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Staind – A Review of The Band’s Self-Titled Album

Posted on by Tommy D

We welcome back Tommy D, who was a founding member of this blog under the url of RyansRantsandTommy’sTirades.Wordpress.com. Two of his marquee posts were reviews of albums by Disturbed and Alter Bridge, so he comes back for another comprehensive album review. Tommy now runs a movie blog which you can visit at TommyDTalksMovies.com.

Aaron Lewis and the rest of the Massachusetts-based hard rock band Staind have really made a name for themselves over the past decade-plus with a string of solid records and numerous hit singles.  Through the different styles Staind has touched on over the years, the band’s trademarks have always been the versatile vocals of Aaron Lewis (ranging from primal screams to smooth, soaring melodies), the intricate skill of Mike Mushok playing baritone guitars, and the precision and power of Johnny April on bass. In particular, the standout has always been Lewis, whose ability to convey a sorrowful-yet-powerful tone in his primary singing voice makes one think of the great James Taylor. The combination of that vocal style with a hard-rock sound, as well as Lewis’s ability to let out the occasional guttural scream, makes Staind rise above the clutter of the modern-rock world.

After coming out with Dysfunction in 1999—the band’s first release on an actual label and second overall (Staind issued a limited release of an extraordinarily aggressive album called Tormented in 1996; even I did not care for most of this record)—Staind quickly became a household name with 2001’s Break The Cycle, which included such hits as “It’s Been A While,” “Outside,” “For You,” and “Fade.” After that, Staind came out with a series of solid rock releases over the subsequent years, including 14 Shades of Grey, Chapter V, and The Illusion of Progress. While I thought these were all pretty good records, much of the material was a little softer and more experimental, which was a departure from the perfectly-balanced Break The Cycle. In my opinion, Break The Cycle was and still is the band’s magnum opus. While the biggest hits from that record were soft, I also really enjoyed the heavier deep album cuts. After the more tranquil and experimental The Illusion of Progress, I thought we might never hear the aggressive-yet-balanced sound we got from Staind with Dysfunction and Break The Cycle. However, with last week’s release of its new self-titled album, Staind shows that it still has plenty of that sound left in the tank.

The new album is probably the band’s heaviest CD since 1999’s Dysfunction, which, while not my favorite Staind record, does have my favorite Staind song—“Mudshovel.” Lewis breaks out the screaming for the first time—at least to this extent—since Break The Cycle. However, most of this new release actually belongs to guitarist Mike Mushok. There is a wealth of heavy riffs and some really fantastic solos. Of the return to this heavier style following the experimental nature of The Illusion of Progress, Mushok said,

“It felt like we tried a lot of different styles of music (on The Illusion of Progress). I think being able to make the last record let us be able to make this record because it kind of got that out.”

Completing Staind was not without its difficulties, however. Amid conflict and tension during the recording process, drummer Jon Wysocki left the band. Mushok called parts of the recording process “miserable,” and had the following to say regarding Wysocki’s departure:

“Coming in, I don’t think we were all on the same page. I think we had different motivations, and we never really got on the same page. Figuring out how to handle that, and what to do with it, after being in a band with somebody for 16, 17 years, just not an easy decision to make. And not a fun one to make. It took a long time to really figure out how it was going to be handled. So, that was tough.”

The intense aggression of much of the record might very well have something to do with the tensions that arose during the recording process. In any event, Staind was able to overcome—or channel—these difficulties into a solid release that will likely be somewhat nostalgic to longtime Staind fans.

