The casual listener may find it difficult to distinguish between Chevelle and Tool. After all, it sounds as if Chevelle lead singer/guitarist, Pete Loeffler, has spent his formative years working on mastering Maynard Keenan’€™s vocal stylings. Fortunately for us, Chevelle is able to provide a more accessible alt metal sound – a finished product less esoteric and grandiose than Tool and its step brother A Perfect Circle.

“Vena Sera” (translation: vein liquid) adds another well written chapter to the consistent book of work Chevelle has been creating over the past few years. Unlike bands that stray from their formula for success, Chevelle stays tried and true to its strengths. If you liked Chevelle’s past albums, go out and grab this “Vena Sera” now…….You already love it!!!!

Check out “Antisaint”, “Saferwaters”, and “Well Enough Alone” to whet your appetite for mosh pit!

“It’s 9 Teen 90 Nine Baby!!!” Well actually it’s 2 Thousand 007 (James Bond Style) playa hater! But relax race fans and allow me to transport you back 8 years. A time when Kid Rock was going platinum, Ricky Martin was “Livin’™ La Vida Loca”, Cher had a reason to “Believe”, and Rob Thomas was making Santana “Smooth” (and truckloads of money). 1999 was also the year Limp Bizkit had a reason to party like€“ well like it was 1999!!

Ever since the head banging, fist clenching remake of George Michael’s ‘Faith’ put Fred Durst and crew on the musical map, Limp Bizkit and the newly dubbed “Nu-Metal” movement became a staple in the MTV staple gun. “Significant Other” was Limp Bizkit’s slick follow up to their raw and aggressive debut, “3 Dollar Bill, Y’all”. Avoiding the sophomore slump, Limp Bizkit rode the perfect pop cultural storm to incredible multimedia success. After years of grunge, music finally became fun again – rock and roll personalities were actually seeking fame and enjoying all the excesses that go along with it.

Let’s face it, you either love Limp Bizkit or you hate them. If you are looking for intelligent thought-provoking lyrics look elsewhere. If you want to crank up your stereo and “break stuff” then you’ve found yourself a soundtrack. For fans of testosterone injected, mosh enticing, musical lethargy mixed with hip hop “Significant Other” does not disappoint. Guest appearances by Jonathan Davis (Korn), Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver), and Method Man round out the album.

If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, check out “Nookie”, “Just Like This”, “Break Stuff”, “I’™m Broke”, “Show Me What You Got”.

It’€™s hard to believe that four years have passed since Linkin Park’€™s last release “€œMeteora” burned up the alt rock charts. A lot has happened in this time:

1. Slash went into rehab
2. Britany Spears went off the deep end and into rehab like 4 times in a week’€™s time period
3. Axl promised us that “Chinese Democracy” was coming out every single year and yet we still wait. Chances are he knows someone in rehab.
4. Nick and Jessica fell in and out of love (Bon Jovi Style) and the world is waiting for one of them to fall to pieces (Velvet Revolver style) and check into rehab.

I digress….

Since their inception, Linkin Park has seamlessly meshed hip hop and rock in a manner that is both commercially acceptable as well as rocker friendly. Matter of€™ fact, the Jigga Man himself was so impressed that he decided to enlist Linkin Park’€™s services for some truly delectable “mash ups” (check out 2005′€™s “Collision Course”€).

With a few albums of success under their belt, you may assume that Linkin Park would play it safe. Well, they do kind a, sorta.

In honor of the end of the school year, we will provide an analogy to describe this album.

“Meteora” is to Jolt (popular caffeinated beverage of the 80′€™s, prior to the advent of Red Bull) as “€œMinutes to Midnight” is to:

A. Hawaiian Punch
B. Hi-C Ecto Cooler
C. Cran-Grape
D. Coke Zero

*If you answered D., you are correct!!! Congratulations,€“ you have earned yourself a virtual high five and a Scratch and Sniff sticker of your choice!

