Crosses ††† - EP ††

For those you living under a rock and have yet to hear about Crosses †††, go read my review for their first EP released last year. Go on...I'll be here when you get back. (Cicatriz makes a turkey sandwich). Oh back already? (swallows last bite of sandwich). Crosses †††, they're awesome, right? Why yes, that is Chino Moreno of the Deftones on vocals. What is that you say, you want more Crosses †††. Well you're in luck. On January 24th they released their second EP entitled EP ††. Yes it is as good as the last.

What can I say about Crosses ††† that I haven't already said? This side project consists crooner Chino Moreno of Deftones/Team Sleep fame and Shaun Lopez of Far. Chino's vocals sooth the soul track by track over atmospheric electronics,  amazing guitar riffs and funky bass lines.

The song "Fron†iers" starts things off. This is one of my favorite tracks off the album. Crosses ††† picks right up where they left of on EP †.
"from the haze in your chambers
to your legs on the stage
I'm consumed by your danger
i can lose my restraint yea
i can take you even further
Oh yeah I
I'll let you enter
from the stage we shoot our guns
then we sail off into the sun
while the cold world freezes on."

The final track on the album, "1987" ends hings nicely. Chalked full of distortion and drone style vocals. Short but sweet...well actually kind of depressing...but in a good way.
"In the waves a shoebox of ashes,
a silver casket,
a mother dressed for eternities breath."

All in all, I would say this was a good follow up to last year's Crosses ††† EP.  I can only hope they release a third before the end of the year.

-Cicatriz

Crosses ††† goes good with: Deftones, Team Sleep, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Junius, Will Haven, Glassjaw, Far

Buy this album here: http://www.crossesmusic.com/

Deftones - Covers

Ahh!! Deftones!! My favorite band in the whole wide musically diverse World. Deftones have been my favorite band since I was in high school. High School was many years ago, almost 10 years ago to be exact. To me they can do no wrong…except maybe an album with just cover songs. Hey I love covers but they usually are not done well…this is not the case with Deftones Covers. Deftones put their spin on 11 classic and underground gems from years gone by.

The opening track to Covers is well, a cover song of  The Cars “Drive”. Chino Moreno’s vocals add a certain something to this already awesome song. Instrumentally the song sounds just as it did oh those may years ago with an added electronic vibe from their resident DJ. Chino’s already emotional take on vocals make you want to feel for him as he pours his heart out to the one that got away.

Covers also contains “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” originally done by another one of my favorite bands The Smiths. Throughout the years Chino and the rest of Deftones have stated that they were heavily influenced by 80’s pop and goth, namely The Smiths and The Cure. “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” is done perfectly. Again with the aid of Moreno’s unique vocal style make this song new again.

Covers also contains tracks originally done by Sade, Duran Duran, Japan, and Lynard Skynard to name a few. My favorite cover is Jawbox’s “Savory”. A down tempo, gloomy , alternative jam. Deftones pay homage to Jawbox’s post punk stylings and will hopefully open them up to a new audience.

Overall, Covers is solid. Songs that inspired and shaped who the Deftones are.

Upon writing this review I wanted to note that bassist Chi Cheng is still in a coma after his accident back in November or 2008. Godspeed Chi!

Covers was originally released on Record Store Day 2011...which makes it a little hard to find, as it was a vinyl only release. However the album is easily found as a digital download…hunt and you will find it. Half of the covers were previously released as B-Sides on the Deftones album, B-Sides and Rarities.

-Cicatriz