September 30, 2008 by A2S
I am very pleased to announce that we finally have this dang .com up and running. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do and bookmark it in your favorites. We love each and every one of you who bare with our sometimes snide remarks but who stick around to read about the music we love (or hate).
Welcome.
Category News | Tags: | No Comments
by A2S
I am starting a list of simply beautiful (generally acoustic) songs. This is for those of you who love beautiful music. If you don’t…read our other trash 
. If you have any recommendations to add, comment!
“Three Cheers For Five Years” (acoustic) – Mayday Parade – Punk Rock Goes Acoustic II
“An Offer She Can’t Refuse” – Reeveoliver – Reeveoliver
“When We’re Old Men” – Yellowcard – Lights and Sounds
“Intensity in Ten Cities” – Chiodos – Bone Palace Parade
“Stay Quiet” – Western Legend – Across the Border from Del Rio
“Coffee Break” – Forever the Sickest Kids – Underdog Alma Mater
“The Armistice (Acoustic) ” – The Receiving End of Sirens
“Giving Up” – Ingrid Michaelson – Girls and Boys
“Your Call” – Secondhand Serenad – Your Call
“Globes and Maps” – Something Corporate – Leaving Through the Window
“Hear You Me” – Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
“Nicest Thing” – Kate Nash – Made of Bricks
“What Sarah Said” – Death Cab for Cutie – Plans
“Sky (Feat. Ingrid Michaelson)” – Joshua Radin – Unclear Sky EP
“Existentialism on Prom Night” – Straylight Run – Straylight Run
“The City Lights” – Umbrellas – Umbrellas
“Hurricane” – The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues
“For the Widows In Paradise, for the Fatherless In Ypsilanti” – Sufjan Stevens – Greetings from Michigan
“Shelter” – Ray LaMontagne – Prime (Origional Motion Picture)
“You and I are a Gang of Losers” – The Dears – Gang of Losers
More to come later…
Category Features | Tags: chiodos,Death Cab for Cutie,Forever the Sickest Kids,Ingrid Michaelson,Jimmy Eat World,Joshua Radin,Kate Nash,Mayday Parade,Ray LaMontagne,Reeveoliver,Secondhand Serenade,Something Corporate,Straylight Run,Sufjan Stevens,The Dears,The Hush Sound,The Receiving End of Sirens,Umbrellas,Western Legend,Yellowcard | No Comments
September 23, 2008 by Aimee
Mike Chorvat – Lead Vocals
Nick Fonzi – Bass
Chris Insidioso – Drums
Category Uncategorized | Tags: Treaty of Paris | No Comments
September 22, 2008 by A2S
Last Saturday fellow writer Cassie and I headed up to Hollywood to the Henry Fonda Music Box to see one of our favorite bands—The Rocket Summer. We were a little surprised at the small crowd. Rumors were that only 500 tickets were pre-sold to this 1200-capacity venue.
First band went up about 8:00. The Morning Light is a pop rock group from Pittsburg. Generally their music was pretty typical of their genre—some keyboard, lots of cymbal, and some tenor vocals. Except that their voices constantly sounded like they were reaching to grab the notes and while they probably did it intentionally to imply determination and musical perseverance, it sounded like they were having a hard time controlling their scratchy vocals. Fortunately they were able to make this work on the album, but live, not so much. The lyrics they were singing didn’t help them out. Nothing memorable, really.
The Secret Handshake, a pop-electronica brain child of Luis Dubuc, came on stage next with a bang. Exploding on stage to Punk Goes Crunk’s “I Wish,” he turned The Music Box into a dance floor. Some of the scene too-cool kids stood awkwardly but some caught on and got into the groove. Heavy beats and electronica mixed perfectly in this cover. As his set went on however, a few of his songs seemed a little more rock with clearer vocals and suitable for the crowd. Others seemed unfit for the venue. Some tracks felt like they could only be enjoyed accompanied by some glow sticks and acid. Vocal effects and electronic tracks made some lyrics difficult to understand and, especially with some of the tracks too slow to dance to, the songs un-relatable to the crowd.
