Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 3, 2012

15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT & More

Mountain Views News Saturday, March 3, 2012 


SLEIGH BELLS 

Review by: Sean Kayden 

 Noise-pop aficionados, Sleigh Bells, grandly return with “Reign of 
Terror,” the follow-up to their critically praised opus, “Teats.” Guitarist/
producer Derek Edward Miller and vocalist Alexis Krauss burst onto 
the scene over two years ago and got the attention of the artist M.I.A. 

Soon after, their awareness became known and a record contract was 
set. 

 The Brooklyn duo’s sound was appealing, electrifying, and frankly, all over the place. For this 
outing, Sleigh Bells set their sights on crafting a 
good album rather than a body of work to stand 
the test of time. “Reign Of Terror” is loud and 
vehemently ferocious. It’s in your face and packs 
a strong punch with its intensity and digitally 
hardcore approach. Sleigh Bells rely heavily on 
electronics to deepen their previously reputable 
panache. However, at the end of the day, you must take in consideration if Sleigh Bells are 
more concerned with image, pompous style, and popularity than originality, freshness, and 
leading a crowded pack rather than just flowing side by side with it. The scattered pleasures 
found on “Reign of Terror” are irrefutably wonderful. But when Sleigh Bells merely settle for 
trendiness, red flags are raised, which makes one think, is this band the real deal or simply 
just MTV-bound? 

 I find it increasingly difficult to really compare the band’s two albums. The problem is 
that they’re really not all that different from one another. Therefore, is Sleigh Bells trying to 
capture upon the success of their first record with a retreaded sound? After listening to the 
album all the way through, I realized their sound has become less aggressive. Personally, I 
prefer it because I enjoy the consistency within the songs more so than the frenzy approach 
the former record had to offer. When you reach the fourth track, “End Of The Line,” you’ll 
be listening to the finest song off the album. It’s a genuinely personal track that displays an 
80s ballad driven pop sound. It’s definitely one of the more somber tunes off the record. “You 
Lost Me” is another ineffaceable tune. It leads one to believe that when Sleigh Bells want to 
be good, they can be truly great. Unfortunately, the path from track one to track eleven is 
at times problematic. Sometimes you’ll enjoy the sights and sounds in one area and other 
times, find yourself apprehensively waiting for the next frontier. 

 Sleigh Bells have immense potential even if it wasn’t on display here to its fullest. They can 
sparkle and dazzle when they feel like it, but also fall into their own depths of derivativeness. 
“Reign of Terror” is not a great album. However, it’s a collection of songs to demonstrate 
how Sleigh Bells are good at what they set out to do. Now if only the listener knew exactly 
what their motives were, they could devote a little more to their cause, whatever it may be 
for. Hopefully, it’s less for glory and fame and more for stepping out of the box and exploring 
the unexplored. 

Grade: 7.1 out of 10 

Key Tracks: “End of the Line”, “You Lost Me”, “Leader of The Pack” 


Artist: Sleigh Bells

Album: Reign of Terror

Label: Mom + Pop 
and Sony Music 

Release Date: February 21, 2012

ADAMS’ PACK 
STATION 

(Chantry Flat, Angeles National Forest)

2012 Live Music Events 

 Beginning April 22nd and continuing on the 3rd 
Sunday of each Month through October. We are looking 
for musicians who would like to play in this unique 
atmosphere on the following dates: 4/22, 5/20, 6/17, 8/19, 
9/16 and 10/21.

