Chris North - Near Far All We Are

Based out of Jamaica Plain, MA Chris North has released his debut effort titled Near Far All We Are. The song is a ambient, mellow mixture of singer-songwriter ingenue and delicate, focused guitar rhythms that are completely organic and doesn't feel the need to rely on extraneous production and all the bells and whistles that usually require a great deal of focus and concentration. All you need to do is focus on the simplicity of the music and allow it to take you away.

The disc gets underway with "I Gave Life To Love", a calm, breezy track that features Chris's delicate and passionate voice that runs rampant throughout every crevice of the song and relies on the power of the acoustic guitar to carry it along, which has a slight folk influence to it as well that helps it stick out to the listener and give them extra incentive to listen to the rest of the album. The remix of the song is a neat aperitif that gives the listener a different interpretation of the song and presents a singer-songwriter who thinks in a different light than other emerging musicians out there today. An instrumental track "Crane Beach - Atlantic Ocean" is essentially a soundscape of the beach that is a genius way to create an intermission that acts as a great transition point for the rest of the disc to take shape.

The second half of the record consists of "The Nature of Love", an earthy, folk based tune that features exquisite harmonies and deeply personal lyrics that add a great touch to an already well toned and defined album heard here so far. "US 1 North" is a calmly focused tune that relies upon deeply personal lyrics and simple yet elegant instrumentation to deliver Chris's musical message eloquently to the listener. A remix of the song that preceded this one presents another point of view from Chris that allows him to have another person in the room to guide him along and offer some positive vibes to guide him along throughout the rest of the track. The final track is another soundscape track to close the disc out, "Crescent Beach - Pacific Ocean" that is a warm and inviting reminder of everything that we've experienced on this album and how relaxing and escapist this musical adventure was, from the moment we hit 'Play' to the second it concluded, a worthwhile listen all the way around. It takes some time for singer-songwriters to develop a underlying theme to go along with their music, you can't just pick a random background to go along with your music. You have to make sure to get it right so that your audience will be able to follow and identify who you are just by the sound of your voice. Chris definitely has the correct musical formula for allowing his listeners to get a sense of who he is as a musician and what he can offer you musically for your enjoyment.

To sum it all up, a great effort from Chris North, who has brought his own unique musicianship and has developed an impression on his listeners as to who he is and why he is different from the current crop of singer-songwriters making it out there today.

                                                                                                                            Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. I Gave Life to Love
2. I Gave Life to Love (Many Mansions Remix)
3. Crane Beach - Atlantic Ocean
4. The Nature of Love
5. US 1 North
6. The Nature of Love (Animal Hospital Remix)
7. Crescent Beach - Pacific Ocean

Go Behind The Scenes of The Chicharones "Burn it Down" Music Video & Warped Tour Dates!

Hey everyone!

Portland, Oregon based hip-hop duo The Chicharones have just released a behind the scenes clip of the music video for "Burn it Down". The song is the first single from their brand new album titled Swine Flew, which will be released digitally on iTunes on June 19th. The duo is quickly becoming known for their fast paced rapping and highly melodic singing, and blends that with socially conscious lyrics and an incredibly dynamic stage presence that has garnered them a huge grassroots following that is slowly starting to build steam.

The group will also be among the dozens of acts gracing the stage at this summer's annual Vans Warped Tour extravaganza that will be making its way to venues all across the country! Here is the full itinerary to see where the duo will be playing in your area this summer:

6/16/2012 -  @ Utah State Fairpark Salt Lake City, UT 

6/17/2012 -  @ Sports Authority Field at Mile High Denver, CO 

6/20/2012 -  @ Luxor Hotel Parking Lot Las Vegas, NV 

6/21/2012 - @ Orange County Great Park Irvine, CA 

6/22/2012 - @ Pomona Fairplex Pomona, CA 

6/23/2012 - @ AT&T Park Lot A San Francisco, CA 

6/24/2012 - @ Ventura County Fair Ventura, CA 

6/27/2012 - @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA 

6/28/2012 - @ Camelback Ranch Glendale, AZ 

6/29/2012 - @ NMSU Practice Field Las Cruces, NM 

6/30/2012 - @ AT&T Center San Antonio, TX 

7/1/2012 - @ Reliant Center Parking Lot Houston, TX 

7/3/2012 - @ Gexa Energy Pavilion Dallas, TX 

7/5/2012 - @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Maryland Heights, MO 

7/6/2012 - @ The Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, MI 

7/7/2012 - @ First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre Tinley Park, IL 

