Review Friday: Daughtry and Candlebox
It's our first album review! I'm so excited for you guys to read it. The reviews will be based on my first listen through, and the bands reviewed are Daughtry, Candlebox, and Insomnium. Let's get right to it!
Daughtry - Dearly Beloved
Daughtry definitely returned to guitar rock with this record after experimenting with pop sounds for the last 2, and it is a welcome reunion. Chris' voice sounds as good as it had on the first record, and the band felt like they've been itching to play heavier stuff. Unfortunately, no matter what type of music they play, all the songs are identical to each other in structure. That makes for a boring listen at times; the added atmospheric parts throughout help subvert that, but the song similarity is still noticeable.
However, the second half of the album does a great job of having a number of stand out tracks like "Evil" and "The Victim."
All in all, my first impression is that this is one of the best Daughtry albums, and a much needed addition to their discography.
Ranking
self titled
Break the Spell
Dearly Beloved
Leave This Town
Cage to Rattle
Baptized
Candlebox - Wolves
After the ok Disappearing In Airports, Candlebox makes their best case for why the grunge band still deserves to be played and played often. The opening track kicks us off with a strut, and the band's confident swagger kept up; even if some of the material feels pretty plain. It's a band that knows they'll never reach the same levels of fame they previously had, and are completely ok with that.
The ballads are forgettable, and faster rockers are what they are, but the band really shines on sinister mid tempo songs like "We" and "Criminals."
Ranking
Self titled
Lucy
Into the Sun
Happy Pills
Wolves
Disappearing In Airports
Love Stories & Other Musings
Insomnium - Argent Moon EP
The saddest band in Death Metal returns with an EP designed to make you feel some feels. It starts off with a pretty great guitar intro that makes you wanna stare off into the sunset.
Jokes aside, Insomnium's emotion is unparalleled in Death Metal. A mix of triumph, nostalgia, and tear jerking depression. It's a very healing sound if you don't mind harsher vocals.
Argent Moon is a showcase of that sound within 24 minutes. For if you want a full Insomnium experience, but don't have time for an album. I wish I knew their discography better.
"The Conjurer" has great soaring guitar playing throughout; "The Reticent" gives us a more melancholy vibe featuring some clean singing; "The Antagonist" is about as close to a slow dancing ballad that I've heard in Death Metal yet; "The Wanderer" takes its name seriously to give us a sense of weary wandering.
And that concludes my first Review Friday! Let me know what you think in the comments about the records, and my opinion of them. Also, let me know what you wanna see on Review Friday; just albums, past releases, books, movies? Excited to hear your feedback!
Until next time,
C.J.