I am a big fan of all kinds of music but, back in the day, it was metal that caught my attention first. After weeks of listening to a ton of great music from other genre’s, I have to admit, I was a little excited when I received a review request from a metal band.

The Daughters of Fission bill their sound as a mix of rock, alternative and progressive but I will go ahead and throw them into the metal bin as well.

You can hear elements of Tool and Dream Theater (Stereomud even came to mind on a couple occasions). I would not put the Daughters of Fission in the same category instrumentally or compare them talent wise just yet, but they have a good start on developing a sound that uniquely their own.

Here are a few songs I was really into. Don’t let the opening piano on “behind the primates” fool you this song this song rocks hard. Probably my favorite in the album. The song “torso of…” has sort of an 80′s new wave thing going on and is probably the best tune vocally. The final cut “ape’ is just over a minute long but it packs a serious punch. Pure old school thrash and I love love it.

Every songs is solid and worth a listen if you appreciate rock or metal. The sound quality of the music is excellent (props to the production team). Only suggestion would be to involve some more lead guitar by adding some solos and fills. There were many songs where some solid lead guitar could have brought the songs to a higher level but it was nonexistent.

But don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself. You can check them out on MySpace or if you’d like you can download the DRM free high quality version of “Abandonatomy” free of charge on eMusic now (click on buy above).

Serve with headphones while surfing the web or playing video games. Also would be good mixed in a play list and turned up when having a few beers with your metal buddies.

Do you have dreams? Better yet, do you have the balls to chase those dream? Well a guy Nick Daugherty did and I wanted pass his inspiring story on to you.

While listening to the Musicians Cooler podcast. I heard the host, Dave Jackson talk about this musician that decided it was time to become proactive in making his dream of getting a recording contract a reality. I had to investigate.

What I found was a year long journal of the trials and tribulations of aspiring musician Nick Daugherty. Nick decided, a little over a year ago, that he would begin seeking out a record deal and he gave himself a year to do it. This journal, found at Nick’s Journey, was a brilliant way for Nick to share his experiences with the world and, at the same time, keep himself accountable to his pursuit.

You can follow along with him as his proactive approach, belief in himself and an insatiable willingness to learn help all of the pieces for his dream fall into place. From the bits and pieces I’ve had the time to read, he was able to put together a band and assemble a network of trustworthy individuals to help him out.

Find out what he learned on his journey and whether or not he got his wish then be sure to check out his music.

The first song I checked out entitled “1000 Times Tonight” had me thinking “ladies… lookout!” I bet this song could melt just about any woman. Hell, under the right circumstances like a first date, anniversary, romantic surprise, etc you could really fan the flames with this tune. I just know there are love scenes everywhere just begging for a song like this.

Next up was “Can’t Say I Love You Anymore.” If you are going through a breakup, Nick offers up a remedy and some hope. I have been there myself, so trust me when I tell you it will ease your pain.

Finally, “Out Of My League” is as sincere as they come. A humble admission in the presence of complete admiration.

Overall, every song is offers up great lyrics, crisp acoustic guitar and haunting, heartfelt vocals! You’ll love his voice.

You can find these songs on Nick’s music page.

Whether you are a musician, music fan, entrepreneur or human being you will appreciate Nick Daugherty’s story. He is a musician who decided it was time to be proactive in the search for his dream. His story is inspiring and a great life lesson for us all. He reminds us all that dreams are not something that come looking for us but something we must actively seek out. Now go and see if he got that record deal.

Requests for music reviews are coming in fast and furious. In an attempt to keep up with all the goat-worthy requests, and give you a nice selection of new cuts to check out, I am going to offer up what I call nano reviews.

These teasers will give you just enough information to get you started along the path to new music discovery. Here are a few Indie music artists that are worthy of your consideration:

John Batdorf (self described – acoustic, folk rock) Veteran of the 70′s scene. I’m a sucker for good acoustic guitar and John Batdorf easily satisfies. Solid! Check out “Home Again” and the don’t even think about missing the 70′s epic joyride “Batdorf Rodney Silver.” Check him out on MySpace too.

Blip Blop (self described – Down-tempo, Jazz, Nu-Jazz)
Not really sure what to say, it all just sounds pretty damn cool. Must be heard to be appreciated. There are a few tunes on their MySpace page but you’ll find a larger, better sounding collection on their KamakazeMusic.com page .

John Mullane (self described – pop, rock, electro)
His sound takes me back to my youth by having a classic 80′s radio written all over it. If that is your genre, his song “Desire” is sure to please. For a healthy shot of inspiration make sure you listen to “Go the Distance.” We could all benefit from this type of mindset. Great message. Oh, and make sure you check out his cover of Tainted Love (the crunchy guitar is a nice touch). Go check out this Canadian rocker now.

