Review by Anne Erickson

Atlas Genius offer a catchy, earnest track with ‘Trojans’

Atlas Genius first grabbed the attention of the music world with their indie pop nugget “Trojans,” and now, the track is near the top of the BDS Nielsen alternative radio chart. Musically, the song is a perfect fit for today’s alternative radio wold, featuring a polished but sincere, offering a shiny pop sound with hypnotic keys and subtle guitars.

From the get-go, lead singer Keith Jeffery’s understated vocals grab the listener’s attention with a yearning message: “Take it off / Take it in / Take off all the thoughts of what we’ve been / Take a look / Hesitate / Take a picture you could never recreate.” The plugging rhythms and swirling guitars give the song a catchy, carefree quality and a danceable feel.

The song revs up in the chorus, with bright keyboards and Jeffery singing, “Your trojan’s in my head / Take it off / Take it in / Take off all the thoughts of what we’ve been.” At the same time, the chorus and verses share the same stylistic quality, almost making the song sound like one big line of music as opposed to the usual verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure.

With solid songwriting and an imaginative delivery, it’s hardly a surprise that “Trojans” is the song that catapulted Atlas Genius into the spotlight. The song –- which appears on the band’s debut full-length album, “When It Was Now” -– is a solid start for a band on target to enjoy a lengthy career.

Audio Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitars

Stream Atlas Genius’ ‘Trojans’:

Review by Anne Erickson

Imagine Dragons create drama and excitement with their dubstep-inspired jam, ‘Radioactive’

Las Vegas-based alternative indie rockers Imagine Dragons introduced their synth-based, alt-pop sound to the masses with their single “It’s Time” last year. The folk-y, indie-pop number quickly caught on and fought its way inside the Top 10 on Nielsen’s BDS Alternative Radio Chart. Now, Imagine Dragons are back with a new song, “Radioactive,” and it couldn’t be more different than their debut single.

While Imagine Dragons’ first single started off with lots of mandolin and a definite folk-feel, “Radioactive” really showcases the group’s ability to incorporate dubstep and dance-oriented music into their sound. The song starts out with a thick, heavy bass wub and strong beat, before frontman Daniel Coulter Reynolds’ post-apocalyptic lyrics kick in: “I’m waking up to ash and dust / I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust / I’m breathing in the chemicals / I’m breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus / This is it, the apocalypse.”

The track explodes into the chorus, as Reynolds triumphantly announced, “Welcome to the new age … Whoa, whoa, I’m radioactive, radioactive!”

“Radioactive” is a hook-y, emotional, midtempo anthem that, unlike many of the so-called new alternative tracks out there, should appeal to everyone from alternative pop fans to hard rockers. The song, which appears on the band’s current album, “Night Visions,” carries the kind of drama and excitement that turns a simple song into something just a little bit greater.

Audio Ink Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Guitars

Review by Anne Erickson

Soundgarden’s new song, ‘Been Away Too Long,’ is packed with energy, grungy riffing

One of the biggest songs of the year in the rock world, no doubt, is Soundgarden’s “Been Away Too Long,” a song that marks the first original music from the band since 1996′s “Down on the Upside.” From the first winding riff to the last crackle in Chris Cornell’s voice, Soundgarden’s “Been Away Too Long” is classic Soundgarden, recalling the band’s ‘90s grunge rock roots but still sounding contemporary enough to fit on the radio dials today.

“Been Away Too Long” is certainly one of Soundgarden’s heavier songs. Following their new, somewhat mellow track “Live to Rise,” which the band released earlier this year, “Been Away Too Long” shows that Soundgarden can still rock, with fast-paced, meaty guitar riffing and frantic, catchy drum beats.

Following a brisk, upbeat verse, the chorus quickly kicks in with Cornell crooning, “Going straight / I only ever really wanted a break / I’ve been away for too long /No I never really wanted to stay / I’ve been away for too long / I’ve been away for too long / I’ve been away for too long!” Musically, the chorus offers an uber-psychedelic aura that’s retro and simply fun.

