5-Track Album Review: Transplants - "In a Warzone" (Tim Timebomb & Friends)

It's almost hard to believe that Transplants have already been a band for the better part of 13 years; Initially forged as Tim Armstrong's experimental Rancid side-project with roadie-turned-rapper and aspiring Punk Rock frontman "Skinhead Rob" Aston, Transplants soon recruited seasoned Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, rather than continuing to use pre-recorded ProTools drum loops. Their overall sound is a mildly weird hybrid of Hardcore Punk, Hip-Hop, Reggae (Dub), Drum-N-Bass, and an underlying Pop sensibility. During a lengthy 8-year long gap between Haunted Cities (2005) and this year's In a Warzone, Rancid remained fairly active as always, Blink-182 broke up and re-formed, Aston worked with his [other] D-beat Punk band Death March, and Armstrong released an album and singles/covers series as "Tim Timebomb." But with that said, In a Warzone is a pretty straight-forward Hardcore album, sans Bun B and Paul Wall features, of course ha. I was lucky enough to get an early pre-release vinyl copy of the album, ahead of it's Tuesday June 25th release, at the co-headlining Rancid/Transplants show at the Electric Factory (Philly) this past Saturday night; It was an unbelievably great show, granted my buddy Jeremy and I left the sold-out venue drenched in a bunch of smelly mosh pit rejected strangers' sweat.

Album opener "In a Warzone" is a righteous call to arms that's shouted back and forth between Skinhead Rob and Tim Armstrong, which sounded completely awesome in a live setting. "See It to Believe" is is one of In a Warzone's longer tracks (clocking in at 3:06). This is another call-and-response track, of sorts. It just comes out a little less hostile and features a squalling guitar riff smack dab in the middle. "Back to You" kicks off with Travis Barker's madman drumming chops and segues into a karma-cetric track about how you gotta "watch what you say an who it's said to." Based solely off it's acoustic guitar intro, "Come Around" kinda reminds me of The Smiths; it's one of the album's softer tracks, which has been pushed as an early singles. The last track I'm going to quickly review, "Something's Different" is what I'd call weirdly awesome and I mean that in the best way possible... Here's why: veteran rapper Bun B, a shouted chorus, and a kinda Soft Rock under-current. Hopefully that piques your interests enough and coxes you to buy Transplants comeback album, In a Warzone, which is out this upcoming Tuesday, June 25th. In any case, there's still plenty of time to catch Transplants & Rancid on tour together, running through June 23rd and featuring openers Crown of Thornz and The Interrupters. Rancid however, will continue the last leg of their unofficial "21st anniversary" tour solo, which wraps up on August 3rd.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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