Halestorm – The Strange Case Of… Halestorm
(Atlantic Records)
Release Date: April 10, 2012
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I’m not going to lie, this review was incredibly difficult to write simply because I couldn’t force myself to pause the songs while I was trying to write about them and I ended up getting sidetracked and listening to the whole CD from start to finish a couple of times, which says a lot about this record. This foursome hale from a little town in Pennsylvania called Red Lion (which was actually named for one of the bars within, how rock n’ roll is that?!). Elizabeth “Lzzy” Hale and Arejay Hale, on vocals/guitar and drums respectively, started this band when they were just 13 and 10 years old with their father playing bass guitar for shows. After a talent show contest where they played, Lzzy and Arejay decided Halestorm was what they wanted to do with their lives and they haven’t looked back ever since. With the addition of Joe Hottinger on guitars and Joshua Smith on bass, Halestorm was finally complete and released their first live EP One and Done in April of 2006. When their self-titled debut album dropped in April of 2009, they were catapulted to the charts with their single “I Get Off” in which Lzzy walks the line between appropriate and inappropriate by singing “I get off on you, getting off on me” on the radio, but it seems to have worked. After their first record, Halestorm knew that they needed to be able to avoid the sophomore slump and make another album that was even more kick ass than the first, which we the fans thought was already amazing. In order to tide audiences off, they released Live in Philly 2010 in November of 2010 that came with a CD/DVD combo package and then a ReAniMate: The Covers CD in March of 2011 with covers of classics like “Hunger Strike,” “All I Wanna Do (Is Make Love To You),” and a shocker, fan-voted “Bad Romance.” However, this album still didn’t come soon enough…
Arejay starts off the count for this album on the CD’s first single, “Love Bites (So Do I) with a “One! Two! One, two, one, two, three, go!” as he hit the cymbals. Lzzy and Joe roar into the song with fast acting guitar riffs that are sure to get your fists in the air. For their newer shows, Halestorm has been opening with this song and it’s easy to see why. Fans of rock can’t help but to let loose with this song and it is one of the reasons that Halestorm has gained such recent popularity. The music video for this song features each of the foursome rocking out in a performance with a plain backdrop to showcase their talents as musicians and as a band. This song is all about the fast-paced, high energy that is Halestorm. As if Arejay wasn’t an animal enough on the drums (his nickname is actually Animal as per the famous Muppets’ character), when the bridge comes, he beats the toms so hard you think they’re going to explode in your eardrums. When Joe speeds up the guitar and Lzzy semi-raps, then builds to a growl, then screams at the end and as the instruments come back down, you’ll feel like you just “Got Off” to this band all over again. Josh ties the whole song together on bass bringing this hit single full circle.
“Love Bites (So Do I)” Music Video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmkHqUwa4zg]
Tribal sounding drums bring you into the next song that seems eerie and mysterious and is topped off with a distorted, electronic voice saying the title “Mz. Hyde,” before Lzzy kicks in with vocals. This song is full of great lyrics, including the opening line, “in the daylight, I’m your sweetheart, your goody two shoes, prude is a work of art.” Soon though, her other side comes out and it’s something like no other: “I could be the bitch, I could play the whore, or your fairytale princess, who could ask for more?” Lzzy claims this song is about how she feels when she performs onstage as opposed to in everyday, normal life. The song is her way of portraying the two sides to Elizabeth Hale, the normal twenty-something and the Rock Goddess and it almost seems as if her two sides are fighting with each other throughout the songs with layered vocals of “My God!” throughout. Rapid guitar riffs and pounding drums keep this tune to the standard that is Halestorm bringing the rock. An eerie jumbled and backwards repetition of “Say hello to Mz. Hyde” is repeated several times to close this song just as mysteriously as it starts.
“Oooooh, I miss the misery!” is what Lzzy bellows to start off track number three, “I Miss The Misery” and we’re happy she does. This song is all about not being in love with the person you’re with, but with the drama that comes with them. Brief pauses in the guitars and drums act as a beating heart that seems to be longing for something back in this song. The chorus booms: “I miss the bad things, the way you hate me. I miss the screaming, the way that you blame me. I miss the phone calls, when it’s your fault. I miss the late nights, don’t miss you at all. I like the kick in the face and the things you do to me. I love the way that it hurts. I don’t miss you, I miss the misery.” Lzzy’s chants are accompanied by impressive guitar work on both her and Joe’s part. Arejay kills it on drums, as always, and Josh grooves out to the bass along with Lzzy’s rhythm guitar. Joe plays periodic harmonics to create a dreamy vibe since Lzzy seems to be reminiscing in this song. A synth sound or a keyboard can be heard from start to finish that also helps with this aura.
“I Miss The Misery” Music Video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpJAmlnBxoA]
Keyboard, courtesy of Lenny Skolnick who helped out a bit by adding a new dimension of sound to the record, kicks off “Freak Like Me,” a song about letting it all hang out and showing your not-so-normal side. Lzzy commands “if you’re one of us, get on the bus” and this freak show is on the move. The “Hey! Hey!” chanting in the breakdown for the bridge that leads into a massive, hair raising scream by Lzzy and is finished with Joe’s extremely impressive solo keep your fists in the air and your head banging back and forth. Arejay’s snare hits and drum rolls, accompanied by fast and dynamic guitar riffs, topped off by Josh’s bass rhythm really show the world that “it’s [Halestorm’s] time now” and they’re not going anywhere.
“Beautiful with You” is the first of a string of three slower songs in the middle of this record, which I personally think creates a drop in the listener’s attitude toward the rockability of this fearsome foursome, though there’s no doubt in my mind that they can melt faces and listeners will soon find that out for themselves as they progress through the album. A soft drum roll starts off this song and both acoustic and electric guitar are used throughout. This is definitely one of the more personal songs on the record for Lzzy, as it lets the fans into the inner workings of this Rock Goddess. In fact, one of the lines is “I bare my soul and I’m not afraid,” showing that she is progressively getting more and more comfortable with opening up to her fans and those that listen to her music as a result of all the people that have opened up to her in the past years. Essentially, this song is a tribute and a thanks to all the fans out there for letting Lzzy be herself and allowing her to release some of her own emotions for once. A hint of keyboard and Lzzy’s angelic voice in the bridge of the song makes the listeners feel comfortable and as if Lzzy is speaking to them specifically.
My main problem with the album comes with song number six, “In Your Room.” Lzzy says this song is about her Mother and the relationship they’ve had since Lzzy was a little girl. For those of you that don’t know, Elizabeth Hale (yes, that’s her Mom’s name too) is Halestorm’s Tour Manager and overall big shot head of the team, so putting this song into context is a bit difficult for me in that aspect. It’s also drastically different from any other song that Halestorm has released; this may seem like it would be a good thing, but it has the opposite effect on me. No matter how many times I give it a listen, the song still doesn’t sit well. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t great musicianship within. Josh is more prominent in this song than any other we’ve heard so far with periodic riffs that can be heard in the verses, but even for me, as a bassist, it doesn’t help sway me much in favor of this song.
“Break In” is the newer version of “Rose In December,” a previously unreleased track that has grown significantly in popularity amongst fans in the past year or two. This song features Lzzy singing alone, pouring her heart out over a keyboard with no help from the guys except for Joe on acoustic guitar for a brief verse and chorus cycle. A true piano ballad to a lover, Lzzy sings how “you are the only one, the only one that sees me, trusts me, and believes me.” At a live show, this song can bring any member of the audience that has a significant other to tears. The song just urges you to “put your lighter in the air and lead [Lzzy] back home.” This song was performed as a duet between Amy Lee and Lzzy on the recent Carnival of Madness Tour.
Check out a video here:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWgKxsWJ8g&feature=g-all-esi]
Lzzy and the boys bring the “Rock Show” back to you with song number eight. This song is a special one in that it is written about a teenage fan that saw Halestorm for her first show and knew what she wanted to do with her life: be a rock star. However, unlike most people who aspire to the rock star dream, this little girl may very well do it someday. She has learned all the Halestorm songs on guitar (by ear, mind you) from the previous record before her 15th birthday. Lzzy sings of “the moment when, you know you’ll never be the same again” and it came for this little rock star in training at a Halestorm concert. Arejay leads the song off with bass drum beats and Joe’s catchy riff gets your head bobbing to the music. Josh grooves throughout the verses as well as the bridge and seems to almost be like the growing excitement of the listener. An interesting fact about this song is that Josh actually stops playing bass and jumps in on keyboard about halfway through the song, showing off some of his classically trained roots. Also a noteworthy thing about this song is that it essentially has two solos, something no other Halestorm song contains, which just envelopes all the excitement that can be had at a rock concert… and especially a Halestorm show.
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Tribal toms and Lzzy screaming “Naaa, na na na na! Naaa, na na na na!” with a sort of marching sound in the background create an image of tons of rocker chicks lined up in a military style march with Lzzy atop a stage leading the left, right, let footsteps to this rocker girl anthem. When the guitar and bass kicks in for the verse, the marching beat continues as the band chimes in. Word play comes in with Lzzy singing “We can turn you on or we can turn on you” before she leads into a sort of slogan for this rocker girl anthem “daughters of darkness, sisters insane, a little evil goes a long, long way.” After each chorus, the layered “Na” chant heard in the beginning of the song helps to cement it in the listener’s ear. This song is all about power for women, a rare specimen in the rock world, and Lzzy is letting everyone know that there are other women to hear their cry. Since this song is all about female empowerment, Lzzy is actually the one performing the solo here and it doesn’t disappoint. When the song ends, the chants return and the marching sound is more prominent than before with a finale of strings to fade into the next song.
Song number ten comes equipped with a title just as badass as the music itself. “You Call Me A Bitch Like It’s A Bad Thing” brings heavy riffs and melodies, pounding drums, cool bass, and powerful vocals all together into one bitchin’ song. Lzzy is singing this song to a subject that seems to be way too overly attached and clingy when she just wants to get rid of him. “I don’t give a shit, I love it when you call me a bitch like it’s a bad thing” rings through after the choruses and before the following verse as a statement of Lzzy showing that the subject can feel however he wants about her, it’s not going to bring her down or get to her in anyway; basically a “hit me with your best shot” type of song. The dropped tuning in this song creates a more serious tone that allows this “get out” anthem to hit even harder and deeper.
“American Boys” is the most classic sounding song on this record, which makes sense since it’s about good old America (frick yeah!). When played live, Arejay hits the cymbal in time with his “One, two, three, kick it!” and the band brings the rock. This songs screams the traditions of most “American Boys” with the first line being “Friday night boys and their PBR, chasing Jack, getting wrecked in small town bars.” The layered guitars by Joe and Lzzy really add to the depth and power of this song, following in tradition with most classic rock songs. While listening, this is one of those songs that you can’t help but nod your head or move your leg to the beat; it’s catchy, it’s powerful, it’s American. Joe’s solo in this song hits hard from the beginning with high notes that continue throughout and increase in pace; it’s classic sounding with a bit of Halestorm, modern edge and Lzzy keeps the rhythm rocking while Joe tears it up. Lzzy’s scream at the end of the solo will leave hearts melting and hairs raising, but that’s typical for this Rock Goddess. Joe finishes out the song with another installment of his previous solo with Lzzy on the classic rhythm that started this song off.
