Mumford & Sons - Babel

Mumford & Sons are back it again with their all new studio release, Babel. The follow up to 2010's Sigh No More finds the British bred folk group reaching a whole new stratosphere of greatness with a sharp and focused effort that expresses the bands pure folk rock dynamic and their ability to weave in a sharp emotional spark that keeps the listener tuned in all the way through leading to one of their most creative efforts to date.

The disc starts off on a grandiose scale with the title track, a full fledged folk rock sing along with the lead vocals of Marcus Mumford bringing wave to a slew of vivacious instrumentation and neatly laid out instrumentation that has no frills attached and allows you to focus on each piece individually. "Whispers In The Dark" tones it down slightly, but brings in elements of accordion courtesy of Ben Lovett and some distinct banjo elements from Winston Marshall that pumps up the diversity factor quite a bit and gives the listener something immensely entertaining that will keep them occupied all the way throughout. My favorite track off the release is the bombastic first single "I Will Wait", an intensely personal number that reads like a love song, but can be interpreted in a vastly different number of ways and really tugs at your heartstrings the moment you hear it and Marcus' sharp vocal power will leave you totally jarred and amazed with the exquisite and raw talent this group is capable of displaying at any given time. "Ghosts That We Knew" is an eerie, ominous number with toned down acoustic guitar numbers bringing the overall mood down several notches, and ushers in a different kind of tempo that we haven't seen on this album just yet, but is incredibly refreshing to hear what else the group has up their sleeve. "Lover of The Light" picks it up with a more upbeat frame of mind and a incredible instrumental arrangement that is too perfect to be ignored and sets up the second half with incredible promise.

And the second half begins with "Reminder" a downtempo, melancholy number that is a short, simple composition to fill up the plentiful space on the album and is a great focal point for Marcus to express his deep vocal persona on a well bodied track right here. "Hopeless Wanderer" begins with an intricate piano number and a deep emphasis on vocal harmony that sees everyone coming together for a terrific track that showcases each of the member's individual talents that aren't as noticeable if one member of the group isn't present. We start to usher in the final two songs on the album with "Below My Feet", a calm and comforting number that brings about a sense of musical warmth and the band's immense talent of transcribing the emotion happening around us through the power of song. The disc ultimately draws to an end on "Not With Haste" a pure, unadulterated blast of raw folk sensibility and the amalgamation of all the previous musical elements that we heard in the prior pieces and offers us a recap of what we've heard so far in our long-fulfilled journey to the end. As I've mentioned on my blog several times before, folk rock has enjoyed a incredible resurgence recently, coupled with raw folk ideals presented to us in a more modern format. Bands like The Avett Brothers and Fleet Foxes are helping charge this movement, but Mumford & Sons translates it for us in an extremely dynamic and creative fashion that makes everything else pale in comparison and puts them on a pedestal above the other groups out there today.

Overall, a wonderful and top notch effort here from Mumford & Sons, who are continuing to bring their musical mission to the masses here with a dynamic, high energy set that perfectly encapsulates who these guys are and accurately portrays them as one of the most electrifying and entertaining bands out there in the world of music today. Highly recommended and one of the best albums of the year so far!

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Babel
2. Whispers In The Dark
3. I Will Wait
4. Holland Road
5. Ghosts That We Knew
6. Lover of the Light
7. Lovers' Eyes
8. Reminder
9. Hopeless Wanderer
10. Broken Crown
11. Below My Feet
12. Not With Haste       

Artist Spotlight: Young Man

Hey everyone!

Moving along with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we have a promising on the rise band from the Windy City of Chicago called Young Man. The group consists of Colin Caulfield, Emmett Conway, Joe Bailey, Jeff Graupner, and Darien Williams. The band bills themselves as dabbling in creative pop, with distinct indie rock sensibilities thrown in for good measure and a calm, ambient attitude to match that immediately makes you feel relaxed and in tune to the well rehearsed tunes coming at you. I managed to catch these guys in concert last month at Great Scott in Allston and they put on a marvelous show that perfectly encapsulated their blend of indie pop and a mellow, toned down personality that perfectly matches what these guys are like offstage: humble and extremely passionate musicians who love what they do for a living and thoroughly enjoy communicating with their fans as well. A terrific young act with a wealth of potential coming on their path relatively soon. Some recommended tracks for you to uncover include "By and By" and "Do".

For more info on Young Man, head on over to the group's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/youngmanmusic While you're there, you can find a link to stream their music directly from the page along with a list of their most recent tour dates. The band can also be followed on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/youngmancec where you stay up to date on the latest goings on from the band right this minute. I highly recommend you listen to the band's latest album "Vol.1", which you can pick up on iTunes at this link and stream on Spotify right here.

