Muse - The 2nd Law

Hailing from Teignmouth, Devon England, Muse are back it again with their all new studio release, The 2nd Law. The follow up to 2009's The Resistance finds the British alt-rockers continuing to build upon the experimental sounds of their last release, albeit on a much more grandiose scale this time around and a more stronger emphasis being put on the electronic space age rhythms being put on display right here.

The disc kicks right off with "Supremacy" a gritty, orchestral sounding track that does a great job of introducing the different sounds we can expect to hear on this album, with a somewhat ominous overtone being out on display by frontman Matt Bellamy who does a great job of spreading his vocal power throughout all the components of this track. My favorite song off the disc is the album's first single and futuristic sounding "Madness" a distorted, jumbled up electronic lovers' delight that does a beautiful job of blending in alternative rock rhythms with electronic components that when combined, are a sight to behold and to hear on record as well, an all around terrific track. "Panic Station" features more prominent guitar riffs and takes a more rock oriented approach that the previous tracks tended to shy away from, and shows off the band's diverse and creative side with their ability to dabble in other areas that makes them a more full featured and long lasting group in the long run. "Follow Me" tones it down a notch with an apocalyptic sounding track featuring dark undertones that do a great job of capturing the emotional overtone of the album pretty accurately and ensures that the listener pays attention all the way throughout to fully grasp the message behind the song as well.

The second half of the album begins with "Explorers", a toned down composition that features the implementation of piano melodies that blend in nicely with Matt's calm and comforting vocal presence that presents a different side of the band that we haven't seen before on the album up until this point. "Big Freeze" features more upbeat melodies that feature a slight electronic edge to them that doesn't sound too overwhelming when you first hear it, creating a clear distinction between the two sounds that strike a perfect balance. "Liquid State" pumps up the velocity substantially with a hard nosed rocker that captures the essence of the tracks we heard in the beginning stages of the album, and shows off the fervor and excitement of it all with blazing guitar riffs and a pure alt-rock sound that caters to listeners who favor a certain genre more than the others. The album's end approaches with "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable", the first of a 2 part opus that features dazzling electronic beats that may sound like a little bit too much for some listeners, but for diehard electronic fans this is heaven for them with a certain aura that the band captures so well on this record. "The 2nd Law: Isolated System" is a more toned down affair with simple piano arrangements and a more voyeuristic style that the band have experimented with so much in the past that works to a great degree on this track, and ensures that the album comes to a good stopping point that the listener will find satisfactory and to their liking. When I first came across Muse back in 2004 after they first released the song "Time Is Running Out", I was impressed with how different it was from the other songs that were on alternative rock radio at the time, and how the song didn't take chances and let it run its course the way it was. Looking back, the band has evolved immensely from that song into a band that shares a parallel course with another fellow British band, Radiohead and how they evolved to their current musical status today. Muse are definitely following the same path Radiohead once did.

Wrapping it all up, a terrific and well thought out follow up effort from Muse, who continue their musical quest of electronic and symphonic melodies that ushers in feelings that the end of the world is upon us (especially those who believe the world will end in 2012 like the Mayans predicted),  and gives us a glimpse of a band currently in their element and on their way to greater success that is yet to come.

                                                                                                                                   Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Supremacy
2. Madness
3. Panic Station
4. Prelude
5. Survival
6. Follow Me
7. Animals
8. Explorers
9. Big Freeze
10. Save Me
11. Liquid State
12. The 2nd Law: Unsustainable
13. The 2nd Law: Isolated System     

Artist Spotlight: Black Box Revelation

Hey everyone!

Bringing it again this week with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week for you guys, we head overseas to Brussels, Belgium an uncover the sharp sounds of Black Box Revelation. The duo consists of Jan Paternoster on lead vocals and guitars and Dries Van Dijck on drums and percussion. The band has been around since 2005, but have slowly been gaining steam here in the states for the past couple of years with their smooth combo of indie rock rhythms a la The Strokes and Southern influenced rock reminiscent of such bands like The Allman Brothers, but have a musical dynamic that is totally all their own with cutting edge guitar rhythms and fast paced, frenetic drumming that will have you grooving along to the songs right until the very end. I managed to catch these guys in concert back in September as they were opening for The Sheepdogs (another past Artist Spotlight alumni), and they put on a hell of a show that didn't make them stick out like a sore thumb, and ensured that they set the tempo right from the get go, and also encouraged the audience to stick around to get the crowd energized and ready to rock through the night. A terrific live act that is already on its way to greater success right here in the States. Some highly recommended songs for you to rock out to include "Shiver of Joy" and "I Think I Like You".

