Pop-Punk Junkie

REVIEW: Childish Gambino - EP

2011-03-09T17:50:00.005-05:00

Alright. Before you start reading this review, go ahead and download the EP we're talking about here. You're welcome.

Childish Gambino is the rapper alias of Donald Glover. Glover is best known for playing Troy on the TV show Community, but his previous jobs include DJ, stand up comedian, and Emmy winning writer for 30 Rock. So, he's only got a little bit of creative talent.

EP is more polished than his previous album, Culdesac, but it's no less witty or incisive than its predecessors. Glover's vocal style is a little rigid, which lends an urgency to his words, like he almost can't say them fast enough. His verses are littered with pop culture references ("You my stand in Cameron / Let me be your A-Rod," "I'm the boss / Michael Scott / Y'all is just Phyllises") and references to his own life ("You ever made out with a Gap ad?" "Couldn't see me as Spider Man / now I'm spittin' venom"). In fact, a good portion of the lyrics revolve around the trajectory of Glover's career and his quest to be taken seriously. This is a theme that is carried over from Culdesac. Glover feels looked down on by both black and white communities and he has no qualms with taking people to task about it.

Glover does a fair amount of singing on EP as well, including some falsetto. I think he's better off sticking to straight rapping, but his singing sets the tone for the songs by giving them a bit of a haunting feel. There's a sense of grasping for a foothold that is just at the edges of the songs. There's also more than a fair amount of cursing and foul language (NOT a work safe album for sure) that at first felt out of place. Soon though, I realized that it felt out of place because Glover himself was looking for his place in all of it. The imagery of high end bars and crowds of women feels thrown upon the listener, much the way a sudden rise in fame might throw them upon a celebrity.

All of this is not to say this album is a down-tempo downer. To the contrary, in fact. It's one of those albums that you keep turning up as you move through it. It gets your blood pumping and makes you want to get up, get a drink, and dance. Immediately. Glover's passion, creativity, wit, and urgency are completely infectious. I've got my tickets for the Childish Gambino show in my town this spring, and it absolutely can't come fast enough. I'm sure it will be overrun by local hipsters, but it's virtually guaranteed to be better than the Fred Armisen show everyone was so amped for last month. I'm so excited to see these songs live, not to mention Glover will be doing stand up as his own opening act. This guy has a huge and varied career in front of him, and it will be wonderful to watch it all.

Something Corporate 8/11/10

2010-08-13T13:38:00.005-05:00

Something Corporate 8/11/10, 9:30 Club

Sooo I was pretty much more stoked for this show than almost anything ever. It's been five (?) years since Something Corporate called it quits and various members went solo. I never really got to see them before that happened, and I was never able to make it to any of their recent festival reunion shows, so I snatched up tickets for this tour as soon as it was announced.

This was the second of a two night run at the 9:30 Club in DC. A legendary venue for a legendary band. The other notable aspect of the night was that SoCo had NO opening bands. Just two solid hours of nostalgia. The club was at full capacity - people were leaning against the back wall of the venue it was so full.

The band came onstage to "Reunited and It Feels So Good," as well as huge screams from the crowd. I do have to say that there were more men there than I was expecting, though the front row was almost entirely female.

Apparently the band had technical issues during the first night's show, but that was all taken care of by the second night. Everything sounded great, no instrument or vocal was too loud or too quiet. There were a few moments where Andrew McMahon seemed to strain to recall lyrics - just pausing a beat too long and laughing before beginning a verse. He never really had to worry though, the audience was singing louder than him on some songs.

The set list was as follows (I think this is the right order, please correct me if I'm wrong):

I Woke Up In A Car
Space
Ruthless
21 and Invincible
Watch the Sky
Drunk Girl
Me and the Moon
Hurricane
Walking By
Cavanaugh Park
I Want To Save You
Only Ashes
The Astronaut
Straw Dog
She Paints Me Blue
Fall
If You C Jordan
----
Konstantine
Forget December
As You Sleep
Punk Rock Princess

This set is pretty much a SoCo fan's dream. The only favorite of mine that wasn't played was "Good News," but I wasn't really expecting to hear it. McMahon made a long speech about playing "Konstantine," and how its infrequency doesn't mean he dislikes playing it, but rather that it just takes up too much set time. Perhaps this was part of the impetus behind having no openers.

The set as a whole was energetic and filled with love. That sounds corny, but it's the only way I can describe the atmosphere of the place. Love, and respect between band and audience. Not to mention some nice guitar solos from Josh Partington, and plenty of piano gymnastics from McMahon. (On a band member side note - as we were waiting to be let into the venue, Bobby Anderson got out of the bus, milled around on the sidewalk for a moment, and then proceeded into the club...all with no one noticing him. Have people really forgotten that this band is a group effort?)

The crowd was enthused but not obnoxious. Even the younger fans weren't of the screeching, elbowing variety that I so often see these days. It was refreshing, actually. Overall, the show was pleasant, entertaining, energetic, and just plain happy. I sincerely hope they put out more records and continue to tour, at least for a little while longer.

Review: 3OH!3, Cobra Starship, Travie McCoy, & I Fight Dragons

2010-05-12T08:02:00.008-05:00

3OH!3, Cobra Starship, Travie McCoy, & I Fight Dragons at the 9:30 Club, 5.11.10.

Well, if you can't tell by now, Cobra Starship is definitely my guilty pleasure. I went into this show expecting plenty of skinny jeans, neon clothes, and semi-ironic headbands, and I got exactly that, plus a fun show to boot. After getting my ID looked at extra hard by the doorman (apparently I still look under 21), I headed up to grab a place on the balcony in order to see the show better and to endure less pushing and shoving from the high schoolers in the crowd. Quite a few parents were in the crowd as well, all of whom looked suitably shocked at the bands' banter and the music playing between the sets ("I'm On A Boat" in particular got a good reaction).

I'd never heard of I Fight Dragons before, and it turns out they're a Nintendo-core band. I find that this "genre" is fun in theory; it's a neat nostalgia trip. However, watching people prance around the stage while clicking away on a Super Nintendo controller is pretty boring and anticlimactic. The songs themselves were pretty standard pop-punk and the lyrics weren't very clever. I will say I giggled a little to see one of them wailing away on a Guitar Hero guitar, but I found myself watching the flat screen TVs that were displaying video game graphics and clips of retro cartoons.

I've been a big Gym Class Heroes fan for a long time, but to be honest, I didn't know Travis was doing a solo album until I heard "Billionaire" on the radio the other day. So, I was excited to see what he was doing as Travie McCoy. Turns out, it's pretty awesome. As far as I'm aware, McCoy had a lot of artistic freedom in GCH, but he's really spun that out in different directions for his new work. Imagine the emotional weight of The Papercut Chronicles plus the musical breadth of The Quilt. McCoy was mixing reggae, rap, '50s pop, hardcore, etc., etc.

world's tallest mic stand.

McCoy came on stage holding a handful of balloons with lights in them - a whimsical way to start the show. He still runs around the entire stage during his performance, but he doesn't pull faces the way he did when playing with GCH. He easily engaged an audience that had never heard any of these songs before, he kept things rolling for the whole set. I will definitely be buying Lazarus when it is released.

Cobra Starship took the next time slot. It was a pretty standard Cobra show, but I was surprised that the crowd didn't really seem that into it. I guess the place had mostly 3OH!3 fans in it. However, that didn't stop Cobra from bursting out on stage and doing their best to whip up a dance party. The had big grids of lights hanging as a backdrop and covering 3OH!3's gear. I think that's the biggest setup I've ever seen them have on a tour.

they say that kid, he's got soul.

The set list was fun, but there were some big holes - mostly that the only song they played from their first album was "Snakes On A Plane." They played two songs that McCoy has a rap on, but he didn't come on stage for either of them. He was clearly waiting off stage to come up for "Snakes On A Plane," but the boy they pulled from the crowd took up too much time flubbing the rap that McCoy didn't get to make an appearance. Which is sad, because that's something I was really looking forward to. I'd also love to hear songs like "The Ballad of Big Poppa and Diamond Girl" or "The Church of Hot Addiction" again. Mark DeJesus did have a cameo playing maracas on "Smile For The Paparazzi." It makes me smile to see bands continue to bring along the people who have been there with them from the start. Also, I don't think I mentioned it above, but Matt McGinley was playing drums for McCoy.

The City Is At War
Pete Wentz Is The Only Reason We're Famous
Kiss My Sass
My Moves Are White (White Hot, That Is)
Wet Hot American Summer
Smile For The Paparazzi
Snakes on a Plane
Living In The Sky With Diamonds
Hot Mess
Guilty Pleasure
Good Girls Go Bad

the beat is pumping, now she's blowing up.

I didn't stick around for 3OH!3 because I only know the song "Don't Trust Me," and I didn't want to have to stay through the encore to hear it. Also, I'm turning into an old lady and I was tired. Overall, it wasn't the best Cobra Starship show I've seen, but it was still decent and I got some good dance time in.

3oh3music.com | cobrastarship.com | traviemccoy.com | ifightdragons.com

Interview - Rooney

2010-05-10T12:45:00.003-05:00

I had the opportunity to speak with Rooney recently. Read on below to hear from frontman Robert Schwartzman about music, fame, and keeping true to yourself.

PPJ: Tell us about what went into creating your new album Eureka. Did you do anything differently for this album than you did for any previous ones?

Robert: Making Eureka was a new experience for us. It's the first record we've done completely in house....literally in house. We used my home studio, which was an old two car garage that's been converted into a small studio. It's got great sunlight and a good vibe...not a sterile ambiance. Although we've always been hands on with previous albums, we produced and engineered the entire album ourselves. It was tough to pick songs, since there's no one with us to be the bad guy, so it made for a more fragile experience. But in the end, we made it through all the drama and picked the best stuff. Even pushed ourselves to go back to the writing process and improve the songs we set out to record. Overall, we pushed ourselves to get away from the old model in the music industry and to bring down our overhead. We're not on Interscope anymore and we're looking forward to working this album with ILG. Musically, we wanted to keep the album organic, but also keep the Rooney sound that our fans and our inner fans like.

PPJ: When you put out The Wild One, you were label-less. How is the process and experience of producing and releasing a record different (or the same) when you aren't on a label versus when you are on a label?

Robert: We're feeling the difference now that we're a month away from releasing Eureka. It's hard to call Wild One a release, since we didn't promote it in anyway. We used TuneCore to get it up on online retail sites and blogged about it. It was really just a way to keep our core fans happy till the new albums hits the streets...the online streets. There's a lot more work when you self-release. Luckily, we're not alone and we have great people working with us at ILG to help get the message out that Rooney is back! Or, that Rooney is still here! I like to get my hands dirty and we have a long way to go on our new journey.

PPJ: You've toured with some pretty high profile bands. What's been your favorite or most memorable tour so far, and why?

Robert: It's been cool to have such a diverse touring history. I like all the tours for different reasons. There are always ups and downs, no matter how big the tour or how credible the opportunity. I would say touring in Europe was very memorable and playing on international tv shows was very exciting for us. I remember playing on this French TV music/talk show and looking at my band mates thinking, "this is nuts!" In a good way.

PPJ: When you were working with Rick Ocasek, what kind of input were you willing to take from him? What did you learn from working with him?

Robert: Well, we never actually got to make an album with Ric, but we was super cool to me and we hung out a bunch. We flew out to NYC to play for him, did a show at CBGB's with my brother old band Phantom Planet. I asked Ric if I could use his Pink Jazzmaster, which he lent me...I held on to it for a few years! He really liked the "demos" he got, If It Were Up To Me, Pop Stars, and Losing All Control. He said we should just use those on the album and record the rest. Having his stamp of approval was cool and led us back to Keith Forsey and Brian Reeves, who recorded the "demos." We did a rehearsal that Ric attended and he gave me some notes, like, for the song Simply Because, "change the word simply because of the drugs, to simply because of the trust." Which I ended up changing.

PPJ: Looking back on your past albums, is there anything you would change? Why?

Robert: Hmmmmm...it's hard to say. There's always something to change, but nothing major that's been bothering me all these years. It was a bummer to make 3 albums and only release one, Calling The World, but we made the better album in the end.

PPJ: What is your favorite thing about your new album?

Robert: I think it sounds really good and the songs are some of my favorite Rooney songs. It's got different sides, so it's always hard to pick one song to play for someone.

PPJ: Do you find you get recognized more for being in Rooney or for your famous relatives? Has that changed over time?

Robert: I think it would be weird to be recognized for having famous relatives...like why would that happen? I get recognized for having acted in a few movies, but I get recognized for being in Rooney too.

PPJ: Matt is leaving the band after this record. Are there plans for him to stay peripherally involved with the band?

Robert: Matt left the band already, but he made Eureka with us. He played great bass on the album and we had a good run together. He's now becoming a veterinarian, so he's off to a new life. We have a great new bass player with us named Brandon Quinn and he's really a great fit.

PPJ: How much say do you have in the movies and TV shows your music plays in?

Robert: We have full say and approval. Actually, I heard a song in a movie without approving it, but those were the Interscope days. Ned found a Chuckie Cheese that was playing I'm Shakin'...the robotic rat was singing our song! But I like when TV shows or movies or commercials use our music.

PPJ: What are your plans after the album release?

Robert: Well, I'd like to make a new Rooney album and I'd like to put out some music on the side. I've been producing and writing for different projects and I'm enjoying all of it. Also, I wanna make a X-Mas album!

