Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday

Amityville, New York's finest Taking Back Sunday are back at it again with their much anticipated, brand new self-titled album. The follow up to 2009's New Again finds the rockers reuniting with original members John Nolan and Shaun Cooper to rekindle their passion for creating music together that won them so many fans with their 2002 debut, "Tell All Your Friends" and made Taking Back Sunday one of the preeminent bands of this generation.

The album kicks off with a bang with my favorite song off the album, "El Paso" a loud, no holds barred track that hits at you immediately with lead singer Adam Lazzara's powerful vocals gnawing at your ears almost immediately upon impact coupled with a heavy barrage of guitars that makes this song one of Taking Back Sunday's best in their catalog yet. The disc's first single, "Faith (When I Let You Down) is a melodic, toned down affair that sees Adam's vocals taking it down a notch to show off the band's versatility that they've been known for on their past releases. "Sad Savior" is a somber, passionate tune that really tugs at your heartstrings with thought provoking guitar riffs brought to you courtesy of John Nolan, whose re-entry into the band has completely reinvigorated the band's work ethic and has made their music that much more stronger and cohesive in the process as well. "Who Are You Anyway?" is another fantastic track that sees the band pinpointing their resolve with a fury of amazing guitars and an intricate drum pattern courtesy of Mark O'Connell that shows the band have it down to a science when it comes to crafting songs together.

The disc' second half continues the melodic onslaught with "Money (Let It Go)", a thumping, frantic tune that is classic Taking Back Sunday with down and dirty guitar riffs enabling Adam's vocals to jump all over the place while still remaining within the realm of greatness. "It Doesn't Feel A Thing Like Falling" is an intense, linear track that continually digs in at your ears with a consistent guitar pattern and a strong melodic finish that will leave you feeling satisfied. We're closing it all out with "You Got Me" a heavy, gritty track that never lets up from the beginning with strong, melodic guitars and Adam's passionate vocal delivery making you feel the passion in his voice deep inside of you after first hearing it. "Call Me In The Morning" closes out the album perfectly with a deep, melodic undertone that permeates every crevice of the song with impeccable precision and deep input and insight from each member of the band contribute as to how this song should sound. Taking Back Sunday have had a quite a ride in the last few years with their lineup changes and ultimately the return of the original members to the group. But all this drama in the group has defined their character as a group and is a story of how a group returned to their roots to rediscover themselves not only as people, but as musicians as well.

In retrospect, an amazing and definite return to form of Taking Back Sunday, who have definitely returned to their roots to rediscover the rock n' roll dream and rekindle some old friendships in the process as well. Highly recommended!

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. El Paso
2. Faith (When I Let You Down)
3. Best Places To Be A Mom
4. Sad Savior
5. Who Are You Anyway?
6. Money (Let It Go)
7. This Is All Now
8. It Doesn't Feel A Thing Like Falling
9. Since You're Gone
10. You Got Me
11. Call Me In The Morning

Artist Spotlight: Found Audio

Hey everyone!

Kicking off the first Artist Spotlight of the summer with a local band right out of Allston, Massachusetts called Found Audio. The band consists of John Bragg on vocals, guitar, banjo, and clarinet, Terrence Mulhern on vocals and guitar, John Stricker on vocals and bass, and Denny Kennedy on drums and synth. The band has a prominent, earthy folk rock sound very similar to that of Wilco and Fleet Foxes and are a band who really know their stuff with regard to how their music should sound. The songs have a very simple, organic blueprint with ripe, inviting acoustic guitar rhythms and deep, passionate vocals that throb with authenticity as soon as you hear it. Like I mentioned several times before here on the blog, folk music is enjoying a renaissance these days along with Mumford & Sons joining the aforementioned Wilco and Fleet Foxes as bands who are spearheading this movement. Found Audio is another band that could possibly be added to this long list of bands who are helping folk music reconnect with an audience desperate for a break from the ordinary schlock of music that has taken its grip on the music scene these days. Some of my favorite songs from these guys include "Queen of the Road" and "Minefields".

