Hey everyone!
It's Tuesday and time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you a band straight out of New Haven, Connecticut called Speak In Verse. Speak In Verse consists of Donavon Cavanaugh on lead vocals and guitar, Travis Schwartz on lead guitar and backup vocals, Thiago Gomes on drums and backup vocals, and John Bock on bass and backup vocals. Speak In Verse's intense and melodic playing style can best be described as passionate, authentic, and straight forward pop punk that is very similar to the likes of Brand New, Thrice and Taking Back Sunday. Since I first heard them a few months back, I was truly impressed with their musicianship and the way they were able to express their raw and pure emotions through music, and quickly came to the realization that these guys are on the verge of making it big in the music scene. I'm truly honored to do a feature on these guys and can only imagine what the future holds in store for them.
The band just released their debut EP titled Simple Kids! Some highlights from the disc include my personal fave, 'This Side Up" and "Don't You Know". To hear songs from the Simple Kids EP, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/speakinverse If you want to become fans of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/speakinverse
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Interview w/ The Dead Beats
Hey everyone!
Hope you guys are keeping warm as the temperatures continue to drop outside! Today for you guys, I have an interview with a band out of Lowell, MA called The Dead Beats. The Dead Beats were an Artist Spotlight feature here on the blog back in September and have played a string of local shows in and around the Lowell area. Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Robichaud, Neal Guinane, and Phil Guay about the music of The Dead Beats, their influences, and what's in store for them in the future! So crack open a couple of PBR's and enjoy some quality time with The Dead Beats:
Give your names and what you do in the band?
Phil: I'm Phil, I play bass and I also background sing.
Jesse: I'm Jesse and I play drums and alot of stuff on the Internets.
Neal: I'm Neal and I play guitar and sing.
How did you come up with the name The Dead Beats and when did the band form?
Neal: The Dead Beats actually has a long, complicated story. (Laughter) The short version I guess, so we formed in 2006 and it was actually me, Phil, another buddy of ours from high school and the other buddy of ours from high school, he was a guitar player and he was actually just learning to play guitar, I taught him to play guitar. And, he actually came up with the name The Dead Beats cause he thought it was clever and he thought that I would get a kick out of it cause it was like The Beatles, it was slightly clever. So, there's where we came up with the name and kids lose interest, they lost interest and me and Phil played open mics forever just playing my songs, and then I came to school here and me and Jesse became friends. We actually became friends through jamming, I think he invited me over to jam on my guitar and he liked my tunes and then I told Phil, "Hey I found a drummer who likes our tunes!"
Jesse: No, I came to a house party, one of Neal's parents famous house parties and showed up with my drum kit. A friend invited me and I played with you and Sean.
Neal: Sean was my best friend, I've known him forever and he played guitar. And he left, he had a girlfriend and then he came back.
What genres and/or bands best represent The Dead Beats?
Phil: Rock N' Roll. Fucking rock n' roll.
Neal: I love The Beatles. but it's more of a Stones type of thing. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.
Describe the vibe and energy that comes from your live shows?
Jesse: When we go to put out a show, our main goal is to make it a party as much for us as for anyone out there. And so anyone that feels our music, the show is to have the party with them and so I feel like that's kind of the vibe we go with, when people talk to us about the band, they laugh about the "PBR" song, you know us being smokers and what not, that's part of it for them and it's a band rule to have a good time with them.
What is your favorite thing about performing live?
Phil: The girls dancing. (Laughter)
Neal: I like the people, I like performing because I like watching people get a kick out of it. Kind of going back to the last question, alot of time it depends on us, it depends on you were just feeling super confident when you're buzzed and sometimes you just got everything right, we just happen to be really good in doing that with instruments in our hands, but some nights are better than others, some nights you just look like an asshole, but I love being able to see how people react like that, it's fun for me.
Jesse: Yeah, definitely connecting with people at the shows is the best part, and hitting very hard. (Laughter)
What are some of your favorite songs to perform live?
Phil: I love playing "Storyteller". "Kissing Cousins" is another one.
Neal: You know what I love? "Do You Love Me?" I love that song!
Phil: Farmer Jon!
Neal: It's a good tune, it's so good, it's so simple. Farmer Jon!
Tell me the story about your song "PBR" and what was the inspiration behind it?
Neal: Pabst Blue Ribbon. I know it's really trendy, it has an emotional spot for me, I learned to drink on Pabst Blue Ribbon. I was in high school and I had a buddy who could buy beer and that's where I started, that's where I got my education on how to drink and look like an asshole while you're doing it, or at least minimize your looking like an asshole and he always drank Pabst Blue Ribbon so it was my first drink and I drank alot of it and got good at it I guess, so that's why I wrote "PBR" and the reason it sounds like a country hillbilly song cause I can't write songs without some sort of joke in there and Pabst Blue Ribbon is white trash, poor people buy Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Are there any embarrassing moments or have any embarrassing things happen to you while on stage?
Neal: PA's Lounge was our first show. PA's Lounge is this fucking crapplace in Somerville. I don't like to shit talk because we were so unprofessional, but you end up playing there if you're trying to get into Boston and we showed up early and me and Jesse go down days early, all kinds of fliers and CD's passing them out saying, "Come check out our show at PA's Lounge!" to people on the street. So we really did our homework and we go back, we get there early the next day and I'm with my brother and we find this place called Bull McCabe's, some Irish place and we hear this band in there belting out Finnegan's Wake some sweet ass Irish song, so we go in and we end up talking with this band who's playing and we get shitty drunk. And then we make friends with this other band called Ice Cream Social and then we take them back and we're like "Come to our show!" So, we go back there and we're like "Shots!" There's this other band playing called Leopold and His Fiction and they were awesome. So we get on stage, and you can't even remember what instruments are and we're just hammering it out, out of tune, forgetting words. Jesse used to carry a coconut on his drum for luck and the coconut falls off his drum, I step on it and fall flat on my ass just like that movie Walk The Line where Johnny Cash just falls over cause he's so fucked up, that was it. So the sound guy cuts us off and that's when Jesse gets pissed, spits on the floor and shit.
