Artist Spotlight of The Year: Call Me Anything

I'm proud to announce the winner of the 2nd Annual Artist Spotlight of The Year Awards, and the readers have spoken up loudly for this year's winner, Call Me Anything! They received over 93% of the votes cast and have been one of my favorite new artists that I've discovered this past year. I first featured the band as an Artist Spotlight here on the blog back in June, shortly after they released their debut single "Let's Talk", a song that I had on repeat for quite awhile this past summer. I also interviewed frontman Will Tenney this past summer as well and I had the opportunity to check them out in concert back in September at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA where I met Will and bassist Matt McNulty after the show, who were some of the nicest guys that I've ever met and I immediately drew an instant connection between the two that is more than just me being a fan of the group, it's being a friend of the band and almost being like a member of the family which is how I feel with all of the bands that I've covered here on the blog. A terrific band that we'll be hearing more from next year when they finally release their debut album!

Also, to get you in the Christmas spirit, the band released their first Christmas song just a short while ago titled "Christmas (All I Need Is Here)" which I've embedded for your musical enjoyment directly below:

And there you have it folks, my last blog post of the year! I personally want to thank each and every person who has read my blog, commented on my posts, sent in requests to be on the blog, sent me very flattering compliments, and everyone who has complimented me in person about my blog, thank you! I couldn't have it done it without you and doing this blog has been a completely rewarding and fulfilling, enriching experience for me! Look for my next blog post in the new year on January 3! Until then, have a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!

Top Songs of 2011!

Hey everyone!

Continuing our year end countdowns with a look back at some of the top songs that dominated the airwaves in 2011. Much like the Top Albums countdown, Adele was the ruler of the airwaves this past year with her infectious romp, "Rolling In The Deep". Foster The People made a terrific first impressions with their infectious hit, "Pumped Up Kicks", and Foo Fighters dominated the rock radio playlists with a pair of songs including "Rope" and "Walk". Below is a hand crafted, selected playlist of all the songs that have been heard one way or another at some point throughout this calendar year:

Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Death Cab For Cutie - You Are A Tourist
Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness
Two Door Cinema Club- What You Know
All Time Low - Time Bomb
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
AWOL Nation - Sail
The Airborne Toxic Event - Changing
Foo Fighters - Walk
Cage the Elephant - Shake Me Down
Foo Fighters - Rope
Adele - Rumour Has It
Young the Giant - My Body
Foster The People - Helena Beat
The Kooks - Junk Of The Heart
blink-182 - Up All Night
Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Adele - Someone Like You
Jack's Mannequin - My Racing Thoughts

Any other songs you loved during the past year that I may have missed? Leave your comments on some of the songs that I may have missed and I'll make sure that they get added to the list!

Top Albums of 2011!

Hey everyone!

2011 has begun to draw to a close and I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at some of the great albums that came out this year that I also reviewed right here on the blog! Overall, 2011 was an extremely good year for music, including the continued rise to stardom for Adele, seeing the return of blink-182 after a 8 year hiatus, Foo Fighters returning with another career defining album, the emergence of brand new artists such as Foster the People and Two Door Cinema Club, and the last discs from Thrice and R.E.M that leave an indelible mark on its listeners. This list represents my 10 favorite albums of the year and a brief overview of each album and what made it so memorable from this past year. And without further ado, here are my top 10 albums of 2011 arranged in no particular order:

                                                                                                                                                           Adele - 21

British R&B songtress Adele returned in a huge way this year with her landmark sophomore album, 21. The album was leaps and bounds better than its predecessor, 19 and saw Adele taking her voice to places never before traveled with intense melodic instrumentation and haunting ballads that will leave you speechless and in awe. Expect her to dominate this year's Grammy awards ceremony as no other artist came close to matching the sonic greatness that Adele achieved with this classic album. Some recommended songs for you to check out include the scorching "Rolling In The Deep", "Rumour Has It", and the haunting ballad "Someone Like You".

                                                                                                                                                          Foster the People - Torches

Foster the People made a indelible first impression with their amazing debut album, Torches. The album was an eclectic mix of electronic and indie rock influences built upon the amazing vocal abilities of Mark Foster giving the songs an intense, dance oriented flavor that was sparsed throughout the album and is a glimpse into a band that we'll be hearing a lot from further on down the road. They are one of the most creative and dynamic new artists that I've heard in a very long time. Among the plethora of recommended tracks for you to check out include the massive hit "Pumped Up Kicks", "Helena Beat", "Call It What You Want", and "Don't Stop (Color On The Walls)".

                                                                                                                                                              The Strokes - Angles

NYC's definitive alt-rock band The Strokes returned after a five year hiatus with their latest release, Angles. Frontman Julian Casablancas and Co. pick up right where they left off with a balanced and sonic achievement that features dynamic garage rock rhythms built around Julian's crooning and familiar vocal presence that ensures that all songs meet the criteria in an effort to recapture the attention of their fanbase who have been clamoring for new material from the band for quite some time. A dazzling and spectacular effort for the band that did not go unnoticed at all this year. Some recommended songs from this effort include the heavily melodic first single "Under Cover of Darkness", "Taken For A Fool", and "Machu Picchu".

                                                                                                                                                         Thrice - Major/Minor

Irvine, California's own Thrice returned with a spectacular and career defining achievement this year with Major/Minor. Arguably the best effort of their career, the band blends together intense and gritty post-hardcore melodies that are intricately woven around Dustin's intense melodic persona and makes this album one to listen to again and again to fully appreciate all the hard work and determination that went into making this effort. With the band announcing their hiatus just a couple of weeks ago, this is a damn fine way for the band to go out on top. Among some of the classic tracks found on this release include the gritty "Yellow Belly", "Promises", "Anthology", and "Call It In The Air".

                                                                                                                                                               All Time Low - Dirty Work

Baltimore's most well known pop-punkers returned big this year with their major label debut, Dirty Work. Frontman Alex Gaskarth and his bandmates return with a melodic and matured effort that shows the band have come a long way from their roots with melodic, dance oriented hooks that are peppered throughout the album in great abundance that will have you up out of your seat and dancing. The album also shows that you can act grown up and feel like a kid all at the same time with this summer ready album right at your disposal. Some amazing tracks from this disc include the fun and dance floor ready first single "I Feel Like Dancin'', "Time Bomb", "Just The Way I'm Not", and "Do You Wan't Me (Dead)?"

                                                                                                                                                              The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

Portland, Oregon's own The Decemberists returned big this year with their latest effort, The King Is Dead. This album retained the same sound of early Decemberists albums, but infused them with more intricate songwriting and deeper melodic undertones that expanded their audience a great deal as well. With this album debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release, alot more people will be paying attention to The Decemberists now that they have entered the musical radar of thousands of listeners. Some recommended songs for you to check out from this release include the amazing and instrumental "This Is Why We Fight", "Down By The Water", and "January Hymn".

