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!!