Top Songs of 2010!

Hey everyone!

Hope everyone is enjoying time with their loved ones and are finally all done with your Christmas shopping! As you spend time with the ones you care about or if you're heading out to the mall to do some last minute shopping, I thought I'd give you a playlist of the songs that totally defined 2010. These songs were always there in one way or another as we carried on our everyday lives and provided the soundtrack for those moments that we'll remember the most about this year. Here's a quick rundown for you to check out!:

The Dirty Heads f/ Rome- Lay Me Down
Minus The Bear- My Time
Arcade Fire- Ready To Start
Mumford + Sons- Little Lion Man
Florence + The Machine- Dog Days Are Over
The Black Keys- Tighten Up
Broken Bells- The High Road
B.o.B. f/ Hayley Williams- Airplanes
Vampire Weekend- Giving Up The Gun
Eminem f/ Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Jack Johnson- You and Your Heart
Band of Horses- Laredo
Gorillaz f/ Mos Def & Bobby Womack- Stylo
The Rocket Summer- You Gotta Believe
Spoon- The Mystery Zone
Sade- Soldier of Love
Kings of Leon- Radioactive
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Broken Bells- The Ghost Inside
Jimmy Eat World- My Best Theory

Are there any songs that you love that are missing from this list? Just leave a comment here on the blog and I'll be sure to add it to the list to create the ultimate playlist of 2010!

I'd also like to take this opportunity and announce the winner of my Artist Spotlight of the Year Award! And the winner is... The Truezoos! The Truezoos were an Artist Spotlight here on the blog back in early September and have quickly become one of my favorite Boston area bands! If you see these guys in concert, trust me you'll get what you paid for! They're super nice guys and I've had the pleasure of hanging out with them several times and I can tell you that these guys are the real deal!

And this wraps up my last blog entry of 2010! Thank you guys so much for checking out my blog, it really means alot to hear so many compliments from readers and bands who have really enjoyed what I have written about them! Keep a look out for my next blog post coming on January 4, 2011! Until then, you have a safe and happy holiday and an awesome 2011!

-Pete

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Let It Sway

The Springfield, MO quartet known as Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin are back with their brand new studio album, Let It Sway. The follow up to 2008's Pershing finds the group still adhering to the free flowing, independent state of mind that was found on their previous records, and allows the band to mature and flourish with intricate lyrics and captivating melodies.

The album starts off very strong with "Back in the Saddle" a melodic, easy going indie jam that finds lead singer Philip Hickey expressing his mellow, freeform lyrics amongst a charge of electric and lightly percussed drums. "Sink/Let It Sway" is another exquisite track seeing the band bumping it up a notch with a more prevalent drum pattern that also increases the attack of the electric guitars on a much more advanced level that works very well here. "In Pairs" features a melodic explosion with a simultaneous onslaught of guitars, bass, and drums providing for a very enjoyable and fulfilling music experience. The track builds right into the next one, "My Terrible Personality" a country tinged jam that pays homage to the band's Southern roots and also allows them to let loose and have fun. "Everlyn" returns the band back to their comfort level of indie and dream pop that shows the versatility of this band and gives us another reason to pay attention to them.

The disc's second half starts off with "All Hail Dracula!" a melodic, fun filled adventure that features Phillip's vocals entering another stratosphere of greatness with an array of guitars and drums used freely at his disposal. My favorite song off the disc is "Animalkind", a melodically advanced track that shows off all facets of the band in a natural, untouched state. "Phantomwise" is a melancholy, dreamy track with melodies that will make you want to just kick back, relax, and forget about the world around you for awhile. "Made To Last" makes wonderful use out of the drums, which have been very prevalent on many of the disc's subsequent tracks and continues to move the disc along at a steady but manageable pace. We get ready to end the disc with "Cardinal Rules", a tune that adds in some distinct keyboard elements that are spread throughout the disc to add a bit of flavor in order to entice the listener. "Tanks Jam" is a very simple, straightforward track that presents the band in a much different light with no vocals present whatsoever at any point during this song, making this instrumental one of the main selling points of the disc. This year has brought us a number of indie based bands who are daring and think outside of the box on a much larger scale than we had ever anticipated. Bands such as Mumford & Sons and Florence + The Machine have been game changers and have brought us a new breed of creative and adventurous people who will be around the music scene for the foreseeable future. While Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin just started back in 2004, this album has demonstrated that they think in a different light than 99% of the bands out there and have a raw, unfiltered sound to them that music fans crave for these days.

In retrospect, a sonically pleasing and wonderfully executed effort here from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, that gives the listener a new way of exploring music that they won't find in any of the commercial bands out there today, and is a honest, pure, and heartfelt effort that shows all the hard work and determination that these guys have put into their music.

                                                                                                                                 Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Back in the Saddle
2. Sink/Let It Sway
3. Banned (By the Man)
4. In Pairs
5. My Terrible Personality
6. Everlyn
7. Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro
8. All Hail Dracula!
9. Critical Drain
10. Animalkind
11. Phantomwise
12. Made To Last
13. Bended
14. Cardinal Rules
15. Tanks Jam

UPDATE: Josh and Zac Farro Speak Out About Leaving Paramore!

Hey everyone!

A quick update from my breaking news story that I posted on Saturday about the departure of Josh and Zac Farro from Paramore. Yesterday, the brothers spoke out on their blog about their side of the story about why they quit the band, and what you'll hear is quite surprising. Here is the post from their blog:

Hey guys,

Let me start by apologizing to you for the way everything went down on Saturday. I had a statement typed ready to post to you guys but Hayley released one without my permission.  We were not going to issue a statement until we worked out our exit agreement with Hayley.  I wish it didn’t have to happen that way, Zac and I wanted to be the ones you heard it from.  I want to be honest with you guys about how this band formulated from day one. I did not think Hayley’s version told the whole story, at least from our perspective and hopefully this will explain a bit about why we are leaving.

                Zac and I had a garage band in high school with the intentions of just making music for the love of it. We met Taylor and our friend Jason Clark at our school and found out that we shared the same musical tastes.  So, we asked them to join our band. It was some of the greatest times of our lives playing music in Taylor’s basement with them.  We obviously needed a lead singer and one day Zac met Hayley.  We asked her to come try out and eventually to join the band.

                Months down the road things changed and this band became all about Hayley. She had a manager at the time that controlled her every move along with her parents. They didn’t like the idea of Hayley being in a rock band so they forced her to leave wanting her to pursue a solo career.

                Hayley went off to write and record her solo demos while the four of us continued on without her.  A couple of months later Hayley came and asked us if she could use the song “Conspiracy” that we had all previously written together.  We agreed that that would be fine.  I got a call a while after that from Hayley telling me that her manager said that Zac and I were invited to be back in the band (the band we started), but not Taylor and Jason because they weren’t good enough in his eyes. Hayley brought in Jeremy and our first rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum as the other two members. 

