New Movie Review by Matt Arnold: Get Him to the Greek

Movie: Get Him to the Greek
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Release: In Theaters Now!

So this was meant to be my Toy Story 3 review but because of unforeseen circumstances I was unable to see it. (Note To Self: Pixar movie on Father’s Day, Bad Idea.) Instead I went to see “Get Him to the Greek”. Now I’m the kind of person who doesn’t go to the movies to see comedies, last one I saw was “Clerks 2”. I would rather watch them on Netflix. But to my surprise the movie was very good and worth every penny paid.

“Get Him to the Greek” stars Jonah Hill as Aaron Green a low-level record company employee, Russell Brand as Himself… well Aldous Snow the washed out Rock Star to be exact, and Sean “P. Puff Diddy Daddy” Combs in the hilarious role of Record Executive Sergio Roma. Directed by Nicholas Stoller, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and Produced by Judd Apatow (Funny People, Superbad). The story is set up with Aaron Green coming up with the idea of getting Aldous Snow to do a reunion show and the Greek Theater in LA in order to help out the struggling music label. Sergio at first dislikes the idea but then sends Aaron to London to retrieve Snow and get him to the LA within 3 days with pit stops in New York and Las Vegas for some Rock Star like escapades. The setup is a pretty typical road trip movie with the Rock Star gimmick. With a few original ideas sprinkled throughout.

Both Hill and Brand fit their roles perfectly. Hill comes off as completely uncomfortable with everything that is going on around him and is barely in control of the outrageous Snow. Brand was born for the role of a strung out Rocker has been. Now the real treat of the movie was Combs as Sergio, it has been a long time since I have laughed every time a character was in a scene. He is the most constantly funny character in the film. There are also a number of cameos in the film from Lars Ulrich, of Metallica fame to a great scene with Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). Now the one thing I have not seen talked about is the amount of commentary the film has on the Music Industry. It brought up a number of points from record labels abusing artist, caring only about the money, and artist not writing their own songs. Now these points are no way new but its nice to see a film bring them up in the light of how well the music industry is doing.

“Get Him to the Greek” is a very effective comedy that gives you relatable characters, great scenarios, a large number of quotables (“When the world slips you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.”) has heart and soul, and one of the greatest comedic roles of the year. I also enjoyed how everything did not work out quite perfect by the end of the film like in most comedies. Take a group of friends and enjoy the best comedy of the year so far.

Local Music Review by Mike Lee: In Memory of Man

Band: In Memory of Man
Album/Release: The Reckoning/June 5th 2010
Sounds Like: Sounds like: Tool, Karnivool, Shinedown, Finger Eleven
Home Town: Dallas Fort Worth

Hey everyone this week we are going to talk about Dallas, Texas home grown band In Memory of Man. Formerly know as Loaded Moses they have been on the Dallas scene for years now. They just released a new EP and changed over to the new name also adding a few new members of other big time local bands such as The Feds and Microton.

They new EP consists of 5 songs including “Paper Planes”, “The Reckoning”, “My Sweet”, “Headshot”, and “Cause it Can”. The bands singer Alex Lily is a standout for sure on this record and if you seem them perform live you will real understand what I mean. The bands new record falls somewhere between Finger Eleven and Shinedown. Its very face pasted but very melodic and catchy. The have the EP for sale on Itunes as well as at their shows. Go seem them live and buy their EP.

-Mike Lee

Local Band Interview by Erilyn Daly: Subject Untitled

Band: Subject Untitled
Upcoming Show: Friday June 25th at The First Bapstist Church Ft. Worth
Management: The Sherrill Agency

I’ve got a super special little article here for you guys, because it’s not an article, it’s an interview!! OH SNAP. That’s right, the first ever Hot Topic DFW Facebook Fanpage interview, and you all get to be a part of it. This is a special moment, and I want you all to savor it; I know I will.

Alright, sappiness over. I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Cothren, the lead singer of the band Subject Untitled. Now Subject Untitled has a show coming up today, that you need to checkout!! It’s at the First Baptist Church of Ft. Worth and it’s crazy cheap (only $7), so you HAVE to go. Plus, after reading this interview, you’ll wanna go out and support them even more. This band is really a bunch of Good Ole’ Boys making diggable, relatable tunes. They don’t want to be rockstars, they just want to reach out and touch people with their music. They have a very rock feel to them and I would probably compare them to a band like Papa Roach.

