Adele Cancels Remaining Concert Dates!

Hey everyone!

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

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

Hey everyone,

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

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

Wilco - The Whole Love

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

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

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

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

                                                                                                                         Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

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

Report: Amy Winehouse Died From Alcohol Poisoning!

Hey everyone,

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

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

Artist Spotlight: Bomb Pilot

Hey everyone!

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

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

Saves the Day - Daybreak

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

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

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

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

                                                                                                                     Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

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

Artist Spotlight: The Sheepdogs

Hey everyone!

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

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

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery

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

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

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

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

                                                                                                                       Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

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

Artist Spotlight: Vacationer

Hey everyone!

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

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

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

Former Weezer Bassist Mikey Welsh Found Dead!

Hey everyone,

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

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

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

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

The Academy Is... Announce Breakup!

Hey everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

Yours, The Academy Is...

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

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

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

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

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

BREAKING NEWS!! Steve Jobs Has Died!

Hey everyone,

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

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

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

Jack's Mannequin - People and Things

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

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

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

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

                                                                                                                       Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

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

Artist Spotlight: The Fates

Hey everyone!

Kicking off the week with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight. This week, we have a homegrown band right out of Boston called The Fates! The band consists of Beau Cassidy on lead vocals, Josh Friedman on keys, Jon Green on lead guitars, Dan Alport on bass, and Tyler LeVander on drums. The band has a melodic, energetic pop/rock feel to them similar to that of Maroon 5 and Gavin DeGraw that instantly allows the songs to explode right out of the speakers the minute you hit 'Play'. Beau's voice is stunning and highly developed and gives the songs their incredible energy source. If you're wondering, Beau is the son of David Cassidy from "The Partridge Family" fame that gives him instant name recognition, but also enables him to stand out on his own to share his own individual and unique talents to a captive listening audience. With a bevy of pop/rock bands looking to crossover to a mainstream audience these days, some of these bands don't get the big break they're looking for. With The Fates however, these guys have an immediate grasp on intense melodies that run rampant throughout their music, hooking melodies that grasp onto you instantaneously, and driving, passionate vocals that make you want to continue listening to their music. Some standout tracks from these guys for you to check out include "Jump!" and "Miss America".

For more info on The Fates, head on over to their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thefatesmusic To follow the band on Twitter, point your browser over to http://www.twitter.com/thefatesmusic The band's official website has all their music and upcoming show information at http://www.thefatesmusic.com While you're there, check out the band's video of their cover of Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". A remarkable and entertaining take on the smash hit!