Next to take the stage was Phantom Planet. Best remembered for their theme song to the hit teen drama, The OC, these guys are much more talented than said single could possibly lead on. A fan of the band since the release of The Guest in 2002, they have continued to make great music and pump out dance-worthy indie rock hits since. Their stage presence, full of big rock ego and big rock beats, got the crowd rowdy. They played big hits including “California” and single off their new album “Do the Panic.” They even did a mashup of The Guest’s “All Over Again” with “Phantom of the Opera.” I constantly wondered how this great band has managed to continue making amazing music for at least the past decade and stay relatively under the radar. Awesome set from this Los Angeles band.
And last up, headliner of the night, The Rocket Summer. The workings of Bryce Avary, performed by Bryce along with his touring band, the night’s set was fantastic. Pop rock at it’s best, The Rocket Summer’s music is contagious musically and inspired lyrically to create this dance-along sing-out-loud force-you-to-smile sensation. Switching between the guitar and the keyboards, Bryce catered to the small crowd on their first headlining tour since the release of their album Do You Feel in summer of 2007 playing all-time favorites. “Cross Your Heart” and “Saturday were among the oldies-but-goodies and “Save” and “Break It Out” the newer favorites. Mid-set Bryce appeared at the back of the venue at a small stage with just an acoustic guitar and a mic to play “Goodbye Waves and Driveways,” a personal favorite after which he solicited the crowd to help him crowd surf all the way back to the main stage. Surrounded by fans who couldn’t sing the words more enthusiastically or jump higher during the choruses with eyes fixed on a man on stage who couldn’t shine brighter as an example of loving what he does—the music, the fans, and the love—this set was one that would leave any music-lover with a smile on their faces.
Each set only getting better and leading into a great culmination of the night, anyone who missed this tour should definitely kick themselves and if it hasn’t come around to you yet, there’s still time!
(Some photos sited from the respective bands’ myspaces)
Category Live | Tags: Phantom Planet,The Morning Light,The Rocket Summer,The Secert Handshake | No Comments
September 21, 2008 by Kristyn
Alright, so let me open up this review by saying that before this, I had never listened to this band. I had only read and heard about them in passing. So with a little excitement, I popped in Forever Comes Too Soon and hit play. The first track, “This Time, It’s Our Time,” hit me as everything you could describe as energetic pop punk. It reminds me of some mix of The Starting Line, Blink 182, and New Found Glory. To be honest, I got a little sidetracked listening to “Best of Me,” while comparing the sounds.
The rest of the album follows generally along with my first impression: pop punk, energetic, something I want to tap my foot to. It reminds me of driving along the coast during the summer with my windows down. “What Happens in ___ Stays In __,” is a clever track with a catchy beat, great melodies, and a bridge that you just have to clap your hands to.
The album takes a turn with the ballad “You Might As Well Be In Space.” The band trades in strong guitar riffs and poppy drum beats for a piano and a symbol. The lyrics seem a little cliché, “I’ll tear down the stars and I’ll give them to you / The night isn’t pretty as your eyes / But I guess it will have to do.” But I didn’t have to debate long whether this band had a future career in ballad writings, because the album picks right back up after that with, “Tear Down These Walls,” and “Stay Close,” and “The Real Thing,” which closes the album.
All and all, I would classify this album as a very catchy, upbeat album from a pop punk band. The sound is cohesive, with the exception of “You Might As Well Be In Space,” and the rest of the track flow together to create an album with that “last summer after high school,” feeling. In my opinion, the album is definitely worth a listen to decide for yourself if it is your cup of tea.
Category Albums | Tags: The Years Gone By | No Comments
by Cassie
Let me just say that I am a new listener to Sing It Loud and it takes at least a little bit of deviation from the same old release to catch my attention. This five piece from Minneapolis seemed to be able to do just that. [more]
The first time I listened to the first track of Sing It Loud’s new album, I was instantly reminded of Motion City Soundtrack. It’s no surprise that MCS guitarist, Josh Cain was a producer for the record.