Thanks again to Robert for answering our questions, and thanks to Mary Thayer from the Independent Label Group for arranging the interview. Be sure to pick up their new album Eureka, and see if their tour is stopping near you.

rooney-band.com

Interview - Seabear

2010-03-23T15:20:00.001-05:00

In case you missed it, which you probably did since I completely forgot to post it here, I did an interview with Seabear for Corduroy Magazine's blog. You can read it here.

2009 End of the Year List

2009-12-28T08:16:00.003-05:00

I feel almost unqualified to make a year-end list for 2009. I've been slowly working my way back into music, and I barely scratched the surface of what was released this year. So, consider this a partial list, and please feel free to tell me about someone I'm missing, or leave your own lists in the comments.

01. As Tall As Lions - You Can't Take It With You
As Tall As Lions have long been branded "the American Radiohead," and with this album they have taken that title and run with it. YCTIWY is highly atmospheric, deeply introspective, and extraordinarily beautiful. They've expanded their sound to create a world of their own, and this album invites you along for the trip.

02. Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
To be honest, it took a long time for me to like this album. I am so attached to I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child that it was difficult to let new MO songs in. Once I got it, I got it though. Careening between calm and rabid, METN is a dirty, messy rock album about things that shake your core. I am so excited to watch these guys get better and better.

03. fun. - Aim & Ignite
I'm pretty much on board with anything that former Format members are up to, but fun's debut album also makes my list on its own accord. Though not musically that far removed from Dog Problems, this album is clearly a separate entity. The creative instrumentation and the way Nate Ruess deftly guides the listener through his wide range of emotions is what makes this album great.

04. Brand New - Daisy
Continuing in the vein of The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me, Brand New gives us a darker album, full of ruminations on marriage, death, and learning how to grow up. Jesse Lacey does less and less actual singing with each album, but it works here. His raw emotion is what carries this album, and you can't help but feel like you're falling down the rabbit hole with him.

05. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
In the past, I've always liked what I heard from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but never enough to latch onto a whole album. With It's Blitz!, Karen O gives us a few of the ragged songs she is known for, but she also shows us a more focused side of herself. The band easily could have gotten stuck in a rut, but instead they tried some new things and polished older ideas into something new and exciting. This album isn't perfect, but it sets the stage for something great.

06. Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
This band came way out of left field, at least for me. I'm a relative newcomer to the stripped down, folky sound, and the Avett Brothers show everyone how it's done with this album. So many songs on the record are just completely heartbreaking, and that's a good thing.

07. Thrice - Beggars
Thrice could have continued in a thousand directions after The Alchemy Index, but they chose to start anew. The band is working as a tight, cohesive unit, while opening up to a broader rock sound. Thrice have always pushed their limits to make themselves better, and Beggars is no exception.

08. Sherwood - Qu
Listening to Qu feels like hugging an old friend. Sherwood took everything that worked for them in the past and dropped everything that didn't (cough "Alley Cat" cough). It's clearly crafted with love, and sounds just like an evening bonfire on a California beach - warm and inviting.

09. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
I think Wilco finally stopped trying to find a niche, and instead just decided this is who they are and they're sticking to it. Wilco recalls the pre-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot days, but this time the band appears to actually be enjoying it. Sure, everyone's saying But It's Not Perfect...but who cares? It's a good album with good songs, and as long as Jeff Tweedy's happy, so am I.

10. Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
I wasn't thrilled with last year's Censored Colors, but this album restored my faith in this band. Intricately wrought instrumentation combined with John Gourley's vocal acrobatics create P.TM's trademark acid trip of a style. Their winding, erratic songs make this album easy to get lost in.

Brand New, Thrice, & Crime In Stereo 11/14/09

2009-11-16T12:25:00.006-05:00

Brand New, Thrice, and Crime In Stereo at the Electric Factory, 11/14/09.

This was night one of two sold out shows at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. It was also Thrice's last night on the tour (Glassjaw joined the following night). I knew it was going to be a great show at a great venue, and I was not disappointed.

Crime In Stereo was the opening band. I'd heard good things about them, so I was interested to see them. While they had a lot of energy, none of it translated to the crowd - everyone stood stock still while they played. Their singer had a great raw voice, but he just couldn't get the crowd into it. Maybe the crowd was just saving themselves for the headliners. They did note that they were from Long Island, which is probably why they were on the tour. Unfortunately, it's not the first time I've been less than impressed with Brand New's opening act - I actually fell asleep during Colour Revolt's set a few years ago. CIS' set list was:

*new song*
Small Skeletal
XXXX (The First Thousand Years Of Solitude)
Third Atlantic
But You Are Vast
*new instrumental*
Almost Ghostless/Above The Gathering Oceans
Orbiter

I was very excited for Thrice since I've never seen them before (gasp!) and I have been listening to them for a long time. They came barreling out of the gate and hardly stopped at all. Dustin Kensrue sounded great, and their set was efficient, for lack of a better term. This band clearly knows what they're doing. I was a little disappointed that they didn't play "The Artist In The Ambulance," but I wouldn't want to play one song every night of my life either.

Of Dust and Nations
Silhouette
All The World Is Mad
The Weight
Helter Skelter (Beatles cover)
In Exile
Doublespeak
A Song For Milly Michaelson
The Arsonist
Beggars

After pushing the break between sets as far as they could, Brand New finally came on stage. It was every bit as good as it always is. Jesse Lacey's voice sounds more raw every time I see them - I'm not sure if it's for effect, or if his voice is just that torn up. They used almost exclusively their own lighting setup - white spotlights from the ceiling, the tops of their amps, and on the floor behind them, plus warmer yellow lights behind them on the side. It created a welcoming but eerie feel. About halfway through the set during "Vices," a projection screen kicked in and began showing disjointed black and white images. I'm not sure if they meant it to begin during that song, or whether that was a technical malfunction. Can anyone comment on that? However, I did this it funny that they used Lyndon Johnson's 1964 "Daisy" campaign ad during the song of the same name. They also appeared to be filming for a live DVD or something - there was one guy running around with a video camera and another with a handcranked camera.

Welcome To Bangkok
Sink
Degausser
You Won't Know
Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't
Sic Transit Gloria
Jude Law And A Semester Abroad
Seventy Times 7
Limousine
Vices
Gasoline
Daisy
Sowing Season
Archers
You Stole
Jesus Christ
Bought A Bride
At The Bottom
Play Crack The Sky

I think they did a great job of pulling from all their albums, especially Your Favorite Weapon. The crowd of course FREAKED OUT when we were presented with "Jude Law And A Semester Abroad" and "Seventy Times 7" back to back. I thought it interesting that they opened with "Welcome to Bangkok" since they had taken to closing with it. And while they did have a second drummer on stage with them, notably missing was the group jams with a dozen or more people. That is not to say that the show suffered because of it, but it was just different. There was still force and passion behind the songs - very much so. I felt that all the songs across all their albums flowed well with each other, despite the older songs being so different from the new songs. Brand New has learned not only to work a crowd, but how to have them eating out of the palm of their hand. As for me, Brand New shows are always a bit of an emotional experience - sometimes for just remembering what a song used to mean to me, and sometimes just for the sheer force of the music. Because of that, I will never miss a tour, even if I have to go to Philadelphia to catch it.

Say Anything, Eisley, Moneen, & Miniature Tigers 11/8/09

2009-11-11T09:18:00.003-05:00

Say Anything, Eisley, Moneen, & Miniature Tigers at the Recher Theatre 11/8/09.

It's been years since I've been out the Recher, mostly because it takes so long to get out to Towson. Granted, I was driving there in Friday rush hour traffic, but it was worth it for this show. Say Anything and Moneen are two of my favorite bands, and I'd never seen Eisley, so I was pretty excited.

I had not ever heard of Miniature Tigers before they were announced on this tour. I got to the Recher just as their set began, and it was good. They reminded me a lot of Vampire Weekend, and they had a good time using some odd instruments (I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a rain stick before). I missed the end of their set to go get some food, so I can't tell you much about their set list.

I dashed back in time for Moneen's set. They are one of my favorite bands to see live, since they just have SO much energy. To be fair, this wasn't their best performance - a little rougher around the edges than I've seen in the past. They were still having a good time with it and it was fun to hear their new songs. I don't remember their full set list, but what I can remember is:

Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do
The World I Want To Leave Behind
Are We Really Happy With Who We Are Right Now
There Are A Million Reasons For Why This May Not Work... And Just One Good One For Why It Will
The Passing Of America

The mood in the room got much more focused and excited when Eisley came on. Their live show was every bit as good as people say it is. The womens' voices blended beautifully together, and they recreated the ethereal feel of their recorded songs. Their set list was something like:

I Could Be There For You
Mr. Pine
The Valley
Golly Sandra
Ambulance
Smarter
Memories
Invasion
Marvelous Things
Many Funerals

I was happy to hear quite a few songs off Room Noises, and of course Max Bemis came out to sing a song he wrote with Sherri Dupree. Despite all the drama their marriage has caused, they really are a cute couple.

The room exploded when Say Anything came on. They had set pieces that looked like the buildings on the new album cover, and the tiny windows even lit up. Max was his usual flamboyant self, and he was genuinely pleased that people were already singing along with the new songs.

Fed To Death
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
Alive With The Glory Of Love
It's A Metaphor, Fool
Shiksa (Girlfriend)
Hate Everyone
Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat
Have At Thee!
Cemetery
This Is Fucking Ecstasy
Eloise
Woe
Baby Girl, I'm A Blur
Mara and Me
Every Man Has A Molly
Ahhh...Men
*****
Crush'd
Spores
Admit It!!!

I think they did a great job of mixing up the albums, and even if I'm not stoked on the new album, it works well live with the older stuff. The set lasted about two hours with the encore, which was quite a treat, even if I was exhausted by the end of it. I thought about skipping out during the encore, but I'm am glad I stuck around and heard "Admit It!!!" Just hearing Max's voice fall back and hearing the crowd take over was worth it. I'm glad to know they haven't lost it.

Interview - Apl de Ap

2009-10-27T08:13:00.000-05:00

I recently interviewed The Black Eyed Peas' Apl de Ap for Corduroy Magazine's blog. You can read the profile I wrote here. Enjoy!

Interview - Sherwood

2009-09-30T17:16:00.004-05:00

It's been about a year since the last time I spoke with California's Sherwood, so there was lots to catch up on. Read on to see what they have to say about the past year, as well as years yet to come.

PPJ: First, please tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Mike Leibovich:This is Mikey. I play keyboards and tambourine in Sherwood.

PPJ: It's been a few years since A Different Light was released. What's been going on in the meantime?

Mikey: Since A Different Light was released in 2007 we have toured America five times, toured England/Europe three times and spent two weeks touring Japan. We spent the second half of 2008 and the first half of 2009 writing and recording our new record Qu.

PPJ: How did you go about writing songs for Qu? What was the recording process like?

Mikey: For this record we wanted to have more time to flush out songs and be creative with the knowledge that we would chase a lot of dead end roads, but that we would be left with the best of the best. We rented an apartment in Oakland, CA with a sound proof rehearsal studio so that we could spend the better part of seven months writing music full time. We set a schedule for ourselves, put in at least six hours a day (often much more than that), and wrote over 85 songs. When we were finally satisfied with the best twelve songs, we moved down to LA to record with Brad Wood at Seagrass studios for two months.

PPJ: How does Qu differ from your previous releases?

Mikey: Qu is comprised of better written songs. For the first time we really started to see the collective vision for Sherwood come together. There are more vocal harmonies and melodic hooks, more diverse instrumentation, more rock and more pop. The lyrical content of the songs is also much more mature, exploring topics outside of ourselves, more inspired.

PPJ: You guys tour pretty hard for most of the year. How do you find time to create new music while on the road so much?

Mikey: When music is what fulfills you the time just makes itself available. It is difficult to balance the creative part of the job with the business and entertainment side, but it becomes nourishing and cathartic in ways that can't really be ignored.

PPJ: What is it about California that gives it so much airplay in your songs?

Mikey: California (and really the entire West Coast) has been so inspirational to us. We wrote A Different Light while living in a beach house in Mexico for six weeks and spent this record-writing up near the Golden Gate. From Lake Tahoe to San Francisco to Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo to San Diego....specifically the rolling hills and quiet ocean towns of central California. Just so incredible.

PPJ: What is your favorite part about the whole process of writing, recording,
and touring?

Mikey: Albums have always served as a marker of time for me. Writing an album is such a personal process and marks a period in our lives as the creators. Every record that means something to me has had emotions and memories attached that I hope people will find with this album as well. I still meet people who love to tell me where they were and who they were at the time they were listening to one of our earliest songs, "The Summer Sends its Love," written back in 2003.

PPJ: Why have you stuck with MySpace Records? I don't mean that in a bad way, but surely you've had major labels knocking at your door.

Mikey: MySpace Records has been such a supportive label that I couldn't imagine trying to do what we are trying to do on another label. The staff is like an extended family to us at this point and they give us so much independence. We have really been fortunate retain control of all of our creativity.

PPJ: What happened with The Sherwood Show?

Mikey: Nothing has happened! We are recording several more episodes for a second season. Keep an eye out for them!

PPJ: Do Dan and Joe still work with We Shot The Moon?

Mikey: When Jonathan first started We Shot the Moon he did not have a band with him. Dan and Joe were always just a temporary part of the beginning to help get that first record out. He has a really great band of guys with him full time now.

PPJ: What are your plans leading up to and following the release of Qu?

Mikey: We are just finishing a two week tour supporting Better Than Ezra and begin a tour with Hanson and HelloGoodbye from Oct 1- Nov 12. Our album will be out on Oct 13th, and we may be looking at possibly doing a headline tour early next year.

PPJ: What do you hope people will take away with them when they listen to your music?