Q: So what’s the message behind your name?? Are you looking for a title of the band or will this project forever and always be “Subject Untitled?”
A: Well actually that band name has a lot of meaning to it. The bass player’s father passed away and he had a dream where his father told him to start a band and call it Subject Untitled. We didn’t really question it. Since we’ve gotten that name, I think our drummer went and looked up the meanings of the words. Subject is “to be under the rule of the sovereign one,” and Untitled is “to carry no name, as in ability.” So, it does have a meaning to it.

Q: What is your most recent CD releases or singles?
A: Right now we have a four song EP out, and we’ve released one of the songs, Lost Souls, to the radio stations, but we’re still working on trying to get our actual first official full-length CD together. It’s just hard. A lot of us have families, we’re trying to do gigs and live our normal lives while trying to make enough money to get into the studio. So, we just go in as we can afford it, and do a song.

Q: So do you only perform those four songs live?
A: No. We’ve got, I’m not sure how many songs, about 15. We usually play about 10 to 12 of them each show and there’s a few that we rotate in and out.

Q: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals?
A: Not really. We just show up, get the gear and hangout.

Q: What is your favorite thing about performing live?
A: For me, I’ve been through a lot in my life and my lyrics have a lot of meaning in them. That’s what I enjoy: Getting my message out to people and hearing their reactions. That people hear my words and respond to them, as a lyricist and a singer, that’s why I do what I do. I’m not in it for the whole rockstar lifestyle. I’m in it to reach people.

Q: What is the craziest thing that’s happened at a show (any broken bones?)
A: Once we played in Alvarado at a rodeo arena, and we already felt weird, and we get set up, and the first song we played, we blew the electricity out.

Q: What’s the farthest you’ve toured? Got any tour plans coming up?
A: We’re big family guys. I personally have five kids and am about to remarry, so we’re trying to ease into touring a little. We did go to Nashville in April for a week and we played SXSW (South By Southwest) down in Austin, back in March. (Which just happens to be my very favorite thing to do all year.)

Q: What’s your favorite venue that you’ve played at? Is there a venue you dream of playing?
A: I would probably say Curtain Club. It’s just a good place to play; sound is always good, setup is good, plus it’s a well known place to play. I know that Trees has opened up in Dallas and I’d like to play there. I know we’ve also talked about playing at House of Blues; just the idea of playing somewhere bigger, to a bigger crowd, because I feed off the energy. Even though I’ve always been kind of nervous and shy about being onstage and being the lead singer, it’s weird, the more people I have the better I do, although you’d think it’d be the opposite.

Q: How would you describe your live performance and what can someone expect to experience when watching you guys live?
A: I would say just a lot of passion. There’s a lot of emotion behind the music. I think you know that’s the main thing to me. The music has got something behind it—it’s emotional. You know, we have a lot of songs that have a lot of energy, but we also have songs that are slow and just very personal. So, the biggest thing to expect would be good music.

Q: What’s your favorite song to perform live and why?
A: Well, I would say our slowest song. It’s my daughter’s favorite song, called “Touch Me.” I don’t carry myself as a religious person, but I was raised that way, and Touch Me is a song I wrote. I’ve been divorced twice and was living on my own with my kids (I’ve got custody of them.) One night I found myself fixing to go to bed, and I started worrying about everything and how to take care of them financially. At that point I start writing this song. It’s me calling out to God and asking him just to let me know that he’s there. In my mind and my heart I know he is, but it’s just a song of me crying out to Him.

Q: Anything else to say about your live performance?
A: My main thing is reaching people, and meeting people. I don’t want people to think that we’re untouchable, you know? I want to talk to people and I want them to know that it’s not just about being in a band for me. It’s about reaching people, and that we can have a real relationship; they’re not just fans to me.

