NEW MUSIC CORNER # 25 (DANKO JONES/THE GRACIOUS FEW/7DAYBINGE/DOMMIN)

[RJhog (Admin)]

by RJhog

 

This week I have 3 straight forward rock albums for you.  Two of those are debut albums by bands that have been pieced together from other bands that are still active.  I also have a bonus album.  I was gonna post the new The Damned Things album, but since Niels was planning on posting it his next time up, I decided to go with something else.  This actually worked out well because I'm really liking the album that I'm posting as a bonus.  I just got it a week ago and it's getting a lot of airplay over here in Augusta.

 

1. I Think Bad Thoughts

2. Active Volcanoes

3. Tonight Is Fine

4. (I Can't Handle) Moderation

5. Full Of Regret

 

I'm liking this one more and more.  Straight ahead rock, not always the greatest lyrical content, but in my opinion, the first track is in a tight battle for song of the year.  We saw a video from Niels earlier in VOTW (I think it was track # 5) that turned me on to this band, so thanks Niels.  I hear a few Kiss influences musically, especially in Active Volcanoes, so you know that works for me.

 

6. Appetite

7. Honest Man

8. Crying Time

9. Silly Thing

10. Tradecim

 

The Gracious Few are comprised of LIVE bassist Patrick Dahlheimer,
drummer Chad Gracey, and guitarist Chad Taylor and Candlebox front man
Kevin Martin and guitarist Sean Hennesy. Between them they have more
than thirty million records sold and over twenty top ten songs at radio.
Their self-titled debut album, produced by Jerry Harrison (Talking
Heads) features the debut single "Honest Man which pays homage to the
American working class.

The band has made little attempt to mask their love for classic driving rock n' roll - 70's rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones
are just a few of the influences you'll hear on the band's self-titled
debut album. Leslie Fram of New York's preeminent rock station WRXP
calls The Gracious Few "rock for the new millennium.

 

(from Amazon.com)

 

11. 7 Day Binge

12. End Of The Road

13. I'm No Good

14. Cold Dark Grave

15. Good Times

 

7dayBinge includes Todd Harrell of 3 Doors Down on bass, Jon Nicholson of the Muzik Mafia on guitar and vocals, Kenny Olson of Kid Rock's band on lead guitar, and Shannon Boone on drums. A side project by artists
who just wanted to make some music came together when Nicholson opened
for 3 Doors Down in Europe. Stops in Amsterdam (during which a 7-day
binge may have occurred) found Harrell and Nicholson working on some
music together. Recorded at the Sound Kitchen in Nashville and produced
by the band, this album features straight-up rock with a slight dusting
of Southern rock.

 

(from Amazon.com)

 

16. My Heart, Your Hands

17. Tonight

18. Love Is Gone

19. Closure

20. Honestly

 

Okay, I wouldn't classify this as straight ahead rock like the previous 3 albums.  I may not be accurate here, but my best description is that it is sort of a late 80's/techno/pop something or other.  Best thing to do is let you listen and decide for yourself, but just so you know, I really like it.

 

***Click this link to listen:  New Music Corner # 25

 

 

 

 

[Scott]

Been waiting for the Danko Jones ever since Niels posted that video.  Cant wait to hear it now.  Also like the band that makes up The Gracious Few.  I love the band LIVE and CANDLEBOX has some pretty tight stuff also. Not a big three doors down fan, but hope the 7 day binge isnt a knock off...

 

Nice post, I will get to it this evening, probably after the Carolina Panthers fall behind in the 1st quarter tonight.  Every football fan knows that a 3 point deficit for Carolina is insurmountable...  hahahaha

[RJhog (Admin)]

Isn't it amazing how NFL teams rise and fall?

 

Also, I have Ed Kowalczyk's (probably very badly mispelled) solo album that will be in my next installment.  Scott probably knows who he is, but for everybody else, he was the lead vocalist for Live.

[Niels (Mod)]

Oh, I know who he is too! I'm looking forward to take a listen. It look's VERY promising. It might take a few days, christmas and all. And thanks, RJhog for not "using" The Damned Things, even though it's a little bit booring to post it, now that I know you've allready got it, but I'll do it anyway.

[Scott]

DANKO JONES ... (Thumbs 45 degrees up)
Love the style of bass play in the first track!  Kinda grabs and ropes you in.  Active Volcanoes definitely had that KISS feel you referred to, the song that came to mind was "Love Her All I Can" because of the bass riff mostly. As much as I was wanting to hear this I gotta say that while it is really good, its not as great as I was hoping.  Feeling a little let down, but maybe I had my expectations too high because I loved the video and tune Niels posted a lot and thought that would carry over into all the tracks.  Still, thumbs are up but not enough to purchase...

THE GRACIOUS FEW ... (Thumbs way way up)
Can really hear Candlebox a little more than you can hear Live, but that's not a bad thing.  The mix is really working well.  Loved the opening couple of tracks but Crying Time, Silly Thing, and Tredecim (whatever that means) really blew me away!  Awesome, Awesome tracks!  This is thumbs up with a recommendation to purchase.

7 DAY BINGE ... (Thumbs up)
If my expectations were high for Danko then I corrected for this, because I'm expecting to hear the three doors down monotone drone.  But, I didn't! My lowered expectations have paid off, but not enough to purchase, just enough to enjoy the tracks in this post and check out the rest later.  "I'm No Good" and "Cold Dark Grave" are really cool tracks.

Dommin .. (Thumbs up)
So far in this NMC Ive had high expectations and low expectations, with this I'm going in with no expectations.  I must say this isn't really that bad.  Very melodic and I do hear the new wave influence but mostly in the vocals and some keyboards, but its not annoying.  Didn't like "Love Is Gone" but the rest of the tracks were very nice!

Really high quality NMC for me.  No thumbs down at all!

[Jon]

It's a Danko Jones rush! I just picked up their first two albums a couple weeks ago...have to find some time to listen to this list. You guys are killing me! I can't listen to these playlists at work, sometimes the players work for me, sometimes not. So I have to listen at home...I'm not bloing you guys off I get to them all. Eventually. Really. 

[Jon]

Danko Jones--Thumbs Up

Except for the filthy language on that first song...wait, I use that language every day! So I dug it! And dug the rest! To me it's a party album, something to put on while having a kegger ( is that immature?) or having friends over for wine and a nice game of bridge.

 

The Gracious Few--Thumbs 3/4 down

Everything about this album posted annoyed me, except for "Tradecim". Just sounded too run of the mill, like I've heard it before. 

 

 7 Day Binge--Thumbs Up

I got a groove vibe, kind of reminded me of King's X in a way. Groove music, man!

 

Dommin--Thumbs Down

None of the songs did anything for me.

 

Good post Rjhog! 2/4 ain't bad, you batted .500 for me!

[Niels (Mod)]

DANKO JONES (THUMBS UP)

This sounds very good. I should had bought this a long time ago.

THE GRACIOUS FEW (THUMBS 90% UP)

Yeah well, this sounds good, but there's something about it, that I don't really like. They sound a BIT like LIVE some times, but it's not that. I did like LIVE in the 90's.

7 DAY BINGE (THUMBS UP)

It was ALLMOST thumbs way up, but I'm not really sure. I have to take a few more listenings. But I do like it a lot.

DOMMIN (THUMBS on the way DOWN)

Naah, I don't care much for this either. I don't care, if I ever hear Dommin play again.