Mikey: Ha ha. I have about five cliché sentences that come to mind, about being sincere, or about being classic. But really, I think we made a really good album and I would be delighted to find out what you take away with you.

PPJ: Finally, please tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Mikey: Grizzly Bear, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Passion Pit. Each of their latest
records are outstanding.

Thanks again to Mikey for taking time to answer my questions, and to Gary at Stunt Company for arranging the interview. Be sure to pick up Qu on October 13th and to catch Sherwood on tour this fall.

As Tall As Lions at Jammin' Java 9.10.09

2009-09-11T11:57:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure I've already said as much as I can say about the perfection of As Tall As Lions' live show, so I will just leave you with a few photographs.

Cobra Starship 8/26/09

2009-08-27T09:19:00.000-05:00

Cobra Starship, The Audition, The Friday Night Boys, & DJ Skeet Skeet at The Rock & Roll Hotel, 8/26/09.

This is far and away the smallest venue I have ever seen Cobra Starship at, and it was every bit as exciting as past shows. Cobra’s music is built for packed rooms where everyone is wedged in, sweaty and dancing like crazy.

DJ Skeet Skeet was the first opener, playing a bunch of dance remixes along the lines of Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry, and 3OH!3. The crowd was kind of into it, but clearly saving their energy for the real show.

As for The Friday Night Boys, this was a hometown show for them. It’s the first time I’ve seen them since they signed with Fueled By Ramen, and they haven’t changed a bit. They’re still dance rock, still having fun, and still not taking it too seriously. The new songs sounded good – as a whole their music has become more rock and less electronic over time. It was a bit sad that there was no "Sorry I Stole Yo Gurl," but I probably would be sick of playing that one too. The funniest part was when someone in the crowd catcalled, "My Favorite Highway is better!" which launched a discussion among the band about Andrew Goldstein’s tenure in My Favorite Highway. Their setlist was something like:

Suicide Sunday
High School
Permanent Heartbreak
That's What She Said
Molly Makeout
Stuttering

The Audition was next. Their shows are always solid, and last night was no different. I’ll be honest – I haven’t listened to them in a long time, and I was surprised at how dance-oriented their new songs were. Not a bad thing – a very good thing, in fact. They were fun, and working hard to get the crowd motivated for the rest of the night.

My Temperature's Rising
You've Made Us Conscious
Love With a Motive
Hell to Sell
Los Angeles
The Way You Move
Warm Me Up
Don't Be So Hard

After a seemingly interminable interlude from DJ Skeet Skeet, Cobra Starship took the stage to dozens of screaming and grabbing girls. Gabe Saporta was loving it, and loving playing to a small venue. I have never seen a lack of enthusiasm from these guys. Gabe dances and slides all over, spending plenty of time right at the edge of the stage. Due to R&R’s lack of air conditioning, he was quickly dripping everywhere, and so was the rest of the band. Vicky T. wore a purple tube dress that was shorter than short, and everyone was just having the time of their life.

Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous
Send My Love to the Dance Floor, I'll See You in Hell (Hey Mister DJ)
The Church of Hot Addiction
Kiss My Sass
Damn You Look Good and I'm Drunk (Scandalous)
The Ballad of Big Poppa and Diamond Girl
My Moves are White (White Hot, That Is)
Hollaback Boy
The World Has Its Shine (But I Would Drop It On A Dime)
Smile for the Paparazzi
The City is at War
Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)
***
Good Girls Go Bad
Guilty Pleasure

"Damn You Look Good…" through "Hollaback Boy" were performed as a sort of medley. It was odd that for the "Hot Mess Across the US" tour, there were only three songs from Hot Mess on the setlist. Gabe did make a comment along the lines of "this is the last time we’ll be playing some of these old songs," and kept saying the old songs were for the old fans. This tour is clearly a sort of send off for them – a gift to the fans before they head out on a couple of big name, big venue tours. Sad, but I am glad I caught this round. A few people came up on stage throughout the set, including Friday Night Boys’ Chris Barrett covering one of Travis McCoy’s raps, and a young boy named Connor who got brought up to do the "Guilty Pleasure" dance and generally just hang out on stage for being so young and in the front row.

One of the best things about seeing Cobra Starship is watching how much Gabe interacts with and thanks the crowd. He took a number of small gifts from people in the audience, and he always spends much of the banter between songs talking about how dedicated the fans are and how grateful he is that they have put the band where they are today. It’s nice to see someone give back a little like that.

Overall, Cobra was just as explosive and entertaining as always, and I can’t wait to see where they go next.

No Doubt, Paramore, & The Sounds 6/14/09

2009-06-15T09:41:00.004-05:00

No Doubt, Paramore, & The Sounds at Nissan Pavilion 6/14/09

I was SO excited for this show. It’s been years since I’ve seen Paramore, and I had never seen No Doubt before. Sad, considering how much I love both these bands.

I got to the venue a little after 7 PM and got the nice surprise of seeing the end of The Sounds’ set – I had no idea they were playing this date. Unfortunately I only saw about a song and a half. Maja Ivarsson sounded a little screechy, but I have to commend her for being able to sprint around the stage in heels.

Paramore were their usual energetic selves, with Hayley Williams dashing around and the rest of the guys jumping and flipping all over the place. I felt that they left a few key songs out of their setlist, "Emergency" being the most notable one. They did play a couple of new songs off their upcoming record, and both were pretty fast, hard songs. Their setlist was:

Misery Business
For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic
Pressure
Ignorance [new]
CrushCrushCrush
Decoy [new]
When It Rains
Where The Lines Overlap
That’s What You Get
Let The Flames Begin
Decode

I thought "Decode" was kind of a weak way to end the set, but probably a strategic choice due to the Twilight soundtrack. I was pleased with how long their set was – I was expecting much less.

No Doubt got on stage around 9:30 PM, and there was just so much excitement in the air. They began with their shadows projected on a white sheet, waving at the audience. It looked like absolutely everyone in the audience was taking photos of it. When the sheet dropped, they had an all white, futuristic looking setup with the band members on ramps and stands – it kind of looked like a spaceship. Even the stage floor had been covered in white material, and all of the band was dressed in black and white. There was also a big screen behind the band, showing shapes, colors, and videos in sync with the songs. Gwen Stefani sounded a little rocky for the first minute or so, but then she warmed up and sounded fantastic. She has such a powerful voice and knows how to project it.

As for their outfits, No Doubt was definitely harkening back to their early days. Stefani’s hair was tied up in knots, and she was wearing a cut off tank top and cargo-like pants. The rest of the band looked the ska/punk part too.

The set list went something like this:

Spiderwebs
Hella Good
Underneath It All
Excuse Me Mr.
Ex-Girlfriend
End It On This
Simple Life
Happy Now?
[new song]
Guns of Navarone
Hey Baby
Running
Different People
Don’t Speak
It’s My Life
Just A Girl

Rock Steady
Stand And Deliver
Sunday Morning

No Doubt is one of those bands where you think it just can’t get any better, but they keep pulling out one huge song after another. They played all their big hits, plus some older stuff – fan favorites and such. Their setup was so slick and well-produced, and the whole band seemed to be having a great time. Stefani was swaggering all over the stage, and everyone kept running up and down the ramps and jumping around.

What really struck me was how Stefani kept talking to the audience in the pit. Most bands will address the crowd generally, but Stefani kept expressing gratitude and talking to individuals who were near her. She took a few presents from the crowd, and asked people about their signs they were holding. One man had a sign asking for a hug, so she told him, "Well, come and get it." She hugged him up on stage, talked to him for a minute, and let him take a picture with her. It’s really great to see such a huge band be that kind and welcoming to their fans.

I was also blown away by the sheer number of people there. Nissan Pavilion holds up to 19,000 people. I don’t know if the show sold out, but it looked pretty close. It was just people dancing for as far as you could see.

Stefani had two costume changes – once into a sparkly silver and black minidress with black tights and boots, and the second time into a sparkly black polo shirt with bleached out jeans. The only other band member to change clothes with drummer Adrian Young, who put on a rainbow colored tutu near the end.

For "Stand And Deliver," a bunch of freestanding drums were brought on stage, and all the members of Paramore and The Sounds came out to play, with all three women singing the song. Stefani also dropped and did ten or fifteen pushups during the intro to "Just A Girl." There was a lot of call and response singing as well. If any of the band members are tired of playing these songs, you would never know it.

Overall, I was very happy with this show. It was so great to hear all those songs I love, and to see the band having a good time. It was also nice that I got to see the leg of the tour where all three bands were female-fronted – that is something that very rarely happens, especially at this level. I envy one girl in the crowd that Stefani talked to – the girl had seen 11 stops on this tour and was planning on seeing 10 more. I’d definitely love to be able to do that!

Interview - Mark Capicotto

2009-06-15T08:04:00.006-05:00

Glamour Kills Clothing is probably one of the most recognizable brands in the music scene - everyone knows and loves those bright colors and bold designs. Most people, however, don't know much about the company's creator, Mark Capicotto. I asked him a few questions about what it's like to be one of the leading clothing designers out there right now.

PPJ: First, tell us who you are and what you do.

Mark Capicotto: I am Mark Capicotto and I am the owner and Head Designer here at Glamour Kills Clothing.

PPJ: What kind of music did you listen to growing up? How did you get involved in the current scene?

Mark: I grew up listening to punk rock in all its forms: NOFX, Bigwig, Osker, blink-182 to name a few. All of those bands had a huge influence on me. A lot of my friends were in bands and locally we had a great music scene with a lot of shows. It was a weekly tradition to go see as many bands as I could.

PPJ: How did you come up with the idea to start designing clothes and creating your own lines?

Mark:I did a lot of designs for my friends in bands growing up and started working freelance for some bigger acts. Everyone seemed to love my artwork so I questioned, "Why don’t I do this myself?" and Glamour Kills was born.

PPJ: What does the name Glamour Kills mean?

Mark: It really has no significance, haha! I had the idea, concept and tee designs down but didn’t have a name. It sounded cool so it stuck.

PPJ: What are your inspirations as a designer? Do you have any favorite designers?

Mark: I draw a lot of inspiration from everyday things; music and pop culture in general fascinates me. If I had to pick a designer it would be Rob Dobi. I grew up loving his work - he is Godly!

PPJ: How do you choose which bands Glamour Kills will sponsor?

Mark: Well first off, we have to dig the band musically. They also have be genuine hard working good people.

PPJ: What do you look for in employees? How do you keep a team following the same design aesthetics?

Mark: It’s difficult, but as the company grew I started hiring a lot of my friends who share the same interests and visions as I do. You get a few bad eggs along the way but the team we have now is amazing and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

PPJ: What sort of trends do you look for to stay ahead of the thousands of other clothing companies out there?

Mark: I wouldn’t say trends, but we try to stay ahead of everyone and think what we would like to see - create the trends so to speak. There are a lot of other companies out there big and small that like our stuff so much they make it their own, haha.

PPJ: How have social networking sites helped Glamour Kills?

Mark: Amazingly. When I was starting out I had little to no money, and with social networking I was able to reach thousands of customers without spending anything in advertising. If you use it right social networking can be a very powerful tool.

PPJ: Are you planning on opening any more physical locations?

Mark: Yes, we have plans for moving to NYC and California in 2010 and across the pond in 2011.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Mark: The Dangerous Summer, The Dangerous Summer, The Dangerous Summer.

Thanks again to Mark for answering my questions, and to Jay Taylor at Quite Great Communications/Decade PR for arranging it. Be sure to check out GK and all their great clothes!

glamourkills.com

Interview - Dance Gavin Dance

2009-06-02T06:58:00.002-05:00

You might think Dance Gavin Dance are just another generic band with a weird name. I think you should take a second look and see what these guys are all about - genuine music, a love for what they do, and yes, a funny name.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Zachary Garren: Zachary Garren, I play guitar and yell random things when I can.

PPJ: How did Dance Gavin Dance get started? What drew you to this style of music?

Zachary: The band started like most every other band, people who liked music playing music. A handful of member changes have happened over time for the better. We don't really know what "this style of music" is because we're trying to just play things other people aren't playing, but bands like At The Drive-In influenced us in the beginning, and then we just kept going from there. We listen to as much music as we can and try to throw that all into a blender. We recently tackled weird hip-hop on our new CD, hopefully we can throw in some dub next?

PPJ: You've had quite a few member changes. How did you manage to keep going and to keep the band going in the same direction?

Zachary: We've been lucky to always find really talented people to replace those who have to leave. It's basically just survival of the fittest. Right now our line up is pretty solid, I don't see anything happening any time soon.

PPJ: How did you get hooked up with Rise Records?
Zachary: I think Craig was looking for some new bands and Eric Rushing from Artery Foundation told him to check us out and that's as complicated as it gets. Maybe?

PPJ: What do you say to people who complain about how unoriginal music with screaming in it is these days?

Zachary: I'd probably agree. The state of screaming music has become a huge joke. This scene used to be about intelligence and being different than the mainstream, but now it's just as bad as the mainstream. Musically, it's kind of like when you copy a VHS tape multiple times and the quality gets worse each time... bands copy other bands that copied other bands that copied other bands and it just keeps getting dumbed down and worse. Bands rely more on their looks and fleeting musical trends rather than actual creativity, talent, and experimentation. I guess I can't be mad at the bands, it's the listeners' fault for supporting them.

PPJ: Tell us about recording "Happiness." How do you think you've grown as a band and as people since your previous albums?

Zachary: There wasn't really anything different about the writing process, we just get together and jam. The only difference is that we've become better musicians and have grown in our musical tastes.

PPJ: How did you react to your album leaking so early?

