Album Review: Scripted by Icon For Hire

Icon For Hire hit the scene earlier this year when they released their debut single, "Make A Move." They were on tour with RED, Head, The Wedding, and Decyfer Down during the summer and early fall. On their debut album, "Scripted," it seems like there is rarely, and I do mean rarely, a quiet moment. Even the two ballads, "The Grey" and "Only A Memory," get loud and hard hitting about halfway through the song. Icon For Hire, in my opinion, has the aggressiveness of Flyleaf and/or The Letter Black without the screaming. The singer, Ariel, sound like a cross between Paramore's front-woman, Hayley Williams and Stephanie Smith. This is probably the best rock, female-fronted album of the year.

The album begins with a sick intro ("Overture") that leads into the first track on the album, "Theater." From that first track, you can tell that Icon For Hire is hard-hitting rock. In "Theater," the singer is asking God to help her get the strength to face the crowd that's always telling her to do wrong.

"Make A Move," the second track on the album was also the single that got them started. It is another "in your face" track. In this song, she is asking someone to make a move because she is tired of waiting and she just wants the answers so she can move on.

"Get Well" was the second song on the album to be made into a music video. The song talks about how the singer wants everyone to stop partying and eventually everyone hurts. She is basically saying "no" to tempting things in life like drinking, smoking, partying, etc and wants God to help her get well.

"The Grey" is the first "ballad" on the album. Even though it starts out with a piano part, by the chorus, the song starts getting in your face again. In the song, Ariel is playing the part of God. She is telling the main character of the song that she doesn't want to lose them to suicide or temptations in everyone's lives.

On the next song on the album, "Off With Her Head," starts out with the hard-hitting, in your face guitars after a little break. In this song, she is saying that she sins so much, that her sin is basically choking her. Even though she says and knows she deserves death, she is asking the Savior (Jesus) to save her from her sin.

"Fight" is one song that most of the world can relate to. She is saying that, even though she betrayed her and her faith, she is going to fight to get it back. She says she is standing on the edge and wondering if she is better off dead.

"Up In Flames" is most definitely my favorite song on the album. Ariel proves one of her many talents on the song by singing faster than a lot of rock singers can. In this song, she is saying, go ahead, burn me or tie me up, but I will never be ashamed of the Bible and the truth that is in it.

"Iodine" is a track that is saying that she is depressed and not even close to healthy, so she covers it up so no one else can see her pain. She calls this "medical term," "Crazy." She is wondering what she has left and if she even deserves to live.

The last "ballad" on the album is "Only A Memory." In this song, she is talking to someone who has abused her both physically and emotionally. She tells it that they are only a memory and that she knows they're hurt inside, but she wants to forget it.

The song to end the album is "Pieces." As expected, they follow their in-your-face rock for the song. In the song, the singer is telling the character that you have made a wreck of your life, and no one can change it but you.

According to the last review (NEEDTOBREATHE's The Reckoning) I said that it would be hard to beat as my favorite album for a while. Well, I lied! I am a HUGE rock fan, and even though I love country/folk/alternative, rock will always be my favorite genre of music. So, this is my new favorite album, for now! The next album I will be reviewing is III by Family Force 5 and should be up later this week, so stay tuned!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Top 3 Songs: "Get Well," "Off With Her Head," and "Up In Flames"

Purchase links: iTunes, Amazon MP3

For fans of: Paramore, VersaEmerge, FireFlight, Flyleaf

Until next time, Alex

Album Releases for the Month of November

Hey guys! How are you doing today? Hopefully better than me! I am excited for November, because it is full of must-have new music. So here is the list if you are intersted in any of them:

November 1st - John Mark McMillan - Economy  (Worship)

November 1st - B. Reith - How The Story Ends (Pop)

November 15th - Newsboys - God's Not Dead (Worship)

November 15th - Run Kid Run - Patterns (Rock/Pop)

November 15th - Chris Tomlin - How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection (Worship)

November 15th - Seventh Day Slumber - The Anthem of Angels (Rock)

November 21st - James Durbin - Memories of A Beautiful Disaster (Rock)

November 21st - Daughtry - Break The Spell (Rock)

November 22nd - Michael W. Smith - Glory (Pop)

November 29th - Jesus Culture - Awakening Live (Worship)

Seasonal Albums:

November 1st - Hawk Nelson - Christmas EP

November 1st - Jadon Lavik - Christmas

And that's pretty much all the notable releases next month! I've included links to the artist's websites if you wanna check them out! Until next time, Alex.