 Please see the list of current openings and schedule. If 
you would like to play, email Deb Burgess (dburgess@
adamspackstation.com) With your preferred date and time 
slot.

www.adamspackstation.com

4/22/2012 12:00-5:00

 76TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

 12:00-1:00

 1:00-2:00

 2:00-4:00 45 Fingers

 4:00-5:00 

5/20/2012 12:00-1:00

 1:00-2:00

 2:00-4:00 John Zipperer 
(www.johnzipperer.com)

 4:00-5:00

 5:00-5:30 

6/17/2012 12:00-1:00

 1:00-2:00

 2:00-4:00

 4:00-5:00

 5:00-5:30 

7/22/2012 12:00-5:30 Lisa Turner & Friends 
(www.lisasongs.com)

8/19/2012 12:00-1:00

 1:00-2:00

 2:00-4:00

 4:00-5:00

 5:00-5:30 

9/16/2012 12:00-1:00

 1:00-2:00

 2:00-4:00

 4:00-5:00

 5:00-5:30 

10/21/2012 12:00-2:00 Bryan Chan 
2:00-4:00 John Zipperer 
4:00-5:00 

Don’t Forget About Pulled Pork Sandwiches on 
these Weekends!

FORGET THE SHOCK JOCK. MEET 
SHOCK MOM. EMBRACING 
“SHOCK” THERAPY TO BRING 
HEALING TO FAMILIES OF ADDICTS 

By Chris Bertrand on Special Assignment

 
Jacqui Brown wants to break down barriers, bulldoze the walls 
of silence, relegating that game face of “I’m OK; You’re OK” 
back to the closet. To that end, Brown, author of Recovery’s 
a Bitch… as if Menopause Alone Wasn’t Bad Enough! brings 
her raw, in your face and purposely unnerving style to your 
nearby Kindle, paperback and blog. By page three, she she 
has you asking yourself, “What the..?” 

 Then, you find you’re committed. Envision picking glass 
shards from your body after an explosion. You’re horrified. 
You can’t stop, but neither can you look away. It’s also unclear 
if leaving the shards in or taking them out will cause more 
pain, or even death. So you keep reading.

 Yet, when all the bloody pieces are laid on the table, and the 
catharsis is done, you’re the better for it. Her nonstop rant 
has accomplished its goal. Brown has shouted and sworn all 
those words and the previously whispered behind the door 
concepts of teenage addiction, rehab and relapse out loud for 
long enough, that the inability to speak of it disappears.

 A few years back, Brown, a stay at home mom with two 
children and a music producer husband, Paul Brown, were 
living a privileged So Cal life. Then the “devil” took up 
residence. Their teenage daughter became addicted to drugs. 

Gallows humor and a game face sufficed for a while, as 
she made offhanded remarks to friends in carpool and at 
Starbucks about the latest extrication of their daughter from 
a nearby drug house and near death experiences.

 When full blown menopause met the tornado of her 
daughter’s addiction, the Jacqui Brown perfect storm hit. The 
gloves came off. The game face was shoved in the closet, but 
thankfully the humor stayed.

 Her critical message is that in order to recover, one must be 
willing to change. The Encarta Dictionary defines “recover” 
as “to regain something, to get back something previously 
lost” but also to “control or correct yourself, to return to a 
composed state.” 

 Brown decided she could change her life, and recover in both 
definitions of the word… from menopause, and from her 
daughter’s addiction. From the wild highs, lows and hormonal 
fluctuations of menopause, and from being completely and 
utterly responsible for her daughter’s every move, error, her 
ultimate happiness or unhappiness, even of her existence.

 Jacqui Brown’s path to her own recovery involves an 
unfiltered, gut wrenching, guffaw-filled intimate look inside. 
The pain, the laughs, the sagging neckline and drooping 
breasts can be felt right through the pages written as though 
the reader were on the other end of a longwinded telephone 
conversation.

 The result is feeling like you’ve lived it, and can perhaps learn 
from her journey. Brown’s passionate stream of consciousness 
book performs “shock” therapy without a medical license, 
but in full control of the ultimate trump card, motherhood. 
The taboo topic of surviving a family member’s addiction has 
just been thrust into everyday conversation, brought into the 
bright light… by a mom. Thanks, mom!

http://www.amazon.com/Recoverys-Bitch-Menopause-Alone-
Enough/dp/1453781706 Plus The Book I’m Writing On Line http://
www.jbwritergirl.wordpress.com
The Next Book I’m Writing On Line http://jbrownauthor.blogspot.
com/