                                                                                                                                                             Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club made a great first impression on its American listeners with their debut release, Tourist History. The album is a fiercely energetic effort with sharp, melodic songs built upon brilliant songwriting that makes this band all the more interesting and fun to listen to. With a huge influx of indie rock bands all clamoring for attention in the music scene these days, this band was one of the few who stood out among the pack and will be definitely noticed more prominently in the years to come. Some standout tracks from this release include the inescapable jam "What You Know", "Undercover Martyn", "Do You Want It All?", and "This Is The Life".

                                                                                                                                                            Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Another indie band from the upper Northwest making it big this year was Fleet Foxes, who released their sophomore album, Helplessness Blues. Frontman Robin Pecknold takes his beautiful and mellow vocal style and interweaves it through lush musical arrangements that makes the disc feel both earthy and homey at the same time. A great band that will only get better in time with each and every album that they make. Standout tracks from this effort include the title track, "The Cascades", "Montezuma", and "Lorelai".

                                                                                                                                                              Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters returned big this year with their brand new effort, Wasting Light. The band continues to up the ante on each and every album they make, and this one is no exception as the band takes simple and straightforward rock rhythms and puts it on a pedestal that increases in intensity as you listen to the album in order succinctly. A stellar album from one of the only rock bands that truly matter these days. Blistering tracks from this opus include "Rope", "Walk", "These Days", and "White Limo".

                                                                                                                                                          R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

R.E.M. returned in a huge way with their grand finale, Collapse Into Now. Lead singer Michael Stipe sounds in true form as the band churns through alt leaning, melodic heavy tracks that hearken back to the late 80's heyday era of the band with each track sounding better and better each time you hear it. Sadly, this will be the last we'll be hearing from the band as the band decided to part ways this past September, but this is an awesome way to go out and leave your fans with something great to remember in the process. Some amazing tracks that came from this album include "Mine Smell Like Honey", "Überlin", "Discoverer", and "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter".

Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers To Be Inducted Into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!

Hey everyone!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its inductees for the Class of 2012 this morning, and they are definitely bands whose names you will recognize and who have helped shape the modern sound of music as we know it today. Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Beastie Boys will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. Some other inductees include the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, Donovan, and The Small Faces which featured Rod Stewart and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

For Guns N' Roses, this is a long time in the making for the group, who released their debut album, "Appetite For Destruction" in 1987 that translated into over 28 million albums sold worldwide and millions of adoring fans all the world over. Red Hot Chili Peppers released their debut effort in 1984 and have sold over 70 million albums worldwide, and just released their latest album, "I'm With You" this past August. Beastie Boys have been making the rounds since 1979, and first gained popularity when they opened for Madonna on her The Virgin Tour in 1985. They released their debut album a year later called "License To Ill" and have sold over 40 million albums to date, and just released their newest disc, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 2" this past May. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in Cleveland on April 14 with a HBO special to air in May.

The Black Keys - El Camino

Fresh out of Akron, OH The Black Keys are back with their highly anticipated follow up to last year's stunning effort Brothers, El Camino. The follow up sees the band not changing anything at all from their last effort and sticking to their insatiable blend of blues and old fashioned rock n roll that has made them one of the must see acts in the music world today.

The disc starts off strong with the incredible first single, "Lonely Boy" a down and dirty, gritty old fashioned blues rock tune that gives frontman and guitarist Dan Auerbach the chance to show off his incredible vocal abilities and drummer Pat Carney starts off the song with an amazing drum pattern that ensures the album kicks off in the right mode. "Dead and Gone" is another amazing track with more toned down rhythms but still a pretty dangerous and potent track that will have you clapping your hands along to the beat of the song as it progresses. My favorite song off the album is "Gold On The Ceiling" a fuzzy, melodic blues rock opus that sees the band experimenting with some electronic influences that they did in varying degrees on their last effort, and shows that the band have become seasoned veterans in just a short amount of time in between their last discs. "Money Maker" is a melodic, straightforward tune that shows off the band's remarkable musical abilities in one short, fell swoop and clocking in at just under 3 minutes enables the band to get their point across in a remarkably short period of time. "Run Right Back" sounds like a throwback 70's era blues tune complete with Dan's smooth vocals giving the song some life and pop as the song cruises right until the very end.

We head into the disc's second half that features "Hell Of A Season" a rough, groove laden track that continues to show off the band's unique ability to blend together blues and rock all together in one unique package. The disc gets ready to close out with "Nova Baby", a drum ridden track that sees Pat getting some time in to create dynamic rhythms and build those upon Pat's gritty blues laden melodies to create something that is musically dynamic and unique. "Mind Eraser" closes out the disc with a melodic and musically advanced track that blends together all the sounds we've heard so far on the disc and present them in a unique format that gives us a synopsis of all the amazing and organic sounds that we've heard so far in succession. The Black Keys are one of the few groups in music today that take pure, unadulterated sounds and make them sound in a fashion that is both current and unlike anything that's ever been done before. We definitely need more groups like The Black Keys out there in the music world today to show people what real music both sounds and feels like.

All in all, a spectacular and well rounded effort here from The Black Keys, who have shown that they don't need to do anything in terms of improving on their sound from their last record, they can just go right ahead and play music that speaks to a group of people that know what real music is.

                                                                                                                                    Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Lonely Boy
2. Dead and Gone
3. Gold On The Ceiling
4. Little Black Submarines
5. Money Maker
6. Run Right Back
7. Sister
8. Hell Of A Season
9. Stop Stop
10. Nova Baby
11. Mind Eraser

2012 Grammy Nominees Announced!

Hey everyone!

It's that time of year again! The nominees for the 54th annual Grammy Awards were announced earlier this evening during a one hour special on CBS that was hosted by LL Cool J. Kanye West led the crop of nominees with 7 nominations, including nominations for Song of the Year for "All of the Lights" and nominations for his own "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", and for his collaboration album with Jay-Z, "Watch The Throne" for Best Rap Album. Adele was also a big nominee, scoring 6 nominations including Album of the Year for "21", Song of The Year and Record of The Year for "Rolling In The Deep", and for Best Pop Vocal Album. Foo Fighters also came up big with 6 nominations including Album of The Year for "Wasting Light", Best Rock Album, and Best Rock Song for "Walk". Here is a selected list of nominations for this year's Grammys:

Album of The Year

Adele - 21
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Bruno Mars - Doo Wops and Hooligans
Rihanna - Loud

Record of The Year

Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Bon Iver - Holocene
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Katy Perry - Firework

Song of The Year

Kanye West - All of The Lights
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Bon Iver - Holocene
Adele - Rolling In The Deep

Best New Artist

Bon Iver
Nicki Minaj
J. Cole
The Band Perry
Skrillex

Best Pop Solo Performance

Adele - Someone Like You
Lady Gaga - You and I
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Katy Perry - Firework
Pink - Fuckin Perfect

Best Pop Vocal Album

Adele - 21
Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Bruno Mars - Doo Wops and Hooligans
Rihanna - Loud

Best Rock Performance

Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
The Decemberists - Down By The Water
Foo Fighters - Walk
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Radiohead - Lotus Flower

Best Rock Song

Mumford & Sons - The Cave
The Decemberists - Down By The Water
Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Foo Fighters - Walk

Best Rock Album

Jeff Beck - Rock N Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Wilco - The Whole Love

Best Alternative Music Album

Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
Foster The People - Torches
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Best Rap Performance

Chris Brown f/ Lil' Wayne & Busta Rhymes - Look At Me Now
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis
Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On
Nicki Minaj & Drake - Moment 4 Life
Wiz Khalifa - Black and Yellow

Best Rap Song

Kanye West - All of the Lights
Wiz Khalifa - Black and Yellow
Dr. Dre f/ Eminem & Skylar Grey - I Need A Doctor
Chris Brown f/ Lil' Wayne & Busta Rhymes - Look At Me Now
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis
Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Best Rap Album

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne
Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter IV
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

For a full list of all of this year's Grammy nominees, head on over to the Grammy's official website at http://www.grammy.com/ The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 12, 2012 at 8:00PM on CBS. Don't miss it!

