Powerstars

Ladies and gentlemen, the lawyers are here! Get ready for all the lawsuit-related action in...

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Powerstars

Let's begin with a catchy single from one of my favorite bands. It has an addictive guitar riff and a chorus that will get you singing along by tomorrow.

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Powerstars

So I haven't talked about the Red Hot Chili Peppers yet. It's not that I don't like them, they're one of my favorite bands, I just have no idea where to begin. But I think their 1991 breakthrough would be a good place to begin, don't you? What do you mean no? This is MY journal! Screw you! Anyways, I doubt Trollheart would be into this album (He hates hip-hop) considering how heavy it is on the rap, but it's deemed a classic and I just got it recently, so...

1. The Power Of Equality
Though this track is a bit forgettable in my opinion, and it's hard to understand what Anthony Kiedes is saying in that loud aggressive rapping, it's still a good energetic way to start the album, and it segues perfectly into...

2. If You Have To Ask
A cool funky little song, despite a few lazy decisions (rhyming "guy" with "guy" with "guy" with "guy"), is the first of many catchy songs on the album, and it fades into...

3. Breaking The Girl
The first ballad of the album, with cool acoustic playing and a drum solo played on objects the Chili Peppers found in the dumpster, this is a sad, catchy, rap-free song that I recommend for that stuffy ol' TH!

4. Funky Monks
One of my favorite songs on the album, probably one of the most underrated songs on it. It has two false ends with funky jamming and it's where the album theme of sex kicks in.

5. Suck My Kiss
More famous, catchy song about sexual relations. This one always makes me jump out of my seat to sing along. I love everything: the lyrics, the funky solo, the bassline, it's just perfect!

6. I Could Have Lied
Really sad ballad. The guitar playing is just excellent here, as is Anthony Kiedes's depressed-sounding vocal performance. It is also an amazing song, but in a different way.

7. Mellowship Slinky In B Major
Rap-filled sex song, with a neat reverb-drenched vocal. Not the best, but it's fairly catchy and has it's moments.

8. The Righteous And The Wicked
We begin with a bad ass bass riff from Flea and then all hell breaks loose on John Frusciante's guitar. This song's chorus is based upon the call and response between him and Anthony Kiedes. It was forgettable for me personally...at first. But then, it grew on me, like a fungus on my foot...well not quite, but you get what I mean.

9. Give It Away
One of the biggest hit singles of the album actually ISN'T about sex, but the RHCP said it was actually about giving away posessions...which still doesn't explain the "put it in you" bit, but hey.

10. Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Okay, kind of cool deeply sung choruses, it's an okay song.

11. Under The Bridge
The song that put the Peppers on the map, this is a great ballad about feeling isolated because of drug withdrawal. The guitar playing is great, and special mention must go to John Frusciante's mother singing "Under the bridge downtoooooooooown!"

12. Naked In The Rain
Opens with drums and then we add the bass (A very funky bass) and guitar. The lyrics are catchy, but rather extremely weird. Great song though.

13.Apache Rose Peacock
Odd lyrics, like "LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS," which may be one of the funniest lines Anthony Kiedes has ever written. Oh, and they mention Louis Armstrong's dick, cuz why not? The verses are weird raps like that, but it has a really pretty chorus, an example of dissonance with the Peppers. I think it adds to their appeal though.

14. The Greeting Song
As much as Anthony Kiedes hates this song (Producer Rick Rubin told him to write a song about girls and cars and that's the sole reason it exists), I love it. Instrumentally, he likes it, saying it sounds like "a lively Zeppelin tune" which I can't argue with, but I think he doesn't give enough credit to the lyrics, they're not that bad. One of my favorites off the album.

15. My Lovely Man
A hard and heavy song about original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a drug overdose. I particularly like when they drop the funk and get to the sad breakdown at the end, it just tears you apart inside.

16. Sir Psycho Sexy
The funk and the sex are both cranked up to 11 for the second-to-last, 8 minute song. And y'know what? Most of that is this simply BEAUTIFUL sounding fadeout! This is an amazing song, but the album isn't over yet...

17. They're Red Hot
We end off with a double-speed Robert Johnson cover. Truly great in every way. Now to the conclusion...

Conclusion: An amazing album, that totally deserves it's reputation as dirty, yet melodic and beautiful album.

My Favorite Tracks: "Breaking The Girl," "Funky Monks," "Suck My Kiss," "I Could Have Lied," "Apache Rose Peacock," "The Greeting Song," "My Lovely Man,"

Least Favorite: "The Power Of Equality," "Mellowship Slinky In B Major"

Do I feel, at the end,
A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Not at all sure, have to wait and see

Surefire A!

Final Score: 97/100 (There are no monks in mah band. There are no saints in this land)

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Powerstars

What do I know of Aqualung? NOTHING, except they're named after a Jethro Tull song. So uh, here's what I think the album will sound like.