Zachary: We were just stoked that we weren't the ones that leaked it. It happens, I guess we're just happy to be in the position to where people care enough to do that. We figure if the music is good enough, people will buy it anyways. We're just glad people get to hear it and enjoy it.

PPJ: Are you excited to play on Warped Tour this summer?

Zachary: Very, aside from the heat. I don't know about the other guys, but I grew up going to Warped Tour so it's exciting to play it finally. Plus, one of the bands that made me want to start playing music 8 years ago, Thrice, is playing for about a week.

PPJ: What do you think are the pros and cons of playing festival shows versus club shows?

Zachary: We enjoy both. I like playing outside, I feel more free. The sound can be bad, but that happens in clubs, too. I guess this would be a better question to ask us after Warped Tour since we've only played a few festivals.

PPJ: Do you have any plans for after Warped Tour?

Zachary: We're doing a tour with a certain old singer's new band, I don't know if we're supposed to say?

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Zachary: Tubelord. They are from England and they've been blowing my mind lately. Foals. They are also from England and they are also mindblowing. Mystery Jets. They, three, are from England and they also participate in the blowing of the mind. Americans, take some notes from England... Thanks for the interview, sorry if anything doesn't make sense, that tends to happen when you're typing all your thoughts out at once and don't proof-read!

Thanks again to Zachary for answering my questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for setting it up. Be sure to check out Happiness, and to go see Dance Gavin Dance on Warped Tour.

MySpace

Interview - Jean Reno

2009-05-27T08:24:00.002-05:00

I recently did an interview with French actor Jean Reno for Corduroy Magazine. The profile is in Issue #5, which is on sale now in their store. It's a great magazine full of interviews, art, and fashion. Please pick one up!

Interview - Karate High School

2009-05-18T14:17:00.003-05:00

Karate High School might just sound like a novelty band name, but it's been a long time since I've heard a band as genuine as this one. Take a minute to hear what they have to say and maybe you won't judge a book by its cover.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band?

Paul McGuire: Hi, I’m Paul, and I’m the singer/songwriter/producer guy.

PPJ: Karate High School is a band that's often described with lots of hyphenated genres. What exactly do you think your style of music is? How did you arrive at that sound?

Paul: Billy Joel said it best: "Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound / Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me." It’s all just different sub-genres of rock music, right? After that, my head starts to hurt and my vision gets blurry. For example, I honestly couldn’t tell you the difference between the genres of Industrial and Post-Industrial music. I mean, I know that a difference exists – but I can’t listen to an electronic European noise track and tell you which sub-genre it falls under. I just don’t care enough to learn which details shove a band from one yard and into another. If I like it, I like it. I’m well aware that I’m not doing anything shockingly original with my own tracks. I’m just playing music I like to listen to, that’s all. I’ll allow the three people that actually listen to my music to decide how many hyphens that deserves.

PPJ: What drew you to start making music?

Paul: If you’re like me, music is all you have. It’s what keeps you sane. It’s the only real thing in a world of zombie neighbors, co-workers, and bosses. It allows you to vent when you’re bummed out, to laugh when you’re happy, and to dance alone in your room as you sing Britney Spears at the top of your lungs. Music is the only loyal companion you’ve ever known. Music was there for you when you totaled your dad’s Ford Focus after you stole his keys last Halloween, it was there for you when you won that karate tournament by one roundhouse kick, and it was there for you in eighth grade when you told everyone that Jodie Meyers had sex with Derek Micklebee even though it wasn’t true, and then everyone found out that you lied and wouldn’t talk to an established gossip hound for six weeks. And perhaps most importantly, music was there for you when your girlfriend decided not to be. All of these things inspire me to write music. To establish a connection, to express my own thoughts and ideas the way all of my musical heroes have. Because I want to give back, and create something timeless for myself. In other words, I have absolutely no idea.

PPJ: What do you think touring so hard to support your first two albums did for you as a band?

Paul: There is no substitute for quitting your job, neglecting every important, personal relationship in your life, and hitting the road in your disgusting, filthy van and playing shows in basements and VFW halls around the country to three kids at a time. The experience has allowed me to become both a better musician and a better person. Once off the main interstates, there are endless amounts of beautiful open roads and generous, loving people that connect with your music and invite you into their homes. Do I sound like a hippie yet? Good, because I haven’t showered in three weeks and I thought I’d start acting the part. But really, touring and performing is one of my favorite things, just under (or perhaps tied with) creating the actual music itself.

PPJ: How did you hook up with Eyeball Records?

Paul: After touring for two years with absolutely no support whatsoever, we decided to contact the one label that we’ve loved and respected for years. Ray (my keyboard player) contacted Eyeball, and both parties decided to meet each other and see if our vision and passion for music matched up. Luckily, everyone at Eyeball is super awesome and the experience has been amazing. I couldn’t be happier.

PPJ: Tell us about what went into recording "Invaders."

Paul: That’s a big question. Like, how is the album made from start to finish? I usually lock myself in my room in front of my keyboard and guitar, and I stare at the wall until inspiration strikes. And no, I’m not kidding. During the writing of the new KHS record, I didn’t leave my room for weeks on end. I’d get up at 6:30am, and just play and write and play and write until 8:00pm. Then I’d take a walk around the block, read for a while, and go to sleep just to do it all over again the next day. That seems to be a very clear pattern in my life: I work all day until I’m satisfied with something, then wake up the next morning and think that everything I created the day before was absolute garbage. And then...repeat. In other words, it’s exactly like the average person’s work day, except I don’t get paid and 13 year old kids criticize the things I create from the comfort of their laptop-equipped bedrooms.

PPJ: What do you think sites like Facebook and Twitter have done for your band?

Paul: Social networking has completely revolutionized the music business. But I’ll spare you a 10,000 word topical essay on the rapidly changing corporate music business model. Instead, I’ll simply say that as a band, the entire point is to get your music heard by as many people as possible. Web 2.0 has allowed this to happen with incredible, stunning ease. In other words, it’s a good thing.

PPJ: On your myspace, you talk about how there are no original sounds left and that you'll never write a "Hey Jude" level song. So what makes you keep doing this? And how do you try to make yourselves interesting in all the repeated sounds?

Paul: Just in case someone reading this hasn’t read what you’re referring to, I’ll be insanely pretentious and quote myself here: "But c’mon, folks, let’s face it: there are no original sounds anymore. Everything has already been done. The Beatles already wrote every great song many years before I was born. I’ll never write a Hey Jude. Heck, I’ll never write a Yellow Submarine. The only thing I can do is put as much honesty and creativity into the songs that I can, and hope that they connect with you." The last sentence answers your question, I believe. Just because every song and story has already been written, it doesn’t mean that you can’t put your own unique spin on a timeless tale. For example, you can reduce the television show LOST down to simply being about the timeless struggle of Good VS. Evil. That doesn’t mean the way they told that story wasn’t fresh and original, it simply means they put their heart into articulating a universal theme and made it their own. That’s the same thing I try to do with my songs. Expressing yourself never gets old or boring, it’s an exhilarating and necessary part of Trying To Understand What Life Is All About.

PPJ: What are your plans after the record release?

Paul: Well, the new album, Invaders, is on sale on iTunes right now, or you can buy the retail copy in stores on May 19th, 2009. We’ll be touring for the rest of the year in support of the record. In other words, my immediate future will be comprised of sleeping in a disgusting van, "showering" in Wal-Mart bathrooms, and eating two hot dogs for one dollar at 7-11s across the country. Oh, and I’ll be doing my part to thwart the (hopefully not) inevitable robot takeover of the human race. Are you in?

PPJ: What do you hope people will take away with them when they listen to your CD or see your shows?

Paul: Pretentious Answer Alert: I suppose the ultimate goal is to inspire. When I went go to shows, I love watching music be performed. I connect with the music, and I feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself. Music has always been there for me: it’s pulled me through the toughest of times and comforted me when no one else could. In a sense, I feel like performing is my way of giving back, my way of trying to contribute something that has genuinely moved me and affected my life in a real, meaningful way. If someone sees my band play, and is inspired enough to think, "hey, I want to do that too," then every night I spend sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots is worth it. Oh, and if they can walk away with some merch too, that would be awesome.

PPJ: Lastly, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Paul: I’m going to limit my choices to one, since I don’t have any cool, hip band suggestions that you aren’t already listening to. That said, I would like to continue my streak of plugging The Streets in hopes that Earth enters an alternate reality where Mike Skinner finds this interview due to placing a Google alert on his own name, and finds it charming that an American rock producer with absolutely zero money, fame, or talent wants to record a song with him. If so, then hey Mike, please email me. He’s a personal hero of mine and I think his work is ridiculously underrated in America. Everything Is Borrowed was one of my favorite records last year. Brilliant stuff.

Thanks again to Paul for thoughtfully answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Be sure to pick up Karate High School's new album and to catch them on one of those endless tours.

Website | MySpace

Straylight Run, Lovedrug, & Good Old War 5/14/09

2009-05-15T13:52:00.001-05:00

Straylight Run, Lovedrug, & Good Old War at the Rock & Roll Hotel, 5/14/09.

It's been a long time since I've been to R&R, but it's still a great small venue. I was very excited to see this lineup in such a small space - they are all perfectly suited for it.

I had never listened to Good Old War before this show, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Their songs were folksy and upbeat, and their singer pranced around the entire set, obviously enjoying his job. Usually if a band I've never heard is opening a show, I can't wait for them to finish. With Good Old War, I wouldn't have minded if they kept playing. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on them.

Lovedrug was up second. They are one of my favorite bands, and this was my first time seeing them. They sounded off, mostly due to the fact that the bass was extremely loud to the point of drowning out the vocals. Apart from that, the band was on point. I was pleased to see that Shepard's voice sounds the same live as it does recorded, even the impossible falsetto notes he hits. They played a fairly even mix of songs from Everything Starts Where It Ends and The Sucker Punch Show, with the nice surprise of "Spiders" also thrown in.

The venue was still half to three-quarters empty when Straylight Run went on, something that was surprising to me. Maybe I overestimate their popularity, but I expected a bigger crowd. This is the second time I've seen the band since Michelle Nolan left, and they are managing it better than the last time. They did have issues with their recorded loops, but the rest of the music sounded great. I always like them better live than I do recorded. I think their songs sound fuller and more intense live. John Nolan's vocals sounded perfect, and they all appeared to be having a good time, as did the audience, who clearly love this band a lot. Unfortunately, I had to leave early in time to catch the Metro home, but Straylight Run are always wonderful to see.

Interview - Attack! Attack! UK

2009-04-24T07:20:00.004-05:00

The U.K.'s Attack! Attack! play music that sounds just like their name - hard, fast, and fun. I caught up with them recently to see how things are going in their fast-paced world.

PPJ: First, tell us who you are and what you do in the band.

Neil Starr: I am Neil, singer and guitarist in Attack! Attack! UK

PPJ: I don't know much about Cardiff, Wales. What is it like for someone growing up there, and in terms of the area's music scene?

Neil: Growing up in South Wales was great fun! the local music scene here is amazing, just think of all the great bands that have come from a 20 mile radius of each other: Lostprophets, Bullet For My Valentine, Funeral For A Friend, Skindred, and loads more including Tom Jones, haha! It's inspiring growing up and watching bands like Lostprophets become international stars; it really gives you belief that you too can, with hard work, become an international success.

PPJ: How did you arrive at the kind of music you play in Attack! Attack! UK?

Neil: We are all into the same kind of bands and really love melodies and rocking out. We just love writing catchy songs with passion and energy!

PPJ: How do you go about writing your songs?

Neil: 2 main ways. Either one of us will write something that resembles a song and bring it to rehearsal to show the rest of the band and jam it out or we just write spontaneously as a collective whilst in rehearsal. To be honest there are no rules with song writing we just go with the flow.

PPJ: What was it like working with Stuart Richardson from Lostprophets?

Neil: Awesome! He had some really good ideas for our songs and took the album in the direction we wanted! I have known Stuart for a long time from being in other bands, and we used to hang out a lot growing up. When he moved to LA I didn't get to see him very much so it was awesome to spend a month together hanging out, having fun and of course recording the album.

PPJ: What's it like to hear your songs on the radio and to be nominated for
awards?

Neil: Kind of surreal to be honest with you. Personally for me the most satisfying thing is to hear positive things from fans and things like radio and awards can only help you expose your music to new people and help you grow as a band.

PPJ: Are you still on tour with Funeral For A Friend, or are you out with Save Your Breath now? Where are you now, and how is it going?

Neil: Right now we have a few weeks at home, which is amazing because we get to see our family and friends again! We finished the Funeral For A Friend tour and go out with Save Your Breath in 2 weeks. As much as we are enjoying being home we can't wait to get back on the road again!

PPJ: You guys were also just at SXSW. Was that your first time there? How was it and who did you see?

Neil: Yes, and it was an amazing experience. It was also our first ever live show in America and we really loved the experience. We drank a lot of alcohol and generally had a blast whilst watching bands like Gallows, You Me At Six, Fighting With Wire, The Meat Puppets, Cancer Bats, Alesana, plus loads loads more.

PPJ: What is your favorite venue to play at?

Neil: London Astoria was an amazing venue and we were lucky enough to play there twice before they closed it a few months back. It was such a shame they closed it, especially as it was destroyed to make way for a train tube station for the Olympics in 2012! Wrong in my opinion!

PPJ: What are your plans after this tour?

Neil: We basically are gigging until September, plenty of shows and festivals in the UK and mainland Europe. We plan on writing more new songs as we are the kind of band that likes to release things sooner rather than later so expect new tunes from us towards the end of 2009.

