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50
Black Eyed Peas, Elephunk
Hip
hop with a message
Fueled by the single “Where Is The Love “ with
Justin Timberlake, the Black Eyed Peas earns a spot on our
list. Not content to follow the popular thug formula, the
Peas bring back the days of funk and music which actually
has something to say.
Best Songs: “Where
Is The Love,” “Hands Up,” & “Let's
Get Retarded“
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49
The Sounds, Living in America
80s
revival in full swing
Was this 2003 or 1983? With the catchy hooks and rhythms,
The Sounds is another band bringing back a classic sound.
Lead singer Maja Ivarsson does her best Debbie Harry impersonation
as The Sounds is right in line in the Blondie tradition.
Best Songs: “Seven Days A Week”
& “Living In America” |
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48
Travis, 12 Memories
Solid
third CD from Brit-poppers
After the letdown of The Invisible Band, these Brit-poppers
are back to reclaim the success of their debut CD The Man
Who. While the CD is full of ballads, the band is strongest
when they have something to say.
Best Songs: “The
Beautiful Occupation,” “Peace The Fuck Out”
& "Mid-Life Krysis" |
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47
Blue October, History for Sale
Texas
rockers with something to prove
With a song on the American Wedding soundtrack, this could
be Blue October’s best chance at success yet. Filled
with emotional and brooding tracks, History for Sale marks
the best effort to date by the band and its return to the
label that once spurned it.
Best Songs:
“Razorblade,” “Calling You” &
“Ugly Side” |
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46
Die Trying, Die Trying
Pop-punk
at its finest
These SoCal rockers may be known more for how they got their
start then their actual music but that is about to change.
With the help and guidance from friend Jacoby Shaddix (Papa
Roach), Die Trying has seen & heard it all and knows how
to handle the fame that will come judging by this debut CD.
Best Songs: “Oxygen’s Gone,”
“Turn Up The Radio” & “Words That Kill” |
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Purchase
• Interview
• CD
Review • 4/18/03
Concert Review |
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45
Manmade God, Manmade God
The
Search for Greater Things
With executive producer Rick Rubin at the helm, how can you
go wrong? The thing that sets Manmade God apart from most
of their rock contemporaries is the sheer groove that the
band has with each song. It is not just your generic rock;
each song has a distinct feel to it as it delves into some
thought provoking subjects.
Best Songs:
“Meet My Maker,” “Safe Passage” &
“Search for Greater Things” |
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Purchase
• Interview
• CD
Review • Photos |
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44
Cave In, Antenna
Boston
rockers prove their worth
Cave In was denounced as the Next Big Thing when they were
picked to tour with the Foo Fighters. Antenna proves that
they have the chops to back it up with their mix of rock,
metal, Brit-pop and more.
Best Songs:
"Beautiful Son," "Rubber and Glue" &
"Stained Silver" |
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Purchase |
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43
Jonny Lang, Long Time Coming
Young
Blues rocker is back
For his first release in 5 years, this 22 year old guitar
wiz is back and better than ever. The thing that sticks out
the most is Lang now showcases his song writing chops and
not just his prowess on the guitar. His songs are not built
around the solo but now integrated into the material, further
bolstering the hard rock/soul approach
Best Songs:
“Red Light,” “Beautiful One” &
“Goodbye Letter” |
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Purchase |
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42
Seal, Seal
Soulful Pop
at its best
Is there anyone better right now at that soulful pop music?
After his latest sabbatical from recording, Seal is back to
once again raise the bar he has set. Granted it has been 4
years since we last heard from Seal but this exceptional album
was well worth the wait.
Best Songs:
"Loneliest Star," “Let Me Roll” &
"Get It Together" |
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Purchase |
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41
Hoobastank, The Reason
The
band that brought you “Crawling in the Dark”
After selling a whole lot of records with their debut, the
bar was definitely raised for Hoobastank’s second release
and they certainly delivered. The songs are bigger, louder,
and certainly catchier this time around. Don’t be surprised
when Hoobastank sells a whole lot of records this time around
too.
Best Songs: “Out of Control,”
“What Happened to Us” & “Disappear”
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