Let’s take a look at Staind song-by-song:

  1. Eyes Wide Open: An excellent opener that effectively sets the tone for the remainder of the record. It starts with a somewhat-foreboding bass pattern from Johnny April, and soon breaks into a heavy-yet-catchy guitar riff from Mushok. Lewis comes in with some aggressive yells, and doesn’t take long to bring back the screams of Staind’s yesteryear. Showing his versatility, however, he transitions beautifully into a soaring and captivating chorus. The bridge is also excellent, with some low vocals spoken by Lewis followed by some intense screams layered over some shredding by Mushok. Very solid song overall.  8.5/10
  2. Not Again: The album’s lead single, and probably its best song, which is unusual to me; I usually find singles to be good but far from the best an album has to offer. Here, though, Staind picked the right song to promote early on. It represents everything this album—and really this band at its best—is all about. The main guitar riff is one of Staind’s very best, and the pre-chorus, which features both screaming and soaring vocals from Lewis, is simply awesome. Lewis’s subsequent declaration of “not again” in the chorus is something you’ll find in your head for a while, along with the main guitar riff. That’s not all the song has to offer though—the precise guitar soloing in the interlude, followed by some more great shredding, again displays Mushok’s versatility. Overall, this song is everything I love about Staind—great vocals, great guitar work, and a perfect combination of aggression and melody.  10/10
  3. Failing: A somewhat slower track, but this pacing makes it deceptively heavy when Lewis’s screaming comes in during the pre-chorus. The chorus is then classic Staind—mid-paced and very melodic. Mushok provides some pretty nice wah guitar fills after the chorus. “Failing” is a pretty diverse song—with some of Staind’s more unique guitar work—that has high potential to grow on listeners with repeated listens.  8/10
  4. Wannabe: I’m all for Staind bringing back some styles from the late ‘90s and early 2000s, but the nu-metal vibe of this song just doesn’t really work. The verses are almost rapped, and that’s not something Staind really needs to delve into. The chorus is decent but not spectacular. The best part of the song is the guitar solo. I love that Staind is using them so much more frequently on this song, however, “Wannabe” is perhaps the album’s most forgettable song. 4.5/10
  5. Throw It All Away: Similar mid-tempo pace to “Failing,” with a nice little guitar intro that becomes the song’s main riff. The vocals are all clean in this one, and as such, the track is aptly placed midway through the album to serve as somewhat of a break from the aggressive onslaught. Decent chorus and above-average bridge with some higher-pitched vocals from Lewis.  Pretty good but not spectacular.  7/10
  6. Take A Breath: Starts with a cool, calm-before-the-storm intro that transitions into another heavy riff from Mushok. The verse brings back the more tranquil intro, but once again, is overtaken by heaviness both musical and vocal. Then the chorus comes in with a high, soaring melody from Lewis—one of his trademarks. There is also a pretty good solo from Mushok. Another solid track.  8/10
  7. The Bottom: Another one of the record’s standout tracks, “The Bottom” was featured in the movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Begins with a curious, static-sounding riff from Mushok that brings back memories of Dysfunction, and eventually, transitions from a mid-tempo verse (a Staind special) to a spectacularly melodic and gripping chorus (“I’ll meet…you at the bottom…”). Seems like one of the album’s less aggressive tunes until Lewis unleashes the screams in a great, head-banging bridge. A very well-rounded song.  9/10
  8. Now: Features perhaps the best introduction the album—a truly spectacular bit of guitar playing by Mushok; this riff persists throughout the song. You will be hooked in immediately. For better or worse though, this guitar pattern is the high point of the song (the solo comes close though). The rest of it is still good, but that guitar work is hard to beat. Mushok truly owns this track.  8.5/10
  9. Paper Wings: Probably the most aggressive song this CD has to offer. The screaming in the verses doesn’t really do the job for me. I sometimes like screamed verses if they are done right, but again, the nu-metal vibe isn’t really effective here. The chorus, however is above average (the vocals here are fairly clean), and the interlude is really awesome. It slows down very suddenly and then breaks into another sharp solo by Mushok, showing a side to this song that I really didn’t see coming on the first listen. That and the chorus somewhat salvage the track.  5.5/10
  10. Something To Remind You: After hearing predominantly aggressive tunes, Staind closes with a very well-crafted ballad. I can’t say it enough, but Mushok again shows his versatility as a guitarist with some very soft yet moving patterns throughout this track. This is also the song where Lewis really shines the most, as his voice is accompanied only by Mushok’s soft guitar playing. While I generally prefer when Staind balances aggression and melody, I still appreciate a ballad that is done well, and “Something To Remind You” is just that. There is even a mini-solo by Mushok, which serves as the icing on the cake for me. This song is a curveball with regard to the rest of the album, but it is nevertheless a very effective closing song.  8.5/10