Artist Spotlight: Ryan Harris Brown

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a happy and restful Thanksgiving! Getting back into the swing of things this week with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight. This week for you guys, we have an emerging artist from northeastern Pennsylvania named Ryan Harris Brown. Ryan has a mellow, country-tinged quality to his music, similar to the likes of Ryan Adams and Ben Folds with a unique musical sensibility to him that sounds real and authentic as soon as you hear the first few notes. Ryan received his musical education from right here in the Boston area from Berklee College of Music, which is a gold mine for musicians from all over the world to receive the best musical education in the world which sets them on the track for destined musical success further on down the road! I really liked Ryan's organic and authentic playing style that shows a musician that has all the right musical ingredients in his possession and is ready to put his best foot forward with all the musical knowledge he has obtained right at his disposal. The first single from his upcoming EP "The Trail You Leave Behind" is definitely recommended for you to check out and discover for yourselves!

To check out the music of Ryan Harris Brown, head on over to his BandCamp page at ryanharrisbrown.bandcamp.com/ where you can snag a free download of "The Trail You Leave Behind". He also has a Facebook page where you can keep in touch with him at www.facebook.com/ryanharrisbrownmusic He can also be followed on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/ryanharrisbrown where you can get all the latest updates and tour information on him!

Thursday To Go On Indefinite Hiatus Following American And Australian Tours!

Hey everyone!

With the announcement I posted yesterday regarding Thrice going on indefinite hiatus, another prominent band within the post-hardcore scene is going on indefinite hiatus. Thursday announced this afternoon that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus following their tours of North America and Australia. This news takes the fans of the group by surprise as they just released their latest studio album, In Devolucion earlier this year on their new label, Epitaph Records. Geoff Rickly issued the following statement just a short time ago:

"Thursday will be playing our final shows, starting tomorrow night and ending with our tour in Australia. We would love to see you all one more time.  So please, if we're near your city, come out and have fun with us. It has been our pleasure and honor to make music for such wonderful people over the last thirteen years."

In addition to the aforementioned North American tour, the band will be performing at Australia's Soundwave festival, beginning on February 25, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia. For all the American fans who want to see the band one last time or haven't yet, please check them out on one of these dates:

11/23/2011 Irving Plaza; New York, NY
11/25/2011 Opera House; Toronto, ON
11/26/2011 Altar Bar; Pittsburgh, PA
11/27/2011 Turner Hall; Milwaukee, WI
11/28/2011 Grog Shop; Cleveland Heights, OH
11/30/2011 The Loft; Atlanta, GA
12/01/2011 20th Century Theatre; Cincinnati, OH
12/02/2011 Bottom Lounge; Chicago, IL
12/03/2011 The Eagle Theater; Pontiac, MI
12/04/2011 Montage Music Hall; Rochester, NY
12/26/2011 Starland Ballroom; Sayreville, NJ
12/27/2011 9:30 Club; Washington, D.C.
12/28/2011 Toad’s Place; New Haven, CT
12/29/2011 Royale Boston; Boston, MA
12/30/2011 Theatre Of Living Arts; Philadelphia, PA

Artist Spotlight: Madison Rose

Hey everyone!

Getting you all filled up before Thanksgiving with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week I have for you guys an up and coming artist directly from Los Angeles, CA where we check out a brand new artist by the name of Madison Rose. Madison has a simple and elegant vocal style similar to that of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, with a strong emphasis on melody and the instrumental accompaniment which helps to enhance the overall aura and pristine quality of her vocals. Her brand new single "Teenage Runaway", which is also the first single off her upcoming studio release Aftershock, just received a nomination for Best Pop Song of the year by the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. The song starts off with a simple acoustic guitar based melody, before her vocals set in and provide an emotional spark throughout the song that resonates strongly right until the very end. I was really impressed with her vocal ability and her ability to weave simple, easy to understand lyrics throughout this particular song that anybody can relate to. Definitely recommended if you are a fan of adult oriented pop music.

To find out more information about Madison Rose, head on over to her official website at www.madisonroserocks.com While you're there, you can check out the just released music video for "Teenage Runaway" that you are sure to enjoy! Also, take the time to head over to her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/madisonroserocknroll where you can check out her latest schedule of tour dates coming to your area. You can also follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mroserocks

Thrice To Take Hiatus Following Spring Tour!

Hey everyone!

Some surprising and unexpected news coming in from the Thrice camp. Frontman Dustin Kensrue announced on Thrice's official website today that the band would be taking a hiatus following the band's Spring tour to support their just released Major/Minor album. While this news is shocking to say the least, it's not entirely unexpected as Dustin said in a recent interview with Alternative Press magazine that he would like to devote more time as a worship director for Mars Hill Church near his hometown of Orange County, CA. Here is the full statement from Dustin that was posted on their website this afternoon:

"Thrice is not breaking up.  If nothing has broken us up by now, I doubt anything ever could.

However, we will be taking a break from being a full-time band, and the upcoming tour in the Spring will be the last one for the foreseeable future.

Playing music for the past 13 years with Riley, Ed, and Teppei has been such a gift.  We have been able to see the world, share music with thousands and thousands of people, and make records with a variety of talented and inspiring people.  The four of us have been through many highs and lows and overcome them together.  I value their friendship, and it has been a great privilege to play alongside them for so long.  They are truly an amazingly gifted group of people, and the ways we’ve grown together as people and musicians has been a joy to experience.

Along the way we have adapted to many changing situations, especially the growing families of both Teppei and myself, but it has been harder and harder for me with each step.  I have three little girls now under the age of 5, and it is a huge strain on my family and I when I’m away for several weeks at a time.  The way we’ve been doing things for a while is simply not sustainable for me anymore.

I don’t know what the future looks like for Thrice, or for any of us individually.  I do know that I would love to make more music in the future with them, as well as play some shows or short tours, but for the time being, I need to step out of the role of full time touring/recording musician, and will do so after this tour.  I will continue to make music in various capacities I’m sure, and continue in my work as a Worship Director at Mars Hill Church in Orange County.

I know this will be very disappointing news to many people, and for that I am truly sorry.  The amount of support and love we’ve been given in our career is staggering and overwhelming.  I know I’m biased, but I think we have the best fans in the world.

This upcoming tour should be a lot of fun.  We are planning for it to be somewhat of a celebration of the last 13 years and I’m sure we’ll be breaking out a bunch of songs that have been buried in the archives.  I hope to see you out there to celebrate with us.