7/8/2012 - @ Canterbury Park Shakopee, MN 

7/9/2012 - @ Sandstone Amphitheatre Bonner Springs, KS 

7/10/2012 - @ Klipsch Music Center Noblesville, IN 

7/11/2012 - @ Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, OH 

7/12/2012 - @ First Niagara Pavilion Burgettstown, PA 

7/13/2012 - @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ 

7/14/2012 - @ Parterre Île Notre Dame at Parc Jean-Drapeau Montreal, QC 

7/15/2012 - @ The Flats At Molson Canadian Amphitheatre Toronto, ON 

7/17/2012 - @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center Darien Center, NY 

7/18/2012 - @ Toyota Pavilion Scranton, PA
7/19/2012 - @ Comcast Center Mansfield, MA 

7/20/2012 - @ Susquehanna Bank Center Camden, NJ 

7/21/2012 - @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, NY 

7/22/2012 - @ The Comcast Theatre Hartford, CT

7/24/2012 - @ Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD 

7/25/2012 - @ Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach  Virginia Beach, VA 

7/26/2012 - @ Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood Atlanta, GA 

7/27/2012 - @ Central Florida Fairgrounds Orlando, FL 

7/28/2012 - @ Cruzan Ampitheatre West Palm Beach, FL 

7/29/2012 - @ Vinoy Park St.Petersburg, FL 

7/30/2012 - @ Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte,, NC 

7/31/2012 - @ Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH 

8/1/2012 - @ Marcus Amphitheatre Milwaukee, WI 

8/4/2012 - @ King County's Marymoor Park Redmond, WA 

8/5/2012 - @ Rose Quarter Riverfront Portland, OR

I've embedded the Behind the Scenes video for "Burn it Down" directly at the bottom of this post, plus an additional introductory video that gives you a better sense of who the group is and what kind of music they have to offer you. If you would like to purchase tickets to this year's Vans Warped Tour, head on over to the festival's official website at http://www.vanswarpedtour.com/ to buy tickets for the appropriate venue in your area. For more information on The Chicharones, head on over to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thechicharones and follow them on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/thechicharones

                                         

Artist Spotlight: Little Time Off

Hey everyone!

Rounding out the month of May with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight. This week, we head over to Minneapolis, MN and check out the eclectic sounds of Little Time Off. The group consists of Chris Mlazgar on lead vocals and guitar, Isaiah Cram on guitar, and John Michael on drums. The band has a fun, melodic pop-punk style similar to the likes of All Time Low and New Found Glory with an extensive focus on keeping the audience's attention all the way throughout the song with vivacious melodies and a goal to keep them coming back for more. A lot of upstart pop-punk bands sound too similar to their contemporaries they idolize and sometimes they sound so much alike that their message becomes lost in the music. These guys aim not to sound exactly like their peers currently established in the scene today, but draw upon some of their influence that helped them get noticed in the first place and hopefully that magic will rub off on the group in one way or another. An awesome upstart band that looks to have a promising future in the years to come. Some recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include: "Staring Back" and "Let It Go".

To find out more info on Little Time Off, head on over to the group's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/littletimeoff to see what the group have got going on lately in terms of tour dates coming around your area. The group also has a Twitter feed for you to keep in touch with at www.twitter.com/littletimeoff Head on over to the group's official website at www.littletimeoff.com to check out the band's music and to purchase merch as well among the plethora of features currently embedded on the site.

Liminal Phase - Liminal Phase

Based out of Minneapolis, MN Liminal Phase have arrived on the scene with their self-titled debut album. The album is a diverse and eclectic mix of prog-rock, psychedelic, and West African influences that when melded together, create a dynamic and deep effort that introduces a band that can't possibly be confined to one genre, and have their own unique identity to build upon and call their own.

After a brief intro, the song segues way into the first track, "Quantum Entanglement", a track featuring calm and ambient piano rhythms, which are handled eloquently by DeVon Gray who also handles occasionally bassoon and flute duties as well. The song is a ensemble effort that brings together each members' individual talents and translates into a well bodied mixture that is a bold and artistic statement right up front. "Mugabe's Blues" is a melodic, upbeat tune that blends in various West African influences reminiscent of Vampire Weekend and feature outstanding guitar rhythms from Adam Levy and allows the band to let loose and be who they are, immensely talented musicians who just generally love to perform music and think outside of the box while doing it. "3 Etudes (Soul Stir/Band of Poughkeepsies/Sahel Satie)" is an epic, sprawling 10 minute track that requires a great deal of thought and concentration to fully grasp and appreciate the musical elements that are on display here, from African inspired rhythms to lightly tuned guitar rhythms heard faintly in the background and gentle keyboard strokes that make this track one of the most musically deep and cohesive tracks we've heard so far on the disc.