EXCLUSIVE: Interview w/ Ewan & Ryan from The Sheepdogs

Hey everyone!

Closing out the week and the official end of summer with an all new artist interview. Today for you guys, I have an exclusive sit down chat with frontman Ewan Currie and bassist Ryan Gullen of the Canadian band The Sheepdogs. You may remember the band as they were a past Artist Spotlight artist earlier in the summer and the band recently released their self-titled, major label debut on Atlantic Records that was reviewed here on the blog earlier this month. The members were nice enough to invite me on their tour bus just before their show the other night at The Middle East Downstairs to do this interview and we caught up on the band's beginnings and what they like to do on the road for fun. Here is the transcript from that interview:

How does it feel to play in Boston, I understand you guys played here a few years ago?

Ewan: Yeah it was terrible, this should be alot better because there will be more than 0 people. (Laughter)

How did you guys all meet and when did the band form?

Ewan: Ryan and I went to high school together, Sam we knew through a mutual friend and we started a band because we were sick of going to college and then met Leot a couple of years later and hit the road and didn't make any money for years.

How easy or difficult was it to initially get noticed in a remote part of Canada near where you live?

Ryan: It was very difficult, Saskatchewan is in the middle of nowhere and in order to do anything you have to travel 20-30 hours. Toronto is kind of the epicenter of music in Canada at least, so you're kind of always traveling, hustling to get people to notice you, it was a long road for us. Over 6 years of touring basically we're putting in somewhere.

What bands and/or genres does your music draw influence from?

Ewan: A lot of people say classic rock, it could be anything from The Beatles to soul music like Sly and The Family Stone or Curtis Mayfield or The Band, any music that sounds good,. We're not trying to be The Rolling Stones necessarily, we're just trying to throw a bunch of styles, licks, and harmonies, things that we like all together.

Where do you feel your music is best experienced: in the studio as you're recording it or live in front of hundreds of fans?

Ewan: There's two sides, it's really awesome for a live show, we feel we put on a good, sweaty rock show that's a lot of fun to have a beer and come out to, but also I think the album is fun to listen to in your car or a pair of headphones on in various altered states.

How has music helped shape or enrich your lives up until this point?

Ewan: I think we all care deeply about music, not to get like too deep but it's sort of a spiritual thing, it feels great to listen to and we all feel real passionate about it and it's obviously what we centered our lives around creating. Hopefully, the fans can feel as passionate about music as we did when we listened to records.

Ryan: Something we're so passionate about that we lived basically broke for many years in order to be able to do it.

Take us behind the making of your self-titled, major label debut and how you hooked up with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys to produce it?

Ewan: It was a blind date. (Laughter) We met in New York and we just threw the question at him and he agreed to do it. It was no rocket science, it was just dudes who like rock n' roll music, trying to make a record that was going to be exciting, timely, and just good to pump up loud.

How cool was it to shoot the baseball themed music video for "The Way It Is"? Can you take us behind that?

Ryan: It was cool. Friends of ours, The Sklar Brothers are comedians from L.A., we cut through out there over beers, asked if they would shoot our music video, and they accepted it, coming up on that idea right away. It was alot of fun, you know I think alot of times people take music videos too seriously and we like funny videos, we like any funny videos on the Internet so it's cool to make one of our own and it's really fun to go down to L.A. and knock some kids around playing baseball as opposed to doing a typical performance video which is kind of an uncreative music video, it was cool doing something to make our own. Also, Ewan and Sam are big sports fans specifically, it was cool to show that side of us as well.

Ewan: There's nothing worse in a music video that's just a band performing intercut with actors acting out some melodrama, that's the worst video. We wanted to stay far away from that as we could.

What do you guys like to do for fun when you're out on the road or back at home?

Ewan: On the road, we watch movies and play video games. I hit the YMCA today, we played basketball that could be my new go-to I think, it's a good way to get a workout.

Ryan: Especially when we're traveling around to other places outside Canada, we like to check out food and stuff, trying to go to different restaurants, record stores, when we were in Australia we rented some scooters and drove around, that was pretty fun.

What do you guys have coming up next after you wrap up your current tour?

Ewan: It pretty much goes right into a Canadian tour which will take us until the end of the year. The future is pretty much keep on the move, keep on playing, keep introducing people to the music and just do everything we can to keep the ball rolling cause the last thing we want to do is anything that isn't this. 