Overall, I have to say I am pretty happy that Staind has not abandoned some of the aggressive traits from its roots. In that regard, this album was a pleasant surprise for me. It’s not Break The Cycle, but it’s very good nonetheless. Aaron Lewis shows his wide range as a vocalist, and Mushok shines on guitar with perhaps his best work yet. I would have liked for there to have been more than 10 tracks, but since most of them are at least very good, I cannot really complain too much.

Tommy D’s Score: 8/10

The approximately equivalent score according to the Tommy D rating scale (out of four) would be:

 

 

 

3.25 Tommy Ds

Please keep in mind that scoring an album or movie is pretty difficult and reviews are not meant to be comparative ranks between albums, especially if different authors reviewed each album. Thanks for the review!

Fair To Midland – Featured Band

Posted on by Tommy D

Yes, so perhaps “Band of the Week” has been discontinued, but at least we could still call this “Band of the Indefinite Time Period” if we wanted.  Anyway, I’ll cut to the chase.  I’m just now getting into a band I’ve known about for a while but only based on one song.

That band is Texas quintet Fair To Midland, and that song is “Dance of the Manatee.”  I heard it on the radio about two to three years ago, and it immediately caught my attention.  However, much to my own personal shame, I inexplicably did not really check out much else of the band’s material.

I have redeemed myself however, and I can thank another song of theirs that I heard on the radio — “Musical Chairs.”  This song also captivated me on the first listen, and I realized that since Fair To Midland was now 2/2 for me, I had better check them out.  I sampled a few more songs on YouTube and decided it was time to purchase a CD.  I got their major label debut from 2007, entitled Fables From a Mayfly:  What I Tell You Three Times Is True.  I have immediately fallen in love with it, and I now have to seriously consider buying their recently-released album, Arrows and Anchors (“Musical Chairs” is on this album).

Fair To Midland is a different animal.  I have trouble classifying them.  I would call them a combination of art rock and progressive rock/metal, with a little bit of an indie-type sound thrown into the mix.  Vocalist Darroh Sudderth has a truly unique voice and timbre, and his range is unbelievable (just check out the high-to-low vocal progression in the chorus of “Dance of the Manatee” to see what I’m talking about).  At times the band has a very soft, keyboard-heavy sound (such as in the intros of “Kyla Cries Cologne” and “Walls of Jericho”), and at other times, thrashing guitars dominate (e.g., the beginnings of “Dance of the Manatee” and “Upgrade^Brigade”).  The dynamics within the songs also change rapidly, which makes me use the word “progressive” when describing them.

It is this unique sound that has gotten me into Fair To Midland.  I haven’t looked too much into the lyrics yet.  For one — and this is one very small negative of the band, although not so much for me personally — the words are often hard to understand, especially when you first hear the songs (upon repeat listens I am deciphering more of the lyrics).  Another lyrical trait is that they are VERY abstract and thus difficult to interpret.  For example, this is the pre-chorus and chorus of “Dance of the Manatee”:

We marys had ourselves a ball,
Oh, yes we did,
We marys had ourselves a ball,
I must admit,

Hang us those limbs, hold no virtue,
Those told to hold: Project on my cue,

Until we fall.

If anyone has an interpretation for this, please let me know.  All I know is that I love the way this band sounds, and that’s enough for me.  It’s always a cool feeling when you discover a musical group that is awesomely talented but relatively unknown.  That’s what I have here with Fair To Midland, so you should thank me for letting the secret out!  In all seriousness though, most people will probably like at least some of what they hear; the band’s sound is eclectic enough to attract a plethora of different listeners.