                 We travelled to LA a few weeks later for a showcase and it was a nightmare. Hayley’s manager would tell the band to be in the lobby of the hotel at a certain time, but he and Hayley wouldn’t show for hours.  We found out that they had been meeting with record label executives all morning without us, which is totally weird given that this wasn’t simply a solo artist, but we were a band. The band was in the dark the whole time.  After many meetings between Hayley, her manager and the labels they decided to sign her to Atlantic records. We didn’t understand why Hayley was the only one signing the contract since we were told this was a “band”, but we were too young to grasp all of this.  So far, Zac and I haven’t signed with another label, although I guess our part of Paramore sure could. Next thing we knew we were having a signing party for Hayley.

Our next move was to rerecord her solo demos with our own music rather than studio musicians to make it sound more genuine. Meanwhile, we tossed around band names. I wrote out a list of names, including “Paramore”, a name my old band with Taylor and Jason Clark had thought about using. Obviously, we settled on that name. The label received the rerecorded demos and once again tried to fire the entire band, saying we were terrible. Thankfully Hayley and I had been writing some new songs together (Hallelujah, Here We Go Again) that the label was pleased with so that acted as leverage for the band to stay. The label and management then decided to build our band up the grass-roots route. They put Hayley on Fueled by Ramen not making it known she was signed to Atlantic as well. All the while we still questioned whether or not we were an actual band, but Hayley continued to insist we were, despite our being ignored and pushed around by the label.

They then sent us all to Orlando to rehearse and write eight hours a day for our first record. Half -way though this process, Jeremy decided to quit.  We were all really upset about it. So we finished the record, replaced Jeremy, and hit the road with Hayley’s father as our tour manager/driver of a twelve-passenger van. Her dad would constantly threaten to “pull the plug” on the whole band if we complained about anything, suggesting that we were hired guns and Hayley was the real artist, when in reality we were also part of the band. We’ve always been treated as less important than Hayley. It’s been obvious how her family views things.

Jeremy ended up rejoining and we toured non-stop for two and half years building our fan base, pretending to be a band that started naturally. In reality, what started as natural somehow morphed into a manufactured product of a major label, riding on the coattails of “Hayley’s dream.”

Before recording our next record, we kicked out Jeremy for his lack of work ethic and participation in things that Zac, Hayley and I didn’t agree with.  At this point it was just the three of us to record Riot. Once the record was done, we needed a bassist and another guitarist. Eventually Zac and I convinced Hayley to let Taylor rejoin and she convinced us to let Jeremy back in, promising he had changed his ways. 

Once again we hit the road and toured on our biggest record as a band. As you all know Hayley and I dated and broke up during this album cycle. Things then started going downhill for our band. Hayley and Jeremy’s views started changing from what we all once believed in. The band almost split after cancelling a tour in Europe, but we managed to keep it together somehow. This is when Zac and I started to consider quitting the band.

Once we finished touring on Riot, we came home for a break and started writing for Brand New Eyes. Hayley presented lyrics to us that were really negative and we didn’t agree with. For example, “the truth never set me free”, which contradicts what the Bible says in John 8:32 (“and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall sat you free”). We fought her about how her lyrics misrepresented our band and what we stood for, but in the end she got her way. Instead of fighting her any longer, we decided to just roll over and let it go.

Hayley claimed that this record reunited us as band and made us grow closer together, when in reality we were all growing further apart. Suddenly the band had spilt into two sides. Touring became more difficult since we couldn’t agree on anything. The friendships our band once had were no longer existent. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction”.  In addition to the band turmoil, touring had really taken its toll on us both. We left home at such a young age and missed taking part in normal teenage years.  When you own part of a band and are constantly playing, you make sacrifices.  Touring has taken its toll on our family members as well. I specifically remember many moments where our parents would break down in tears when we had to leave. It broke my heart. Seeing our siblings grow up so much during our absences was never easy either.

After a lot a prayer and counsel Zac and I came to the decision that it was time to leave the band. We truly feel that God is leading us elsewhere and is going to do great things with us. The intention of this statement was not to belittle or disgrace the rest of the band, it was simply to clarify our decision for leaving and our desire to finally tell you guys the truth.  We are still hoping to work out a friendly way to leave our part of Paramore intact with the remaining band members, including Hayley. 

We want to thank you guys for all of your love and support over the past 7 years. It’s been an honor creating and playing music for you. If music is what God calls us to in the future, we hope that you all will be a part of it.

All of the glory be to God,

Josh and Zac


No response from the remaining members of Paramore (Hayley, Taylor, and Jeremy) on this matter, but this post is very contradictory to what the band said happened in their statement on their website on Saturday. UPDATE: According to Alternative Press, the blog post is confirmed to be legitimate and written by Josh Farro.  Please leave your comments about this breaking development and tell me what you think about it!

Artist Spotlight: G. Jonz

Hey everyone!

It;s time for my last Artist Spotlight feature for the year! This week, I bring to you a producer out of Lynn, Massachusetts called Greg Jones, also known by his stage name of G. Jonz. G. Jonz hones his production skills into something extraordinarily unique here, as he uses the theme of cooking around his debut mixtape album titled Check The Recipe. The album showcases his extraordinary talents over a set of layered, thumping beats that is guaranteed to keep your head moving and also showcases the talents of different artists on the album, opening the opportunity for some undiscovered artists to get some exposure to a open and willing audience. It's really awesome to see what producers are doing behind the scenes to get the creative juices flowing, and G. Jonz certainly has the magic touch when it comes to producing and ensuring that the artists that he works with sound excellent while performing. Probably one of the most creative up and coming producers in the scene today!

G. Jonz released Check The Recipe last December, and it's currently available on his Band Camp site! To check it out, head on over to http://sunspot781.bandcamp.com/album/check-the-recipe  and see the best of what G. Jonz has to offer! To follow G. Jonz on Twitter, his username is @gjonz

BREAKING NEWS!! Josh and Zac Farro Leave Paramore!!

Hey everyone!

This news just coming in. In a shocking announcement, it was revealed today that Josh and Zac Farro of Paramore have left the group. The decision doesn't come a shock to the remaining members of Paramore: Hayley, Taylor, and Jeremy as they have been aware of this news for a few months now. The remaining members posted this message on Paramore's website:

Over the past 6 years, our band has been through some of the most intense and incredible experiences of our lives. None of these things have been without trial. We've worked so hard to get to where we are and the fact that you are all still here with us says something about you that we will never be able to truly understand. You have stuck with us through thick and thin and we are so grateful. A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday. None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn't seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore. We want Josh and Zac to do something that makes them happy and if that isn't here with us, then we support them finding happiness elsewhere. But we never for a second thought about leaving any of this behind. We really hope that you can be encouraged by the fact that the three of us who are still here are ready to take on another chapter of our journey together. You have always been what keeps us going so why would we stop now? We want to stick by you. Knowing that we have a unified passion and a clear vision makes us feel stronger than ever.
The "blog" that was posted regarding everything that is going on with our band was a fake. We aren't sure who did it or why... And we aren't sure how they timed it this way. This is the first time that we have spoken out about what's going on and we wouldn't have released an official statement that important through a personal blog. So, we're sorry for any confusion and just to remain clear, this is the first time we have spoken out about this.
We have some amazing things lined up for next year starting with our tour in South America. We are still coming to you and we are excited about who we are bringing with us! The tour is still on and we can't wait to see you all.