I never expected to be able to do any of this, let alone do it for 13 years, with such amazing bandmates, such gifted and hard working crew and management, and such incredible and loyal fans.  

Thank you all."

Mac Miller - Blue Slide Park

Fresh out of Pittsburgh, PA Mac Miller has arrived on the scene with his debut release, Blue Slide Park. The debut from the much buzzed about rap sensation has built up quite a following with his mixtapes and amazing lyrical flow that has made him one of the most buzzed about rap sensations in quite awhile.

The disc starts off strong with the disc's title track, a fast moving, lyrical cavalcade that shows off Mac Miller's amazing vocal rhymes that move at a breakneck speed and show how remarkably talented he is at only 19 years of age. My favorite song off the album is "Party On Fifth Ave.", which uses a sample of "The 900 Number" by DJ Mark The 45 King and is one of the more dance oriented rap tracks found on here that will have you bopping your head all the way throughout. "Frick Park Market" uses more uptempo electronic beats and melds them in with Mac Miller's fast paced rhyming skills that are a joy to behold. "Under The Weather" sees Mac using his clever inventiveness to create a smooth, musically inclined track that brings all the musical elements on a level playing field and allows Mac to easily get his point across without much trouble.

We kick off the disc's second half with "My Team", a pulsating, fist pumping banger that sees Mac throwing it into overdrive here with a fast paced lyrical salvo that will have you sweating bullets by the time the song is over. "Up All Night" is a party ready, laid back jam that sees Mac letting loose a little bit and showing off his upbeat personality on this one. We head into the disc's final tracks with "Missed Calls", a track that is all about the struggles of being out on the road focused on chasing your dream, while your loved one is back at home not coping well with your absence. "Man In The Hat" brings everything together with a lyrical track that shows Mac at his best with fast paced rhymes and lightly tuned beats that show off everything that Mac has to offer you in one unique package. The last song appropriately titled "One Last Thing", brings about a sense of finality and is a great way to wrap up the album and show why Mac Miller is the real deal and a force to be reckoned with down the road. Never before has a new rap artist impressed me as much as Mac Miller has, with his advanced and clever lyrical rhymes leaving nothing to the imagination and constructing that around tightly wound beats that will leave you spellbound once you've listened to the whole album. With over a million Facebook likes and a million Twitter followers as we speak, people are connecting with his music almost instantaneously and is able to draw an immediate connection to the listener and makes it feel like you're actually interacting with him in person. At the young age of 19, Mac Miller is mature beyond his years and is capable of anything in his grasp that is set before him.

All in all, a terrific debut effort here from Mac Miller, who has clearly demonstrated that he has the lyrical chops and the studio craftiness to create deep and resonating hip-hop tracks that are some of the best heard from a new hip-hop artist in quite awhile. I'm positive we'll be hearing more of this gentleman further on down the road.

                                                                                                                         Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. English Lane
2. Blue Slide Park
3. Party on Fifth Ave.
4. PA Nights
5. Frick Park Market
6. Smile Back
7. Under the Weather
8. Of the Soul
9. My Team
10. Up all Night
11. Loitering
12. Hole in My Pocket
13. Diamonds & Gold
14. Missed Calls
15. Man in the Hat
16. One Last Thing

Artist Spotlight: Andrea Godin

Hey everyone!

Bringing to you another edition of Artist Spotlight this week. Today for you guys, I have a pop/R&B artist from St. George, Ontario Canada called Andrea Godin. Andrea's style can best be compared to singers such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, but with a more streamlined approach. Her voice has exceptional range and her vocals deliver exquisite passion and spot on delivery through each of her songs, especially her latest one called "Bullet". The song has been gaining airplay on several FM radio stations up in Canada and have been featured on some TV networks from north of the border as well. I don't typically cover this genre of music too often on my blog, but her voice has something unique and powerful and all of her songs have a message to convey to her listening audience every time. Other songs from her that are worth checking out include "Like That" and the edgy "Sunset to Sunrise".

To discover the music of Andrea Godin for yourself, head on over to her Reverb Nation page at www.reverbnation.com/andreagodin  While you're there, you can also check out her latest round of tour dates and see where she'll be appearing at a concert venue near you! She also has a Facebook page where you can keep tabs on her and that you can 'Like' by going over to www.facebook.com/pages/Andrea-Godin/244961435529922 She can be followed on Twitter as well by heading over to www.twitter.com/andreagodin

Artist Spotlight of The Year Nominees!

Hey everyone!

With the end of the year fast approaching comes the time for people to come up with lists of the top albums and songs of 2011! I'm currently working on mine as we speak, but I also thought about all the new and emerging artists that I covered this year in my weekly series, Artist Spotlight. I thought it would be a cool idea to come up with a contest where the readers of my blog can vote as well! I've racked my brain of the 40+ Artist Spotlight features that I've done so far this year, and I've whittled it down to a list of 5 nominees for the Artist Spotlight of The Year. Here are this year's nominees:

Advocate
Paul Materne
The Self Proclaimed Rockstars
Moss Points North
Call Me Anything

To check out the nominee's music, click on the respective artists' link to their Facebook pages where you can listen to their music and you can 'Like' the pages as well if you love what you heard. Then, come back here to the blog and vote for your favorite artist from the field of nominees. The winner will be announced on December 20 so make your voice heard and vote today!

BREAKING NEWS! Heavy D Has Died!

Hey everyone,

Some sad news to report to you this evening. Earlier this afternoon, rap pioneer Heavy D, famous for his 1991 hit "Now That We Found Love", has died. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital in Los Angeles and was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. PST. Police are currently investigating his death at this time, but there are no signs of foul play as of yet. He was 44 years old.

Heavy D first broke onto the music scene with his debut effort, Living Large released in 1987 as part of the group Heavy D & The Boyz. More sizable success followed with the aforementioned 1991 hit "Now That We Found Love" and recorded theme songs for such sketch comedy shows like In Living Color and MADtv. More recently, Heavy D recorded a reggae fusion album called Vibes that was released in 2008.

Artist Spotlight: Good King Friday

Hey everyone!

Kicking off yet another edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we have a band emanating from the left coast, Los Angeles, CA to be exact and we find the unique sounds of Good King Friday. The band consists of Kelly Caldwell on lead vocals and piano, Nathan Caswell on bass and vocals, Patrick Conlon on violin and vocals, Christina Giacona on guitar, clarinet, and vocals, Audrey Synder on cello, and Chris Wakelin on drums. The band's sound can best be described as symphonic rock, with influences of Evanescence and Lacuna Coil thrown in for good mixture and provides a substantial balance all the way throughout. I normally don't cover this genre of music quite too often, but something about their music made me want to keep listening and take notice of the rich melodic landscapes and incredible vocal patterns that set their music apart from their other counterparts in that respective genre. A great band with a host of potential and one that has a ever growing fanbase as we speak. Some songs that are worth checking out include "Breakdown" and "I Know".