For more information on Black Box Revelation, head on over to the band's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/theblackboxrevelation While you're there, you can stream their latest EP "Shiver of Joy" direct from BandCamp so that you don't have to listen to it in another browser window. You can also follow the band on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/bbrofficial and see what they're up to this very minute. The band's official website at: www.blackboxrevelation.com has the band's latest slate of tour dates among many other awesome and pertinent features designed to keep you occupied.

Sirma Releases Debut Music Video For "Wanderer"!

Originally from Istanbul, Turkey but residing right here in Beantown, Sirma has released her debut music video for "Wanderer", the first single from her debut EP! The video is an intriguing one, as it utilizes stop motion technology that features the talents of Dilşad Anıl making a massive painting on a lawn that melds in beautifully with the ambient instrumentation running afoot throughout this clip. The song is an ambitious and creative venture that sees Sirma venturing into new territory and beginning to rediscovering what is possible on the other side of the fence.

For more information on Sirma, 'Like' her Facebook page right here and you can follow her on Twitter as well right here. Keep an eye out for her debut EP "Traces" which should see the light of day sometime this Fall!

A Clever Con Release Music Video For "Katy Perry Sex Tape"!

Monroe, New Jersey based A Clever Con, have just released their music video for "Katy Perry Sex Tape". The video features a pretty clever zombie apocalypse theme featuring the band in costume as zombies that works together pretty well with Halloween coming up at the end of this month and features fast paced guitars, coupled along a hard rock laden path that makes this video a wholly worthwhile viewing experience that will keep you entertained all the way throughout!

For more information on A Clever Con, visit their Facebook page here and follow them on Twitter right here.

All Time Low - Don't Panic

Baltimore, Maryland's finest All Time Low return with a bang on their all new studio release, Don't Panic. The follow up to last year's Dirty Work finds the premiere pop-punkers returning to their initial sound they displayed on their earlier work, like 2006's "Put Up Or Shut Up" and 2007's "So Wrong, It's Right". This album is the best in their catalogue to date and is one of the best albums of the year so far.

The album opens up with the blasting first single "The Reckless and The Brave", a loud slice of pop-punk energy with the tremendous lead vocal power of Alex Gaskarth setting the tone of the album pretty quickly and gives us a preview of what we can expect when they come up to the plate. "Backseat Serenade" tones down the energy a notch, but still plays a formidable presence in the backfield with vivacious pop-punk rhythms and a sharp, poignant lyrical outlook that grabs a hold of you almost instantaneously and you'll never look back. My favorite track off the disc is "Somewhere in Neverland", a groove laden, pop-punk lover's delight with Alex's amazing vocal abilities, guitarist Jack Barakat's intense guitar riffs, bassist Zack Merrick's indelible bass licks, and drummer Rian Dawson's fast and furious drum patterns adding fuel to the fire on a song that best encapsulates the heart and soul of the album. "So Long Soldier" amps up the energy unexpectedly on a track that almost sounds like a metal track when you first hear it, and shows firsthand that the band are on a mission to prove themselves and show that they aren't a bunch of pretty boys who don't write their own songs.

The second half picks it up right where the first half left off on "To Live and Let Go", a much more toned down rocker that still plays a vital role in the success of the album with Alex's voice breathing charisma and youth into people's lives and making them feel young again. "Outlines" features a great guest vocal appearance from Jason Vena of Acceptance that continues to pedal the bike even faster with a non-stop melodic roller coaster that brings everything together on a mixed bag containing pop-punk rhythms and gritty lyrical content that sets everything in it's place right here. "For Baltimore" is an amazing, jaw dropping rhythmic blast that is an ode to the band's hometown, and serves as an appropriate anthem for the Baltimore Orioles in their quest to the playoffs and shows off the band's true colors, and who they are as musicians and as people in real life. We begin to close out the album with "Paint You Wings", a youthful and vivacious track chock full of "oh-oh-ohs" in the chorus and shows off the band's blueprint standard of creating wondrous pop-punk melodies and interweave it upon extremely well written lyrics that speak to mind of the band's effect on music listeners all over the world. The disc comes to an end on "So Long, And Thanks For All The Booze" that begins much like the same way it began with loud and intense guitar riffs and Alex's casual and goofy persona as a lead singer that serves as a model for how all pop-punk bands should craft their own compositions and how they interact with the audience, both on the album and in person. I was immediately sold on All Time Low when I first heard them 4 years ago, right after "Dear Maria, Count Me In" started to impact radio and MTV, and was totally captivated by the band's ability to communicate with the audience and compose true, heartfelt lyrics that speak to mind how universally loved and appreciated the band is by their fanbase (myself included), and how hilarious and good natured they are, whether it's communicating with their fans via Twitter or chatting outside one of their shows, this band is the real deal and should be embraced within their scene as the true pioneers of their genre.