Here are some other standout songs (besides the ones I already mentioned) to get you started:

Fair To Midland is:

  • Darroh Sudderth (vocals, banjo, mandolin, bass)
  • Cliff Campbell (guitars)
  • Brett Stowers (percussion, drums)
  • Matt Langley (keys)
  • Jon Dicken (bass)

Tunes of the Moment

Posted on by Tommy D

I’m not gonna go into much detail here; the title should serve as a sufficient means to make at least a halfway-decent inference about the subject matter of this post (there was probably a much shorter way of saying that but I was being deliberately verbose for no other purposes than self-amusement).

Check out these songs.  They make up quite an eclectic array of music:

That should keep everyone busy for awhile.  Enjoy!

NHL’s Time to Shine?

Posted on by Tommy D

Great post about Kevin Gregg and David Ortiz. Ortiz is such a hypocritical punk. And Gregg might now be my favorite non-Yankee reliever (the fact that he’s on my fantasy team also makes it easier to root for him).

Anyway, continuing in the sports realm, how interesting is it that there exists the possibility of not only no NFL season, but also no NBA season? I would imagine that losing one — let alone both — of these seasons would be a huge bummer for a large chunk of America. However, as much as I like sports, I’m not sure I’d be too sad.

First of all, the NBA doesn’t do much for me anymore. It’s become such an egotistical game, where players’ images seem to take precedence over the fact that basketball really can be a great team game. College basketball absolutely destroys the NBA in this regard. When you add the fact that my Lakers might be on a downward trend, I realize how minute my interest is at this point.

I would be a little more disappointed if there was no NFL season, but the main loss for me would be the lack of fantasy football. My autumn Sundays would be less interesting, but it wouldn’t be hard for me to survive. And my Packers would be defending champs for another year.

The main reason, however, that I wouldn’t be too bummed about losing these seasons, has to do with the fact that I am an absurdly passionate hockey fan. With the potential absence of the NBA and NFL, maybe hockey will finally get to take center-stage. It’s a hugely under-appreciated sport that combines speed, skill, precision, toughness, and teamwork. Oh, and it’s all on ice.

I wonder what ESPN will do without NBA games to show and without Monday Night Football. What will become of the 68% chunk of SportsCenter that is devoted to the NFL? We can only hope hockey gets more coverage. Of course, it would help if ESPN televised NHL games, but nevertheless, more analysis would be nice. Maybe all those American sports fans without Versus will become subscribers to different TV packages when they see how empty their fall and winter days are.

Is it wrong to wish for no NBA or NFL seasons? Maybe a little, but it is only borne out of a positive emotion — love for hockey. Plus, I am not truly hoping for cancellations of the NBA and NFL seasons; I am just pointing out that this will not be all that bad, and that the best sport in the world — which already suffered through a lockout not long ago — will still be happening.

The King’s Speech: A film fit for an ordinary citizen

Posted on by Tommy D

Amidst my depressingly large amount of work for UGA’s MMR program, I am happy to have a little time here to post about a movie I saw recently (before the onslaught of schoolwork).

After hearing about how great The King’s Speech was, and seeing all of the Oscars it won (most notably Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth), I figured I had to see it, so I rented it through Netflix. I ended up being pretty unimpressed overall. While the movie was by no means terrible, the fact that it fell so short of my expectations inspired me to write this review (my first one) on the Netflix site:

I really wanted to love this movie, especially after all of the acclaim it received and the positive words I heard from friends and family. However, when I watched it, I was quite underwhelmed. It is certainly a very well-acted film, and Colin Firth deserved his Oscar. Geoffrey Rush was great as well, but the overall progression of the story was slow. I was waiting for it to become more climactic and emotionally-moving, but it never really did for me. It was a decent movie, but in my opinion, quite unworthy of all the praise it received, most notably its Best Picture Oscar.