As we look back, and now as we look with excitement to the future, in all of this what truly matters are the good times. The pictures of us with our arms around each other, the long van rides, your faces while you sing along as we play. Thank you for getting us right here to this very moment. We look forward to our best times. And we hope you will go there with us.

Love,
Hayley, Jeremy & Taylor
Paramore

Zac and Jeremy are slated to play their final show with Paramore this Sunday in Orlando. The remaining members of Paramore will be taking a little bit of a break in 2011 before finding a replacement guitarist and drummer for the band. What are your thoughts on this story? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me what you think!!

Top Albums of 2010!

Hey everyone!

As we get closer and closer to the end of the year, it's time for my year end recap of the Top Albums of 2010! 2010 was another awesome year for music as we saw big comebacks from some high profile artists (Eminem, Sade), spectacular albums from breakout indie artists (Mumford & Sons, Florence & The Machine) and career defining discs from some familiar faces (Arcade Fire, The Black Keys). This list here represents the 10 best albums that have made it into the upper echelon of the musical consciousness this year. Keep in mind that these albums aren't ranked in any particular order, as I feel that every artist on this list is equal and should be honored to be chosen as one of the Top 10 albums of the year, out of the thousands of records that came out this year! And without further ado, here is my list:



Vampire Weekend- Contra

The kings of the NYC indie rock scene returned with their much anticipated sophomore release this year. The album is a mixture of African rhythms and classical music, much like the sound of their self-titled debut only this album hits at a much higher level than the previous one did. Lead singer Ezra Koenig's calm and relaxing vocals gave listeners a fun and laid back experience that will be remembered as their artistic achievement! Some highlights from the album include songs such as "Cousins", "Giving Up The Gun", "Holiday", and "Horchata".



Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

The Canadian indie rock powerhouse return with what is perhaps their career defining album. The follow up to 2007's Neon Bible finds the group delving deep into art rock rhythms and baroque pop arrangements that make this disc one of Arcade Fire's most cohesive and emotionally resonating albums to date. Lead singer Win Butler's hauntingly beautiful vocals are best highlighted on the disc's soaring first single "Ready To Start". Other standouts from the album include "Month of May", "We Used To Wait", and "Empty Room".



The Black Keys- Brothers

The Black Keys exploded their way into the mainstream this year with their latest effort "Brothers". The band have been together as a group since 2001, but this was the year that they exploded in the mainstream consciousness. Lead singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Pat Carney blend together their blues inspired rhythms to create an album that is raw, authentic, and straight to the point. Some highlights from the disc include: "Tighten Up", "Everlasting Light", "Howlin' For You", and "Next Girl".



Minus The Bear- Omni

Straight out of Seattle, WA Minus The Bear made a breakout effort this year with their latest effort, Omni. This effort finds the group abandoning the sound found on their earlier albums for a slightly more commercial sounding record. This album was recorded in the style of a live show, where all the songs were played straight through without any breaks in between the songs, giving it the feel of a live concert setting. Some highlights from this stellar disc include "My Time", "Summer Angel", "Secret Country", and "Dayglow Vista Rd.".



Broken Bells- Broken Bells

One of the most anticipated albums of 2010, Broken Bells delivered big with their debut release! The side project of The Shins frontman James Mercer and producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse came together with a indie rock delight that combined together space rock rhythms and an indie rock sensibility that made this album unlike anything else released this year in the musical landscape. Some highlights from the disc include "The High Road", The Ghost Inside", "Sailing To Nowhere", and "October".



Eminem- Recovery

Marshall Mathers AKA Eminem made a comeback to remember with his latest effort, Recovery. The follow up to 2009's ill fated comeback attempt Relapse finds Em doing much better second time around with an album that is nearly as good as 2000's The Marshall Mathers LP, and shows Eminem in a more mature and confident frame of mind this time around. Some standouts from the disc include "Not Afraid", "Love The Way You Lie" (f/Rihanna), "No Love" (f/Lil' Wayne), and "Won't Back Down" (f/Pink).

 

Circa Survive- Blue Sky Noise

Doylestown, PA's finest Circa Survive flew back onto the map this year with their latest release! Lead singer Anthony Green is absolutely marvelous as his voice permeates every crevice of each song with remarkable strength and versatility, a true testament to the extraordinary amount of talent that he displays on this record. Some highlights from the album include: "I Felt Free", "Get Out", "Through The Desert Alone", and "Strange Terrain".

 

Sade- Soldier of Love

Sade made a huge comeback this year with her first album in 10 years, Soldier of Love. Not much has changed from Sade since 2000's "Lovers Rock" as Sade and her band return to the same R&B styled jams that launched Sade into stardom int the mid 80's with "Smooth Operator". It's very rare for a star to maintain a strong following after several years away from the music scene, but Sade has made it look almost easy. Some of my favorites from this one include "Soldier of Love", "The Moon and The Sky", "Babyfather", and "Morning Bird".



Underoath- Ø Disambiguation

Jacksonville, Florida's finest Underoath returned big with their latest effort,  Ø Disambiguation! The first record since original drummer Aaron Gillespie left earlier this year finds the group sounding harder, faster, and stronger than they ever were before. Lead singer Spencer Chamberlain screams his heart out on many of the disc's ear splitting tracks and cements Underoath as one of the premier metal groups out there today! Some highlights from this great disc include "Illuminator", "In Division", "Paper Lung", and "Catch Myself Catching Myself".



Trapt- No Apologies

Los Gatos, California's own Trapt returned back on the scene with their latest, No Apologies! The band is best perhaps known for their 2002's smash hit "Headstrong", but this record proves that this group is far from being classified as a one hit wonder. The record packs in a massive amount of guitars, drums, and lead singer Chris Brown's melodic and ripping vocals to wow the listening audience. Some tracks to check out include "Sound Off", "End of My Rope", "Get Up", and "No Apologies".

And there you have it, my list of the Top 10 Albums of 2010! What do you think of my choices? Were there any albums that I may have missed? Leave a comment here on the blog and also let me know what albums you enjoyed the most this year!

Check out videos, live features and digital radio from your favorite artists and top albums on a dish network TV. There’s loads of music programming for almost any taste – find out more at InternetLion.com.

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

Coming out of Detroit, Michigan Sufjan Stevens is back with his first album in 5 years, The Age of Adz. The follow up to 2005's Illinois finds the singer-songwriter heading in a more electronic based direction this time around, while still retaining the indie rock elements of his past releases.

The album opens with the ethereal "Futile Devices", a warm, electronic tinged number that is very comforting and features some melodic piano sounds embedded within the tune and Sufjan's comforting and mellow voice. "Too Much" is an active, upbeat electronic tune that also features a children's choir heard in the background that adds a layer of musical dexterity to the track that allows it to have a longer shelf life. The disc's title track is a mysterious yet calming track that features Sufjan's voice weaving in and out through the musical landscapes of the track, providing some comfort as the listener takes notice of the unusual patterns omnipresent throughout this track. "Now That I'm Older" sounds like a track you would hear Sunday morning at church. It might seem a little out of place here, but it actually adds a nice, layered touch to an already musically diverse album.

