COrey Feldman and the Truth Movement "ANgelic 2 The Core"

A short blurb of a record from a career in music I didn't know existed; belated in release. Here is what was written

Seth MacFarlane "In Full Swing"

I could sug-jest that Macfarlane keep his day job without even considering to compliment his talent. One may ask, "which one?" As it is multifaceted, and perception subjective, like anything else. But I am not referring to the creator of three hit cartoon shows, that speak for themselves, that I am aware of, and his trek into space on The Orville of which he stars, but I am referring to his music career; some may refer to this as a mere charade or impersonation of Sinatra with a modicum of talent. Still debating whether I could call it a channeling of the voice because that would resemble a higher level of praise, and may take it too far. He cannot replace those who have inspired his love of the music he is attempting to recreate as tribute, but he can stand on his own as a vocalist. Four albums in, and its clear to see it is not some fling, but just another facet to express himself, and do it well.
With albums such as these, it is more of a challenge to listen to the reinterpretation outside a casual sense; some may call it a betrayal, and why listen to a derivation when you can listen to the original versions by the giants of the genre? That is the conflict that often accompanies these records, but that doesn't detract from the talent that artists, such as Buble, one of the first that came to mind, have. Another factor in its favor, is that standards we have heard numerous times are not present here; that is an Achilles if there ever was one, and the crutch of familiarity can often have an adverse effect on prospective listeners and genre aficianados. This album sees MacFarlane on the other side of the fence when it comes to love, a more positive and jubilant tone In Full Swing. Stepping toe to toe with artists such as Fitzgerald and Martin, with his own renditions of tunes they made classic to name a few. I haven't heard enough of Gershwin or Berlin to have their names grace this review, but heard enough to know he hit some home runs throughout. His duets with a nu-Jazz vetran, Norah Jones, and another multifaceted talent who could also make it in music, Liz Gillies, were cause for celebration. If their respective titles were any indication of the light heart which you may find yourself with after listening, you'll find out soon enough. The latter of which was a bonus track, aptly categorized.

All I See Is Showmanship- Sevendust at The Rapids Theatre on February, 20th 2019

While I have waited nearly two hours after a show was meant to start before, this was the first time I was left "in the dark," literally; there was some recessive lighting, but due to a power outage encompassing the venue and a radius of a few miles, the show was delayed an hour and a half before some of the members of the first opening band, Kirra, lit up the spirits of the patrons with an engaging acoustic set.
The first song choice was intriguing because it was a cover of "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)" by Chevelle; the first band I ventured there to see. I'm sure part of it was me,and not dressing warm enough, but their second tune expressed how I felt at the time, "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin; the  crowd responded with wide appreciation and involvement. This set was the "Remedy" to ease some of the tension this predicament procured, and while nearly everybody was patient and respectful of others and their personal space, their acoustic cover of "Whatever" really expressed that inner angst the concertgoers may have felt, and they enthusiastically obliged; the songs of Seether and Godsmack, respectively. While I cannot recall the rest of the selections, aside from 'Black Honey" by Thrice, I must applaud the vocal performances of Ryne Mcneill and the adept acoustic guitar playing of Daxton Page.
 

Due to the outage, all bands had to shorten their sets, yet they made each one count, and while Kirra sounded almost like a different band once their gear shifted electric they still commanded the attention of the crowd, and while I cannot remember their original song selections, I will applaud them; I could see why Kirra was picked up for this tour because Ryne McNeil's vocals bear a similar growl to that of Lajon Witherspoon, and a decent level of soul, even as the backing vocalist he holds his own.
To correctly recall the songs of the miniscule set that Lullwater had undertaken by circumstance would be an undertaking after hearing their songs only once. I will praise them for their sound and their performance, and will eventually take that trek into their world, which from their merch and designs, seems pretty cool; So I commend you John Strickland for your lead vocal and rhythm guitar performance; Daniel Binnie on Lead Guitar; Roy "Ray" Beatty on Bass and BackVox, and Joe Wilson on Drums and BackVox; until next time, rock on!!!
While I prefer the latter that was Lullwater, Cane Hill served as a balance to the darker side of rock, and offered a sufficient dose of heavy to whet the appetite with those who have that type of sweet tooth; however, I do not recall them playing "Strange Candy," yet I distinctly remember a song where the inferred influence of Korn was apparent; regardless of whether this reference is a ball and chain or badge of honor, "It Follows." So I thank you Elijah Witt and your vocal performance; James Barnett and David Henriquez for your lead guitar and bass performances, respectively, along with the backing vocals, and the percussion accompaniment brought to us by Devin Clark.
I have always have been a fan of Tremonti and his work with Creed and Alter Bridge. His talent cannot be understated, and have heard some of his music as a front man, but have never considered seeing them live; only because the extravagance of the sound may be overbearing, may be taken for granted and may be inadvertently registered as monotonous. 

