never does. It just breaks into boredom. Fuck knows why this was chosen for GH. THUMBS DOWN.
"On The Road Again (Live)" - Willie Nelson
Fair play, it might be live but it's got a solid guitar chart and it's a well known Country track by Ol' Willie. If we could've had any live Country song, I would've pushed hard for "Classical Gas (Live)" - Glen Campbell for having what sounds like an amazing guitar chart but I'm happy with this. THUMBS UP.
"One Armed Scissor" - At The Drive-In
Ooo fuck me, this song is so edgy! It might sound like pure whiny teenage anger blending into a fine dust and then painstakingly converted into an .mp3 file BUT it does have an OK guitar chart. I suppose if whiny teenagers have to be represented as a core part of the GH target market, it's better that everyone else has to play this than some shitty MCR track. However, proper Rock will always be better than music aimed at that market and crippling a franchise to appease those fuckwits didn't help so it's THUMBS DOWN without regret.
"The One I Love" - R.E.M.
I don't know what's stranger; the fact that R.E.M. were considered for Guitar Hero or the fact that after this bland track with slightly less bland guitar, they were considered AGAIN for Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock. Either way, R.E.M. have a wealth of popular tracks to choose from and I guess on the surface, the riff that plays throughout this creates the illusion of "Rock" more than something like "Everybody Hurts". I would've preferred "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" (especially if you're after something for drummers and vocalists) or something off Green like "Stand" or "Pop Song 89" so it has to be a THUMBS DOWN.
"One Way Or Another" - Blondie
Blondie could fucking rock when they wanted to and this is a good example of that. It's one of those tracks that utilises fun guitar that you wouldn't ordinarily notice in the mix of the original song, making it a treat to play and listen to even if you've heard it a bunch of times before. GH could've done with more Blondie like "Hanging On The Telephone" or "Atomic" but this is just as good. THUMBS UP.
"Our Truth" - Lacuna Coil
OK, we all know Nu-Metal sucks but this isn't that terrible. Lacuna Coil have been in GH before so it makes sense that they'd appear again. It's got a solid guitar chart that could've been improved with a tasty solo (guitar solos? In Nu-Metal? What a novel concept!!) but luckily the riffs throughout are decent. Not a personal favourite but I don't mind playing it so THUMBS UP.
"Overkill" - Motorhead
I'm glad Motorhead weren't completely shafted by GH, as there was some kind of licensing issue that meant only rerecords from 2008 could be used in GH/RB. However, even though I like this song and it's got a decent guitar chart (we won't talk about bass...), I can't help but feel like it's a weak choice. I don't know exactly how many songs were rerecorded, though I think it's at least 9 or 10, and I'm not sure which song I would've preferred but it's missing something. Compare it to DLC track "Love Me Like A Reptile" which is fucking awesome on guitar; it would've been good to get something like that. Ah well, I can't fault a Motorhead choice, especially one that's probably the most logical. THUMBS UP.
"Parabola" - Tool
One of three Tool songs picked to be in the game, presumably because Tool are a right bunch of picky bastards about how their music's used. I don't want to be too positive about them on those grounds but let's look at undeniable pros to this being in GH: it's got a heavy riff that's fun to play, there are other heavy riffs that are fun to play throughout as well, Tool are a highly sought after band and this is one of their notable songs. Cons: aside from the fun riffs it's kind of dull, the outro is far too long, it doesn't really belong in GH other than the fact that it's Tool. Verdict? THUMBS DOWN on this one.
"Pretty Vacant" - The Sex Pistols
Another Sex Pistols rerecord and this time, it's not as crap as "Anarchy In The UK". Sadly, it is still The Sex Pistols so it's pretty bad by general music standards. Aside from the fact that you get to sing and drum along to a Sex Pistols song, there's not really any reason to include them in GH anymore, hence why this was their last appearance in the franchise. THUMBS DOWN.
"Prisoner Of Society" - The Living End
This is an example of Punk done well. It's fast, it's aggressive and you can tell the musicians actually have talent, unlike everything about The Sex Pistols. In terms of good Living End songs, the best choice probably would've been "Carry Me Home" but that's already in GH2 so naturally it falls to this track. It's a fun song to play on guitar and it's made me want to listen to more of The Living End. THUMBS UP.
"Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater
ATVI finally answered the call and included a solitary Dream Theater track in the GH franchise. Not just any Dream Theater track but the most well known one at that. That alone should be a good enough reason to include it on the main setlist IF they had any plans of more Dream Theater material. If they knew this would be the only one planned, it should've been something a bit more challenging. Something like "As I Am" or "Under A Glass Moon" would've been more fun for those wanting a suitable credits song but I guess this is a good song all the same, even if the solo is all fart and no follow through. THUMBS UP.
