The Band:

Chad I Ginsburg - Vocals, Guitar, Moog, Bass, Orchestration

Deron Miller – Vocals, Guitar, Moog, Bass, Orchestration

Jess Margera – Drums

Matt Deis – Bass

OK, folks, I need to be honest for a minute.  When I got the CKYalbum in the mail, I was less than thrilled.  I’ve never been a big fan of the band, really I’ve never even heard much from them.  I always attributed their rise to fame based on the fact of who the drummer is related too.  So I threw this CD into the player and wasn’t really expecting all that much from it.  I figured it would be more Jackass metal and goofiness, some of my opinion of the band had also been colored by their drama surrounding their last tour cycle when the band were at each others throats and throwing punches and talking about it quite openly.  One thing I’ve learned in the business after all these years is to keep your battles between your band mates a private matter.  Folks, let me tell you one thing, I was absolutely wrong about these guys.  While this record isn’t the greatest thing ever, it’s pretty darn good and had me with my mouth hanging open a few times.  So let’s get right to it shall we?

What works?

I’m a sucker for a moog, I’m also a sucker for the tones a moog creates.  I’m also a sucker for bands like Zombi and Goblinwho use the moog quite effectively.  Let’s go ahead and add CKY to that list.  When I saw Moog listed in the linear notes on the CD, I laughed thinking to myself “sure, I bet there is a little squiggle here and a little squiggle there but no real use of the vintage keyboard”.  Boy howdy was I wrong.  The moog is pretty much an important part of each one of the songs adding to the feel the band was going for of the late 70′s early 80′s vibe.  Many times I was thinking to myself that this sounds like vintage 70′s rock with a bit of 80′s hair metal thrown in for good measure.  I’m actually shocked to say that I dig the hell out of this record.  Another great part of this record is the production.  I know most people aren’t into that sort of thing but I am.  I dig good production, I also dig production that forgoes the industry standard of pushing the vocals so far in the mix that the only thing you can hear clearly is the vocals.  CKY avoids that and creates a lush, layered and very dense sound.  The album sounds heavy without really being all that heavy.  It’s thick and it’s layered and there is a lot going on for the listener to pay attention too.  Color me impressed again, especially when you consider the band did the production themselves.  Nice work guys, HI FIVE!  A few other points to mention as well.  The vocals are done really well, I like the layers of reverb on them and I like the fact that they are a bit mysterious on the record.  Also the guitar effects on the solos are great.  I dig the layers of reverb, chorus and flange on the solos.  While it gives the guitar leads a definite 80′s vibe, it isn’t done for the over the top or ironic effect.  These guys are playing solos with the effects they believe in.  I dig it, and I’m not a huge 80′s metal fan.  Good job guys, I’m very impressed.

What didn’t work?

The biggest problem I have with the record as a whole is that by about three quarters into the record it starts sounding pretty repetitive.  The vocals aren’t carrying a lot of melody, they leave most of that up to the moog and the guitars, so after awhile you get the feeling of been there done that.  Second, and this ties into the vocals as well, but the music tends to sound like a one trick pony by the end.  While it’s all very enjoyable and a ton of fun to listen to, I was hoping for a distinct change in tone by the end of the record and it never came.  Those are minor squabbles and really the only weak spots on this over all solid record by the band.

Final Analysis:

This is a fun record that definitely captured the vibe that the band was going for.  It’s not going to break new ground or shatter young minds, but it will provide some fun and entertaining listens.  While the album isn’t perfect or an instant classic it should make new fans, I know because it made me a fan of the band.  I recommend this record for fans of Dog Fashion Disco(Adultery era Record), H.I.M.(it’s not a strong connection but I think CKY have some influences that fans of this band would dig), Zombi and Goblin.

4 out of 5 stars on this one.

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Well howdy folks!  Been awhile hasn’t it?  Sorry I’ve been on vacation and swamped with the real job lately, but I had time to catch a couple of flicks last week to report back to you all.

First up I finally went and say J.J. Abrams Star Trek and boy was I impressed with this one.  First lets set the record straight.  I’ve always been a Star Wars fan more than a Star Trek fan but my dad has always had a love of Star Trek so I kind of got my patience for it through him.  I think my dad really digs it much more than I do.  In fact I don’t think I’ve seen a Star Trek movie in the theatre since the first of the New Generation films came to the big screen in the 90′s.  But I had high hopes for this movie.  The trailers I had seen were impressive and the idea of updating the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise definitely got me interested.  So last Sunday I finally caught it and I’m kicking myself for not seeing it sooner.

First I can honestly say I’m not a fan of the movie poster.  How blah for such a great film.  Second I’m also not a J.J. Abrams fan boy so my review is not tempered with my love of Lost or Cloverfield (I know he didn’t direct it but his name and hype was all over it) or what ever else he’s done.  So I went into this with a very open mind.  I wasn’t entirely sure about the cast either, but it all seemed to work well in the end.

So what worked?  First off I was nicely surprised to see that Abrams spent time developing the characters especially Spock and Kirk.  He didn’t just assume that everyone in the audience knew the characters and what they were all about.  He also developed the supporting cast around Kirk and Spock too.  It was kind of fun to get a peak at some of the stories you had heard about in the original movies too.  I thought all of the actors did a great job with there characters.  My stand outs were definitely Karl Urban as Bones (whom I liked in the original films and series as well), Simon Peggas Scotty, who fit the role so perfectly that I could barely contain myself!  Zachary Quinto as Spock and Zoë Saldanaas Uhura.  All the actors really did a great job and Eric Bana’s Nero was scenery chewing perfection but it really worked for the movie.  Also another thing they did with this film that I’ve rarely if ever seen in film was actually make space dead silent.  So you all know by now that in space you’d never hear a blaster fire in space and you never hear the thrusters on a space ship right?  Right?  So in Star Trek when something happened out side of the ship, it was stone dead silent.  It was brilliant and was a brilliant technique to up the drama in any given instance as well.  Also the opening of the film nearly had me in tears.  I don’t want to give it away but it was a damn fine opening to a movie that really tugged at your heart streaks, however contrived it might have been.

