These guys are pretty cool. I just found out about 'em from heavyharmonies.com list of top 2006 cds.

Wig Wam

Our Lady Peace

Yes, I will pimp this band on every future iteration of this board, as well.

Seriously, if you never gave these guys a chance because they rode grunge's coattails at the same time as Bush, you're really not being fair to them. None of their albums really even come close to grunge. Or Bush. Sure, their songs are loud in the chorus and softer in the verses but that is where the similarities end.

Their first album, Naveed, takes Grunge's sensibilities about melody and harmony and volume pedals, but it's more in line with the beginning of the alt-rock movement (Live, Better Than Ezra, etc.). Their second album, Clumsy, branches out into paradoxically half-unplugged hard rock while Happiness is... Not a Fish That You Can Catch, their third, is more true prog rock that flirts with jazz. Spiritual Machines, their fourth album, is a concept record about the future of humanity and computers as we become more inseparable and what it means to be human. It draws together all aspects of their first three albums without being haphazard. It's 15 tracks that are as unique from each other as they are from the band's other records or anything else you can hear on the radio.

And then there's Gravity. It certainly has flashes of a great rock record but it is too tainted by the radio readiness of its singles. It's great and simultaneously one of the most boring records you will ever hear. Practically every song ends after a build-up to a held note. It's the laziest record I've ever heard and yet I still enjoy it enough to pop it in at least every year or so.

Which brings me to their latest record, Healthy In Paranoid Times. HIPT is unlike anything they've ever done before. They've tossed aside the worst part of their pop leanings from their previous album as well as most of their signature loud/soft structure in favor of an unrelenting sonic wall of guitars whether it be a hard rocker (Where Are You?, Walking In Circles) or a ballad (Picture, Don't Stop). They also were unafraid to pepper the album with the occasional mass chorus when it fits (Where Are You?, World on a String). The sole exception to any and every rule on this album is Al Genina (Leave The Light On) with just a piano and Raine's voice.

In between Gravity and HIPT was a live record called... imagine this... Live. Or Live... From Edmonton and Calgary to those of you in the Great White North. Acting as a greatest hits before they had one (called A Decade, which arrived after HIPT), it covers all their best material from Starseed to Innocent and two lesser known but equally awesome tracks in Our Time Is Fading and Whatever.

Honestly, if you appreciate any one of their albums and are looking for a band that doesn't repeat itself without losing sight of its original goal, I can't recommend their other records nearly enough. Every record is a unique experience in a familiar setting.[/url]

Whatever is in my top three favoritest OLP songs.

Yes, I said "favoritest."

All right! You twisted my arm! Sicky, we may have to discuss, offline (email), abuot how you and I can arrange for me to have these albums that I don't have.

While I'm at it...

Butch Walker

He will make you laugh, cry and say "awww," all while rocking your fucking face off. He was the front for a band called "The Marvelous 3" for a while and they broke up to fuck over Elektra Records after Elektra fucked them. Now he's solo. Combined, there are six albums (plus a live album that is just awesome) of Butchy goodness.

Emailing you now...

Thursty, are you familiar with the band Skyclad? They seem like they'd be right up your alley (they're signature is punny, sardonic lyrics).

I haven't heard them, but I have heard of them. I'll give them a listen.

Lyrics are of secondary importance to me, to be honest.

Read through my band's list of influences if you want to get a good sense for what sort of music I like.

I was going to list some of their song titles, but didn't want to if you already knew about them. Anyway, here's some examples:

A Great Blow For a Day Job
Building a Ruin
Worn Out Sole to Heel
Single Phial
My Naked I
Vintage Whine
The Silver Cloud's Dark Lining
Little Miss Take
History Lessens

Penny Dreadful's my favorite song of theirs, but it's not a punny title (as far as I know anyway)

As it was part of the lost posts:

Sonata Arctica

Another Wig Wam song. I could listen to these guys all day! Too bad their cds are only available on import for like $30.

I'm really digging that Finger Eleven song Paralyzer.

Quasar wrote:I'm really digging that Finger Eleven song Paralyzer.

Beware, the rest of their record sucks and sounds nothing like that song, IMO. That song came out about a year ago or more. Get's old pretty quick. Too much radio play will do that.

Darth Snoopy wrote:

Quasar wrote:I'm really digging that Finger Eleven song Paralyzer.

Beware, the rest of their record sucks and sounds nothing like that song, IMO.

Incidentally, I was about to say the same thing. I liked that song, then sampled the album at the website. Thumbs down.

I want to embrace Finger Eleven, but they are severerly hit and miss.

Well that just SUCKS!!!

Has anyone heard the new one from Estelle? Is she really that bad ass?

Not to be confused with Adele, who is bad ass...

This Butch Walker guy Ipsy likes so much is going to be playing at one of the places where I play Ms. Pac-Man a couple times a week (Blueberry Hill, where Chuck Berry performs monthly). Is he worth the twenty bucks they are charging for a ticket, Ipsy?