What I'm Listening To #1

I don't know if I'm going to do one of these everyday, but I was thinking I should at least do one on the days I don't have a legitimate post. So, here's a list of the songs that have been in my head. All day. :]

1. "Seconds From Falling" - Everly
2. "I Can Pretend Too" - The Great Valley
3. "Her Eyes Will Tell You Everything" - Lansdowne
4. "Tomorrow's Hero Yesterday's Villan" - Love Letter Radio
5. "Hello Love Goodbye" - To Be Juliet's Secret
6. "Never Enough" - Holiday Parade
7. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" - Kelsey and the Chaos
   
8. "More To Lose" - The Goodnight Anthem
9. "Warning Signs" - My Cardboard Spaceship Adventure
10. "Letters" - Roark

I'm pretty much in love with all of these songs ;; Check them out.
You won't help but fall in love with them, too. :]

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Name Dropping 101 ; Part 6

I didn't realize how large the first post was until I checked it over. That might be the longest one yet. Oh well, that just means the bands gave me a lot to say :]

>>This guy Bam gave me a list of bands to look at.

[ His blog is pretty much about whatever he wants to write about, and that's why I love it. He's the merch guy /best friend of A Rocket To The Moon, the amazingly fun guy I said I met at Bamboozle when I saw the band perform. Good times. ] One of the bands he listed was Ellington. They're two guys from Australia who make possibly the most adorable music I've ever heard. Every song makes me smile with their melodies and lyrics. "Wide Awake And Smiling" is currently my MySpace song, in case you were wondering :] The way it starts out is a bit misleading; even I didn't like it at first. It changes, losing that 'boxed-in' sound early into the song. It's upbeat and overall wonderful :] All of their songs are crazy nice. If it wasn't just for the sake of their music, I've completely fallen for these Aussie boys due to what they have written under their 'About Me'. It's absolutely amazing; and even if you don't like their sound, I suggest you read it just to get a better feel for them and for what they're all about. It might be one of the deepest, most sincere things I've ever read. I love them, and I'm super glad Bam showed them to me.

*>>There are a bunch more on that list, but I don't have time to review them all, plus the bands I promised I'd mention. For now, check out Sederra [ who has free downloads! and a killer personality ] && My Cardboard Spaceship Adventure. 

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Name Dropping 101: Jaded Son, The Bigger Lights

>>Two Words :: Jaded Son.  They're looking for a drummer, because they've lost theirs. They've got a great sound musicallyl. They recently added the song "Orange Afternoon" to their MySpace. It has a soft - rock sound, but you never get bored. The vocals ever so slightly remind me of Weezer, as does the general vibe of the song. The next is called "Broken Words", and I like this one a lot more. This song, as well as "Leave It Up To Me" & "Trial And Error" (The other songs on their page) are all free downloads and they have the lyrics up too! They're only a click away. :] I like "Broken Words" the best because it has the perfect balance of soft rock, a more 'intense' sound at the chorus, amazing vocals, and insane lyrics. Here's a sample:: "All these secrets you keep, All these angels I’ll never see; Scream their secrets in broken words; Pleading with me, To just be heard." I love it when there's such a deep meaning behind the words; I'm a fool for poetic lyrics :] Seriously, you can't deny their awesomeness. Check them out, and take advantage of their free downloads! Oh, and if you're interested in being their drummer, let them know. [ They're from Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania, so plan accordingly. ]


>>Straight out of Virginia City, Va comes The Bigger Lights ! They've got a sound that's completely different, and practically opposite of Jaded Son. They're just as fan friendly, of course.
My favorites are "Goldmine Valentine" and "Revved and Ready". They're crazy good, especially the second one. The beginning of "Goldmine Valentine" reminds me of Panic! At The Disco on their first CD on songs such as "Camisodo". Can't figure out what they're saying? They have the lyrics to their song posted as links under their 'Influences' section. Good thinking, right? :] To better help communicate with their fans, they have a FAQ going on [ Frequently Asked Questions, with answers of course.
*>Or, like me, you can post stuff like this onto your small and probably unheard of blog, hoping someone reads it and heard about the incredible band :] Check them out, and tell them what you think. They'll love you for it.