One of the highlights of the song is the bridge, which offers trippy, experimental guitars and Cornell’s longing, lingering vocals: “Keyholes, trough key holes / Where those I am still hiding / Everyone inside/ Tank girls and fly guns and silver boots on my way home.”

With the energy and creativity that’s all throughout “Been Away Too Long,” it’s obvious Soundgarden are as inspired as ever and haven’t lost their vision. The song appears on the band’s current full-length, “King Animal.”

Review by Cat Badra

Modern rockers Three Days Grace blend angst-y lyrics and catchy riffs in ‘Chalk Outline’

Three Days Grace’s new single, “Chalk Outline,” has sat at the No. 1 spot on Nielsen’s BDS Radio Active Rock Chart for 10 weeks at this point, so something about the song has obviously struck a chord with rock listeners. “Chalk Outline” appears on Three Days Graces latest album, “Transit of Venus,” and the track is reflective of the entire album, which carries themes of struggle, heartbreak and growing up.

Lyrically, frontman Adam Gontier strikes the song with his usual arsenal of angst and passion, singing as a jilted lover who is forever changed after his significant other left him. “You left me here like a chalk outline / On the sidewalk waiting for the rain to wash away, wash away / You keep coming back to the scene of the crime / But the dead can’t speak and there’s nothing left to say anyway,” he croons.

Musically, Gontier and guitarist Barry Stock’s guitars make the track fly, with appropriately chalk-y sounding guitar riffing and a steady beat that makes the song near-danceable. Combined with drummer Neil Sanderson’s steady rhythms, “Chalk Outline” is a solid modern rock anthem that few should be surprised to see topping the charts.

Sanderson told Audio Ink Radio of “Chalk Outline” and the new album, “Transit of Venus,” “We definitely have those moments in the record about growing up, because you never really stop growing up. We’re getting older, but we’re still growing into something else, so I find the themes are similar whether you’re 35 or 15. Those kinds of themes can reflect the lives of a lot of people, not just teenagers.”

Audio Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitars

Watch Three Days Grace’s Music Video for ‘Chalk Outline’:

Review by Anne Erickson

Muse go for heavy electronics on their latest single, ‘Madness’

British alternative rock trio Muse are enjoying lots of limelight with their new single “Madness” off the band’s 2012 release, “The 2nd Law.” “Madness” is No. 1 on Nielsen’s BDS Alternative radio chart for a seventh week and showing no signs of faltering anytime soon.

On “Madness,” like with much of Muse’s latest release, the band fuses alternative rock, electronic and Radiohead-inspired trialing, led by singer and guitarist Matthew Bellamy. While “Madness” stays in line with Muse’s love affair with everything electronic, the song is less dependent on Bellamy’s guitar lines and more reliant on Muse’s spacey sonics and Bellamy’s lush tenor.

More than anything, “Madness” showcases Bellamy’s extraordinary pipes and ability to harmonize on a dime. “I can’t get these memories out of my mind / And some kind of madness has started to evolve,” he sings in the intro with looped drum beats in the distance.

Bellamy has stated the song was inspired by a quarrel he got into with his girlfriend. That’s apparent in the chunk of the song’s lyrics: “I need to know is this real love / Or is it just madness keeping us afloat? / When I look back at all the crazy fights we had / Like some kind of madness was taking control / I have finally seen the light / I have finally realized what you mean.”

“Madness” is a departure for Muse, leaving some fans empty and others saying it’s their favorite Muse song to date. Judging by the song’s chart-topping success, Muse are likely happy with their decision to forgo the heavy guitars for a more pop-oriented approach, and it somehow works.