To check out the music of Good King Friday, head on over to their Facebook page and 'Like' it as well at www.facebook.com/goodkingfriday Their music is also available on their Reverb Nation page at www.reverbnation.com/goodkingfriday You can also follow the band on Twitter if you wish by going over to www.twitter.com/goodkingfriday

Radiohead Announce U.S. Tour Dates!

Hey everyone!

Radiohead fans have something to be happy about this morning! The band announced that they will be undergoing an extensive U.S. tour early next year in support of their latest release, The King Of Limbs. The tour will kick off on February 27, 2012 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida and will travel through Texas and Missouri before wrapping up on March 15 in Glendale, Arizona. Indie rockers Other Lives will be opening on all shows and tickets for these shows will go on sale this Saturday with more dates expected to be added to the itinerary fairly soon.

This is the band's first tour since 2008 when they toured in support of their last release, In Rainbows. Their latest effort, The King of Limbs has sold 268,000 copies to date according to Nielsen Soundscan. Here is the band's upcoming tour schedule as of right now:

2/27/2012 American Airlines Arena; Miami, FL
2/29/2012 St. Pete Times Forum; Tampa, FL
3/1/2012 Philips Arena; Atlanta, GA
3/3/2012 Toyota Center; Houston, TX
3/5/2012 American Airlines Center; Dallas, TX
3/7/2012 Frank Erwin Center; Austin, TX
3/9/2012 Scottrade Center; St. Louis, MO
3/11/2012 Sprint Center; Kansas City, MO
3/13/2012 1stBank Center; Broomfield, CO
3/15/2012 Jobing.com Arena; Glendale, AZ

Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Hailing from London, England indie-rock group Florence + The Machine is back with their highly anticipated sophomore album, Ceremonials. The follow up to 2009's Lungs finds Florence Welch and her group building off the success of their last album and continuing to bring their own unique blend of indie rock to the masses.

The album starts off strongly with "Only If For A Night" a moody, piano laced ballad that serves as a great starting point for Florence to express her vocal talents that run rampant throughout all parts of the song to a great degree. The album's first single and my favorite track off the album "Shake It Out" finds the group reaching a height of greatness that we first saw glimpses of on their last album, with richly melodic undertones that bubble up until the song reaches its climax and features Florence's amazing vocals ripping through the song at a pretty good clip and is a great representation of the overall sound of the album as well. "What The Water Gave Me" is a somber, dark tune that starts off slowly before quietly building up intensity and Florence's voice once again adding a great deal of emotional resonance to a solid track inside and out. "Breaking Down" starts off with a bombastic drum beat before settling into a piano laced groove that sets the stage for the entire song to follow with Florence's rapturous vocals setting the atmosphere for the entire track. "Lover To Lover" features many of the same piano grooves found on the preceding track, albeit at a more controlled and different angle that matches the tempo of the song to an precise degree.

We ease into the disc's second half and find "Seven Devils" a chilling, thematic tune that features ominous piano melodies interspersed on top of Florence's vocal presence that add a great deal of emotional intensity that you can feel at the same time that Florence is singing. "Heartlines" builds upon the bombastic, drum laden melodies that were found on the album's first half and presents it in a more longform presentation coupled with Florence's amazing vocal prowess adding to a fantastic and well rounded track. We head into the disc's closing tracks with "All This And Heaven Too" a melodic, vocal driven track that sees Florence using her vocal ability to push the melodies along and work together in harmony to create a resonating and memorable track. The disc's finale "Leave My Body" is a dark, mysterious tune that is much more toned down in musical appearance than the majority of other tracks, but serves as a great closer to a diverse and well rounded effort. When Florence + The Machine first burst onto the scene early last year, she immediately captivated audiences with her rapturous voice and added a great indie rock sensibility to match that is markedly different from 99% of the indie rock bands out there.

Overall, a great follow up from Florence + The Machine, who proves that their debut effort was no fluke and aims to continue their musical odyssey in exploring the outermost realms of the indie rock genre and presenting to us some of the most diverse sounds that are unlike anything we've ever heard before.

                                                                                                                     Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Only If For A Night
2. Shake It Out
3. What the Water Gave Me
4. Never Let Me Go
5. Breaking Down
6. Lover to Lover
7. No Light, No Light
8. Seven Devils
9. Headlines
10. Spectrum
11. All This and Heaven Too
12. Leave My Body

Artist Spotlight: Jet Black Sunrise

Hey everyone!

Kicking off the month of November with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we're keeping it local in Beantown and focusing on a band called Jet Black Sunrise. The band is composed of Matt Cronin on vocals and keys, Nick Fede on vocals and guitar, Jay Schneider on vocals and bass, Matt Smith on guitar and vocals, and JC Zwisler on drums and vocals. The band is a mixture of indie-rock and alternative influences that can best be described as a offshoot of Death Cab For Cutie, but with a stronger emphasis on electric guitars and vocal presence. I recently had the pleasure of checking out the band this past Friday at McGann's in Boston and they really left a impression on me with their amazing set which was a mixture of Death Cab covers and some of their own tracks which gave a great representation of what the band's sound is like for those who may not be too familiar with the band. An awesome band and one that is starting to make their presence known throughout the Boston area music scene. Some songs of theirs for you to check out include "Falling" (the title track from their latest album) and "Impossible".

For more on Jet Black Sunrise, log on to their Facebook page and 'Like' it by going over to www.facebook.com/jetblacksunrisemusic You can also follow the band on Twitter by heading over to www.twitter.com/jbs_music If you want to download the band's album "Falling" and check it out for yourself, you can do so by going over to jetblacksunrise.bandcamp.com and see what the band have to offer you.

Adele Cancels Remaining Concert Dates!

Hey everyone!

R&B singer Adele has decided to cancel the remainder of her concert dates for the rest of the year as she begins to undergo surgery on her vocal cords. You might remember that Adele cancelled some concerts back in June due to laryngitis, and more recently it was revealed that she had hemorrhaging in her vocal chords that could only be alleviated by surgery. Doctors have ordered her to undergo full and total voice rest and won't be making any promotional appearances either to promote her latest album "21". Her latest album is the bestselling album of the year so far, with over 4 million copies sold far to date according to Nielsen Soundscan. She hopes to reschedule the cancelled dates sometime early next year and concertgoers who purchased tickets to the show can get a refund at the point of purchase.

Daddy's Junky Music Shuts Down All Of Its Stores!

Hey everyone,

Some surprising news coming in from one of New England's most popular music equipment chains. Daddy's Junky Music inexplicably shut down all of its locations yesterday at the close of business after 39 years of business. The owner and founder, Fred Bramante said that yesterday was "one of the worst days of my life."

Daddy's first opened in 1972 in New Hampshire and quickly spread throughout the Northeast. They had a total of 12 locations including stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New York. Fred said that he first got the idea of opening a music retail chain when a friend needed to sell a guitar in order to raise bail money. The business quickly grew and spread throughout the entire New England area. However in recent years, the company has struggled due to the down economy and the expansion of the Internet into music retail sales, driving the company's profits down. The company employed 52 full time workers and 14 part time workers who are now all out of a job. There are no reasons as to why the stores have shut down due to ongoing legal issues.