All together, a terrific and well thought out follow up effort from All Time Low, who have made a bold statement that they are the preeminent kings of the pop-punk genre, and it seems kind of ridiculous for male fans to feel ashamed that they listen to them, because their music is user accessible by everyone regardless of gender and has affected people in a very positive and uplifting way. Highly recommended and definitely one of the best albums of the year!

                                                                                                                          Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. The Reckless and The Brave
2. Backseat Serenade
3. If These Sheets Were States
4. Somewhere in Neverland
5. So Long, Soldier
6. The Irony of Choking On A Lifesaver
7. To Live and Let Go
8. Outlines
9. Thanks to You
10. For Baltimore
11. Paint You Wings
12. So Long, and Thanks For All The Booze 

Artist Spotlight: Good Problems

Hey everyone!

Kicking the post Columbus Day week off with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today for you guys, I have an emerging artist straight out of Burnsville, Minnesota called Good Problems. The one man band is the brainchild of Pat Brown, DJ, manager, and frequent collaborator with another past Artist Spotlight feature Mod Sun. The solo effort is a mixture of Kid Cudi and M.I.A. with a strong emphasis put on thought provoking lyrics and pleasant sounding beats that show off the more positive side of hip-hop, and abandons the traditional stereotypical notions that turn alot of people away from hip-hop, such as drugs, guns, girls, fancy cars, and nice shoes and offers us a glimpse inside the mind of Pat and the immense artistic and lyrical talents that he is capable of displaying at any given time. An extremely promising young talent with great potential for success later on down the road. A couple of recommended tracks to check out for your listening pleasure include: "I Like To Change" and "Think Deep, Don't Sink", a collaboration with his partner in crime Mod Sun.

For more info on Good Problems, head on over to his Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mygoodproblems where you can stream his music directly from the page. You can also download his EP titled "Be Eccentric" for free from his website at: www.mygoodproblems.com For more up to date news on what's happening with Pat, you can go to his personal Facebook music page at: www.facebook.com/patbrownmusic and he can also be followed on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/thepatbrown

Troy Cartwright - Live @ The Record Company

Originally from Dallas, Texas but residing right here in Boston, singer-songwriter Troy Cartwright has released his first live studio session titled Live @ The Record Company. The album is an intimate, direct snapshot of a singer finding his voice and basking in the hospitality of all those around him to make the recording experience that much enjoyable.

The disc starts off masterfully with "That's Life", a folk tinged tune that introduces you to Troy's captivating and charismatic vocal persona that adds a great deal of sophistication and intrigue to a track that features dazzling violin arrangements heard in the background and terrific instrumental syncopation from everyone involved that makes this a splendid track all around. "Coffee In The Morning & Whiskey At Night" brings it down several notches with lightly tuned guitar licks and the violin adding a great deal of comfort and pleasure of hearing the recording session going down right before you with all the melodies making you feel right at home. "Red Tied Up Boots" picks back up the melodic pace with simple piano arrangements and a big emphasis put on style and image that makes this song a totally worthwhile listening experience and a terrific way to begin to close out the effort. We close out the session with "A Mercedes Benz", a homage to the classic Janis Joplin song with a down home country feel and the violin parts adding a pure and authentic touch to the track that best encapsulates the entire feel of the disc and closes everything out perfectly, much like the same way it began. I was lucky and honored to be on hand for this recording session, which took place this past April. I was totally enthralled to be on hand for this special recording session that became a communal for everyone to watch the magic unfold before your eyes and ears, and see firsthand how a recording session exactly works. While it can be a little stressful at times to get the lyrics and overall sound exactly right for the musician, it's a real treat to hear the finished product together and learn that you were a part of something special with a group of people who are just as passionate about music as you are.

