New Music Buzz: January 2009

New Music Buzz: January 2009

I don't know if I'll be able to keep this as a recurring series up here, as I don't discover new music nearly as often as I'd like to, but over the last month I've heard a lot of new stuff that's showing some real promise. Not sure if it'll get picked up by popular radio, but it's certainly worth looking at if the genre interests you. These first two are from Rock Band 2, and both come from the free 20 songs that can be downloaded with a key on the back of the game's manual.


"Magnetic Baby" by Semi-Precious Weapons from "We Love You", Glam rock

Normally you wouldn't catch me listening to glam rock, and this song sounds like it missed the bus to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, but there's something catchy about the chorus that keeps me coming back at least once a week. Given the context of the song, I have to wonder if "Magnetic" is a code word for "Gay" (magnets do attract one another), and while I'm not, the song is a lot of fun.

"It's not my fault this is how [my mama/my daddy/I-I-I] made me
I've been magnetic since I was a baby..."

It is fun to play on guitar... and the vocals are less grating if you've got a woman singing (and has vocal track turned down and the mic turned up).


"I Don't Care" by Apocalyptica from "Worlds Collide", Symphonic rock

Apocalyptica have come a long way in the music industry since their first album in the mid-90s, "Plays Metallica on Four Cellos", which was exactly that: Four guys from Finland doing Metallica covers on cellos. And, to varying degrees, it worked. "Enter Sandman" was recognizable, sort of, and "The Unforgiven" was hauntingly beautiful, much like the original. For this new album however, Apocalyptica have gone the "Santana route" (to reference his "Supernatural" album) and brought in guest vocalists, including Till Lindemann of Rammstein, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, and in this case, Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace, as well as a drummer.

This song sounds like a Three Days Grace song, which would be cool on its own, but having the cellos in the background takes the ownage factor to a whole new level.

There are two versions of this song out. The first one, featured on the album, is good, but the single, retooled for the radio, is better. It's a little faster, it's heavier, and the lyrics are changed in some areas, most notably the chorus. The original's chorus is shorter, but hits a little harder, where the single's chorus and verses flow together more naturally. Both are good, but having heard the single first, the original seems lacking.