Why Coke Zero you may ask? Simply put, “€œMinutes to Midnight”€ does not rock nearly as hard as Linkin Park’s previous efforts. But, much like Coke Zero it still tastes great and bears a strong resemblance to its highly popular predecessor. Although slightly Mello-Yello the album shows a more sophisticated Linkin Park heavily focused on melody and emotion as evident in songs such as “€œShadow of the Day”€, “€œLeave Out All The Rest”€, and “€œIn Between”€ (to name a few). For those who fear change, the band does provide a small helping of classic Linking Park including “€œGiven Up”€, “€œBleed It Out”€, “€œWhat I’€™ve Done”€ and “€œNo More Sorrow”€.

Fortunately, Linkin Park pulls off the dichotomy in their sound and have given themselves the ability to further their musical explorations. If “Minutes to Midnight” was a mid term exam, I would give the boys an A for execution and effort.

I have had my ear on The Exies for the past few years; checking out their first two major label releases I found myself thinking they were just asi asi (asi asi = “okay” for the Spanish challenged). They definitely had the post grunge sound I normally enjoy, but someway, somehow they were missing a little something-something.

And then a compadre of mine told me I should check out their latest album, €œA Modern Way of Living With the Truth. Hoping the third time was the charm, I fired up Rhapsody and took the 13 track effort for a joy ride (Roxette style).

€œThere he is! €(think Sopranos) Finally, the prospect I have been waiting to break out of Triple A ball has risen from the ashes of mediocrity like a Phoenix Sun. Top to bottom, back to front, backwards, forwards any which way you choose to slice it—this is a solid rock album. It is the sophomore effort Puddle of Mud wishes they presented to the world: hummable melodies with crunchy guitar and Cobainesque vocals. Hooks a plenty with just enough grit to make you want to wash your hands!

Give an extra special listen to €œ”Different than You€”, €œ”Lay Your Money Down€, €œStray€”, and €œ”These Are The Days”€.

A more fitting title for Korn’s latest effort would be “Uninspired”. Armed with a creepier than usual aural assault, Korn find themselves regressing to the self indulgent sound of “Untouchables” rather than the more commercially accessible “See You On The Other Side”. Sure there are moments when the pieces of the puzzle all fit together (“Bitch, We got a Problem” and “Innocent Bystander”), but all in all this collection of songs just falls flat.

Fans of Korn will still find bright spots in the work, they just might have to try a little harder than in the past.

iTunes

Ladies and Gentleman, MusicRant is pleased to welcome…….. VELVET REVOLVER!!!!

While their first effort was just north of disappointing, the super group’s sophomore release showcases a band of amigos hitting their collective musical stride. Like a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly in Spring, the metamorphosis is complete: Less of Guns N Roses reincarnated as an STP tribute band, and more of just plain ol’ Velvet Revolver.

Simply stated, “Libertad” treats the listening public to a cohesive set of slinky, sleazy rock and roll offerings that would make Axl Rose’s dreads curl.

Single serving highlights include:

-Let it Roll
-She Builds Quick Machines
-Pills, Demons & ETC.
-Mary Mary
-Gravedancer

Note to Slash fans: The cat in the hat guitarist sounds great as usual, but unfortunately there simply isn’t enough.

Note to Slash: WE WANT MORE SOLOS!!! (or it’s coal in the stocking this year bub)

Sincerely,
Santa

iTunes

Move over Motley Crue, there is new competition for the best strip club anthem of all time. “Crazy Bitch” provides certified pole dancers with the necessary inspiration to pay off that massage school tuition in record time. Critics may not accuse them of being the next incarnation of the Doors, but if you like sleazy, bar rock in the vein of Guns N Roses, Buckcherry will not disappoint. “Fifteen” is a showcase for the band’s most cohesive set of songs to date.

Highlights include “Everything”, “Crazy Bitch”, and “Carousel”.

iTunes

The third time is the charm. After hitting the dreaded Sophomore slump, Puddle of Mudd has bounced back with a Post Grunge compilation that contains a healthy dose of Nickelbackesque power ballads, tempered with shots of adrenalized, tongue in cheek rockers. Finally living up to their debut’s success, Puddle of Mudd has taken the best elements of their early success and plastered them all over this album:

- whiny, raspy vocal stylings a la Kurt Cobain
- Hooks, hooks, hooks. Tinkerbell beware, this CD has more hooks than a Neverland nightmare!

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