MusicBoxPete Presents: Artist Spotlight, Vol. 1 To Be Released June 18th!

Proud to announce to everyone the impending release of my blog's first ever digital CD compilation titled, "MusicBoxPete Presents: Artist Spotlight, Vol. 1". This compilation is designed to highlight some of Boston's most promising young acts that you may have heard of previously from my Artist Spotlight features that I've done on them in the past. It's also a way of showing pride for the city that I've lived in pretty much my whole life, and one that I love with all my heart. The disc features 12 amazing tracks from some of Boston's most talented up and coming acts including: Bear Language, The Okay Win, Troy Cartwright, The Foresters, and a host of others. The final track listing will be announced sometime within the next couple of weeks, and the compilation will be released in digital format only on June 18th via Bandcamp.

For more information and to check out the Bandcamp page, please click over here to see the official release site. More compilations will be released sporadically over the next few months, so this is just the beginning for the blog and for bigger and better things to come!

Yeasayer, Curren$y Headline Converse Rubber Tracks Concert Series

Yeasayer and Curren$y are among the acts that will be headlining the Converse Rubber Tracks Live concert series taking place on May 22 and May 24 at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. The shows are in support to directly benefit The One Fund, a non-profit organization started up shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings last month and is definitely a great way to get music awareness flowing in the city again. Other artists that will be performing at these shows include: Bodega Girls, Ducktails, Camden, The Perceptionists, and Grey Sky Appeal.

Tickets for the shows start at $10, and both shows are 18+. If you would like to buy tickets, they're available via Ticketmaster at this link right here. The full lineup of performers is listed directly below:

May 22
Yeasayer
Bodega Girls
Ducktails
Camden

May 24
Curren$y
The Perceptionists
Statik Selektah with guests Sean Price and Termanology
Moe Pope and Rain
Grey Sky Appeal

Artist Spotlight: Red Star Super Giant

Closing out the week with another, all-new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we check in with an emerging Boston based band by the name of Red Star Super Giant. The band consists of Thomas Michael Flynn on lead vocals and guitar, Michael Swanson on keys, bass, and guitar, Ryan Flynn on lead guitar, and Ryan Elliot on drums. The band has a largely acoustic based sound, with keyboards providing the perfect accompaniment to the band's organic and homegrown sound that is totally unique and tailored made for them. It's hard to compare them to other artists and/or genres, but you can tell that the songs are meticulously crafted and have a sleek, defined characteristic to them that makes them stand out prominently from the other Beantown based acts, and the vocal stylings have a certain melodic twist to them that will definitely make you want to keep listening and see what else that they might have in store for you. A terrific local act that is definitely deserving of more exposure in the greater Boston area. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Geisha's Garden" and "This Time Around".

For more information on the guys in Red Star Super Giant, head on over to their Facebook page here and give them a well deserved 'Like' that will get you in the know about everything that is going on in their world musically. The band can be followed on Twitter as well from over here and find out when the band will be playing a show next in the Boston area. For more detailed information pertaining to the band, visit their official website here and check out their debut EP "Don't Mind Molly" now available on their Bandcamp page right here for your listening pleasure.

Set Times Announced For Boston Calling Music Festival

The official set times for next weekend's Boston Calling Music Festival have been announced. Bad Rabbits will be kicking off all the festivities at 1:30PM on Sat. May 25 with St. Lucia, The Cults, Ms. Mr., Matt & Kim, Portugal. The Man, The Shins, Marina and The Diamonds, and fun. rounding out the entire day of performances at 9:00PM.

Sun. May 26 sees Caspian kicking off all the action at 1:30PM with Youth Lagoon, Dirty Projectors, Ra Ra Riot, The Walkmen, Andrew Bird, Of Monsters and Men, Young the Giant, and The National closing everything out at 9:00PM. Tickets for this event are unfortunately all sold out, so hope everyone who is attending has a boatload of fun in a celebration that will bring the music lovers of Boston together in unity!