PPJ: Your MySpace says you're going to be on Guitar Hero. What song, and how did that happen?

Neil: It's "You and me" and we are SOOOOO stoked about it. Its a game we have all been fans of for ages and is always on whilst we are traveling to venues in the tour bus. To cut a long story short we were chosen by the top guys and gals at Activision (the game makers) from a whole host of bands that submitted to be on the game. It was very flattering that we were chosen over hundreds and hundreds of bands.

PPJ: What do you hope people will come away with when they listen to your music?

Neil: We hope after hearing the CD they will be inspired by the music and that it can offer them something positive. From the live shows we try and be interactive with the crowd so we hope people go away with a smile on their faces, covered in sweat and ready to spread the word of Attack! Attack! UK to everyone they see.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Neil: Fighting with Wire, Twin Atlantic, and The Blackout.

Thanks again to Neil for answering my questions, and to Melissa Berlin at Rock Ridge Music for arranging the interview. Be sure to check out Attack! Attack! UK and try to catch them on tour!

Website | MySpace

Interview - Breathe Carolina

2009-03-09T07:34:00.002-05:00

Lots of bands choose one style of music and stick with it. Breathe Carolina take a bunch of different styles and smash them together. What they come up with is their own unique brand of sound. Frontman Kyle Even happily took a break from all this creativity to answer a few of my questions.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Kyle Even: I'm Kyle and I sing in Breathe Carolina!

PPJ: What initially got you interested in music? Who were some of your favorite bands growing up?

Kyle: My step brother was a huge influence because he would show us all kinds of bands and groups - started me on Green Day, White Zombie- then got me into 2pac and Bone Thugs! Those were some of my favorites as well!

PPJ: How did the music you were playing with your old bands evolve into what you're doing now with Breathe Carolina?

Kyle: Screaming in other bands helped! But musically nothing really stands out - I wouldn't be here without those people believing in me though! But the music is so different in writing, recording and playing that we had to figure out a lot on our own.

PPJ: You have a bunch of musicians who tour with you. Are they different people every tour? Do you ever consider making them permanent members - why or why not?

Kyle: They are the same every tour unless they don't want to come out- but it's been the same for a year now so I don't see it changing any time soon!! They are permanent to us - just 'cause they aren't in pictures doesn't make them less important- they'd still be doing the same things and nothing would change- we'll have to see what the future holds.

PPJ: What went into writing and recording It's Classy, Not Classic?

Kyle: We had to finish the record on the road cause we did it ourselves - David wrote, recorded and produced the whole record.

PPJ: Where did you come up with the name for your album?

Kyle: David thought it up- it's about living life as hard as you can without worrying about the past and future.

PPJ: What do you think of your fairly rapid rise to the public eye?

Kyle: Things have definitely grown quickly! I just hope people are having fun with what we've created! It's been amazing getting to play venues that we could have only dreamed about!

PPJ: How do you think you managed to grab peoples' attention so quickly?

Kyle: I don't know? I think that secret is with the people who have been listening to our songs! I have no idea!!

PPJ: How did you get in with Rise Records?

Kyle: Our manager is good friends with Craig from Rise- he sent our songs to him and he sent us a contract! We signed about 3 months later but he was the first to offer us a deal!

PPJ: What's the music scene in Denver like? Is it easy or hard to break out from there?

Kyle: It's easier than some places- the local scene is great! People are very supportive! No matter where you live it's gonna be hard to break- but Denver definitely gave us a step up!

PPJ: Have you been writing new songs? What are you hoping to do with your music now?

Kyle: Ya we have! We just want to make fun songs - songs we want to write and play - hopefully they'll reach someone on a deeper level- but as long as they hit us hard then that's all I can ask for!!

PPJ: What do you hope people will take away with them when they listen to your music?

Kyle: Have fun and be yourself!

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Kyle: Bring Me The Horizon, Emarosa and Anarbor.

Thanks again to Kyle for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for coordinating the interview. Be sure to pick up a copy of It's Classy, Not Classic and to see when Breathe Carolina is playing near you!

MySpace | PureVolume

Interview - The Bigger Lights

2009-03-04T16:06:00.004-05:00

The Bigger Lights hail from my hometown of Fairfax, VA, and I jumped at the chance to interview a band I've been watching grow and grow right in front of me. Guitarist J.K. was kind enough to answer my questions for him.

PPJ: First, tell us who you are and what you do in the band.

J.K. Royston: My name is J.K. and I play guitar and piano. I'm also one of the primary songwriters.

PPJ: You guys are from my hometown, Fairfax, VA. What was your experience with the music scene there? How do you think living so close to DC affected your band and your music?

J.K.: I'm not sure that the Northern VA scene really affected the type of music we play as much as I think it gave us an audience to expose it to. From day one, we set out with the intention to do something with a strong pop influence. Northern VA just happened to be the perfect scene for the type of band that we naturally gravitated towards being. We're really proud of our scene though. Between My Favorite Highway, The Friday Night Boys, and us, we've had three signings in the past year and I'm pretty sure that The Downtown Fiction is soon to follow. It's a really strong area for music right now.

PPJ: Tell us about how The Bigger Lights began.

J.K.: Dan and I were in a different band all throughout college. We hadn't been super happy with where that group was headed and made the decision to leave right before we graduated. We spent about nine months auditioning new players and working on different ideas before we discovered Topher singing in an upstart project. We quickly found that we all shared similar creative beliefs and decided to explore the notion of pursuing a project together. We started writing songs together and from there, The Bigger Lights was born.

PPJ: Where does the name of your band come from?

J.K.: The name was actually our friend Clint Herring's idea. It's taken from a Shakespeare play in which one of the characters refers to the stars as "the bigger lights." The reference was used as symbolism for the great unknown in life, which we thought was really cool.

PPJ: It seems like you guys have a page on every social network out there. Do you ever feel like you're putting too much of yourselves out there, or does the connection with the fans outweigh that?

J.K.: I think that social networking is a huge part of connectivity in today's social climate, so putting so much of yourselves out there has almost come to feel like a prerequisite to exposure. Of course, there are definitely downsides to being so connected to everything all the time but I think that in our case, the positive effects that social networking sites have had on our band's growth and exposure far outweigh the negative ones.

PPJ: What was it like to transition from local shows to nationwide tour dates?

J.K.: It's been an amazing experience. We're learning a lot about what it takes to put on a high caliber performance night after night and succeed on the road. Thankfully, we've been lucky enough to tour with some incredible bands that have been kind enough to teach us things they've learned along with way. I think we're definitely growing into a band that will be able to hold its own on any stage.

PPJ: Tell us about what went into writing and recording Fiction Fever.

J.K.: Fiction Fever was written over the course of about a year. Some of the tracks were recuts of tracks that were on our previously self-released EP while some of the tracks were new songs that we'd written since the release of our first EP. Ultimately, we wanted to make an EP that we thought was infectious and attention grabbing. We chose to work with producers Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom after having the chance to record a few demos with them right before signing to Doghouse. We're all really happy with how Fiction Fever turned out, but we're definitely excited to get back into the studio and explore new ideas for our next record.

PPJ: Do you have a favorite song you've written? Why or why not?

J.K.: As cliche as I'm sure it sounds, I think that we're proud of every song we release. I don't think I have a personal favorite because each of our songs holds a different place in my memory and affects me in a different way. All I know is that we will never release music we don't love and believe in with all of our hearts.

PPJ: How did you get hooked up with Absolute Management and Doghouse Records?

J.K.: Nano actually discovered us only a few weeks after we debuted our first demos online. He and Keith ended up coming to meet us at our third show. We spent about a month getting to know them and exploring a possible working chemistry before making the decision to work with them. Thankfully, they have become two of our closest friends and definitely our two most trusted opinions in this business. Doghouse actually took an interest in the band about six months after we launched. We showcased for several other labels around the same time but ended up making the decision to sign with Doghouse because we felt like they had a more natural passion for what we wanted our band to be.

PPJ: What are your favorite things to do while you're out on tour?

J.K.: Obviously, playing shows and meeting new fans is our favorite thing to do on tour. Other than performing, we love to find Panera breads and steal their wifi. We definitely watch a lot of Family Guy and read a lot in our van during the longer drives. Whenever we have time, we love to go see landmarks or explore cities we've never been to before.

PPJ: Do you have any future touring or recording plans yet?

J.K.: We'll likely be touring for most of the spring and summer before we head back into the studio to record our debut full length this August.

PPJ: Are you coming back to play at Jammin' Java anytime soon?

J.K.: I'm not sure exactly when we'll be playing Jammin Java again but I'm positive it won't be too long. That's one of our favorite places to play and we always love playing for our hometown friends and fans there!

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

J.K.: Recently, I've been hooked on "In Rainbows" by Radiohead, "Only By The Night" by Kings Of Leon, and "How The Lonely Keep" by Terminal. You should definitely check all three of them out!

Thanks again to J.K. for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Be sure to check out The Bigger Lights on tour and pick up a copy of Fiction Fever!

MySpace | PureVolume | Facebook

Interview - K'NAAN

2009-01-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

I've recently done some work for the wonderful Corduroy Magazine, and you can see my interview with the artist K'NAAN over on their blog. Enjoy!

2008 End Of The Year List.

2008-12-18T08:44:00.003-05:00

Here's my ten best albums of the year. That's all I'm doing this year for my EOTY list, so enjoy. I know I really missed out on a lot this year, so if I'm missing something that wound up on your list, recommend it to me!

01. New Frontiers – Mending
02. Vampire Weekend – S/T
03. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
04. Lydia – Illuminate
05. The Matches – A Band In Hope
06. Anberlin – New Surrender
07. Alive In Wild Paint – Ceilings
08. She & Him – Volume 1
09. Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux
10. Forgive Durden – Razia's Shadow: A Musical

Interview - The Love Willows

2008-11-24T12:43:00.003-05:00

The duo known as The Love Willows are trying to make a splash in pop music with their delightfully sugary, catchy tunes. Check out my interview with them and see if they don't put a smile on your face.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Hope Partlow: Hope Partlow, vocals.

Ryan Wilson: Ryan Wilson – guitar, vocals.

PPJ: What got you interested in music? When did you decide you wanted to write your own music?

Hope: My dad is the reason for my interest in music. He was always hanging around the house with a guitar in hand. I sang my first song, “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash, on stage at the ripe age of five. I made $25 in tips and that's when I made up my mind to be a singer. I wrote a few songs growing up, but it never really came together until I met Ryan.

Ryan: For me it was my older brother. He played guitar in a band when he was in high school and I thought it was cool, so Santa brought me a guitar for Christmas that year. I got my brother to show me a few things, but for the most part I taught myself. I started writing music in high school, when I joined my first band.

Tell us about how you guys met and started The Love Willows.

Hope: I met Ryan in 2005, when he tried out to be my touring guitar player for my solo record. We instantly hit it off and became great friends. Then when I turned 18, I moved from my hometown of Drummonds, TN to his hometown of Griffin, GA and we began to write songs that would later developed into the unique sound of The Love Willows.

PPJ: Where did you come up with the name for your band?

Ryan: “Willows” comes from our last names – Wilson & Partlow. If you cut them in half and glue them together with “love,” you've got The Love Willows.

PPJ: What went into writing and recording Hey! Hey!

Hope: All of the songs on our record were written by Ryan and I over the span of year. Once we had a significant amount of material, we decided to make a record. We didn't have the funds to record at a major studio, so we decided to save up and do it ourselves. I worked at a hair salon and Ryan did carpentry work with his dad, as well as playing cover gigs on the weekends. We made the entire record for less than $1500, including the computer.

Ryan: We tracked the drums at a friends home studio and brought the files back to our house on an external drive. The rest of the record was done on our Pro Tools/Mbox rig. I had a couple of other friends play on some of the tracks, but all of the other instrumentation, arrangements, editing, and production was done ourselves.

PPJ: Is The Love Willow's music very different from what Hope was doing as a solo act?

Hope: Very much so. I didn't write any of the songs on my solo record. I feel way more connected with this new record, mainly because it's true moments and emotions that I vividly remember and, with the help of Ryan, I got to capture those feelings in nifty little songs.

PPJ: What's it like to be dating each other while on tour? Does that ever get tough?

Hope: I know this sounds really corny, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Ryan is my best friend and, although he does get on my nerves sometimes, we both know how to separate our business relationship from our personal relationship.

PPJ: How did you get signed to Decca Records?

Ryan: Our manager found us on MySpace and he really liked our songs. Within a month he had a showcase lined up for us in New York to play for the head of A&R at Decca. They liked what they heard and signed us on the spot.

PPJ: What is your favorite song on the record? Your least favorite? Why?

Hope: My favorite song is “Strut My Stuff,” because it's just so girly. I like playing it live because of the reaction. I'm truly not lying when I say that I don't have a least favorite. I guess its like children. There's always that ugly one that you still love, because it's a part of you.

Ryan: Favorite song is “Falling Faster.” That pre and chorus are dynamite! My least favorite to listen to is probably “Try,” just because it's the only song over 3:30 - but as a song itself, I think it's some of our best songwriting.

PPJ: Do you ever get tired of dressing up all the time for shows?

Ryan: Every show is a performance and whether it's a for 30 people or 300, they all deserve the same experience. It may be difficult sometimes to get dressed, in between loading gear and setting up, but no one really wants to see you in what you had on earlier that day. I've actually always enjoyed dressing up. As a kid, I'd switch from Batman to Superman, to policeman to Spiderman, all in one day.

PPJ: When is your next tour?

Hope: We just came off of the road with a band called Push Play. Really cool guys and a really fun tour. There's some awesome stuff in the works for '09!