Wilco - The Whole Love

Chicago, Illinois finest Wilco are back after a two year wait with their latest album, The Whole Love. The follow up to 2009's Wilco (The Album) finds the legendary alt-country group trying some different grooves while still retaining their basic musical philosophy that has made them so renowned within the indie rock circle.

The disc starts off with the 7 minute long "Art of Almost", an electric guitar tinged number that allows lead singer Jeff Tweedy to formally reintroduce himself to his listening audience on this track that travels into a different trajectory that past Wilco songs have ventured into. The album's first single "I Might" is classic, vintage Wilco with country tinged melodic undertones running rampant throughout this song with a just hint of that electric guitar flavor to keep things current and eclectic at the same time. "Dawned On Me" brings back the electric edge just a little bit, but the band is able to adapt to the newly entrenched sound quite well here with Jeff's vocals adding a distinct flavor to the song that you can't find anywhere else. "Black Moon" is a laid back, acoustic based number that brings down the kinetic energy just a little bit and adds a hint of country tinged flavor that gives this song a slight advantage over the others.

We get ready for the disc's second half with "Open Mind" a luscious, warm hearted ballad that you'll be sure to replay multiple times after this album has concluded, a perfect song from inside and out. "Capitol City" is a pure, throwback country flavored tune that makes you feel like that you've been transported down to somewhere in the South, taking in all the sights and sounds that are around you at every turn. "Rising Red Lung" is a bare bones, acoustic number that allows the listener to dissect each part of the song to pick up all the sum of its parts and how this song came to fruition in the first place. We get ready to close out the album with my favorite song off the album, the disc's title track, a song that strikes a perfect balance with its melodic guitar riffs blending in nicely with Jeff's intricate vocal style adding a great deal to be desired to this stellar track. "One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)" wraps it all up with a toned down, mellow affair that brings in all the sounds that have most populated the album and helps translate it for us in musical terms that we can all understand, wrapping up a solid and well constructed album. Wilco have started to get more and more notice in the music scene these days after being together as a band for about 17 years now, and they have gotten respect for not deviating much whatsoever from their original music style, and longtime fans have respected them for the same reason and for being a musical escape from the drudgery of their everyday, normal working lives.

All together, a cohesive and linear effort here from Wilco, who have continued to bring their blend of alt-rock to a devoted and enthusiastic audience and have also learned to adapt to the ever changing musical climate at the same time.

                                                                                                                         Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Art Of Almost
2. I Might
3. Sunloathe
4. Dawned On Me
5. Black Moon
6. Born Alone
7. Open Mind
8. Capitol City
9. Standing O
10. Rising Red Lung
11. Whole Love
12. One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)

Report: Amy Winehouse Died From Alcohol Poisoning!

Hey everyone,

An update on a story I brought to you back in July concerning the death of singer Amy Winehouse. The coroner officially revealed what killed Amy over the summer, and it was revealed that she died of alcohol poisoning. Initial autopsy results conducted after her death proved inconclusive, and now we finally know what killed her. The coroner said that Winehouse consumed a massive quantity of alcohol that put her five times over the legal limit. She was initially in the early stages of sobriety before she died, but she had begun drinking again in the days leading up to her death.

It was also revealed that she was prescribed a sedative called Librium to cope with the withdrawal symptoms related to alcohol withdrawal, but those drugs played no part in her death. The singer fought drug and alcohol issues for a number of years so this news comes as a shock to no one.

Artist Spotlight: Bomb Pilot

Hey everyone!

Warming you up this week with another edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we have a local band right out of Boston, MA called Bomb Pilot. The band consists of Tony DiBlase on lead vocals, Davey Goldfarb on lead guitar, Alex Le on bass, and Chris Cucinotto on drums. The band has a funky yet straightforward approach to their music, faintly reminiscent of classic rock and funk, but each member brings a different element to the table that all works together when the pieces are fitted together and combined. The band recently played their very first show this past Saturday at Copperfield's in Boston which I just happened to attend, and I was very impressed with what I saw. The band's intense sound is both unique and groundbreaking at the same time, and you can just tell from the sound how meticulous and crafty each member is in bringing each of their individual musical backgrounds to the forefront and presenting the finished musical product to an eager and curious audience. A promising upstart act with a huge amount of potential for great success in the future. Some of my favorite tracks from these guys include "Saving Face" and "Can't Outrun Myself".

To check out the sounds of Bomb Pilot for yourself, head over to the band's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bombpilot You can also hear the band's sounds on Reverb Nation at www.reverbnation.com/bombpilot and see for yourself what the band has created.

Saves the Day - Daybreak

Princeton, New Jersey's finest are back after a 4 year layover with their latest release, Daybreak. The follow up to 2007's Under The Boards finds the legendary pop-punk quartet aiming to return to their original sound that was most notable on their breakthrough 2002 effort Stay What You Are. This album also completes the trilogy storyline that began with 2006's Sound The Alarm.

The disc opens up with the disc's sprawling 10 minute long title track which seems a little drawn out and unnecessary, but features some solid guitar riffs and the familiar vocal refrains of frontman Chris Conley help keep the song afloat and just manages to barely crack the finish line. "Let It All Go" returns the band to more familiar territory with a decent, laid back rocker with hard edged guitar riffs heard at intermittent intervals and Chris's vocals adding a great deal to this track. "E" is an intricate, gritty rocker that features swinging changes in tempo that is sometimes hard to decipher at times, but is nevertheless one of the highlights of the album. "Deranged & Desperate" is an odd sounding track with whiny guitar riffs and Chris's vocals unable to come up to par as found on the subsequent tracks, making this song a somewhat uncomfortable listen.

We start off the disc's second half with "Chameleon", an acoustic flavored number that is a quick recovery from the album's subpar first half, and aims to keep the album in playing shape with Chris's vocals sounding much more focused and refined here. My favorite song off the album is the disc's first single, "Living Without Love" a consistent, well thought out tune that is one of the most melodic songs on the album with upbeat, throwback guitar riffs and Chris's vocals mixing in together perfectly to create a sonic delight that you're bound to enjoy. We get ready to close out the album with "O" a melancholy, toned down affair that sets in the emotional mood of the album as a whole and enables the listener to fully grasp the lyrical content and what Chris is trying to convey to his loyal fans. "Undress Me" is the disc's finale that features dark, moody guitar riffs and much of the same ominous lyrical content that was found in the prior track that brings this decent album to a close. When I first discovered Saves The Day back in 2002 after I saw the video for "At Your Funeral", I was impressed with the band's ability to create explosively melodic pop-punk songs built upon dark and emotionally resonating lyrics that made Stay What You Are one of my favorite albums to this day. The band succumbed to their own shortcomings on 2003's disappointing In Reverie which led to the band being dropped by Dreamworks Records and some of that discontent settles in on this disc, which is not what I was expecting from this influential and talented group.

In conclusion, a solid and unspectacular effort from Saves The Day, who finally wrap up their 3 album trilogy story arc with more of a whimper than a bang and deliver a subpar quality effort that the band can hope to do better on their next release.