Artist Spotlight: Short on Shame

For today's edition of Artist Spotlight, we head over to Detroit and check in with the high energy sounds of Short on Shame. The band consists of Chuck Saad on bass and lead vocals, Zack Brandenburg on guitars and vocals, and Devin Harrison on percussion. The band has a energetic, frenetic blend of rock that is representative of the tough area the members grew up in, and shows their dreams and inspirations embedded deep within their music that is autobiographical in nature, and is tough and gritty to listen to at the same time. Music is a cathartic release, and allows us to take out our aggressions towards society in general, or through one person's shortcomings either their fault or not, and gives us something to look forward to in our everyday lives. An exciting and promising upstart act that I'd like to see get more attention outside of their respective hometown. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Red, White, and Black" and "Friends".

For more info on Short on Shame, head on over to their Facebook page located here and see what the band is like upfront from a music perspective. You can access a wide variety of features from their page, including the ability to stream their music directly from the page via the BandPage feature that allows you a handy method of listening to everything from the band in a central location.

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Paris, France's own Daft Punk make their long awaited return with their highly anticipated, brand new studio album titled Random Access Memories. Their first proper studio album since 2005's Human After All finds the French electronic wizards paying homage to the late 70's and early 80's burgeoning music scene emanating largely from the Los Angeles area, and the duo do a masterful job of ensuring the sound of their music reaches a rabid audience who has been clamoring for new music from them for some time now, and the result is one of their best and most cohesive studio albums of their career so far.

We open things up with "Give Life Back to Music", a sensational and relaxing track that brings in Daft Punk's trademark electro tinged rhythms that run the gamut throughout the whole track, and kicks things off on a stratospheric level with top notch guitar rhythms finding their way into the track, and setting the bar pretty high on a groove laden opus heard here. "The Game of Love" is a mysterious, downtempo number that sees the duo venturing out into other areas with a sleek, soulful edge to this one that is almost romantic in nature, and makes for perfect love making music. "Within" starts off with an intricate, piano based melody that has light synthesized melodies that immediately put you in the mood right away and gives you an immediate shot of relaxation and comfort. "Instant Crush" features a guest appearance from The Strokes' Julian Casablancas, and he fits in comfortably with his voice hiding behind synthesizers that will put a smile on your face, and be glad that you're in the presence of such talented and eclectic musicians. Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. fame makes the first of two guest appearances on "Lose Yourself to Dance" a high energy, intensely focused synth rock jam that immediately gets you out on the dance floor and ready to rock the night away with one of the most indelible jams on the disc so far.

The second half of the album gets into gear with my favorite track off the album, "Get Lucky" featuring the return of Pharrell who lays down an exquisite vocal appearance on a immensely melodic tune that never lets up from the moment it begins, and it will leave you in a constant state of motion and dancing until your feet fall off, an unbelievable track that begs to be heard again and again with each passing moment. "Motherboard" starts to get ready to close out the album, with downtempo beats and a calm, feathery feel with ambient instrumentation running through the mid drifts and allowing you to feel the full wave of music that has been coming at you steady for some time now. The disc begins to conclude on "Doin' it Right" featuring the stylings of Panda Bear on a dreamy, synth-laden quest that puts everything together in a musical blender, and concocts a frothy mixture that brings together all the musical elements we've heard together in one way or another, and offers up a terrific way to close everything out much like the same way it began. "Contact" ends it all here on a futuristic, high energy, pulsating track that puts it all into overdrive here as we zoom towards the finish line, putting it all out there for everyone to see and take notice of as everything wraps up here. I've only listened to Daft Punk in spurts here and there, but the first time I listened to them was way back in 2001 with "One More Time", and it was probably one of the most infectious dance tracks I've heard in quite awhile, and their album "Discovery" that came out around that time totally defined the EDM genre that seems to be permeating the scene with great fanfare these days. This new effort is on par with that aforementioned album, and is another groundbreaking effort for the duo.

Overall, an outstanding and highly creative effort from Daft Punk, who have crafted another sonic masterpiece that eloquently displays the band's highly infectious and unavoidable dance tracks that are primed for the dance floor, and ready to get you in that celebratory frame of mind. One of the top albums of the year in my opinion, buy this one right now!