Thanks once again to Ewan and Ryan from The Sheepdogs, who were super nice and humble guys and just love to play music and as you have gathered from the interview, have made it their livelihoods traveling around the country exposing different people to their blend of music. If you would like more information on The Sheepdogs, visit their official website here, check out their Facebook page here, and follow them on Twitter here. Their self-titled debut album is now available in fine record stores, iTunes, and Spotify as well!     

Bear Language To Perform At CollegeFest 2012 This Saturday!

Hey everyone!

Boston based group (and past Artist Spotlight feature) Bear Language will be performing at CollegeFest 2012 this Saturday afternoon at the Hynes Convention Center in downtown Boston! They will be sharing the stage with a host of other on the rise musical acts such as Wale and The Cataracs, and the event will be hosted by Kel of the classic Nickeoldeon series Kenan & Kel. There will also be a slew of booths there from a host of different sponsors tailored to the college age crowd, and the event is sure to be well attended with the warm weather scheduled for that day driving the people there in droves to see all that the festival has to offer!

For more information on the festival and to buy tickets. head over to the festival's website at www.collegefest.com where you can also get a list of all the exhibits that will be there from a host of different sponsors. The event will take place this Saturday, August 22nd & Sunday, August 23rd with the doors opening at 12pm, so get your tickets in a hurry or you'll miss out!

The Killers - Battle Born

Fresh from an extended hiatus, Las Vegas' own The Killers are back with their brand new studio release, Battle Born. The follow up to 2008's Day and Age finds the alt-rockers continuing to evolve greatly from their groundbreaking 2004 debut Hot Fuss, and implementing musical elements on a grandiose scale that puts them on a different pedestal and in a class all their own.

The disc kicks into gear with "Flesh and Bone", a synth and keyboard laden opus that reintroduces us to the introspective lead vocals of Brandon Flowers, who has his own style and aura that puts him in a different class of frontmen who look to evoke the style of music they're playing and implement it either in their persona or what they wear when they're performing on stage. The disc's first single "Runaways" is an introspective, melodic tune that is classic Killers all the way with lightly tuned guitar riffs that build in intensity and Brandon's dynamic vocals adding the distinct hallmark touch to the song that is evident on all of their prior work up until this point. My favorite song off the new release is "The Way It Was", a bombastic yet simple tune that perfectly evokes The Killers musical mission here: create straight ahead simplistic tunes, then layer it upon distinct harmonies that when heard, sound like a pulsating meter getting higher and higher as the song progresses, an all around terrific tune. "A Matter of Time" brings down the kinetic energy quite a bit and instead focuses on a more simplistic approach with an excellent drum beat by Ronnie Vannucci Jr. that gives the song an organic component that is a welcome change of pace form the album we've heard so far.

The second half of the disc starts off with "Miss Atomic Bomb", a downtempo, moody number that ushers in a feel of melancholy, and shows off the band's ability to transcend different emotions and articulate exactly what is going on at this very moment. "Heart Of A Girl" is another low key number that is a perfect opportunity for Brandon to express his simplistic vocal persona that does a great job of telling a story and seeing how the listener reacts to the lyrics through the power of song, which is the primary goal of music in general. We start to usher in the album's end with "Be Still", an eloquent, passionate number that allows Brandon's voice to be the focal point of the song and where all of the sheer energy emanates from as well, giving the instrumentation an opportunity to relax a little bit and enjoy what the final songs have to offer the audience. The disc's title track closes everything out with a more upbeat approach that brings back the instrumentation for one final encore with symphonic arrangements and a simple outlook that give the song a proper way to exit and brings everything we've heard together at the forefront to examine firsthand what we've listened to on the way to the end. I was intrigued when I first heard The Killers back in 2004 when "Somebody Told Me" was impacting alternative radio that summer, and was amazed at the band's ability to craft highly textured songs that while they were within the alternative genre, brought in mixtures of indie rock and even some electronic influences as well that put the group in a different genre all their own and was highly revolutionary in transforming the genre in a sense where bands realized that they didn't have to reside within the genre they were playing in, and found that it was a good idea to step outside their comfort zone for a change and learn to see what's outside their window.

All in all, a solid and passable effort from the Killers, who have emerged from their four year break recharged, refocused, and ready to re stake their claim as one of alternative rock's most lasting and most evolving bands that is easily able to adapt to the ever changing music world that we live in.

                                                                                                                                Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Flesh and Bone
2. Runaways
3. The Way It Was
4. Here With Me
5. A Matter of Time
6. Deadlines and Commitments
7. Miss Atomic Bomb
8. The Rising Tide
9. Heart of a Girl
10. From Here On Out
11. Be Still
12. Battle Born 

Artist Spotlight: Melanie Lynx

Hey everyone!