The album's second half starts off with "Get Real, Get Right", a hybrid electronic/gospel tune that features drastic changes in tempo all throughout that make it one of the more complicated songs on the disc to keep track of. My favorite track off the album is "Vesuvius", a melodic, linear delight that features Sufjan's voice and a choir adding an element of elegance and happiness to this standout track. The album draws to a close with "I Want To Be Well", one of the more fast movers on this track as it starts off at a faster pace than the other songs, but begins to taper off towards the end and has a nice, clean finish that allows it to conclude properly. The last song, the 25 minute "Impossible Soul" is a long song to listen to all the way through, so feel free to stop listening at any point along your way. There is no right or wrong way to listen to this epic track. Many of Sufjan's prior albums revolve around themes that are each dedicated to every one of the 50 states, like 2005's Illinois which produced the memorable track, "Chicago". It'll probably be awhile before he finishes this 50 states project, but from what we've heard so far, he's done a beautiful job so far with the lush musical arrangements and the beautiful chords that sets Sufjan apart from the other singer-songwriters out there.

In conclusion, Sufjan Stevens has made a respectable effort here that sees Sufjan continuing to express his unorthodox brand of music that is very ambient yet experimental at the same time that gives the listener plenty of time to explore each track and take it for what it's worth.

                                                                                                                           Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Futile Devices
2. Too Much
3. Age of Adz
4. I Walked
5. Now That I'm Older
6. Get Real, Get Right
7. Bad Communication
8. Vesuvius
9. All For Myself
10. I Want To Be Well
11. Impossible Soul

Artist Spotlight: Speak In Verse

Hey everyone!

It's Tuesday and time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you a band straight out of New Haven, Connecticut called Speak In Verse. Speak In Verse consists of Donavon Cavanaugh on lead vocals and guitar, Travis Schwartz on lead guitar and backup vocals, Thiago Gomes on drums and backup vocals, and John Bock on bass and backup vocals. Speak In Verse's intense and melodic playing style can best be described as passionate, authentic, and straight forward pop punk that is very similar to the likes of Brand New, Thrice and Taking Back Sunday. Since I first heard them a few months back, I was truly impressed with their musicianship and the way they were able to express their raw and pure emotions through music, and quickly came to the realization that these guys are on the verge of making it big in the music scene. I'm truly honored to do a feature on these guys and can only imagine what the future holds in store for them.

The band just released their debut EP titled Simple Kids! Some highlights from the disc include my personal fave, 'This Side Up" and "Don't You Know". To hear songs from the Simple Kids EP, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/speakinverse If you want to become fans of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/speakinverse

Interview w/ The Dead Beats

Hey everyone!

Hope you guys are keeping warm as the temperatures continue to drop outside! Today for you guys, I have an interview with a band out of Lowell, MA called The Dead Beats. The Dead Beats were an Artist Spotlight feature here on the blog back in September and have played a string of local shows in and around the Lowell area. Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Robichaud, Neal Guinane, and Phil Guay about the music of The Dead Beats, their influences, and what's in store for them in the future! So crack open a couple of PBR's and enjoy some quality time with The Dead Beats:

Give your names and what you do in the band?

Phil: I'm Phil, I play bass and I also background sing.
Jesse: I'm Jesse and I play drums and alot of stuff on the Internets.
Neal: I'm Neal and I play guitar and sing.

How did you come up with the name The Dead Beats and when did the band form?

Neal: The Dead Beats actually has a long, complicated story. (Laughter) The short version I guess, so we formed in 2006 and it was actually me, Phil, another buddy of ours from high school and the other buddy of ours from high school, he was a guitar player and he was actually just learning to play guitar, I taught him to play guitar. And, he actually came up with the name The Dead Beats cause he thought it was clever and he thought that I would get a kick out of it cause it was like The Beatles, it was slightly clever. So, there's where we came up with the name and kids lose interest, they lost interest and me and Phil played open mics forever just playing my songs, and then I came to school here and me and Jesse became friends. We actually became friends through jamming, I think he invited me over to jam on my guitar and he liked my tunes and then I told Phil, "Hey I found a drummer who likes our tunes!"

Jesse: No, I came to a house party, one of Neal's parents famous house parties and showed up with my drum kit. A friend invited me and I played with you and Sean.

Neal: Sean was my best friend, I've known him forever and he played guitar. And he left, he had a girlfriend and then he came back.

What genres and/or bands best represent The Dead Beats?

Phil: Rock N' Roll. Fucking rock n' roll.
Neal: I love The Beatles. but it's more of a Stones type of thing. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.

Describe the vibe and energy that comes from your live shows?

Jesse: When we go to put out a show, our main goal is to make it a party as much for us as for anyone out there. And so anyone that feels our music, the show is to have the party with them and so I feel like that's kind of the vibe we go with, when people talk to us about the band, they laugh about the "PBR" song, you know us being smokers and what not, that's part of it for them and it's a band rule to have a good time with them.

What is your favorite thing about performing live?

Phil: The girls dancing. (Laughter)

Neal: I like the people, I like performing because I like watching people get a kick out of it. Kind of going back to the last question, alot of time it depends on us, it depends on you were just feeling super confident when you're buzzed and sometimes you just got everything right, we just happen to be really good in doing that with instruments in our hands, but some nights are better than others, some nights you just look like an asshole, but I love being able to see how people react like that, it's fun for me.

Jesse: Yeah, definitely connecting with people at the shows is the best part, and hitting very hard. (Laughter)

What are some of your favorite songs to perform live?

Phil: I love playing "Storyteller". "Kissing Cousins" is another one.
Neal: You know what I love? "Do You Love Me?" I love that song!
Phil: Farmer Jon!
Neal: It's a good tune, it's so good, it's so simple. Farmer Jon!

Tell me the story about your song "PBR" and what was the inspiration behind it?

Neal: Pabst Blue Ribbon. I know it's really trendy, it has an emotional spot for me, I learned to drink on Pabst Blue Ribbon. I was in high school and I had a buddy who could buy beer and that's where I started, that's where I got my education on how to drink and look like an asshole while you're doing it, or at least minimize your looking like an asshole and he always drank Pabst Blue Ribbon so it was my first drink and I drank alot of it and got good at it I guess, so that's why I wrote "PBR" and the reason it sounds like a country hillbilly song cause I can't write songs without some sort of joke in there and Pabst Blue Ribbon is white trash, poor people buy Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Are there any embarrassing moments or have any embarrassing things happen to you while on stage?