Jesse: I almost fought every person that works in PA's Lounge, the police showed up as I was leaving.
Neal: That was the most embarrassing thing that we have done as a band.
If you guys weren't making music together, what do you think you would be doing to pass the time?
Neal: I don't know man. I don't have any other hobbies. I'm studying to be a teacher, we're still studying to be teachers, that takes up most of our time. I like cars, I might build cars.
Phil: I'm still working on guitars, I love repairing guitars.
Jesse: I don't know. If I didn't have music, there would be nothing, no joining a gig. There's nothing else that could possibly replace music in any way.
What music do you guys like to listen to in your spare time?
Neal: I wish I listened to more music. I listen to alot of music. I teach lessons and I have to listen to music for school. I have to listen to songs that people call out. I write alot of my own music, but when I listen to music, I listen to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, there's this new band called Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, they're really cool. G. Love and Special Sauce, The Black Keys, The White Stripes. I don't watch MTV, I listen to NPR and stuff like that, I seek out alot of my own music, like a snob.
If you could have dinner with any 3 musicians living or dead, which ones would you choose?
Phil: Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Jesse: Charlie Parker, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Neal: Paul McCartney and Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix.
What are the band's future plans for next year and beyond? Tours? Heading back into the studio?
Phil: Yeah absolutely, we're looking to do some touring.
Jesse: We're in the studio now recording some new songs and we just released 2 songs "Litterboy" and "Marb Lights". So we're doing that and booking as we go. We want to tour, we need to figure out what to do.
What is the one thing you hope fans take from your music?
Phil: That it's just about having a good time.
Neal: Fun, music is not that serious.
Thanks once again to my pals Phil, Neal and Jesse for kicking back and taking some time to do this interview! They're wicked nice guys and were very welcoming to me in their apartment. For more on The Dead Beats, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/thedeadbeatsnh To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/DeadBeatsRock
Hope you guys are keeping warm as the temperatures continue to drop outside! Today for you guys, I have an interview with a band out of Lowell, MA called The Dead Beats. The Dead Beats were an Artist Spotlight feature here on the blog back in September and have played a string of local shows in and around the Lowell area. Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Robichaud, Neal Guinane, and Phil Guay about the music of The Dead Beats, their influences, and what's in store for them in the future! So crack open a couple of PBR's and enjoy some quality time with The Dead Beats:
Give your names and what you do in the band?
Phil: I'm Phil, I play bass and I also background sing.
Jesse: I'm Jesse and I play drums and alot of stuff on the Internets.
Neal: I'm Neal and I play guitar and sing.
How did you come up with the name The Dead Beats and when did the band form?
Neal: The Dead Beats actually has a long, complicated story. (Laughter) The short version I guess, so we formed in 2006 and it was actually me, Phil, another buddy of ours from high school and the other buddy of ours from high school, he was a guitar player and he was actually just learning to play guitar, I taught him to play guitar. And, he actually came up with the name The Dead Beats cause he thought it was clever and he thought that I would get a kick out of it cause it was like The Beatles, it was slightly clever. So, there's where we came up with the name and kids lose interest, they lost interest and me and Phil played open mics forever just playing my songs, and then I came to school here and me and Jesse became friends. We actually became friends through jamming, I think he invited me over to jam on my guitar and he liked my tunes and then I told Phil, "Hey I found a drummer who likes our tunes!"
Jesse: No, I came to a house party, one of Neal's parents famous house parties and showed up with my drum kit. A friend invited me and I played with you and Sean.
Neal: Sean was my best friend, I've known him forever and he played guitar. And he left, he had a girlfriend and then he came back.
What genres and/or bands best represent The Dead Beats?
Phil: Rock N' Roll. Fucking rock n' roll.
Neal: I love The Beatles. but it's more of a Stones type of thing. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.
Describe the vibe and energy that comes from your live shows?
Jesse: When we go to put out a show, our main goal is to make it a party as much for us as for anyone out there. And so anyone that feels our music, the show is to have the party with them and so I feel like that's kind of the vibe we go with, when people talk to us about the band, they laugh about the "PBR" song, you know us being smokers and what not, that's part of it for them and it's a band rule to have a good time with them.
What is your favorite thing about performing live?
Phil: The girls dancing. (Laughter)
Neal: I like the people, I like performing because I like watching people get a kick out of it. Kind of going back to the last question, alot of time it depends on us, it depends on you were just feeling super confident when you're buzzed and sometimes you just got everything right, we just happen to be really good in doing that with instruments in our hands, but some nights are better than others, some nights you just look like an asshole, but I love being able to see how people react like that, it's fun for me.
Jesse: Yeah, definitely connecting with people at the shows is the best part, and hitting very hard. (Laughter)
What are some of your favorite songs to perform live?
Phil: I love playing "Storyteller". "Kissing Cousins" is another one.
Neal: You know what I love? "Do You Love Me?" I love that song!
Phil: Farmer Jon!
Neal: It's a good tune, it's so good, it's so simple. Farmer Jon!
Tell me the story about your song "PBR" and what was the inspiration behind it?
Neal: Pabst Blue Ribbon. I know it's really trendy, it has an emotional spot for me, I learned to drink on Pabst Blue Ribbon. I was in high school and I had a buddy who could buy beer and that's where I started, that's where I got my education on how to drink and look like an asshole while you're doing it, or at least minimize your looking like an asshole and he always drank Pabst Blue Ribbon so it was my first drink and I drank alot of it and got good at it I guess, so that's why I wrote "PBR" and the reason it sounds like a country hillbilly song cause I can't write songs without some sort of joke in there and Pabst Blue Ribbon is white trash, poor people buy Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Are there any embarrassing moments or have any embarrassing things happen to you while on stage?