Q: Now, I understand you guys just released a music video, what’s the meaning behind the video and the song?
A: The idea of the news flashes and the character being frustrated comes from these days when you turn on the news and it’s always something bad. The character is just frustrated because he sees this world that could be so much better, and he sees all this negativity and all this violence, all the things that are going wrong, and it’s frustrating to him. The song, Lost Souls, is talking about all the violence and all the bad things that come from us. What we say, what we do, how we treat each other. It’s just talking about all the things that men are doing that are making the world the way it is.

Q: What did you enjoy most about making the video?
A: I think it was enjoyable to know I was getting the opportunity to do something that I’ve never done before. It also allowed me to get out of my shell again. Having that camera in front of me, by myself, and having to act out what I was doing felt kind of awkward at first, but there was some satisfaction when it was done. Because each time I do a show or do something like that, I’m overcoming that nervousness, fear, and shyness that I’ve always had. Being the lead singer of a band is not the gift that I would have chosen—I’m not the center of attention kind of guy.

Q: What is the goal of your band?
A: For me the band is more than just being in a band. Its about my relationship with God, it’s about message. For me, if it gets big, it gets big. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m not pushing for it to be big unless I feel like that’s the way God wants it to be. If the doors are meant to be open, they’ll be open.

There you have it, boys and girls: The lowdown on this band in their own words. Go see them, relate to them and enjoy their music. You won’t be disappointed!

-Erilyn Daly

National Music Review by T-Bone: LCD Soundsystem

Band: LCD Soundsystem
Album/Release: This is Happening/
Sounds Like: Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Rapture, Kraftwerk,
MSTRKRFT, Cansei de Ser Sexy

James Murphy may have crafted his finest masterpiece with This Is Happening. The album opener 'Dance Yrslf Clean' is long, yet fun and reminds me a lot of The Rapture, minus that bands indie-dance posturing. 'Drunk Girls' may be the catchiest single this year, and has the best video I have seen in ages. 'One Touch' has a very kraut-pop feel, with a cheerleader chorus, and joyfully bounces between Eno/Bowie and Kraftwerk influences. 'All I Want' with it’s deep, repetitive keyboards helps you imagine what it would have sounded like if Thomas Dolby had been a member of the Psychedelic Furs, it’s dark and nostalgic, with a nice bit of noise towards the end. 'I Can Change' once again lays out a Thomas Dolby feel , using repetitive beats, a repetitive chorus, some 808’s and echoing keys to make a rather nostalgic feeling dance song.

'You Wanted A Hit' is a nice song about frustrations with the record industry. 'Pow Pow' mixes a very tribal beat , sporadic guitar, and talking vocals to nice effect creating the feeling of being in a dream. 'Somebody’s Calling Me' is another inspired by Berlin era Bowie with a tune very reminiscent of Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing. 'Home' returns to the Talking Heads world beat feel, takes some very Eno keyboards and Byrne-esque melodies, and does a lovely job closing out the album.

It’s weird, because I spend a lot of time talking about influences on this album, but it doesn’t
sound derivative, or even like it’s ripping people off. It just manages to be a fun ode to the past, that makes you want to dance.

-T-Bone

Local Music Review by Mike Lee: Anullaby

Band: Anullaby
Album/Release: "Anullaby EP" Released April 27th 2010
Sounds Like: 30 Seconds to Mars
Home Town: Colleyville, TX

This week we are going to review Anullaby, which is the solo project from Oh, Sleeper’s guitarist/singer Shane Blay. Shane was also the former guitar player for Between The Buried and Me. Anullaby shows Shane’s softer side and is more in the vain of 30 Seconds to Mars than the shred guitar riffing of his current and past bands.

He released his 3 song EP April 27th on itunes. The three tracks really show you how versatile Shane really is as a songwriter and singer. He has really found his voice and at this point is not afraid to use it. As most of you noticed he did not sing at all on the first Oh, Sleeper album but this EP showcases his range which is somewhere between Jared Leto and Dusin from Thrice. The EP’s tracks include “Morning Sickness”, “Pandora” and “Damage”. Go check out Anullaby on myspace or itunes and see what you think!

-Mike Lee

National Music Review by Jeremy Thomas: Whitechapel

Band: Whitechapel
Album/Release: A New Era of Corruption/ 6-8-2010

Before this review kicks off, you should understand something. If the following things apply to you, you will probably not be interested in my opinion on this CD:

1. Did you like Whitechapel's last effort, "This is Exile"?
2. Do you like the sound of The Black Dahlia Murder, but hate the impressive technicality?
3. Do you enjoy your deathcore with a splash of nu-metal, akin to old Slipknot?