Neal: PA's Lounge was our first show. PA's Lounge is this fucking crapplace in Somerville. I don't like to shit talk because we were so unprofessional, but you end up playing there if you're trying to get into Boston and we showed up early and me and Jesse go down days early, all kinds of fliers and CD's passing them out saying, "Come check out our show at PA's Lounge!" to people on the street. So we really did our homework and we go back, we get there early the next day and I'm with my brother and we find this place called Bull McCabe's, some Irish place and we hear this band in there belting out Finnegan's Wake some sweet ass Irish song, so we go in and we end up talking with this band who's playing and we get shitty drunk. And then we make friends with this other band called Ice Cream Social and then we take them back and we're like "Come to our show!" So, we go back there and we're like "Shots!" There's this other band playing called Leopold and His Fiction and they were awesome. So we get on stage, and you can't even remember what instruments are and we're just hammering it out, out of tune, forgetting words. Jesse used to carry a coconut on his drum for luck and the coconut falls off his drum, I step on it and fall flat on my ass just like that movie Walk The Line where Johnny Cash just falls over cause he's so fucked up, that was it. So the sound guy cuts us off and that's when Jesse gets pissed, spits on the floor and shit.

Jesse: I almost fought every person that works in PA's Lounge, the police showed up as I was leaving.
Neal: That was the most embarrassing thing that we have done as a band.

If you guys weren't making music together, what do you think you would be doing to pass the time?

Neal: I don't know man. I don't have any other hobbies. I'm studying to be a teacher, we're still studying to be teachers, that takes up most of our time. I like cars, I might build cars.
Phil: I'm still working on guitars, I love repairing guitars.
Jesse: I don't know. If I didn't have music, there would be nothing, no joining a gig. There's nothing else that could possibly replace music in any way.

What music do you guys like to listen to in your spare time?

Neal: I wish I listened to more music. I listen to alot of music. I teach lessons and I have to listen to music for school. I have to listen to songs that people call out. I write alot of my own music, but when I listen to music, I listen to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, there's this new band called Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, they're really cool. G. Love and Special Sauce, The Black Keys, The White Stripes. I don't watch MTV, I listen to NPR and stuff like that, I seek out alot of my own music, like a snob.

If you could have dinner with any 3 musicians living or dead, which ones would you choose?

Phil: Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Jesse: Charlie Parker, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Neal: Paul McCartney and Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix.

What are the band's future plans for next year and beyond? Tours? Heading back into the studio?

Phil: Yeah absolutely, we're looking to do some touring.
Jesse: We're in the studio now recording some new songs and we just released 2 songs "Litterboy" and "Marb Lights". So we're doing that and booking as we go. We want to tour, we need to figure out what to do.

What is the one thing you hope fans take from your music?

Phil: That it's just about having a good time.
Neal: Fun, music is not that serious.

Thanks once again to my pals Phil, Neal and Jesse for kicking back and taking some time to do this interview! They're wicked nice guys and were very welcoming to me in their apartment. For more on The Dead Beats, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/thedeadbeatsnh To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/DeadBeatsRock

Maps & Atlases - Perch Patchwork

Chicago, Illinois own Maps & Atlases have arrived on the scene with their full length debut album, Perch Patchwork. The group released their last two EP's on Sargent House Records (RX Bandits record label), and have released an exquisite blend of indie rock and folk/country influences that aims to keep you warm during the cold months of winter with its comforting melodies and relaxing vocals, making for a very thorough listen.

The disc kicks things off with "Will" a slow, melancholy track that shows off lead singer Dave Davison's pure and organic vocal abilities, which make the song sound rich and natural, and not forced or overproduced. "The Charm" is another pleasant sounding track with a more varied degree of instrumentation including drums and is a little bit more experimental in nature with more electric guitars this time around. My favorite song off the album is "Living Decorations",  a melodic, interweaving track that brings together a wide range of instrumentation including blending in electric guitars that both feels good and sounds good right from the getgo and shows the creative risks that this band is willing to take. "Is" is a short, straightforward track that is crisp, authentic, and hauntingly abundant with no frills attached. "Israeli Caves" is a folk based tune with laid back acoustic guitar melodies giving it the feel of an old school country ballad.

The album's second half features "Carry the Wet Wood", a country styled jam that features an assortment of acoustic and electric guitars that blend together quite nicely and add up to an interesting mixture here. "If This Is" is a slowed down, mid tempo opus that plays it safe and is a great song to listen to while unwinding after a long day at work or holiday shopping. We get ready to shut things down here with "Was", a unique, intricate track that features some xylophone sounds and Dave's richly melodic vocals permeating the song to give it a nice, glossy touch. The disc's title track is the final song that features a beautiful, ethereal melody and also brings together a host of varying vocal ranges and dynamic instrumentation that give the song its own weight. It's really hard nowadays to find bands that sound real and authentic and don't sound like some cookie cutter band manufactured by record companies who force feed it down consumers throats. Maps & Atlases fit the mold of a band that goes against the grain of what's expected of a band, and do things on their own terms and no one else's.

To sum it all up, Maps & Atlases have created a uniquely dynamic effort here that shows that you can create a folk based record without being too boring, and experimenting with other genres piques great interest about this band in the process.

                                                                                                                                 Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Will
2. The Charm
3. Living Decorations
4. Solid Ground
5. Is
6. Israeli Caves
7. Banished Be Cavalier
8. Carry the Wet Wood
9. Pigeon
10. If This Is
11. Was
12. Perch Patchwork  

Artist Spotlight: 1476

Hey everyone!

It's that time of the week, it's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week's featured artist is 1476! 1476 is a death rock/folk band based out of Salem, Massachusetts that consists of Neil DeRosa and Robb Kavijan who have blended together an incredible blend of folk rock and death rock that is not as intense as one might imagine. The music is of a calm and relaxed nature that immediately takes you in and makes you aware of its warmth and beauty of the surroundings around you with folk inspired rhythms and soft, relaxing vocals that take the listener on a remarkable musical journey. I never expected a death rock/folk band to sound like this, and this was one of the most enjoyable listens that I've had the pleasure to partake in doing these Artist Spotlight features for the past year! Some highlights from them include "Swallow the Sun" and "Dithyramb".

The band's debut effort, "A Wolf's Age" was released last year and the band recently just released their brand new EP, "Smoke in the Sky". To check out the music of 1476, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/fourteenseventysix To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/1476/230625089693 You can also follow them on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/cult1476

2011 Grammy Nominees Announced!

Hey everyone!