                                                                                                                     Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

1. Daybreak
2. Let It All Go
3. 1984
4. E
5. Z
6. Deranged & Desperate
7. Chameleon
8. Living Without Love
9. U
10. O
11. Undress Me

Artist Spotlight: The Sheepdogs

Hey everyone!

Time to bring to you folks another edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we're going to head north of the border to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and check out the amazing sounds of The Sheepdogs. The band consists of Ewan Currie on guitar and lead vocals, Leot Hanson on guitar, Ryan Gullen on bass and backing vocals, and Sam Corbett on drums and backing vocals. The band has a organic, Southern rock component attached to them similar to that of Neil Young and The Allman Brothers Band. The band themselves aren't entirely new as they've been together as a band since 2005, but I just discovered them recently and immediately fell in love with their simple and elegant throwback rhythms and cohesive guitar riffs that allow each song to flow together seamlessly and the songs themselves have their own unique flavor to it. The band has gotten alot of press recently, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone this past August as they were winners of the Choose The Cover competition and also became the first unsigned act to appear on the cover of the magazine. An incredible act with a wealth of potential for greater success in the future. Some highlighted songs for you to check out include "I Don't Know" and "The One You Belong To/ Please Don't Let Me On".

To find out more info on The Sheepdogs, cruise on over to the band's official website at www.thesheepdogs.com   Their Facebook page has some songs and the latest upcoming dates for the band, and you can access that by going over to www.facebook.com/thesheepdogs You can also follow the band's travels on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/thesheepdogs

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery

Coral Springs, Florida's finest New Found Glory are back with their first studio effort in 2 years, Radiosurgery. The follow up to 2009's Not Without A Fight finds the legendary pop-punkers at it again with an eclectic and well balanced effort that speaks to their diehard fanbase and will attract some new school fans as well in the process.

The disc opens up well with the blaring title track as its first single, a simple structured, good natured tune with the strong and familiar vocal work of Jordan Pundik bringing back memories of fans who've listened to the band since their Drive-Thru Records heydays. "Anthem For the Unwanted" is a more fast paced, straightforward rocker that features fantastic drumwork from Cyrus Bolooki, who adds a certain distinct element that is present in every New Found Glory song heard to date. "I'm Not The One" is a simple structured, fast paced pop-punk delight that serves as a blueprint for how to create solid pop-punk songs with hard edged guitar riffs and consistent vocal control all the way throughout. My favorite song off the disc is "Ready, Aim, Fire!" an energetic, fun filled pop-punk romp that features a rush of melodic guitar riffs that is courtesy of lead guitarist Steve Klein and is a joy to listen to all the way throughout.

We head into the disc's second half with "Summer Fling, Don't Mean A Thing" a fast paced, melodic rocker that sees the band amping up the intensity just a bit, but still retaining that mid tempo melodic flavor that is omnipresent on many of the tracks found here. "Caught in The Act" features a guest vocal performance from Bethany Cosentino from the indie band Best Coast, and she adds a strong melodic output that melds in surprisingly well with the exploding pop-punk rhythms heard in abundance here. The disc's finale begins to set in with "Trainwreck", bringing down the ambient energy just a little bit to draw everything to a close and also provide the listener with a little bit of variety to look for on this album. "Map Of Your Body" closes it all out with a full fledged melodic blast that is in of itself a synopsis of all the sounds that we've encountered thus far on this album. New Found Glory were for me part of the trinity of bands that practically defined my high school years, the other two being Something Corporate and The Starting Line. New Found Glory defined the essence that is pop-punk music and practically developed the blueprint for it that is being used by countless bands in the pop-punk scene today. They are definitely a band that we'll be talking about 20 to 30 years from now.

All in all, a consistent and solid effort from New Found Glory, who continue to play in their comfort zone and deliver to their fans what they're used to hearing all these years: consistent and melodic pop-punk tunes with lyrics that speak directly to them.

                                                                                                                       Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Radiosurgery
2. Anthem For the Unwanted
3. Drill It In My Brain
4. I'm Not The One
5. Ready, Aim, Fire!
6. Dumped
7. Summer Fling, Don't Mean A Thing
8. Caught In The Act (f/Bethany Cosentino)
9. Memories and Battle Scars
10. Trainwreck
11. Map Of Your Body

Artist Spotlight: Vacationer

Hey everyone!

Starting off the short week with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we have a brand new artist emanating right from the Philadelphia suburbs called Vacationer. As you're listening to this band, you want to take notice of the breathtaking and escapist vocals that conjure up images of relaxing on a tropical island somewhere in the middle of the ocean. The best way to describe it is indie rock mixed in with a hint of dream pop, similar to that of Animal Collective and Beach House. The music instantaneously transports you to a whole different world constantly surrounded by rich, natural musical arrangements and the laid back and melodic vocal style adding a whole otherworldly sound to this breakthrough and very promising new project. I stumbled upon this band accidentally while searching around on Google, and I'm so glad that I came across them because I wouldn't have picked up on it by any other medium out there. The music itself is highly experimental and some of the most forward thinking music that I've heard in quite a while. Vacationer are a group of supremely talented individuals who dare to go outside of the box and accomplish what alot of artists these days are afraid to do. A recommended track for you guys to check out from them is called "Trip".

For more information on Vacationer, head on over to the group's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vacationermusic To listen to the band's music in its entirety, head on over to their SoundCloud page at www.soundcloud.com/vacationer The band also has a BandCamp page and a Tumblr blog for you guys to stay updated on the band located at vacationer.bandcamp.com and vacationer.tumblr.com The band will also be taking part in the CMJ music festival coming up next week in New York City. Here are the band's scheduled shows that they currently have on tap:

10/19 Creme de la Creme CMJ Showcase; Tammany Hall
10/22 AAM 2011 CMJ Celebration; Knitting Factory
10/22 The Windish Agency 2011 CMJ Showcase; Brooklyn Bowl

Former Weezer Bassist Mikey Welsh Found Dead!

Hey everyone,

Some sad news came into the music world yesterday. Mikey Welsh, former bassist for Weezer was found dead in his hotel room in Chicago yesterday afternoon, he was 40 years old. The cause of death is still undetermined at this time, but authorities suspect that drugs played a role in his death. Welsh played bass with Weezer for three years from 1998-2001. He played on the bands' 2001 comeback effort The Green Album, which contained the hit single "Hash Pipe". The band issued the following statement on their official website announcing his death:

"Dear friends and fans,
It saddens me and the guys in Weezer so much to say that our beautiful, creative, hilarious and sweet friend Mikey Welsh has passed away at the very young age of 40. A unique talent, a deeply loving friend and father, and a great artist is gone, but we will never forget him. His chapter in the weezer story ('98 - '01) was vital, essential, wild, and amazing.

Mikey was never one to shy away from the absurd, dangerous or strange, and he did so with a gusto few others had. No one had quite the stage presence of Mikey, nor have there been many who pulled the types of shenanigans he did at shows. If it rocked, he had to try it - and he always found a way to pull it off.

When he emerged from his nervous breakdown that spelled his exit from the rock n roll world, he took on a new role as an astonishing and pure visual artist. It was a glorious flowering of a talent he always possessed, but he had chosen to rock out first, paint later. Our more recent meet-ups at weezer shows, including recently at the Weezer/Flaming Lips show at Jones Beach were always a great time. We will miss him terribly. Our deepest heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends. The world has lost a truly one of a kind guy."