To check out the music of Found Audio, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/foundaudio The band can also be liked on Facebook by going over to http://www.facebook.com/foundaudio and check out to see what they have to offer you! Also, check out the band's official website at http://www.foundaudiomusic.com for all the latest updates pertaining to the band.

Artist Profile: Taking Back Sunday

Today's edition of Artist Profile is one of my favorite bands to come out of the Long Island rock scene, Taking Back Sunday. Taking Back Sunday were formed in 1999 in Amityville, Long Island, New York and the band consists of Adam Lazzara on lead vocals, John Nolan on lead guitar, backup vocals and keys, Eddie Reyes on rhythm guitar, Shaun Cooper on bass, and Mark O'Connell on drums. The band's name is derived from the title of a song from The Waiting Process, an acquaintance's band. One original member of the group who would go on to have success in another prominent Long Island area band was Jesse Lacey, who was originally brought on to play guitar and sing, but eventually switched over to bass. Jesse left the band during recording of the band's debut EP to form Brand New, but the band persevered and brought on Adam Lazzara to take over on lead vocals and the band released their self titled debut EP in 2001. The band was signed to Victory Records later on that year and immediately began work on their debut release, Tell All Your Friends. This album went on to become one of the hallmarks of the burgedoning alt-rock scene and immediately left an impression on its listeners when it was released in 2002, containing such powerful tracks like "You're So Last Summer" my favorite "Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)", and "Timberwolves in New Jersey". The band embarked on a string of tours such as the Vans Warped Tour among others, attracting a large contingent of fans in the process as well. In 2003, John Nolan and Shaun Cooper left the band to form Straylight Run, so the band replaced them with guitarist Fred Mascherino and bassist Matt Rubano. The new lineup went into the studio to begin work on their follow up effort, Where You Want To Be which was released in 2004. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 163,000 copies in its first week and producing memorable tracks like "A Decade Under The Influence", "This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)",  and "Set Phasers To Stun". The band embarked on a healthy tour schedule and made appearances on the late night talk show circuit on shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

The band's next effort, Louder Now followed in 2006. This was also the first release on their new label Warner Bros. Records, whom they had signed a contract to before the album's release. The album was another step forward for the band, containing gritty tracks like "Makedamnsure", "Liar (It Takes One To Know One)", and "What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?". The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 900,000 copies to date and becoming Taking Back Sunday's best selling album to date. The band embarked on a series of tour dates afterwards, then took a little breather before settling down to begin work on their next release, New Again which saw the light of day in 2009.  Before the album's production, the band parted ways with Fred Mascherino so that he could focus on his solo career, and he was eventually replaced by Matt Fazzi.  The album wasn't as successful as the past releases were, but still produced some solid tracks like "Sink Into Me", "Lonely, Lonely" and "Carpathia". In March 2010, Matt Rubano and Matt Fazzi were announced as having departed the group, and soon after it was announced that original members John Nolan and Shaun Cooper would be rejoining the band, and the newly reformed original lineup begun work on their brand new self titled release, which will be released tomorrow. Taking Back Sunday have evolved so much from when I first heard them several years back. They have always been that band that provided a much needed emotional intensity for all those spiraling, out of control moments and have provided for a good emotional release as well. I can't wait to hear their brand new album and hope it's as good as I imagined it would be!

Note: My review of the new Taking Back Sunday album will be up on the blog on Wednesday!

The Demon Beat - Bullshit Walks

Fresh out of Shepherdstown, West Virginia The Demon Beat is back at it again with their brand new release titled Bullshit Walks. The release is a loud and dynamic mixture of folk and indie rock that hits at a different angle than it normally would with brilliant instrumentation and resourceful lyrics that immediately strike a chord with the listener upon first hearing it.

