Music Monday Madness!

Back again for more music and wow did I give myself a lot of look at. Cartel's "Cycles", Saosin Sophomore release "In Search of Solid Ground" and a double CD from Dashboard Confessional.

Cartel "Cycles"

Cartel's follow up to the 2007 self title album (An album that I loathe other then one song which I had to cut the second half of.) had me asking lots of question what in the world would I get from this band?    Originally I had fell in love with the band back on their original EP and their full length debut Chroma was a great poppy song with hits everywhere.  I am glad to say that "Cycles" reminds me of the older Cartel songs with hits from top to bottom.  From the get-go you have tracks like Let's Go and The Perfect Mistake that beg for a download with their catchy lyrics and great riffs to the the softer Only You and It Still Remains. 

Dashboard Confessional "Alter The Ending"

 

Similar to Cartel history Dashboard Confessional has several albums under it's belt that I've always enjoyed.  Back when Dashboard Confessional was primary a solo act of Chris's the EP/Albums felt more personal felt like songs that didn't fit with Further Seems Forever.  But as the DC became a full ensemble group the sound changed and it was no longer that old acoustic feel that previously was known.  2006 "Dusk and Summer" was the first album where I was selective on what I bought singles of and the follow up "Shades Of Poison Trees" was utter garbage.  "Alter The Ending" brought the best of both worlds together, with the first CD featuring the full band and the Special edition CD featuring all the songs in Acoustic. Check out "The Motions" "Belle of the Boulevard" and the title tracks for starters.

Saosin "In Search Of Solid Ground"

        

It seems unreal that the self titled debut from Saosin came out in 2006 and it's three years later, 2007 I could see but not 2006.  Perhaps the fact that it's one of regular listens I didn't really notice how long it's actually been out.  As for the newest release "In Search Of Solid Ground" it's been a slow burn for me, unlike the debut I had hardly taken the time to listen to a lot of the songs from the album but once again it's another Solid (no pun intended) release, a few things of note the EPs of "Keep Secrets" and "Love Maker" (now titled "The Worst of Me") are slightly changed, "The Worst of Me" for the better while "Keep Secrets" really for the worst in my opinion.  Like the Debut there definitely is the "You're Not Alone", and in fact there's two songs, with "It's All Over Now" and Fireflies, the former producing the title for the album.