Album Review: The Reckoning by NEEDTOBREATHE

Ever since they  were founded in 1999, NEEDTOBREATHE has been pleasing fans with their music. Their latest album is different from their past work. It has ballads along with rock and country tunes. If you like rock or country music, this album is sure to please.

The first track on the album, "Oohs and Ahhs," is one of the best opening tracks on an album, ever! It starts out with a nice acoustic guitar and then brakes into a rock tune. If you were to buy one song on this album, this would be my second choice.

White Fences is also an amazing song, starting out with a mandolin, it is a nice Alt-Folk tune, which I am pleased. The third track on the album, Drive All Night, is a song that sounds like it could be a Taylor Swift or Rascal Flatts song with its country-pop tune. In my opinion, the best song on the album.

"A Place Only You Can Go" is an acoustic ballad that says the singer's heart is a place only his love can go. Another great song! Slumber, which was the album's first single, hit number one within two weeks of it being released. The first time I heard the song, I was excited to hear what else they had!

The title track, "The Reckoning," is a nice alternative tune, which the singer explains how he is moving on with his life. Able is another slow, but good song. It is also simple, with the words.

"Maybe They're on to Us" is probably my second favorite song on the album. It has trumpets, which is new for NTB, but is a good addition and I feel like I am in an old Western bar from a movie whenever I listen to it!

In "Wanted Man," the singer feels like he is wanted for some reason and is trying to find it! "Keep Your Eyes Open," oh, man, is another love song telling the singer's love that he is there and there is nothing to worry about, so she can open up her eyes.

"Tyrant Kings" isn't my favorite song on the album, but it is good. I have the same feeling for "Devil's Been Talkin'." And that is pretty much my feeling for the rest of the album!

The Rineheart brothers have done it again with another fourteen AMAZING songs, and if you are a long-time NEEDTOBREATHE fan, or a new fan of only a year and a half, like me, you will not be disappointed!

Top 3 Songs: "Oohs & Ahhs," "Maybe They're On to Us," & "Drive All Night"

Purchase Links: iTunes, Amazon MP3

For Fans of: Kings of Leon & Mumford and Sons

I bought it off of iTunes, because I had a gift card, but Amazon has all the NTB albums on sale, including The Reckoning, so I suggest getting it from there.

Until Next Time, Alex

I Despise Mondays! But, I Wanna Wobble!

Hello!! Yes, today is monday, and, even though it went by really fast, I am still tired. The worst part is, my school was like the only school in the valley who didn't have today off! I am really obsessed with the new Family Force 5 song, "Wobble." It is different from their past electronic/metal stuff, but it is still really good! I really could use a monster right now! Just found out that one of my friends can give me guitar lessons for cheap! I will officially be a rockstar! Thank you, Josh! That's pretty much it, c u tomorow! Here is the link if you wanna buy it on iTunes: FF5 - Wobble on iTunes

Introduction

Well, this is the first post, and I will be talking about some must-have music along with reviewing some of my favorite albums on this blog! If you don't know me already, I LOVE music. It is basically my passion! I love to write songs and am currently trying to get a band started.

The first must-have song is "Paralyzed" by Brian "Head" Welch if you like R3D, you should purchase this song! It is a mere 99 cents on iTunes. The album cover is weird, but the song is awesome! Paralyzed by Head on iTunes 

The next song just so happens to be my ringtone! It is the brand new song by Daughtry, and it is amazing! "Crawling Back to You" is the latest song off his upcoming album, and by the looks of it, the new album is going to be better than the first two! Unfortunately, it is not 99 cents like the other one, but it is worth the extra 30 cents. Crawling Back to You by Daughtry on iTunes 

Those are both amazing songs and that pretty much wraps up the first post.
Until next time, Alex