"Purple Haze (Live)" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Going through these songs, I keep remembering things I'd forgotten about GH:WT like the fact that Jimi Hendrix was a playable character and that the Hendrix estate used to have stupidly high standards before they became a bunch of money grabbing shits. Anyway, "Purple Haze" is one of his bigger known Rock songs so it makes sense to include it if you've only got a limited number of Hendrix tracks to use. Why they chose a live version, I'm not sure, but it's fun to play and it doesn't sound as fuckawful as some of his live recordings so it gets a THUMBS UP.
"Ramblin' Man" - The Allman Brothers Band
A fine choice indeed! Gentle Southern Rock with an excellent guitar chart and what sounds like fun charts for the other instruments too. I'm not sure why the guitar solos on the album version sound different to the one used for this game, as both tracks are structurally identical, but at least they didn't cut bits out or make it worse. THUMBS UP.
"Re-Education (Through Labor)" - Rise Against
I'm not one of the GH players holding unquestionable love and devotion to Rise Against (and during the GHWOR days, there seemed to be fucking hundreds of them) but this is a great track. Great Rock tune, solid guitar riffs and even if it's not the most fun song to play, it's enjoyable from start to finish. THUMBS UP.
"Rebel Yell" - Billy Idol
Yep, love it. Great guitar throughout and along with "White Wedding", one of Mr Idol's signature songs. It might not be a track I can imagine being included in GH without drums and vocals but it makes sense to include in the game so it's a clear THUMBS UP.
"Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" - Lostprophets
Even if they weren't involved in some kind of paedophilia scandal, it'd still be a THUMBS DOWN. Boring guitar, whiny vocals, not a song that belongs in GH. I do like the double time section towards the end, though. If the whole song was like that, I may have overlooked the nonce on vocals.
"Santeria" - Sublime
Considering ATVI got Chad Smith to test the drums out with Stewart Copeland, they should've just licensed "Under The Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers instead of picking yet another song that sounds similar to one of theirs in the introduction. At least it's got a fun guitar solo and it's a chilled out little tune so I can give it a THUMBS UP, even if "What I Got" is more fun.
"Satch Boogie" - Joe Satriani
Sheeeeeit, just hearing this song gives me 'Nam flashbacks to that slider gem section in the middle. It's a really fun song if you're good enough to take on the mantle although a real bitch if you're still learning. I'm glad they chose this song for GH:WT and not one of the previous titles, otherwise it may have given me an aneurysm trying to play it. THUMBS UP.
"Schism" - Tool
Let's face it, everyone only knows this for the bass...and my God, what an awesome bassline. You get to play it on guitar now and then so there's moderately challenging joy to be shared. If I had to name the most famous Tool song out of the three, I'd probably guess this one and if only Tool song could be picked for GH, this would be the obvious winner. Hence, THUMBS UP.
"Scream Aim Fire" - Bullet For My Valentine
I hate this style of Metal but damn it, I really like this song. It's mostly the awesome chorus that improves the rest of the song for me but from start to finish, it's a consistently fun guitar chart if you can look past the screaming. I'm not familiar with this band's work outside of this song but if I had to give my verdict based on whether this is a fun and worthy song for the main disc setlist, it has to be a THUMBS UP.
"Shiver" - Coldplay
*Lana from Archer voice* NooOOPE! THUMBS DOWN.
"Some Might Say" - Oasis
OK, this isn't the Oasis song I would've picked off (What's The Story) Morning Glory but it's a great song regardless of how much better other tracks on the album are. The obvious choice would've been "Don't Look Back In Anger", the weak popular choice would've been "Wonderwall" and the best choice would've been title track "Morning Glory". But it is what it is and whilst the guitar isn't extreme, it's fun in its own way. THUMBS UP for Oasis from the 90s in a music game.
"Soul Doubt" - NOFX
More Punk that pisses all over bands from the 70s. You're in for more of a challenge keeping up with the rhythm than in "Prisoner Of Society" - The Living End but luckily, it's not all strumming here. There are some tricky riffs now and then and it actually represents the genre in a fairly positive way. I'm giving it a THUMBS UP for the same reason I give most Punk tracks that don't suck one; it's a Punk track that doesn't suck.
"Spiderwebs" - No Doubt
Why, out of all the songs on Guitar Hero: On Tour, was this pile of arse chosen to be on GH:WT? Pop Rock Reggae fans can enjoy this track far away from me as everything about it just about sucks. Guitar chart isn't fun, song is annoying and it goes. on. for-fucking-ever. THUMBS DOWN.
"Stillborn" - Black Label Society
Zakk Wylde appears as an unlockable character/boss battle so obviously one of his songs will appear in-game and obviously it won't be from his time with Ozzy. It's not bad, I guess. Solid riff, moderately fun solo and I can imagine it in GH3 when ATVI took over. THUMBS UP.
