Friday, October 30, 2009

Name Dropping 101 ; Across The Pond

America's not the only place with rad music.

>>Twin Atlantic (@TwinAtlantic) ; Scotland
I recently found them through New Music Inferno (@NEWMUSICINFERNO), and I basically fell in love.. They're pretty much everything you'd want in an alternative band, plus a sick accent. "Old Grey Face (And the Way of the Magenta)" has more of an upbeat vibe to it, and "You're Turning into John Wayne" has a softer tone. "What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?" is definitely my second favorite by them, it draws you in from the beginning and holds your attention with riffs you'd expect to hear from a band like Senses Fail. I'm not sure my description will do it justice, so just watch the video fer their song "Lightspeed" below, it's my favorite by them :D Also, check out their album, Vivarium, on iTunes now.


>>Summerlin ; Leeds, England
They've got a really cool pop-punk feel that makes you want to party. "I've Got A Future and You're Not In It" is a great example of that.. and really, so are all the songs on their page :) Feel free to follow each of the guys on twitter! Their links are on their myspace page. Also, check out their album, So Make Your Move, on iTunes & their other merchandise on their bigcartel page (prices in Euros).

>>Me Vs. Hero (@mevshero); Blackpool, UK
I found this band while looking at Summerlin's page, and I'm glad I did. They're more punk rock, and their tracks have a lot of energy. "Cashing Cheques" is one of those songs that draws you in from the start, & keeps you listening with a killer chorus.

>>My Passion ; London
This band, who I also found through Summerlin, has a heavier sound. Check out their video for "Day Of The Bees" below.


>>McFly (@mcflymusic); London
Remember that movie Just My Luck from 2006? Remember that awesome band the main guy managed? That band is a real one, and their name is McFly. Not only were they in that movie, but their album (with the same title) came out that year, too. There are a bunch of great songs on that record, including "Five Colours In Her Hair" & "I've Got You" which they played in the movie. I love a bunch of their older stuff too, including one of my favorites, "Sorry's Not Good Enough." Look them up, their pop rock sound is bound to make you smile.

>>Heart In Hand ; Bournemouth, UK
Their song "Indelible Mistakes" starts out really sweet, but after about a minute, it starts to change. Around 2 minutes in, you get a true taste of what the band is like- a hard rock / screamo band that knows how to go crazy. Listen to their music, and make sure to stop by their online store.

>>Gallows ; Hertfordshire, London and South East United Kingdom
As I've said before, I'm not usually a big fan of really heavy music, but there's something about this band that makes me want to listen to them. I caught some of their set at Warped this year, and maybe that was all I needed- they were great. I missed them when they played nearby recently, but they're still on tour. Try to make it out to one of their shows if you get the chance (tour dates listed on their MySpace).

>>Muse ; England
Their vocalist has an almost chilling aspect to his voice that really helps set the band apart. The music as a whole has a similar effect, listening to "Invincible" will demonstrate that pretty well. "Plug In Baby" is basically love in song form.. to me, at least. "Thoughts of A Dying Atheist" is another of my favorites. I would strongly suggest this band to anyone looking for a different kind of rock song that still packs a punch.


>>You Me At Six ; UK
They're a genuinely good rock band with catchy songs. What else do you need? Sign up HERE to get a free download of their song "Finders Keepers". Be sure to try & catch them on the AP Tour with Mayday Parade, The Academy Is..., and more!
Here's their video for "Kiss and Sell":

Kiss and Tell

You Me At Six ( UK Headline Tour On Sale Now) | MySpace Video

>>Does It Offend You, Yeah? (@dioyy); UK
"Dawn Of The Dead" was the first song I'd ever heard by them, and let's just say it was a hell of an introduction :) Anytime I sing it, I feel the need to do so with an accent... I hate being one of those typical Americans who loves different accents, but hey, can you really blame us? All of their songs are really different, each with a different combination of alternative, synth, and rock qualities that make them pretty addicting.