The album starts off strong with "Poor Enough", a melodic, fast paced tune that plows its way through with remarkable ease and features terrific bass work by Tucker Riggleman that allows the songs to explode and come to life here. "Get It" starts off with a great rhythmic drum pattern, before the cavalcade of guitars kicks in and melds together to create a smooth and sophisticated track that entertains you in a way that was never thought possible before. "Art School Girls" a classic rock fueled, rhythm heavy tune that provides for the perfect opportunity for frontman Adam Meisterhans to strut his stuff on the guitar and his vocals ooze out with incredible passion and enthusiasm that permeates through this song and all the others on this record.
The album's second half gets underway with "I Still Would" an intricate, layered track sparsed with incredible drum work brought to you courtesy of Jordan Hudkins who adds a distinct personality to the band that can't be duplicated by any other band anywhere else. My favorite song off the album is "Jump My Bones", a loud, frantic, no holds barred experimental delight that is brimming with out of this world guitar riffs blended in with a classic rock sensibility thrown in for good measure. The former of the disc's final two tracks, "Totally Blissed Out" closes out things on an appropriate note with a bare bones approach on a mostly instrumental track with no vocals whatsoever, just raw and groovy guitars that enable the listener to take full notice of the sights and sounds omnipresent at every turn. When I first saw these guys in concert at O'Brien's in Allston, MA a couple of months ago, I was immediately impressed with their garage rock/experimental hybrid that I had not seen done before by any other up and coming band, and these guys pulled it off quite well and are definitely a band to keep on the lookout for some time down the road.

To close it all out, a strong and well defined effort from The Demon Beat, who have crafted an organic and no holds barred effort that defines experimental rock in its purest form and aims to break the mold of all the ordinary music that's out there today.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4/5

Note: "Bullshit Walks" won't be released until July 5th, but you can pre-order the album on limited edition vinyl right now by going over to http://thedemonbeat.bandcamp.com/

Track Listing:

1. Nevermind
2. Poor Enough
3. Give Me All Your Money
4. Get It
5. Art School Girls
6. I Still Would
7. Jump My Bones
8. Bang
9. Totally Blissed Out
10. I'm Not Really There 

Artist Spotlight: Breakfast of Champions

Hey everyone!

Tuesday has arrived and it's time to check out this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we're focusing on a local area Boston act named Breakfast of Champions. The band consists of Isaac Shiman on guitars and lead vocals, Will Solomon on keys and vocals, Aidan Boardman on guitar and vocals, Sam Thurston on horns, Bill Whitney on bass and horns, and Francis Quinn on drums. The band has a unique and dynamic indie/experimental sound that can't be compared to any artist out there and is entirely a creation all of their own. The band adds horns and combines them with keyboards to create a truly indelible sound that is really something to behold. Usually, with up and coming artists it's really easy for me to compare these artists with some of their contemporaries already established in the scene, but for these guys I can't do that, they have stumbled upon a sound that is so truly original and unique that you can't even accurately compare it to anything else out there in the music world today. I also love how everyone contributes equally to the dynamic of the songs so that no one person gets more attention than the other person, it really is a true band effort here that showcases their personalities both as people and as musicians. Their songs "Reservoir" and "Outta This Place" are all that exemplifies this group's repertoire.

To check out the music of Breakfast of Champions, head on over to their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bocboston You can also follow the band on Twitter by going over to http://www.twitter.com/bocboston and if you're interested in downloading their music, head on over to their BandCamp page at http://breakfastofchampions.bandcamp.com and check out what they have to offer you!

Artist Profile: The Starting Line

Today's Artist Profile is on my favorite pop-punk band and the one that got me through high school, The Starting Line. The Starting Line were formed in Churchville, PA in 1999 and the band consists of Kenny Vasoli on bass and lead vocals, Matt Watts on guitar, Mike Golla on guitar and backup vocals, and Tom Gryskiewicz on drums. The band initially went under the name Sunday Drive, and started selling homemade merchandise and released a demo tape titled Four Songs. The demo attracted the attention of people at We The People Records, and was asked to produce a recording session set for release at the end of 2000, but instead served as a demo for songs on their future releases. The name Sunday Drive was already taken by a Christian band so eventually they settled on the name The Starting Line because it was the only name that they could agree on. The band signed with Drive Thru Records in April 2001, and immediately began work on their debut EP With Hopes of Starting Over, which served as demos of songs that would be included on their full length debut release, Say It Like You Mean It, which saw the light of day in 2002. The album was a immediate success, selling 300,000 copies to date nearing gold certification on the strength of classic tracks like "Up & Go", "The Best of Me", "Leaving", and my personal favorite "Cheek To Cheek". The band embarked on a healthy touring regimen on tours such as the Vans Warped Tour and immediately attracted a strong legion of fans as well in the process.