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Give Life Back To Music
2. The Game of Love
3. Giorgio by Moroder
4. Within
5. Instant Crush (f/Julian Casablancas)
6. Lose Yourself to Dance (f/Pharrell Williams)
7. Touch
8. Get Lucky (f/Pharrell Williams)
9. Beyond
10. Motherboard
11. Fragments of Time
12. Doin' It Right (f/Panda Bear)
13. Contact       

Artist Spotlight: The Distorted Waltz

Starting off another week with an all new installment of Artist Spotlight! Today, we head over to Bay City, Michigan and check in with an emerging act in the area by the name of The Distorted Waltz. The band consists of Andy Jeglic on lead guitars and vocals, Connor Peil on drums, Matt Hofmann on bass and backing vocals, and Matt Miller on guitar and backing vocals. The band has a relaxing, melodic nature to them that features slight elements of reggae mixed in with an alt-rock vibe somewhat similar to the Red Hot Chili Peppers that is all their own and one that is reflective of the area they grew up in and their musical influences as well that give them some edge and diversity. The Michigan area has some diverse musical styles, from classic rock to Motown (where it was founded in Detroit), and other eclectic genres that are representative of the cultural scene there and their lifeblood as it's the only thing that gets them going through the day and is essentially the soundtrack to their lives growing up in the area. A terrific act that is primed to get their second wind beyond the Michigan area. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Poems" and "Boat on Boiling Water".

For more information on the guys in The Distorted Waltz, head on over to their Facebook page here and 'Like' it so that you can stay in tune with everything that is going on in their world. Their music can also be accessed from that central location. The band can be followed on Twitter as well from over here and find out when the band will be gracing us with their presence with a concert performance hopefully sometime soon.

Interview w/ Alexander

Closing out the week with an all new interview in my continuing series! Today, we head across the pond to one of my favorite music scenes outside of America, Durham, England to be exact as we have a chat with an up and coming band from the area by the name of Alexander. The band are currently signed to I Am Mighty Records, one of the preeminent and fastest rising independent labels in the U.K. and home to a host of other immensely talented acts including Lower Lands and The Ocean's Eyes. The band were kind and gracious enough to lend some of their time to do a sit down chat as we get to know the band a little bit better personally, what their music is like, and what life is like on the road. And here's my transcript from that interview:

Give us your names and roles in the band?

Anthony Snowdon - Rhythm guitar/vocals

Jamie Clark - Lead guitar

James Simpson - Bass

Andrew Michaels - Drums

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

We all met through education and the local scene 3 years back. We recorded our debut album "Say Hello" in Winter 2012, however we wrote together for months before this. We came out as Alexander January 2013 when we released our debut video, "You Lost Yourself" and the ball has been rolling since.

Describe your sound and influences to those who may not be familiar with you guys?

We’ve got a really British sound to our music, very guitar driven with sweet harmonizing melodies and trashy drums sounds. "Say Hello" holds a great dynamic value, from a piano ballad to a full British rock and grunge trash. It’s quite a spectrum hence why we draw influences from the likes of Michael Jackson, Jamiroquai, Fleetwood Mac and Death Cab For Cutie.

What themes and/or subject matter typically runs through your music?

From the start we’ve always been about positivity and optimism, getting through the hard times as one and all types of relationships as there is a lot of romance portrayed in "Say Hello". That’s how the idea of Alexander came together, a way we can channel all our triumphs and hardships into a fictional character who we write songs about. 

What is life like being on the road together, and how do you guys adjust to life away from home?

It’s just the same really being on the road is a breeze for us, we spend all our time together outside of touring and band related things so it’s never really a test of patience. We’re always writing together no matter where we are, foreign countries, up and down the country, it’s all the same vibe for us. What can i say, we just can’t get enough!

Take us through the recording process of your debut album, "Say Hello" and what that whole experience was like?

