New CD rundown

Ok, here's the deal. There have been lots of new releases this summer and I'm going to give my quick thoughts on all of them. This isn't so much about in-depth reviews so much as me just throwing out some one-liners of new music.

STRATA - Presents The End Of The World
Wow! This came out of left field and totally amazed me. I was expected some more re-hashed yet acceptable melodic-yet-predictable rock. They took a cue from the more textured and experimental rock bands and made one of the best records I've heard this year. Kudos to them for pushing the envelope on their sound and not letting the limits of the genre constrict them.

KORN - Untitled
Hmmm. Many people have pointed out that this band is becoming more and more like a Jonathan Davis side project. I can see their point. While the band is taking some new chances the fact remains that they don't have same punch they used to. Sure, there are moments here and there that sound great but, much like See You On The Other Side, if you listen all at once, you're bound to get bored as the songs simply plod along.

YELLOWCARD - Paper Walls
After the dismal reception of the more mature Lights And Sounds a return to form was necessary for these guys. I think this is their tightest, focused and most confident sounding work to date. "Fighting" is probably as good a song as they'll ever write. For those of you who loved Ocean Avenue, this is a record for you.

SMASHING PUMPKINS - Zeitgist
I really wanted to love this. I like it, but that's all. It sounds like Billy was so concerned with rocking again he forgot all about what made the Pumpkins great in the first place, and that's for their melodies. Sure, old Billy-boy is great at layering guitars and making that classic Big-Muff fuzzy Pumpkins sound, but when he loses the melody, he loses everything. The record hits hard, but that's all. There are moments, like "Starz", that I truly appreciate. I think I have to let this grow on me more.

BAD RELIGION - New Maps Of Hell
These guys just refuse to put out a bad record. Sure, they don't break much new ground, but they still are great songwriters. Their catchy, fast, poppy-but-not-sugary punk continues to satisfy me to this day. Sure, they'll never be TRL mainstays because they're not "cute" enough, but you'd be hard pressed to find a working band today more relevant in the punk community than Bad Religion.

LINKIN PARK - Minutes To Midnight
This CD is pissing a lot of people off. I can see why those longing for their rap-rock sound are angry, but I think this was the best decision for the band. More melodic, more varied and not as predictable, this is where Linkin Park wants to be. Sure, it won't sell as much as Meteora but that's fine. The band can coast off their past sucess for awhile and try new things. Kudos to "The Little Things Give You Away", which is the shining moment on this disc.

CIRCA SURVIVE - On Letting Go
Since they stemmed from the Warped Tour community, the hipster dufus blogs won't give this band a chance. Their loss. Anthony Green's riveting vocals soar over tricky-yet-beautiful guitar lines. Circa doesn't really have hooks persay, but their songs are still infectious in their own strange way. You can hear so many influences yet the band manages to make their own sound out of everything.

More to come later...