If so, please immediately navigate away from this page, go to www.hottopic.com or www.shockhound.com and purchase this album. Burn it, put it in your car and jam it until it wears out. This is your CD, through and through. Go see them live, meet the guys, they are all very friendly guys, and they put on a hell of a live show. If you are unsure about any of the above, or they do not agree with your views ofa "good" album, please continue reading.

The Tennessee 6-piece, Whitechapel has been on a roll as of late. The poster children of the new era of death metal "deathcore" as it’s called; they have enjoyed great success (Borat) in their scene. "The Somatic Defilement" introduced their style of deathcore, and "This is Exile" completely redefined it, while refining their style. The eagerly anticipated follow up "A New Era of Corruption", promisednothing but the same. Blast beats, breakdowns, and bass drops galore, while their diminutive singer Phil growled on top of all of it. With a formula firmly engrained in their fan base, they release "A New Era of Corruption".

And fail.

And that may sound harsh, and in all respects, it may be. But as talented as these guys are, this album falls short of any goal they could possibly set for it. Before I trash it though, let’s go over some good things about this record.

Whitechapel fans will immediately latch on to the 6th track "Unnerving". This is the hallmark song of this record, by all intents and purposes. Two solid breakdowns, up-tempo riffs, and an epic intro to boot, there's no reason this song won't become a live staple for the band. I will also commend the balls of this CD to really push a ton of different ideas. I really feel like they realized that they were settling into a niche and tried their hardest to break out of that. The last track, "Single File to Dehumanization", has the potential to have a great overall sound and progression to it, something a bit different for the band. They really tried to write a song that's heavy, but catchy at the same time. Unfortunately, many of the problems that plague the rest of the CD hold this track back.

First of all, the guitar on this record is a huge change of pace from their last two albums. Leads and solos on every song, to the point of absolute frustration. If I could post my notes on this record, I think I used the phrase "I get it, you can play guitar" about 8 times. Unfortunately, my notes are riddled with profanity as much as this record is gorged by ridiculous leads and bad solos. As I mentioned, they really tried to make the last track work with some guitar melody, but that's not their thing. They are obviously in over their heads on it, and it never goes anywhere. So the obvious question is "Why didn’t they stick with what they know, and make it great?" My thoughts exactly. They did have some tracks that could have easily been B-sides from "This is Exile", but that's what they sound like, B-sides. Not memorable at all, nothing that stands out. There are 2-3 tracks on this record that I didn't even know existed; I thought they were just a part of the last song, with a tempo and slight rhythm change.

Vocally, this band has regressed in a big way. Normally, in this genre, that's not a huge issue. Unfortunately, when your first 2 CDs are well known for the vocals standing out, and the lyrics being immediately recognizable, vocals become much more relevant. They tried some vocal effects, something a bit different, but it ends up getting lost most of the time. Lyrically, it seems like this record went from being about personal experience and things that they were emotionally attached to, to what everyone else is writing about. Religion, murder, and general immorality are the topics on the plate, which is nothing new in the genre. It just doesn't stand out.

Overall, this record just falls short. I can't sum it up any better than that.

Local Band of the Week by Erilyn Daly: Shoreline's End

Band: Shoreline's End
Members: Patrick Alan, Jony Burns, Justin Burns, David Rehmann
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Record Label: Mercury / Island Def Jam
Genre: Alternative / Pop / Rock

Alright, time for the second Local Band of the Week, I hope these last two weeks have found you jamming out to some Belle Epoque and The Sound Revival. No article last week, turns out some bands are as unreliable as you’d think they’d be!! I kid. Kind of. Now, this week we have a band hailing from Dallas, entitled Shoreline’s End.