The band released an all unplugged EP Make Yourself at Home in 2003, which contained powerful songs like "Playing Favorites", the incredible "Lasting Impressions", and an acoustic rendering of "The Best of Me". The band was signed by Geffen Records in 2004 and immediately went to work on their follow up effort, Based On A True Story. The production of the album was a tumultuous one, as the album took almost a year and a half to record as the label was unsatisfied with the finished product that was put forth by the band, stressing out the members of the band in the process. When the album was finally released in 2005, the album had a much darker tone than their previous one reflecting the stress that had taken their toll on the band, and had resonating tracks like "Bedroom Talk", "The World", "Inspired By The $", and "Ready". The album wasn't as successful as its predecessor, mostly due to the failure of Geffen Records in promoting it, but the band did embark on a heavy tour schedule that drew large crowds.

The band later asked to be released from the contract at Geffen, and signed with Virgin Records in 2007 and commenced production on their latest album Direction. This effort had much more positive lyrical content than their previous effort, and the incredible production allowed the songs to jump out at you from the speakers. The album contained tracks such as the amazing "Island (Float Away)", "Direction", "21", and "Something Left To Give". Shortly after the album's release, Virgin Records was bought out by Terra Firma and the albums success was hindered greatly by that acquisition, so the band announced in 2008 that they were going on an indefinite hiatus and would return when the time is right. Kenny focused on his side project Person L during the downtime, while the other members of the band pursued other musical endeavours and spent time with their loved ones. The band officially ended their hiatus earlier this year, and announced that they would be hitting the road this summer with All Time Low for 4 dates and they are currently working on new material for a brand new studio album as well. I can't even begin to put into words how much this band has meant to me. This band has been there from my high school years right up until now, and I feel that I've grown along with the members as well. Say It Like You Mean It is the album I put on whenever I go out for my summer drives or when I just need some alone time, and I've had the honor and privilege of meeting Kenny Vasoli in person three years ago and was amazed at what a humble and down to earth guy he is, and I've met him plenty of more times since then and even more amazed that he remembered me from our previous meetings! Believe it or not, this summer will be my first time seeing The Starting Line and I can't wait to revisit the glory days of my youth once again!

BREAKING NEWS!! Clarence Clemons DIes After Complications From Stroke

Some sad news coming into the music world this evening. Word just got out that Clarence Clemons, saxophonist of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, died earlier today after complications of a stroke he suffered this past week, he was 69 years old. Clarence had been a member of The E Street Band since 1972, collaborating with Bruce Springsteen on a number of albums including the landmark 1984 release, "Born In The U.S.A." and released several solo albums as well. He was featured on "You're A Friend of Mine", a duet with Jackson Browne and was featured on Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love". More recently, he was a featured musician on Lady Gaga's latest album "Born This Way". He was expected to reunite with his bandmates in the E Street Band for a new concert tour, but his recent health crisis had ultimately detoured those plans. He was a brilliant musician and will be sorely missed by everyone he worked with.

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

Fresh out of Louisville, Kentucky My Morning Jacket are back at it again with their brand new album Circuital. The follow up to 2008's incredible Evil Urges finds the southern psychedelic rock group building on the sound from their previous effort into something more advanced and unlike any other album that is currently out there in the marketplace today.

