Everything and Everyone - Hard To Try

Boston's own Everything and Everyone have arrived on the scene with their full-length debut release titled Hard To Try. The disc is a refreshing and eclectic bunch of tunes that run the gamut from high energy and melodic to low key and ethereal, and the band have clearly demonstrated their strengths and talents in this neatly assembled studio release.

The disc starts off with "With Me", a fun-loving, breezy track that features the neatly wound lead vocals of Chris O'Toole, who adds a distinct element to every song on the album that showcases what the band intend to bring to the audience from this point forward. "Get It All Down" is a more upbeat tune that features some distinct Vampire Weekend influences weaving its way into the fabric of the song, and creates an air of familiarity with the music as it brings in elements of their influences that the listening audience takes to heart almost immediately upon first listen. "No Room" is a charged up, focused rocker that features anthemic choruses and thumping instrumentation that gnaws at you immediately upon first contact, and bodes well for the rest of the album to follow. "Give It A Go" channels the youthful vibe of The Pixies into a sonic delight with striking bass chords from Corey Major providing that emotional connection that musicians strive to achieve when creating these tracks in the studio.

The second half starts off with my favorite song off the album, "Amigos". An exquisite track that features exceptional instrumentation from everyone involved, and Chris's vocals provide the perfect balance and best captures the spirit and feeling that the band were aiming for during the recording process. "Pete" is a perfect indie-leaning track that captures the youthful essence and dynamic of the group, and you can clearly tell just by listening to this track how much fun these guys are having both playing and being with each other at the same time. "Space" starts to close out the album with an atmospheric, straight to the sky track that features piercing instrumentation that churns on all cylinders here with a great approach to crafting a sonic pleasure all in just under 2 minutes. The title track closes it all out here with a toned down, melancholy track that manages to cram in all the musical elements we've heard in succession one after another here on the album, and presents us with an encapsulated overview of everything we've heard so far and how we've gotten to this point in the first place. One thing I really enjoyed about this band was their organic approach to recording, by creating the skeletal portions of the songs first, then adding in the vocals later that gives off a layered and textured approach that allows the tonality of the album to be more pure and amplified, and that allows the songwriting to flourish and run rampant through the brush of the album with ease.

In summary, a terrific and full focused debut effort here from Everything and Everyone, a terrific local band that you should definitely make time to see the next time you run through the area, and you can see first hand what magic will unfold right before your eyes.

                                                                                                                                 Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. With Me
2. Shine Like The Sun
3. Get It All Down
4. No Room
5. Give It A Go
6. Amigos
7. Sampson
8. Pete
9. Foot Don't Fit The Shoe
10. Space
11. Hard To Try  

Cheyne & Matthew Thorsen Release "Firebreather" Video, Tour Dates

Washington D.C.'s own punk-rappers Cheyne and Matthew Thorsen have just released their brand new music video for "Firebreather". The mysterious clip features the guys performing in a dark, dungeonlike atmosphere with a moody track that matches the tempo of the track perfectly to a T, and represents the duo's vivid blend of punk and rap rhythms to create something that hasn't been perfected to a certain degree until now.

The guys will also be heading out on tour this fall in support of their forthcoming EP, scheduled for release sometime next month. Here is their latest batch of tour dates:

10/19/2013 Syracuse, NY @ The Lost Horizon
10/20/2013 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
10/22/2013 Manchester, NH @ Armory Ballroom
10/23/2013 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
10/25/2013 Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
10/26/2013 Toledo, OH @ The Rocket Bar

For more info on Cheyone and Matthew Thorsen, visit and 'Like' their Facebook page here and follow the guys on their respective individual Twitter accounts here and here. 

Artist Spotlight: Golden Snake

Kicking off the week with another edition of my Artist Spotlight series! Today, we focus on a Boston based act that goes by the name of Golden Snake. The band is the brainchild of Gregory Prendergast, and the music is a heavy dose of synth laden rhythms cooked upon a steady and building climax that yearns to be heard, and is a perfect way to experience the electronic leaning style that he was aiming for while creating this track in the studio. I was intrigued when I first heard the song, and was curious to see which direction the song would go towards, and much to my surprise it wasn't too powerful or overwhelming, it had a certain calm and ambiance to it that I could easily identify with and fall into favor with pretty quickly. I thoroughly enjoyed Greg's musical project and I look forward to hearing more of his musical works down the road. Some terrific tracks for you to experience include "If It Was True" and "It's Not Right".