Neal: PA's Lounge was our first show. PA's Lounge is this fucking crapplace in Somerville. I don't like to shit talk because we were so unprofessional, but you end up playing there if you're trying to get into Boston and we showed up early and me and Jesse go down days early, all kinds of fliers and CD's passing them out saying, "Come check out our show at PA's Lounge!" to people on the street. So we really did our homework and we go back, we get there early the next day and I'm with my brother and we find this place called Bull McCabe's, some Irish place and we hear this band in there belting out Finnegan's Wake some sweet ass Irish song, so we go in and we end up talking with this band who's playing and we get shitty drunk. And then we make friends with this other band called Ice Cream Social and then we take them back and we're like "Come to our show!" So, we go back there and we're like "Shots!" There's this other band playing called Leopold and His Fiction and they were awesome. So we get on stage, and you can't even remember what instruments are and we're just hammering it out, out of tune, forgetting words. Jesse used to carry a coconut on his drum for luck and the coconut falls off his drum, I step on it and fall flat on my ass just like that movie Walk The Line where Johnny Cash just falls over cause he's so fucked up, that was it. So the sound guy cuts us off and that's when Jesse gets pissed, spits on the floor and shit.
Jesse: I almost fought every person that works in PA's Lounge, the police showed up as I was leaving.
Neal: That was the most embarrassing thing that we have done as a band.
If you guys weren't making music together, what do you think you would be doing to pass the time?
Neal: I don't know man. I don't have any other hobbies. I'm studying to be a teacher, we're still studying to be teachers, that takes up most of our time. I like cars, I might build cars.
Phil: I'm still working on guitars, I love repairing guitars.
Jesse: I don't know. If I didn't have music, there would be nothing, no joining a gig. There's nothing else that could possibly replace music in any way.
What music do you guys like to listen to in your spare time?
Neal: I wish I listened to more music. I listen to alot of music. I teach lessons and I have to listen to music for school. I have to listen to songs that people call out. I write alot of my own music, but when I listen to music, I listen to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, there's this new band called Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, they're really cool. G. Love and Special Sauce, The Black Keys, The White Stripes. I don't watch MTV, I listen to NPR and stuff like that, I seek out alot of my own music, like a snob.
If you could have dinner with any 3 musicians living or dead, which ones would you choose?
Phil: Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Jesse: Charlie Parker, Elvis Presley, and Lennon.
Neal: Paul McCartney and Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix.
What are the band's future plans for next year and beyond? Tours? Heading back into the studio?
Phil: Yeah absolutely, we're looking to do some touring.
Jesse: We're in the studio now recording some new songs and we just released 2 songs "Litterboy" and "Marb Lights". So we're doing that and booking as we go. We want to tour, we need to figure out what to do.
What is the one thing you hope fans take from your music?
Phil: That it's just about having a good time.
Neal: Fun, music is not that serious.
Thanks once again to my pals Phil, Neal and Jesse for kicking back and taking some time to do this interview! They're wicked nice guys and were very welcoming to me in their apartment. For more on The Dead Beats, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/thedeadbeatsnh To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/DeadBeatsRock
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Maps & Atlases - Perch Patchwork
Chicago, Illinois own Maps & Atlases have arrived on the scene with their full length debut album, Perch Patchwork. The group released their last two EP's on Sargent House Records (RX Bandits record label), and have released an exquisite blend of indie rock and folk/country influences that aims to keep you warm during the cold months of winter with its comforting melodies and relaxing vocals, making for a very thorough listen.
The disc kicks things off with "Will" a slow, melancholy track that shows off lead singer Dave Davison's pure and organic vocal abilities, which make the song sound rich and natural, and not forced or overproduced. "The Charm" is another pleasant sounding track with a more varied degree of instrumentation including drums and is a little bit more experimental in nature with more electric guitars this time around. My favorite song off the album is "Living Decorations", a melodic, interweaving track that brings together a wide range of instrumentation including blending in electric guitars that both feels good and sounds good right from the getgo and shows the creative risks that this band is willing to take. "Is" is a short, straightforward track that is crisp, authentic, and hauntingly abundant with no frills attached. "Israeli Caves" is a folk based tune with laid back acoustic guitar melodies giving it the feel of an old school country ballad.
The album's second half features "Carry the Wet Wood", a country styled jam that features an assortment of acoustic and electric guitars that blend together quite nicely and add up to an interesting mixture here. "If This Is" is a slowed down, mid tempo opus that plays it safe and is a great song to listen to while unwinding after a long day at work or holiday shopping. We get ready to shut things down here with "Was", a unique, intricate track that features some xylophone sounds and Dave's richly melodic vocals permeating the song to give it a nice, glossy touch. The disc's title track is the final song that features a beautiful, ethereal melody and also brings together a host of varying vocal ranges and dynamic instrumentation that give the song its own weight. It's really hard nowadays to find bands that sound real and authentic and don't sound like some cookie cutter band manufactured by record companies who force feed it down consumers throats. Maps & Atlases fit the mold of a band that goes against the grain of what's expected of a band, and do things on their own terms and no one else's.
To sum it all up, Maps & Atlases have created a uniquely dynamic effort here that shows that you can create a folk based record without being too boring, and experimenting with other genres piques great interest about this band in the process.
Album Score: 3.5/5
Track Listing:
- Will
- The Charm
- Living Decorations
- Solid Ground
- Is
- Israeli Caves
- Banished Be Cavalier
- Carry the Wet Wood
- Pigeon
- If This Is
- Was
- Perch Patchwork
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Artist Spotlight: 1476
Hey everyone!
It's that time of the week, it's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week's featured artist is 1476! 1476 is a death rock/folk band based out of Salem, Massachusetts that consists of Neil DeRosa and Robb Kavijan who have blended together an incredible blend of folk rock and death rock that is not as intense as one might imagine. The music is of a calm and relaxed nature that immediately takes you in and makes you aware of its warmth and beauty of the surroundings around you with folk inspired rhythms and soft, relaxing vocals that take the listener on a remarkable musical journey. I never expected a death rock/folk band to sound like this, and this was one of the most enjoyable listens that I've had the pleasure to partake in doing these Artist Spotlight features for the past year! Some highlights from them include "Swallow the Sun" and "Dithyramb".
