OK, time for another one, this time it's a controversial choice, especially in 'good music' circles:

Good Charlotte - Good Morning Revival

Now I know what you're thinking, 'why?' and the answer is that there's a time and a place as well as a market so why not? I myself didn't hate the young 'punk's' first album, back when I was a little skater punk listening to Blink 182, New Found Glory and Sum 41, I even bought the next one and 'The Young and the Hopeless' wasn't hopeless, especially if you liked your guitars clearly defined and your vocals harmonised... The last album but one, 'The Chronicles of Life and Death', I was never really exposed to as I had moved onto more 'grown-up' punk rock (If you consider NoFx grown up, even if they are 40...) and as such I am unqualified to comment on it. Now I'm not saying Good Charlotte are bad, especially considering that every now and then I'll throw on an old Good Charlotte record and sing along, it's a guilty pleasure I share with everybody out there who pretends not to enjoy a bit of GC, and it's just that, to me, that's the appeal of Good Charlotte.

Good Morning revivial, may be a revival of something but it is not a revival of anything to do with Good Charlotte, nor is it a revival anybody ever asked for! It's an unfortunate foray into electronica that wouldn't have been out of place on a 1980s Talking Heads record and that would be fine, if Good Charlotte had anything close to the talent of the notorioua 'Psycho Killers'.

The whole album is a jumbled and misguided affair, poppy choruses with sing-along lyrics are thrown into the middle of electronic keyboards and heavy dischordant guitars. There are some fundamentally sound elements but the band have tried to undertake too many styles and in some cases, all at once!

The album does have its moments, the second single, 'The River', proves they still have the ability to make a catchy tune, one that still could be somewhat of a guilty pleasure with a catchy chorus that you may, irritatingly, find yourself humming over and over again. I was also pleased to hear attempts throughout at recreating the mood created in Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt' with a untuned piano pounding single notes throughout the chorus of 'Where We Would Be Now' as well as a few other instances on the record; admirable but sadly not good enough to save the album.

It would appear that Good Charlotte are attempting to manoeuvre their poppy US punk rock in a new direction, seemingly in order to fit in with the alternative indie sound prevalent nowadays. I'm not saying punk is dead but I would suggest that the whole ehtos of punk is to be different and to make a statement, not to try and fit in at any cost, especially if that cost is your appeal.

Hello out there folks in internet land!

I thought I would start out by talking about a new band who fall into the category of 'things I like'!

I recently heard about this band from a friend, they're called 'Van Tramp'. He heard their track 'New England' on BBC 1's 'Grandstand' here in the UK and after a few weeks he researched the band and liked what he found out. After some quick internet research of my own I found they are a British outfit fronted by an American and an acoustic guitar

Their most recent outing, an acoustic promo album, beat out new releases from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Bob Dylan to the top spot in Florida internet-radio show 'The Acoustic Record's' Album of the year, so it's safe to say they have talent! (http://www.theacousticrecord.com/)

I am basing my review on 4 tracks from the upcoming release 'Ultraviolet EP' available via the band's myspace page at www.myspace.com/vantramp.

The first track I heard; 'Hope & Pray' starts with a melodic piano battling with frontman Tim Howar's vocals before a buzzing guitar riff sets the tone and the song takes off. Fluid rhythm leads the song into a sing-along chorus and fades out just as pleasingly leaving me wondering what happened to the 4 minutes that just flew by.

Next up was 'Something' which I can only assume is a past single as there's a hosted video on the site, the track would be at home on a Goo Goo Dolls album or even an Oasis album if you concentrate hard! Another slice of impressive classic guitar rock that succesfully builds on the sound of the first track.

My favourite of the songs on their site is 'The Garden', an acoustic guitar-led anthem that I can imagine swaying along to during a sunny, summer stadium tour, the song provides a deep sound with many levels to enjoy and a melody you won't soon forget.

With 'Help Me To Make It', a trembling acoustic melody undercuts a slide guitar and soft vocals to create a song that any number of established recording artists would be happy to have written!

However you look at it, a band with a singer who sounds like a cross between Bono and Springsteen and a hook-laden, anthemic, stadium-filling sound, deserve to soon fill stadiums and I encourage you all to see what you think yourselves. According to their myspace page there's an EP out soon and a live show scheduled for August in London and I for one intend to attend!

Cheers for reading!

The Music Man

P.S. Tomorrow's blog will probably be either something 'I don't like' or something 'CLASSIC!' feel free to let me know which you would prefer.

Hello, Hi, Howdi, Bonjour, Auf Wiedersehn and Hola,

I have pretensions to becoming a music journalist (world famous, of course) and I need to start somewhere, as such I have decided to post some reviews and news as and when I get the chance of new bands, new music and old music. I have some useful contacts and often get my hands on exclusive music so withany luck I can give you guys the scoop on a few cool up and coming artists!

Also, for anybody who's in a band or wants me to review any of their stuff, (especially if you have mp3 links!!!) please let me know.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the blog and I hope that I enjoy writing it!

Cheers!

The Music Man