Most tracks on “Come Around” are upbeat and sure to inspire some serious dance parties. “Best Beating Heart” is undeniably catchy with lyrics that will make you feel good and force you to start singing along. Also in this category of feel-good, head-bopping tracks is “Come Around”. “I’m all tied up and I’m trying my best to get down. Come on, girl. Come around, come around,” while not sounding incredibly profound, does accomplish the pop sound they admittedly categorize themselves into.
This album does have some awesome guests singing on it. Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low sings on “No One Can Touch Us” and Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack sings on “We’re Not Afraid”. Sing It Loud seems able to keep up quite well with these guys from more well-known bands, so their future seems promising as well.
In general, the melodies are light and easy to swallow, with the keys only adding to that quality. This being the case, the entire sound makes for something you could easily put on for background music or enjoy for a sunny car ride. For people who need deep lyrics and complex intertwining melodies and harmonies, Sing It Loud might not be your favorite. But for those who enjoy a more care-free approach to good music, I recommend giving “Come Around” a spin.
You can hear “Come Around” when it releases September 23 and catch Sing It Loud opening for Cobra Starship this fall on the SassyBack tour.
Category Albums | Tags: Sing It Loud | No Comments
by J-Man
I have always been a big Portishead fan. As a band, they always seemed to care more about making music than selling albums, and it was satisfying to see such an attitude be rewarded with success. It has been 11 years since their last studio album dropped, and I am both relieved and excited to report that Third does not disappoint.
When I first starting looking into this album, I was a little worried about what a decade long break could do to a band. I was worried further by the fact that, alongside their long standing “Trip-Hop” branding, they were taking steps toward other genres like “Experimental” and “Art Rock”. Usually when someone adds the title “art” to something that is already art, and then supplements that by telling you that it’s “experimental”, they are setting you up. They are about to show you something terrible, and then belittle you for “not understanding” it. When applied to music, this also frequently means that every song you hear is going to sound like one long intro and never really get started.
Third, however, delivers a very artistic sound, using some experimental methods of writing and composition, without feeling pretentious. It is definitely a departure of sorts from Portishead’s prior albums, but it falls right in line with their “making music because we enjoy making music” method. I don’t feel like I’m listening to someone trying to be different. I feel like I’m listening to a band who really isn’t concerned about whether or not their music is going to get played on the radio. A lot of the songs almost feel… stripped down. Like seeing a beautiful girl without makeup on for the first time; it’s a completely different kind of beauty; more raw. “We Carry On” and “Machine Gun” give me this awkward feeling that there is something missing, but I couldn’t come up with something useful to add with a gun to my head.
I did get the “this song isn’t really starting” feeling a couple of times, but it was fleeting. On my second listen-thru of the album, I found myself getting so lost in Beth Gibbon’s haunting voice and lyrics, and the interesting things being done musically by Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley, that the songs seemed to bend and flow through each other, creating some sort of musical experience. The music sometimes seems to consciously predict what you expect to happen, and then do something completely different. The end of the first track, “Silence”, comes to mind, along with the odd drum cuts in “Plastic”.
Alright, I’m starting to sound a bit like one of those beret wearing artsy fartsy types, and no one wants that. Suffice to say, this is a great album. Its simplistic departure from Portishead’s previous Trip-Hop sound sets it apart without disconnecting it from the bands roots. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me they “didn’t get it”, I think all Portishead fans will be pleased (and seemingly, already are. Third has gotten rave reviews, hit number 2 on the UK charts, and 7 on the U.S. Billboard 200). I don’t know if I’d jump on the “It’s their greatest album ever” bandwagon (I love “Dummy” too much) but Third is definitely worth picking up.
Category Albums | Tags: Portishead | No Comments
by A2S
Jack’s Mannequin’s upcoming album
The Glass Passanger
Andrew McMahon, former vocalist and pianist of Something Corporate, released Everything in Transit as Jack’s Mannequin in August of 2005. Since this album, excitement and hype for this piano rock outfit has continued to build. Then McMahon’s battle with Leukemia worried fans and delayed any new releases or touring until this summer 2008. A tour with Paramore and the release of The Ghost Overground EP and In Valleys EP are leading up to the highly anticipated sophomore album The Glass Passenger, to be released September 30th. [more]
At first listen to the new tracks on The Ghost Overground EP, “The Resolution” and “Bloodshot,” I was a bit perplexed and worried for what was to come with the full length album. My fears were completely quelled at first listen to The Glass Passenger. A story, not to be listened to out of context, Passenger tells of hope, determination, and the everyday. True to McMahon’s former releases, his lyrics are full of beautiful simplicities and down-to-earth narratives of life. Musically, the new release finds itself halfway between Something Corporate piano-saturated Leaving Through the Window and poppier keyboard/drum machine tracks of Transit.