Band of the Week/Indefinite Time Period: The Veer Union

Posted on by Tommy D

Yes, it’s been more than a week (actually, it’s been three), but I felt it was necessary to allow more time for the Digital Summer post to garner some more views. My latest featured band is a Canadian group called The Veer Union. The Veer Union is a hard rock group that hails from Vancouver. I first heard of them when I saw Black Stone Cherry, Theory of a Deadman, and Hinder in concert a couple of years ago. The Veer Union was the opening act, and right before the show, I looked them up and checked out their single at the time, “Seasons.” I liked the song immediately, and while they were only on stage briefly when I went to the show, they were very good and their front man, vocalist Crispin Earl, was cool and genuinely grateful to be there. He thanked the audience numerous times for coming out.

I have since checked out some of The Veer Union’s other material, and it has not disappointed. I like Crispin Earl’s vocal style, and the guitars (courtesy of James Fiddler on lead and Eric Schraeder on rhythm), in my opinion, have an understated power. The backing vocals from Fiddler and and Schraeder also add another cool element to this band. Marc Roots (bass) and Neil Beaton (drums) round out the quintet.

The Veer Union, after releasing an independent album called Time to Break the Spell in 2006 while going by the name “Veer”, released its first album under their current name in 2009. The album is entitled Against the Grain, and was released under Universal Motown Records. Against the Grain has spawned three singles, including the aforementioned hit, “Seasons,” as well as “Youth of Yesterday” and “Darker Side of Me” (click on the titles to hear the songs).

The band is currently working on its next release, called Divide the Blackened Sky. There is no release date as of yet, though it is expected to be out sometime this year, so that is something to look forward to from yet another very underrated rock group.

Band of the Week: Digital Summer

Posted on by Tommy D

My apologies for being a bit late with the newest band of the week (or, more realistically, 7-12 day period).  I know there must be so many annoyed readers out there (….), but this week’s band is definitely worth the wait.  The featured group is a Phoenix-based outfit called Digital Summer.  This band first came to my attention with a couple of songs that I heard on Sirius satellite radio about a year ago, and I was reminded of them when they started following me on Twitter (nice!).  In the genre of hard rock/alternative metal, where it is so tough to stand above all the clutter, this band shows a penchant for great guitar riffs and catchy yet edgy melodies.  It’s a shame that they are not more widely known, but then again, that’s why they’re one of Tommy’s bands of the week!

Digital Summer first formed in Phoenix, AZ in 2006, through the initiating efforts of brothers Kyle and Ian Winterstein.  Kyle is the lead vocalist, while Ian plays guitar.  The duo filled out the rest of the band’s lineup by recruiting Johnmark “Fish” Cenfield to also play guitar, Anthony “Guido” Hernandez for bass, and Ben Anderson for drums.  The band’s first full-length album, called Cause and Effect, was released in 2007 and featured the single “Whatever It Takes.”  This is the song I first heard on the radio a little over a year ago, and it certainly grabbed my attention.  The aggressiveness, as well as the melodic yet raspy lead vocals, and the occasional background screaming, were the elements that I found to be most captivating.  Stylistically, Digital Summer reminds me somewhat of Breaking Benjamin; while they don’t sound a whole lot like BB, Winterstein’s vocal delivery and the construction of the band’s songs are where I see the similarities.  So, if you like Breaking Benjamin, or alternative metal at all for that matter, you will probably thoroughly enjoy Digital Summer.

After Cause and Effect, Digital Summer released an EP called Hollow in 2008, which was headlined by the singles “Rescue Me” and “Use Me.”  The band’s most recent release, Counting The Hours, came out less than a year ago, in May of 2010.  The lead single was “Just Run,” and hearing this song was confirmation for me that this is a high-quality band that deserves a ton of attention.  It is probably my favorite track by them to this point, but in fairness, I have never heard a bad song by them.  Some of my other favorites include “Hostage,” “Disconnect,” “Counting The Hours” (which features an infectious guitar riff), and “Suffocate.”

