Jimmy Bishop talks on DBM's latest.

So, I've heard the demos from everyone and you haven't. Here's what's upcoming from DBM ....

Are The First Timers Looking Good?
Short answer - yes.
Long answer - yes, mate. ;)

Firecracker 47 - "Firecracker 47's Mind Numbing Musical Interpretation Of How Not To Take The Morning After Pill (And Other Vaguely Interesting Metrosexual Blunders) : The Debut Album That About Four People Have Been Desperately Waiting For" is my personal favourite first-timer. It's the perfect debut album. They've got it bang on. It's raw fun and raw emotion - you love "Shoes" because it's so superficial, and you love "Comatose" because it's so deep. They're great as they are, and yet there's room to progress further. The real gem of the album is "Six Billion Souls" featuring Bikki - Joshy and Bikki have such great chemistry!

Speaking of Bikki, her debut album "Open Fire" is a masterpiece. Most would say it's better than F47's - that's because, musically, it is. The demo of "Kairiri" for one completely blew me away, this has to be my favourite. "Suffragette" - it's Shakira and Emma Blunt mixed with Bikki and Raven's own styles, and it works. "Halo" is a perfect first single, and yet a perfect ending to the album, summing everything up. If you like pop and you like madcore, you'll adore Bikki. My only beef with this is that it sounds like a final album, rather than a first album. It's just TOO good. Bikki's working too hard and could do with being a bit more laid back.

In The Cold You Look So Fierce - are they cold or fierce in "You Look So Fierce"? Bit of both. The good thing about this - good, solid pop-rock from a band who could last longer than we originally thought. The bad thing - you like All Time Low? Then you'll like these guys. I know they worship ATL, but they sound too much like them. So much so, that the best song on the album is "Six Feet Under The Stars". ITCYLSF do ATL perfectly, but they need more originality in their own songs.

And finally, Chris Pratt. I've heard very little of his as-yet-untitled debut solo album. What I have heard is technical excellence. This may be a debut, but Chris is a veteran musician who, despite the blunder of copycatting as a Fiercie, really knows what he's doing. You notice inspiration from Rebel Uprising, and from "Faith" and "m.c.x" era Moronic Changeling - but not so much that he's copying them, just a little inspiration. And yet, he still knows it's his debut, wants to get better, and doesn't try too hard. I'm looking forward to hearing more of Chris, this could be the best upcoming debut on DBM.

Debut vs. Sophomore.
Let's go into detail on those putting out their second albums, and whether they've got better or worse ....

Raven Comatose - "Dreams Of A Narcoleptic" vs. "Landing On My Feet"
This. Is. Amazing. I loved Raven's debut, but this is definitely a step up. Heck, it's a whole flight of stairs up. The intelligent concept behind "Landing On My Feet" grabbed my interest, the songs even more so. Some might say that there's too many feature artists .... but it's worth it. Stephanie Fierce on "Sugar Rush" is just what I want to hear from Stephanie, and the husband and wife collaboration on "Midnight Sun" is possibly the best song - though it's hard to pick! "Runaway Train" as we know is excellent, and "8/10 Cats" near the end is definitely worth the wait. I've tried, but I can't fault this!
Winner : "Landing On My Feet"

Rayne Berry - "Let The Challenge Begin!" vs. "Rayne's Inferno"
There's more than you'd think of "Rayne's Inferno" good to go - he's been working on it in secret, and it's like "Let The Challenge Begin!", but less depressive, which is always a good thing to see. "Colourful Angel" was written long before "Freedom" and wouldn't have fit the debut, but fits in here. "You're Better Than That" and "Cate" show the strength of emotion that Rayne is so famous for, and yet still show a side of his personality that the debut didn't have. The longest track, "Inferno", shows that he can do metal and do it well. To be honest, "Failboat" and "Mama Mia" still beat any track on this, but it's still epic win.
Winner : "Rayne's Inferno"

Madbirds - "In Which Madbirds' Lives Are Over .... And That's Just The Beginning" vs. "Mackerel Valium"
In a word - NO. I didn't like their debut much, that's because I was never a Kamikaze Kate fan - but though I've always liked Miyuki Morikawa, and there's no doubting that she's a brilliant vocalist, she doesn't have that "in yer face" quality that Kate always had. There are some songs, like "Wish" (basically anything written by Mayhem), which sound better with Miyuki - but how can it be Madbirds without Kate!? Miyuki is a star and Nick is legendary, but having them in the same room seems wrong, let alone the same band! Madbirds' lives were over when Kate left. End of.
Winner : "In Which Madbirds' Lives Are Over .... And That's Just The Beginning"

The 12th Album - Changeling For The Better Or Just Plain Moronic?
That was such a bad pun. Anyway.

Ah, Moronic Changeling. Our DBM veterans, we're expecting the best - but "Survival", great concept though it is, doesn't sound like they're surviving. I hate her personality as much as the next guy, and I may hang for saying this, but Billy Maddison was VERY wrong - Brisky is irreplaceable. Colin Nash fits in well with the Fiercies, but he's no Krista Briskett. The only MC bassists who even came close to her ability were Somerset Bissell and Jessy Griffin. All of the other band members are doing fine, I particularly love Kaethe's voice on these demos - she's *almost* negating the bass problem - but without Brisky, the music's going downhill fast.

Edited by user 30 September 2009 02:26:52(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified