Crooked X Review

Released: Jan 27, 2009
Genre: Rock
Label: EMI Records
Number Of Tracks: 10
Signed at the age of 14, the guys in Crooked X show they have a promising career ahead of them.

Sound:	7.3
Lyrics:	7.3
Impression:	7.7
Overall rating:	7.4
Users rating:	3.7
Comments:	81

overall: 6.7

Featured review by: UG Team, on february 02, 2009

Sound: It’s likely that a lot of you will go into listening to the self-titled debut album from Crooked X with some valuable bio information: These band members were signed to a major record label at the age of 14. Even though you might want to go into reviewing an album without any bias, you can’t ever disregard the fact that this is a group of young guys that are musically leaps and bounds ahead of most of their fellow teenagers. After coming in 2nd place on the CBS Early Show’s “Living Room Live” segment, mega-manager Doc McGhee began to usher the kids into a veritable whirlwind of publicity (featured song on the video game Rock Band, a reality show on MTV, and lots of talk show appearances). So does that all equal a quality debut album? Crooked X’s songwriting might still fall short of most of their 20-something-and-older peers, but their debut album shows a lot of promise.

For Rock Band video game players, you may already have heard the tracks “Nightmare” or “Rock N’ Roll Dream” as part of the playlist. These tracks are a fairly good indication of what you’ll hear on the majority of the album, namely good ol’ bluesy rock. Vocalist/guitarist Forrest French, lead guitarist Jesse Cooper, bassist Josh McDowell, and drummer Boomer Simpson are a group of competent musicians, and there is no shortage of musical chemistry. There might not be a whole lot of originality yet and the songs do recall quite a few other bands, but the 10-track CD is still quite likeable.

Crooked X is at it's best when it delivers grooving lead guitar lines, which are most prevalent in the tracks “Gone,” “Nail in the Coffin,” and the Zakk Wylde-like “Lost Control.” The band definitely knows how to kick a song off, and the intros always tend to be the best parts of their compositions. While the remaining verses and choruses are not bad by any means, they do tend to feel like your basic power chord-driven rock tracks. The guitar team of Cooper/French are solid players, and as they continue to develop their talents, we’re likely to hear some insanely good riffs in time. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: Much like the music, the lyrical department is still a work in progress. It’s hard to be too rough on such young guys, but there are clichés galore on the debut album. You probably have an inkling of what the songs are about with titles like “Rock N’ Roll Dream” (“I had a rock and roll dream and I was the star; I went around the world; Playin' my guitar”) or “Adrenaline” (“Fifteen hundred pounds of adrenaline; Gonna ride this rocket ship until I win”), and you’re likely correct in the assessment. If you have little tolerance for superficial lyrics that have been done over and over (even if young teenagers are the composers), you will likely have little patience for Crooked X’s debut record. // 6

Impression: “Fun” is an appropriate description for Crooked X’s music, which does feature a few very catchy tracks. The guitar work is reminiscent of everyone from Zakk Wylde to John Sykes to a tiny bit of Kirk Hammett, and this is a band that just needs to come into its own with a little time. If anything, Crooked X will hopefully prove to kids that dedication, practice, and a passion for music can eventually pay off in a big way. // 7

overall: 8.7

Reviewed by: schecter912, on february 13, 2009

Sound: First off in a day driven by rock bands with nothin but ballads on there albums it is real refreshing to here this self titled debut by Crooked X wich only has one ballad. The sound of this album is overall really good it's heavy enough but not to heavy. I am still in awe that the average age in this band is 14. Now the only complaint I have is that with the band being so young it seems that they still haven't found there own style yet kinda like a early silverchair but I'm sure there style will come in time. Now to the songs

01.Gone: love the intro has a great drum beat a great hard rock inspired riff definatly on of the top songs on the album my only problem is that the vocals seem a little weeker on this song than the rest.
02.Adrenaline: excellent vocals on this song this song is where the singer Forest really shines on the album to me this song sounds so natural coming from the band only complaint is that it's only 2.45
03.Time Is Now: love the guitars in this song although to me it's probably one of my least favorites but still a good song overall.
04.Rock N Roll Dream: I really like the drum start and the opening riff. Lyrically this is by far the best song on the album however the dueling solo with Forrest and Jesse seems a little week and it kinda seems a little forced but still a great song I love it
05.Fade: the one ballad on the album I'm usually don't like ballads but this is cool it has a really cool feel to it it doenst seem forced at all the guitars and drums are some of the most creative I've heard the vocals are excellent Forrest seems really relaxed. Defently a great song
06.You Gotta Bleed: first off it has a cool classic rock tone to it vocals are cool guitars are great and the overall sound is cool but it does seem like the verses and chorus kindof run together but still a great song anyway
07.Nail In The Coffin: once again the intro is great drums are great and guitars are great love the feel of this song has a great raw feel to it on of my favorites on the album
08.Nightmare: love the bass and drums in this song the riff seems forced but still really cool has a kinda metallica feel to it has a darker feel to really great song
09.Death Of Me: intros not the best on the album but when the guitar kick in you really start to get into it has a more mellow feel to it has a classic tone seems relaxed great distortion
10.Lost Control: one of the best intros has a good fast tempo to be honest this song is in my opinion one of the best has a great overall feel to it. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: Lyrics are great it sounds like the really took there time with them. Rock N Roll Dream is the best song lyrically. The Lyrics goes well with the music. As far as singers skills he's a great singer better than most twice his age and most of all I'm not sure but I don't think pro tools were used on the album he is definatly a great singer kinda reminds me of Shaun Morgan of Seether as far as being able to sound good on the album as well as live. // 9

Impression: Great album but a lot of the songs seem to sound like each other. I don't think pro tools were used. To me they could have done better as far as songs sounding like each other but overall this album is by far one of my favorites I have been looking for a good band cause a lot of todays music sucks but crooked x seem like they will never sell out there age might hurt them a little because I am sure there are a lot of jealous people out there but hopefully they will have many albums to come and if sombody stole this CD I would definalty buy a new one. // 9

overall: 7

Reviewed by: shreddedstrings, on february 03, 2009

Sound: Crooked X Is Rocking At The Age Of 14! But seriously, this band has a lot cut out for them, and that they have a lot of weight on their shoulders if they want to keep their musical careers up. Altogether, the band sound mixes in well, as well as individually. Jesse Cooper rocks at guitar while Boomer Simpson is excellent at drums. Josh Mcdowell is a great bass player that might be, in my opinion, one of the new Jason Newsted or Robert Trujillo (Metallica's former and current bass players). And last but not least, the singer, Forrest French. Forrest has a voice of a James Hetfield for someone in middle school. Now for the songs in this fine album. To my opinion, the single of this album, "Nightmare", seems as if the producer of this album didn't know anything about music theory. The song was perfect on the hit game Rock Band, but on this album, the progression is all chopped up and doesn't fit together, and it goes fast, and slows down for no appreant reason. The other song "Nail in the Coffin" is a masterpiece that seems like one of the metal gods must of written it. The intro guitar riff seems like something Tom Morello would play. But all in all, these kids have a lot to do to make it bigger than life. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: To me, the lyrics are a little bit cheesy. In "Rock N Roll Dream" the lyrics are as followed "Everyday I'm playing, Till my fingers bleed". Which those lyrics to me seem as if they are written like every garage band out there. Yes I know that they are new to the scene, and that is one of my favorite songs on this album. That is basically all I have to say about the lyrics on this album. // 7

Impression: I love this album, it is right now my favorite album next to the metal band Metallica. They have to be influenced by Metallica cause I see a lot of comparison between them. All of the songs on this album are gold, except for the progression mistake on "Nightmare". I love everything about this album, and don't really hate anything about it. I wouldn't buy this album again, all because I already ripped it onto my computer, but if I had to I would. // 7

Comments

[darkl64]

First
Hope these guys go far.

[bfchead]

Second
I saw these guys on jimmy kimmel, the performance sucked, but the singer had some prety strong chops, as for the rest of em, I've seen fourteen year olds play better

[eyebanez333]

I think these guys do have a promising future...I mean...think of what you were doing at 14 =)

[Våd Hamster]

Good on them. Not many people their age get such an opportunity.

Just hoping that all the media attention doesn't turn them into little diva's.

[Gord@k]

I myself doesnt think Crooked X arent anything special. THere are tons of 14 year old metal bands that are just as good or even better than these guys it´s just that they havent gotten the same chances as these guys.

But maybe its just because i live in metals mother land(sweden) i think that.

[gtmom]

I see young musicians who are better on a daily basis. They all make fun of this band. Good for them for someone giving them opportunities, but I think the gimmick aspect of focusing on their age by saying don't focus on our age will limit them. When they're sixteen or seventeen the novelty won't be there and they'll have lost much time learning and practicing different styles and technique in favor of being "rock stars" (or something like that). Hanson #2 is what I always think when I hear them.

[rtfk101]

they suck

[henkka_potku]

they sound like the average rock band you could hear on radio.

[Kastöm]

I dont get the whole "good for 14 year olds" crap. Maybe they are good for their age, but theyre nothing groundbreaking, just a jaw droppingly mediocre band. Theres no point in hiring a band thats "good for their age".

I could sign a heavyweight boxer because "he's really good at boxing for a homeless guy", I could hire a new electrician because "hes a really good electrician for someone with no limbs", I could hire a personal pencil sharpener because "hes really good at sharpening pencils for someone who's never seen a pencil before, and the list goes on and on.

We have to put up with so many talentless bands nowadays its ridiculous. Not to say Crooked X have no talent, but they should concentrate on some originality and playing skill before signing a record deal.

[Punkismygod]

Gord@k wrote:
But maybe its just because i live in metals mother land(finland) i think that.

Fixed.

They sound all ok they have great future ahead.

[MangeuDePoutine]

The guitarist did an interview about judging for their music, not for their age. Everytime i see Crooked X i see 14 years old. Just like that:

I've just read somewhere that the dad of one is a guitar teacher, the other (dad of one) have a studio and the dad of another etc...

They just got good contact, to be in rock band you have to...

I'll consider them very good after a few album, as i can hear from this one it's repeatitive and they doesn't have their personnal style (having 14 isn't a personnal style...).

(In my opinion)

Sorry for the very bad english, i speak french...

[Kastöm]

Punkismygod wrote:

Gord@k wrote:
But maybe its just because i live in metals mother land(finland) i think that.
Fixed.

+1. Finland IS metal

[Siro78]

Finlind is not metal land

[Marley167]

Birmingham is metal land ;P

[pranav]

I saw these guys on jimmy kimmel, the performance sucked, but the singer had some prety strong chops, as for the rest of em, I've seen fourteen year olds play better

same here, i saw them in jimmy kimmel, The drummer sucked..but the vocalist had some talent...the others were just average, nothing extraoridinary.

[whatiaminstead]

i have a really hard time with young people getting publicity so early. come on, give them the time to actually GET GOOD before encouraging the whole thing to go to their head and stunting their musical growth with camera's and talk shows

[RockGuitar92]

I listened to them and they sound very mediocre. I hate how they are supposedly awesome because they are 14 too. Who cares?

[sinister2491]

so... since their only 14 does that mean they will be broke up and burnt out has beens when their like 25? lol

[GoToSleep]

same old modern radio rock.

[decayingdave]

They're nothing special, and just 'cus they're so young doesn't mean they're the next big thing - Whenever some predictable boy band comes along every goes nuts about them 'cus they achieve so much in a short space of time, but considering they've all come from very favorable musical backgrounds, there's no wander they're doing well.

REAL music comes from people who had to work their way up the ladder, not from a bunch of children with pushy parents.

[6cradle6of6filt]

sinister2491 wrote:

so... since their only 14 does that mean they will be broke up and burnt out has beens when their like 25? lol

:L, that made me lol

[Powerhouse]

These guys are like the Silverchair of this decade. They're good considering their age, but they're really just a product of the times.

Silverchair sounded like a 14 year old's Pearl Jam/Nirvana, Crooked X sounds like a 14 year old's Hinder/Buckcherry/Rev Theory.

[Ace-014]

I personally think these guys have a lot of potential. As of now they're looking for their own style, but give em time and I'm pretty sure they will be awesome.

They've got a whole lot of spirit in what they do, I just hope that the media and record deal evils don't end up getting to the kids' head or it'll all go to hell for them.

[yamahaacoustic3]

these guys are so sick

[irokzworld]

if by sick you mean mediocre... They're not bad but their songs sound like things i hear on the radio. Sure, they'll get better but why couldn't they put out a record when they're good enough to not just be "good for their age"?

[GUNIT!]

pranav wrote:

I saw these guys on jimmy kimmel, the performance sucked, but the singer had some prety strong chops, as for the rest of em, I've seen fourteen year olds play better

same here, i saw them in jimmy kimmel, The drummer sucked..but the vocalist had some talent...the others were just average, nothing extraoridinary.

Same here.

[ofbassisman]

I just recently found out about this band and got there album, and they are awsome. Though they may be able to do the same sqweels as Zakk Wylde they have there own originality. My band would jump at the opertunity to play a show with them, and we are not that easily empressed, but Crooked X, is well among the best, and i'll put my name on that, from The Bass Man Michael D of Pandemic Existence

[AmpleSteak]

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

[nofearfactor]

These kids parents aren't rich or well connected.The lead singers dad is my UPS man.The lead guitarists dad lives in a trailor and has been playing in local bands around Tulsa,Ok for probably 20 years.They aren't pushing these guys into this-it's the kids who want to do this.They just have the kind of parents who are sacrificing what little they have to do for their kids what most parents should- by helping them to reach their goals.Which just happens to be the 'rock star' dream in this case.Do child actors parents do any different?I know these little dudes.Kind of.I had a small hand in their development.I got a call one day from the mother of the lead singer about 3 years ago.She was working as the receptionist in a local Drs office and she had gotten my number from someone who knew I toured in a band and knew that I lived local when home from the road.Her husband,the UPS man, also had told her about all of the music gear he was always delivering to my house.So,she calls me up and asks if I knew anyone local that they could contact to get the kids some shows.I had seen their DIY CDs in a local video store but new nothing about them at all.I gave her one number-a guy who with his wife,a former singer for a local Tulsa popular band, had been promoting some local shows and had just started running a small local music festival called D-Fest(DiversaFest).They got the guys on the festival.(It's now big enough to rival SXSW with acts like The Flaming Lips and Helmet coming in to headline opening nights).They then went out and played a shitload of local shows-including a local charity show called 'CancerSucks' that plays at a local big time venue called Cains Ballroom(was listed as the 41st best venue for live shows).Since then I've seen them go from the small local shows they were playing at a small theatre in a small Oklahoma town to the CBS Morning Show contest to 'Snake' Sabo(Skidrow) showing up at a showcase show they did one night and signing them to a major label.Now they're opening for major acts world wide.And still in junior high in a small town.Got lucky?Maybe.But they have worked their little asses off to get where they are too.And they don't have rich parents who paid to get them there.Fender came in and threw a bunch of the new EVH stacks at them.Main thing is,are they any good?Not great,but good enough to get signed,get RockBand to put a song up and get on some big shows overseas as openers.I don't care for their sound myself and they are'nt as good as a lot of bands,but are probably better than a lot of others.They're not my style at all.But I'm not 14 and I didn't have that 'grew up on Metallica' back ground.Not defending them,but,they're only 15 years old.So they're going to write songs with a juvenile mindset with skills that haven't been honed or polished yet.Maybe they will get better,maybe they'll fade away.One of the bands David Lee Roth called "Here today,gone later today" bands.I was living in Des Moines Iowa in the mid 90s and playing the club scene there when Slipknot came up and then went big,and I've been around a bunch of other friends bands when they went from being local joes to playing stadiums back home in norhtern California.But then the bands that I like such as Chimaira and Mushroomhead that I consider some brutal players can't even sell enough records to get out of Cleveland.So.Go figure.It's a crazy business...

[prt1990]

I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of people have rated this album so poorly due to their preconceptions of what it would be like... I doubt many people have actually heard it...

[Cartilage]

Punkismygod wrote:

Gord@k wrote:
But maybe its just because i live in metals mother land(finland) i think that.
Fixed.

They sound all ok they have great future ahead.

+2 Finland has Children of Bodom (sorry rest of the world but its no contest)

[The_String_Man]

AmpleSteak wrote:

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

what a genre!lol

[Somnambulance]

Kastöm wrote:

I dont get the whole "good for 14 year olds" crap. Maybe they are good for their age, but theyre nothing groundbreaking, just a jaw droppingly mediocre band. Theres no point in hiring a band thats "good for their age".

I could sign a heavyweight boxer because "he's really good at boxing for a homeless guy", I could hire a new electrician because "hes a really good electrician for someone with no limbs", I could hire a personal pencil sharpener because "hes really good at sharpening pencils for someone who's never seen a pencil before, and the list goes on and on.

We have to put up with so many talentless bands nowadays its ridiculous. Not to say Crooked X have no talent, but they should concentrate on some originality and playing skill before signing a record deal.

Not only do I agree, but I see this as a big reason why the music industry is falling apart. If there were more original sounding artists, I believe people would buy more albums. Instead, what we'll get is albums slowly disappearing from the market with singles once again being the representative medium of the market. Censorship and laws are going to change too. Ugh, I don't like thinking about it, but the changes are happening and we don't even notice it. Just compare the industry five years ago to the one today. It's weird how different things really have become.

[wes_jett2008]

same here, i saw them in jimmy kimmel, The drummer sucked..but the vocalist had some talent...the others were just average, nothing extraoridinary.

If you think their drummer sucked you're an idiot,Hes no Neil Peart by any means but the kid does'nt suck...His double kick ability is very good,I wish I played that well when I was 14.

[AmpleSteak]

The_String_Man wrote:

AmpleSteak wrote:

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

what a genre!lol

The_String_Man wrote:

AmpleSteak wrote:

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

what a genre!lol

Indeed Lol

[funkyfigure8]

AmpleSteak wrote:

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

My band is the same, less technical and more melodic though. These guys blow compared to us and im not saying that arrogantly. www.myspace.com/swallowedbythetide

[SPBY]

Norway is definitely the motherland of metal

[Shredder Guitar]

These guys are okay, but they just sound to radio/poppy compared to others. If you want some great younger bands, check out Animosity or even Black Tide.

[Teen Spirit]

Hell of a future ahead of them.

And how about the whole of Scandinavia is the mother of metal eh?

[ShadesOfNight]

Marley167 wrote:

Birmingham is metal land ;P

haha yes mate!
screw all o' you eastern european black metaller weirdos.
Birmingham's where it began, therefore the true motherland. Real, raw, Thrash Metal

[blommen]

ShadesOfNight wrote:

Marley167 wrote:

Birmingham is metal land ;P

haha yes mate!
screw all o' you eastern european black metaller weirdos.
Birmingham's where it began, therefore the true motherland. Real, raw, Thrash Metal

gotta agree with you there mate, and i am from Denmark (pretty good metal cred too here though)

[webbtje]

ShadesOfNight wrote:

Marley167 wrote:

Birmingham is metal land ;P
haha yes mate!
screw all o' you eastern european black metaller weirdos.
Birmingham's where it began, therefore the true motherland. Real, raw, Thrash Metal

Yeah, Black Sabbath, that well-known thrash band.

[SynGates14]

These guys have a promising future. I've seen them live and they were great.

[diddykoi6]

i listened to some and i wasnt impressed ill avoid... and yeah birmingham is birth place of true metal i think lol

[AmpleSteak]

http://www.myspace.com/closedfortonight a way better younger band! 16 years old, wrote these songs when we were 15 way more complicated stuff coming soon stay tuned! Listen to prosperity, i hate illusions!

[Synyster915]

ofbassisman wrote:

I just recently found out about this band and got there album, and they are awsome. Though they may be able to do the same sqweels as Zakk Wylde they have there own originality. My band would jump at the opertunity to play a show with them, and we are not that easily empressed, but Crooked X, is well among the best, and i'll put my name on that, from The Bass Man Michael D of Pandemic Existence

That was very douchey.

[Maiden4Life1234]

Original my ass. They stole the main riff in Nightmare from Iron Maiden, and the solo is the main riff of N.I.B. They cant go around being successful if they keep stealing riffs and parts from people. thats not cool

[a7xplayer]

well, what were u guys doing at 14. they obviously arent great, but they are enjoyable to listen to. the one thing that gets me mad is how the guitarist only uses pentatonic scales for his solos

[nofearfactor]

Diggin some ClosedForTonight.Good stuff.I like...

[Golem29]

Kastöm wrote:

I dont get the whole "good for 14 year olds" crap. Maybe they are good for their age, but theyre nothing groundbreaking, just a jaw droppingly mediocre band. Theres no point in hiring a band thats "good for their age".

I could sign a heavyweight boxer because "he's really good at boxing for a homeless guy", I could hire a new electrician because "hes a really good electrician for someone with no limbs", I could hire a personal pencil sharpener because "hes really good at sharpening pencils for someone who's never seen a pencil before, and the list goes on and on.

We have to put up with so many talentless bands nowadays its ridiculous. Not to say Crooked X have no talent, but they should concentrate on some originality and playing skill before signing a record deal.

You win, have a cookie.

[metal15head]

Crooked X= swastica.

[westvipor]

Golem29 wrote:

Kastöm wrote:

I dont get the whole "good for 14 year olds" crap. Maybe they are good for their age, but theyre nothing groundbreaking, just a jaw droppingly mediocre band. Theres no point in hiring a band thats "good for their age".

I could sign a heavyweight boxer because "he's really good at boxing for a homeless guy", I could hire a new electrician because "hes a really good electrician for someone with no limbs", I could hire a personal pencil sharpener because "hes really good at sharpening pencils for someone who's never seen a pencil before, and the list goes on and on.

We have to put up with so many talentless bands nowadays its ridiculous. Not to say Crooked X have no talent, but they should concentrate on some originality and playing skill before signing a record deal.

You win, have a cookie.

dammit, i want a cookie.

[AmpleSteak]

nofearfactor wrote:

Diggin some ClosedForTonight.Good stuff.I like...

Thanks bro http://www.myspace.com/closedfortonight

[axeofoc5249]

Eh on their last post people were saying how humble they were for not having egos they're ****ing 14 of course they don't have egos they probably can't even spell it or know the definition of it. Watch when they get bigger they are just gonna be like every other band if they do get bigger.

[Scout1011]

AmpleSteak wrote:

nofearfactor wrote:

Diggin some ClosedForTonight.Good stuff.I like... Thanks bro http://www.myspace.com/closedfortonight

Shameless advertising... Three times you've posted on here now about your band, one of them bragging about how your band is better than this? What an arrogant *******.

[Xx_banx]

nofearfactor wrote:

These kids parents aren't rich or well connected.The lead singers dad is my UPS man.The lead guitarists dad lives in a trailor and has been playing in local bands around Tulsa,Ok for probably 20 years.They aren't pushing these guys into this-it's the kids who want to do this.They just have the kind of parents who are sacrificing what little they have to do for their kids what most parents should- by helping them to reach their goals.Which just happens to be the 'rock star' dream in this case.Do child actors parents do any different?I know these little dudes.Kind of.I had a small hand in their development.I got a call one day from the mother of the lead singer about 3 years ago.She was working as the receptionist in a local Drs office and she had gotten my number from someone who knew I toured in a band and knew that I lived local when home from the road.Her husband,the UPS man, also had told her about all of the music gear he was always delivering to my house.So,she calls me up and asks if I knew anyone local that they could contact to get the kids some shows.I had seen their DIY CDs in a local video store but new nothing about them at all.I gave her one number-a guy who with his wife,a former singer for a local Tulsa popular band, had been promoting some local shows and had just started running a small local music festival called D-Fest(DiversaFest).They got the guys on the festival.(It's now big enough to rival SXSW with acts like The Flaming Lips and Helmet coming in to headline opening nights).They then went out and played a shitload of local shows-including a local charity show called 'CancerSucks' that plays at a local big time venue called Cains Ballroom(was listed as the 41st best venue for live shows).Since then I've seen them go from the small local shows they were playing at a small theatre in a small Oklahoma town to the CBS Morning Show contest to 'Snake' Sabo(Skidrow) showing up at a showcase show they did one night and signing them to a major label.Now they're opening for major acts world wide.And still in junior high in a small town.Got lucky?Maybe.But they have worked their little asses off to get where they are too.And they don't have rich parents who paid to get them there.Fender came in and threw a bunch of the new EVH stacks at them.Main thing is,are they any good?Not great,but good enough to get signed,get RockBand to put a song up and get on some big shows overseas as openers.I don't care for their sound myself and they are'nt as good as a lot of bands,but are probably better than a lot of others.They're not my style at all.But I'm not 14 and I didn't have that 'grew up on Metallica' back ground.Not defending them,but,they're only 15 years old.So they're going to write songs with a juvenile mindset with skills that haven't been honed or polished yet.Maybe they will get better,maybe they'll fade away.One of the bands David Lee Roth called "Here today,gone later today" bands.I was living in Des Moines Iowa in the mid 90s and playing the club scene there when Slipknot came up and then went big,and I've been around a bunch of other friends bands when they went from being local joes to playing stadiums back home in norhtern California.But then the bands that I like such as Chimaira and Mushroomhead that I consider some brutal players can't even sell enough records to get out of Cleveland.So.Go figure.It's a crazy business...

thanks for that epic wall of text

[AmpleSteak]

Scout1011 wrote:

AmpleSteak wrote:

nofearfactor wrote:

Diggin some ClosedForTonight.Good stuff.I like... Thanks bro http://www.myspace.com/closedfortonight
Shameless advertising... Three times you've posted on here now about your band, one of them bragging about how your band is better than this? What an arrogant *****.

Lmfao yup :P naw im not arrogant i dont thinik were that great but compared to crooked x were better in my opinion.

[Mr. Skull]

crooked x is a disgraceful jonas-brothers like attempt at childhood stardom in metal.

[guitaringnathan]

shooot i cant even find my bass player

[bliss10]

I dont like them. I'm fifteen, and have written more complex riffs and songs. and i know fourteen year olds with better chops. They just got a lucky chance, seeing i know many 14 and 15 year old bands who are much better.

[axl-is-awesome]

im surprised ive only read one comment about black tide.....usually people are bashing them left and right...black tide rocks!!!!!

[Nightfyre]

bliss10 wrote:

I dont like them. I'm fifteen, and have written more complex riffs and songs. and i know fourteen year olds with better chops. They just got a lucky chance, seeing i know many 14 and 15 year old bands who are much better.

more complex and/or better chops =/= good songs or a good band. creating interesting material and pulling together a song around said material, and keeping it interesting and fun, that will earn you my respect. i don't give a damn how technical you are, if you can't write a song you're not worth my time.
on topic: what's with all the record deals for kids still in high school all of a sudden? or in this case, middle school? let the kids get their education, and even more importantly let them mature. they're not ready for a record deal.

[Shazazmic]

funkyfigure8 wrote:

AmpleSteak wrote:

Meh my bands 16 and rapes the shit out of these guys, progressive technical metal FTW!

My band is the same, less technical and more melodic though. These guys blow compared to us and im not saying that arrogantly. www.myspace.com/swallowedbythetide

Sorry dude, it was all good until the vocals came. Your vocalist is going to rape the shit out of his vocal chords if he doesn't learn to scream right.

[axeofoc5249]

Xx_banx wrote:

nofearfactor wrote:

These kids parents aren't rich or well connected.The lead singers dad is my UPS man.The lead guitarists dad lives in a trailor and has been playing in local bands around Tulsa,Ok for probably 20 years.They aren't pushing these guys into this-it's the kids who want to do this.They just have the kind of parents who are sacrificing what little they have to do for their kids what most parents should- by helping them to reach their goals.Which just happens to be the 'rock star' dream in this case.Do child actors parents do any different?I know these little dudes.Kind of.I had a small hand in their development.I got a call one day from the mother of the lead singer about 3 years ago.She was working as the receptionist in a local Drs office and she had gotten my number from someone who knew I toured in a band and knew that I lived local when home from the road.Her husband,the UPS man, also had told her about all of the music gear he was always delivering to my house.So,she calls me up and asks if I knew anyone local that they could contact to get the kids some shows.I had seen their DIY CDs in a local video store but new nothing about them at all.I gave her one number-a guy who with his wife,a former singer for a local Tulsa popular band, had been promoting some local shows and had just started running a small local music festival called D-Fest(DiversaFest).They got the guys on the festival.(It's now big enough to rival SXSW with acts like The Flaming Lips and Helmet coming in to headline opening nights).They then went out and played a shitload of local shows-including a local charity show called 'CancerSucks' that plays at a local big time venue called Cains Ballroom(was listed as the 41st best venue for live shows).Since then I've seen them go from the small local shows they were playing at a small theatre in a small Oklahoma town to the CBS Morning Show contest to 'Snake' Sabo(Skidrow) showing up at a showcase show they did one night and signing them to a major label.Now they're opening for major acts world wide.And still in junior high in a small town.Got lucky?Maybe.But they have worked their little asses off to get where they are too.And they don't have rich parents who paid to get them there.Fender came in and threw a bunch of the new EVH stacks at them.Main thing is,are they any good?Not great,but good enough to get signed,get RockBand to put a song up and get on some big shows overseas as openers.I don't care for their sound myself and they are'nt as good as a lot of bands,but are probably better than a lot of others.They're not my style at all.But I'm not 14 and I didn't have that 'grew up on Metallica' back ground.Not defending them,but,they're only 15 years old.So they're going to write songs with a juvenile mindset with skills that haven't been honed or polished yet.Maybe they will get better,maybe they'll fade away.One of the bands David Lee Roth called "Here today,gone later today" bands.I was living in Des Moines Iowa in the mid 90s and playing the club scene there when Slipknot came up and then went big,and I've been around a bunch of other friends bands when they went from being local joes to playing stadiums back home in norhtern California.But then the bands that I like such as Chimaira and Mushroomhead that I consider some brutal players can't even sell enough records to get out of Cleveland.So.Go figure.It's a crazy business...
thanks for that epic wall of text

Still they are kids let them grow up first they like you say have a juvenile mindset and child actors are always ****ed up so you think just cause these kids are "rockstars" it will be different wrong it will be worse look to be burying these kids by the time they are 19 cause living the dream comes at a heavy price.

[synths]

Crooked X is just lame, repetative, average rock. they probably learned some blues scales and bingo, you got some boring generic rock band. not tryin to diss on them hardcore, but i dont care if theyre 14. The "rock genre" is getting so old and so boring. Maybe because I'm a metalhead. lol

[morganite14]

I agree with synths, crooked x is soo bland and it really is just a bunch of hype because theyre so young. Will they do great things in the future? Odds are that they will but until then people should take the music for what it is and not just because theyre so young

[nofearfactor]

I'm a hypocrite myself.I would'nt let my own 12 yr old kid tour in a band until he was 18.He goes out to my studio and plays the guitars and has since he was 9 or so and is pretty good,but thats as far as it's going.I can barely afford my tech to do my own gear maintenance much less 2 of us in the same house..My 16 yr old daughter is mad at me because
her mother won't let her get an eyebrow piercing.She just wants her to understand that she won't be able to get a good job and that mainstream society looks down on it.And I'm covered in tattoos and have piercings,several facial.And staying neutral.I agree with kids that being cool is important.I also agree that it is hard to get a job with piercings and tattoos.Unless you work in the music business..So.Let kids be kids.Unless the kids are super talented?

[poor_blue_crabs]

Ah, I just hate how everyone's all bragging..."I'm better, I'm better!"

That just shows that pretty much almost all musicians just want money and don't appreciate the music by simply listening and creating it. That's why the music industry is falling.

[LucienT]

eyebanez333 wrote:

I think these guys do have a promising future...I mean...think of what you were doing at 14 =)

Im 14 and I play guitar, but its gonna be a while before I'm as popular as them.

[Cianyx]

Seriously dude..
What DO 14 year olds have in life to write about?

[BlisteringDDj]

Cianyx wrote:

Seriously dude..
What DO 14 year olds have in life to write about?

My thougts, exactly! xD

[IronPriest2155]

Maiden4Life1234 wrote:

Original my ass. They stole the main riff in Nightmare from Iron Maiden, and the solo is the main riff of N.I.B. They cant go around being successful if they keep stealing riffs and parts from people. thats not cool

Your right. Maybe it was a nightmare about Eddie coming to kick there asses for stealing riffs

[Gord@k]

Punkismygod wrote:

Gord@k wrote:
But maybe its just because i live in metals mother land(finland) i think that.
Fixed.

They sound all ok they have great future ahead.

Oh no you didnt!

[Betzefer]

This is an AVERAGE rock band.
They're not very good, not very bad either, there is nothing special about them and the only reason they get so much media attention is simply because of their age. I bet they wouldn't be getting any attention at all if they were like, 17 or so

[Rallymonkey]

The only acquaintance I have with Crooked X is from Rock Band 1. The song "Nightmare"... A horrible dull Metallica ripoff. Ew!

The band seems very mediocre.

[minchew]

poor_blue_crabs :
Ah, I just hate how everyone's all bragging..."I'm better, I'm better!"

That just shows that pretty much almost all musicians just want money and don't appreciate the music by simply listening and creating it. That's why the music industry is falling.

People are "bragging" that we're better because we get pissed off when a bunch of kids that play generic music get signed and bands like mine that have originality and talent get overlooked. I'm not saying anything about age because my lead guitarist just turned 16 and he can SHRED, so I'm hating them for that. They just aren't that good because they haven't had time to find a musical direction. That, and they haven't had to the life experience to come up with anything but super cheesy lyrics. And yes, I do believe my band is better. I'll post the site when we finish recording some of our music.

[minchew]

*not* hating them for that. my bad.

[wolfy808]

They suck.

[stone what?]

They are simple and immature and weak. it's evident that they have the passion (although obviously not the skills at this point) to become more than that, but they probably never will considering they'll have no reason to since they've just been using their age to get famous. My guess it that they'll continue being a mediocre band who's only fans are the screaming girls that think they're just gorgeous and the kids who think they're just the greatest thing since sliced bread because they got a record deal at 14.

[shreddedstrings]

metal15head wrote:

Crooked X= swastica.

Damn, +100000

[aenimafist]

I saw these guys live in Des Moines and I can't lie it was pure schit. The stage presence was terrible, the lead dude kapt saying "get your hands in the air" and no one followed suit. The bassist did hear to nothing and the lead guitarist kept flopping his hair in his face. Plus the drummer was fat.

The best part though was when the lead dude said "we've got one more song for you tonight," and some guy behind me was like "FUKK!!!"