Overall, a terrific and well focused live effort from Troy Cartwright, who has a done an excellent job of gathering a group of highly skilled and knowledgeable musicians together to create a wholly unique communal recording project that is pleasant to listen to and makes you feel like you're being mentioned in the credits of the album itself.

                                                                                                                            Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. That's Life
2. Coffee In The Morning & Whiskey At Night
3. Red Tied Up Boots
4. A Mercedes Benz

BREAKING: Underoath Calls It Quits!!

Breaking news coming in this very minute. Legendary Florida metal pioneers Underoath have decided to part ways after 15 years together as a band. The band made the announcement on their website earlier this afternoon and here's what frontman Spencer Chamberlain and keyboardist Chris Dudley had to say:

“It’s sad to say that we feel like it’s time to close this chapter, but we have never seen things more clearly,” says vocalist Spencer Chamberlain. “These have been the best years of my entire life, and I owe that to every single person who ever supported this band along the way. This wasn’t a quick decision by any means. It’s just time for us to move on.”

"Over the past decade or so of our lives, we have been able to live a dream traveling the world, playing music that excites us, and meeting more amazing people than we could have ever fathomed," says keyboardist Chris Dudley. "This couldn't be a more bittersweet moment for us. We have accomplished more, met more friends, seen more places and have just done more than we could have ever imagined, and we really wanted to just go out on the highest note possible. That's why we have put together a group of great friends and musicians for what will be our final tour ever. We are taking every moment of this tour as an opportunity to say goodbye to you all, as well as celebrate what has taken place over all these years. The love we have and the debt of gratitude that we owe to all of you is not able to be measured in any way."

The band released their debut effort Act of Depression in 1999 on Takehold Records, selling over 2,000 copies. Their next effort came out a year later, Cries of The Past, selling more than its predecessor with 3,000 copies. Both of these albums are no longer in print and are hard to come by. The band signed with Solid State Records in January 2002 and released their next effort, The Changing of Times that year. This is the album that put the band on the forefront with the jarring single, "When The Sun Sleeps". The band officially hit the big time with their most lauded and commercially successful release, They're Only Chasing Safety in 2004. The album sold close to 500,000 copies, was certified gold, and included songs like "Reinventing Your Exit" and "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door". The band continued their string of success with "Define the Great Line" in 2006, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and producing massive and gut wrenching tracks like "Writing on The Walls" and "In Regards To Myself". The album was certified gold and became one of the band's finest efforts up to that point. The band continued to churn it out with Lost In The Sound Of Separation, released in 2008. The album, while not as commercially successful as the ones that came before it, contained solid tracks such as "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures" and "Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear".

In early 2010, longtime drummer Aaron Gillespie announced that he would be leaving Underoath to focus on his side project The Almost and pursue a solo career as well, releasing his debut effort Anthem Song in 2011. Underoath meanwhile, released what would eventually be their final album, Disambiguation in 2010, containing such tracks like "In Division" and "Paper Lung". The band will be releasing a career spanning greatest hits set titled "Anthology 1999-2013" on November 6th via Solid State Records. The set also features 2 brand new tracks culled from previous recording session titled "Sunburnt" and "Unsound". The band will also be embarking on a farewell tour taking place in 2013 with venues and tour dates being announced sometime next week. “We don’t take this very lightly and it’s heartbreaking for all of us,” Chamberlain says of the band’s announcement, “but all good things must come to an end. We love all of you and hope to see you again soon.”


The band's influence on my initial foray into metal music has been immense to say the least, and their lyrics have really opened up my eyes as to what metal music sounds like and when Aaron was with the group, he became my musical hero and is still to this date one of the best drummers I've ever heard in my lifetime. I wish all the best for the members of the group and hope to see them continue to be involved in music in some capacity further on down the road.

UPDATE: Dave Grohl Posts Facebook Update Confirming Hiatus!