Shoreline’s End is a pop-rock band that is definitely going to go places. They’ve been around since 2007, and have gone through several lineup changes, the first of which came about in 2008 when they signed with TQ Management. Since then, they’ve replaced their drummer and guitarist//keyboardist, but have kept on rollin’. Their name might sound simplistic, but it is definitely more complex than just implying where the continent begins. I spoke with Patrick Alan, the singer (and only remaining founding member), and he explained the meaning behind the name. He said “One of my good friends, Kirk Baxley, was in a band called Greatness in Tragedy and they had a song called Shoreline. When that band broke up I was looking for a name for this project and I came across their CD. Shoreline was the first song, so I came up with Shorelines End and it’s stuck ever since.”

Wanna know who to compare them to?? They’d say (and I would too) Train and the Goo Goo Dolls. They even shared the stage with Train at the House of Blues in Dallas, which is also their favorite local venue to play, what a coincidence!! They have very cute and endearing lyrics that make you automatically like this band once you listen to them. Their music has a certain sincerity that’s lacking in most of today’s music scene; not so much about the bitches and the hoes. Recently, this quartet (when touring there are 6 of them) signed to Mercury//Island Def Jam, which is kind of a big deal. They just debuted their first single off of their “major record CD release”, called “Barely Breathing.” This seems to be about having fallen in and out of love and being on the cusp of falling back in with someone else. All of which is wonderful, but scary at the same time. You know, stuff everyone can relate to.

So what’s next for these pop-rock, err, rockers?? Well in September, like I mentioned previously, they’re releasing their first major label CD. But for now, they will be appearing at Warped Tour, and if you’re a brave soul willing to tackle the scorching summer heat, you should most certainly check them out. Especially because they will be selling exclusive merch, two CDs releasing July 1st, one of which is a two disc acoustic CD//DVD, and the other a re-release of their independent EP release,“Cold Summer Night." This one has new bells and whistles, including pre-production demos and remastered tracks. For the rest of the year they plan on doing some intense touring in our humble United States, and then venturing across the pond to tour the UK. Looking way into the future for 2011, they hope to release their sophomore album. Busy, busy boys!!

DFW Venues by Erilyn Daly: 1919 Hemphill

Venue: 1919 Hemphill
Map: Click

Stoked for the second installment of the DFW Venue Review by yours truly? I am! The first one was in Dallas, now we’re going to take a little journey across the metroplex and talk about 1919 Hemphill in Fort Worth. A forewarning, a lot of these venues that I’ll be reviewing are small and quaint; you will often hear me saying (or reading, technically) that they provide an intimate performance. I’m sorry in advance for repeating myself, but hopefully, I will soon find a better and more appropriate word than intimate, but for now, please bear with me.

Alright, the first time I went to 1919, I drove right by it, three times actually, so if you’re not looking for it, you’d hardly know it was there. But once you know, you’ll sure be glad. 1919 is a quaint, kind of run-down venue, but its ruggedness is all part of its’ charm. 1919 first opened it’s doors in 2002 and has been operational ever since. One way it differs from almost all other venues in the area?? It is completely nonprofit and is fueled by donations and volunteers. The tickets are super crazy cheap (their website says tickets are $6, unless posted otherwise) so if and when you go, you might as well donate a few bucks to help the place out, ya hear??

Another interesting facet of 1919, is that it seems to be very politically active. When I was there a group of individuals associated with some political group gave a five minute and very moving speech about the war in Iraq and a protest that was going on in Dallas the following week, and everyone there seemed to have plans to attend. If you listen closely to people talking around you (aka eavesdrop) I assure you that you will hear deep meaningful things. If you’re about as uniformed as I am, this will drive you to go home and look up the things they were talking about.

1919 is a very community driven venue. It really is all about people helping people, this place. They offer their space up for various organizations and community efforts at no charge and maintain a free lending library (with some pretty radical literature) as well as a free secondhand store. They also have some pretty rad bleachers and when I was there, they had a rope attached to the rafters, which the kids promptly used to swing over the top of the crowd and jump//land on the people in front of them.

You oughta check it out, donate, read, listen to music, whatever, if for no other reason than because its completely different than anywhere else in DFW.

-Erilyn Daly

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National Music Review by T-Bone: Against Me!