The Academy Is... Announce Breakup!

Hey everyone!

Some unexpected news coming in from The Academy Is... camp. The band announced yesterday after 8 years together and 3 studio albums, they have decided to part ways. The band issued this statement yesterday on their official website:

"After nine years and three albums, The Academy Is… have decided to go our separate ways. We began in 2003 as three young friends in the suburbs of Chicago, with dreams of creating music that meant something to us. Dreams of leaving those suburbs behind and seeing all of the beautiful things that this world has to offer.

Dreams of making a difference in the lives of others. It is now 2011 and we look back at the records we've made, the shows we've played, the places we've been. The people we've met.

The Academy Is… has made its mark. We celebrate the experiences of our past, as we welcome what lies ahead. While we have never managed to make things easy on ourselves, it is safe to say that we have always found common ground in our love of music. And though we may not be together, you can look forward to hearing new music from each of us.

The music we have made together is our gift to you. From this point on, The Academy Is… belongs to you. Feel free to listen. Listen as loud as you'd like."

Yours, The Academy Is...

Afterwards, lead singer William Beckett had this to say on the disbanding of the group:

"I’m having a hard time starting this. I could say something like “pride
comes before the fall”, or “the skill in attending a party is knowing when
to leave”. Rather, I’m going to just come right out and be honest. The
September show in New York was the last show for the The Academy Is.

While this is a very difficult decision to make, I believe in my heart that it is the right decision to make. For years there has a been a growing distance felt within the band as we’ve progressed, both geographically and artistically and instead of trying to patch the holes that we’re left with, my heart tells me its time to move on with the next chapter of our lives. I want to thank the fans, the world’s greatest, for all of your love and support over the years. You helped shape who we are today and will continue to do so as we move toward what’s coming up around the corner.

While this is the end of 8 unforgettable years of TAI, this is not the end
of my story. Not by a long shot. I will be working on a new record in the
coming months and have never felt more freedom and inspiration to create my best and most honest work yet. Obviously that means we won’t be going out on the Jack’s Mannequin tour but you should all still go since Andrew is one of our best friends and puts on an amazing show.
Many of you have told me before how my words have helped you through tough or transitional times in your lives. You are the reason I make music. I hope I can count on your support as I embark upon new and exciting waters."

You can count on mine.
-William
The band released their most recent album, Fast Times At Barrington High in 2008. The band's debut album Almost Here was released back in 2005, containing their most well known song, "Slow Down" and peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

BREAKING NEWS!! Steve Jobs Has Died!

Hey everyone,

Some sad news to bring to you this evening. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple computers and former CEO, died this evening after a battle with pancreatic cancer, he was 56 years old. Jobs co-founded Apple Computers in 1976 with Steve Wozniak and released the first personal computer ever made, the Apple II. He immediately became a multimillionaire, and in 1984 was ousted from the company that he helped build. He then went into other businesses, founding NeXT Computers and in 1986, he acquired the computer graphics wing of Lucasfilm Ltd. which later became Pixar.

In 1996, Apple brought Jobs back on board, and became CEO the next year. He immediately started turning around the company's fortunes and in 2001, changed the music business as we know it forever with the invention known as the iPod. The iTunes Music Store was created two years later and completely revolutionized the way we listen and acquire music through the use of the iTunes software. In 2007, he revolutionized the mobile phone market with the advent of the iPhone and just last year, entered the tablet computing market with the hugely successful iPad. In 2004, he revealed that he was battling a form of prostate cancer and in 2009, announced that he secretly underwent a liver transplant in Memphis. He has taken three medical leaves in the past few years, but the company performed well in his absence and turned over full time duties to his successor, Tim Cook. This past August, he announced that he would resign his position as CEO and would be handing over the reigns to his successor, ending an era of Jobs at the helm of one of the most profitable technology companies in the world.

Steve Jobs was a true inspiration and pioneer not just in the field of electronics, but in the field of music. Without him, there wouldn't be much of a music business left and it wouldn't be able to survive. I want to thank him for all he's done to help music adapt to the digital age and has shown us that you can take the music with you whereever you go.

Jack's Mannequin - People and Things

Fresh out of Orange County, California Jack's Mannequin is back with their third studio set, People and Things. The follow up to 2008's The Glass Passenger finds Andrew McMahon & Co. delivering sun glistened, piano-pop gems to an devoted and anxious audience, most of whom have followed Andy from his last project, Something Corporate.

The album starts off strong with the disc's first single, "My Racing Thoughts" a melodic, piano fueled track that sees Andrew bringing his introspective and wonderful voice full circle in this track that glistens brightly all the way to the very end. Next is the upbeat "Release Me", an energetic anthem that sees the melodic output being increased substantially and yields to an exquisite and energetic track that should have you singing along as the song progresses. My favorite song off the album is "Amy, I", another stellar track that fully exemplifies the genius that is Andrew McMahon with his amazing vocals lending a certain accompaniment to each and every song that can't be duplicated by any other musician out there today. "Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)" is a toned down, reflective tune that really hits hard lyrically, and alludes to Andrew's cancer struggle which he beat successfully about 6 years ago.

We venture into the disc's second half and we find "Amelia Jean", an emotionally deep and resonating track that continues its journey deep into the psyche of Andy and the pure musical genius that he is and his extraordinary abilities as a musician that leaves so many listeners in awe and in absolute joy to be right there in the musical presence of this man. "Platform Fire" is another formidable track that features simple and elegant piano rhythms mixed in wonderfully with lightly placed guitar patterns that are an absolute delight to sit and listen to.  The disc gets ready to shut down with "Restless Dream" a simple, bare bones styled tune that features incredible acoustic guitar arrangements and Andrew's beautiful and simple voice guiding the song along smoothly and comfortably. The disc's finale, "Casting Lines" is a resonating, anthemic track that brings together all the different musical elements we've heard on the disc and translates it all for us in one elegantly designed opus that looks at the scope of the album as a whole. I've been a huge follower and devotee of Andrew McMahon since his days in Something Corporate and he has been a true musical inspiration to me right through my high school years. When I first heard about his diagnosis with ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) 6 years ago, I was absolutely shocked and constantly hoped that he would pull through this ordeal. Ultimately he did, thanks to a bone marrow transplant from his sister Katie, and he has emerged stronger than ever before. From listening to him in interviews, I've learned so much about the creative side of the music business than I had ever learned in my studies in school and is a true role model to me and countless other people aspiring to work in the music business today.

In retrospect, a splendid and terrific effort from Jack's Mannequin, which sees Andrew McMahon and his band pull together a great effort that exposes a great deal about the strong work ethic and passionate vocal delivery that Andy is capable of displaying in full force, much of what we already knew before with his work in Something Corporate.

                                                                                                                       Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. My Racing Thoughts
2. Release Me
3. Television
4. Amy, I
5. Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)
6. People, Running
7. Amelia Jean
8. Platform Fire
9. Hostage
10. Restless Dream
11. Casting Lines