Recording "Say Hello" was a real milestone for us, we whittled the album down to these 8 final tracks and it was a pleasure working with some great producers in the process. It’s really taken us by surprise the incredible positive vibe we’ve received from fans and industry.

What are some of your favorite songs to perform live?

I think all of our favorite song to perform live is "Vapour Trails", the dynamics are crazy and by the end you feel like Zeus as it climaxes! I tend to take my guitar off during the break and smash it about the stage before this point though, it gets intense.

Besides music, what do you guys like to do in your spare time, any sports/interests/hobbies/special interests?

We all have a crazy obsession over Astrology and star signs, so much we’ve got identical tattoos. It’s the best conversation starter with new people we meet on the road, they love it every time! It’s as if sometime we judge people by their sign. ‘She’s breaks hearts because she’s a Scorpio’ ‘He’s so good at explaining things, it must be his Aquarius moon’.

What can we expect to see from you guys this year, any plans to tour in the U.S. sometime in the future?

This year we are focusing on pushing "Say Hello" out there, we’re really storming the U.K. between now and the New Year and we have some big plans for it. Definitely plans to tour the U.S. from the demand we’ve had so far, just hang off for a while so we can take over England!

Lastly, what words do you have for your fans both in the U.K. and the U.S.?

I can only express a tiny portion of our gratitude and love to our fans. We are really overwhelmed with the support of "Say Hello" so far and we hope it keeps growing and the Alexander family tree gets bigger and bigger.

Thanks once again to the fellas in Alexander for taking some time out of their hectic schedules to do this interview! They are extremely talented, upbeat, and positive individuals who have a knack for getting through to their audience solely through the power of music. For more information on the band, 'Like' their page on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter from over here. If you would like to buy their debut album, "Say hello" it's now available to purchase at iTunes at this link right here

Artist Spotlight: Moniker

Proud to bring you another edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we check in with an up and coming Boston based band by the name of Moniker. The band consists of Socrates Cruz on lead vocals, guitar and keys, Peter Bartash on drums, and Luke Walker on bass. The band has a downtempo, inventive sound similar to the likes of Pink Floyd and Radiohead with their own unique spin on it that gives them an added sleekness and rich musical dexterity that heightens their musical awareness on a much greater scale. I caught these guys in concert a couple of months ago at The Middle East Downstairs, and I was impressed with their dynamic stage presence that really gave the full effect of what their music is all about and how they just go about their business regularly while playing on stage. A promising local act that is certainly worthy of increased exposure in the time laying ahead. Some tracks to consider to have a listen at include: "Burn This City" and "Pits & Pendulums".

For more information on the guys in Moniker, head on over to their Facebook page here and remember to 'Like' the page so that you can get the latest stream of updates directly from the band. The band can be followed on Twitter as well from over here and stay in touch with the band to see when they'll be stopping by the Beantown area next. Visit their official website here to get a full fledged set of features, including a bio, links to their music and video clips, photos of the guys, and the latest round of tour dates that they have coming up.

Vampre Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

NYC's preeminent indie rock sensations Vampire Weekend are back with their all new studio release, Modern Vampires of the City. The follow up to 2010's Contra finds the gentlemen deviating somewhat from their earlier efforts, but still maintains the upbeat tone and enthusiasm that the first two records exhibited in great detail and presents a band that are comfortable in their own skin, and continue to impress and amaze on this release.

We kick things off with "Obvious Bicycle", a mellow, downtempo number that shows off the eloquent vocal stylings of frontman Ezra Koenig, who contributes a great deal to the band's soft spoken nature of having fun while playing songs that evoke the band's individual musical influences that run the whole musical spectrum. "Unbelievers" picks up the melodic pace with an optimistic sounding tone running amok throughout the entire track, and features colorfully inventive instrumentation all the way throughout that shows that the band know how to have fun and make the audience part of the act while crafting these highly advanced tunes. My favorite track off the album is the incredible first single "Diane Young", an eclectic, R&B infused number that brings about a wide array of instrumentation that when all combined together, is both refreshing and an incredible step forward for the band who have been making a living entertaining the masses and keeping them coming back for more. "Hannah Hunt" is a breezy, piano styled tune that brings the collective energy down several notches to present a different side of the band that we haven't had much opportunity to see before, and showcases their wide ranging set of musical capabilities that go far beyond what we expected from them, and is a welcome change of pace for the band that just seems to get better and better with each album they make.