>>Ellington (@JakeAshley); Brisbane, Australia
Need some truly adorable, smile-enducing music to fall in love with? Well, stop searching- you've found what you've been looking for. Ellington has a really sweet, soft-rock / acoustic sound to every song, but their sound isn't generic. If you happen to be in their area, catch Ellington with Save Us For Summer, Courage, and more on December 12th (Check the poster below & their myspace for more info).


>>Courage ; Queensland, Australia
They only have one song on their MySpace at the moment, but listening to it, you can't help but smile. Playing with Ellington on December 12th.


Bonus: BandCentral.com (@BandCentral)
BandCentral is a London based website made for the benefit of bands who like to keep things as simple as possible, but get things done all at the same time. The site allows bands to eliminate long email threads with band-specific message boards. There's also a band calender and a gig manager, and if you're forgetful, you can get SMS updates sent to you as a reminder. You can also create set lists and guest lists for each event. There's a "Fan Alert" feature that, combined with the automatic twitter/facebook/myspace status updates, will help let your fans know about upcoming shows, releases, and more. Of course, you can also keep track of your band's finances, create & update a to-do list, and upload files for easy storage & sharing. This site is pretty much any band's best friend, a great thing to have.

"BandCentral gives you your very own online 'Band HUB', which enables you to manage everything associated with a hard working band (gigs, promotion, files and finances etc..) all in one instantly accessible place."

(^demo vid)
Interested? Click here to try out the site & all of its features free for 30 days.



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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Name Dropping 101 ; Part 23


10 bands I couldn't help but fall in love with.
Check em out, you'll see why :)

  • Band - "[Some of my favorite songs by them]"
  • Anarbor- "Passion For Publication", "The Brightest Green",
  • Artist vs. Poet- "Assurance, Closure", "Runaway", "Lisa-Marie"
  • Cash Cash- "Concerta", "Electric Hearts", "Breakout", "Sugar Rush"
  • Mandy K- "Plans", "Are You From Tennessee? Cause You're The Only Ten I See" "Sunflower"
  • Mercy Mercedes- "Shiver Me Timbers", "Drop Top", "Revolution"
  • Owl City - "The Bird and the Worm", "Fireflies", "Tidal Wave", "On The Wing"
  • Sparks The Rescue- "My Heart Radio", "Autumn", "Skeleton", "The Gravity"
  • The Bay State- "1944 (Kicking & Screaming)", "Hey Hey Glamour Kills", "Liars"
  • The Scenic- "The American Way", "Bon Voyage Mr. Bones", "Are You Down?"
  • You, Me, and Everyone We Know- "I Can Get Back Up Now", "Happy Birthday", "Colorful Language"
BONUS!:
Summers Last Wave- "Forever Never Ends", "She Never Gets What She Wants", "Reach In"

So.. who have you fallen in love with lately? ;]
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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Interview: The Reserve

>> About a month ago, I asked the guys from The Reserve a couple of questions.
These were their answers. (John Rossi's now included too!)

1. Who does what in the band?
Pete Nappi: I play the drums, percussion and keyboards.
Peter Catalano: My name is Peter Catalano and I sing and play guitar. Pete Nappi takes up the drums. John Rossi attempts the bass guitar :].
John Rossi: my name is john dominick rossi, im the one in the band who stands there and looks good♥ peter catalano plays the guitar and uses his golden pipes, and pete nappi plays the sh*t out of his drums.

2. If you could play any other instrument besides the one(s) you play now, what would it be & why?
PN: I would definitely play the banjo. Its a fun instrument and i would love to jam out on it.
PC: DRUMS! Pete Nappi always seems to have so much fun playing.
JR: i would definitely play the trumpet, or to be really good at the piano. i think the trumpet is a rad cool instrument, and i love the piano

3. What are some of your earliest memories that made you want to get into music?
PN: Just seeing that if you work hard enough, you can do what you love to do every night of your life. Without music in my life i probably would not be the same person.
PC: 4th grade. Tom delonges lead guitar riff at the end of dumpweed made me buy a guitar.
JR: i remember my dad showing me bands like tool and rage against the machine at a early age of my life, he really got me into my musical life i have now. but i really fell in love with linkin park and there sound♥ . also kurt cobain played a hug part in my life his life really caught my eye and i realized a whole different world of music that i live in right now.