The band's debut effort, "A Wolf's Age" was released last year and the band recently just released their brand new EP, "Smoke in the Sky". To check out the music of 1476, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/fourteenseventysix To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/1476/230625089693 You can also follow them on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/cult1476
It's that time of the week, it's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week's featured artist is 1476! 1476 is a death rock/folk band based out of Salem, Massachusetts that consists of Neil DeRosa and Robb Kavijan who have blended together an incredible blend of folk rock and death rock that is not as intense as one might imagine. The music is of a calm and relaxed nature that immediately takes you in and makes you aware of its warmth and beauty of the surroundings around you with folk inspired rhythms and soft, relaxing vocals that take the listener on a remarkable musical journey. I never expected a death rock/folk band to sound like this, and this was one of the most enjoyable listens that I've had the pleasure to partake in doing these Artist Spotlight features for the past year! Some highlights from them include "Swallow the Sun" and "Dithyramb".
The band's debut effort, "A Wolf's Age" was released last year and the band recently just released their brand new EP, "Smoke in the Sky". To check out the music of 1476, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/fourteenseventysix To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, head on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/1476/230625089693 You can also follow them on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/cult1476
Thursday, December 2, 2010
2011 Grammy Nominees Announced!
Hey everyone!
In case you missed it, the Grammy Nominations Concert was held last night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles and was televised on CBS with LL Cool J as host. As expected, Eminem led the crop of nominees for this year's Grammy class! He led the pack with a total of 10 nominations including Album of The Year, Record of The Year, and Song of The Year. Singer-songwriter newcomer Bruno Mars came in with seven nominations apiece, including recognition in the Record of The Year and Best Rap Song categories. Jay-Z scored 6 Grammy nods, including ones in the Record of The Year, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song categories. Lady Gaga and country group Lady Antebellum also came in with 6 nominations apiece with Lady A taking nods in the Album, Record, and Song of The Year categories! This year's categories are supposed to be the most fierce and competitive that we've seen in recent memory, and it looks like the Recording Academy finally got it right with this year's nominees! Here's a quick rundown of some select categories:
Album of The Year
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Eminem- Recovery
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Lady Gaga- The Fame Monster
Katy Perry- Teenage Dream
Record of The Year
B.o.B.f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Song of The Year
Ray LaMontagne- Beg, Steal, or Borrow
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Miranda Lambert- The House That Built Me
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + The Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding
Best Rock Album
Jeff Beck- Emotion & Commotion
Muse- The Resistance
Pearl Jam- Backspacer
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Mojo
Neil Young- Le Noise
Best Rock Song
Neil Young- Angry World
Mumford and Sons- Little Lion Man
Kings of Leon- Radioactive
Muse- The Resistance
The Black Keys- Tighten Up
Best Alternative Music Album
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Band of Horses- Infinite Arms
The Black Keys- Brothers
Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Best Rap Album
B.o.B.- The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Drake- Thank Me Later
Eminem- Recovery
Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3
The Roots- How I Got Over
Best Rap Song
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Eminem- Not Afraid
B.o.B. f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz- On To The Next One
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday February 13, 2011 at 8pm on CBS! To look at all the other Grammy categories, head on over to the Grammy website at: http://www.grammy.com/
In case you missed it, the Grammy Nominations Concert was held last night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles and was televised on CBS with LL Cool J as host. As expected, Eminem led the crop of nominees for this year's Grammy class! He led the pack with a total of 10 nominations including Album of The Year, Record of The Year, and Song of The Year. Singer-songwriter newcomer Bruno Mars came in with seven nominations apiece, including recognition in the Record of The Year and Best Rap Song categories. Jay-Z scored 6 Grammy nods, including ones in the Record of The Year, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song categories. Lady Gaga and country group Lady Antebellum also came in with 6 nominations apiece with Lady A taking nods in the Album, Record, and Song of The Year categories! This year's categories are supposed to be the most fierce and competitive that we've seen in recent memory, and it looks like the Recording Academy finally got it right with this year's nominees! Here's a quick rundown of some select categories:
Album of The Year
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Eminem- Recovery
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Lady Gaga- The Fame Monster
Katy Perry- Teenage Dream
Record of The Year
B.o.B.f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Song of The Year
Ray LaMontagne- Beg, Steal, or Borrow
Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
Miranda Lambert- The House That Built Me
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Lady Antebellum- Need You Now
Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + The Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding
Best Rock Album
Jeff Beck- Emotion & Commotion
Muse- The Resistance
Pearl Jam- Backspacer
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Mojo
Neil Young- Le Noise
Best Rock Song
Neil Young- Angry World
Mumford and Sons- Little Lion Man
Kings of Leon- Radioactive
Muse- The Resistance
The Black Keys- Tighten Up
Best Alternative Music Album
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Band of Horses- Infinite Arms
The Black Keys- Brothers
Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Best Rap Album
B.o.B.- The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Drake- Thank Me Later
Eminem- Recovery
Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3
The Roots- How I Got Over
Best Rap Song
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys- Empire State of Mind
Eminem f/Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Eminem- Not Afraid
B.o.B. f/Bruno Mars- Nothin' on You
Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz- On To The Next One
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday February 13, 2011 at 8pm on CBS! To look at all the other Grammy categories, head on over to the Grammy website at: http://www.grammy.com/
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Iconic hip-hop superstar Kanye West is back with his eagerly anticipated follow up to 2008's 808's and Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. This effort finds Kanye getting back to his pure hip-hop roots that seemed to be non-existent on his last release, and also attempting to put his past trials and tribulations behind him and focus on the only things that he's here to do, entertain the masses and making music.
The album starts off with a beauty on "Dark Fantasy", an ecstatic, entertaining jam that shifts tempos every now and then to give the listener a little bit of variety in the process. Kid Cudi and Raekwon guest star on "Gorgeous", a sweet, urban flavored jam that features Kanye's relaxed vocals set amidst the backdrop of instrumentation laid out before you. The disc's first single, "Power" is an anthemic and fast moving track that best encapsulates the subject matter of the album: gritty, unpredictable, and no holds barred. My favorite song off the album is "Monster". The star studded collaboration features an assortment of musicians including Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver. The song is a thumping, bombastic treat with Kanye's raps moving at a pretty good clip and all guests equally contribute to an absolutely mind blowing track.