PPJ: Have you written anything new since releasing Hey! Hey!

Ryan: Yes. Hope and I are constantly writing. We've actually written a few really cool songs that I feel confident about putting on the next record.

PPJ: What do you want people to take away with them when they hear your music?

Hope: We strive for upbeat, happy songs, and so far the reaction that we've gotten is just that. People have told us that they've had horrible days and once they hear us, for some odd reason, they're in a good mood.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Ryan: I listen to a lot of old stuff that you've probably heard before, but something new that has been coming through my speakers as of late is a band called Cash Cash. Something old that you may not be too familiar with is Owsley and Jellyfish – check it!

Hope: I've always been a fan of whatever Sheryl Crow has thrown at me. The one artist that I've loved from day one of my musical career is Patsy Cline. Also, Natasha Bedingfield has impressed me with her writing and singing ability.

Thanks again to Hope and Ryan for answering these questions, and to Brandon at Universal Music Group for arranging the interview. Make sure to pick up of copy of Hey! Hey! and catch The Love Willows on tour!

MySpace

Interview - Anarbor

2008-11-17T10:35:00.002-05:00

Talk about a band on the rise. Anarbor have been hard at work making their super catchy brand of rock known to the world. I caught up with them for a minute before they rolled onward to conquer the world.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Mike Kitlas: I'm Mike and I play guitar.

Slade Echeverria: I'm Slade and I play bass and sing.

Adam Juwig: I'm Adam and I play guitar.

Greg Garrity: I'm Greg and I play drums.

PPJ: You guys have all known each other a long time. Did you go through other bands or styles of music before arriving at Anarbor?

Mike: Not really. The first band we were ever in was called Troop 101 and it had this exact same lineup. We eventually grew up and changed the name, but the group stayed the same. We all learned how to play our instruments together and we all matured as musicians together.

PPJ: Was it tough to try and choose between college and the band?

Greg: It wasn't a tough decision for us, because we knew that we only had one shot at this. We couldn't be as serious as we wanted to be and be in college. Plus, when we signed a record contract before we even graduated high school, that made our decision easier. We are all taking online courses while we are on the road, so we aren't losing any ground on our peers.

PPJ: Did you ever think Anarbor was going to take off? Or, when did you know you had something big on your hands?

Adam: I think we all had dreams of being big, but that's what kept us motivated.

Mike: We had been getting attention in the local scene for a while, but I guess we new things were taking off when we started getting noticed outside of Arizona.

PPJ: Tell us what it was like recording "The Natural Way."

Mike: Mike Green is amazing. A musical genius. Period.

Greg: Yeah, it was our first time ever working with a real producer in a real studio and we were all kind of nervous. Mike really got the best out of us and I think we were all happy with how the 4 songs came out.

Slade: We're going back in to record our debut EP with him in December.

PPJ: You're on tour with The Years Gone By right now. How is that going?

Slade: The Years Gone By are amazing. They are such great guys and its always good to be touring the East Coast with a band that is from the East Coast. Haha. They have lots of fans out here.

PPJ: There are hundreds of pop bands out there right now. What do you think separates you from the rest of the pack?

Mike: We get thrown in the same sentence as all of these bands for some reason. Like all of these bands that use backing tracks and autotune on their vocals. We just make real music. If you don't like it fine, but at least its really us.

Greg: Well yeah, but in a way its kind of good that we get lost in the mix. Because when someone finally does hear us, they are always pleasantly surprised that we aren't one of those bands.

PPJ: What are your favorite and least favorite songs that you've written, and why?

Slade: I think we're always into the new songs more than the old songs.

Adam: Well, we usually judge our favorites by the songs that are most fun to play. Like the ones with the most energy.

Mike: I like playing "Right There With You" and "Salem's Filled With Witches."

PPJ: What can we expect next from you?

Mike: EP in March 2009. A bunch of new songs and maybe one or two old ones.

Slade: And just non-stop touring.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Adam: The best 3 albums of 2008 are:
Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - Animal/Not Animal
Bring Me The Horizon - Suicide Season
Lydia - Illuminate

Thanks again to Anarbor for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Make sure to pick up a copy of The Natural Way and catch them on tour!

MySpace | PureVolume

Contest - The Stone Angel

2008-11-14T09:17:00.002-05:00

So I've got something a little different for you today. I have two copies of the movie The Stone Angel to give away. It stars Ellen Page, who I'm sure you all know from Juno. The Stone Angel was nominated for multiple awards and also stars Ellen Burstyn.

So, if you'd like to win yourself a copy, give me your favorite Juno quote, and the two that make me laugh the hardest will get a free DVD of this movie.

Interview - Better Without You

2008-11-12T10:06:00.003-05:00

Better Without You redux? Yup, here's a second take on that last interview, this time featuring singer Ryan Braunstein.

PPJ: First tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Ryan Braunstein: Ryan Braunstein, I do the singing and the majority of the crowd pleasing, I like to think! As put by everyone else my job is to be the....pretty boy of the band.

PPJ: Your Myspace says that you're from both Philadelphia and Frederick. So who is from where, and how did you meet?

Ryan: Well, the band and label are centralized in Philly, but Myles, Brian, and I are from Frederick - we went to high school together. Myles and I actually didn't talk at all until Brian introduced us. Alex is from Towson in the Baltimore area and last but not least Brandon hails from good ol' north Jersey. Myles, Brandon, and Alex go to Drexel together in Philly and Brian and I live in Frederick, Maryland. Basically, Brian got me talking to Myles, who in turn brought us all together.

PPJ: Where did the name Better Without You come from?

Ryan: Oh, the funny story behind the name....I'm afraid that's a secret that I will have to take to the grave with me. I will say that it came to Myles while we were snacking on some Pat's cheesesteaks. I will say most people will speculate that it's all about a long lost girl...and I will also say that those people would be very very wrong!

PPJ: How did you get in with Criminal Records?

Ryan: Myles and Brandon started Criminal Records and when they heard some of my garage band demos they snatched me up and signed me on.

PPJ: What went into writing and recording your EP?

Ryan: The majority of the writing typically just happens. I have a tendency to get in with girls that like to play games and generally that makes me a shut in on certain days. Usually I'll start humming a tune or writing lyrics that tell the story of the situation and for some reason as crappy as the situation is....the songs are usually happy sound. Weird, right?

PPJ: What was the best thing about recording? The worst?

Ryan: The best thing about recording has been hearing all the songs and ideas we've had coming to life and seeing the reaction of the people around me and especially that people who don't even know me. The worst? Well, typically you spend a lot of time alone working in the studio, it can get depressing after the first few days once it slips into routine. In the end though it's all worth it.

PPJ: It looks like you guys have been writing a lot of new songs lately. Can you tell us what they're like?

Ryan: Ah yes, well as I said before, most of my songs tell stories of what's happened to me if I end up doing the majority of the lyrical writing. The best of the new songs has to be "Little Miss Stalker," as I'm told. Brian and I actually just put the finishing touches on a new one I wrote about a recent situation with a girl I really like, called "Got Your Girl." Now that song is so badass, I just hope it doesn't make me come off as a douche when really I'm just trying to put a fun spin on a situation that made me feel terrible.

PPJ: Are you planning any big tours soon, or are you just sticking to recording?

Ryan: I know our primary focus right now is getting the full length album finished, but we're trying to book a lot of shows around here to kill the studio blues. Trust me, any chance I have to get on stage we'll be there. It's what I got into this for, to spread the music.

PPJ: What do you hope to do with Better Without You in the future?

Ryan: I really hope to get to a point where I can make the band my lifestyle and keep on doing what I love - playing, writing, and spreading the music.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Ryan: Fall Out Boy is a huge favorite of mine right now. Other then them I would say Farewell and Four Year Strong!

Thanks to Ryan for answering round 2 of these questions, and again to Brandon at Criminal Records. Be sure to check out Better Without You's new EP and catch them at a show!

betterwithoutyou.com

Interview - Better Without You

2008-11-07T14:44:00.005-05:00

Better Without You are bringing the pop-punk goodness with their new EP, titled Seriously... Read my interview with this young group to see how they are building their band from the ground up.

PPJ: First tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Myles Vlachos: I’m Myles Vlachos, I play guitar.

PPJ: Your MySpace says that you're from both Philadelphia and Frederick. So who is from where, and how did you meet?

Myles: I am from Frederick, along with Ryan, and Brian. Brandon was my freshman year roommate at Drexel University, and he is from New Jersey. We met Alex at Drexel too, and he is from MD as well. Currently we operate out of Philly mostly while we finish up our senior year.

PPJ: Where did the name Better Without You come from?

Myles: Well, despite all Ryan’s songs being about girls the name is about a boy. Unfortunately that overly ambiguous hint is all I can give.

PPJ: How did you get in with Criminal Records?

Myles: Brandon and I started that. We incorporated over the summer. We signed Ryan, and are signing a few other acts. We are kind of the house band, and play on all the records like The Funk Brothers were for Motown. We really respect what Motown did and want to be that for the kids today.

PPJ: What went into writing and recording your EP?

Myles: Ryan came to me with “The Long Drive.” We laid it down, and beefed it up with a nice vocal arrangement, and some production stuff, and then Ryan wrote "You’re Going Down (Not In A Good Way)", and "Cutting Ties." Over the summer we slept in the studio and spent 72 hours strait in there and got those tracks recorded, mixed, and mastered. The EP is gonna be a teaser for the full length. Expect even more polished versions of these songs in the future.

PPJ: What was the best thing about recording? The worst?

Myles: The best thing for me was when I kicked Ryan out of the studio to mix "Cutting Ties." I had a lot of playing with delays and various busses to create an interesting space for that song. The worst was Ryan singing the chorus to "You’re Going Down" in nothing but his boxers because it helped him sing. No one wanted to see that.

PPJ: It looks like you guys have been writing a lot of new songs lately. Can you tell us what they're like?

Myles: We have this one called “Little Miss Stalker.” It is an upbeat, energetic, rocker that has more hooks than a pirate ship. That one is gonna be single. I have a few written too, really catchy up-beat stuff. We also are gonna have some slower emotional tracks to balance it out.

PPJ: Are you planning any big tours soon, or are you just sticking to recording?

Myles: Well, we are gonna record and play “showcase” shows regionally until we are done with school. After that Better Without You will unleash their fury on the world!

PPJ: What do you hope to do with Better Without You in the future?

Myles: We want to be a touring force, and give to our fans what our favorite bands have given to us. We just love making music, and we want to bring our music to a huge audience.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Myles:I’m gonna give some bands that really deserve the attention some spotlight.

Lovedrug
As Tall As Lions

And... The greatest songwriter of all time, Ryan Adams. He is a prophet.

Thanks again to Myles for taking time to answer these questions, and to Brandon at Criminal Records for arranging it. Make sure to pick up a copy of Seriously... and to watch out for Better Without You on tour.

betterwithoutyou.com

Interview - Lovedrug

2008-11-04T14:30:00.003-05:00

If you weren't aware, Lovedrug is easily one of my favorite bands of all time. They've just released their third LP, The Sucker Punch Show. Read this interview and see if you can pick the brains of this enigmatic group.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Michael Shepard: My name is Michael, I'm a Capricorn, I play guitar, piano, and I sing.

PPJ: You just released your third LP, The Sucker Punch Show. Did you ever think Lovedrug would make it this far as a band?

Michael: Yes... But I never thought it would take this long to put out three records.

PPJ: Where did the phrase "The Sucker Punch Show" come from?

Michael: It's my synonym for life.

PPJ: What went into writing and recording the new album?

Michael: A lot of smoking, drinking, weekend boardroom meetings, and general disarray... but mostly we just thought a lot about what we wanted to write and we sat down and wrote it. It always turns out different anyways.

PPJ: How do you think your music has grown or changed over the years? How is The Sucker Punch Show different from what you've released before?

Michael: The music has evolved into its teen angst stage. I'm looking forward to the hipster stage mostly.

PPJ: What do you think of people comparing Lovedrug to bands like Coldplay, Radiohead, or even Foo Fighters?

Michael: That's very flattering. Those are great bands... which we sound nothing like. Regardless, it's still a compliment, I guess. So.. I don't really mind it. People are more comfortable with comparisons anyway.

PPJ: What's your favorite song you've ever written?

Michael: Right now it's "Blood Like." It's my most confessional to date. It's the window to my soul right now. But soon it will close and change so.. there's that.

PPJ: Would you change anything about any of your records if you could?

Michael: No... and yes.

PPJ: You guys were briefly on a major label before returning to The Militia Group. What happened there?

Michael: We got eaten up, spit out and almost permanently shelved. But we got out with our necks somewhat intact though, so no worries.

PPJ: How did you get signed to TMG in the first place?

Michael: After Rory (the owner) saw us play a gig in NYC.

PPJ: You're on tour now with former labelmates Copeland. What are you most looking forward to on this tour?

Michael: Hanging out with old pals.

PPJ: What are your plans after the Copeland/Lydia tour?

Michael: Headlining, Europe, more writing...another record.

PPJ: What do you want people to take away with them when they hear your music?

Michael: A sense of honesty and confession that hopefully will be appealing.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Michael: Kings of Leon, Rihanna, Donovan.

Thanks to Michael for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for facilitating it. Make sure to pick up Lovedrug's new album and catch them on tour.

Website | MySpace | PureVolume

Interview - The Urgency

2008-10-31T08:18:00.003-05:00

The Urgency are a band from New England who are working hard to get themselves heard. So, lend an ear and take a listen while you read my interview with them.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Tyler: My name is Tyler, and I sing for The Urgency.