Band: Against Me!
Website: http://www.myspace.com/againstme
Album/Release: I Was a Teenage Anarchist/6-8-2010

“White Crosses“, the title track of Against Me!’s newest album, soundslike a dozen songs you have heard before. Not necessarily bad, it’s just a nice, boring up tempo rocker. It is followed immediately by the first single off the album “Teenage Anarchist” a catchy little song that is certain to get them lots of radio play, making old people nostalgic for their imaginary punk rock past, and young people feel like they aren’t living life to it’s fullest. “Because of the Shame” has a nice piano and woo-oh intro , unfortunately The Gaslight Anthemdo this kind of ode-to-Springsteen a thousand times better.

Still it is the first song on the album I haven’t wanted to skip. The next song is called “Suffocation” and I just assume it’s about the pressure of not being able to make awesome music anymore because you signed to a major label and let Butch Vig produce your album. I do like the guitar tone on this song, and the harmonies on the chorus, but it just seems forced and fake. “We’re Breaking Up” starts off promising, and becomes the first sincere sounding song on the album. It’s overtly polished, but the lyrics and singing feel sincere and heartfelt, the piano is a nice touch and again the tone of the guitar is refreshing.. I personally would have released this as the single, but it doesn’t have that soccer dad vibe of “Teenage Anarchist” , so I guess it wasn’t a safe choice.

Bringing us to “High Pressure Low”, the guitar that starts this song off reminds me of something I listened to in middle school, not sure what, maybe Ned’s Atomic Dustbin or The Wonder Stuff? The guitarist is definitely ripping off a Grebo band, not that Against Me! or their fans, probably have any familiarity with Grebo, but I’m certain Butch Vig does. As the song continues I realize it is totally a Ned’s Atomic Dustbin guitar riff they are ripping off,
unfortunately stealing the riff doesn’t keep this song from sucking.

“Ache With Me” is the moment I dreaded, Against Me sound like Green Day on this song, which means they sound like a really watered down Kinks. As much as I despise that thought, I kind of enjoy the song. How weird is that? “Spanish Moss” starts off and again I think of the Gaslight Anthem, however as the song goes on it comes closer to old school Against Me than anything on this album. However it remains over polished and glossy, and the rage and anger in the chorus sounds almost comical, hampering the song from reaching anything other than mediocrity.

“Rapid Decompression” is enjoyable, but at the same time it kind of seems like they are mocking punk rock. Maybe that’s all they ever did and I missed it? Nah, they just sold out. “Bamboo Bones” I’m sorry but this song is just stupid, the lyrics made me laugh. Wow, this is so sad. Still I am sure there is someone out there who will find inspiration in this song, so hey, not a total loss, right?

The main problem is that Tom Gabel and crew have confused maturity and growth with mediocrity and stagnation. It sounds like they have become complacent with making mediocre music, which is sad considering all the potential their early work showed.. Major label money, and a big name producer has made this band impotent., and that is just sad.

-T-Bone

DFW Venues by Erilyn Daly: The Prophet Bar

Venue: The Prophet Bar
Map: Click

The Gypsy Tea Room closed and The Door took it’s place. We all know this, well if you live in DFW you probably do. Especially because anyone who knows anything about venues in DFW knows The Door, where local bands and national touring bands can and often do share the same stage. I want to bring to your attention one place we are often quick to overlook: The Prophet Bar. The Prophet Bar is a quaint, often forgotten, but none-the-less memorable, bar attached to the backside of The Door in downtown Dallas. Not only is it a bar, but, like it’s big brother The Door, it also hosts live music. Although it definitely has a very indie vibe, it doesn’t just host indie bands. It hosts a wide array of bands from goth, to electro, pop-punk and otherwise.


Name a genre, and I guarantee you they’ve had a band from it. Not only do they play host to a wide array of music, they also host many bands from different countries. Just this month they have a band from England playing; they also have a canceled show posted because one of the bands couldn’t make it into the country!! Unfortunate for them and their fans, but funny for the reader.