The album's second half gets underway with a return guest appearance from Rick Ross on "Devil In A New Dress", a mellow, laid back affair that offers the listener a little something different and also shows the remarkable amount of musical diversity that's found in abundance on this album. "Runaway" features Pusha T of Clipse and includes an intricate piano styled beat heard in the background that gives off a dark and mysterious vibe to it which coincides well with the overall subject matter of the disc. "Hell of A Life" is an uptempo, bombastic blast that allows Kanye to let loose and have some fun with synth samples and unique instrumentation thrown in for a change. We wrap things up with "Lost in the World" featuring another guest appearance from Bon Iver, who sounds almost unrecognizable amidst the synthesizers and random instrumentation mixed in on this unusual but interesting track. It's really hard to figure out who Kanye West really is. Of course, there's the Kanye West who bum rushed the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMA's last year, there's the Kanye West who has written some very bizarre tweets on his Twitter account that recently became satirized in The New Yorker magazine, and finally there's the Kanye West who has churned out album after album, year after year, and has already cemented himself as one of the best hip-hop artists out there today. Regardless of what you might think of him as a person, you can't deny his musicianship and how hard he works at perfecting his craft.
All in all, a great effort here from Kanye West, who has made a name of himself both musically and infamously. While this album is not his greatest effort, it is a brilliantly executed one that doesn't leave any stone unturned and is riddled with unexpected twists and turns that keeps you listening all the way through until the very end.
Album Score: 3.5/5
Track Listing:
- Dark Fantasy
- Gorgeous (f/Kid Cudi & Raekwon)
- Power
- All of the Lights (Interlude)
- All of the Lights
- Monster (f/Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver)
- So Appalled (f/Jay-Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz, & The RZA)
- Devil In A New Dress (f/Rick Ross)
- Runaway (f/Pusha T)
- Hell of a Life
- Blame Game (f/John Legend)
- Lost in the World (f/Bon Iver)
- Who Will Survive In America
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Artist Spotlight: Stars Above
Hey everyone!
Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving!! I'm back after the long Thanksgiving break and I present to you this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week I introduce you to a band called Stars Above! Stars Above are a band based out of Lynn, Massachusetts that consists of James Morrill on guitars and vocals, Andrew Greeley on drums, and Steve Heddon on bass. The band has a intense, youthful pop-punk feel to it, very reminiscent of the bands that I would hear playing in VFW halls and community centers back when I was in high school. The band has a very strong musical relationship with one another and each member contributes equally to the musical dynamic heard here. With intense lyrics, blazing guitar riffs, and intricate bass lines, Stars Above has it all for you in one package! Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Where Did I Go Wrong?" and "You Were Only Mine".
For more info on Stars Above, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/consequencesofanabsence and check out their list of upcoming shows to the Boston area! To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, jump on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stars-Above/139680159375558
Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving!! I'm back after the long Thanksgiving break and I present to you this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week I introduce you to a band called Stars Above! Stars Above are a band based out of Lynn, Massachusetts that consists of James Morrill on guitars and vocals, Andrew Greeley on drums, and Steve Heddon on bass. The band has a intense, youthful pop-punk feel to it, very reminiscent of the bands that I would hear playing in VFW halls and community centers back when I was in high school. The band has a very strong musical relationship with one another and each member contributes equally to the musical dynamic heard here. With intense lyrics, blazing guitar riffs, and intricate bass lines, Stars Above has it all for you in one package! Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Where Did I Go Wrong?" and "You Were Only Mine".
For more info on Stars Above, head on over to their MySpace page at: http://www.myspace.com/consequencesofanabsence and check out their list of upcoming shows to the Boston area! To become a fan of theirs on Facebook, jump on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stars-Above/139680159375558
Thursday, November 18, 2010
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!
Hey everyone!
Today is a big day here at The Music Box Blog! Today marks the 1 year anniversary of when I first started this blog! It has been an incredible first year for the blog doing weekly album reviews, Artist Spotlight features, and occasional breaking music news pieces. The very first album review I did here on the blog was Person L's "The Positives" and it's one that I'll always remember as getting word of mouth about them and I feel that's what got the blog off the ground in the first place! First and foremost, there are alot of people that I'm very indebted to for all their support and those people are you guys! I personally want to thank each and every one of you who have viewed the blog, left a comment, or have come up to me in person saying how much you've enjoyed the blog and what I've had to say in my posts! It means everything to me hearing all the praise and the effect that my work has had on readers in purchasing certain albums and on local musicians in general. I've had the distinct pleasure of doing writeups on several up and coming musicians from the Boston area and beyond, who have clearly demonstrated their unique ability to entertain and inspire others, and I want to thank those artists from the bottom of my heart, you know who you are!
Since I've started the blog, I've had readers from countries all over the world including Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. I never imagined that my words would be viewed all across the globe, so I would like to send a special thank you to all my overseas viewers!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce some major changes to the blog that will greatly enhance the viewing experience for all! These changes include:
- A Facebook fan page where I'll post updates on new posts to the blog! Click on the following link and become a fan of The Music Box Blog! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Music-Box-Blog/142351515814847
- A Twitter page to keep readers in the loop about new posts to the blog! Click on the following link to head on over to the Twitter page: http://twitter.com/TheMusicBoxBlog
- A brand new e-mail address to send in album review submissions, Artist Spotlight features, or any music related topic: peteramara@musicboxpete.net
I've also begun construction on a brand new website that will serve as the future home for this blog! The new site should be up and running sometime in early January 2011, so stay tuned to the blog for periodic updates! Again, thanks everybody for all the support, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!
Today is a big day here at The Music Box Blog! Today marks the 1 year anniversary of when I first started this blog! It has been an incredible first year for the blog doing weekly album reviews, Artist Spotlight features, and occasional breaking music news pieces. The very first album review I did here on the blog was Person L's "The Positives" and it's one that I'll always remember as getting word of mouth about them and I feel that's what got the blog off the ground in the first place! First and foremost, there are alot of people that I'm very indebted to for all their support and those people are you guys! I personally want to thank each and every one of you who have viewed the blog, left a comment, or have come up to me in person saying how much you've enjoyed the blog and what I've had to say in my posts! It means everything to me hearing all the praise and the effect that my work has had on readers in purchasing certain albums and on local musicians in general. I've had the distinct pleasure of doing writeups on several up and coming musicians from the Boston area and beyond, who have clearly demonstrated their unique ability to entertain and inspire others, and I want to thank those artists from the bottom of my heart, you know who you are!