PPJ: How did you get into music?

Tyler: I had my parents' old record player in my room back home for as long as I can remember, plus I grew up with lots of instruments in the house, from keyboards and guitars to saxophones. The only thing I really stuck with was singing though.

PPJ: How did The Urgency begin?

Tyler: Ian and Kevin have been playing music together since they were little kids. They're a few years older than me, and even though we grew up just a town apart, I didn't start playing music with them until much later. They ended up playing in bands together throughout school, where they eventually met Guerin in college. Just as I started college they graduated, heard about me through the grapevine, and we started jamming... that was late autumn 2005. After a few EPs, we finally finished our full-length early this past year, where we asked Ryan to join as our second guitarist and background vocals in order to live up to the album live.

PPJ: How did you get signed to Island/Def Jam?

Tyler: A lot of persistence. We really played for anyone who would listen, anywhere possible. Before we got signed we didn't really have any money to tour, no van or trailer, no gas money, nothing. We saw getting signed as a way to keep playing music for as long and as much as possible. Really we can't imagine doing anything else right now. Anyway, we just recorded what we could in our apartment, and played as many shows as we could in the New England/New York area. When we met David Bendeth, he immediately wanted to take us in and record a few tracks. After we leaked the new tracks, we got a few offers, and went with Mercury/Island/Def Jam.

PPJ: What's been the best part of being in a major label band so far?

Tyler: Same as it would be if we were on an indie - we get to play music every night and see the world!

PPJ: You're on tour with A Cursive Memory right now. How is that going?

Tyler: It's going well! There's a lot more little girls on this tour than we've experienced in the past, but I think they're taking to our band quite well considering the difference in genres.

PPJ: Tell us about your time recording your album.

Tyler: It was a life-changing, eye-opening experience. Bendeth took us in to his studio, the House of Loud, which became our home for the next six months. He had us writing and practicing rigorously every hour of the day, every day. He really pushed us to our limits, and we came out of it a much stronger band.

PPJ: How did you choose "Fingertips" to be your single?

Tyler: The album as a whole is very eclectic, and Fingertips is only one facet of our music. I think we ultimately went with Fingertips because of how provocative it is. Personally, I think we have "catchier" songs, but there's definitely an edginess about that song that people are attracted to. I think there's a darkness to it, but on the surface it's this fun, catchy, progressive rock song that people want to hear on the radio.

PPJ: What's it like to see yourself getting coverage on places like absolutepunk.net and Fearless TV?

Tyler: It's pretty cool. Both AP and Fearless are great ways to get heard. And PopPunkJunkie of course ; ).

PPJ: What are you doing next after this tour is over?

Tyler: Writing new music, recording demos, Looking for more tours!

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Tyler: Kid:Nap:Kin, The Cambiata, and Romans.

Thanks again to Tyler for answering our questions, and to Brian Robillard at Universal Music Group for arranging the interview. Be sure to check out The Urgency's self-titled debut album.

MySpace | PureVolume

Fletcher's Bar 10.24.08

2008-10-25T11:01:00.003-05:00

I went to go see Just Surrender, The Higher, The Morning Of, Some Like It Hot, and TV/TV at Fletcher's Bar in Baltimore this weekend. I conducted an interview with The Morning Of, but my computer choked on me and I lost most of the audio I'd recorded. I'm hoping to get my questions answered again via email, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Until then, here are some photos and a review of the show.

TV/TV was the first band on. They came out to Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise" blasting through the speakers, which definitely caught the attention of the crowd. I'd heard a few of their songs before and I thought they were pretty good, so I was interested to see them play. Turned out their live show was also pretty good. They had a lot of energy and did a lot to try and get the crowd involved. The singer was doing his best vocal impression of Pelle from The Hives. Their live act was was much less polished than their recorded music, but it was still clear that they are a band who knows what they are doing.

Next up was Some Like It Hot. They began with a spoken rap-like song over some basic instrumentals, and I thought we were in for something different and fun. However, after that song they launched into a bunch of very generic pop-punk songs. I could hardly tell the difference between any of them. The singer in particular was much too cocky for the quality of his voice or music. It didn't help that I had a gaggle of screaming girls in homemade Some Like It Hot shirts standing right next to me either. They also did a cover song, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. If someone out there knows, help me out!

For one song, a couple of the band members got into the crowd and danced with the homemade t-shirt girls. At least they were all having a good time.

After that was The Morning Of. Their set was bursting with energy - being onstage is clearly a joy for this band. There was never a moment where anyone was standing still. Their dual vocalists blew through their songs and pumped the crowd up while jumping on and off some wooden blocks they set up at the front of the stage. The Morning Of is definitely a band that is only just beginning to hit their stride.

Then came The Higher. I'd seen them a few times before, and their live show was pretty much the same. They have a kind of mid-level energy that gets you going if you know the songs, but if you don't it might take you awhile to catch on. Their singer danced all over the stage, but the rest of the band stayed pretty still - their guitarist was even leaning against the wall for most of the set. They played most of their latest album, plus a new song from an unnamed upcoming album that they recorded after Warped Tour. The new song was a lot more rock than pop, with a drum beat that was very reminiscent of Cartel. It sounded really good - I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. They also brought back their cover of *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye," with Seth prefacing the song by saying, "If you don't know this song, I don't think we can be friends." It was good fun all around.

I didn't stick around for Just Surrender, since I felt like I was going to pass out from exhaustion and still had an hour's drive back home. So, sorry about the lack of JS photos. I do recommend their live show if you get the chance to see it though.

Overall, it was a pretty good show, especially for the low price of the ticket. In my opinion, The Morning Of had the best set, but most of the bands there have real talent and I will continue to watch them as they grow.

Interview - Greeley Estates

2008-10-21T17:13:00.005-05:00

The screamo genre is full of bands trying to imitate the sounds of others and to cash in on the current hype in the scene. It can be tough to find a sincere band in there. Luckily, Greeley Estates is one of those rare ones, so read on to see how the band pushes forward in this derivative environment.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Ryan Zimmerman: Hi, my name's Ryan and I sing/scream for Greeley.

PPJ: What got you interested in the post-hardcore/screamo genre of music?

Ryan: Bands like Finch, Glassjaw, The Used, and Norma Jean were some of the first bands that I listened to in this genre.

PPJ: How did you go about writing and recording "Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East?"

Ryan: We took almost a year off to write and record this record. We thought about what kind of songs we enjoy playing live and wrote a record around that in the past we had both heavy and soft songs. On this record we just focused on the heavier stuff. We had a chance to record with Cory Spotts again: he did our first album. I can't imagine working with anyone else ever again. He really knows our band and how to capture our sound.

PPJ: Did you do anything differently than you had on your previous releases?

Ryan: I think having more time to write really helped our band think outside of what we would have done in the past. We focused on writing songs that were intense the whole way through the album and thought about some things we could add that might be a little outside the box of what we had heard with this style of music.

PPJ: What has the reception of the new album been like?

Ryan: So far I would say almost everyone we have talked to likes this record better than our past albums.

PPJ: What do you think differentiates Greeley Estates from the rest of the bands currently playing this style of music?

Ryan: Hopefully we have been able to find our own sound in a genre that is overcrowded. I hope when someone hears us, they know it's Greeley right away, whether they like it or not.

PPJ: On a related note, what does it take to get noticed? Do you think image or music matters more?

Ryan: I think both image and music matter a lot now. Hopefully though, the music is what is most important to most people. Ultimately if you don't have good music, you will be lost among all the other bands or forgotten, so I would say music is more important still, even surprisingly in 2008.

PPJ: You've been through a lot of member changes over the years. How do you maintain the band's focus and goals through those changes?

Ryan: Yeah it's always interesting having member changes. We were lucky and ended up finding the right guys for the roles, who were on the same page with us and have brought a lot to our band now.

PPJ: How is your current tour going?

Ryan: We just ended the August Burns Red headlining tour: it was great. Every night of the tour was sold out, the kids at the shows we amazing, definitely one of the best times we have had on tour, playing with great bands who are now our close friends.

PPJ: What will you be doing next? Have you written any new material?

Ryan: We have a couple weeks off and then we head out on the road with Alesana and A Static Lullaby until Christmas. Should be a good time. We haven't written any new material yet. We have just been focusing on the new album and touring. Hopefully next year we will get starting working on some new stuff for the future.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Ryan: Three bands I have been listening to lately are Lydia (our hometown friends: their new album is unbelievable), The Honorary Title (this band always puts me in a good mood), and one of my favorite ever is Sigur Ros (I'm always listening to them, amazing band).

Thanks again to Ryan for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for coordinating the interview. Make sure you check out Greeley's new album, Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East and catch them on tour with Alesana and A Static Lullaby.

MySpace | PureVolume

Interview - The Stiletto Formal

2008-10-16T13:20:00.003-05:00

The Stiletto Formal have been working hard at their music for years now, and are finally about to put out their first full length album, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta! Read my interview for an enlightening glimpse into the life of this unique band.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Paul Neely: My name is Paul and I play bass and percussion.

PPJ: What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Do you think that had any influence on the music you're making today?

Paul: I listened to such a random array of music growing up. There was the Beatles and Zep of course, Ace of Bass, ZZ Top, Hank Williams, Patsy Klein, Tag Team (that’s right) and also remember very vividly my mother taking my Blues Brothers tape away from me for playing it too much. All this randomness of music has definitely affected what music I create. Our new record is filled with classic rock riffs, old county/blues overtones and even hip-hop. Bottom line I appreciate any genre of music as long as it produces value.

PPJ: How did you get involved in "the scene?"

Paul: Oh, “the Scene.” Well, when our previous band started playing shows, I wasn’t even aware of divisions of fan groups like this. I just wanted to play music. But soon after we played a few live shows, the division became very noticeable. Overall, it basically comes down to the fact that Stiletto is a band that by sound has been placed in “the scene” and I’m there by default.

PPJ: When you call yourself "eccentric rock & roll," what do you mean by that?

Paul: Because “indie-sex-core”, “the sextet” and “Metallica” were already taken. I don’t know. I always picture it as high-class drink. It’s music on the rocks with a twist.

PPJ: How did you get signed with Eyeball Records?

Paul: Totally random. We ended up on their Showcase at CMJ in 2007 with no intentions other than we just wanted to play at CMJ. But after the show, we met everyone who worked at the label and friendships were formed. We hung out with the owner Alex multiple times in the ensuing weeks and our love for their views on our band and on the music industry grew. Who knew that touring your ass off for over four years still means something to the right people.

PPJ: Tell us a little about what it took to record "Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta!"

Paul: With Cory and Darrell in control, the process was amazing. Recording is pretty much our favorite thing to do besides playing black jack so the two-month process flew by. We were able to try many different recording techniques and instrumentation. Cory is especially good at taking our crazy ideas and turning them into realities. Mix that in with a little patience and “Fiesta” was born.

PPJ: How does the new album differ from your previous EPs?

Paul: We were actually able to complete a thought process. Our previous ep was going to be a full length, but due to circumstances out of our control, it was forced into an EP. So it ended up what I feel four songs that had nothing to do with each other. We are very proud of those songs, but there was just no cohesiveness. Also, we have a different drummer and Kyle has taken over the roll of keys. This album is everything we wanted it to be and I feel that we have matured a great deal. Every single part has been boiled down to only the necessary for both the song and album.

PPJ: How does it feel to finally be releasing a full length album?

Paul: It feels like Limp Bizkit reuniting, IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

PPJ: Your music isn't easily pigeonholed. Do you think that has made it harder or easier for you to break out and get noticed?

Paul: We knew from day one that with the type of music we were wanting to produce, we were going to have to work ten times as hard to become successful at it. Getting noticed was never the problem, it was that whole break out thing that has always put up a brick wall. We don’t fit any mold for someone to just push us through and we have actually had legitimate labels say that they love the band, but they just don’t know what to do with us. We have also been asked to changed major parts of our appearance and sound in order to sign said record deals. This was just not an option for us. We don’t have our noses so high up in the air that we would drown if it rained, but rather strict moral codes when it comes to manipulating our passion. Patience and belief has held true for us and has landed us a solid home at Eyeball. We knew the good guys were out there, it just took more effort than most are willing to give.

PPJ: You guys are from Phoenix. What's the music scene like there?

Paul: The Phoenix scene has been a roller coaster for the past 2-3 years. Right now “Chug Chug” and “Poptasticness” are reigning supreme. Younger high-school local bands do well here mostly because of the large amount of bigger touring acts that are coming out of the Phoenix area. Kids tend to forget about their previous phoenix heroes because they have been gone on the road and haven’t played a home show in 4-5 months so they latch on to the next new band. We have been blessed with very loyal fans though. We have fans that are at every show no matter what and we owe the world to them.

PPJ: What are your plans after your CD gets released?

Paul: Tour, tour, tour, tour, then we will take a break and count all of our money. When that 30 seconds is over, we will tour some more.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Paul: Just try to stop me at three. MURS, The Black Keys, Portugal. The Man, Murder City Devils, Astronautalis, In:Aviate and Master Ace.

Thanks again to Paul for taking the time to answer these questions, and for Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for putting this interview together and for always getting back to me quickly. Be sure to pick up The Stiletto Formal's new album, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta and catch them on one of their endless tours.

Blog Action Day.

2008-10-15T18:12:00.003-05:00

These days, many big bands are taking up a charity cause. Fall Out Boy promotes Invisible Children, while Jack's Mannequin supports the efforts of 11:11 AM. It may seems like just a trendy thing to do, but there are real benefits and consequences to your actions that are taken.