Check them out and let them know the Musicgoat sent you.

If you have some tasty music you would like reviewed, use the contact form and I’ll tell you how.

I was immediately smitten with the smooth and throaty acoustic riff on the song “I Found Out.” You just can’t help but feel better while listening to this song and you’ll love the upbeat finish.

As great as “I Found Out” is, it was only the beginning. Every song delivers. He makes a startling announcement in the next song song “Son of God” and we all can relate to the feelings expressed on “Breakdown.” “2005 Malaise” should either reaffirm, or make you think long and hard about, what’s really important. The lackadaisical “Plain Fuzzy Sunday” relaxes and sooths. “Mona” just rocks. “Human Condition” is emotional and overflowing with raw honesty.

Ultra smooth vocals throughout, combined with soaring acoustic guitar, deliver a contagious vibe and lyrics to savor. These guys can flat out write music.

These tunes are best served outdoors, beer in hand.

Bottom line, EP or not, it is rare to find albums as complete as “You Are Beautiful.” Solid CD from top to bottom. You’ll never find yourself with your finger on the fast forward.

I’ll be pimping this thing to all my friends and if you get moving, you can be the first to introduce it to yours. You can hear and buy this awesome collection of songs on their MySpace page or CD Baby.

If you like to read reviews and hear about new bands and artists then you are in luck. I am going to start doing at least one album review per week. I have been doing some advertising on a few other sites and I am pretty sure it will produce some content for me to review. Many bands and artists out there are looking for exposure and I want to give it to them if they are good.

To get the ball rolling, I am going to review a compilation. Besides being out for a few years now (and having the longest title in the title in my collection), this album and its tracks incorporate a lot of what Musicgoat music is all about. It almost doesn’t matter what your taste in music is with this cd. Metalheads, Indie, Acoustic and Blues fans alike will appreciate many of these cuts.

Let me start with the highlights. Cinderella really surprised me on “Shake Me.” I almost didn’t recognize it at first. They took a relatively straight forward rock song, slowed it down and painted on some cozy blues texture. The harmony’s, the riffs… yummy.

I was literally addicted to LA Guns acoustic version of “Sex Action.” The song is almost sleazier in acoustic. I like.

“Here I Go Again” is a great strummer and really highlights David Coverdale’s vintage 70′s howling-hard blues vocals.

With a guilty pleasure factor of 15 on a scale from 1 to 10 there is just something about Jani Lanes version of “Cherry Pie.” A tip for the guys; careful how loud you have this one up when the windows are down in your car. Trust me!

Not sure how I feel about “Rock You Like A Hurricane” by the Scorpions. The song has been brutally overplayed for years now but I guess it was nice to hear another version. It is alright but I’m not sure if the arrangement goes well with the theme. It doesn’t really rock like a hurricane, more like a very mild thunderstorm.

Everything else is pretty decent, except the following. Listen at your own risk.

I have always been a fan of Ratt but don’t even waste your time with this unrecognizable, disappointing and almost confusing version of “Round and Round.” What the hell?

Poisons Talk Dirty to me doesn’t do anything except beg for distortion. Nelson “Love and Affection”… no comment.

All labels aside, this CD has a little something for everyone. This was quite a surprise and an adventure for an old metalhead like myself. Check it out – VH1 Classic Presents: Metal Mania – Stripped, Vol. 2: The Anthems

P.S. Have something you want me to review? No problem! Just fill out the info using my Contact page and let me know what it is. I will see what I can do.

How many times can you hear a song that you like (or love) before you just can not stand it anymore because it is overplayed to death? Whether it is on the radio, on a jukebox, performed by a cover band or God forbid…karaoke. I have a few that I would like to share with you. Maybe it is just where I live.

1) “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC – It’s fucking everywhere. They have too many other good songs to play than to be pounding away on this one every day.

2) “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Would be much better in smaller doses.

3) “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith – Again, good band with a ton of other stuff to play.

4) “Crazy Train” Ozzy Osbourne – Great song, great guitarist. Let’s just put it away for awhile.

5) “Takin’ Care of Business” – BTO – Not sure if I ever need to hear this one again.

I am sure I missed some. I’m sure you have one or two you’d like to add to the list so don’t just sit there, put your hands on the keyboard and type something.

Last Saturday night I was reminded of how freakin’ awesome live blues can be. I attended the type of show that doesn’t come around very often; the no-cover-blow-you-away- by-surprise type.

The band NiteRail played for nearly four and a half hours at one of my favorite watering holes, The L-Cove (Minnesota City, Minnesota). This band left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. The mood was ultra-chipper and there wasn’t the slightest hint of a frown in the bar.