Audio Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitars

Watch Muse’s Music Video for ‘Madness’:

Review by Anne Erickson

Folk-rock trio the Lumineers bring simplicity and heart to their current single, ‘Ho Hey’

It’s not a hyperbole to say the Lumineers are one of the biggest breakout groups in the alternative rock genre this year. The folk-rock trio out of Denver are currently No. 2 on Nielsen’s BDS Radio Alternative Chart with their quirky, acoustic hit “Ho Hey,” which appears on the group’s 2012 self-titled debut, and their popularity seems to be mounting.

Let’s cut to the chase: Lumineers lead singer and guitarist Wesley Schultz sounds an awful lot like Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace. That’s not a bad observation, especially since Our Lady Peace is one of the bands who was at the forefront of the alternative movement back in the ‘90s.

“Ho Hey” starts with whispy, organic mandolin and guitar strumming and cheery chanting in the background. Schultz breaks in with yearning lyrics: “I’ve been trying to do it right / I’ve been living a lonely life / I’ve been sleeping here instead / I’ve been sleeping in my bed / Sleeping in my bed.”

The song picks up quickly, and the chorus soon kicks in with faster guitar plunking and swirling sonics. Schultz’s vocals switch from plaintive and longing to upbeat and  speedy: “I belong with you, you belong with me / You’re my sweetheart / I belong with you, you belong with me / You’re my sweet!”

The Lumineers are a very simple-sounding band, but it’s darn refreshing to sit back and take in some genuine, straightforward music that comes from the heart. With spirit and feel, “Ho Hey” is one of the strongest alternative songs of the year.

Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitars

Watch the Lumineers’ Music Video for ‘Ho Hey’:

Review by Anne Erickson

Linkin Park show their soft, introspective side on ‘I’ll Be Gone’

Rap-rockers Linkin Park released their latest musical concoction earlier this year: “Living Things,” a 12-track opus of rock and alternative sounds and stylings. The guys scored a No. 1 rock hit in the catchy, electronic “Burn It Down” out the gate, and they’re already in the Top 5 on Nielsen’s BDS Radio active rock chart with empowering rap-rock nugget “Lost in the Echo.” Now, another Linkin Park track has made its way onto a few select radio stations throughout the country, and the song, “I’ll Be Gone,” shows a softer, more introspective Linkin Park.

“I’ll Be Gone,” in a sense, is the “Leave Out All the Rest” of “Living Things.” The song brings a slow, sweeping sonic to an otherwise pretty heavy collection of songs, just like “Leave Out All the Rest” brought a delicate dynamic to Linkin Park’s 2007 album, “Minutes to Midnight.”

The song starts with crunchy beats and distant electronics before exploding into a lush, sweeping array of guitars. Lead singer Chester Bennington soon breaks in with longing lyrics: “Like shining oil, this night is dripping down / Stars are slipping down, glistening / And I’m trying not to think what I’m leaving now / No deceiving now, it’s time you let me know/ Let me know.”

What really shines here is the chorus, with emotional lyrics that get the listener thinking about one’s destiny. “When the lights go out and we open our eyes / Out there in the silence, I’ll be gone, I’ll be gone / Let the sun fade out and another one rise / Climbing through tomorrow / I’ll be gone, I’ll be gone,” Bennington croons. All the while, big, broad guitars wrap Benngington’s vocals in a warm blanket of sound.

“I’ll Be Gone” leaves no question that Linkin Park can deliver not only in-your-face, angst-y rap-rock, but also beautiful, meaningful melodic rock. It’s a perfect soundtrack for fist-pumping rockers who are also comfortable looking into their hearts.

Audio Ink Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Guitars

Review by Anne Erickson

Youngblood Hawke’s debut jam “We Come Running” is a catchy, candy-coated piece of alternative pop

Whoever says alternative music hasn’t gone pop needs to check out Youngblood Hawke. The Los Angeles-based indie rockers prove that pop music certainly has a place in the new era of alternative music with their catchy, candy-coated pop anthems that somehow fit on the alternative radio dial.