While the band has gained a following in its home state of Arizona, and has also been able to perform alongside big-name acts such as Sevendust, Drowning Pool, Godsmack, Alice In Chains, Disturbed, and Theory of a Deadman, they still deserve more widespread attention.  The following quotations from the media and other bands (taken from Digital Summer’s Myspace page) show that Digital Summer is certainly something special:

“These guys are SICK!” – Morgan Rose, of Sevendust

“Fan favorites with a great live show; packed floor to rafters every time.” – Fitz Madrid, 98KUPD

“Strong and engaging…memorable after just one listen. And thats really what it’s all about.” -TAXI A&R Company

“A good STRONG band!” – Alex Varkatzas, of Atreyu

“Truly a hard working band that won’t take “no” for an answer when it comes to showing their passion for making great music in today’s stagnant rock scene!” – Shan Man, 98KUPD

“Full of emotion, raw energy, along with harmonious tunes, that are sure to make anyone hit the repeat button on their CD player!” – Jerry Manley, The Voice Magazine

“Modern hard rock bliss!” – One Night Stand Presents

“All in all great band who lets the music do the talking…and the talking is good!” – Metalmonthly.com

“These guys should be huge! This is commercial, modern heavy rock of the highest order!” – Melodic.net

“The crowds, screaming. The venue, packed. The band, intense. Their enthusiasm on stage is contagious!” – The Lumberjack, NAU

“Arizona based Digital Summer doesn’t hold back with their powerful track “Suffocate” Fans of Trapt, Sevendust and Chevelle need look no further for the next rock gods on the radio!” -GotRadio.com

“Digital Summer is the kind of band that grabs at your throat and won’t let go! Real talent with a real following. I can’t wait for the next show.” – Cori James, 103.9 KEDJ

Band of the Week: Eye Empire

Posted on by Tommy D

Per a previous post of Ryan’s and some comments about the now-defunct band Submersed, this week’s featured band is a supergroup called Eye Empire.  Eye Empire’s lead singer is Donald Carpenter, who was Submersed’s vocalist before they sadly disbanded.  This fact sparked my initial interest in Eye Empire, as I think Carpenter has a truly spectacular, flexible voice; he does everything from falsettos to raw screaming.

The rest of Eye Empire’s lineup has Will Hunt on drums (Hunt has played or is currently playing in several bands that include Dark New Day, Black Label Society, Crossfade, and Evanescence), B.C. Kochmit on guitar and backing vocals, and Corey Lowery (formerly of Dark New Day and Stereomud) on bass and backing vocals.  Garrett Whitlock, Submersed’s ex-drummer, had been the band’s initial drummer, and Dixie Duncan had previously been the band’s guitarist.  Both left Eye Empire in late 2010.

Despite their newness (the band first formed in 2009) and lineup changes, Eye Empire appears poised to make some noise in the hard rock/alternative metal world.  With a voice like Carpenter’s, any band should make it big, which is why it is so perplexing that Submersed couldn’t sell.  Eye Empire, when compared to Submersed, adds a little more bite in some of their songs, and seems a little more varied in their overall sound.  They have released only one album thus far, titled Moment of Impact.  This was a limited release of 1,000 copies; a full release is planned for sometime later this year.  What I have heard thus far is very intriguing, and definitely deserves my (and your) attention.  Do I think this is a better group than Submersed?  Not yet (that’s nothing negative; I was/am a HUGE Submersed fan), but with more material and more listens, I can see myself really getting into this band.

My favorite Eye Empire songs right now are More Than Fate (my initial favorite), Reason (a somewhat softer song), Victim (featuring guest vocals from Sevendust’s Lajon Witherspoon), Ignite (a very heavy yet dynamic song), and I Pray.  Click on the titles to hear these songs for yourself, and be on the lookout for more news about the full release of Moment of Impact later this year!