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Name Dropping 101: Justin Nozuka, Can You Keep A Secret, and more

>>I don't know if anyone watches VH1 as obsessively as I do, but earlier this morning on the Top 20 Countdown, I heard "After Tonight" by Justin Nozuka. I'd heard a clip of the song before, but I never really listened to it. It's soft and acoustic with a smooth sound. His voice is sweet and amazing. The song is extremely adorable ; I don't think you can listen to it without having it stuck in your head for a day or two. Then again, who's complaining? So I just looked him up on MySpace, as I do with pretty much every artist, and he considers his music "Soul / Acoustic / Alternative". I realize it's pretty easy for me to type in the genres the artist uses to describe themselves, but does anyone else know what they mean? Soul music, to me, has a soft sound with a tougher vibe; smooth melodies accompanied by words with a deeper meaning. Acoustic is stripped-down; usually a guitar, vocals, and the bare minimum [ Like "Hey There Delilah" by The Plain White T's. ] Alternative is my personal favorite. I can't really explain it; it's like Rock music but with a Punk-y attitude. Back to Mister Justin Nozuka. The first song that played on his page was "Golden Train". It's super soft and has a vibe similar to Colbie Cailat's "Bubbly", at least in its beginning. It's just one of those songs that makes you smile and think happy thoughts every time you hear it. Towards the middle-end of the song, his vocals become more intense, reflecting the Soul aspect of his music. Check him out, he's got a genuine sound anyone would love.

>>While I was gone, I got a whole bunch of friend requests from various bands on MySpace, one of them being Can You Keep A Secret. One of the members, Alan [ the bassist ], sent me a MySpace comment asking me to tell some friends about them, aka spread the word; hopefully this will do the trick. Oh, figured I'd mention it, but I love it when bands can have conversations with their fans, or at least make the effort to connect. It shows that they don't think they're so much more important than everyone else. It's a really nice thing to do, and we all appreciate it :] So anyway, Can You Keep A Secret : They call their music "Powerpop / Rock". [ I looked up 'powerpop' on urbandictionary.com, and basically it's considered rock mixed with an underlying emo vibe. It's pretty much intense pop music. ] So I'm pretty sure my favorite song by them is "The End of the Story". It's really good, and I love the lyrics. Here's a sample: "And I’ll remember all times that we shared; For you I would do the impossible. And my dear friend, I’ll extend out my hand, when you need to fall into my arms." Can you say adorable? They are really good, and they have that rough sound, especially in the vocals, that one almost always finds with unsigned bands. If they sound appealing, check em out at the link I've added to my list.

>>Now, on to a band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina :: En Serenade. They have three songs on their page: "Mile Markers", "Come What May", and "North Carolina". They're all similar, and somehow different. I think "North Carolina" is the best one, and the one that sounds more unlike the other two. It starts out with a piano, and a smooth sound. It's soft, but not dull; it still makes you want to listen. En Serenade also has rough vocals, for the same reason as the last band, I'm sure. [ When I say rough vocals, I don't mean that the singing is bad; I mean that it hasn't been polished and perfected in a studio; that it's real and not overproduced. ] Curious? Then look them up, you won't be disappointed.

Lansdowne have free song downloads on their page!  Go check 'em out, and take advantage ! Great Songs for Free ?! Don't miss out ! 

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Name Dropping 101: Lansdowne, Love Letter Radio

>>Let's start by talking about the band who's page I'm looking at right now: Down For The Count . The first song they have on their page is "Make My Day". It starts out soft, then kicks it up a notch. It really has a soft-upbeat-rock sound. I'm actually really fond if it :] The second song they have is "Paperback Novelty". This song, compared to the last, doesn't start out soft. Instead, it gets right into the lyrics. It sort of has that rough sound that makes it even more appealing. They're really good, and I highly suggest anyone who's into upbeat rock to look them up.

>>The next crazy good band I've been introduced to is LANSDOWNE. They consider themselves "Rock / Alternative / Pop". The first track on their page is a mix of other songs. "Her Eyes Will Tell You Everything" is really, really, really good. It's different than a lot of other stuff that's been circulating lately. The chorus has a really smooth sound, and it almost reminds me of a song you'd hear from Staind. Next up is "Anatomy of a Symphony". It's a bit more toned-down than the last, but it's still got a certain kick that makes you want to listen. They've got a great sound, and they're always looking for feedback from the fans. I've actually been talking to them for a while now, and they seem like really cool people who love their fans. As they've told me, you can find them on iTunes as well. So if I've successfully made you curious, check them out and tell them what you think :] Oh, and make sure you watch the video at the top of their page called "I'll See You Again". It's wonderful.