Fall is around the corner, and also on the horizon is an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, we're staying put in Boston and uncovering the sounds of a emerging and talented songwriter by the name of Melanie Lynx. Melanie has slowly been gaining steam as of late with her debut single titled "First Time" that eloquently displays her pristine voice and intricate songwriting that sets her apart from the other up and coming songwriters on the rise today. Her style of music is a mixture of pop-rock that evokes the style of Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson, but with a more sophisticated and straightforward style that is all her own and an absolutely dynamic voice to match that is truly spectacular and someone you need to pay attention to if you're looking for a break from the ordinary type of music that you find on the radio airwaves these days. A supremely talented songwriter that I would love to see gain even more attention in the months and years to come.

For more information on Melanie, head on over to her Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/melanielynx where you can stay up to date on all the latest news concerning her. She has a Twitter feed as well that can be accessed by going to: www.twitter.com/melanielynx where you can interact with her and see what she's up to at this very minute. If you would like to listen to her song "First Time" via her Facebook page, click here and it's also available for purchase on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify as well! The music video for that song is now available for viewing on her YouTube page by clicking right here.

The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter

Concord, North Carolina's own folk masters The Avett Brothers have released their all new studio album, The Carpenter. The follow up to 2009's I and Love and You finds the folk rock group continuing to diversify their sound while still retaining their initial folk credibility that put the band on the map and opened up a wealth of devoted fans who clamor for new music from them almost constantly.

The disc opens up with "The Once and Future Carpenter" a wholesome, down to earth folk ballad that introduces you to the lead vocals of Seth Avett, who takes turns with his brother Scott in a stripped down tune that is a harmonic joy and a sight to behold right in front of you. The disc's first single "Live and Die" is my favorite song off the album, and sees the group amping up the melodic velocity substantially from the prior song with Seth and Scott's vocals once again rising to the occasion and the country tinged sound screams for you to bond with the group and join them in a sing-along, an absolutely sensational track. "Pretty Girl From Michigan" is a more upbeat tune that sees the band inserting more prominent guitar arrangements that give the song a little bit of a rock edge and gives the band some diversity and makes them stand out from the current crop of folk acts out there today. "February Seven" tones it down a notch on a raw, homey folk track that brings everyone together and experience the magic unfold as it happens right before you.

We start the second half off with "Through My Prayers" a heartfelt, romantic ballad that sees Seth and Scott's vocals reaching a whole new level of depth with relaxing melodies omnipresent in the background, and the soft guitar sounds grab a hold of you and keep you company all the way through, just like a special someone in your life. "A Father's First Spring" continues to bring it with a comforting and inviting track that makes you forget your worries and put all your troubles aside and listen to what the talented gents have in store for you laying ahead. "Geraldine" is an upbeat, bombastic tune that amps the energy level substantially and allows the listener to enjoy a different facet of the band that we haven't seen much of this album, but is a welcome change. We get ready to close up shop with "Paul Newman Vs. The Demons", a track that contains hints of electric guitar and presents a band that isn't afraid to dabble in harmonies that they aren't accustomed to, but do a wonderful job of putting together with such ease and authority. "Life" wraps it up in an aura of harmonic bliss with Seth and Scott putting their dual vocal power to wonderful use on a track that blends together everything we've heard so far and combines it to show what we've heard on this wonderful and well focused album. This album was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, who produced the band's previous effort and has worked with a broad range of artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run DMC, and even Johnny Cash on his American Recordings series. His landmark producing style enables the band to just relax and be themselves and on occasion, dabble in genres that they wouldn't have thought about venturing in otherwise that in the long run makes the group more dynamic and allows them to go outside their comfort zone a bit.

In conclusion, a wonderful and well rehearsed follow up effort from The Avett Brothers, who have continued to bring their unique folk/country blend to the masses and intersperse it with occasional harder-edged rhythms that will make the group more noticeable to the music listener passing by and please the casual music fan in the process, satisfying everyone in the long run.

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. The Once and Future Carpenter
2. Live and Die
3. Winter in My Heart
4. Pretty Girl From Michigan
5. I Never Knew You
6. February Seven
7. Through My Prayers
8. Down With The Shine
9. A Father's First Spring
10. Geraldine
11. Paul Newman Vs. The Demons
12. Life   

100th Artist Spotlight Feature: Mod Sun

Hey everyone!