In case you missed it, the Grammy Nominations Concert was held last night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles and was televised on CBS with LL Cool J as host. As expected, Eminem led the crop of nominees for this year's Grammy class! He led the pack with a total of 10 nominations including Album of The Year, Record of The Year, and Song of The Year. Singer-songwriter newcomer Bruno Mars came in with seven nominations apiece, including recognition in the Record of The Year and Best Rap Song categories. Jay-Z scored 6 Grammy nods, including ones in the Record of The Year, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song categories. Lady Gaga and country group Lady Antebellum also came in with 6 nominations apiece with Lady A taking nods in the Album, Record, and Song of The Year categories! This year's categories are supposed to be the most fierce and competitive that we've seen in recent memory, and it looks like the Recording Academy finally got it right with this year's nominees! Here's a quick rundown of some select categories:

Album of The Year

Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Eminem- Recovery
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Lady Gaga- The Fame Monster
Katy Perry- Teenage Dream

Record of The Year

B.o.B.f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now

Song of The Year

Ray LaMontagne- Beg, Steal, or Borrow
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Miranda Lambert- The House That Built Me
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now

Best New Artist

Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + The Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Best Rock Album

Jeff Beck- Emotion & Commotion
Muse- The Resistance
Pearl Jam- Backspacer
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Mojo
Neil Young- Le Noise

Best Rock Song

Neil Young- Angry World
Mumford and Sons- Little Lion Man
Kings of Leon- Radioactive
Muse- The Resistance
The Black Keys- Tighten Up

Best Alternative Music Album

Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Band of Horses- Infinite Arms
The Black Keys- Brothers
Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Vampire Weekend- Contra

Best Rap Album

B.o.B.- The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Drake- Thank Me Later
Eminem- Recovery
Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3
The Roots- How I Got Over

Best Rap Song

Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Eminem- Not Afraid
B.o.B. f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz- On To The Next One

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday February 13, 2011 at 8pm on CBS! To look at all the other Grammy categories, head on over to the Grammy website at: http://www.grammy.com/

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Iconic hip-hop superstar Kanye West is back with his eagerly anticipated follow up to 2008's 808's and Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. This effort finds Kanye getting back to his pure hip-hop roots that seemed to be non-existent on his last release, and also attempting to put his past trials and tribulations behind him and focus on the only things that he's here to do, entertain the masses and making music.

The album starts off with a beauty on "Dark Fantasy", an ecstatic, entertaining jam that shifts tempos every now and then to give the listener a little bit of variety in the process. Kid Cudi and Raekwon guest star on "Gorgeous", a sweet, urban flavored jam that features Kanye's relaxed vocals set amidst the backdrop of instrumentation laid out before you. The disc's first single, "Power" is an anthemic and fast moving track that best encapsulates the subject matter of the album: gritty, unpredictable, and no holds barred. My favorite song off the album is "Monster". The star studded collaboration features an assortment of musicians including Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver. The song is a thumping, bombastic treat with Kanye's raps moving at a pretty good clip and all guests equally contribute to an absolutely mind blowing track.

The album's second half gets underway with a return guest appearance from Rick Ross on "Devil In A New Dress", a mellow, laid back affair that offers the listener a little something different and also shows the remarkable amount of musical diversity that's found in abundance on this album. "Runaway" features Pusha T of Clipse and includes an intricate piano styled beat heard in the background that gives off a dark and mysterious vibe to it which coincides well with the overall subject matter of the disc. "Hell of A Life" is an uptempo, bombastic blast that allows Kanye to let loose and have some fun with synth samples and unique instrumentation thrown in for a change. We wrap things up with "Lost in the World" featuring another guest appearance from Bon Iver, who sounds almost unrecognizable amidst the synthesizers and random instrumentation mixed in on this unusual but interesting track. It's really hard to figure out who Kanye West really is. Of course, there's the Kanye West who bum rushed the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMA's last year, there's the Kanye West who has written some very bizarre tweets on his Twitter account that recently became satirized in The New Yorker magazine, and finally there's the Kanye West who has churned out album after album, year after year, and has already cemented himself as one of the best hip-hop artists out there today. Regardless of what you might think of him as a person, you can't deny his musicianship and how hard he works at perfecting his craft.

All in all, a great effort here from Kanye West, who has made a name of himself both musically and infamously. While this album is not his greatest effort, it is a brilliantly executed one that doesn't leave any stone unturned and is riddled with unexpected twists and turns that keeps you listening all the way through until the very end.

                                                                                                                                 Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Dark Fantasy
2. Gorgeous (f/Kid Cudi & Raekwon)
3. Power
4. All of the Lights (Interlude)
5. All of the Lights
6. Monster (f/Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver)
7. So Appalled (f/Jay-Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz, & The RZA)
8. Devil In A New Dress (f/Rick Ross)
9. Runaway (f/Pusha T)
10. Hell of a Life
11. Blame Game (f/John Legend)
12. Lost in the World (f/Bon Iver)
13. Who Will Survive In America

Artist Spotlight: Stars Above

Hey everyone!

Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving!! I'm back after the long Thanksgiving break and I present to you this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week I introduce you to a band called Stars Above! Stars Above are a band based out of Lynn, Massachusetts that consists of James Morrill on guitars and vocals, Andrew Greeley on drums, and Steve Heddon on bass. The band has a intense, youthful pop-punk feel to it, very reminiscent of the bands that I would hear playing in VFW halls and community centers back when I was in high school. The band has a very strong musical relationship with one another and each member contributes  equally to the musical dynamic heard here. With intense lyrics, blazing guitar riffs, and intricate bass lines, Stars Above has it all for you in one package! Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Where Did I Go Wrong?" and "You Were Only Mine".

For more info on Stars Above, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/consequencesofanabsence  and check out their list of upcoming shows to the Boston area! To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, jump on over to  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stars-Above/139680159375558

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

Hey everyone!

Today is a big day here at The Music Box Blog! Today marks the 1 year anniversary of when I first started this blog! It has been an incredible first year for the blog doing weekly album reviews, Artist Spotlight features, and occasional breaking music news pieces. The very first album review I did here on the blog was Person L's "The Positives" and it's one that I'll always remember as getting word of mouth about them and I feel that's what got the blog off the ground in the first place! First and foremost, there are alot of people that I'm very indebted to for all their support and those people are you guys! I personally want to thank each and every one of you who have viewed the blog, left a comment, or have come up to me in person saying how much you've enjoyed the blog and what I've had to say in my posts! It means everything to me hearing all the praise and the effect that my work has had on readers in purchasing certain albums and on local musicians in general. I've had the distinct pleasure of doing writeups on several up and coming musicians from the Boston area and beyond, who have clearly demonstrated their unique ability to entertain and inspire others, and I want to thank those artists from the bottom of my heart, you know who you are!

Since I've started the blog, I've had readers from countries all over the world including Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. I never imagined that my words would be viewed all across the globe, so I would like to send a special thank you to all my overseas viewers!

I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce some major changes to the blog that will greatly enhance the viewing experience for all! These changes include:

- A Facebook fan page where I'll post updates on new posts to the blog! Click on the following link and become a fan of The Music Box Blog! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Music-Box-Blog/142351515814847

- A Twitter page to keep readers in the loop about new posts to the blog! Click on the following link to head on over to the Twitter page: http://twitter.com/TheMusicBoxBlog

- A brand new e-mail address to send in album review submissions, Artist Spotlight features, or any music related topic: peteramara@musicboxpete.net

I've also begun construction on a brand new website that will serve as the future home for this blog! The new site should be up and running sometime in early January 2011, so stay tuned to the blog for periodic updates! Again, thanks everybody for all the support, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

The Beatles on iTunes!!

Hey everyone!