"Stranglehold" - Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent ALSO appears as an unlockable character/boss battle so we get treated to some of his music as well. Sadly, instead of one of the many songs he's written with amazing solos and fun riffs, we get this long rerecorded (?) yawn. I cannot fathom why so many people like "Stranglehold" outside of its main riff and even that's average at best. THUMBS DOWN for not being "Stormtroopin'".
"Sweet Home Alabama (Live)" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
I've discussed the live album that this track came from on the blog before. If you can't be bothered to follow the link and read it, the summary is I fucking love it and this track put me onto it. It might have different solos to the two different takes on the deluxe edition but it's one of my favourite charts in all of GH and my number one favourite song to play from GH:WT. Excellent live recording, more fun guitar and a Southern/Classic Rock hit. Perfection! THUMBS UP.
"Today" - The Smashing Pumpkins
"Cherub Rock" was awesome in GH3 but no Smashing Pumpkins song in GH or RB since has come close to being as awesome. It's a shame because Siamese Dream has a couple of decent tracks like "Rocket" and "Geek U.S.A" that would've been awesome on GH. Instead, we get this dreary number that came with a free Billy Corgan going through chemotherapy unlockable character. THUMBS DOWN.
"Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast" - Airbourne
Not to be confused with Ska track "Too Much, Too Young" - The Specials. It's great that Airbourne has at least one song on GH but...this one? It's great, yeah, but it's kind of dull until you get to the solo. Would've been better to get a more energetic one and then release an Airbourne track pack down the line with this song in it. Still, it got me into Airbourne and it's good to listen to whilst you're strumming away so THUMBS UP.
"Toy Boy" - Stuck In Sound
The main reason I'm hesitant to give this a Thumbs Up straight away is due to the vocals in the chorus. They're too screechy and the vocalist does it a fucking lot towards the end. The guitar's OK, if not a little repetitive and ordinary, and the song itself is passable for a filler track on GH. I doubt I'd lose any sleep if I learned that this song was considered and then removed so I'm going to be harsh and give it a THUMBS DOWN.
"Trapped Under Ice" - Metallica
Smart choice picking a fun, well known Metallica song from an early album but not one of the big ones that wouldn't export into Guitar Hero: Metallica. I really like this song, much more than "One", and whilst it's a shame I can't play it on GH:M, it's still great on GH:WT. It's actually a pretty good way to introduce casual players to Metallica without using one of their biggest songs. THUMBS UP.
"Up Around The Bend" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I'm glad CCR were used in GH:WT but it's not really the best song they could've gone for. It's a neat little tune but hardly worthy of main setlist status when tracks like "Fortunate Son" and "Bad Moon Rising" had yet to be included. The guitar's alright and the song is catchy but I have to give it a THUMBS DOWN in favour of much better CCR tracks that deserved a spot over this one. Still, at least it's not the Hanoi Rocks version.
"Vicarious" - Tool
The last Tool song, picked because of Neversoft's relation to Vicarious Visions. Of course not, but other than it being another Tool song, I'm not entirely sure why it was picked. It's like a lesser version of "Schism" with a few fun little riffs, but then I suppose that could be said of most bands with their own personal sound. At least it's better than "Parabola" so THUMBS UP.
"VinterNoll2" - Kent
Another foreign track that's forgettable but not actually too bad. It reminds me of Poets Of The Fall, a band with material that's better suited for GH/RB than most of the filler bands picked here. I couldn't tell you much about the guitar chart without looking it up on Youtube and because the song's not strong enough to motivate me to open another tab on my browser as I'm typing this, it's a THUMBS DOWN.
"Weapon Of Choice" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Short and sweet, this song's definitely worthy of being in GH:WT. The guitar chart uses the sustain-within-sustain mechanic added to the game to make the chart new and interesting without being too hard to turn people away. It's also a solid Rock song so a THUMBS UP is well deserved.
"What I've Done" - Linkin Park
The first of many Linkin Park songs to curse GH over the years. Fuck, I hate this fucking band and their terrible music. Just chords and strumming and chords and strumming and memories of Transformers followed by more pissing chords and strumming. THUMBS DOWN.
"The Wind Cries Mary" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
If you had to pick a softer, more psychedelic Hendrix song with a fun guitar chart, I'm glad they picked this. It doesn't showcase his exceptional talents on the six-string but it does showcase his ability to write great music and lyrics. Yep, I enjoy this one too although "Castles Made Of Sand" would've been great. THUMBS UP.
"You're Gonna Say Yeah" - Hushpuppies
Our last entry here is...well, it's not bad but it's a bit typical of shouty modern Alternative bands that have littered this setlist. If GHWOR proved anything, it's that modern Alternative songs with really fun guitar charts did exist around that time so there was no excuse for choosing songs like these over better ones. THUMBS DOWN.
After my incredibly in-depth analysis of the game's on-disc soundtrack, the final score is 53 for Thumbs Up and 31 for Thumbs Down. That's honestly better than I thought it would be but I guess I was being quite generous to some of these songs.
Don't worry, non-video game posts will be back soon.
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