Since I've started the blog, I've had readers from countries all over the world including Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. I never imagined that my words would be viewed all across the globe, so I would like to send a special thank you to all my overseas viewers!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce some major changes to the blog that will greatly enhance the viewing experience for all! These changes include:
- A Facebook fan page where I'll post updates on new posts to the blog! Click on the following link and become a fan of The Music Box Blog! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Music-Box-Blog/142351515814847
- A Twitter page to keep readers in the loop about new posts to the blog! Click on the following link to head on over to the Twitter page: http://twitter.com/TheMusicBoxBlog
- A brand new e-mail address to send in album review submissions, Artist Spotlight features, or any music related topic: peteramara@musicboxpete.net
I've also begun construction on a brand new website that will serve as the future home for this blog! The new site should be up and running sometime in early January 2011, so stay tuned to the blog for periodic updates! Again, thanks everybody for all the support, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Beatles on iTunes!!
Hey everyone!
I'm sure you've heard the news by now that The Beatles, who have long been holdouts of making their music available digitally, have finally agreed to have their music available digitally for the first time ever, exclusively on iTunes! This has been a long in the making saga for the group, who have been embroiled in a lawsuit with Apple Inc. for the better part of 30 years. The lawsuit stems from an alleged copyright infringement suit, which was filed back in 1978. After the suit was settled in 1981, Apple Inc. came to an agreement with Apple Corps. (The Beatles record label), that they would stay out of the music business. When Apple Inc. launched the iTunes Music Store in September 2003, Apple Corps. sued them for violation of their agreement not to sell music. Eventually, the two parties agreed to a settlement in 2007 where Apple Inc. will own all the trademarks related to Apple, and will license those trademarks back to Apple Corps.
All 13 of The Beatles studio albums from Please Please Me to Let It Be are available, also including their Past Masters compilation discs, Vols. 1 & 2, and The Beatles 1962-1966 (Red Album) and 1967-1970 (Blue Album) compilation discs. Individual tracks are priced at $1.29 each, individual albums go for $12.99, double albums are priced at $19.99, and their entire catalog box set retails for $149.99, which also includes some retrospective documentaries, and video of their first ever concert on American soil at Washington Coliseum in 1964. What do you make of this news, do you think this is a watershed moment in digital music history or do you already own The Beatles entire catalog and feel this news is over hyped and unwarranted? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me what you think of this!
I'm sure you've heard the news by now that The Beatles, who have long been holdouts of making their music available digitally, have finally agreed to have their music available digitally for the first time ever, exclusively on iTunes! This has been a long in the making saga for the group, who have been embroiled in a lawsuit with Apple Inc. for the better part of 30 years. The lawsuit stems from an alleged copyright infringement suit, which was filed back in 1978. After the suit was settled in 1981, Apple Inc. came to an agreement with Apple Corps. (The Beatles record label), that they would stay out of the music business. When Apple Inc. launched the iTunes Music Store in September 2003, Apple Corps. sued them for violation of their agreement not to sell music. Eventually, the two parties agreed to a settlement in 2007 where Apple Inc. will own all the trademarks related to Apple, and will license those trademarks back to Apple Corps.
All 13 of The Beatles studio albums from Please Please Me to Let It Be are available, also including their Past Masters compilation discs, Vols. 1 & 2, and The Beatles 1962-1966 (Red Album) and 1967-1970 (Blue Album) compilation discs. Individual tracks are priced at $1.29 each, individual albums go for $12.99, double albums are priced at $19.99, and their entire catalog box set retails for $149.99, which also includes some retrospective documentaries, and video of their first ever concert on American soil at Washington Coliseum in 1964. What do you make of this news, do you think this is a watershed moment in digital music history or do you already own The Beatles entire catalog and feel this news is over hyped and unwarranted? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me what you think of this!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Artist Spotlight: Manny Alcantara
Hey everyone!
Get ready for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you an artist straight out of Lynn, MA named Manny Alcantara. Manny has been making big waves in the local music scene with his debut release Call Me Manny! Manny has been writing his own music since he was 12 years old and started recording a couple years later when he turned 14. His music is a blend of R&B and reggae that isn't too overwhelming and finds a comfortable medium in between with captivating R&B styled ballads and mid-tempo reggae hybrid tunes that get people moving on the dance floor! He evokes a very smooth, charming style that is clearly evident in his voice and one that is guaranteed to make the ladies swoon! While I don't usually listen to this genre of music a great deal, I'm really impressed with his musicianship and his unique ability to express his talents. Some of my personal faves from his debut release include "All I Need" and "Guardian Angel".
To check out more of what Manny has to offer you, head on over to his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/callmemanny To become a fan of his on Facebook, bounce on over to http://www.facebook.com/callmemanny781 To purchase his debut CD "Call Me Manny", it's available for purchase over at iTunes!
Get ready for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you an artist straight out of Lynn, MA named Manny Alcantara. Manny has been making big waves in the local music scene with his debut release Call Me Manny! Manny has been writing his own music since he was 12 years old and started recording a couple years later when he turned 14. His music is a blend of R&B and reggae that isn't too overwhelming and finds a comfortable medium in between with captivating R&B styled ballads and mid-tempo reggae hybrid tunes that get people moving on the dance floor! He evokes a very smooth, charming style that is clearly evident in his voice and one that is guaranteed to make the ladies swoon! While I don't usually listen to this genre of music a great deal, I'm really impressed with his musicianship and his unique ability to express his talents. Some of my personal faves from his debut release include "All I Need" and "Guardian Angel".
To check out more of what Manny has to offer you, head on over to his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/callmemanny To become a fan of his on Facebook, bounce on over to http://www.facebook.com/callmemanny781 To purchase his debut CD "Call Me Manny", it's available for purchase over at iTunes!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Underoath - Ø Disambiguation
Hailing from Jacksonville, FL Underoath are back big with their 7th studio effort, Ø Disambiguation. The follow up to 2008's Lost in the Sound of Separation finds the metalcore group finding more ways to expand on their sound from their previous effort, and have succeeded in making this effort the best album of their career so far.