We dive into the second half of the disc with my favorite song off the disc, "Loose Change", an ambient, calm mannered track that features jazz inspired rhythm syncopation that will have you grooving along as the song progresses and shows off the band's versatility and their ability to dabble in other genres seamlessly without much difficulty transitioning whatsoever. "Rhapsody (Intro/Driving/Wandering/Grinderbox/LeadZap/Wandering/Stax/Break/In Slendro)" is an expansive effort, clocking in at just over 13 minutes and takes us on a journey throughout the confines of the musical universe with elements of keyboards and drums helping us make sense of this long and worthwhile journey that will leave you in wonder and amazement after this song has ended at just how much musical ground you've covered in a span of time. We get ready to close out the disc on "QE Appendix ii", a distorted, ominous tune that gives you a brief shot of light instrumentation that really captures the intensity that lays in between musical interludes as it transitions over into the next track and the disc's closing song, "Crow Wing" that features a dazzling acoustic guitar arrangement that brings a sense of finality to the album and allows us to see how far we've come musically on this long yet immensely entertaining effort that is a great album to listen to if you're looking for a break from the ordinary. A great number of upstart bands these days are trying new methods to capture the attention of the listener, whether it'd be dabbling in genres that only handfuls of people listen to or not having to rely on the use of vocals to put a focus on the instrumentation at hand to get the band's message across to the listener clearly and accurately. Liminal Phase are doing just that, and are among those acts that are beginning to usher in a new age of musical intensity that hasn't been heard of before.

All in all, a fantastic and well constructed effort from Liminal Phase, who have a full grasp of what music both feels and sounds like at the same time, while giving the listener some lasting memories and impressions that will leave them coming back for more.

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Fanfare
2. Quantum Entanglement
3. And the Robots Made Love
4. Mugabe's Blues
5. 3 Etudes (Soul Stir/Band of Poughkeepsies/Sahel Satie)
6. Quantum Entanglement Appendix 1
7. Loose Change
8. Rhapsody (Intro/Driving/Wandering/Grinderbox/LeadZap/Wandering/Stax/Break/In Slendro)
9. And the Robots Made God
10. QE Appendix ii
11. Crow Wing  

You can look for this album on Spotify for your listening pleasure at: Liminal Phase – Liminal Phase

Artist Spotlight: Brookline Drive

Hey everyone!

Returning to bring you an all new edition of Artist Spotlight for this week. This week, I have an up and coming band from Hartford, CT by the name of Brookline Drive for you to check out. The band consists of Ben Lemieux on lead vocals, Rich Paquet on drums and backup vocals, Spencer Hillman on guitar and backup vocals, and Jordan Hillman on bass and backup vocals. The band has a eclectic, straightforward pop/rock sound similar to that of All Time Low and have an intense focus on vocal harmony, most evident on the track "She's So Beautiful", where each member of the band lets their vocal harmony shine in full intensity. Some of their music has a slight electronic influence as well that injects a little dance flavor to the track and makes them stand out from the crop of other pop/rock bands out there today. I caught these guys in concert a couple of months ago at The Middle East Upstairs opening for perennial powerhouse band (and last year's Artist Spotlight of the Year winner), Call Me Anything. These guys displayed a energetic and dynamic stage presence where the crowd reacted enthusiastically to what they had to offer them. A great local band that should be appearing more prominently on the musical radar relatively soon.

For more info on Brookline Drive, head on over to the band's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/brooklinedrive While you're there, stay tuned in to the band's latest music, buy some of their merch, and find out where the band will be playing at a concert venue near you. The band can also be followed on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/brooklinedrive and get all the latest updates straight from the source!

Molly Moore - Into The Daylight EP

Hailing from Hastings-on-Hudson, NY Molly Moore has arrived on the scene with her debut EP titled Into The Daylight. This promising newcomer has a passionate and heartfelt voice that breathes life into each and every song that she makes, bringing to life a new breed of singer-songwriter that hasn't been heard before in quite some time.