My blog, MusicBoxPete reaches a major milestone this morning. Today, I'm proud to announce that I've reached the plateau of 100 artists that have been covered in my weekly Artist Spotlight series! Artist Spotlight first debuted on the blog during the summer of 2010 as a semi-recurring feature, then it became a regular weekly feature on the blog later on that fall and has become a hallmark staple of the blog where every Tuesday, an emerging artist from the New England area would get their opportunity to shine and be noticed for all of their musical accomplishments and have me come along and describe what sets them apart from the other artists out there. Eventually, it evolved where on occasion I would feature some artists from outside of the Boston area and all across the U.S.A., and sometimes I would even feature artists from outside of the country from places such as Russia and the Czech Republic.

I'm truly honored to have covered so many diverse and entertaining artists that have the ability to transcend from the ordinary type of artist making their way in the scene today, and offer up something different and inviting for the casual music listener like myself. Thanks to all my readers for making this feature of the blog such a huge success and a big thanks to all the artists for taking part and making such groundbreaking and authentic music! And without further ado, I gladly present my 100th Artist spotlight subject... Mod Sun:

Mod Sun is a rapper from Bloomington, Minnesota and has really left an indelible impression on me with his upbeat, positive attitude and his unique blend of hip-hop that's not actually rap, but he describes as something called "hippy-hop". Basically, it's hip-hop without stereotypical references to gangs, girls, guns, nice shoes, or flashy cars and instead focuses on more positive aspects of life such as being your own person, helping a friend of yours out, and being in control of your own destiny. I first stumbled upon Mod Sun on YouTube, when I came across an interview he did with Bryan Stars that featured Pat Brown (his DJ/tour manager), plus Alex and Jack from All Time Low and I was absolutely enthralled with his outrageous and awesome personality that fit in perfectly with the type of music that he performs on a regular basis and his upbeat take on life in general really sets him apart from the other musical acts out there. A lot of artists (especially rappers) should take some notes of what Mod Sun is doing and learn to implement the same kind of positive outlook that he portrays on a daily basis in his own personal life. An outstanding rapper with a whole wealth of potential of even greater success laying right at this feet. Some recommended tracks from him to check out include "Happy as Fuck" (f/Pat Brown) and "Hug Life".

For more information on Mod Sun, cruise on over to his Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/friendbase and look to see what he's up to this very minute. He's also available to be followed on Twitter by going to: www.twitter.com/modsun and see what tour dates he has coming up soon that may be dropping by your area! His official website at modsunmusic.com has a link to his clothing company, Modern Sunshine (which is essentially the merch for Mod Sun) among other pertinent features that you'll definitely find worth your while. His latest EP titled "Happy as Fuck" is now available on iTunes, Spotify, and all other fine digital music retailers.

Melanie Lynx Releases Music Video For "First Time"!

Boston based singer songwriter Melanie Lynx has just released her music video for her debut single titled "First Time". The video was directed by Jen Morgan, a professional photographer and videographer from the area and was shot on location in Jamestown, Rhode Island with beautiful scenery and Melanie's voice to go along with the stunning images and guide the listener along on this wonderful track!

The video for "First Time" can be found directly below for your viewing pleasure, and if you would like more information on Melanie, head on over to her Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/melanielynx and you can follow her on Twitter as well at: www.twitter.com/melanielynx If you would like a free download of "First Time", point your browser to this link: http://on.fb.me/N5bIRl

The Demon Beat & The Super Vacations To Release New Vinyl LP's!

Hey everyone!

A couple of bands from the Funny/Not Funny Records roster will be releasing some new music within the next couple of months. First up, The Demon Beat who have been mentioned here before numerous times on the blog and have been a former Artist Spotlight subject, will be releasing their brand new album titled "Less is Less". The album is now available for pre-order from the Funny/Not Funny website and everyone who places a pre-order will receive a 5 song bonus EP as a neat little add-on for supporting the group.

Lastly, The Super Vacations are gearing up for the release of their vinyl LP titled "Heater Pt. II" that is sure to make a welcome addition to your growing vinyl LP collection! Additionally, both this LP and the aforementioned Demon Beat LP are entered in a contest where one lucky winner will receive a free test press for the respective vinyl that they pre-ordered. More info on this contest is available on the Funny/Not Funny Records website at: www.funnynotfunnyrecords.com Also, both bands will be heading out on tour relatively soon, and here are the respective concert dates for The Demon Beat and The Super Vacations:

The Demon Beat

9/21/2012 Charlestown, WV; The Empty Glass
9/22/2012 Logan, WV; West Virginia Independent Music Festival
9/28/2012 Morgantown, WV; 123 Pleasant Street
9/29/2012 Huntington, WV; Ritter Amphitheater
10/6/2012 Washington D.C.; The Codmother
10/12/2012 Harrisonburg, VA; Blue Nile
10/13/2012 Raleigh, NC; Slim's
10/14/2012 Knoxville, TN; The Well
10/15/2012 Nashville, TN; The Basement
10/19/2012 Austin, TX; The White Horse

