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7Horse Releases 'Songs For a Voodoo Wedding'
One of America's most talked about and most legendary cities is the great city of New Orleans. Whether you go for the parties, for Mardi Gras, for the culture and history, or for the legends of the city's people and their culture, which delves into the mythology of Voodoo, New Orleans has become a staple of the American culture, and has inspired many to write books, movies, and especially music. This was the case for rockers 7Horse, for the band, upon visiting the city, became enraptured to the point where they wrote their latest album, 'Songs For A Voodoo Wedding. Coming off of quite a year after their song "Meth Lab Zoso Sticker" was featured in the Academy Award Winning Film 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' 7Horse has provided fans with a great follow-up to what they already loved about the band.
Filled with the gritty rock vocals mixed with sweet blues melodies and soulful lyrics, 7Horse has produced an amazing record that speaks to the soul and heart of not only New Orleans, but all of us. With a range of varied blues/rock songs, such as the bad-ass "Carousel Bar", or the sweet tone of "Flying High (With No I.D.)", or some amazing guitar riffs and true rock and roll soul in "I Know The Meaning of Rock n' Roll", this album has produced some amazing, creative work that showcases the bands' varied talents and shows that classic rock/blues music is not dead, but very much alive and ready to embrace the 21st century in a big way. Coinciding with The Holy Day of Voodoo; St. Johns Eve, which honors the woman revered as The Voodoo Queen, Maria Laveau, the album, 'Songs For A Voodoo Wedding' was released on June 10th, 2014, and is a must have album this summer. Whether it's a road trip to the beach, a party with family and friends, or some other summer event, 7Horse is one of the summer's leading rock/blues bands that music fans can revel in.
LOUIS PRIMA, JR. & THE WITNESSES 'BLOW'
For far too long, there has been a vast divide between the golden age of jazz and big band music and the hard hitting rock and roll we all know and love today. One artist, however, is unafraid to breach that divide, and with the release of his new album, he looks to shatter the illusion that big band/jazz music is dead and rock music is in decline. That artist is Louis Prima Jr., and along with his band, the Witnesses, his album "Blow" looks to blow us all away, pun intended. Featuring the booming and melodic voice of Prima Jr. and the riveting music of the Witnesses, the band and singer all pay tribute to Prima's father and the people who began a musical sensation years earlier. Growing up with both parents as performers (his mother Gia Maione Prima, began performing with Prima Sr. in 1962, but put her career on hold in order to raise Louis Jr. and his sister, Lena Prima) it was only natural for Prima Jr. to follow in his parents footsteps and now he’s set to turn the world upside down and delight audiences everywhere with his jazz-fueled, rock n’ roll melodies and intoxicating music that has made him and his family modern-day legends in the music industry.
Their first album “Return of the Wildest!” featured hit songs such as "Oh Babe", "Las Vegas Woman", and an awesome rendition of one of his father's classic hit songs from Disney's The Jungle Book, "I Wanna Be Like You", but with their new album "Blow," LPJ and the Witnesses are poised to take the industry by storm and bring back an era of music many thought was dead. “Blow” features revved-up versions of Adam Ant's Goody Two Shoes and Louis Prima Sr.'s Robin Hood. But it’s on songs like Go Let's Go, the musical party I Just Wanna Have Fun and the explosive Fame And Glory that the band's originality shines through. Louis Prima Jr. has breathed life once more into the golden age of jazz music, and in so doing has fused the genre with rock and roll in a way that's never been done before. This is a must have album for the summer, and can be found in stores June 10th, 2014.
Parish Lines' Is Rod Melancon's Breakout Moment
Rod Melancon. Memorize that name, folks. I say this because, simply, you're going to want to be able to say you know all about one of the greatest musical storytellers of your time. I don't say that lightly, and no one paid me to write it. The truth of it is that when I saw the name Rod Melancon in my inbox mixed in with the dozens of other requests for reviews I was totally unfamiliar with him, and I can honestly say that I am very glad I took the time to listen to his new record 'Parish Lines.' If I hadn't, what a huge loss that would have been for me.
I'll stop gushing long enough to tell you why I feel as strongly as I do about this album. While Rod's debut record had more of a true country tone, 'Parish Lines' pushes the evelope and crosses blues, Americana and true rock barriers. It's not easy to sit down and tell a story in such a purely honest way in one breath, and then suddenly add fuel to the mix and turn from soulful to edgy, and then back again. Rod did this with ease from track to track. Having Brian Whelan as a producer on this record was genius as he clearly brought out the best in an already supremely gifted artist. 'Parish Lines' puts the listener right in the middle of bayou country, taking Rod to his roots and letting us peer through a window of sorts. That might sound like this is a purely Americana type of album, but there are so many different flavors here I can only encourage you to listen for yourselves. With tracks like 'Marella' giving off a funky, dirty kind of blues/rock feel to the softness of 'Feathers' with it's tale of memories and the visuals it brings to mind, you will find it hard not to relate to each track on some level. If you want to just let yourself go, then I highly recommend 'Wanna Go For A Ride'.....which happens to be my personal favorite track. For now.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Rod about the making of this album, and about the numerous comparisons he's gotten to artists like Johhny Cash, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Springsteen and even James Dean. Personally, I can definitely see all of the above comparisons to some degree in 'Parish Lines.' But I also see a future where some hot new up and coming musician is being compared to the legendary Rod Melancon.
