MU Radio brought the Emerald City to Marquette students…with a bit of a twist. Of course, Dorothy, Toto and the Wizard were all invited, but there was one more guest: Pink Floyd.

“The Dark Side of the Rainbow is a mash-up of Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of the Moon” and MGM’s “The Wizard of Oz,” said Suzanne Sando, general manager of MUR. “The album plays over the entire movie about three times, and no one really knows why it syncs up as well as it does.” A rumor began several years ago circulating the idea that when the album is played in sync with the film, there are several uncanny coincidences between the two. However, nothing has been proven to be fact. Pink Floyd denies the occurrences to be intentional in any way, but some find this hard to believe. For example, Floyd’s song “Brain Damage” can be heard when the scarecrow croons about his desire for a brain.

On the other hand, some skeptics believe the power of suggestion influences the mind to pick up on patterns and coincidences that are not really present between the music and the movie. It is difficult to say – all seems to be a matter of opinion. Therefore, MU radio decided to let the Marquette campus decide for itself. Is there something to this? Are there really uncanny similarities between the album and the film?

The venue was particularly fitting for the event. The Annex provided the perfect space and atmosphere to set the tone. Although the showing began almost ten minutes late, the opening seemed to be promising. The novelty of the idea drew the audience in immediately. It gives this classic movie a whole new perspective. We have all seen “The Wizard of Oz” numerous times since the age of six; however, muting the sound and replacing it with Pink Floyd brings out a whole new aspect of the movie.

“It really heightens your other senses because the familiar dialogue has been taken away. I began to notice little details about the movie I had never seen before,” said College of Arts and Sciences freshman Sara Burnworth.

A technical glitch in the middle of the movie caused a bit of a delay for the audience. The classic “DVD skip” occurred for approximately five minutes, forcing the radio staff to make some changes.

The ten-minute intermission caused by technical difficulties interrupted the flow of the movie. However, once the problem was corrected, it was smooth sailing.

At this point, the album had finished for the first time and began again. Somehow the effect was just not quite the same (perhaps it would have been better if I were high).

The connections between the movie and the music that were so new and eerie the first time around seemed to have lost some of their luster the second time. Regardless, those entranced by the entire experience did not seem to care in the least.

It seems to be an event everyone should have once in his or her life. Pink Floyd really puts the film in a whole new light. Judy Garland would have been proud!

Popularity: 17% [?]

With temperatures considerably lower than the previous week, kids ran through piles of snow in T-shirts trying to get into The Rave last Saturday night. The San Diego quartet, (+44), had arrived in Milwaukee after a cancelled performance due to drummer, Travis Barker, injuring his right arm. The audience was going to have plenty of time for anticipation as the band was not scheduled to take the stage until 11 p.m. Continue Reading

Popularity: 13% [?]

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s called synergy. Musically speaking, four talented individuals will create something greater than what any one of them could create on his own. The power of perfect collaboration can yield a musical solstice that would be impossible under any other circumstance.Unfortunately, when the members of a ground-breaking, iconic band decide to part ways, subsequent musical endeavors are subject to the reverse rule. Side projects and rebound bands get left at the way side, never quite matching the ferocity of the original band’s expression. Billy Corgan’s career has been less than stellar post-Pumpkins, and no one likes Velvet Revolver as much as Stone Temple Pilots – much to Scott Weiland’s chagrin. Other than Justin Timberlake’s exception – those N’Sync boys were holding him back – it’s a universal constant.

The break up of rock group At the Drive-In is one such tale of a great band spawning lesser ones. Comprised of Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez, the band’s seven-year stint secured itself as one of the most influential and underrated rock bands of the nineties.

Marking the band’s permanent hiatus in 2001 due to creative differences, At the Drive-In’s split gave birth to The Mars Volta and Sparta, two bands of marginal success and opposite direction.

Bixler and Rodriguez began experimenting with the jerky percussion, sweeping anthems and tight-fitting pants of The Mars Volta. Although the new album borders on obnoxious – the band no doubt booked studio time with an array of pedals, effects and the dictum, “let’s see how weird we can be before someone notices” – The Mars Volta has no doubt found its niche.

Ward, Hinojos, Hajjar and new-comer Matt Miller began rocking under the Sparta brand immediately after the break up. Sparta’s sound mimics the edgy vocals and strong song structure of At the Drive-In, though it will forever exist as a less interesting version of its parent band. After the success of 2002’s Wiretap Scars and 2004’s Porcelain, the band’s new album, Threes, is a solid effort but with no real progression.