The Super Vacations

9/14/2012 Richmond, VA; Strange Matter
9/15/2012 New York, NY; Death By Audio
9/16/2012 Philadelphia, PA; Underground Arts

For more information on The Demon Beat and The Super Vacations, I've posted links to their respective social networking sites directly below where you can receive all the latest news pertaining to the group:

The Demon Beat Facebook | Twitter | BandCamp
The Super Vacations Facebook | Tumblr

Interview w/ Luca of Bear Language

Hey everyone!

Before heading into the weekend, it's time for another entry in my ongoing interview series with past Artist Spotlight feature bands. Today, I sit down with Luca Buccellati, guitarist of the Boston based trio Bear Language who were featured here on the blog as an Artist Spotlight a few weeks ago. Luca was kind enough to devote some time from his ever busy schedule to sit down and talk about some of the band's influences, how they got started, and what they're up to this very minute. And without further ado, here is the transcript from that interview:

Give your names and what you do in the band?
Luca, guitar/vox
Archi, bass
Ian, drums

How did you come up with the name Bear Language?
Luca: That is a question few people know the answer to.

How did all of you guys first meet up?
Luca: College.

How would you describe the genre of music you play to someone not familiar with you guys?
Luca: You just have to listen to it, I can't really be the one to tell you how it sounds.

Take us behind the genesis of "The Ventriloquist" and how that album came about?
Luca: It was a song we'd been working on for a while that ended up turning into a 9 minute jam. We were lucky enough to record at Converse's Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn. The lyrics are inspired by a poem Ian wrote.

What's it like to play in the Boston music scene and what has the response been thus far to your music?
Luca: I feel like nowadays more people want to listen to DJ's play. Those are the guys that seem to draw the young college scene and play to hundreds of thousands of people every month. For us, it's mostly our involvement in a growing music scene based in a genre some would say is losing ground, or had it's time. The response has been good and growing. I'm interested to see what the Boston music scene has to offer us during the rest of our stay.

What would you say is the most rewarding part of being in a band?
Luca: Definitely the camaraderie, faith and companionship I share with my bandmates.

What do you guys like to do in your spare time when not making music or playing shows?
Luca: Lately, catching up on Breaking Bad, or reading. I enjoy spending time outside, and conversing with folk.

Are you guys working on any new material and when can we expect it to be released?
Luca: Yes we've done a shit ton of work this past year. You'll have to keep in touch to find out exactly when we'll be releasing.

Why should people check out your music and come out to your shows?
Luca: Cause we just got a kick ass light show.

Thanks once again to Luca for being so gracious with his time to do this interview! It's great to hear from local artists who are upfront and honest about their music and are so devoted and passionate about what they do for a living. The band will be playing a show at Cafe 939 on September 15th w/ The Shills & Strange Changes. To RSVP to the show via Facebook, head on over to: http://www.facebook.com/events/356746894401518/ Tickets for the show are only $8.00 and if you would like to purchase one, head on over to: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=3b71add99c4eee0973cfc47e671d5569&t=tix For more information on Bear Language, head on over to their Facebook page and like it here and follow them on Twitter right here. If you need some visual aids as to what to expect from a Bear Language show, here is a pic from one of their past shows showcasing the energy and visual euphoria that the band eloquently displays each and every time they perform:

Kyoto Drive Releases Music Video For "Breathe"!

British based band Kyoto Drive has just released their brand new music video for the song, "Breathe" from their brand new mini-album titled The Approach. The video was produced by Josh Partridge, who has helmed projects for artists such as Deaf Havana, Portia Calls, The City Calls, and Sell Your Sky. The concept of the video and song revolves around attracting the desires of a girl and the efforts of the boy to attempt to woo and court the young woman. The band has been mentioned numerous times here on the blog, so it would definitely be worth your while if you check out this band that has been tearing up mainland England and hopefully has its sights set on the U.S. relatively soon!