The album starts off fresh with "Victory Dance" a laid back, melodic roots rock jam that gives you a glimpse inside the vocal work of frontman Jim James, who adds a unique persona and style to each song that cannot be replicated by anyone else out there and is an appropriate title to celebrate the Boston Bruins Stanley Cup victory from last night! My favorite song off the album is the disc's title track, an edgy and stylish 7 and a half minute rocker that blends in elements of country and roots rock that exemplifies everything the group is about with rich melodic undertones complimenting the amazing rhythms heard in great abundance here. "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" is a calm, melancholy acoustic number that is the perfect summertime chill song when you're relaxing out on the porch on a cool summer night with Jim's voice providing the perfect soundtrack for that moment. "Outta My System" is an intricate, spacey jam that talks about the band's recreational drug use and how it affects their songwriting process, something that many like minded bands within their genre can relate to.

We're in the disc's second half, and we're coming across the album's first single "Holdin' On To Black Metal" a melodic, upbeat number with a children's choir heard at various points throughout the song that provides for an excellent touch to the tune. "You Wanna Freak Out" is a psychedelic, atmospheric tune with intricate rhythms that are ripe for the picking and features a neat guitar arrangement that makes this song one of the many highlights of the disc so far. We reach the album's final two tracks with "Slow Slow Tune" which is a fitting title for the track as the song's tempo is slowed down considerably than that of the other songs on the album, hence the song's appropriate name. The disc's finale "Movin' Away" is an ethereal, somber tune that adds in some blues rock influences to the band's repertoire and also shows off the band's diversity and the many genres that the band is capable of dabbling in to a great degree. What made the band's last effort Evil Urges so successful was their ability to experiment in different genres of music while still maintaining their psychedelic rock aesthetic, something that is very hard for bands to accomplish these days. One of the prominent bands out there in the scene and a rare treat to find these days.

In retrospect, a solid and well orchestrated effort from My Morning Jacket, who continue to bring their unique, organic music to an open minded and enthusiastic audience who are desperately looking for a break from the ordinary type of music out there these days.

                                                                                                                                  Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Victory Dance
2. Circuital
3. The Day Is Coming
4. Wonderful (The Way I Feel)
5. Outta My System
6. Holdin' On To Black Metal
7. First Light
8. You Wanna Freak Out
9. Slow Slow Tune
10. Movin' Away

Artist Spotlight: Barricades

Hey everyone!


Kicking off your week with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight. This week, we're staying in the Boston area and checking in with an up and coming artist right out of Braintree, MA called Barricades. The band consists of Dan Norton on drums, Jared Walsh on lead vocals and guitar, Chris Norton on backup vocals and guitar, Justin Lutz on bass, and Matt DiVito on synth, keys, and backup vocals. The band has a simple, straightforward alt-rock vibe to them, reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World and immediately rapture the audience with their melodies that immediately strike a chord with the audience and passionate, heartfelt lyrics that gets the listeners undivided attention and make them want to pay attention to you. There are alot of bands out there that experiment with too many different genres that make their music sound convoluted and drowned out with too much electro influences or Auto Tune, but this band does a great job of not falling into that category with a simple, ear pleasing blast that doesn't feel the need to do anything too fancy or advanced and makes sure that their message is getting out loud and clear to the audience. Some of my favorite songs from these guys include "Drive Me" and "Lost".

For more info on the guys from Barricades, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/losbarricados The band is also on Facebook, and you can view their page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barricades/61988726694 To check out the band's official website, cruise on over to http://www.barricadesmusic.com/

Artist Profile: Radiohead

This week's Artist Profile is on one of the most prolific alternative rock bands in recent memory, Radiohead. Radiohead were formed in 1985 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England and the band consists of Thom Yorke on lead vocals and lead guitar, Jonny Greenwood on guitars and keys, Ed O'Brien on guitars and backup vocals, Colin Greenwood on bass and synths, and Phil Selway on drums and percussion. The members all met while attending an all-boys public school in England and formed a band titled On A Friday, which is in reference to the band's usual day of practice in the school's music room. The band slowly began to form a following in the indie music scene in England and the band started to pique interest from major record labels and producers. The band eventually signed a six album deal with EMI Records in 1991 and immediately began work on their major label debut. The band also changed their name to Radiohead, which is taken from the title of a Talking Heads song.