The disc opens up strongly with "The Way You Do" a melodic, pop-rock tune that shows us everything she has to offer with an all around enjoyable listen that will have you listening as the days of summer quickly approach us. "All Your Crazy" is a toned down, acoustic based tune that shows us a different side of Molly and presents a diverse and more than capable songwriter with dazzling rhythms and heartfelt lyrics that really signify an artist who handles all facets of her performance aspect with remarkable aplomb. "Growing Pains" is another heartfelt ballad that is a perfect showcase for Molly's voice to take center stage and become the focal point for the listener to take notice of everything that she has to offer you.

The EP's second half takes shape with my favorite song off the disc, "Quicksand" a breezy, country styled tune that has just the right amount of spark to set it apart from all the other tracks featured here on the EP. We start to settle into the closing tracks of the disc with "Scars", a midtempo and deep track that shows off the strength of Molly's songwriting and her capabilities of handling everything thrown at her with incredible ease. The EP closes out with the disc's title track, a song that brings together all the elements we heard concurrently and presents an quick, encapsulated synopsis of everything we've heard so far in one terrifically put together track. Pop music is an ever evolving field, and is constantly shifting its tastes from bubblegum pop to former Disney TV stars, this effort is not like any of the aforementioned genres. This is an effort from a extremely talented singer-songwriter who has a strong sense of what type of music she wants to perform to her open minded and willing audience.

Overall, a great debut effort from Molly Moore, who looks to be a promising young talent in the years to come and offers up something different from the crop of other emerging pop stars coming around today.

                                                                                                                            Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. The Way You Do
2. All Your Crazy
3. Growing Pains
4. Quicksand
5. Scars
6. Into The Daylight

How WFNX Affected My Life

As some of you may already know, highly influential Boston alternative radio station WFNX was sold to Clear Channel Entertainment earlier this morning in a highly shocking move that no one saw coming. I for one, thought that maybe the station had another 5 years of life left to it so no one knew when or how soon this move would be coming, so this isn't a total surprise to me. What mark this will leave on the Boston area music scene remains to be seen, but the barren empty void will be felt for years to come.

I have been an avid FNX listener for about 12 years now, and I listened to them more often than I did of their local rival WBCN because I liked their approach for breaking new bands in the local Boston music scene, and their mix of past 80's and 90's era alternative tracks and pairing them with some of the newer, current ones out there. One thing that I loved about the station was all the on-air personalities that worked at the station, everybody from Julie Kramer, Paul Driscoll, Jim Ryan, Henry Santoro, Fletcher from The Sandbox morning show, Adam 12, and countless others who injected their love for music onto the airwaves and kept the loyal and devoted listeners tuning in and wanting more from the personalities that they loved so much. I will be forever grateful to FNX for making me a devoted music fan and I probably wouldn't be sitting here writing this post or doing this blog for that matter if it wasn't for them.

FNX changed my life in the sense that I got introduced to a countless number of bands that I wouldn't have found out about from any other station out there. Numerous bands like The Pixies, The Killers, The Kooks, and Foster The People I heard about first from FNX and got an immediate adrenaline rush anytime any of these bands' songs were played on the radio and also kept me tuning in to hear some of the newer tracks from some of the up and coming Boston area bands that were starting to appear as blips on the radar. When I heard the news today, I felt like part of me died and felt an immediate void that really speaks to heart as to the state of the music business right now. This is a shining example of what happens when a bunch of big-headed suits running a major corporation decide to ruin an independent minded station like FNX, for the only reason being that they have a ton of money and wanted to turn a profit from purchasing a station. It's unknown if FNX will live on in the terrestrial sense online, but today May 16, 2012 was a day that I will not soon forget and has made me realize that you don't know how much you really value and cherish something until it's gone. This is how strongly I feel about WFNX, sort of like the feeling you get when one of your best friends moves away and FNX was like a friend to lean on when times got tough and were always there to lend an open ear. I will always be forever grateful to FNX for introducing me to the world of music as I know it today.

BREAKING NEWS!! WFNX To Be Sold To Clear Channel!

Breaking news coming in just now. Boston alternative radio station WFNX is being sold to Clear Channel Communications in a shocking move seen by no one. Here is the memo that was sent to the staff of the station:

Dear Members of the PM/CG Family:

Because this is an emotional announcement to make, let me cut right to the chase.

This morning I met with the staff of WFNX  to announce the pending sale of the station to Clear Channel Communications.