>>Now, on to Love Letter Radio, a band with a name that made me fall in love. The first song is "A Place Called Home". It's definitely punk with a lighter, brighter, more 'pop' sound. (As soon as you hear it, you'll understand what my rambling means. Rest assured.) The song itself makes me smile and the lyrics are wonderful. It's a really great song. The second is "Let's Dance My Dear", which is almost as adorable as it's name. It's more 'intense' pop, than the last. Love Letter Radio has songs that make me smile, and just feel happy. Their music is adorable without the typical softness. They've got a sound that I'm sure almost anyone could appreciate, especially people who like pop music with a bit of attitude. Check them out, I promise you'll love them :] 

*>>Oh, if you want to find more bands that I haven't gotten around to mentioning yet [ not because they aren't amazing, but because there are so many!], look at the bands featured on my MySpace. Click "View Complete Profile" under my picture on the right side of the screen & click on "My Web Page", or check out the links under 'My Favorite Artists." You won't be disappointed. If you have something to say about a band I've reviewed, or one I haven't gotten to yet, let me know. Just like my new friends LANSDOWNE, I love the feedback :]

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Name Dropping 101: The Maine, Tyler Kyte

As I mentioned last post, I think MySpace is a great way for artists to gain exsposure for their music. Today, I'm going to focus on bands I've found through MySpace, or found new music by, or those that just have a MySpace.

>>I'd heard of The Maine before, but I'd never really heard anything by them. So I was looking around while on MySpace, and I came across their page. I started listening to the first song on their page, "Everything I Ask For" and I fell in love. They're pretty amazing :] The lyrics are quite adorable. It's upbeat with a good tempo. A very good song. The next one that came on was "Girls Do What They Want". Yet another adorable song, but they have more fun with this one. They've got a great sound, and I suggest them for anyone who likes upbeat, sweet music.



>>Now for one of my favorites, Tyler Kyte. I 'discovered' him on a TV show called Instant Star, that just finished it's last season :[ So sad. He played Spiederman, and he was way adorable. I searched him on Ares, like LimeWire but without the viruses, and I found tons of his songs. I figured, he's gotta have a MySpace, right? And he does :] On his page, he describes his music as "Rock / Folk", which shows the acoustic-ness I'll probably bring up within the next few sentences. One of my favorites by him is "Let's Talk". It might just be one of the most adorable songs I've ever heard. It's soft, acoustic, and amazing. It's different than his other songs because it's somewhat more acoustic. Another song I love by Tyler Kyte is "What You Need". It's soft, but not on the same level as the previously mentioned. It's got more of a rock sound to it, which makes me want to listen to it over and over. My absolute favorite song by him is "Unraveling", featured on the soundtrack for Instant Star, season 3 (picture) that can be found on iTunes. He is incredibly talented, and I'm telling any fan of acoustic music to look him up.

>>The main character of the show, who was the original Instant Star of the series, is Jude Harrison. Jude's character is played by Alexz Johnson who you might also know from being on So Weird, one of my favorite old [Disney] shows, a few years ago. She has an amazing voice. She recently added new songs to her MySpace page, such as "Swallowed", "Easy", and "Chicago". In case you were wondering, she describes her music as " Pop / Indie / Progressive " on her page. "Swallowed" has a beat that is ever so slightly reminiscent of "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel. It's acoustic and soft, and simply lovely :] It's just one of those cheerful songs with a 'vibe' similar to Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly". It's one of those soft, bright, summery - songs. "Easy" starts out with a jazz vibe, or what I'd expect a club in Louisiana to sound like. It comes complete with harmonica and a hint of piano. It's got a smooth sound, and incorporates trumpets and various brass as you get farther into the song. It has a distinct sound different than a lot of what I've heard lately. "Chicago" starts out with an almost tribal sound. Again, different than pretty much anything I've heard recently. It's upbeat with a good tempo. She's really talented, and I suggest you look her up on iTunes (search either her name, or Instant Star), or on MySpace. Some of my favorites from the show are "Skin", "Natural Disaster", "Waste My Time", "Ultraviolet", and "I Just Wanted Your Love." They're really great, I promise :]

*>>I think I'm going to limit myself to three artists today, and probably everyday, because otherwise I'd probably end up listing somewhere around 34068720468 +. Oh, I've decided that if I can't get in a new post everyday, I certainly will every other day, and at the very least once a week. This should work, and it'll give me extra time to figure out what to write, so it benefits everyone. I think I'll stop rambling now, so check back in a day or two for my latest installment :] :]

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Name Dropping 101: Kate Voegele, Ludo

>>Another CD I recieved at Bamboozle was a metal CD with a combination of different bands, the main one being Emmure. The other bands were With Blood Comes Cleansing, Bury Your Dead, Red I Flight, and Carnifix. I don't like metal for the simple fact of the screaming. It's just not something I want to listen to. In my mind, people write music to express themselves; to get their messages heard. But nobody can really hear what you're saying if you're screaming it; at least, I can't understand it. If you're into metal and screamo, I suggest you check out these bands, all of which are on iTunes.