The second half of the disc begins with "Everlasting Arms", an upbeat, eclectic tune featuring a dazzling smorgasbord of intricate percussion arrangements and smooth guitar riffs that put everything in perspective here and gives you more audible pleasure right at the tip of your ears. "Worship You" finds Ezra speeding up his vocal abilities considerably to craft a fast paced, straight shooting blast that lays it all out there pretty quickly, and doesn't find the need to try anything too extravagant or risky and instead relies upon the guys trusting their own instincts and sticking to their guns while doing what they do best. The disc begins to wind down on "Ya Hey" a relaxing, toned down affair that sees the band bringing in all of the musical elements from their arsenal, and allowing the album to close on a scale that is the complete opposite of how it began, but shows a definite progression from start to finish. "Hudson" closes it all out with a moody, trodden number that shows off a side of the band we haven't seen before, but the band does a commendable job for accomplishing the task with great skill and determination, and wraps things up neatly on a well accomplished record. I've been a huge fan of Vampire Weekend ever since I first saw them on the cover of Spin Magazine back in 2007, and was totally enthralled by the band because of their name even though I hadn't heard any of their music yet, but once I did hear them, I realized that all the hype was worth it and these guys are definitely at the forefront of the indie music scene today with a spectacular and wide ranging set of talents that they're capable of displaying at given time with great fervor and enthusiasm.

Overall, an outstanding and terrific effort from Vampire Weekend, who have evolved their sound somewhat from their prior effort, and showcases a band that is more musically deep than they've ever been before and as a result, have really gelled considerably as band mates.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Obvious Bicycle
2. Unbelievers
3. Step
4. Diane Young
5. Don't Lie
6. Hannah Hunt
7. Everlasting Arms
8. Finger Back
9. Worship You
10. Ya Hey
11. Hudson
12. Young Lion  

Artist Spotlight: British Harlem

For today's edition of Artist Spotlight to kick off the week, we head across the pond to Swindon, England and stumble across the ever vibrant sounds of British Harlem. The band consists of four friends Ady, Jordan, David. and Ben and they have a infectious, high range melodic twist that is totally their creation, and is something entirely unique within their own collective that allows you to get a sense of where these guys come from and what they're all about musically. I've always been intrigued by what's happening across the pond in merry old England, and the musical styles are not all that different from over here in the States, and it's all music that I feel comfortable listening to and isn't all that foreign to me because I love indie and alternative rock, and it's something that is on a level playing field with all the other types of music that I listen to regularly in my spare time. A truly enjoyable act that is definitely worthy of more press over here in the U.S. Some tracks that you should take a listen at from them include "Ride" and "Friends".

For more information on the guys in British Harlem, head on over to their Facebook page here and see what they can do to whet your musical appetite. The band is also able to be followed on Twitter from over here and see where the band will be stopping by next while out on tour, and hopefully they'll make their way over to the United States sometime soon! If you would like to check out the band's latest EP, it's now available for free streaming on their Bandcamp page located here and see for yourself what these guys are all about. 

Artist Spotlight: Jimmy Nash

Closing out the week with another brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we brush upon a singer-songwriter originally based out of Houston, TX but currently living in Los Angeles, CA by the name of Jimmy Nash. Jimmy has a clever and inventive playing style reminiscent of Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson with a style and sophistication that is all his own. What really impressed me upon first listening to him was how laid back and natural his musical presence was, and wasn't trying to do much. The only thing he was doing was just being himself and enjoying being the focal point with an amazing voice and good looks to boot. His songs have an amazing melodic syncopation that grabs your attention almost immediately from the minute you hit 'Play', and ensures that you'll listen to the entire portion of his album, not just little snippets here and there. An immensely talented and gifted singer-songwriter that is already on his way to larger success. Some recommended songs to check out for your listening pleasure include: "More Than Crazy" and "Save Me".