Over the years, WFNX has done spectacular things. Since 1983 the station has played an historic role in bringing new music to audiences in and around Boston. We introduced Nirvana and Pearl Jam to wider audiences in 1991. Together with the Boston Phoenix we staged the notorious Green Day concert at the Hatch Shell in 1994. Three years later, FNX and the Phoenix organized a group reading and broadcast of Allen Ginsberg’s controversial poem Howl, featuring talents as varied as rocker Peter Wolf and Poet Lauriat Robert Pinsky, along with civil liberties attorney Harvey Silverglate and me. We’ve formed creative partnerships with local museums and many other important not-for-profit organizations such as the AIDS Action Committee. In addition, for years we broadcast One In Ten, the only program on a commercial radio station in the nation dedicated to the issues and lifestyles of the GLBT community. And throughout it all, FNX has continued to break new music, most recently the work of Foster the People, Fun, and Gotye -- to name just three.

Here comes the catch....

Despite its celebrated history, its cutting edge programming , its tradition of breaking new music, its ardent fans among listeners and advertisers, for some time it has been difficult to sustain the station  -- especially since the start of the Great Recession.

And that is why the station is being sold.

The mechanics of the situation are this:

WFNX will the file the paperwork necessary to trigger the license transfer with the Federal Communication Commission later today.

WFNX will remain on the air during the time it takes to complete the FCC process.

Events and concerts -- such as the Best Music Poll (June 13th) and the Seaport Six (June 14th) -- will take place as scheduled.

The best place to get news about the last round of FNX happenings will be to stay tuned to the station itself.

In closing, let me salute the scores of immensely talented and dedicated staff who sold the ads, promoted the events, programmed and played the music, and did so many other things that made WFNX a national force in modern rock and -- most important of all -- a force, an outlet, and a sponsor for the music that defined Boston for nearly 30 years. It was a great run and I will miss the station.

Thank you all,

Stephen M. Mindich

 WFNX has been on the air since 1983, with the very first song played on air being The Cure's "Let's Go To Bed". Since then, it has been a haven for alternative music fans to get their fix on the latest bands, and helped break some of the genre's mainstays including Nirvana, The Killers, Florence + The Machine, Foster the People, and countless others. This station has been solely responsible for all the music that I listen to on a daily basis and this is a incredibly sad day for the local Boston music scene. Leave all your comments on this story here on the blog and on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Artist Spotlight: Me vs. Gravity

Hey everyone!

It's Tuesday and time for this week's Artist Spotlight feature. This week, we're staying put in Boston and checking out the incredible sounds of Me vs. Gravity. The band consists of Zach Nelson on lead vocals and guitar, Ben Meyers on drums, Dave Colicchio on guitar, and Jeff Kinsey on bass. The band has a raw, dynamic sound similar to that of My Chemical Romance with their own unique twist on it and personalities that match the sincerity of their music. I got the chance to check them out in concert a couple of months ago at The Middle East Upstairs where they were opening up for another Beantown area band, Call Me Anything. I was genuinely impressed with their set and the way the audience reacted to their songs, something that is really important to gauge how popular a band is within their scene. I chatted briefly with Zack and Ben after their set and was impressed with how kind and genuine souls they were and how much they enjoy performing to sold out crowds. Some recommended tracks for you to check out from these guys include "Walls" and "The Crime of the Scene".

For more information on Me vs. Gravity, cruise on over to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mevsgravity and 'Like' their page as well while you're there. You can also follow the band on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/mevsgravity to grab all the latest updates direct from the band. More of the band's music can be found on ReverbNation at www.reverbnation.com/mevsgravity and the band's debut EP "Walls" can be downloaded at iTunes by clicking on this link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/me-vs-gravity/id436440264

Harvard Baseball Team's "Call Me Maybe" Lip Synch Video!

Hey everyone!

A viral video has been making the rounds on YouTube recently, and it's one that helps promote a good cause as well. The Harvard University baseball team released a cover video this past Sunday of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe". The video features the band doing a syncopated dance routine coupled with the band taking turns lip synching various parts of the song. You also might notice in the left hand corner of the van, one member of the team taking a nap who was actually asleep during the entire time they filmed this video. Since being released on Sunday, the video has racked up 2.6 million views on YouTube and has even made the rounds on the local news here in Boston.

The video also helps promote a good cause that the team is involved in. Beneath the video on YouTube, there's a link to a charity sponsored by the team called Friends of Jaclyn, an organization that helps children with brain tumors and pair them up with college athlete role models to help foster nurturing relationships in the process. A great video with an excellent message to go behind it as well.