It so happened I did not have to worry, and if I did, I was there, so I might as well make the most of it for lack of another chance. While there were the speedier and thrashier moments, songs like "Flying Monkeys" diversified the tempo, and afforded songs like "Throw Them To The Lions" more appreciation, from my perspective. The sentiments, and sound, of "You Waste Your Time" and "Wish You Well" are worth that fist raised fervently in the air, while their performance individually, and as a unit, needed some time to be processed accordingly, and allow some of my face to reconstitute itself. 

Nope, I have come to the conclusion that this band is not A Dying Machine and with the praise of their latest, there is more to come. But first I must also commend a few members of the band for also lightening the mood with their acoustic set before live turned electric. While I could not recognize the majority of the songs, or even the title of the first, but I remember that riff, it was a fantastic performance distracting us from the prospect of being "hopeless." So I thank you Eric Friedman on rhythm guitar and lead vocals; Tanner Keegan as a touring bass guitarist; Ryan Bennet as a touring percussionist, and Mark Tremonti for holding it all together leading the band in guitar and vocals and being a pleasant host, I may take you up on that offer and see you again if the chance arrives.
 

With the anticipation built of seeing this band live become a reality, and even meeting them,it brought about complications when it came to rising above expectations, or so I thought. It was awesome to be able to meet the band that had taken me through the difficult times, and to give them a hug to show my appreciation, and even feel like a part of the Sevendust family; for even a moment.I also had to remind myself that they would not be able to play all of my favorite songs considering the quality and consistency of their output.
While at the time I drew a blank when it came to the first song, even after all of the times I have heard it, I sang along anyways and it set the show off to a rousing start.
I also had to remember that they would not be able to play the full album, and easily one of my favorites, that began my journey with Sevendust, Seasons. However, I would at least be able to hear "Pieces" of this satisfying album full of soul, melody, aggression, passion, positive energy, among a lot more.
As a connoisseur of sound, I don't listen to my favorite bands all the time, I separate myself from their music for a few months, or even a year, and eventually I will reconnect. It was great to immerse myself in their full catalog and even hear their new album for the first time; there's the rub, for I may not react in the traditional way as a fan might, but it doesn't mean I am not one. As you can see, I am a little biased, and I aim to be the antithesis, but it does not detract from the fact that they are worthy of "Praise."
While it was excellent to  hear "B*tch," "Dirty," and "Dead Set," which it was far from, along with "Waffle," the euphoria was elevated when I had engaged with "Enemy" and danced, sang along and whispered expletives with some lively members of the family. I had yet to descend and listened to one last song, in honor of an "Angel's Son," and the soul did "Shine." 

That moment I heard the latter still plays clear in my mind, and for giving me another entry in my "book" of best days of my life, I must "Thank You" Lajon Witherspoon and your soulful and exceptional vocals; John Connolly for the rhythm guitar work and your stint as lead; Clint Lowery for leading the guitar sound toward distinction; Vince Hornsby for kickin (b)ass, and Morgan Rose for being a darn good drummer, and another expression of gratitude to you all for not only being great people, but synergizing your different influences and ideas to create a unique sound that still remains potent as it was from the onset.  

To hear some of these songs in a live context brings me a new level of admiration for them. For some of my favorites I was not able to hear, there is always their Southside Double-Wide Acoustic album, and  youtube; I would be remiss to fail to mention their Time Travelers and Bonfires album. I don't do this much, but after thinking about it, I may even see them again if they return to the area, it would be great to see them again. Their encore, "Face To Face," was the icing on a killer cake.