The band released their debut effort, Pablo Honey in 1993. The album contained the massively successful "Creep", which eventually peaked stateside here in the United States at #2 on the Modern Rock chart. Other tracks that were included on this release include "Anyone Can Play Guitar" and "Stop Whispering". The band's next effort The Bends followed in 1995, and contained such gritty tracks like "High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", and "My Iron Lung". Both the former and latter of these releases went gold in the U.S. and were very successful overseas as well. However, it was their next effort that would catapult Radiohead into legendary status with 1997's OK Computer. This album is considered to be one of the landmark alternative album of the 90's and one of the greatest albums of all time. The album contained such monster tracks like my personal favorite Radiohead song, "Karma Police", "Paranoid Android", "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and "Exit Music (For A Film)". The band embarked on a consistent touring regimen before settling down to begin work on their next effort, 2000's Kid A. The album achieved notable success and contained such awesome tracks like "Everything In Its Right Place", "Optimistic", "Idioteque", and "Motion Picture Soundtrack". The album was the band's second consecutive effort to receive a nomination for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

The band's next effort Amnesiac followed a year later, and consisted mostly of outtakes and B-sides leftover from the Kid A sessions, but produced some solid tracks like "Pyramid Song" and "Knives Out". The band took a breather before commencing work on their next effort Hail To The Thief in 2003. This effort is considered to be one of their most underrated albums overall, but produced classic tunes like "There There", "Go to Sleep", and "2+2=5". The band took a brief hiatus before reconvening in 2005 to begin work on their next album In Rainbows. This album was released digitally as a "pay what you want" model, meaning you could buy it for nothing if you wish and was considered to be a landmark distribution model for albums, despite objection from major labels worldwide. The album was released physically in 2008, debuting at #1 in both the U.S. and U.K. and received overwhelmingly positive reviews on the strength of powerful tracks like "15 Steps", "Bodysnatchers", "Reckoner", "House of Cards", and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place". The band just released their most recent effort The King of Limbs this past year,  and churned out songs such as "Lotus Flower" and "Morning Mr. Magpie". Radiohead have always been the band largely responsible for introducing me to other genres of music such as indie and electronic, and they have always struck me as a band who always think outside of the box and against the norm, and are quite simply a band that can do no wrong and have a long and fruitful career ahead of them.

All Time Low - Dirty Work

Coming out of Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland just outside of Baltimore, All Time Low are back on the scene with their latest effort, Dirty Work. The follow up to 2009's Nothing Personal and their major label debut on Interscope Records finds the group hitting at a different angle this time around, striking at the nerve center of the brain with amazing pop-punk rhythms and lyrics that make you want to go out and have a good time.

The album opens up with "Do You Want Me (Dead?)" a budding. diverse pop-punk tune that brings out lead singer Alex Gaskarth to take stage front and center with his beautiful and melodic voice blending in seamlessly with the cavalcade of guitars and drums found in great abundance here. The album's first single "I Feel Like Dancin'" is the ultimate guilty pleasure tune with lyrical references to Ke$ha "I think some dude just grabbed my junk/ now I know how Ke$ha must be feelin'", and brilliant production with co-writing credits from Weezer's Rivers Cuomo making this song the ultimate partystarter for your summer barbecues. "Guts" starts off with a midtempo groove before settling into a comfortable pattern full of synthesizers and other assorted instruments. Guitarist Jack Barakat sounds terrific here with his guitar expertise setting him apart from his other peers in the scene. My favorite song off the album is "Time Bomb", a pop-punk, synth-laden delight with Alex's vocals sounding top notch amid the sheer abundance of guitars and bassist Zack Merrick stepping up to the plate with his exquisite bass licks among one of the highlights of a brilliant tune from start to finish.