The band is also heading out on a supporting tour in their homeland with Hawthorne Heights, and will be heading out on a mainland tour of Europe with There For Tomorrow from Hopeless Records as well. Below are the dates with Hawthorne Heights followed by the dates with There For Tomorrow:

9/19/2012 THE HAUNT, BRIGHTON

9/20/2012 THE PEEL, KINGSTON 

9/22/2012 MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER
9/23/2012 VENUE, NEWCASTLE 

9/24/2012 TUNNELS, ABERDEEN 

9/25/2012 DEXTER’S, DUNDEE
9/26/2012NEWMARKET BAR, THURSO

9/27/2012 STAIRWAY, GLASGOW
9/28/2012 THE WELL, LEEDS
9/29/2012 THE SUGARMILL, STOKE

9/30/2012 HOBO’S, BRIDGEEND
10/1/2012 CRAUFURD ARMS, MILTON KEYNES

10/2/2012 FACEBAR, READING

10/26/2012 THE PEEL, KINGSTON (UK)
10/27/2012 ROCK CAFE, LEUVEN (BE)


10/28/2012 TIEFGRUND, BERLIN (DE)


10/29/2012 ROCK-HOUSE, SALZBERG (AT)


10/30/2012 DURER KERT, BUDAPHEST (HU)


10/31/2012 B72, VIENNA (AT)

11/1/2012 BLACKOUT CLUB, ROME (IT)

11/2/2012 LA MARQUISE, LYON (FR)

11/3/2012 DAMAGE FESTIVAL, PARIS (FR)

11/5/2012 SCHLACHTHOF, BREMEN (DE)


11/6/2012 DYNAMO, EINDHOVEN (NL)
 

The video for "Always" is embedded directly below for you to check out, and if you would like more information on Kyoto Drive, head on over to the band's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/kyotodrivemusic and they are on Twitter as well at: www.twitter.com/kyotodrive

The Bynars Release New Music Video For "Every Little Thing You Love"!

Hey everyone!

Boston based indie-pop band The Bynars have just released a brand new, 10 minute short film/music video for their song "Every Little Thing You Love". The concept of the video is about a girl who falls in love with an alien and from there, the story takes turns into the weird and unexplained where she is being harassed by bullies wearing cardigan sweaters, and lives on a diet of Moxie root beer and a non-existent breakfast cereal called Frosted Frogs. The video culminates with her matching wits with an evil scientist as well! A very wacky video when you first see it, but after you've watched it all the way through, it will make much more sense to you.

I've posted the video directly below for your viewing pleasure, and if you would like more information on The Bynars, head on over to their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/thebynars and follow them on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/thebynars You can also check out their official website at: www.thebynars.com

The Sheepdogs - The Sheepdogs

Emanating from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, The Sheepdogs have arrived on the scene with their major label debut and self-titled release. The band has some prominent Southern rock and blues influences that hearken back to the days of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young, but the group have their own definite style and sophistication that puts them on a different playing field than the other up and coming bands making their way in the scene today.

The disc gets off to a great start with "Laid Back", a toned down, roots rock number that lets you get acquainted with the wonderful lead vocals of Ewan Currie, whose vocal abilities allow each song to have its own identity and allow the album to have a wealth of diversity that you just can't get from any other disc out there. "Feeling Good" picks up the blues rock influence quite a bit, and is evident from the production credits of Patrick Carney from The Black Keys, who lent a hand in producing this album which also lends a stamp of approval as you know that the album was in caring and committed hands from the start. "Alright OK" is a pure, Southern influenced gem that has the feeling you're relaxing out on a porch somewhere down South enjoying your lemonade while the summer breeze is waving through your airspace and comforting you all the way through. "Ewan's Blues" starts out with a comforting piano piece that melds in beautifully with the moody, blues oriented guitar riffs that lead this song to a comforting and promising future. My favorite song off the album is the down and dirty first single, "The Way It Is" a tough, gritty hard-nosed rocker that pulls no punches with Ewan's vocals jumping out at you when you first listen to it with the downright nasty guitar riffs making this song a treat to listen to and one you're sure to have on repeat for multiple listens as well.

We enter the album's second half with "I Need Help" a melodic, straightforward rock jam that gives the listener some variety in the process and a glimpse into the band's creative process and how they construct each composition they make, from songwriting right down to the instrumentation put on display here. "Is Your Dream Worth Dying For?" picks up the melodic intensity quite a bit and relies on Ewan's thick and heavy vocals reaching new heights and propelling this song in a different realm than all the others. "How Late, How Long" sounds like a 70's era throwback jam that The Allman Brothers might create with wonderful harmonies and the band's divine instrumentation lending a hand to an already stellar and full bodied album put forth so far. "In My Mind" is an downtempo, aural delight with pleasant guitar melodies instantly making you feel relaxed and right at home with this comfortable jam. The album starts to close out with "While We're Young" an eclectic, fun-filled jam that is an instant grower with Ewan's strong vocal abilities and upbeat instrumentation giving way to a full focused rocker that knows what it wants to sound like before the song even begins. The album closes out with "It Ain't Easy To Go", a mostly acoustic based number that relies on its blues oriented roots to craft a wonderful and reflective tune that takes in all of the previous elements we heard in one way, shape, or form here and presents it in an encapsulated format that showcases all the diverse and broad musical elements that we've heard on our musical journey here. When I first heard The Sheepdogs last fall, I was enthralled with their bare bones, Southern rock influenced jams that reminded me of classic rock bands from the late 60's and early 70's who we don't see as of much of in this day of age, and the fact that they all have long flowing hair and epic beards lends to their authenticity and their image as a straight shooting roots rock quartet.