Case in point: The band current single, “We Come Running,” is currently No. 9 on Nielsen’s BDS Radio alternative chart and mounting. Not bad for a band that doesn’t even have a full-length album out, huh?

With Youngblood Hawke’s current single, “We Come Running,” the band is as upbeat and glossy as ever, fitting alongside indie contemporaries like Fun., Imagine Dragons and Passion Pit. The track opens with cheerful synth beats and glistening grooves, making way for lyrics that could only come from a California band: “Under a pale blue sky / You never felt so cold / Another sleepless night / How could you ever let go / How do you recognize / The dirty face of gold / Behind that crooked line / Where you never knew you’d go.”

Musically, this L.A. band crafts a cornucopia of groovy sounds, with plenty of keyboards, multiple harmonies, delicate drums and lush sonic textures. It may be a tad overly dramatic, but it works, and chances are kiddies will be chanting “We Come Running” for at least a few months to come.

“We Come Running” appears on Youngblood Hawke’s self-titled debut EP.

Audio Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitars

Watch Youngblood Hawke’s Music Video for ‘We Come Running’:

Review by Anne Erickson

The Black Keys show off their blues roots in new single, ‘Little Black Submarines’

The Black Keys are known for their rollicking, upbeat blues-rock, but the duo of vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney show off their mellower side with “Little Black Submarines,” their latest single off 2011’s “El Camino.”

Listening to “Little Black Submarines,” one could wonder whether they’re really listening to an alternative rock hit or a blues standard. From the onset, the song shows the Keys’ blues roots, with Auerbach singing a lingering, downtrodden passage: “Little black submarines / Operator please / Put me back on the line / Told my girl I’d be back / Operator please / This is wrecking my mind.”

Just when you think the song couldn’t possibly be a new rock track, the duo launch into a rowdy, freewheeling jam of sound– one that’s much more familiar to Black Keys fans. Auerbach confidently croons, “Treasure maps, falling trees / Operator please / Call me back when it’s time / Stolen friends and disease / Operator please / Put me back on the line!” It’s here where the guitars and drums really shine, meshing together in a swaggering cloud of gritty rock momentum.

Like much of the material on “El Camino,” “Little Black Submarines” is a prism of blues-rock and garage punk that’s extremely addictive. Listen to the track via the Keys’ official YouTube channel.

Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitar Gauges

Watch the Official Music Video for the Black Keys’ ‘Little Black Submarines’:

Review by Anne Erickson

Imagine Dragons offer empowering lyrics and sweeping melodies in ‘It’s Time’

Las Vegas-based indie rockers Imagine Dragons have inched their way onto the Top 10 on the alternative rock charts with their track “It’s Time,” a folk-y, rousing, melodic number that has really caught on with the “new alternative” crowd. “It’s Time” appears on Imagine Dragon’s debut full-length album, “Night Visions,” which the group recorded with producer Alex Da Kid (Paramore, Eminem).

Lush and sweeping, the track starts off with a catchy mandolin passage and quickly settles into a feel-good, mid-tempo ditty. “So this is what you meant / When you said that you were spent / And now it’s time to build from the bottom of the pit…” singer Daniel Reynolds croons in the first verse, with blooming, arena-made instrumentals wrapped around his easy-going vocals.

With the catchy mandolin and hand claps alongside the song’s inspiring lyrics, “It’s Time” comes together as one sweeping, rousing story, carrying an etched-in-your-mind melody and message. “It’s time to begin, isn’t it? / I get a little bit bigger, but then I’ll admit / I’m just the same as I was / Now don’t you understand / That I’m never changing who I am,” Reynolds sings in the chorus.

What’s perhaps most refreshing are the song’s empowering lyrics, revolving around the story of someone (Reynolds, perhaps?) taking a risk, but also resolving to stay true to his character. For more on Imagine Dragons, head to the band’s official website.

Ink Rating: 4 out of 5 Guitar Gauges