For more information on Golden Snake, head on over to their Facebook page here and give them a well deserved 'Like' if you enjoy what you hear. You can also follow the band on Twitter from this location here and find out when they'll be performing in the Boston area in the near future. The band also has a pretty sweet Tumblr page located here that you can browse at your disposal, and check out their music now available for free streaming on their Bandcamp site at this address here.

Bear Language Release Trailer For "Meet Me Outside" Music Video

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Boston's indie rock sensations Bear Language have just released a teaser trailer for their brand new music video titled "Meet Me Outside". The short 45 second clip features a reflection of a woman off of a television who is smoking a cigarette, and a plume of smoke billows slowly into the air. The video is pretty vague in its description of what the whole video is about, but that's the wonder of what makes Bear Language one of the most inventive bands around, keeping fans clamoring for more while only giving them little snippets here and there of what's to come.

The song is from their recently released album "Rememory" now available digitally via iTunes, Spotify, and from a host of other digital music outlets.

Interview w/ Caspian

Closing out the week with another installment of my ever growing interview series! Today, we catch up with Beverly, MA's own Caspian, whom you may remember from my Artist Spotlight post I did about them last month. The band have been touring feverishly behind their latest album "Waking Season", and the band recently took part in a street festival in their beachside hometown that drew a massive crowd of fans and music lovers. Guitarist Philip Jamieson recently sat down to talk a little bit about the band's beginnings and where their hard working devotion to music emanates from. Here is the transcript from that interview:

What is your name and position in the band?

I'm Phil and I play guitar, keyboard and whatever else is needed.

How did you meet your fellow bandmates and when did the band form?

Our first show was in August of 2004 here in Beverly, MA. We all attended the same college, though didn't all know each other at the time. We connected officially in 2003 when Cal and I decided to get together and find a drummer and bassist to jam with, hence he got Chris and Joe on board and I met them that way. We practiced together for a year before playing our first show.

Describe the sound of Caspian to those who aren't familiar with you guys?

These days I just say it's like modern classical music, performed by a rock band more concerned with conveying mood and emotion than wowing people with sheer musical ability and skill.

What inspired you to get into music and how has that helped shape you to this point?

I got into music in high school after watching a film of Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin playing the guitar. It immediately connected with me in a very primal manner, and made me feel like I had found a way to express how I was actually feeling about all the things that occupy the mind of a high school kid. I'm much older and have experienced much more now that I'm 34, but the same principle still applies - I play music because it is the most effective tool I have discovered for me to properly communicate how I am feeling and what I am thinking about. Having the presence of music around to help me clarify these things has saved my life on numerous occasions, or at the very least helped me feel more connected to the beautiful but ugly chaos that is the human condition.

Take us behind the recording process of your latest album "Waking Season" and what the whole recording experience was like?

We spent awhile writing the record (over a year) and recorded it in 3 weeks at two different studios in New England in January 2012. It was the first time we worked with an official producer (Matt Bayles) but his role ended up being more engineering and mixing since we had a very clear picture of what we wanted to capture with "Waking Season". It was a very different experience for us and just what the collection of songs needed.

Recently, you guys performed an outdoor show in your hometown of Beverly, MA can you describe what the whole festival was like?

Surreal is the only word that fits the description. Performing songs that you've played for people in over 40 countries, 50 ft. from your front door step was very powerful. Looking out and seeing all kinds of people - and I do mean all kinds of people, since it was a free block party and the whole town seemed to come out - listening to our music with open ears in such a receptive environment was so fascinating and wonderful. At the same time, like every time we step on stage whether it's in Berlin of Beverly, we are chiefly concerned with playing the best show we are capable of, so lots of the emotions start coming out hours and days after the actual hour of performing has finished. When we're on stage we try to stay in the zone as much as possible and not mess it up. 

What do you love the most about your hometown of Beverly and what is the music scene like there?

It's probably different for all of us. I like being near the ocean and having a community of friends that are like family. I also like that it's relatively quiet, at least compared to Boston or other larger cities close by. There isn't much of a music scene here that I'm aware of, which is fine since I'm inspired much more by life experience than music most of the time when it comes to writing it oddly enough.

If you weren't involved in music, what do you think you would be doing to pass the time?

I'd love to be making films or running a high-quality pizzeria.

What's coming up next for you guys, planning to play any more shows before the end of the summer?

We are playing a benefit show in Manchester, NH at the end of the month, then we are preparing for a full North American tour all of November, and a European tour next January and February. In between we are chipping away at writing new material, and plan to release an EP this October containing 2 new compositions and some remixes. Thanks for listening to our music and for supporting our band. We would be nowhere without the support of our fan base.

Lastly, what would you like to say to your fans, any last words?

