Jonathan Woods

Days Away “Mapping An Invisible World”

I was originally introduced to Days Away by my great friend, roommate and band mate, Joey. We were driving somewhere, that took long enough to listen to a fair share of this record. I had heard of Days Away, however like most bands that I hear about, unless they’ve made a large impression on me at that point, I really didn’t give them a chance. I was stupid.

Now that the band is no longer, I feel the incredible misfortune of having to listen to the leftovers in the wake of their indefinite hiatus. I very much wish I would have given them a chance before their departure from the new music scene.

On to the record at hand. This is one of the most dynamic records I’ve ever heard. Dynamic in it’s volume. Dynamic in its intensity. Dynamic in the melodies. Not every melody in this record is bubble-gum be it vocal or musical. I feel the band weighs heavy on each hand the incredible ability it has to create diverse and cohesive music and melt it together seamlessly to a lead vocalist who I feel wants nothing more than for his voice and his words to ebb and flow with every nuance of the aforementioned music.

Every track has something for you. I will admit I have definite favorites and definite not-so-favorites, I do find something I like in every tune. Favorite track would have to be “Ideas” and least favorite track would have to be “The Fight” (though not because it’s not a great number, just that it doesn’t “take me there” like the rest of the tracks).

Saints Never Surrender “Brutus”

So my band, Yours For Mine got signed to a label last August called Blood & Ink Records. They’re the home of some fine hardcore and other various heavy/indie groups. The one that has truly caught my ear the most has been SNS. I have to be honest that I didn’t really give them a good listen for quite some time. I think now the band no longer exists, however a few members have moved on to start a band called Continuance. Anyway…on with the music. I have been listening to this record almost constantly at work for the past three weeks. It’s fast. It’s intricate. It’s heavy. It’s happy. I believe all of the songs are written in major keys. The music is excellent. It’s one of those bands that even without the screaming/vocals it would still stand strong on its own with just the music. It’s very inspirational. The screaming is not whiny. It’s not burp-core either. It’s right in that happy medium where you know the dude really feels what he’s singing (screaming). This band reminds me of a really heavy Slick Shoes (ex-T&N punk rock band), with some better vocals. I used to love Slick Shoes, but the vocals always left something to be desired. However their last record changed my mind a bit on that…but then again, they were on ‘Side One Dummy’ records, and I have nothing good to say about that label. Anyway – to make a short story long – this is a great record. Favorite track would be “Companion” and my least favorite would be “Mapping The Years.” Defintely worth buying.

Muse “Black Holes and Revelations”

Being Muse’s fourth studio album to date it’s time they showed their true colors in musical style, theory and prowess. I believe they’ve done this with ‘Black Holes’. Being an absolute fanatic about their previous record, “Absolution” I was skeptical that another record could top such a dark and emotional record as Absolution. My skepticism was without base. Upon my first listen over a year and a half ago, I was catapulted into a musical land with the sights and sounds of UK heroes. This is an “ever week” listen for me, and until their new record is available, I assume it will continue to be. Favorite track is “Starlight”

Death Cab for Cutie “Narrow Stairs”

This is the band’s sixth studio record to date. I am a death cab “late bloomer” if you will. I didn’t really start listening to DC until about two years ago. The first song I hear by DC was, like many other people, was “Soul Meets Body”. I heard it on the radio. I heard it in stores. I heard it on the stereo’s of cars. Basically I heard it everywhere. All I knew at that point was, “wow! some PR agent got something right”. It wasn’t until I took a new years trip to the outer banks with an ex-girlfriend that I was basically forced to listen to the entire “Plans” record. Not that I was forced into it exactly, but we had both forgotten our cd’s/ipod/whatever and that was the only record she had in her car. I have to say, by the time I got home from that weekend I was borderline obsessed with DC. I couldn’t stop listening. I shortly there after purchased all of their records. I fell in love. On to the present…I was very excited about the new record, and still am. I’ve got front-row-center seats to see them on Wednesday April 8th at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. I can’t wait. This record is borderline “stuck” in my Jeep’s cd player. For some reason I can’t seem to take it out of the unit…not complaining though. Favorite track is “Cath”.

Coldplay “Viva La Vida”

I can honestly tell you that there isn’t much to say about this record, other than it’s one of the finest pieces of music I have ever owned. Be it an “organic” or “produced” masterpiece, the bottom line is that it is just that. A masterpiece. The dynamics in the record leave you just diving over the edge to get your next fix of the beauty. If other artists in the market today could look to this record for use of silence, dynamics, ingenuity, and free-thinking (in music) we’d all be a lot more pleased with records on the shelves, everywhere. I can’t really say enough about the beauty and almost “perfectness” in this record. Stunned, and it’s still an “every week” record for me. For those of you who own and like this record, everything I’ve just said is a resounding “duh!” Favorite track is “Lovers In Japan / Reign Of Love”.

Kings of Leon “Only by the Night”

KOL’s fourth studio record. Can’t say that I ever heard of them before. It wasn’t until the disc was jammed into my ears by my best friend and roommate, Chad, that I even cared enough to listen. It was infectious. I have to be honest falling in love with this record reminded me a bit of the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus. The scene where the main character, Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfus) explains to his wife about how he fell in love with John Coltrane. He said this in the movie, that some guy down at a record store recommended John Coltrane (thinking that he knew what everyone liked). So he took it home and listened to it, and he hated it. I mean he really hated it. However, he could not stop listening to it. He kept playing it over and over, and listening to those notes soaring, and then, he just couldn’t stop listening to it. Now I won’t go so far as to say that I “hated” this record at first, but I had no interest in it until I listened to it for a while, and it grow on me enough now, that I love this record. It is most definitely an “every week” record. I don’t know if I’m a Kings of Leon fan, but I am a “Only by the Night” fan. That’s for sure. Favorite track is “Use Somebody”.