The disc's second half kicks off with "Under A Paper Moon" a loud, fast pop-punk train with an assortment of rhythms designed to have you singing along to every word. Drummer Rian Dawson makes sure the drums are pounding and getting through to the listener here on this one. "No Idea" brings down the tempo a bit with a toned down rocker that allows Alex to show off his vocal chops without the aid of Auto Tune that so many other bands and rappers rely on these days. "A Daydream Away" is a pleasant, acoustic styled ballad that is the perfect summertime love song and is the perfect display for Alex's voice to just coast the song along at ease. We're getting ready to end things here with "That Girl", a happy go lucky pop-punk delight with a bevy of rhythms that are primed and ready for the summertime. The disc's finale "Heroes" is a fast paced, straight to the point tune that closes out the disc with a chorus that you will remember and look back fondly on this disc. All Time Low have been one of the great success stories in pop-punk music, formed while out of high school and signed to Emerald Moon Records in 2004 where they released their debut EP The Three Words to Remember in Dealing With The End, and ultimately signed a record deal with Hopeless Records in 2006 where they released the Put Up or Shut Up EP. I'm so happy that these guys finally made it to the big leagues and are getting the attention they deserve from their fans.

To sum it all up, a terrific and well rounded effort from All Time Low, who have crafted the ultimate guilty pleasure delight for the summertime which in actuality, there is nothing guilty at all about liking this album. Crank this album loud and proud when you're out driving around this summer!

                                                                                                                             Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Do You Want Me (Dead?)
2. I Feel Like Dancin'
3. Forget About It
4. Guts
5. Time Bomb
6. Just The Way I'm Not
7. Under A Paper Moon
8. Return The Favor
9. No Idea
10. A Daydream Away
11. That Girl
12. Heroes

Artist Spotlight: Call Me Anything

Hey everyone!

Starting off your Tuesday with this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we're focusing on an up and coming pop-punk band right out of Boston called Call Me Anything! The band consists of Will Tenney on lead guitar, lead vocals and piano, Matt McNulty on bass and backup vocals, and Brandyn Dougan on drums. The band has a harmless, fun pop-punk sound reminiscent of Blink 182 and The Starting Line and has both incredible range and sharp, poignant lyricism that elevates them to a prominent status along with their peers. With the influx of pop-punk bands populating the scene these days, it's sometimes difficult to sort which bands have the potential for success in the future and which ones are one hit wonders and are easily forgettable. Call Me Anything definitely falls under the former rather than the latter as the band have all the tools necessary to conquer the scene and captivate their listeners and their hearts as well. Their debut single "Let's Talk" is all the evidence you need as to why this band is well on its way to future success.

For more info on Call Me Anything, head on over to their official website at http://www.callmeanything.com The band is also available on Facebook and you can like them at http://www.facebook.com/callmeanythingband and you can also follow the band on Twitter by going over to http://www.twitter.com/callme_anything The band released their debut single "Let's Talk" on May 24 and to listen to a preview of the single, head on over to http://soundcloud.com/call-me-anything/lets-talk-clip and if you like what you hear, purchase the song on iTunes right here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lets-talk-single/id435120713 Here is the cover art for the single:

Artist Profile: Paramore

Today's Artist Profile is one of my favorite pop-punk bands to come out in the last few years, Paramore. The band consists of Hayley Williams on lead vocals,  Taylor York on guitars and percussion, and Jeremy Davis on bass. The band was formed back in 2004 along with original members and brothers Zac and Josh Farro. The band's name is derivative of the word paramour which means "secret lover", but changed the name to Paramore to reflect the maiden name of one of the original bass players. Hayley was originally signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist in 2003, but she felt more comfortable with playing pop-punk music instead of straightforward Top 40 pop which is what the label originally wanted. The band released their debut album on Fueled By Ramen Records in 2005 titled All We Know Is Falling. The album went gold on the strength of such resonating tracks such as "Emergency", "All We Know", and "Pressure".  The band embarked on a string of prominent tours such as the Vans Warped Tour and their profile immediately became increased due to their consistent touring.