Thanks for listening to our music and for supporting our band. We would be nowhere without the support of our fan base.

Thanks once again to Phillip for being so gracious with his time in doing this interview! I understand how busy these guys are, and it was a real treat to have an opportunity to get to know the band a little bit better and understanding how they operate with regards to writing and performing music. For more info on the guys, 'Like' them on Facebook here, follow them on Twitter here, and check out their latest album "Waking Season" now available for streaming and purchase via their Bandcamp site located here amongst a plethora of other digital retail outlets.

Artist Spotlight: Such Gold

Closing out the week with a brand new installment of Artist Spotlight! Today, we venture on up to Rochester, NY and check out the energetic sounds of Such Gold. The band consists of Ben Kotin on lead vocals, Nate Derby on guitar, Skylar Sarkis on guitar and vocals, Jon Markson on bass, and Devan Bentley on drums. The band has an intense, hardcore sound similar to the likes of Four Year Strong with a pulsating and frenetic sound that reeks of grittiness and fervor with a strong musical mindset that serves the band well in the long run. I've heard of these guys previously by name, but didn't really know much about them musically, and I was thrilled with the band's organic musical approach by taking elements from some of their contemporaries, and making them into their own while retaining a consistent and authentic sound that is unlike anything currently out there today. A terrific and promising act that is definitely deserving of additional exposure right here on the blog. Some great tracks for you to check out from them include "Storytellers" and "Minstrels".

For more information on the guys in Such Gold, head on over to their Facebook page located here and see and listen for yourself what these guys are all about. You can stalk the guys on Twitter from over here and find out when the band will be stopping by your hometown with a concert appearance. Visit the band's official website here for a host of pertinent features related to the band, and check out their latest album "Misadventures", now available on iTunes and Spotify among a host of digital music platforms.

WFNX Documentary "We Want The Airwaves" To Premiere on October 19th

"We Want The Airwaves", a documentary film about the history of the long running and highly influential alternative rock station WFNX, will make its debut with a public screening taking place at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square on October 19th.

The flick features interviews with DJ's who previously worked at the station and live performances from some acts that performed at station sponsored events such as Best Music Poll as we take a stroll down memory lane and look back fondly on the station that was FNX and all the memories it produced along the way. After the showing, there will be a release party across the street at Johnny D's that will feature performances from Nervana (a Nirvana cover band) Parlour Bells, and former WFNX DJ D-Tension will be spinning some of his favorite tunes over the course of the night.

Tickets for this event will go on sale tomorrow via Johnny D's website right here, and you can check out the official trailer for the documentary directly below:

 

Artist Spotlight: Geographer

We keep on trucking with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight for today! We're going to head out to the home of the Giants and 49ers, San Francisco, CA and settle into the smooth sounds of Geographer. The band consists of Mike Deni on lead vocals, guitar, keys, synth, and bass, Nathan Blaz on cello and electronics, and Brian Ostreicher on drums and vocals. The band has an escapist, dream-pop like atmosphere to them similar to the likes of Beach House and Vacationer with an open-minded and calm musical structure to them that is relaxing and cathartic in terms of pleasure and relaxation. I stumbled across these guys randomly while catching one of their performance videos online, and I was impressed with the band's musical makeup that totally reflected the easy going and carefree nature of the Bay Area where the guys are from, and showcases the type of music that they set out to create when they were conjuring up these tunes while in the studio. A terrific on the rise act that is definitely worthy of a shout out here on the blog. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Life of Crime" and "Kites".

For more information on the guys in Geographer, head on over to their Facebook page located here and find out everything that there is to know about them. You can follow the guys on Twitter as well from over here and get in touch with them to see when they'll be making their way to a nearby concert venue. Check out their official website located here for a host of wide ranging features pertaining to the band, and check out their music on iTunes among a host of select digital music platforms.

Interview w/ Vacationer

Halfway through the week, and ready for another installment of my continuing interview series! Today, I'm particularly pleased to bring you an interview with one of my favorite new acts of the past year, Vacationer. The Philadelphia based band released their debut album last year "Gone" that has a perfect harmonic state of mind with ethereal melodies and warm, inviting instrumentation that just begs to be played in your stereo all summer long. Recently, frontman Kenny Vasoli was gracious enough to devote some time to talk a little bit about the band's beginnings and where that brim of positivity emanates from that is so eloquently articulated in his music. And here is the transcript from that interview:

Give us your names and state your roles in the band?