The album opens with “The Resolution,” a piano-heavy track from beginning to end filled with a desperate and determined McMahon singing “I’m alive, I don’t need a witness to know that I survived. I’m not looking for forgiveness.” While it seems a definite reflection on his struggle with cancer, it also seems a reflection on life and its journey in general. This seriousness segues into a very Transit-like rock “Miss California” of sweet simple romance and a frivolous, more electronic “Spinning.” “Swim” is the heart-wrencher of the album. The most musically reflective of Something Corporate, “Swim” again returns to this lyrical life struggle in which he is instructing what seems be himself to “just swim” despite any obstacles. Andrew sings, “I swim for better days despite the absence of sun. Choking on salt water. I’m not giving in.” The rest of the album continues with this balance along the line of philosophical and flippant, delicate, personal stories and lunch table gossip. Two personal favorites help round out the end of the album. “Lullaby” tells a story that is specific yet relatable. Truly a tragic lullaby, filled with swelling piano and a light snare, McMahon sings the listener to sleep with the story of a conversation with an old friend. The friend begs, “Come on write me a song. Give me something to trust. Just promise you won’t let it be just the keys that you touch. Give me something to believe in.” It gives this sense of connection, a sense of confiding and trusting. “Caves” finally finishes this tour de force with an uncharacteristic intro reminiscent of a Broadway solo in Les Miserables that converges into a light piano fluttering perfectly typical of Andrew. This works it way into a more rock and firmer sound. “Walls are cavin’ in. Doors got locked for sure. There’s no one here but me. Body like a rag doll. You stuck the needles in my hip.” A song of loneliness but not hopelessness, “Caves” again straddles struggle and determination closing the album with a positive we-can-make-it-through-this attitude.
An album about life filled with highs and lows, piano ballads and pop rock melodies, Andrew McMahon as Jack’s Mannequin has perfected this sophomore album in every sense. You can enjoy it this September 30th.
Category Albums | Tags: Jack's Mannequin | No Comments
by Kristyn
Anberlin’s New Surrender
Anberlin’s rise to success has been a slow but steady one. Their latest release, New Surrender, is their fourth full-length album, but only their first major label release. Many fans have expressed worry that Anberlin’s move from indie label Tooth and Nail to major label Universal – hoping that the unique sound that Anberlin has developed for itself would persevere through the changes. [more]
Well, not to worry, fans – New Surrender has all the makings of the old Anberlin we have come to know and love. The album opens with the explosive track, “The Resistance,” filled with powerful guitars and the emotional lyrics and vocal styling of Stephen Christian. Perhaps the most explosive part of the opening track is the wild guitar solo in the last 30 seconds of the song. This track sets the tone for the record, promising an energetic and powerful album.
And the listener will not be let down. If the album sounds familiar, don’t worry – “Feel Good Drag,” is a rerecorded track from their earlier release, Never Take Friendship Personal. Tracks like “Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights),” and “Disappear” also channel the original Anberlin sound, with upbeat choruses, fast drums, and heavy guitars. But other songs, like “Younglife,” and “Breathe” have a softer feel, with acoustic guitars and quieter, more melodic vocals from Christian.
The release ends with “Misearbile Visu (ex malo bonum),” a track whose sound seems a little out of place with the rest of the album. But the slow, dramatic track seems to bring the album to a perfect close – both with its slightly dismal lyrics and song tempo.
The variety in this album is greatly appreciated, personally. I am an Anberlin fan of old and love that I can get some of the old mixed with some new sounds. So pardon me, I’m taking off my mourning veil and going to listen to “Breathe” all over again.
Category Albums | Tags: Anberlin | No Comments