Does the lack of evolution in a talented band’s discography weigh negatively on the band itself? Quite possibly. When Hinojos left Sparta to play bass with his ex-mates in TMV, Sparta enlisted ex-Engine Down/Denali guitarist Keeley Davis to fill the void. Sadly, Davis has provided no creativity from Engine Down’s endless fount, but has rather been absorbed into Sparta’s circular structure of redundant rock songs. The band’s previous two albums push forward in tempo, lyricism and creativity, written with all the confidence of previous success and nothing to lose. But for many bands, album three can be an Achilles heel. The first album’s defining expression gives way to a sophomore effort that, if done correctly, builds and improves on the original sound. But after that, bands tend to lose focus and direction. They’re in the middle of the ocean with nothing to cling to while the shore fades out of sight.

Sparta is no exception. The band panders. High-pointed songs such as “Taking Back Control,” “Erase it Again” and “False Start” are solidly-structured rock songs with all the peaks and builds you would come to expect. But any of them could just as easily have appeared on their previous albums with none the wiser. And slower songs like “Unstitch Your Mouth” and “Atlas” have confirmed all suspicions that most rock bands can’t write moving ballads.

As a whole, Sparta’s arsenal of songs is dense and complete, Threes included. The album is solid from beginning to end with little exception. But the band’s lack of movement and creativity sits robotically in its desk chair like a middle-aged man working a dead-end job. The talent is there, but there’s nowhere to put it.

Popularity: 12% [?]

It has been two years since New Jersey’s cult emo-rock group My Chemical Romance released the insanely popular Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. The quintet’s debut on Warner Brothers’ Reprise Records went platinum multiple times, making the group a staple, if not the face, of emo music across the globe. Surely a band of this magnitude with a debut album this successful cannot repeat itself right? Too often quality musical artists succumb to the pressure that is the sophomore release.

Is My Chemical Romance one of these infamous one album wonders?

To put it simply, if their new album The Black Parade isn’t the best album of 2006, then it is certainly in the top three; it will grace the top of every rock chart available, and for good reason.

The Black Parade filled many, if not all, of the gaps found in its predecessor. The lyrics remain emotional and Gerard Way’s vocals sound almost identical to those on Sweet Revenge, but the variety of the style of the songs is vast. The influences of classic rock acts like Queen and The Smashing Pumpkins are recognizable, and really illuminate many tracks on the record.

The manner in which the band shooed away genre stereotyping (which is essentially ruining the value of today’s music) and explored new areas of their own abilities displays the maturation that occurred in between album releases, which has launched them into an entirely new level of rock ’n’ roll. It’s official: My Chemical Romance has evolved from being simply an emo outfit into a major force in the rock world.

The record’s intro, “The End,” immediately demonstrates MCR’s new sound. The two-minute starter track contains acoustic guitar work reminiscent of the 1970s rock revolution combined with MCR’s distinct yet indescribable sound. From here, the album jumps right into the fast-paced, poppy and catchy song “Dead!,” which combines classic rock guitar work with the lines and hooks you’d expect from a pop-rock band. The Black Parade maintains this style for a couple of songs until it flows into the title track, and current hit single. “Welcome to the Black Parade,” arguably the best conglomeration of work on any My Chemical Romance disc, opens with a slow piano and vocal-driven intro and then leads to a fast-paced musical sensation with perfect vocals and ideal musical work.

The disc’s slow, heartfelt songs are unique and can be easily identified in the current rock scene. On the track entitled “Mama,” Liza Minnelli lends her vocals to the group and, by that move alone, the group has reached the point where profiling them would be a waste of time because they simply do not care what anyone has to say about them or their music. My Chemical Romance has reached a seemingly unreachable summit with this album and has brought a new meaning to alternative rock.

My Chemical Romance has undoubtedly avoided the notorious label of the sophomore slump. The Black Parade is everything a rock ’n’ roll album should be, and it has brought the most popular, current makeup-wearing rock act to an even higher level.

Popularity: 11% [?]

In early February 2005, the announcement of an “indefinite hiatus” was the last thing fans of Blink-182 wanted to hear. Since then, two new bands have emerged from the smoke of what is left of the successful trio. Looking at the three members, guitarist/vocalist Tom Delonge, bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker, fans have been left to choose sides.

Tom Delonge has recorded and toured with his new band, Angels and Airwaves, releasing a debut studio album, We Don’t Need To Whisper, in May. Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker elected to create their own sound with their group +44 and will begin touring in support of their anticipated album, When Your Heart Stops Beating, in November. The big question here: Who will be victorious?

Depending on whom you ask about what the demise of the group was, there is no mistake that something astronomical occurred. The group was riding high, extremely successful with millions of fans around the world. It is rumored Delonge wanted to spend more time with his family as well as time away from the band, leaving Hoppus and Barker to pressure him to stay in order to tour. It is also rumored Delonge wanted a break, only to begin work on a new band that ultimately would be the start of Angels and Airwaves. Either way, a bunch of “he said, she said” has happened, leaving the possibility that fans will never know the true story.