Band of the Week: Egypt Central

Posted on by Tommy D

After discussing a band named after an Egyptian god, we will transition smoothly to a band called Egypt Central.  An alternative metal band from Memphis, Egypt Central consists of vocalist John Falls, guitarist Jeff James, bassist Joey Chicago, and drummer Blake Allison.

As far as the style of the band, I would best describe them as alternative metal/hard rock.  If you like bands like Three Days Grace, Shinedown (especially their early stuff), Trapt, and Breaking Benjamin, then chances are you’ll like Egypt Central.  While many people might not see them as being an especially innovative band, I feel that Falls’ voice and occasional screams add a level of uniqueness to the music, as does the guitar work of Jeff James.  He throws in some nice solos fairly often, and his occasional use of the wah pedal (especially in the beginning of “Over and Under”) makes for a very cool sound.

As of right now, Egypt Central has released only its self-titled debut record, but another one, called White Rabbit, is slated for a May 17 release.  Egypt Central self-released their first album in 2005, and had planned to issue a re-release once signing a new record deal (their previous label, Lava Records, had dropped them just before the 2005 release, prompting the band to release it themselves as a result of overwhelming demand).  After many delays, the band finally found a new label (Fat Lady Music) and re-released the album in 2008, remastered, remixed, and with new artwork.  The first single, “You Make Me Sick”, along with “Over and Under” (my favorite song by them) and “Taking You Down”, are among the most noteworthy titles on the CD.  Links to these songs are below.  I suggest you check out the entire record, and also keep an eye out for their upcoming release in May.

You Make Me Sick

Over and Under

Taking You Down

Debut Band of the Week: Ra

Posted on by Tommy D

In an effort to be more active on this blog, I am starting a new trend called “Band of the Week.”  The title is pretty self-explanatory; every week (or more realistically, every 7-12 days), I will post briefly about a certain band and give a short profile as well as some song samples.  I will try to make many of my posts about bands that aren’t widely known, so as to make the whole thing more interesting and illuminating.  Occasionally, Ryan can post about some bands he would like to discuss.  Just don’t expect them to be nearly as interesting as my posts (just playin’ Ryan…but seriously).  This idea was inspired by my love for rock music as well as the shameful Grammys, which do anything but award the best musicians.

That being said, the first ever band of the week is an overlooked act called Ra.  A hard-rock/alternative metal band with a slightly progressive touch, the group takes its name from the ancient Egyptian sun god.  The band is from Los Angeles and has been around since the late 1990s, and, after several lineup changes, its current members are as follows:

Sahaj Ticotin:  Vocals, guitar

Ben Carroll:  Guitar

Andy Ryan:  Drums

P.J. Farley:  Bass

Ticotin, when discussing the band’s name, said, “When I was naming the band I wanted to come up with something that tied the Sun into the image of the band. I was thinking of different kinds of things but, I like the idea of Ra because it’s short, melodramatic and sort of an odd thing and really unique.”

Ra’s songs often feature Middle-Eastern sounds (understandable, given their name) as well as a bit of Latino influence (Ticotin is half Puerto Rican).  These influences help add a progressive flair to their music.

Ra has released three full-length studio albums (From One, Duality, and Black Sun), one EP (One, their debut album, which formed the basis for their first full-length release, 2002′s From One), one live album (Raw), and one album (Black Sheep) that is a collection of b-sides and previously unreleased demos.  Their most successful and well-known songs include “Do You Call My Name” (off From One; this is my personal favorite Ra song), “Fallen Angels”, a cover of The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” (both of the previous two songs come from 2005′s Duality), “Broken Hearted Soul” (from the 2008 album Black Sun, though the single was released in 2007), and “Supernova” (2009, from Black Sheep).

Links to these songs are below.  I suggest you check out Ra for yourself!

Do You Call My Name

Fallen Angels

Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

Broken Hearted Soul

Supernova