All together, a wonderful and well thought out effort here from The Sheepdogs, who have made a terrific first impression on their prospective listeners with a sharply focused and straight up terrific album that showcases the band's remarkable musical craft and how authentic they sound when you first hear them. Definitely recommended!

                                                                                                                                  Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Laid Back
2. Feeling Good
3. Alright OK
4. Never Gonna Get My Love
5. Ewan's Blues
6. The Way It Is
7. Javelina!
8. I Need Help
9. Is Your Dream Worth Dying For?
10. How Late, How Long
11. Sharp Sounds
12. In My Mind
13. While We're Young
14. It Ain't Easy to Go

New Found Glory Announce 10th Anniversary "Sticks and Stones" Tour!

New Found Glory have just announced this afternoon that they're planning to head out on the road for a 10th anniversary tour in commemoration of their landmark album, "Sticks and Stones". The band is following the likes of The Starting Line and Taking Back Sunday who are also heading out on remembrance tours for their respective albums. The tour kicks off on November 24th at Slim's in San Francisco, CA and will wrap up on December 16th at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The tour will stop by the Boston area at The Paradise on December 6th. Here is the full itnterary of dates just released:

11/24/2012 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
11/25/2012 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
11/26/2012 - Pomona, CA - Glass House
11/27/2012 - Las Vegas, NV - Hard Rock Café
11/29/2012 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
11/30/2012 - Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck
12/1/2012 - Chicago, IL - The Bottom Lounge
12/2/2012 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
12/3/2012 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
12/5/2012 - Pawtucket, RI - The Met
12/6/2012 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
12/7/2012 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
12/8/2012 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
12/9/2012 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
12/11/2012 - Towson, MD - The Recher Theatre
12/12/2012 - Greensboro, NC - Greene Street
12/13/2012 - West Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
12/14/2012 - Orlando, FL - The Social
12/15/2012 - Orlando, FL - The Social
12/16/2012 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room

Other bands that will be heading out on the road with them include The Story So Far who will play on the entirety of the tour, Seahaven who will play on dates from 11/24-12/3, and Candy Hearts who will be playing on dates ranging from 12/5-12/16. Pre-sale tickets for the tour will go on sale this coming Thursday 9/6 at 12:00 noon and general on-sale tickets will be available on 9/13. For more information on pre-sale dates and times in your area, please visit http://newfoundglory.frontgatetickets.com/ once that information becomes available.

Artist Spotlight: Today Junior

Hey everyone!

Kicking off September and the post Labor Day holiday with an all new installment of Artist Spotlight! This week, we head over to Allston, MA (Allston Rock City) and uncover the emerging sounds of Today Junior. The band consists of Craig Barter on bass and vocals, Harry O'Toole on guitar and vocals, and Mike O'Toole handling the drums. The band has a unique combination of indie rock and dance influences, sort of like if The Strokes and Tokyo Police club were in the same room together and decided to form a supergroup of sorts, that's what it sounds like. I just happened to catch the band in concert a few weeks back at Copperfield's in Boston, right in the Fenway area and they did an incredible job of making sure the audience's attention was focused squarely on them and on no one else in the room with the band's vivacious rhythms allowing them to fit in nicely and offer up a variety of sounds to an eager and willing listening audience. A great Boston area band that has the potential to be even more well known in the time laying ahead. Some recommended tracks for you to check out and take a listen to include "En Route" and "A-Line".

For more information on the guys in Today Junior, head on over to their Facebook page and 'Like' it at: www.facebook.com/todayjuniorboston where you can find out more info on the band and how to purchase their music through CDBaby. The band is also able to be followed on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/todayjuniorband where you can see what the band is up to this very minute and what shows they have coming up on the horizon as well. The band's music is also available on BandCamp and you can head on over to todayjunior.bandcamp.com where you can listen to their latest release, "When In Roam" and stream it from the website or purchase it for your listening enjoyment for just $3!