NiteRail could be described as a Progressive Blues band with a dash or two of Americana and Rockabilly mixed in for good measure. Along with some solid originals Clapton, Robert Johnson and Hendrix were just a few of the artists covered.

The guitarist Korey Hicks is a product of the Berklee School of Music and can easily be considered a great guitar player. Not only did he effortlessly dance around any melody and shine with every solo effort but he was getting some new sounds out of his guitar without disturbing the classic blues vibe. There was one lick that sticks out in my mind. He did something with harmonics and the volume knob ala Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. In fact my buddy thought he heard keyboards until I told him it was the guitar. Add to that the fact that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen fingers move that fast on the neck of a Fender Telecaster. If you’re a huge fan of great guitar playing like I am, he is a treat to watch. Good stuff!

Frontman Mike Fugazzi provided solid vocals but it was his harmonica that breathed fire into many of the jams. I am by no means a harmonica aficionado but some of the runs Fugazzi went on commanded your attention and it is pretty easy to tell he has above average skills. He was even able to harmonize with the guitar on a few runs which was very cool.

The rhythm section more than earned their keep. Everything including the long, entrancing guitar/harmonica solo runs were held together tightly by a groove served with complete precision. No groove too fast or too slow for these guys.

My favorite of the night had to be be their cover of the Allman Brothers tune “Whipping Post.” I had just the right amount of Newcastle in me to really feel it (more on the benefits of Newcastle here). Fugazzi did the keyboard parts with the harmonica. This song also featured some of the guitar/harmonica harmonization I spoke of earlier.

They even played a Stevie Wonder cover “Sir Duke.” It was by far not one of their best songs of the night, but being the goat that I am, I gotta give them props. Nice touch!

If there is one criticism I have of these guys, it is that the original songs on their website just don’t give you a full appreciation for what these guys are capable of. With that said, it will not stop me from picking up a copy of their CD to throw on the iPod.

Overall, NiteRail is well-oiled machine with each part being exceptional at what they do. Their passion for performing and for the music is obvious, this added to the over-whelming good feel of the show. In a nutshell, these dudes are pros.

You can be sure that I will be telling everyone know about these guys and I’m sure I can say the same for the large majority of the crowd that was still wanting more at closing time. I almost feel guilty not paying to see these guys.

If you live anywhere near Minnesota or Wisconsin, check NiteRail’s playing dates and get your ass to a show. If not, visit their website, check out their cd and give them a call, maybe they’ll come to you. You will be doing yourself a big favor.

From time to time I am going to offer up some music that makes me, for one reason or another, all bubbly inside. I will call these periodical offerings the True Goat Music series.

Basically, I just wanted to do my part to help you feed your music player with a steady toe-tapping, groove healthy diet. Also, staying true to the Musicgoat mantra, I will be recommending old and new music from genres and styles all over the map.

Here you go…over the last month or so these are a few artists that have made my spring in Minnesota the beez kneez. Read below and see if you anything fits.

Donovan Frankenreiter – Move By Yourself – I saw a write up on him on iTunes last spring and I remembered his name from when I saw him open for Jack Johnson on the “On and On” tour. I picked this album up and it didn’t leave my cd player for at least a month.

Outside of his original acoustic sound he has a serious 70′s style groove going on all over this this album. When listening to this album you get the feeling that Donovan is a pretty laid back guy, someone who is taking life in stride by stride. He will translates that feeling to you flawlessly since many of the songs are perfect 10′s on the infectious scale. With the grooves and attitude gushing out of Donavan you can’t help but get the feeling that he doesn’t have any problem getting laid.

Favorite song is Fool. Straight blues baby. This album is best served with a lot of sunshine and a hacky sac (cocktails optional).

Matisyahu – Live At Stubbs – If you like your music with a bit of reggae, a dash of hip hop, and spiritual overtones for some unlikely inspiration, than you will dig this.

Check out “Chop ‘em Down” and be careful, this song is sticky. My 4 year old song was walking around the house for days humming this. Note to beatbox fans everywhere, you have to check out his song entitled “Beatbox.” The things the guy can do with a mouth and mic.

Coolest part about this album you get it as a free music download, right now, at a site called eMusic
. Serve with good friends and a nice relaxed outdoor setting.

Van Halen – Fair Warning – I don’t mention them because they are back in the news but because they are just damn good. The album you never hear about flat out rocks from start to finish.

You might have to be a guitar player to truly appreciate some of what I think is Eddies best work, if not take my word for it. Meanstreet and Hear About it Later both rule. Unchained and So This is Love will put you in the mood to party. If your not cruising around in your car on a sunny day serve with cold beer, some buddies and and some good looking women.

That does it for this addition of True Goat Music. Grab some new music from the artist above and put them into heavy summer rotation. You won’t regret it.