Anti-Mortem | New Southern
Anti-Mortem’s debut album, New Southern, was released early last spring, and I regret admitting that it took me this long to get it to my eardrums. This is a brutally honest album that belongs with your metal favorites. It’s impactful, with an energy that gets into your system with groovy hooks and a common sense approach to the arrangements.

Much of the album is what I would call medium-paced … like Korn or Metallica. You can understand the words, and those words are well-written, making a specific point and driving it home. My favorite track, “100% Pure America Rage,” is a great example. Patriotic in a pissed-off way, it helped me understand what Southern rock was. “Truck Stop Special” has a great melody, and the intro shows the vocal chops of singer Larado Romo.

Having been able to catch the show at The Palladium in October, I can vouch that this band is pretty kickass live and has the talent to quiet any claim that the Oklahoma clan is too young or new to the scene to hold its own. These guys are completely capable and had the entire room on their side.

The album, produced by Bob Marlette, who also is credited for Rob Zombie and Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a great homage to the rock ’n’ roll we know and love. Would I like to see a little more risk taken next time? Well…yes, but that isn’t to say I don’t like this album. It’s a great debut album, and I am looking forward to seeing what else these guys have to give us.

For more information, visit anti-mortem.com.

By Jennifer Russo

WeezerWeezer | Everything Will Be Alright In The End
After a string of less-than-stellar releases that caught Weezer unsuccessfully trying to branch out into an arguably more “mainstream” sound, Everything Will Be Alright In The End is the album the band’s fans have been waiting for. It is a welcomed return back to the charming and awkward spirit that first helped the group gain recognition with its self-titled 1994 debut (a.k.a. “The Blue Album”). EWBAITE is Weezer’s attempt to wipe the slate clean and return to that originally successful blueprint, enlisting that album’s producer, Ric Ocasek, to lead the way.

All of the familiar characteristics of classic Weezer are on EWBAITE, from earworm-magic melodies drenched in low-end guitar fuzz and light synth love to neurotic lyrics such as when guitarist/singer Rivers Cuomo sings, “Sorry guys I didn’t realize that I needed you so much/ I thought I’d get a new audience I forgot that disco sucks,” on “Back To The Shack.” Cuomo has always had a knack for being a straight shooter with his lyrics while simultaneously peppering them with boyhood innocence, and on EWBAITE, he doesn’t shy away from touching upon his band’s misdirection in recent years. In fact, you can hear him go from apologetic (“Back To The Shack”) to angry (“I’ve Had It Up To Here”) to eventually understanding (“Foolish Father”).

After 20 years of recording music, Weezer finally has come full-circle with EWBAITE. And in case anyone has any doubts, just remember: Everything will be alright in the end.

For more information, visit weezer.com.

By Jason Savio

Idina MenzelIdina Menzel | Holiday Wishes
Let’s face it: If you’re going to buy a holiday album, chances are you’re doing so because you already like the singer covering the songs. As a self-confessed Idina Menzel fan, I wasn’t expecting to not love what I heard. Holiday Wishes is like a warm and fuzzy holiday hug from a dear friend … with a killer voice. The Tony Award-winning actress and singer’s signature lispy vocals make old standards new again, and with a touch of sax and jazz thrown in, classics become current and cool.

The Frozen chanteuse will have legions of new fans this holiday season based on the popularity of that animated film, and while you won’t find any of those almost primal, high-soprano notes she slayed in the film’s signature number “Let It Go”, Menzel injects perennial favorites like “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” with her own flair.

There’s also a gorgeous duet with Michael Bublé for “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and Menzel offers some real treats in the lesser-known, lesser-heard “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” and “December Prayer,” as well as Joni Mitchell’s maudlin Christmas ode to lost love, “River.”

There’s a great balance on the album, and it’s perfect for any holiday gathering. The album closes with one of my all-time favorites, “White Christmas,” and its quiet reminiscence will stir even the biggest Grinch because of the sheer power of Menzel’s amazing vocals.

For more information, visit idinamenzel.com.

By Mike Wood