>>Another 'new band' is Push Play. I've known about them for a while now, especially considering the lead singer, Cj Baran, just graduated from my high school this year. They've got a pretty decent fan base, but there are still a lot of people that don't know them. They were on TRL (Total Request Live on MTV) somewhat recently, performing "Away, Away." Push Play has an electronic pop sound, case in point the first song on their CD Departed; "Starlight Addiction". That's my favorite song by them, and probably one of their most popular. It has those keyboard - generated sounds that give it a different sound. Some people have said they're "over-produced", but I like it. If you also like electronic - pop, check them out. Their CD Deserted is on iTunes, and they're going on tour this summer.

>>Another band you should know about, but might not, is one of my favorite groups of people, aka the band called Ludo. I mentioned them during the Bamboozle reviews, and if you read them you can tell they guys are amazing at life. Just wanted to let people know they performed on Jay Leno last night, and they were amazing. You really should check them out. They've got a good sound, and a bunch of their songs are funny and sarcastic. I love them to death, and I hope to meet them again :]

>>MySpace is a great way for artists to get their music heard. One instance of this is the story of Kate Voegele. A few years ago, she added me to her 'friends list' to try and spread her music. I listened to the first song, "Only Fooling Myself", a song I still have on my iPod today. It's upbeat, 'happy',

and adorable. She has a great voice, and it got her far. This past season on the TV show One Tree Hill, she played Mia and sang her little heart out. She is a great actress with huge potential. Her success was started, at least somewhat, by the exposure her music got from her MySpace page. The best part, in my opinion about having your music on MySpace, is that even non-members (people who don't have a MySpace account) can access your page and hear your music. Those who do have accounts can put a song on their own page, and spread it throughout their friends. It's crazy how something as simple as that can lead to a singer getting a role on a popular TV show, or a band playing on TRL. Anyway, Kate's latest CD is Don't Look Away, featuring songs like "It's Only Life", "Top of The World", "Facing Up", and "I Won't Disagree." The CD is on iTunes, so check it out if you've heard of Kate Voegele or you like an acoustic / upbeat pop sound in your music.

*>>I think that's all I'm going to write today, and I actually am going to continue tomorrow. IDEA: If you did check out any of the artists I suggested, or have any suggestions of your own, either email them to me or comment a post. Let me know, because I'd appreciate the feedback. :]

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Album Review: "A Place on Solid Ground" by The Hoodies

>>One of the CDs I recieved at Bamboozle was that of The Hoodies. It's called A Place on Solid Ground and it's amazingly wonderful. The Hoodies have a soft sound, but with a good beat. Personally, I could listen to this CD for days and not get bored. It's got 8 songs, starting with "Old Friends". It's only a minute and three seconds long, but it's got a good sound. Not one of the best off the CD, but it's a good beginning. It's got almost an electronic sound with a good beat. It fades into "Elegy", which somewhat reminds me of the song "Our Movie Rules" by The Higher. This song is longer, with that slight trace of an electronic sound. It's what I call an "adorable" song, meaning it's soft, but not easy-listening; it's a song that when you here it, you can't help but smile. The third song, "Former Glory" is my favorite. I might just be in love with the lyrics, too. Here's a sample of the chorus: "But it's at the ending of the story that all your FORMER GLORY is pushed back into the light, to light up the darkest night and the blackest sky. And for every second that you spent, spending all your compliments, another little star ignites out where you are." They've got a really good sound, and this song by far is my favorite off this CD. Next is "Minuet" which is, in my opinion, the most adorable of them all. It's got an acoustic beginning, accompanied by violins. It's soft and pleasant at the start, but then its intensity gets turned up a notch after the first chorus, still keeping its original sound. The other songs on the CD are "Surface", "The Bright Lights", "Nocturne", and "I Am Glass". I love all of them, and the band is really good. I suggest them for anyone who likes almost toned-down alternative music, meaning it has a softer sound. I'm into any music that I think is good, and I love them. Oh, and they're on iTunes. :] So go check them out.

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