Album Review: Closer EP by Jeff Schneeweis

I don't normally review albums, but this guy is a friend so I thought, "What the heck!? Why not?" You may know him from the band Number One Gun. Well, he decided to release a solo Worship EP while NOG was recording their new album (which is coming soon! I'm excited!!!). I personally like the EP! Think Imagine Dragons mixed with Ellie Goulding and you will most likely like the album. I'm not gonna do this like my traditional reviews, just gonna pinpoint on a couple of the songs and why I like them so much!

All the songs on the ep are amazing as I must say! My favorite though will have to be the title track. It has a nice upbeat tune with an almost dubstep part in the intro! It's like any other worship album, just praising God for all he does, Jeff just does it in an upbeat way!!!

Rating: 9.8 out of 10

Purchase Links: Not Available Until Tuesday!

Top song: "Closer"

For Fans Of: Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Calvin Harris

Black History Tribute

Well, I know I should've posted this earlier in the month, but i just realized this and it just came to my attention the other day. African-Americans really mean A LOT to me! Like, Michael Buble's jazzy style wouldn't exist without them! Or my personal idol and probably fave artist of all time wouldn't exist (Michael Jackson). I mean, like a lot of the greatest things in life wouldn't exist if it weren't for them! If I lived back in the early 1900's, I would fight hard and I mean HARD for Black Rights. Why would America discriminate them? They went against the Declaration of Independence by not equalizing them to whites! The Declaration of Independence says, "All Men Are Created Equal." It just sickens me to know they were treated so bad! One of my best friends is African-American and she is crazy awesome! We relate so much and I love it! (: I'm just glad America got over their hatred of this race! I really don't have much else to say, I just wanted to get my point out there!

Until Next Time, Alex

God Gave Me Who? (A Comedic Post About Valentines Day)

Well, Valentines Day is in 3 days and I have officially broken my record of Valentines Days being single. It WAS 17 in a row and now it is 18 in a row! At this rate I will be the 40-year-old virgin. Lol I have never seen that movie and have no desire to either! Valentines Day is just another holiday invented by girls to make their boyfriends spend money on them! I mean like really, we have week-a-versaries, two week-a-versaries and so on. What if this "Holiday" didn't exist? This world probably wouldn't go on rampage, probably the worst we could expect is a strike, which America basically is already on with 7.8% of the pop that is able to work not working, now if we could convince the rest of the world to do that, wow would we be great! Everyone in this country is like Doofenshmirtz! We all say something and think its gonna be amazing, but then a small platypus (In this case, laziness) comes and stops us. Wait!? This doesn't relate to V-Day, oops, Valentines Day? Shoot, I'm sorry!!!! This is supposed to be a Valentines Day post and no one told me! That ain't cool bro! Well, for this guy, this very attractive guy, this guy that, aw, never mind. It's considered "Singles Awareness Day!" Wanna know why? Because all these couples get all lovey dovey just to shove it in all us Singles' faces that we don't a significant other. Well guess what!? I do have one and that is God! I COULD end up being the real life 40-year-old virgin and I could careless if no girl likes me ever! He is the only one that will always and forever love me! So, yes, this post may be very funny, but it wouldn't be funny if God didn't give me this ability! You all need to know this, and I fall short all the time! I really don't have much else to say! I guess I will leave you with a few songs for your listening enjoyment. (: Lol Enjoy! (:

Until Next Time, Alex

Album Review: Release The Panic (Deluxe Edition) by RED

RED has been rocking fans ever since Breathe Into Me premiered back in 2006. They are back with their fourth release that is completely different than their first three releases. For Release The Panic they have taken away the usual orchestra you'd here on their songs. On this album, they replaced the strings with more keyboards and guitars. Release The Panic only really has one ballad on the whole album. The rest of the album is rock your socks off, break your neck, almost metal mixed with pop songs. If you like bands like KoRn or Metallica, then I would HIGHLY suggest buying this album!

The album starts of with the hard-hitting title track. The song is talking about the end times and judgment day. A lot of people aren't going to Heaven and if you don't entirely know, repent of your sins and believe Jesus is alive, or you should release the panic. "Perfect Life" is the album second track and lead single. It is a song about someone wanting a perfect life. Since Jesus was the only one that could have a perfect life, it is a a huge lie.

"Die For You" is the best song on the album, in my opinion. It's a song from God's perspective. He is talking to an unbeliever and trying to get them to believe in Him, because He would die for them every day. "Damage." Man that is the heaviest song on the album. I'd consider it almost hardcore. I love this one just as much as "Die For You." In the song, the .singer feels like all he causes is damage and can't fix it. When he cries out to God, he feels like He isn't listening

I know I keep saying the songs are amazing, but it really is true with the whole album. "Same Disease" is no exception to this. The song is about everyone on earth. Everyone sins, so therefore, they are symbolizing it to a disease. "Hold Me Now" is the only ballad on the entire album. It is an amazing song to listen to if you are feeling depressed. It has such an amazing message to it and it seriously brings me to tears every time I listen to it.

"If We Only" is the seventh track on the album. It seems like a song between God and a person. It's basically a conversation and even though we humans are the victim, God gets all the blame for all of our mistakes. "So Far Away" is another amazing song! (Sorry I keep saying that by the way.) In the song, The singer feels like he is reaching for God, but since He is perfect and we aren't, he feels like God's love is so close, yet it seems like He is so far away.

In "Glass House" RED is symbolizing our souls as a glass house. Since glass is so easy to break, God can break through the house and be the center of our souls and life. "The Moment We Come Alive" is the closing track on the standard edition of the album. The song is talking about how NONE of us are truly alive until we accept that Jesus died for us and then rose again in three days.

"Love Will Leave A Mark" is the first of two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of the album. We all have a very different and very personal relationship with God. Different kinds of love will leave us all "scarred" in a very unique way. "As You Go" is the final new song on the deluxe edition. In the song, someone the singer loves is leaving and he wants them to know that he is always by their side no matter where they go.

Overall, this album is just amazing! I wouldn't be surprised one bit if it went up for Rock Album of The Year at the 2014 GRAMMYs. It is the perfect mix of Heavy, Almost-Metal Rock and Alternative, "Ballady" Rock. If you are looking for any new music to purchase, I suggest buying this and any other album that comes out this year, because I, for one will most likely go broke on 2013's releases, and that means a bunch of beautiful reviews by me! (:

Rating: 10 out of 10

Purchase Links: Standard Edition: iTunes, Amazon MP3 Deluxe Edition: iTunes, Amazon MP3

Top 3 Songs: "Same Disease," "Damage," "Die For You"

For Fans Of: KoRn, Metallica, Love and Death