The action was on par with most summer movies as well and the effects were seemless.  It’s not like I was watching the travesty 10,000 BC again where the effects destroy the other wise OK film.  I thought for a big summer blockbuster movie this movie was dead on.  I can also recommend it to anyone, whether you’re a Star Trek fan or not, it was a good time and great movie.

So what didn’t work?  Well I have no idea where in the hell there is a canyon the size of the Grand Canyon near or by Riverside Iowa (although seeing the big Iowa in the upper left hand corner of the screen brought silly little goosebumps to my arms).  Also does Iowa not raise corn in the future?  All of the fields that where shown were no where near the height they should have been, not even for soybeans (holy crap I can’t believe I’m actually complaining about how they made Iowa look!).  Also, apparently we still drive on gravel roads in the near future, and not gravel roads like we have now but desert gravel roads, like Las Vegas desert.  OK, I agree those are pretty petty complaints, but if you want me to suspend my disbelief at least make Iowa look pretty close to normal.  I also had a real problem with the logic of the past and the present meeting each other.  I don’t really want to give it away, but lets just say, too many logic breaking things happened for me to buy into it 100% from beginning to end.  Apart from those few things though, Star Trek worked and really hit me in the center of my geek heart.

I rate Star Trek (2009)  4 1/2 out of 5 Stars.

Up next I also caught the DVD of Gran Torino.  You all will have to forgive me on something first tough.  I haven’t seen any of Clint Eastwood’s latest movies.  No Million Dollar Baby, no Flags of our Fathers, none of em.  Why you might ask?  Well Clint will forever be Dirty Harry and the guy from those Spaghetti Westerns.  I love 70′s Eastwood and even a little bit of the 80′s Eastwood (who can deny the charm of Guns-N-Roses in The Dead Pool?).  But for me Clint’s most recent output has just not been the Eastwood I want to see.  I know those are great films, they are all sitting in my Netflix queue as we speak, I just haven’t gotten to them.  I had heard that Gran Torino was a return to that Eastwood, the Eastwood who shot first and asked questions later, the Eastwood who uttered… “Go ahead punk, make my day”, and I was sold.

From what I’ve read about his other recent films Gran Torino falls squarely in line with his current theme of redemption, and really at the core of this film is the concept of redemption and sacrifice.  It’s very biblical in that respect, even the ending has an overtly Christian symbol that you can’t help but being bashed over the head with.  Don’t let the strong Christian imagery full you though, this is a foul mouthed, racist comment filled film about one old man, his dog, his world view and his final redemption and rise out of the darkness of bigotry and hatred.  I’m not sure what Eastwood did in the past that he feels the need to keep exploring this theme, but what ever he did he sure feels bad about it and it comes out in spades in his Walt character.  Gran Torino worked on so many levels.  The acting was excellent.  Eastwood was perfect the direction was tight, well paced and just down right enjoyable.  This isn’t thinking mans’ cinema, no not even close, but what this is is cinema that you put on and just have a good time with.

There are several little sub-plots that bubble under the surface and never really take off, but this film is economical in it’s pacing and really delievers a couple of good one two punches.  Nothing here is a surprise and that could be the biggest drawback of the film.  Also if anyone is offended by harsh language and some scenes of graphic violence you may want to shy away from this.  But if your down give Gran Torino a shot in the old DVD player tonight, I wasn’t disappointed at all.

I give Gran Torino 4 out of 5 Stars.

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On Slipknot’s stop in Cedar Rapids I also had the pleasure to sit down with Jeff Kendrick from DevilDriver to ask him a few questions about his music, touring, the internet and various other things.  Here is the interview for you to enjoy!

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First off, I’m always on the look out for free stuff, like most of us are, and in this economy isn’t it great to get free music?  Well have I got a deal for you.  16 Volt is an artist I discovered in the mid 90′s while working at City Sound in Mason City Iowa.  I love bands like Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy and Ministry and one day a customer was in the store and was like “hey if you dig those bands you should check out 16 Volt” and so I ordered the only album at the time that was available Skin.  I was immediately blown away by it.  So much so that it, and two other albums by Eric Powell & company, will make my albums I can’t live without list.  But I won’t needlessly plug away at this, what I will do is provide you with a link to download these seven albums for free in high quality mp3 format.  You may be asking yourself what’s the catch?  We nothing, in a post on 16 Volts website you will read that Eric was struck by the line “the best band you’ve never heard before” and decided to change that, so get to download already would ya!

Get the albums HERE

And here’s what’s coming out on DVD Tomorrow.

June 2
- Anaconda 4: Trail of Blood (Action, Adventure, Horror, Thriller) Really four of these?  Wow!
- Army Wives: The Complete Second Season (Drama, TV)
- Baby on Board (Comedy, Romance)
- Defiance (Drama) 
- Direct Contact (Action)
- He’s Just Not That Into You (Comedy, Romance) Would it be unfair of me to say “I’m just not that into this movie”?
- Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach (Documentary)
- The Jetsons: Season Two, Volume One (Animation, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi, TV)
- Prison Break 4: The Final Season (Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller, TV)
- Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season (Drama, TV) 
- Revolutionary Road (Drama) 
- Silent Venom (Action, Thriller) 
- Spring Breakdown (Comedy)
- Weeds: Season Four (Comedy, Crime, Drama, TV)

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