To see the video for the team's rendition of "Call Me Maybe", I've embedded it for you directly below and if you would like more information on the Friends of Jaclyn charity, head on over to the organization's website at: www.friendsofjaclyn.net

Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods

Los Angeles, California's own Silversun Pickups have released their brand new studio effort titled Neck Of The Woods. The follow up to 2009's Swoon finds the alt-rockers continuing to evolve their sound, while still retaining that distinct aura about them that put them on the map back in 2006 with their debut release, Carnavas.

The disc opens up with "Skin Graph", a calm, ethereal tune that quickly builds up steam as it goes along, with the superb vocal work of frontman Brian Aubert, pairing with bassist Nikki Monninger on backup vocals creates a dual vocal harmony that is the trademark of the band and is their most identifiable characteristic. The album's amazing first single "Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)" is also my favorite song off the album, a melodic, intricate blast that features pulsating guitar riffs and Brian and Nikki's amazing vocals lifting the song higher and higher into the stratosphere and will definitely grow on you after repeated listens. "Busy Bees" has an intricate drum beat that moves along well with the tempo of the song and slows down the overall pace to add a little more diversity to an already solid album heard so far. "Here We Are (Chancer)" sees the band continuing to slow down the intensity a little bit and show off the group's ability to handle compositions in varying degrees of tempo. "Mean Spirits" picks back up the intensity a bit and returns the band to a fast paced, distortion filled collage that is a solid tune and a overall enjoyable listen.

We segue way into the disc's latter half with "The Pit", an edgy, distortion filled track that exemplifies the band's craft and how meticulous of an approach they take on each and every song they make. The album starts to draw to a close on "Gun-Shy Sunshine" a downtempo, intricate tune that shows the group's remarkable depth and their ability to weave fierce melodies and advanced guitar licks that are two of the main components of the group's success right up until this point. The disc ultimately draws to a close on "Out of Breath" an eerie, frenetic tune that best encapsulates the group's sound to a T and the level of intensity that they bring on each and every song they create. When I first heard them back in 2007 with their song "Lazy Eye", I was thoroughly impressed with what the group brought to the table with such an intricate, experimental tune that was unlike anything I've ever heard before and I was convinced that I would be hearing more from the group in the near future. And lo and behold I did, with their sophomore effort Swoon which contains my favorite Silversun Pickups song, "Substitution" and I was immediately sold on the band from there and was convinced that they would be a mainstay on the music scene for years to come.

Overall, a great third effort here from Silversun Pickups, who are continuing to build up their cred as one of alternative rock's best bands and continue to evolve and move in a different direction on each and every album they make, something that other groups these days are a bit hesitant to do.

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Skin Graph
2. Make Believe
3. Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)
4. Busy Bees
5. Here We Are (Chancer)
6. Mean Spirits
7. Simmer
8. The Pit
9. Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)
10. Gun-Shy Sunshine
11. Out of Breath

Artist Spotlight: The Cinnamon Band

Hey everyone!

Starting off your Tuesday with another edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we head down to Virginia and discover the sweet sounds of The Cinnamon Band. The duo consists of John Harouff on guitars and Neil Campbell on drums. The group has a distinct, organic folk/indie rock hybrid similar to that of Fleet Foxes, but with a much more country oriented approach and a strong sense of rhythm and being in tune with one another that helps make the songs pop and stand out from the rest of the pack. Their sound is indicative of the type of music that is popular in the Virginia area and also enables them to act as a beacon to help other on the rise acts from the area gain notice and traction, and also helps them to learn to work together with their peers and help each other out, which is what upstart musicians try to do as much as they can. A great duo with a pure, unadulterated sound that can go anywhere with just the right timing.

The duo just released their brand new 7" last week containing the songs "Black Love" and "Tough Love" via Funny/Not Funny Records. To place your order for the brand new vinyl release, simply head on over to the label's website at www.funnynotfunnyrecords.com To find out more information on the band, cruise on over to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cinnamonband To follow the duo's exploits on Twitter, make your way to www.twitter.com/cinnamonband for all the latest updates direct from the band! The band's official website at www.cinnamonband.com has all the latest upcoming dates for the duo among a host of other features.

Flashback Review: Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window

Released 10 years ago on this date back in 2002, Something Corporate's debut album "Leaving Through The Window" was one of my favorite albums growing up and one of several from the Drive-Thru Records roster that I listened to repeatedly from start to finish. This effort was a harmonious mixture of piano-fueled punk-pop that had never been unified before, but when it was joined together it became an incredible effort that helped spearhead the pop-punk movement that would resonate for much of that decade and help usher in a whole new sound in the process as well.

