Playlist - 30 Seconds To Mars, Madina Lake & more

30 Seconds To Mars - 30 Seconds To Mars

This is the band's debut album, which is extremely different from their other albums.  I already knew a lot of their songs from the "A Beautiful Lie" album, but had never heard any of the songs from their debut.  I guess it's less, mainstream?  There's less screaming from, singer, Jared Leto.  Overall, it can get kind of repetitive, but it's still pretty good.

Madina Lake - Welcome to Oblivion

This is the only song I've heard from them, so comment if you know some other good tracks from them.  I really like this one.  The chorus is great.

Lady GaGa - Speechless

Amazing song.  It's tremendously different from her usual pop songs.  A full review of her newest album is here.  Speechless shows off her songwriting abilities and vocal talent.  It's also my current favorite song to play on the piano, really good melody.

Vampire Weekend - Contra

The entire album is amazing.  Check out my full review here.  I have a feeling I'll be listening to this album for a long time.

Here's a couple more songs that you should listen to...

The Raveonettes - Last Dance
Bat For Lashes - Seal Jubilee
Chiodos - Two Birds Stoned At Once
Billy Boy On Poison - On My Way
AFI - Medicate

As always, comments are more than welcome.  Tell me what you've been listening to...

AFI - Medicate

Medicate is the first single to AFI's upcoming album Crash Love. As the follow up album to 2006's Decemberunderground, Crash Love has high expectations. Decemberunderground is most known for the single Miss Murder, which won a VMA and was voted #15th best song of 2006 by Rolling Stone Magazine. The album also gave the singles Love Like Winter and The Missing Frame to modern rock radio. The album disappointed some fans. They altered their sound from hardcore punk, to what most listeners like to throw into the "mainstream emo-rock" category. Medicate abandons some of this "mainstream" sound, and partially returns back to their Sing The Sorrow style.

If you enjoyed the sound of Miss Murder you won't be completely let down by this single. The verses resemble each other quite closely, it's just missing the incredibly catchy bass. This single was a little underwhelming overall. When compared to the leading singles of their two previous albums, this one is definitely my least favorite. That may be a bit unfair though, because Girl's Not Grey and Miss Murder are very solid tracks. But shouldn't all lead singles catch your attention? Medicate is still a good song, but it just lacks energy and feels a little too mellow. It sounds like a song that you may grow to love over time.

If you love AFI and stuck with them through their Decemberunderground transition, then you've proved your loyalty. Download Medicate. If you didn't like their hardcore punk sound before, but like your rock with less attitude, then you should try it too. They've changed to a more "rock" sound, instead of punk. Don't get me wrong, I still consider AFI a punk band (maybe alt/punk or pop-punk...), it's just a little different. In the end, the outcome of Crash Love is still kind of a mystery. Will the entire album sound like this? You can find out for yourself on Sept. 29. In the meantime, listen to Medicate.