For more information on Jimmy Nash, head on over to his Facebook page here and don't forget to 'Like' it as well so that you can stay up to date with all his latest music and upcoming concert appearances as well. He can also be followed on Twitter as well here so that you can stay in touch with him directly while he is out on the road. If you would like to check out his latest album titled "The Road To 33", it's available at iTunes directly from this link here and at Amazon MP3 as well from this link over here.

Artist Spotlight: Twin Berlin

Continuing to truck along with another all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we keep it local with a Boston band by the name of Twin Berlin. The band consists of Matt Lopez on lead vocals and guitar, James Janocha on drums, and Sean O'Neil on bass. The band has a loud, distorted garage rock style that is faintly reminiscent of The Strokes, with a direct and stylized style that is all their own and one that has gotten them notice around the Boston music scene and beyond. You may remember these guys as they partook in the recent Rock and Roll Rumble at TT the Bear's, and while they didn't win the competition, they certainly made an impression on hundreds of concertgoers who were being exposed to countless musicians from around the area and gave them a little bit of variety in the process as well. It's awesome to hear bands experiment with different styles of music that is a step up from the usual influences that other acts usually dabble in, and these guys clearly take charge of the situation at hand with remarkable strength and veracity that makes them a formidable presence in the local Beantown music scene. Recommended tracks now available for your listening pleasure include "Don't Hang Around" and "Give Up On Me".

For more information on Twin Berlin, please head over to their Facebook page here and 'Like' it while you're reading up on the guys and what they're like from a musical standpoint. The guys can be followed on Twitter as well from over here and find out when the band will be stopping by your area next! All of the band's music is available for free streaming on their Bandcamp page located here and see all of the collective works that are making a dent locally.

Andrew McMahon - The Pop Underground EP

Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin fame has released his much talked about debut solo EP titled The Pop Underground EP. The disc is markedly different than his previous material, but still has his trademark musical fingerprint stamped all throughout the disc that signifies another change of pace for the incredibly talented and gifted singer-songwriter.

The EP kicks off with the dazzling "Synesthesia", a track that has touches of electronic influences sprinkled about throughout the song, and Andrew's familiar and comforting vocal refrain runs its way through the crevices of the song at a steady and comfortable pace that is more than enough time for the listener to marvel over and see how far Andrew has come since his SoCo days. "Catching Cold" is my favorite track off the album, and one that has a more prevalent electro influence, but somehow it's able to connect with the listener in another dimension with its crafty wavelengths and spaced out time signatures that reach a new delight that sounds like something The Postal Service would create, and is an all around fascinating track and one to definitely put on repeat to get the full grasp of what Andy is trying to tell you lyrically. The disc continues on with "Learn To Dance" a toned out, simple structured track that features enhanced electronic components and Andrew's marvelous vocal work that once again puts him in a class all his own. The EP wraps up with "After the Fire" a melodic, joyous number that finds a way to link up the piano melodies and electronic delights, and finds a way to bring in Andrew's trademark sensibility and wisdom that helps the song achieve far greater than desired and allow the EP to wrap up on cue and on point. I've been a huge admirer of Andrew McMahon for as long as I can remember, dating back to my Something Corporate days back in 2002 and ever since, has remained one of the most talented musicians I've ever listened to in my life. I've seen him twice in concert with Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, and I've grown even more and more impressed with him since that time, from his skills on the piano and belting out passionate, heartfelt ballads that have totally inspired me from the get go as to how conduct my daily life, and become a more musically rounded person in the process as well.

In summary, a terrific and well executed effort from Andrew McMahon, who continues to amaze and inspire countless listeners alike with his trademark musical prowess running gamuts throughout the disc, and presenting a comfortable and confident singer-songwriter ready to take on the new challenges and adventures that lay ahead.

                                                                                                                        EP Score: 4/5

1. Synesthesia
2. Catching Cold
3. Learn to Dance
4. After the Fire