The album opens up with the marvelous "I Want To Save You" a mid-tempo, piano driven effort that features lead singer Andrew McMahon's impeccable vocal presence that is the benchmark of all of SoCo's work and helps fuel the emotional output of the whole album. "Punk Rock Princess" amps up the intensity factor on this record with high energy guitar riffs brought to you courtesy of William Tell and Andrew's magnificent vocals working their magic once again. My absolute favorite track on the album is "I Woke Up In A Car", a emotional, heartfelt track that grips at you instantaneously with Andy's genius piano melodies working their magic throughout the track and quickly picks up momentum as the song goes along, a masterpiece from start to finish. "If You C Jordan" continues the melodic onslaught with a furious mixture of hard edged guitar riffs and a ferocious blend of Andy's piano expertise that matches the mood of the song perfectly. "The Astronaut" is a downtempo, piano fueled track that shows you why Andrew McMahon is an incredible frontman with the passion you can feel dripping from his voice and the piano adding a comfort level to the song and making you feel you're right there watching Andy perform the track live right in front of you. "Hurricane" starts off with a terrific acoustic guitar medley before settling into a consistent rock groove that resonates strongly throughout the entire track. "Cavanaugh Park" is a simple structured, piano based tune that allows the song to flow along at ease solely based on the sound of the piano alone.

The disc's second half starts off with "Fall", a mid-tempo rocker that features many of the sounds heard on the preceding half of the record and a great emphasis being put on melody and the song's ability to reach the listener, something that the album has already accomplished a great deal so far. "Good News" returns to its piano roots with Andrew belting it out on a passionate and heartfelt track that is one of the many highlights of this record. "Drunk Girl" is a fun, laid back song that allows the band to go outside the musical box a little on a track with extraordinary depth from everyone involved and Andy adding a great deal of personality and vivacity to an all around great track. "Not What It Seems" tugs at you emotionally immediately when the song starts with a gripping piano melody latching onto you and feeding the energy directly to you and allowing you to feel exactly what the band is feeling at the same time when they recorded this song. This album concludes on "Globes and Maps", a track that takes us on a journey through the whole album and presents to you all the sounds we've heard on the hour long trek and allow the album to close out on a positive note and make us feel like the listen was worthwhile. The very first time I saw Something Corporate was on their reunion tour back in the summer of 2010, and it was one of the Top 5 best concerts I've ever been to in my lifetime. So much so, that I was almost in tears by the end of the performance because I was so pleased with how incredible was. Andrew McMahon has outstanding stage presence and really connects well with the fans both in between songs and afterwards when he's signing autographs. (Afterwards he personally signed my copy of Leaving Through The Window after the performance which I keep right next to my stereo as a collectors item). Truly an inspiration to myself and countless other musicians out there aspiring to achieve greatness in their lives.

Overall, an amazing and incredible debut effort from Something Corporate, who made their presence known as one of the greats in the pop-punk scene and a band that truly knows how to connect with their fans both in song and in person.

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. I Want To Save You
2. Punk Rock Princess
3. I Woke Up In A Car
4. If You C Jordan
5. The Astronaut
6. Hurricane
7. Cavanaugh Park
8. Fall
9. Straw Dog
10. Good News
11. Drunk Girl
12. Not What It Seems
13. You're Gone
14. Globes and Maps

BREAKING NEWS!! Beastie Boys Adam Yauch Has Died!

Sad news just coming right now as we speak. Adam Yauch, co-founder of the massively influential hip-hop group The Beastie Boys, has died from cancer at the age of 48. Adam, who went by the stage name of MCA, helped co-found the group in 1979 and initially started out as a hardcore band before changing their style to hip-hop in 1984. The group got their first big break opening for Madonna on her Virgin tour in 1985 and released their debut album, Licensed To Ill in 1986 which became their biggest commercial success to date, selling over 9 million copies and producing such instantly infectious tracks as "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)", "Brass Monkey", and "Girls". Several more studio albums followed over the years, including Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head (which produced my favorite Beasties track "Sabotage") and "So What'cha Want". The band took a hiatus and made a huge return in 1998 with Hello Nasty, producing the instantly catchy track "Intergalactic" which sold over 3 million copies. The band didn't make another album again until 2004 with To The 5 Boroughs, producing the #1 Modern Rock hit "Ch-Check It Out" and brought the group even more fans as well.