1. Cinderella
I hear a slow intro that goes into a faster buildup. I think overall, it'll have a medium tempo, with a quiet verse/loud chorus sorta thing. Lyrics about...maybe a girl who's done something wrong, and for instruments, I hear some bells in this.

2. Pressure Suit
Slow and bass heavy song about drowning.

3. Something To Believe In
Fast and heavy with butt loads of guitar. Lyrics are about disappointment and a lack of something to believe in.

4.Glimmer
Medium and kind of calm with lyrics about a glimmer of hope. I hear some synth in this one.

5. Vapour Trail
Slow and ballad-y. Lyrics about going down a literal trail. Perhaps some acoustic guitar?

6. Rolls So Deep
Slow/medium, but REALLY heavy with pounding melodic drums. Lyrics about deep emotional wounds.

7. The Lake
Slow acoustic ballad about a literal lake, with a nostalgic feel. Lots of acoustic guitar and maybe some piano or synth.

8. Black Hole
Really fast. Frantic drums and ugly guitar. It talks about emotions being sucked in like a black hole.

9. Outside
Medium tempo song about isolation with distorted guitars out the wazoo.

10. Garden Of Love
Heavy, medium tempo song. Sarcastic lyrics about misfortune in love.

11. Broken Bones
Slow acoustic song about literal physical pain. Bonus points if it's extremely depressing.



Tomorrow, we'll see how I did!

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Powerstars

1. Cinderella
I got the slow intro right, complete with piano, though it doesn't end up getting much faster. The lyrics are close to what I predicted. There are no bells, but there is a lot of piano. The tempo is slow to medium.

2. Pressure Suit
Begins with some strings. It's piano-based with a slow-to-medium tempo. It has some semi-prominent bass, and lyrics make it a metaphorical love song, if that makes any sense.

3. Something To Believe In
Medium to fast tempo like I guessed, but it's not all that heavy. It has some tambourine, some piano, but I totally got the lyrics right.

4. Glimmer
There's some acoustic guitar. The tempo is medium and the tone of the song is calm. The lyrics seem to be about nostalgia.

5. Vapor Trails
Slow and ballad-y until the build-up, with a louder chorus and a quieter verse. The main instruments are guitar and piano.

6. Rolls So Deep
Acoustic, slow song. Not heavy in the slightest. It, once again, uses piano (That sounds like a bell) and tambourine. It's a rather happy love song, actually.

7. The Lake
This song has a gentle, high-pitched piano, with some orchestral overtones. It's quite a sad song, and the lyrics dwell into nightmares, time passing, and yes, a lake.

8. Black Hole
Smooth, almost RHCP-type guitar. The drums aren't frantic, it's not a heavy song. The ending does have distortion though. The lyrics are about heartbreak, so I was close-ish.

9. Outside
Main instrument is a piano (Noticing a pattern?). The tempo varies, but it's usually medium. The lyrics about love, and a lot happier than I assumed.

10. Garden Of Love
Slow piano-based love song played totally straight.

11. Broken Bones
We begin on a filtered piano. Piano happens to be the primary instrument (Who would have guessed?). It has a medium tempo, and the lyrics seem to be about love or writer's block.


Interesting album, I guess, but not my cup of tea. Won't be listening to these guys in the future. Tune in next time for the percentages.

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Powerstars

1. Cinderella
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 80%

2. Pressure Suit
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 75%
Lyrics: 0%

3. Something To Believe In
Tempo: 30%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 100%

4. Glimmer
Tempo: 100%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 10%

5. Vapor Trails
Tempo: 70%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

6. Rolls So Deep
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

7. The Lake
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 90%

8. Black Hole
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 10%
Lyrics: 50%

9. Outside
Tempo: 33%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

10. Garden Of Love
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

11. Broken Bones
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

Well that was a lot of work! I probably won't ever do that again, though, it was fun.

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Powerstars

As much money as this damn worm is sucking out of my bank account, I do need to keep this updated. How about a catchy song I just caught on the radio, by a band I've already covered this month?

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butthead aka 216

Dude, the 12 days of Alternative were incredible. I really like almost all of those bands. Chris Cornell is a guy who has really grown on me. I used to hate Soundgarden, but as I've gotten older I think I just appreciate the talent in his voice more. I was listening to Temple of the Dog the other night and it made me want to go listen to some Soundgarden.

Powerstars

Thanks man! I actually had a bit of a hard time finding bands, which means I should probably be into more. But alas, no good ways to make money at my age, no steady jobs at least.

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Powerstars

Well, I may be cheating here, but the cover is by a comedy act, so yeah. Rage Against The Machine's "Guerilla Radio," was loud, in your face, and political, the perfect kind of song to...lounge to? That's what Richard Cheese thought apparently! Here's both versions:

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