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Wakefield
American Made
Arista
Records
Music Head Rating:
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Okay, so I interviewed Wakefield a year and a half ago and,
finally, after wading through all of the corporate, “signing to a
label,” red tape, Ryan Escolopio (vocals, guitar), J.D. Tennyson
(guitar, vocals), Mike Schoolden (bass, vocals), and Aaron
Escolopio (drums) have dropped their debut project, American
Made. And who exactly are these Maryland punks, you may ask.
Pre-MTV, pop stardom Good Charlotte fans probably recognize Aaron
from his days drumming behind the Madden twins. And although
parallels between the two bands can be made (i.e. they both signed
to major labels right off the bat), classifying Wakefield as a
Good Charlotte clone would simply be unfair. Despite the fact that
the melancholy tonality of “Heaven’s Coming” sounds hauntingly
similar to Good Charlotte’s “Change,” for the most part Wakefield
brings a less “my father sucks” whine and a more upbeat pop
vibration to its punk quality.
Mike describes it best when he proclaims, “there are a
lot of emotions on American Made, but ultimately we’re all
about having fun.” And having fun indeed! American Made
seems right for driving around town with your buddies during those
long, carefree, summer days. The opening track, “Sold Out” (“we’re
in it for the money and all the groupie honeys so we sold out”),
which pokes fun at the age-old punk topic, starts the album with a
comedic tone reminiscent of Blink 182. The album concludes with
yet another mocking song, “Infamous,” which blatantly laughs at
themselves through its ska undertones. Sandwiched in between, you
can find the relationship rant, “Say You Will,” which was inspired
by Scream (yes, the movie), and the energetic, “Positive
Reinforcement,” on which Sugarcult’s Tim Pagnotta helps out in the
background. American Made pretty much follows the typical
pop-punk mold, but I guarantee that fans of Blink 182, New Found
Glory, Sugarcult, and even Good Charlotte will enjoy this album.
If you’re looking for some light, energetic, fun music
this summer, Wakefield’s your band. It’s that simple. Oh, but
don’t let them fool you when Ryan sings, “we’re never getting
played on the radio” (“Infamous”). I wouldn’t be so sure about
that. After all, Wakefield did sign with a major label, and this
is the age of radio punk. Right?
-Kristal
Austin
Links:
www.wakefieldrocks.com
www.arista.com |
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Weezer
Maladroit
Geffen Records
Music Head Rating:
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Didn’t
these guys used to play “The Sweater Song”? Didn’t they put
out a Green Album last year full of fluff? Well,
they’ve come a long way since.
Weezer’s fourth album Maladroit is a
sophisticated rock album, complete with dazzling guitar solos and
an array of sounds from heavy rock to light blues. Who knew
frontman Rivers Cuomo could play the guitar like he’s ringing a
bell? “Rivers always had that ability to solo,” says
guitarist Brain Bell, “but he was always kind of scared and timid
about unleashing his technique on the world.” Cuomo breaks
away from the guitar solo mold of the Green Album and tears
these songs up with blistering guitar work. “I think Rivers
was ready to shred,” says bassist Scott Shriner. “We
actually encouraged him to do so. I always enjoyed guitar solos,
if the guitar player has something to say. And I really
think Rivers has a lot to say on guitar.” Well, he had a lot
to say on the songs “American Gigolo,” “Take Control,” Fall
Together” and the single “Dope Nose,” which also boasts the
colorful lyrics, “Cheese smells so good on a burnt piece of lamb /
fag of the year who could beat up your man.”
Not only does Cuomo reach new musical levels on this
album, but Bell and Shriner also produce eclectic rhythms
throughout the CD. Drummer Pat Wilson deviates from his
usual simple but effective approach on the drums, adding intricate
beats to tie the songs together. All of these elements
combine to make each song fulfilling, from the seesaw feel of
“Keep Fishin’,” the light bluesy shuffle of “Burnt Jamb,” to the
raging rock of “Slob,” which sucks you in with the opening guitar
riff and the lyrics, “I don’t like how you’re living my life / get
yourself a wife / get yourself a job / you’re living a dream /
don’t you be a slob.” According to Wilson, they even threw
in a little “classical music” with the song “Death and
Destruction.”
This album incorporates a variety of sounds ranging
from rock to pop to blues and even classical, with some songs
mixing these genres together. Each track is a different
experience that you’ll want to treat your ears to again and again.
This is nerd rock all grown up. -Edward
VassalloLinks:
www.weezer.com
www.geffen.com |
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