In 2009, Adam was diagnosed with salivary cancer and immediately underwent radiation therapy to treat it. The band delayed release of their next album Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 indefinitely until Adam was well enough to record. The album eventually saw the light of day last May and Adam was unable to appear in any music videos from the album due to his illness. He recently dropped out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where his group was slated to be inducted and perform as well, but his health was deteriorating. This is a major loss for the music community and was a major influence on both the rock and hip-hop genres, allowing rock fans to enjoy hip-hop and have them co-exist with one another. He will be sorely missed by all.

Hoodie Allen - All American EP

Plainville, New York's latest rapping sensation, Hoodie Allen has arrived on the scene with his brand new EP entitled All American. Hoodie, whose real name is Steven Markowitz, is taking the skills that he learned when he was younger and is applying it to real world situations that is starting to take shape and get noticed by the general public.

The disc starts off with "Lucky Man", a breezy and simple structured tune that features Hoodie's fluid and direct rhyming approach that allows each song to break through upon first listen and keep your interest all the way throughout. "No Interruption" features some slick rhyming skills and more intricate beats heard distinctly in the background that see a progression into a more diverse and creative track than the preceding song. "Eighteen Cool" features some surprising pop elements that show off Hoodie's diversity as an artist and his ability to transcend genres and bring in music listeners who aren't traditional hip-hop fans into the mix here.

The second half of the EP kicks off with "No Faith in Brooklyn" featuring Jhameel. The song has a more pure, authentic urban edge and sees Hoodie trying some different rhyming skills that will have the listener stop and take notice of all the skills and qualities that he is capable of. My favorite song off the album is "Small Town", a track that sees Hoodie slowing down his rhyming speed a little so that you can take notice of the lyrics and the more upbeat tempo will have you grooving along to the song as you're playing it. The EP winds down on "Ain't Gotta Work", a track that features some slight piano rhythms and an overall aura that closes out the disc on a proper note and brings together all the musical elements that we heard in one way, shape, or form on this disc and presents an overall synopsis of the album to give an idea to the prospective listener what to expect to hear on the EP. Hoodie had a rather interesting path en route to his musical career, he worked at Google headquarters out in California and would focus on his music after he got out of work, and would stay up til 3AM sending out e-mails to schedule concerts. He eventually left his job at Google to focus on his music career once he got openings to play at live shows. This shows how smart and educated he is, and also how much drive and ambition he has and how dedicated and focused he is to practice his craft every day and do what he loves to do every day from the moment he wakes up until he goes to bed late at night.

Overall, a solid and well focused effort from Hoodie Allen, who has shown that hard work pays off and the fruits of his labor have already shown with his album debuting at #10 on the Billboard 200 album chart upon its release two weeks ago. An awesome talent with a wealth of potential for greater success further on down the road.

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Lucky Man
2. No Interruption
3. Eighteen Cool
4. Top of the World
5. No Faith in Brooklyn (f/Jhameel)
6. Small Town
7. High Again
8. Ain't Gotta Work

Artist Spotlight: Mojo Kick

Hey everyone!

Kicking off May Day with another, all-new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we stay in Boston and head up to Stoneham, MA and discover the sweet and rocking sounds of Mojo Kick! The band consists of Andrew Warnock on backing guitar, John Fiore on lead guitar, Eric Melkonian on bass and lead vocals, and Colby Blauvelt on drums. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what this music is comparable to, but the best way to describe it is a melodic, ferocious blend of Jimi Hendrix-esque rhythms and mixed in with a hint of Led Zeppelin that gives the band their own unique blend of swagger and musical attitude that makes them stand out from the crowd. Eric's vocals are absolutely superb and bring the songs to life and when combined with John's masterful guitar skills and on-stage persona, the group rounds out to be a formidable presence on the music scene for some time to come. I checked these guys out for the first time this past Saturday at Hard Rock Cafe in Boston and they put on a fantastic show that showed off all the aforementioned qualities that I mentioned previously and a whole lot of charisma and energy to show off to the listening audience. A great local band to keep an eye on in the days to come. Some recommended tracks that I really enjoyed include: "Wild Girl" and "Come and Leave".

For more information on Mojo Kick, head on over to the group's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Mojo-Kick/218655707867 The band's music is also on ReverbNation, and you can access that page by going to www.reverbnation.com/mojokick to experience the magic and wonder that is Mojo Kick! You can also follow the band on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/mojokick for all the latest updates pertaining to the band.