A quick update to a story I brought to you yesterday concerning the rumors speculating about Foo Fighters taking a hiatus after wrapping up a concert at a festival in NYC this past weekend. Frontman Dave Grohl has taken to social media and posted this Facebook status on their band page confirming the hiatus and the impending projects that Dave has coming up down the pipeline:

Dave here. Just wanted to write and thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for another incredible year. (Our 18th, to be exact!) We truly never could have done any of this without you... Never in my wildest dreams did I think Foo Fighters would make it this far. I never thought we COULD make it this far, to be honest. There were times when I didn't think the band would survive. There were times when I wanted to give up. But... I can't give up this band. And I never will. Because it's not just a band to me. It's my life. It's my family. It's my world.

Yes... I was serious. I'm not sure when the Foo Fighters are going to play again. It feels strange to say that, but it's a good thing for all of us to go away for a while. It's one of the reasons we're still here. Make sense? I never want to NOT be in this band. So, sometimes it's good to just... put it back in the garage for a while...

But, no gold watches or vacations just yet... I'll be focusing all of my energy on finishing up my Sound City documentary film and album for worldwide release in the very near future. A year in the making, it could be the biggest, most important project I've ever worked on. Get ready... it's coming.

Me, Taylor, Nate, Pat, Chris, and Rami... I'm sure we'll all see you out there... somewhere...

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

Dave

This doesn't mean that Foo Fighters are breaking up, just taking a hiatus so that the members can spend time with their family and focus on other projects, both musical and non-musical.

Artist Spotlight: The Letter Yellow

Hey everyone!

An all new edition of Artist Spotlight awaits! Today, we have an emerging indie band based out of Brooklyn, NY by the name of The Letter Yellow. The band consists of Randy Bergida, Mike Thies, and Abraham Pollock. The band's music has a diverse and eclectic mixture of Death Cab For Cutie with a little bit of The Pixies thrown in for good measure that offers up a little something for the diverse music listener, even some blues influences are omnipresent in their music as well. It's refreshing to hear bands branching out beyond their capabilities and are able to the task of dabbling in other genres that sometimes other upstart bands are afraid to try, or are more adept to staying within their comfort zone of music they play in which is fine, but sometimes you'll find that growth by doing the latter can be kind of stagnant at times so you'll have a greater degree of success by branching out in different areas that will make you stand out from the casual music fan. A great up and coming band that has all the keys necessary to stand and deliver to the concert going crowd. Some recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include "Out on The Streets" and "14 Bar Blues".

For more info on the band, head on over to their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/theletteryellow While you're there, click the 'Music' tab to stream their music via their BandCamp site directly from Facebook so that you don't have to open another window. The band is able to be followed on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/theletteryellow and stay up to date with what the band have going on at this very minute. Check out the band's website as well at: theletteryellow.net to stay up to date on the latest round of tour dates they have that may be coming to your area relatively soon!

Invisible Hand To Release "Aja" EP, Label Mixtape Out Now!

Charlotesville, Virginia's own Invisible Hand is proud to announce the impending release of their brand new 5 song EP titled "Aja" on the Funny/ Not Funny Records label. The EP blends in elements of indie rock with throwback melodies from the 60's and 80's, giving the record an old school, retro feel and a record that you'll be sure to pushing 'Repeat' on over and over.

The label has also released their Summer 2012 mixtape featuring 15 tracks from a wide assortment of artists on the roster, including The Super Vacations, Borrowed Beams of Light, The Demon Beat, and Prison Book Club. To view the track listing for the mixtape and to stream it from the Funny/Not Funny Records website, click here and to pre-order Invisible Hand's "Aja" click on this link right here.

Are The Foo Fighters Going On Indefinite Hiatus?

 Hey everyone!

It seems like Foo Fighters may be taking a breather for the foreseeable future. At a concert in NYC this past Saturday, frontman Dave Grohl told the crowd in attendance that this show will be their last. His exact words to the concertgoers were as follows:

"Without making a big deal out of it, we don't have any shows after this. This is it, man. Honestly I don't know when we're gonna do it again ... and this is the perfect place to do it."

The band was taking part in a free festival called the Global Citizen Festival, sponsored by the Global Poverty Project. Other performers who played that day included Neil Young, The Black Keys, and John Legend. The festival was available to be streamed online and final crowd estimates had 60,000 people in attendance that day. It's unknown that if Dave actually meant to say these comments, or whether it's being taken out of context entirely. We'll keep you posted on further developments on this story as we get them in.

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.