The band took a little breather before heading back into the studio to commence work on their follow up effort released in 2007 called Riot. This would be the album that catapulted Paramore into near superstar status. The album contained such career spanning tracks like "Misery Business", my personal favorite track "Crushcrushcrush", "That's What You Get", and "When It Rains". The album went platinum and the band kicked off a series of tour dates to coincide with the release of the album. The band's next effort followed in 2009 and it was titled Brand New Eyes. This effort would pick up right where the last one left off and continued Paramore's meteoric rise to stardom and contained such awesome tracks like "Ignorance", "Brick By Boring Brick", "The Only Exception", and the stunning "All I Wanted". The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart and eventually reached gold certification. Late last year, Zac and Josh Farro left the band due to a major fallout that they had with Hayley, claiming that they were just hired hands and were nothing more than a backing band for Hayley's solo career. Hayley then issued a statement denouncing Zac and Josh claims as unfounded and the band soldiered on as a trio. The band is currently working on material for their next album which should see the light of day sometime later on this year. When I first heard Paramore, I was immediately impressed with the band's musicianship and even more impressed with Hayley (who I've developed a huge crush on over the years), and the band's ability to turn that interpersonal strife between members into raw and brutally honest music that has captivated so many fans in such a short span of time. I can't wait to hear Paramore's next album and see how they will address their most recent troubles.

Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys

Bellingham, Washington's finest Death Cab For Cutie are back with their latest effort, Codes and Keys. The follow up to 2008's terrific Narrow Stairs finds the indie rock stars aiming for a more positive frame of mind and are moving away from the dark lyrical content that was populated on their last disc.

The album begins with "Home Is A Fire" a low key, atmospheric tune that greets you warmly with lead singer Ben Gibbard's soothing and introspective voice describing all the sounds and emotions that you are about to encounter on this disc. The disc's title track is an upbeat, bombastic tune complete with beautiful piano arrangements brought to you courtesy of keyboardist Ben Walla and light violin arrangements heard faintly in the background provide for a prominent emotional backdrop that we expect to hear on this album. "Doors Unlocked and Open" is a melodic, guitar driven tune that best encapsulates the shift in dynamic that Death Cab was aiming for on this album with Ben's voice interweaving through the guitar riffs quite easily. My favorite song off the disc is the album's first single, "You Are A Tourist" an upbeat, intricate tune that is classic Death Cab with its atmospheric guitar riffs shooting for the sky with Ben's voice guiding the song along with remarkable ease on its way to a wonderful sounding track.

We cruise into the album's second half with "Monday Morning" an experimental, fuzzy track with pleasant sounding rhythms and electronic infused guitars that make this a very enjoyable listen. "Portable Television" starts out with a calm piano pattern before the drums kick in and morph together to create a formidable and diverse sounding track. The disc gets ready to close up with "St. Peter's Cathedral" a low key, extremely down tempo number that features very light piano arrangements and at times, you can solely hear Ben's soothing and warming voice providing all the comfort that you'll ever need. "Stay Young, Go Dancing" closes out the album beautifully with uptempo acoustic guitar rhythms and Ben's introspective voice adding a certain beauty and charm to the disc that can't be matched by any other band out there. The change in emotional direction on this album can be attributed to changes in Ben Gibbard's personal life, as he got married last year to actress Zooey Deschanel, and that realization of happiness and comfort with his new wife seems to be reflected deeply in the lyrics and provides enough emotional depth for Death Cab to write material on.

In conclusion, a solid and well mapped out effort from Death Cab For Cutie, who continue to make their case as one of the best indie rock bands in music today and a band who present music in the most purest, raw, and delicate way possible that really leaves a lasting impression on all its listeners.

                                                                                                                                   Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Home Is A Fire
2. Codes and Keys
3. Some Boys
4. Doors Unlocked and Open
5. You Are A Tourist
6. Unobstructed Views
7. Monday Morning
8. Portable Television
9. Underneath The Sycamore
10. St. Peter's Cathedral
11. Stay Young, Go Dancing