The disc gets off to a roaring start on "In Division", a powerful and intricate composition that greets you with frontman Spencer Chamberlain's intense, screaming vocals gnawing at you with ferocious intensity among the fast moving guitars and powerful drums. "Catch Myself Catching Myself" starts off with an exquisite drum pattern, courtesy of their brand new drummer Daniel Davison, replacing Aaron Gillespie who left the group earlier this year. The newest member picks up right where Aaron left off with intense drumming patterns complimenting the sea of melodies laid out before you. My favorite song off the disc is the first single, "Illuminator", a melodic and haunting opus that features Spencer's amazing vocal abilities and guitarists Tim McTague and James Smith are equally as impressive with each member's guitar skills getting more and more impressive as their prior albums have shown. "Driftwood" is a mostly synth based tune, whose sound is courtesy of keyboardist Chris Dudley, who adds a level of sophistication and is the technical mastermind of the group. While this not a pure metal tune, it is one of Underoath's trademark sounds and one that has helped them get initially recognized among their now loyal and immense fanbase.
The disc's second half continues to roar with "Who Will Guard the Guardians", a stripped yet intense tune that still retains the aural velocity that the first half displayed, but is still slower in both tempo and nature. We begin to wrap up shop with "Vacant Mouth", a ferocious and unrelenting tune that leaves a pile of carnage in its wake with Spencer's ear splitting vocals and Tim and James's masterful guitar work being the sole parties responsible for this jaw dropping tune. "My Deteriorating Incline" is another formidable tune with Spencer's screaming vocals stinging so loud, you may have to get your hearing checked after hearing it. "In Completion" wraps up the disc with a concocted mixture of all the ear-splitting sounds you've heard so far, all presented to you in one unique package. Underoath is one of the very few bands out there today who get progressively better with each and every album that they make, something that is almost unheard of these days, but these guys make it look easy by realizing ways they can improve each song by making it louder and experimenting with electronic based sounds as well. Despite the departure of Aaron Gillespie, who is my all time favorite drummer and one of my musical heroes, Underoath's resolve has never been stronger.
In retrospect, a spectacular and unheralded effort from Underoath who keep their winning streak alive with an intense and resonating effort that cements Underoath as one of the best metal acts out there today. Highly recommended! BUY NOW!!
Album Score: 4.5/5
Track Listing:
- In Division
- Catch Myself Catching Myself
- Paper Lung
- Illuminator
- Driftwood
- A Divine Eradication
- Who Will Guard the Guardians
- Reversal
- Vacant Mouth
- My Deteriorating Incline
- In Completion
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Artist Spotlight: Sirs & Vas Deferens EP Review!
Hey everyone!
Welcome to this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you a band out of Purchase, NY called Sirs! Sirs consists of Justin Jurgens, Hart Seely, Kyle Seely, and Dave Benton. The band plays an eclectic blend of punk mixed in with a little hint of indie rock that provides for a thorough and enjoyable listening experience. And with the EP coming in at just under 20 minutes long, it provides plenty of bang in that short span of time with indelible hooks and wonderful melodies that will captivate you upon first listen! And without further ado, here is the review of their debut EP, Vas Deferens!
Hailing from Purchase, NY Sirs have made a remarkable first impression with their debut EP, Vas Deferens. The music is a blend of punk rock and indie rock that results in an aggressive outpouring of emotion both vocally and musically that sets this band apart from all the others on the scene.
The leadoff track, "Starting at the Chin" is a fast moving, melodic juggernaut that features loud, piercing vocals and a flurry of guitars that will leave you wondering how these guys put all these remarkable sounds together. "Ready, Boomerang" is another frenetic pleasure with a mix of aggressive guitars and passionate vocals that packs in alot for a track that is only 1 minute and 35 seconds in length. "Is This Your Shirt?" is a little more mellowed out than the other songs we heard previously with chilled out guitars and pleasant sounding rhythms to give the listener a little bit of variety in the process.
The remainder of the disc's tracks "Hibernations Sometimes", a mixture of rock hard rhythms and slowed down melodies, "You're Gonna Be Great!", which features an incredible transition from mid-tempo melodies to harder edged breakdowns, look for it on the last half of the track, and "Hand Check, No Hands", a track that blends together all the rhythms we've heard before and mixes them together in one, cohesive package gives the prospective listener a clear impression of what sound to expect from the band, especially if they aren't familiar with the band at all.
All in all, a great listen from Sirs, who are sure to be a welcome addition to your iTunes library, and have a very promising future ahead of them.
EP Score: 4.5/5
Track Listing:
Welcome to this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I present to you a band out of Purchase, NY called Sirs! Sirs consists of Justin Jurgens, Hart Seely, Kyle Seely, and Dave Benton. The band plays an eclectic blend of punk mixed in with a little hint of indie rock that provides for a thorough and enjoyable listening experience. And with the EP coming in at just under 20 minutes long, it provides plenty of bang in that short span of time with indelible hooks and wonderful melodies that will captivate you upon first listen! And without further ado, here is the review of their debut EP, Vas Deferens!
Hailing from Purchase, NY Sirs have made a remarkable first impression with their debut EP, Vas Deferens. The music is a blend of punk rock and indie rock that results in an aggressive outpouring of emotion both vocally and musically that sets this band apart from all the others on the scene.
The leadoff track, "Starting at the Chin" is a fast moving, melodic juggernaut that features loud, piercing vocals and a flurry of guitars that will leave you wondering how these guys put all these remarkable sounds together. "Ready, Boomerang" is another frenetic pleasure with a mix of aggressive guitars and passionate vocals that packs in alot for a track that is only 1 minute and 35 seconds in length. "Is This Your Shirt?" is a little more mellowed out than the other songs we heard previously with chilled out guitars and pleasant sounding rhythms to give the listener a little bit of variety in the process.