The aftermath of Blink-182 being put on hold has brought forth different creative outlets for the musicians. Tom Delonge created quite an interest in his band in the months leading up to the release of his new album. Numerous interviews started to appear in magazines and Web sites. However, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker did the complete opposite by not speaking about either Delonge or plans of a new project. Not long after the release of We Don’t Need To Whisper, a tour was scheduled with fellow rockers Taking Back Sunday as co-headliners. The album’s first single, “The Adventure,” seemed to catch the attention of fans who were still attempting to make sense of what was being marketed as a “totally new sound.”

Angels and Airwaves made a stop in Milwaukee on July 1 at the Rave where Delonge commanded the stage, front man for the first time since Blink-182 formed in 1993. Despite performing only AVA songs, several hits such as “There Is,” from the other Blink-182 side project, Boxcar Racer, were incorporated into the set list. The consensus from the crowd was mostly cheers of respect for Delonge, but a definite longing.

After listening to the 10-song CD, We Don’t Need To Whisper, the element of creativity seems to be lacking. Although energetic and the commanding voice Delonge has requests your attention, the album seems to have little change, instead sounding more of the same song remastered into a song with a different title. It makes you wonder how different Delonge wanted to go. Another single, “The War,” has recently been added to a MTV reality show. How is that for attention?

Meanwhile, Hoppus and Barker have recently spoken out for the first time in more than a year about their upcoming project, +44. A tour has been scheduled to support the CD, When Your Heart Stops Beating, which includes a stop in Milwaukee on Oct. 28. The first single and self-titled track “When Your Heart Stops Beating,” has more of a Blink-182 sound with an edge that could get fans pumped up for a live show. A recent interview with MTV News speaks of another single, “Little Death,” which is a response to the falling out of Blink-182. Delonge had mentioned in interviews before his own album release that singles such as “The War” and “It Hurts” were in response to the end of Blink-182. It will be up to the fans to listen and determine what makes more sense.

Music is constantly evolving. Fans are able to choose from numerous new artists and form their own opinions of what they like. Blink-182 created a sound that was just right to millions. Now with the group members splitting off into two separate bands, the once-tight trio from San Diego will no longer look at each other as band mates, but as combatants within the music business. Each can create their own sound, but nothing will be the same. Delonge may have won the race to produce the first album and tour, but the next round is up for grabs. It will be up to the fans to say who will win the final battle in the war.

Popularity: 8% [?]

What better way to begin your married life than to take your spouse by the hand and take the indie music scene by storm? In early 1997, marking the beginning of their relationship and musical collaboration, Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner did just that. Hammel (drums, vocals, ex-cancer researcher) and Gardner (vocals, organ, ex-teacher) abandoned their day jobs, moved to San Francisco and began their life together as husband, wife and indie-pop duo.
The upcoming release of the band’s newest album, Bring it Back, due out March 21, follows its impressive, ever-progressing four-release relay: My Solo Project, 2000; Our Constant Concern, 2002; Team Boo, 2003; and All Day, 2004.

Their simple, yet brutally honest lyrics refute the child-like spirit of their music – hinting at all of loves losses, yet the whole of its worth. It provides a much-needed but unusual conflict that rivals the decision of whose parents the two will be spending Thanksgiving with this year.

The lyrics in songs like ‚ÄúEveryone Needs an Editor‚Äù (‚ÄúI wanna color the sky with you, I’ll let you choose the blue‚Äù) and ‚ÄúParachutes‚Äù (‚ÄúForces that make your way down, I’d say that’s better ’cause at least I know you tried’‚Äù) speak of love and loss. Whereas tunes like ‚ÄúHaHa‚Äù (‚ÄúI can’t tell what kind of life I’ve led today‚Äù) suggest feelings of personal confusion and loss of identity. Though the words speak of anguish and frustration, the candid joy of the music provides a nice counterbalance.

The band’s simplistic organ/drum combo proves the age-old adage that less really is more, but never detracts from the surprisingly wholeness of its sound. The rich melodies complement the complex song structure while also soaring over the sometimes unhewn instrumentation.

The use of abrupt meter change and vivid tempo variation induces the desire to sing and dance in even the whitest white boy if it means having a fraction of the fun the band seems to have during its live shows. Hammel and Gardner’s back-and-forth lyrical dialogue and on-stage banter serve as a window to their own little world, leaving the listeners wanting just a little bit more each time.

Since the band’s inception, the Mates have been on a seamless orbit around venues nationally and abroad in support of the love of music and the love for each other. They hit the Midwest in April to support Bring it Back. Check it out. You just might get taken in.

Popularity: 4% [?]