I'm sure you've heard the news by now that The Beatles, who have long been holdouts of making their music available digitally, have finally agreed to have their music available digitally for the first time ever, exclusively on iTunes! This has been a long in the making saga for the group, who have been embroiled in a lawsuit with Apple Inc. for the better part of 30 years. The lawsuit stems from an alleged copyright infringement suit, which was filed back in 1978. After the suit was settled in 1981, Apple Inc. came to an agreement with Apple Corps. (The Beatles record label), that they would stay out of the music business. When Apple Inc. launched the iTunes Music Store in September 2003, Apple Corps. sued them for violation of their agreement not to sell music. Eventually, the two parties agreed to a settlement in 2007 where Apple Inc. will own all the trademarks related to Apple, and will license those trademarks back to Apple Corps.

All 13 of The Beatles studio albums from Please Please Me to Let It Be are available, also including their Past Masters compilation discs, Vols. 1 & 2, and The Beatles 1962-1966 (Red Album) and 1967-1970 (Blue Album) compilation discs. Individual tracks are priced at $1.29 each, individual albums go for $12.99, double albums are priced at $19.99, and their entire catalog box set retails for $149.99, which also includes some retrospective documentaries, and video of their first ever concert on American soil at Washington Coliseum in 1964. What do you make of this news, do you think this is a watershed moment in digital music history or do you already own The Beatles entire catalog and feel this news is over hyped and unwarranted? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me what you think of this!

Artist Spotlight: Manny Alcantara

Hey everyone!

Get ready for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you an artist straight out of Lynn, MA named Manny Alcantara. Manny has been making big waves in the local music scene with his debut release Call Me Manny! Manny has been writing his own music since he was 12 years old and started recording a couple years later when he turned 14. His music is a blend of R&B and reggae that isn't too overwhelming and finds a comfortable medium in between with captivating R&B styled ballads and mid-tempo reggae hybrid tunes that get people moving on the dance floor! He evokes a very smooth, charming style that is clearly evident in his voice and one that is guaranteed to make the ladies swoon! While I don't usually listen to this genre of music a great deal, I'm really impressed with his musicianship and his unique ability to express his talents. Some of my personal faves from his debut release include "All I Need" and "Guardian Angel".

To check out more of what Manny has to offer you, head on over to his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/callmemanny To become a fan of his on Facebook, bounce on over to http://www.facebook.com/callmemanny781 To purchase his debut CD "Call Me Manny", it's available for purchase over at iTunes!

Underoath - Ø Disambiguation

Hailing from Jacksonville, FL Underoath are back big with their 7th studio effort, Ø Disambiguation.  The follow up to 2008's Lost in the Sound of Separation finds the metalcore group finding more ways to expand on their sound from their previous effort, and have succeeded in making this effort the best album of their career so far.

The disc gets off to a roaring start on "In Division", a powerful and intricate composition that greets you with frontman Spencer Chamberlain's intense, screaming vocals gnawing at you with ferocious intensity among the fast moving guitars and powerful drums. "Catch Myself Catching Myself" starts off with an exquisite drum pattern, courtesy of their brand new drummer Daniel Davison, replacing Aaron Gillespie who left the group earlier this year. The newest member picks up right where Aaron left off with intense drumming patterns complimenting the sea of melodies laid out before you. My favorite song off the disc is the first single, "Illuminator", a melodic and haunting opus that features Spencer's amazing vocal abilities and guitarists Tim McTague and James Smith are equally as impressive with each member's guitar skills getting more and more impressive as their prior albums have shown. "Driftwood" is a mostly synth based tune, whose sound is courtesy of keyboardist Chris Dudley, who adds a level of sophistication and is the technical mastermind of the group. While this not a pure metal tune, it is one of Underoath's trademark sounds and one that has helped them get initially recognized among their now loyal and immense fanbase.

The disc's second half continues to roar with "Who Will Guard the Guardians", a stripped yet intense tune that still retains the aural velocity that the first half displayed, but is still slower in both tempo and nature. We begin to wrap up shop with "Vacant Mouth", a ferocious and unrelenting tune that leaves a pile of carnage in its wake with Spencer's ear splitting vocals and Tim and James's masterful guitar work being the sole parties responsible for this jaw dropping tune. "My Deteriorating Incline" is another formidable tune with Spencer's screaming vocals stinging so loud, you may have to get your hearing checked after hearing it. "In Completion" wraps up the disc with a concocted mixture of all the ear-splitting sounds you've heard so far, all presented to you in one unique package. Underoath is one of the very few bands out there today who get progressively better with each and every album that they make, something that is almost unheard of these days, but these guys make it look easy by realizing ways they can improve each song by making it louder and experimenting with electronic based sounds as well. Despite the departure of Aaron Gillespie, who is my all time favorite drummer and one of my musical heroes, Underoath's resolve has never been stronger.

In retrospect, a spectacular and unheralded effort from Underoath who keep their winning streak alive with an intense and resonating effort that cements Underoath as one of the best metal acts out there today. Highly recommended! BUY NOW!!

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. In Division
2. Catch Myself Catching Myself
3. Paper Lung
4. Illuminator
5. Driftwood
6. A Divine Eradication
7. Who Will Guard the Guardians
8. Reversal
9. Vacant Mouth
10. My Deteriorating Incline
11. In Completion

Artist Spotlight: Sirs & Vas Deferens EP Review!

Hey everyone!

Welcome to this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you a band out of Purchase, NY called Sirs! Sirs consists of Justin Jurgens, Hart Seely, Kyle Seely, and Dave Benton. The band plays an eclectic blend of punk mixed in with a little hint of indie rock that provides for a thorough and enjoyable listening experience. And with the EP coming in at just under 20 minutes long, it provides plenty of bang in that short span of time with indelible hooks and wonderful melodies that will captivate you upon first listen! And without further ado, here is the review of their debut EP, Vas Deferens!


Hailing from Purchase, NY Sirs have made a remarkable first impression with their debut EP, Vas Deferens. The music is a blend of punk rock and indie rock that results in an aggressive outpouring of emotion both vocally and musically that sets this band apart from all the others on the scene.

The leadoff track, "Starting at the Chin" is a fast moving, melodic juggernaut that features loud, piercing vocals and a flurry of guitars that will leave you wondering how these guys put all these remarkable sounds together. "Ready, Boomerang" is another frenetic pleasure with a mix of aggressive guitars and passionate vocals that packs in alot for a track that is only 1 minute and 35 seconds in length. "Is This Your Shirt?" is a little more mellowed out than the other songs we heard previously with chilled out guitars and pleasant sounding rhythms to give the listener a little bit of variety in the process.

The remainder of the disc's tracks "Hibernations Sometimes", a mixture of rock hard rhythms and slowed down melodies, "You're Gonna Be Great!", which features an incredible transition from mid-tempo melodies to harder edged breakdowns, look for it on the last half of the track, and "Hand Check, No Hands", a track that blends together all the rhythms we've heard before and mixes them together in one, cohesive package gives the prospective listener a clear impression of what sound to expect from the band, especially if they aren't familiar with the band at all.

All in all, a great listen from Sirs, who are sure to be a welcome addition to your iTunes library, and have a very promising future ahead of them.
                          