4. Would you say music runs in your family?
PN: Id say so. My dad plays some guitar. My italian grandpa plays the accordion♥ and piano. My great grandfather played the sax in a band in italy.
PC: My mom can sing. Thats about it.
JR: i think so, me and my dad bond alot. we always watch and listen to alot of blues together, its enjoyable.

5. Biggest influences, both musical and otherwise?
PN: Angels and Airwaves, U2, Basically all good music. I like to listen to music that is very different, or music that can make u think differently. Also the stars and the planet can influence my life as well♥
PC: Musical- Blink-182, Otherwise my grandparents♥
JR: muse, blink 182, angels and airwaves, plus 44...... my grandma, and my family.... and the moon.

6. What made you realize you wanted to start/join a band?
PN: When i was younger, i was always into music, banging on stuff and singing along. For my 8th birthday, i got my first drum set. I went to my first concert also when i was 8, which was u2 in boston, and i knew immediately from that night, i wanted to play music for the rest of my life.
PC: I want to be able to reach people on both an artistic and personal level.
JR: my best friend pete nappi always wanted me to play an instrument, and i want to inspire kids the way musicians inspire me.

7. How’d you guys get together?
PN: To make a long story short, Peter knew my friend Kevin. Kevin told me they needed a drummer, i called pete and history was made. John is my best friend so he later joined.
PC: I started the band in December of 2007. The Reserve has gone through so many different members but things were finally put into place when my friend Kevin introduced me to Pete Nappi.
JR: um i believe peter made the band back in 07, he got pete nappi and they needed a bass player and im a bass player!

8. Who named the band? How’d you come up with that name?
PN: Peter came up with the name. I think he was driving in his car and thinking about his cousin in the army or something.
PC: I came up with the band name when I heard my cousin was joining the marine reserves and heading off to Afghanistan. My cousin wants to protect our nation. I'm trying to motivate people to stop all the hate through music and art. Anyone that wants to change the world really is part of The Reserve.
JR: peter came up with it, i think it has something to do with his cousin.

9. What do you find inspires most of your lyrics/music/etc?
PN: I think if you look around you, anything can inspire you to do something. Everyday life experiences can cause you to create music. Also, just listening to other music can make you get inspired. The time when i get most inspired, is when i go to a concert. It makes me realize that i could play music everyday for the rest of my life if i just keep working hard. After a concert i usually go home and write a new song.
PC: Most of the music and lyrics I write are based off of personally experience that were happening at my life at that time. The new record that I just started writing is based on a story that I came up with only three days ago. I started writing lyrics and music last night. (*Answered on Aug 27th)
JR: what inspires me is anything that makes me driven, anything that gives me motivation to do something with my life.... mainly its making fun of guidos.

10. How do you guys come up with the lyrics and the music behind it?
PN: Usually me and peter write something, and record a short demo of it. Then we go to the studio and write rest of the music in there. Then Peter usually writes lyrics and a song is born!
PC: See question 9.
JR: peter and pete normally write everything, i just throw in judgments.


>I was going to post the whole thing, but it's pretty long. Check out the rest on my fan page, I posted it as a note :] (*Click here)





>>
Although their release week has passed, you can still get their new Ignite EP on iTunes (click here) if you haven't already. I'm working on a review for that right now, it's definitely worth looking into. My personal favorites are probably "Man Of Your Dreams" and "Ignite", but they're all great. Next time you get the chance, I would definitely advise checking out one of their shows; seeing them in person is always a good time. And they love meeting fans. Couldn't be better than that :)
Thanks again guys <3
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