Ken- Bass/Vocals 

Ryan- Drums

Greg- Guitar/Vocals

Mike- Keys etc./Vocals

Matt- Vibes etc./Vocals

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

Ryan and I have been good friends since we were 14, playing in bands all the while.  I met Greg about 8 years ago through a band he use to play in called Like Lions, I was introduced to Mike through him a few years ago.  Matt and I met 3 years ago and immediately began collaborating on what became Vacationer once I became aware of the music he and Grant were making with Body Language.

 

What subject matter typically revolves around your music and what artists largely inspired the overall sound of it?

I try to write centrally around love and relaxation. The project was conceived at a time in my life when I was deeply in love and relaxed in life so I like to stay honed on that vibe.  I can still write about a subject that is a considerable bummer from my life (writing is a great release to work those things out) but I try to be conscious of not placing that bummer on the listener.

At your live shows, you sometimes feature vintage vacation movies in the background as you play, how did that idea come about? 

Matt planted the idea in my head early on to show visuals while we play live.  I was determined to make that happen and started putting the wheels in motion.  He pointed me towards some golden public domain footage and I started editing and then invested in a projector.  I like to make it clear where I'd like our music to take people and that is some where relaxing and exotic.  I spell it out as much as possible.

Describe the recording process for "Gone" and what that whole experience was like?

It all started out with a simple bass line and four-on-the-floor kick pattern during our first session, that idea became the song Great Love within a few days of working together.  The rest fell into place very quickly through Matt and Grant sending me loops to write to.  I would lay down guitars and vocals over top of their tracks at home and then head to Brooklyn to record the final versions with them.  I'd say we would average about a song and a half per session.  Those guys are so streamlined in how they work, the production seems to flow easily while we work together.

Looking back and listening to this album, what emotions and/or feelings does it conjure up for you personally?

It's bittersweet because the relationship I was in while making Gone ended, but it does remind me of those blissful feelings very vividly and I'm grateful to remember that.  I still love playing and listening to those songs. It's all worked on because I'm once again in a relaxed and loving period of my life so I won't have to turn to the dark side in my writing.

What are some of your favorite tracks off of the album that you look back fondly on?

Good As New is one of my favorites. I wrote it about my dog, Ollie, a few weeks after I adopted him.  He's my first dog and we are crazy about each other.  It was nice to find a way to write a love song that wasn't about romantic interests, or even a human for that matter.  I also really like Be With You. It's simple and honest, which is what I gravitate to most in music I listen to.

What effect has music had on your personal lives, any memorable experiences you can think of?

It's afforded me the opportunity to travel and meet new amazing people.  I can't believe I've been able to perform in Iceland and meet James Murphy, it's mind-blowing for me. Most importantly the new friends I've made with Matt, Grant and Mike are priceless for me.  They are total keepers.

 

Unwinding before or after a show, what do you guys like to do in your spare time to relax?

We usually just sing together before we take the stage, we'll do some scales and sing the harmonies to Everyone Knows.  Afterwards we'll usually have a beer and a laugh together.

Lastly, what's coming up next for the band? Can we expect any tour dates or new music coming up on the horizon?

We are playing the Kahbang festival in Maine this Friday and we'll probably throw a party in Philly in early September.  Besides that we are working on finishing LP2, we currently have 6 new songs recorded.

 
Thanks to Kenny for taking some time out to do this interview! Be sure to check them out in concert if you haven't already, especially the aforementioned Kahbang Festival taking place this Friday in Bangor, ME. They are definitely one of the most riveting and unique live acts you'll experience and they've definitely left an indelible impression on me that's for sure! If you would like to check out their music, 'Like' them on Facebook here, follow them on Twitter here, and visit their official website here. Pick up their album "Gone" if you haven't already, now available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify, and a host of other select digital music retail outlets.

Artist Spotlight: Royal Teeth

Starting off the first full week of August with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we head down south to Louisiana and uncover the groove infected sounds of Royal Teeth. The band consists of Joshua Wells on bass, Gary Larsen on vocals and guitar, Nora Patterson on vocals, Josh Hefner on percussion, Stevie Billeaud on guitar, and Andrew Poe on vocals, keys, percussion, and programming. The band has an eclectic, funky dance rock vibe to them similar to the likes of Ra Ra Riot with soaring vocals and indelible hooks that grab a hold of you almost immediately and reel you in to enjoy the sonic pleasures that await you on the other side. I've heard of these guys by name only, and I can't believe that I missed the boat on them as they have an amazing musical presence with bombastic instrumentation that is very easy to enjoy and has a positive, carefree vibe to it that is markedly absent from music today and one that we just don't see enough of these days. A terrific band that is definitely worthy of your listening time. Some great tracks for you to discover from them include "Wild" and "Stay".