The remainder of the disc's tracks "Hibernations Sometimes", a mixture of rock hard rhythms and slowed down melodies, "You're Gonna Be Great!", which features an incredible transition from mid-tempo melodies to harder edged breakdowns, look for it on the last half of the track, and "Hand Check, No Hands", a track that blends together all the rhythms we've heard before and mixes them together in one, cohesive package gives the prospective listener a clear impression of what sound to expect from the band, especially if they aren't familiar with the band at all.
All in all, a great listen from Sirs, who are sure to be a welcome addition to your iTunes library, and have a very promising future ahead of them.
EP Score: 4.5/5
Track Listing:
- Starting at the Chin
- Ready? Boomerang!
- Is This Your Shirt?
- Hibernations Sometimes
- You're Gonna Be Great!
- Hand Check, No Hands
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Lil Wayne Released From Jail!!
Hey everyone!
Hot off the presses! Lil Wayne AKA Weezy is finally out of jail! Wayne just completed a eight month jail sentence for weapons possession in a New York state facility and is getting ready to return making some music!
Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to weapons possession in October 2009, after admitting in court that he had a loaded, semi-automatic .40 caliber gun on his tour bus after a concert in Manhattan. He started his sentence in March, but got time off his sentence for good behavior. However, he was disciplined and sent to solitary confinement after it was found that he brought in a charger and headphones for a digital music player, which is deemed to be contraband by prison officials. Wayne kept in touch with fans via letters and his website http://www.weezythanxyou.com/ where associates of his typed up letters from him describing his daily routine in prison and new songs he heard on the radio that he really liked. He sent a letter to his fans saying that he's thankful for all the support that he's received while behind bars:
"I laughed with some of you, reasoned with some of you, and even cried with some of you. I never imagined how much impact my words and life can have. I will be the same Martian I was when I left, just better."
Lil Wayne is currently headed to his home in Miami, where a massive welcome home party is planned for this Sunday. A flurry of excitement has come from dedicated fans and well wishers, even former President Bill Clinton has sent his regards, stating in a radio interview that he hopes he has a good life now. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments on this story right here on the blog!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Artist Spotlight: Low-Fi & EP Review!
Hey everyone!
It's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I'm proud to present to you a band out of Naples, Italy called Low-Fi! Low-Fi have been collectively together as a group since 2005, and the group consists of twins Alessandro and Adriano. Alessandro is in charge of vocals, bass, and synthesizers, Adriano also takes care of vocals and mans the guitar, while Marco brings up the rear on drums. The band has a very unique blend of garage rock influences a la The Strokes and occasionally dabble in the electronica genre that makes them stand out from all the others in the music scene today. The band recently released their self-titled EP on Octopus Records and is currently working on their full length debut album which should hopefully be out by the end of the year. And without further ado, here is the review of that EP!:
Coming out of Naples, Italy Low-Fi have made a very strong first impression with their self-titled debut EP. The EP is a daring mix of indie rock and electronica that is bristling with a plethora of unique sounds that you won't hear anywhere else and sounds like nothing you've heard before.
Leading off, we have "Garage Floor", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid that evokes influences of Interpol with a tightly honed, driven sound that never veers off course with its sharp, piercing guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's finely laid out vocals. "No Morning" is a straight forward rocker with echoing guitar riffs and a nice drum pattern from Marco that make this song a real treat. My personal favorite song from the EP is "Something", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid train that takes off right out of the station and never slows down with indelible guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's prominent vocal power taking stranglehold of the song. The last two tracks, "White Lane", a mid tempo rocker that is a bit slower paced than the other tracks, but provides a slower transition into the next song "Wrongness", a fast paced, indie rock gem that features electric infused guitars and rich, prominent vocals that make this song a great way to wrap up the EP and a good start to a potentially long lasting career.
EP Score: 4/5
Track Listing:
For more info about Low-Fi, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/lowfiband To become a fan of them on Facebook, jet on over to http://www.facebook.com/lowfiband and if you like what you hear, buy their EP from the Octopus Records website!: http://www.octopusrecords.net/shop/Home.html
It's time for this week's edition of Artist Spotlight! This week, I'm proud to present to you a band out of Naples, Italy called Low-Fi! Low-Fi have been collectively together as a group since 2005, and the group consists of twins Alessandro and Adriano. Alessandro is in charge of vocals, bass, and synthesizers, Adriano also takes care of vocals and mans the guitar, while Marco brings up the rear on drums. The band has a very unique blend of garage rock influences a la The Strokes and occasionally dabble in the electronica genre that makes them stand out from all the others in the music scene today. The band recently released their self-titled EP on Octopus Records and is currently working on their full length debut album which should hopefully be out by the end of the year. And without further ado, here is the review of that EP!:
Coming out of Naples, Italy Low-Fi have made a very strong first impression with their self-titled debut EP. The EP is a daring mix of indie rock and electronica that is bristling with a plethora of unique sounds that you won't hear anywhere else and sounds like nothing you've heard before.
Leading off, we have "Garage Floor", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid that evokes influences of Interpol with a tightly honed, driven sound that never veers off course with its sharp, piercing guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's finely laid out vocals. "No Morning" is a straight forward rocker with echoing guitar riffs and a nice drum pattern from Marco that make this song a real treat. My personal favorite song from the EP is "Something", a fast paced, electro rock hybrid train that takes off right out of the station and never slows down with indelible guitar riffs and Alessandro and Adriano's prominent vocal power taking stranglehold of the song. The last two tracks, "White Lane", a mid tempo rocker that is a bit slower paced than the other tracks, but provides a slower transition into the next song "Wrongness", a fast paced, indie rock gem that features electric infused guitars and rich, prominent vocals that make this song a great way to wrap up the EP and a good start to a potentially long lasting career.
EP Score: 4/5
Track Listing:
- Garage Floor
- No Morning
- Something
- White Lane
- Wrongness
For more info about Low-Fi, head on over to their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/lowfiband To become a fan of them on Facebook, jet on over to http://www.facebook.com/lowfiband and if you like what you hear, buy their EP from the Octopus Records website!: http://www.octopusrecords.net/shop/Home.html
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