The Dirty Heads render the term "sophomore slump" irrelevant with the success of their latest album 'Cabin By The Sea.'
What makes a great album? Is it one that has infectious style, texture, and a definitive ambiance? Or maybe it just comes down to solid vocals and perfect musical mechanics. Music critics have their own formulas for breaking down an album and giving their opinion on what artists do in the studio these days. For me, it has always come down to one thing........how does this record make me feel when I listen to it? By that simple formula alone, I can tell you that the recent release by Southern California's The Dirty Heads is a masterful, transcendent piece of work.
Dirty Heads frontman, Jared Watson has said that the intent behind 'Cabin By The Sea' was that they wanted each song to transport the listener somewhere. That was exactly what I felt while listening to the individual tracks. The songs took me to specific memories and places in my own life, and it was easy to see how every individual person hearing the record for the first time could share that experience. Aside from the the memories that this album sparked, it effortlessly makes you smile and leaves you with the kind of feeling you get after one of those unforgettable weekends with friends that leaves you with great stories to tell for years to come. The best way to describe listening to 'Cabin By The Sea' is to simply state that it is one of those albums that you never want to reach the last track of.......the same way you never want one of those great weekends to end.
The Dirty Heads caught our attention with their debut album, but they have definitely come into their own with 'Cabin By The Sea.' The blend of styles they offer up and feel good vibe their music has as a whole is something that is clearly resonating with fans and the music industry alike. Featuring guest appearances by Rome (from Sublime with Rome), Del the Funky Homosapien, Ky-Mani Marley and Hasidic hip-hop star Matisyahu, 'Cabin By The Sea' is an album we highly recommend.
Attika 7 Digs Into Our Dark Side with 'Blood Of My Enemies'
Whether people want to admit it or not, there is a certain appeal to the gritty, tough life of an outlaw. People seem to recognize that need to be independant in life, and the freedom that comes by living by your own set of rules. While living as an outlaw is not recommened by any means, there are times humanity likes to let out their pent up anxiety or the need to rebel. For those of you out there looking for that release, then look no further than Attika 7's full length debut, 'Blood of My Enemies.'
A definite force to be reckoned with, Attika 7 is comprised of ex-Biohazard vocalist Evan Seinfeld on vocals/guitars, famous (Sons of Anarchy) motorcycle builder Rusty Coones on guitar, bassist Tony Campos, and Dustin Schoenhofer on drums. Blending the dark, intense feeling that comes with the trademark heavy metal band with powerful vocals and masterful lyrics that make each track a new chapter in an ever-evovling story, 'Blood of My Enemies' seems to reinvent the metal world, showing that this genre is definitely still kicking, and hasn't stopped producing unique and powerful music.
With such tracks as 'Serial Killer,' 'Greed and Power,' and 'Hellbound,' each track seems to add onto the amazing power this album provides. Out now in stores, Attika 7's 'Blood of My Enemies' is a must have for all hardcore metal fans. We here at On Request magazine look forward to seeing this band evolve and remind the music industry that metal is still very much alive.
PureGrainAudio.com and PureGrain.TV have released a mini documentary titled "Zeroed In" which covers, in detail, the release of Toronto, ON metallic hardcore band Cancer Bats' new album "Searching for Zero" and their Album Release Show on March 12th, 2015.
On Request had the opportunity to talk with 'Zeroed In' director, Chris Gonda recently about the experience of making this mini-doc about this critically acclaimed Toronto band.
OR: What was the atmosphere like among the fans while filming the documentary?
CG: Overall, fans were totally stoked for the event. So many of them had yet to hear the new material and were there to not only see friends and support the band, but also to experience the music for the first time. Most of them were thrilled to be able to further support the group by participating in the mini doc.
OR: Were there any surprising moments for you while filming with either the band or the fans?
CG: Other than when someone who appeared soft-spoken ended up being the most crass, loud or funny, no major surprises to report! Filming was as smooth and fun as could be.
OR: What do you think it is about the Cancer Bats that creates such as fierce loyalty and admiration among its fans?
CG: Torontonians, and Canadians in general, are, for the most part, very loyal people. Moreover, it goes without saying that the added layer of the guys being from the "hardcore/rock/metal/punk" scene adds even more loyalty. Combine all of that with the fact that the dudes in Cancer Bats are downright kind and genuine men, and people are left with no reason to not want to support the group.
OR: What was it about the band's fifth album, "Searching for Zero", that made it stand out to you?
CG: In all honesty, it was less about their fifth album and more about the timing of it all. We had just celebrated our 10 year anniversary as a website and "Searching for Zero" also happened to approximately mark the band's 10 year anniversary (they self-released their first demo in January 2005). We're big fans of the band and "Searching for Zero" is, in many ways, the Cancer Bats going back to their roots, so we thought we'd hit the release party and document the night.
OR: Why do you think the band has had such a major influence on the hardcore rock and metal scene in Toronto?
CG: Well, other than the fact that they're such a killer group, I'd have to refer you to my previous comment about the guys being so "real".
OR: If you can, tell us about something interesting that may not have made it into the final cut of the documentary. Maybe a question or instance during the show that may have been cut out.
CG: Good question. As we were wrapping up our interview with Liam and Mike a BlackBerry fell out of Liam's pocket. I have not only always used a BlackBerry, but also used to work there, so that turned into a funny little chat about loyalty (supporting fellow Canadians like Cancer Bats or BlackBerry), taking care of business, and being "old-school" (half of the Bats Boys still use Berrys).