Despite how some in the rock community may feel about the show, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that once you’ve gotten a song onto Glee, you’ve made it big. Halestorm’s “made it big song” is the final track on the Standard Edition (but why wouldn’t you buy the deluxe?!), “Here’s To Us.” In fact, it was just announced today that this track will also be featured on the upcoming “Now That’s What I Call Music: Vol. 43” as well. The song starts off with Joe on what sounds like an acoustic guitar, but is actually electric. The soft, single notes on guitar help to create a feeling of camaraderie and friendship between Halestorm and the fans. In fact, this song is a dedication to the fans and was first debuted live on New Years’ Eve, 2012, at their annual Haleiday Tour. “We could just go home right now, or maybe we could stick around for just one more drink” is the opening line to this song that’s about toasting to friends and enjoying time with them. After this line, Josh and Arejay come in to make it a whole band affair. The chorus rings “Here’s to us, here’s to love, all the times that we fucked up. Here’s to you, fill the glass, cause the last few days have kicked my ass, so let’s give em hell, wish everybody well, here’s to us. Here’s to us.” Although this is a full band song, Lzzy and the boys keep it toned down since it’s not meant to be an amazing show of their musicianship as we’ve already gotten that in the preceding songs of this record. This song is really about the fans and the special bond that Halestorm has found within them. This band is one of the most fan-friendly out there. After every show they play (especially headliners) Lzzy, Joe, Josh, and Arejay try to go out to see the fans and spend time talking with them, getting pictures, and even grabbing a bite or a drink. It’s about good times with good people and “if they give ya hell, tell ‘em ‘Go fuck themselves!’ Here’s to us!” as the bridge rings. Parents don’t fret though, there is an edited version of this song (could you imagine this being on Glee with the f-bomb?!) on a clean version of the album available online and in stores.
First up in the line of three bonus tracks is “Don’t Know How To Stop,” an adrenaline pumping, kick in the face rock song. Josh owns this song as he is the main rhythm during the verses accompanied only by Arejay’s toms and Lzzy’s voice. Joe comes in occasionally to add more depth to the song. For each of the choruses, Joe builds up anticipation on guitar by climbing up the neck of the guitar with chords until the band really amps it up for the chorus with full guitar and drums with slight hints of keyboard. “I don’t know how to stop, I give it all I’ve got, it’s like my brakes are shot” rings in the chorus as Lzzy and the boys try to get you pumped up for a rock show, workout, or whatever it is you need energy for. For the end of this song, Josh just goes crazy on bass as Joe plays a solo and Arejay shows his “Animal” side and makes you wonder how one guy can make all that noise on a drum kit.
Upon first hearing “Private Parts” which features James Michael of Sixx: A. M., I couldn’t stop laughing once it got to the chorus line of “Show me your private parts.” That’s right. That just happened. Another one of those word play songs, Lzzy is actually singing about how the subject (James Michael in this case) won’t open up to her and give her substance to the relationship other than the physical aspect. Not only is this line funny to hear Lzzy sing, but it is repeated two times after the chorus in layered vocals, so if I make it through the 1:05 of the song, it doesn’t last very long without bursting out in laughter. What is a bit disappointing about this song is that James Michael is such an amazing singer and has a great range for a man, so why did he and Lzzy not utilize his talents? With the two of them belting out high notes and amping up the content of the song, this could have been much more than a love duet. At a live show, however, Joe sings Michaels’ part and it’s pretty impressive that he can belt it out along with Lzzy and play guitar.
Bringing up the rear and the end of the Deluxe Edition of The Strange Case Of… Halestorm is “Hate It When You See Me Cry.” This song is, by far, the most personal song that Lzzy says she has ever written. She has allowed herself to open up more to the fans in this album and it definitely shows here. This song showcases Lzzy’s beautiful voice, although the musicianship of the band is present also, though slightly turned down from 11 to 10. Josh grooves in the verses, Arejay lets off ever so slightly hammering on the skins, and Joe plays a bit softer so that all the guys are in the background. “Oh oh I am your rock n’ roll Joan of Arc, the Queen of Broken Hearts, I’m here to save the world, but who will save Super Girl? What if I’m weak and I need you tonight? I hate it, I hate it when you see me cry” is a great summation for the feelings entangled in this song, as well as my favorite few lines.
So, aside from the little slow song slump in the middle of the album, and the giggle-inducing “Private Parts,” (and even those two things aren’t that bad when you think about it) Halestorm has really outdone themselves in this, their sophomore album, showing the world that they are here to stay and become an icon in rock.
Rating: 9.5/10
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