Michael Bird, Author at CaliberTV

Reviews

ALBUM: Of Mice & Men – ‘Restoring Force: Full Circle’

February 24, 2015

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There’s nothing like a reissue to justify promotion of an album long after its rightful life span. In an age in which touring and not sales bring in the bulk of income for musicians it’s a wonder more don’t do it. Of Mice & Men in particular seem to have picked up on this, both […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Imagine Dragons – ‘Smoke + Mirrors’

February 17, 2015

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Heading the trifecta of indie bands that broke big in 2013 (joined of course by Bastille and The 1975), it was Imagine Dragons who scored the wildest success of the bunch thanks to the clutch of anthems included on their grandiose debut ‘Night Visions’. Songs as immediate and enormous-sounding as “Radioactive” and “Demons” were never […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Feed Her to the Sharks – ‘Fortitude’

February 11, 2015

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As controversial a label as Victory Records has become, their roster and alumni is a formidable one that stacks up against near enough any of their rivals. Feed Her to the Sharks are far from the biggest name to sign on, but that shouldn’t deter fans of metal and hardcore from taking a swim in […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Fifth Harmony – “Reflection”

February 3, 2015

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Reality television and music has proven a consistently toxic combination. It’s easy to see why – reality TV is after all celebration of the mundane that overdramatizes everything it touches. On both sides of the Atlantic televised talent shows have become the default entry point to the music industry. This wouldn’t be a problem if […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Virtue Lost – ‘Volumes EP’

February 2, 2015

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Passion is an underrated quality in bands. The difference between a truly motivated group and shameless coattail-riders comes down to more than just sound and influences, and real passion is immediately apparent from the best of any genre, but rock and metal in particular. What makes many of the crop of modern metalcore acts so […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Periphery – ‘Juggernaut Alpha/Omega’

January 27, 2015

Michael Bird 0

Nothing marks out a proper progressive metal band like a double concept album. Separated into two distinct products but intended for enjoyment as one whole, the twin parts of ‘Juggernaut’ have been long awaited and anticipated, mention of it having been made back before the release of ‘Periphery II’. The stakes, therefore, are high. Despite […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Enter Shikari – ‘The Mindsweep’

January 20, 2015

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With aggressive, hardcore-tinged rock and cutting-edge electronic dance music now sitting as natural bedfellows, it’s easy to forget how exciting and unique 2007’s Take to the Skies must have sounded to an unsuspecting world. Ever since that now innocent-sounding debut Enter Shikari have carved out a career of battling expectations alongside the grand issues of […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Meghan Trainor – ‘Title’

January 14, 2015

Michael Bird 0

There are probably undiscovered alien life forms on the periphery of the Milky Way who have heard “All About that Bass” by now. Meghan Trainor’s modernised doo-wop smash was irrepressible enough to knock “Shake It Off” from the top spot of the Billboard Charts and, regardless of its lyrical mixed messages on body image and […]

Reviews

ALBUM: Tyler Carter – “Leave Your Love EP”

January 8, 2015

Michael Bird 0

It didn’t take a genius to identify Tyler Carter as far more than your stereotypical metalcore clean vocalist upon his rise to prominence with the ill-fated Woe, Is Me. His smooth, dulcet tones were a world away from the piercing whine of many of his contemporaries, and even from the start he had a star […]

Michael Bird

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