For more information on Royal Teeth, head on over to their Facebook page located here and see for yourself what you've been missing all this time. You can follow the band on Twitter as well from right here and communicate directly with the band to see if they'll be stopping by your neighborhood sometime soon. Visit their official website here for more wide ranging info pertaining to the band, and keep an eye out for their debut album "Glow", which will be hitting digital retail outlets next Tuesday! In the meantime, you can check out a free download from the new album on their Bandcamp site located here for your listening pleasure.

With The Impending Sale Of The Globe, What Are John Henry's Plans for RadioBDC?

As you probably heard over the weekend, Red Sox principal owner John Henry purchased The Boston Globe for $70 million, a hefty sum but far less than what others predicted the paper would sell for. The cash strapped newspaper has struggled recently with declining ad revenues and subscriptions, devaluing the paper from the $1.1 billion behemoth it was when The New York Times purchased the paper in 1993.

With the sale of the paper, John Henry will take over all of The Globe's subsidiary websites, including Boston.com, which is home to RadioBDC which will be celebrating its 1 year anniversary next week. It's unclear what his intentions are for the website, but judging from past instances of new ownership taking over companies, it's highly plausible that the station would most likely either switch formats or discontinue altogether. It's unknown what numbers RadioBDC currently takes in as those listener numbers aren't made public, but the station's future is a bit murky at this point as it doesn't seem likely that Henry would keep the station in its current format. The sale is expected to close in approximately 30 to 60 days, so any changes that are made won't be announced for the next month or so.   

Artist Spotlight: Nathalie Raedler

Wrapping up the week with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Keeping it local once again with a terrific Boston bred singer-songwriter by the name of Nathalie Raedler. Nathalie has a mystical, breezy pop-rock sound with smooth vocals that fill in the crevices of the musical wall with remarkable precision and present a pure, unadulterated sound that has a crystalline dexterity to it that is unlike any emerging singer-songwriter coming up in the scene today. I was impressed with the organic nature of her sound that feels real and authentic, and doesn't feel the need to be manipulated by extraneous studio effects that would have otherwise destroyed the delicate nature of her sound and would have made it drowned out and sound artificial, a pitfall that most musicians would like to avoid. An exquisite talent that definitely has that spark to take it to the next level and gain a competitive edge over all the rest. Some terrific tracks for you to check out include "Collective Hypocrisy" and "Part of Me".

For more information on Nathalie Raedler, head on over to her Facebook page here and give her a quick 'Like' so that you're in the know with everything that is going on in her world. You can follow her on Twitter as well from this location here and see when she'll be making her way through the Boston area with a concert appearance. You can check out her music on her Soundcloud page located here and see for yourself what immense talent she has amassed to this point.

Artist Spotlight: Kooked Out

Today's edition of Artist Spotlight comes to us from a duo that is a newcomer to the Boston music scene that goes by the name of Kooked Out. The duo primarily consists of Sarah Louise on lead vocals, piano, synth, and organ, and John Fiore on guitar and backup vocals. Their music is a melodic blend of low key psychedelic rock rhythms mixed in with a dual vocal precision that is a formidable presence to be in front of and they both have a terrific musical connection that stands out prominently in their music. You may remember John from his previous band Mojo Kick, and while it does borrow some elements from his prior musical venture, this is an entirely different sound altogether that sees him evolving into a diverse and confident musician who is able to tackle anything thrown his way. Sarah's vocals sound absolutely superb, and complement the instrumentation at hand with remarkable aplomb. A promising rookie act in the local scene that is definitely deserving of a little push presswise.

For more information on Kooked Out, head on over to their Facebook page here and see what they're all about upfront from a musical perspective. Follow the duo on Twitter from over here and find out when they'll be performing in the Boston area again so that you can check them out in concert for yourselves! Check out their demo "In A Trance" from their Bandcamp page over here and see firsthand what their music is really like.

Call Me Anything To Release New Album "The Best Damn Time" on September 24th

Boston's perennial pop-rockers Call Me Anything are gearing up to release their brand new album "The Best Damn Time" on September 24th. The boys have been hard at work on the new effort throughout the summer, and they are super stoked to release their latest creation to the confines of their rabid and devoted fanbase who have stuck by them from the very beginning, and are ready to embark on the next phase of their musical careers.

Pre-orders for the new album start on August 6th, and with your advance order you will receive an instant download of the album's first single "Try This Again", along with a discounted price of "The Best Damn Time", plus you'll also receive a personal phone call from the band thanking you for all the support you shown them throughout the years. More information on the album will be posted here on the blog as the release date draws closer.