Another cool thing about the Prophet Bar: If you pay for a show at The Door, you can mosey on over to the Prophet Bar through the double doors that separate the two. Because The Door tickets are more expensive, you can go into The Prophet Bar for free!! Two shows for the price of one. Wicked, eh?? I’ll admit the first time I went to the Prophet Bar it was because I was seeing Sullivan (R.I.P. Man I miss that band!!), and I followed the singer over there because he was omg so super cute!! I’m a creeper I know, but that’s beside the point, because that’s when I found out first hand you that can go there when you pay for the Door!! The feel I get from the Prophet Bar venue is that they put on a more quant and intimate show—very enjoyable! ‘


Wanna know another cool thing about the Prophet Bar?? Every Wednesday night they hold a “Jam Session” (which is basically an open-mike night), so not only can you WATCH music at the Prophet Bar, but you can also PLAY music at the Prophet Bar. Another bonus: if you’re over 21 they have cheap drinks and friendly bartenders. Definitely a place you need to checkout.

New Movie Review by Matt Arnold: Prince of Persia

Movie: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Director: Mike Newell

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is the next in a long line of summer blockbuster films that will be coming out this year. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a street rat turned Prince, Dastan, Gemma Arterton as Princess Tamina, Sir Ben Kingsley as the King’s Brother, Nizam, and Alfred Molina as the owner and operator of an ostrich racing arena Sheik Amar. It is directed by Mike Newell, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, and is brought to us by mega producer extraordinaire Jerry Bruckheimer, Pirates of The Caribbean , Gone In 60 Seconds and a little TV series by the name of CSI: Las New Miami York Vegas.

So with it being a Summer Blockbuster and/or a Bruckheimer film there are a number of things to expect when watching it, big action scenes, a romance story, big name actors, the comic relief character and the “I already know who the bad guys is” villain. The story is a retelling of the Popular video game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It follows Prince Dastan while he is the run with the Dagger of Time in hand. It is the very standard tale of someone trying to prove they are innocent of a crime they didn’t commit, but at one point in the movie they did something that I was not expecting which was very refreshing to see.

There is also some social commentary about the war in Iraq but it feels more like a cheap shot then a necessary plot point. All the actors deliver their roles very well and I cared about them all. The only weak point really was the love story between Dastan and Tamina. It felt forced and played the opposite attract angle a little too hard. But Alfred Molina’s comic turn as the tax evading, capitalistic, ostrich-racing Amar is a standout and almost felt like “Jack Sparrow of Arabia” to me. The action is very good and has everything; swordplay, sand storms, epic battles, free running, and some nice CG effects. The showdown between Dastan and the Hassansins was memorable to say the least.

Prince of Persia is a very enjoyable and is easily worth the price of admission. It is also the best video game movie since Tomb Raider, which you may take how you want.

Local Band of the Week by Erilyn Daly

Band: Belle Epoque/ Sound Revival
Home Town: Mansfield, TX

Hello, I’m Erilyn, and I’m a music addict. (Hi, Erilyn). It really took a lot for me to admit this and share it with you guys today, but I fear it is true. It all started at the tender age of…why you don’t care about all that!! You already know my name, now you just need to know what I’m all about—music. Oh, and that I’m the Part Time Assistant Manager at the Grapevine Mills Hot Topic, I love music and I am here to share awesome local bands with you and tell you cool places you need to checkout. Let’s get this $#!^ started. (Insert fist pump here.)

Here it is folks, the first local band of this week!! This local band of the week is special not only because it’s the first but because it kind of consists of two bands: Belle Epoque and The Sound Revival who hail from Mansfield, TX.

First, let’s start with Belle Epoque. I remember when I first heard about this band; it was also the first time I ever saw them live. It was at the Door in Fort Worth and they shared the stage with Oh, Sleeper and Sky Eats Airplane (before the singer up and left). Which, if you’re looking for a band to compare them to, Oh, Sleeper is a band they kind of sound like. Unfortunately, this local band of the week comes a little bit too late. I’m afraid the five person hardcore group known as Belle Epoque (they pronounced it Belle Epic) have called it quits after three years and are now moving forward as “The Sound Revival.” They released three EP’s, first just a demo, then “Our Bodies” and lastly, “Wicked Ones and Thieves,” my personal favorite.

Now, let’s talk about The Sound Revival. I talked to these guys about the reason for the change and they replied with this: “It really is true, asking The Sound Revival about today’s heavy bands would be like asking your great grandpa about the internet; we just don’t understand it anymore, haha.” Obviously, they will not be playing hardcore music and will be taking their sound in a new direction. They also said that others have compared their transition into this new band (which isn’t really new, it’s comprised of the same guys, just a new genre) as a kind of growing up for the band. Stay tuned and keep your eyes on this band, guys, Belle Epoque was good, but I bet their new project will be even better.