                                                                                                                                   EP Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Starting at the Chin
2. Ready? Boomerang!
3. Is This Your Shirt?
4. Hibernations Sometimes
5. You're Gonna Be Great!
6. Hand Check, No Hands

For more information on Sirs, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/wesirs To check out their EP Vas Deferens in its entirety, head on over to their BandCamp site at : http://sirsmusic.bandcamp.com/ and from there, you can also download the EP free of charge!

Lil Wayne Released From Jail!!

Hey everyone!

Hot off the presses! Lil Wayne AKA Weezy is finally out of jail! Wayne just completed a eight month jail sentence for weapons possession in a New York state facility and is getting ready to return making some music!

Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to weapons possession in October 2009, after admitting in court that he had a loaded, semi-automatic .40 caliber gun on his tour bus after a concert in Manhattan. He started his sentence in March, but got time off his sentence for good behavior. However, he was disciplined and sent to solitary confinement after it was found that he brought in a charger and headphones for a digital music player, which is deemed to be contraband by prison officials. Wayne kept in touch with fans via letters and his website http://www.weezythanxyou.com/ where associates of his typed up letters from him describing his daily routine in prison and new songs he heard on the radio that he really liked. He sent a letter to his fans saying that he's thankful for all the support that he's received while behind bars:

"I laughed with some of you, reasoned with some of you, and even cried with some of you. I never imagined how much impact my words and life can have. I will be the same Martian I was when I left, just better."

Lil Wayne is currently headed to his home in Miami, where a massive welcome home party is planned for this Sunday. A flurry of excitement has come from dedicated fans and well wishers, even former President Bill Clinton has sent his regards, stating in a radio interview that he hopes he has a good life now. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments on this story right here on the blog!

Artist Spotlight: Low-Fi & EP Review!

Hey everyone!

It's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I'm proud to present to you a band out of Naples, Italy called Low-Fi! Low-Fi have been collectively together as a group since 2005, and the group consists of twins Alessandro and Adriano. Alessandro is in charge of vocals, bass, and synthesizers, Adriano also takes care of vocals and mans the guitar, while Marco brings up the rear on drums. The band has a very unique blend of garage rock influences a la The Strokes and occasionally dabble in the electronica genre that makes them stand out from all the others in the music scene today. The band recently released their self-titled EP on Octopus Records and is currently working on their full length debut album which should hopefully be out by the end of the year. And without further ado, here is the review of that EP!:




Coming out of Naples, Italy Low-Fi have made a very strong first impression with their self-titled debut EP. The EP is a daring mix of indie rock and electronica that is bristling with a plethora of unique sounds that you won't hear anywhere else and sounds like nothing you've heard before.

Leading off, we have "Garage Floor", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid that evokes influences of Interpol with a tightly honed, driven sound that never veers off course with its sharp, piercing guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's finely laid out vocals. "No Morning" is a straight forward rocker with echoing guitar riffs and a nice drum pattern from Marco that make this song a real treat. My personal favorite song from the EP is "Something", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid train that takes off right out of the station and never slows down with indelible guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's prominent vocal power taking stranglehold of the song. The last two tracks, "White Lane", a mid tempo rocker that is a bit slower paced than the other tracks, but provides a slower transition into the next song "Wrongness", a  fast paced, indie rock gem that features electric infused guitars and rich, prominent vocals that make this song a great way to wrap up the EP and a good start to a potentially long lasting career.

                                                                                                                                  EP Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Garage Floor
2. No Morning
3. Something
4. White Lane
5. Wrongness

For more info about Low-Fi, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/lowfiband To become a fan of them on Facebook, jet on over to http://www.facebook.com/lowfiband and if you like what you hear, buy their EP from the Octopus Records website!:  http://www.octopusrecords.net/shop/Home.html

Trapt - No Apologies

Straight out of Los Gatos, CA hard rockers Trapt are back on the scene with their newest album, No Apologies. The follow up to 2008's Only Through the Pain finds the group strictly adhering to their hard rock formula that helped them burst onto the scene with their 2002 self titled debut, which produced the massive hit "Headstrong". This album shows that the group has matured immensely since then and are still relevant today more than ever.

The album starts off with a bang on the disc's first single, "Sound Off" a loud, crisp rocker that kicks things off with lead vocalist Chris Taylor Brown's powerfully melodic voice emanating strongly from the get go, and adjusts well to the sea of guitars in the process. "Drama Queen" is another fierce rocker that finds slower interludes in between to showcase the group's diverse musical tastes. The disc's highlight, and my personal favorite "End Of My Rope, is a straight forward rocker that features incredibly melodic guitars and Chris's powerful vocals tearing through the walls of the song. The disc's title track slows it down a bit and shows Chris's softer side, which still retains alot of the melodic energy that's left over from the prior tracks, providing for a nice interlude into the latter half of the disc.

The disc's second half starts off much like the first one began with "Stranger In the Mirror", a fierce, intense rocker that builds and builds to the very end with loud, relentless guitars and a strong drum pattern as well. "Are You With Me" follows almost the same pattern, but features alot more melodic guitars and slower interludes and isn't as heavy as the preceding song was. The disc's closing tracks "Overloaded" features a fast paced guitar breakdown that moves at a pretty good clip and is sometimes hard to keep track of at times, but is still a pretty enjoyable listen. "Storyteller" is a toned down rocker that gives the listener a little breather from all the blasting hard rock that we've heard so far and gives time to reflect on the album as a whole. When Trapt first broke onto the scene in 2003, they immediately demonstrated their ability to perform high energy, melodic songs with a dynamic frontman at the helm to make their immediate presence known. This album only furthers their musical quest and shows that Trapt haven't gone away completely, they're just re energized and refocused.

All in all this album was way more than I expected and was an all around great album. Not too often we see bands still able to find that magic in the studio after so many years, but Trapt makes it look easy with a remarkable effort that is definitely worth a listen, you'll be surprised!

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Sound Off
2. Drama Queen
3. End of My Rope
4. Get Up
5. No Apologies
6. Stranger in the Mirror
7. Beautiful Scar
8. Are You With Me
9. The Wind
10. Overloaded
11. Storyteller 

Artist Spotlight: Burn Down The Charade

Hey everyone!

It's time for this week's Artist Spotlight feature! This week, I have for you a band coming out of Mesa, Arizona (Jimmy Eat World's hometown) called Burn Down The Charade. The band consists of Sean Herring and Daniel Smith and the band has a very unique blend of ambient, alternative/indie rock that is very melodic and easily able to get immersed in right away. The lead singer's voice sounds alot like Brandon Boyd from Incubus, who plays a genre of music that is quite similar to this band, only a little more harder edged than Burn Down The Charade are. Some of my favorites of theirs include "Believe What You Know" and "Serotonin", which sounds alot like the music of Interpol, which adds for an interesting mixture here.

To check out more music from Burn Down The Charade, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/burndownthecharade  To connect and become a fan of theirs on Facebook, go over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burn-Down-The-Charade/114765700627