-Erilyn Daly

Local Music Review by Mike Lee: Oh, Sleeper

Band: Oh, Sleeper
Album: "Son Of The Morning" Release Aug 25th 2009
Sounds Like: Underoath As I Lay Dying
Home Town: Fort Worth, TX

Oh, Sleeper had been growing their fan base since forming in Dallas, Texas around 2006. The band has released two albums so far on Solid State Records and has toured all over America. They also have had over 5 million plays on myspace.

Their newest record “Son of The Morning” showcases how far this band has come in a short time. The title track of the EP starts off with Micah Kindards powerful screams and then comes the wall of guitars masterminded by Shane Blay former Between The Buried and Me guitarist. On this album Blay takes on a much larger role not only writing all most all of the songs as well as singing the clean vocal tracks on the album. This is a new thing for Oh, Sleeper that was not present on their 1st album. Blay’s vocals though add a lot to the band though and are able to really give them more dimension in their songs.

Other stand out tracks include “The Finisher” and “World With Out the Sun”. Highly advice use to pick up this album as well as their 1st “Vices Like Vipers” and show your support for the bands that have made it out of our scene here in Texas!

-Mike Lee

Local Music Review by Mike Lee: Sky Eats Airplane

Band: SkyEats Airplane
Album: "The Sound of Symmetry"
Sounds Like: Attack Attack!, Underoath
Home Town: Fort Worth, TX

Hey everyone this week we are reviewing the Ft.Worth, Texas based band Sky Eats Airplane. The band gained fame in 2006 with their EP “Everything Perfect” and then followed up with a release on Equal Visions Records entitled “Sky Eats Airplane” in 2008. The band toured the country and was blowing up on Myspace but unfortunately they lost some members including their singer and the future was looking bleak for the band for a while.

The good news is the band is back and stronger than ever with their new EP “The Sound of Symmetry”. It is a 3 song EP available on Shockhound.com. The title track “The Sound of Symmetry” is one of the best screamo songs if not the best I have ever heard. The band takes their math metal, electronica, and screamo to new heights that in my opinion have not been conquered yet.

The band's drummer Travis Orbin will give Neil Pert a run for his money and if you do not believe me go check him out on you tube. They twin guitar attack of Zack Ordway and Lee Duck has the massive sound of Meshuggah but brings the hooks that are extremely melodic yet musically extremely complex. The bands new singer Bryan Zimmerman also does a great job stepping up to the plate and filling the role of the front man.

I think if the band can continue to write songs like the ones on this EP the sky is the limit and we have only just begun to see the potential of this band. Sky Eats Airplane is touring all summer and hopefully will be releasing a full record in the fall! Go buy this EP on Itunes and please go see them live!

-Mike Lee

National Music Review by T-Bone: The Dead Weather

Band: The Dead Weather
Album: Sea of Cowards
Release: May 11th 2010

Jack White is one of those artists who, upon becoming famous, immediately started trying to share the limelight with other, lesser-known artists that he believed in. The beauty of this was, that unlike so many other well-meaning musicians, he didn’t just stick to artists in one genre, or musicians he was already friends with.

Whether it was lending his guitar, production or drumming talents to recordings, letting obscure singers duet on White Stripes albums, or starting multiple super-groups to draw attention to other artists it seemed that Jack White was fighting a one man war to save Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sea of Cowards definitely counts as a victory in this war, which is shocking since it comes less than a year after their mediocre debut Horehound, which was pretty much one rocking song surrounded by a collection of semi-completed demos.

When you listen to this, you realize why they were in such a hurry to put out a new album. The players seem more comfortable with themselves, and the instrumentals have a life of their own, instead of sounding forced. The songs seem more thought out, and they now sound more like a band than a vanity project. This album has a heavy dose of Zeppelin coursing through it, but manages to balance it with other ideas so that it doesn’t become derivative. There are still some weak points on this album, but overall the killer outweighs the filler.

-T-Bone