This year's Blog Action Day theme is poverty, and it's really an important one. Thousands of people around the world live in extreme poverty that is far beyond what most people in first-world countries can imagine. Poverty is also often the root of other life-threatening problems like sanitation and hunger.

A lot of people say, "What difference will my actions make?" when it comes to global issues. You may not think you're making a difference, but if you and a thousand other people begin to change your actions, we WILL be able to see the difference. Even something as small as trying to buy fair trade goods will help. You can even write to your local political figures and urge them to vote for laws that will make a difference. This action will be especially important in this election year. We have the power to vote for an administration that could potentially begin to eradicate poverty in our lifetimes.

So take a minute out of your day and donate some money to a charity that fights poverty, or to write your elected officials and remind them of this enormous issue. If we start now, we can work our way up to making a huge difference in our world.

Interview - Portugal. The Man

2008-09-15T18:26:00.002-05:00

Portugal. The Man have been hard at work for the last few years, relentlessly touring and putting out tons of music. I caught up with them briefly to see how things are going, and see where they are headed.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Zach Carothers: I'm Zach. I play the bass.

PPJ: What music did you listen to growing up? How did your musical tastes evolve as you grew older?
Zach: Ha... they didn't much. I've recently regressed back to what I've always listened to. I grew up on a lot of classic rock and pop. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. The Beatles. Michael Jackson. Shit like that.

PPJ: What is the biggest influence on your music today?

Zach: Friends and family... and everyone I meet. Any experience. Mostly my band. I just feed off what they make. They inspire me.

PPJ: What is the music scene in Alaska like? Is it difficult to break a band in the continental States from Alaska?

Zach: There's not much scene in Alaska. A lot of bluegrass and metal. Honestly, I think being from Alaska helped our band. Not too many bands come out of there. Anything you can do to set yourself apart from everyone else.

PPJ: Your new album, Censored Colors, has a pretty unique structure. How did you go about writing this album?

Zach: Well, we wrote almost the whole record in the studio in two and a half weeks. We worked hard. It was by far the most productive time we've spent. We were tracking 14 hours a day. We tried some new writing styles as well. Using chord progressions instead of riffs like we normally do.

PPJ: What was different about creating this album compared to your previous ones?

Zach: We had access to so many different instruments. It was amazing. We're lucky to be friends with unreal musicians. Horns, strings, organs. We also tried a bunch our very strange tracking techniques. It was a learning experience.

PPJ: What are your favorite things about your new album?

Zach: All the singing. We all put so many vocals on it. I love doing gang vocals. It's like a party.

PPJ: Is there anything on your older albums you wish you'd done differently?

Zach: Not really.... since we write everything in the studio, we'll often change them if they don't work live. I don't mind. It makes the live show a lot more fun.

PPJ: How did you come to the partnership you have with Equal Vision Records?

Zach: Equal Vision have been good friends of ours for years. They have helped us out many times. We originally wanted to release the record ourselves, but they gave us a really awesome deal. Partnership was totally the best option for us. We share in the risk and the reward.

PPJ: What was it like to collaborate with The Sound Of Animals Fighting to remix songs from their album?

Zach: They asked Johnny to do that a while ago. He had never done anything like that before, but he had a lot of fun doing that. I think he did a good job.

PPJ: You're about to head out on a European tour. What are you most looking forward to?

Zach: Hard to say. Everything is so amazing over there. All the club employees are so nice and helpful to us. The people that come to our shows are rad. We owe them many thanks.

PPJ: What is the next step after that?

Zach: We're doing a headlining tour in the states with Earl Greyhound and Winter Sleep. Then back into the studio for pre production. We're busy little bees.

PPJ: Do you think you'll be able to keep up the album-a-year pace you've set for yourselves?

Zach: I don't think it will be a problem. The only thing that stops us from recording more is our tour schedule.

PPJ: What do you want people to come away with when they hear your music or see your show?

Zach: Well, I obviously want them to have a good time. And I hope it makes them want to come back and see another. We're usually having the time of our lives on stage.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Zach: Lately I've been really into: The Builders And The Butchers, 31 knots, Doctor Helicopter, Hello Electric, The Decemberists, and David Bowie.

Thanks again to Zach for answering our questions, and to Heidi Robinson for arranging the interview. Make sure you pick up Censored Colors, which hits stores tomorrow!

Website | MySpace

Interview - Sherwood

2008-09-05T09:10:00.003-05:00

I caught up briefly with Sherwood to talk about what it's like to be such a hardworking band in today's music scene. Read on to hear about more about Sherwood, both new and old.

PPJ: First, please tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Dan Koch: Dan, and I play guitar.

PPJ: What got you into music? What keeps you in it?

Dan: The drums, also my friend in elementary school, Mark Ball, who got me to stop listening to Rap (which I have since learned to enjoy again) and start listening to Grunge. I am still in it because I can't possibly not be.

PPJ: Sherwood has always had a do-it-yourself approach. What do you think are the pros and cons to this? Did you ever think it was just too difficult?

Dan: Mainly the PRO is that you learn to appreciate any success you have, the main CON is that it takes a long time! There were tense moments; I have almost quit at least once I can remember. But somehow we kept it together and are stronger than ever right now.

PPJ: How do you go about writing your songs?

Dan: I generally will write the basic skeleton and then we work out all the details, often the bridge, etc, together as a group.

PPJ: Has your process changed over the years?

Dan: Yes, for this upcoming album, there is a lot more group involvement than on A Different Light, which is making it a whole lot better.

PPJ: How did Dan and Joe get involved with We Shot The Moon? Will either of them return to that in the future?

Dan: We have been friends with Jonathan Jones for a long time, and eliciting our help just seemed like the obvious thing for him to do next. It's his band, so there are no guaranteed of our future involvement, but I am almost positive that he and I will be doing a lot of writing together for his next album, and I'm really excited about that.

PPJ: You guys tour pretty much nonstop. Where are your favorite places to be?

Dan: In this order: Japan, Ireland/Scotland, Mainland Europe, Seattle, NYC, and here in Oakland, writing a new album.

PPJ: You used to tour in the Road Rules van. Did you like that better than a regular bus, or was it not worth the novelty?

Dan: Our new ride is a lot more comfortable. =)

PPJ: Can you tell us more about the unreleased songs that will be on the Sing, But Keep Going rerelease?

Dan: There will be 2 acoustic versions of songs, one full-band song that was never released, and one "Nerdrock Redux" version of another song.

PPJ: There are also rumors that you'll be releasing a new album in 2009. What can you tell us about that?

Dan: It will easily be our best, and it will be out in 2009. There aren't a whole lot of other details that we know just yet.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Dan: Bon Iver, Coldplay, The National.

Thanks again to Dan for answering our questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for setting it up. Be sure to pick up the rerelease of Sherwood's Sing, But Keep Going, and keep your eyes open for new music and tours!

Website | MySpace

Interview - National Product

2008-08-26T18:50:00.003-05:00

I caught up again with California's National Product, who have been touring relentlessly in support of their album Luna since I talked to them last year. Read on to see what they have to say about their experiences working hard on the road.

PPJ: First, tell us who you are and what you do in the band.

Danny Casler: Hey, what's going on? My name is Danny and I sing in the band.

PPJ: What were your favorite bands growing up? How do you think this influenced the music you're making now?

Danny: Growing up I was really into a lot of stuff my parents and grandparents would play. Everything from Frank Sinatra, to Led Zeppelin to Bon Jovi and more. As I started to find music of my own I got into hip hop and from there branched off into indie and punk rock stuff that spans from Fugazi to Jimmy Eat World to Strung Out to a lot of obscure stuff. I think a lot of the ideals that musicians had influenced me more than their music. Obviously their music impacted me in a serious way but there just seemed to be something a lot more tangible and real about bands when I was growing up. Now everything feels so fake and synthetic. Not all but way to many band do. I don’t think I'm alone in saying that, in fact I know I am not.

PPJ: Luna has been out for just over a year now. What was the initial response like, and how have you been maintaining the hype around it?

Danny: Um, I don’t know if we got to experience initial anythings. We have been touring 8 months straight out of that year so you kinda don’t get to sit back and think about to be honest. We have done the USA like 4-5 times, Japan & Hawaii and I think Alaska. My brain is racked from all of it to be honest. I know its making its impact and I'm thankful for that. We were told people would not catch on for about 6 months to a year because that is how this record is, and they were right as we are now watching the fruits of it in certain markets. For example. In Japan, there had to be close to a thousand kids at our headlining show in Kawasaki. First time there ever, and it was pretty huge. Surprised the hell out of us.

With the hype question. I always feel like hype is a bad thing so we don’t really ride that train. We have marketing behind us, a great record label, a great publicist and radio dept. I just feel we are fortunate with a great team. We don’t have all these massive tours but to be honest, we are working as hard if not harder than ANY band in our position right now and we feel confident that all that will come. Some days we get to play festivals with 10,000 people and some days we get to play a small town and get up close and personal with 30 kids. Its all what we love so either way, its equal to what we are trying to do. I said this in Colorado Springs. I would much rather play to 30 kids who come to shows because its all they know and love verse 5,000 kids who don’t care about the bands, don’t support the bands and come only because its a radio crowd. I grew up in the underground punk rock scene of going to shows, so I have more of an emotional attachment to it, and the people who support it. I know it doesn’t make money, I know it doesn’t have fame and glamour but I know it has passion and that’s more than all of those things.

PPJ: Is there anything on the album that you look back on and wish you'd done differently?

Danny: Um, with respect to James Wisner, cause 1. He's my buddy and 2. He is one of the most incredible producers, I would have liked to turn some of the lead guitar up in the mix. Made the drums much heavier, more full. There are some vocal inflection I do live I wish I would have done to make it just less slick and more raw. Other than that, we are very happy with LUNA and have no major deals. We got to do what we wanted to do so that counts. The next one will allow us to take in account all things we forgot and implement the new things we have learned.

PPJ: How does it feel to be recognized by outlets like MTVU and absolutepunk.net?

Danny: Well, you know I am an absolutepunk.net kid. I always have been. I share a lot of the same ideals as the people who created it, and run it as well as the users who make the site what it is. I also disagree with a lot of people in their too and I am not about just bashing bands to bash bands so I get in there and slug it out with users and use my platform as an educated touring musician who knows what it's like to have no privacy, to put yourself out there every night, to lose fiancées and girlfriends and miss out on life and try and make a living doing your passion and then have some 14, 17, 23 year old get online and call your band a piece of crap for reasons that are either biased or not backed to a reasonable extent. If you do something really dirty, AKA Sprout (Google it), I am not going to back you up. If you're good dudes who make music you love, you help people and your moving your life forward and helping others with your art AKA Hawthorne Heights and many other bands I get up and defend (not like they need my support) but I back those bands. If you don’t like someone, that’s cool, but don’t get on there calling the fags and saying you wish they were dead or you hope they crash in a fiery accident. All of those statements are unprofessional, not tactful, and very shallow.

MTVU has been dope to us and we get emails from kids all over the country saying things like, “I was in our school gym on the treadmill and I saw you guys,” so that kinda stuff is really cool for us. We come from a small town, who knew?

PPJ: You guys are originally from Hawaii, but you transplanted to Orange County. What was different about the scenes? What was it like to be a more pop-oriented band in a town known for punk?

Danny: Everything full on. Hawaii will have shows with metal bands, reggae bands, punk, indie and ska bands. Here in the US its more genre specific and not even about mixing it up. Ill tell you what. You get more kids to Hawaii shows like that because your introducing new music to kids who may have never had the opportunity to like that style of music. Hawaii just is very eclectic with all types of music so we share that with one another.

PPJ: How is your tour with 1997 going?

Danny: It's going good, I'm in Kansas City with a day off so I'm in bed, resting, watching movies on my computer. We love 1997, great people, and a greater band.

PPJ: What are your plans for after this tour?

Danny: We finally get some time off however, there is talk of a tour in Colombia and Brazil doing some dates with a major acts and after that we will be writing for a new record as well, and I will be headed to Chicago for a lil while to work with a great producer while the guys do their individual writing before we come together to show each other our ideas and start writing as a whole. I love that everyone is so open to writing in different styles to do whats best for the record.

I personally just got invited to India on a mission for the charity organization Faceless International that I'm apart of. So I will be there in Dec/Jan, then off to Ukraine for a short period and Hawaii for my father's birthday and then back to the mainland to take on whatever comes our way.

PPJ: What does it take to be noticed in today's music scene, and to stay in the spotlight?

Danny: Everything you got. A great sound, a great group, a great gimmick, and I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but for example: 30h!3. Great gimmick. You may not like the band or you may absolutely love them, but I think its brilliant. I do the hand thing all the time. I feel like DMX or something or even Jay Z “HOVA!”

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Danny: How about I tell you more than 3?

Jimmy Eat World
Will Hoge
1997
Lorene Drive
The Appleseed Cast
The Get Up Kids

There are many more, but I need to take a phone call, email me, ill turn you into some good music. Danny@npmusic.com.

Thanks again to Danny for answering these questions. Thanks also to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Be sure to catch National Product on one of their many tours, and to pick up a copy of Luna!

Web Site | MySpace

Interview - Punchline

2008-07-30T09:46:00.005-05:00

The guys in Punchline have been knocking fans out with their brand of pop-punk for a decade now. I caught up with the band to hear about those past ten years, as well and the present and future status of the band.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Chris Fafalios: My name is Chris Fafalios and I play bass and sing a little bit in Punchline.

PPJ: You guys have been a band for about ten years now. Did you ever think you'd make it this far?

Chris: I always had hope that we would be successful. I like the music that we make and the people that I get to make that music with. I feel like every album that we make is better than the last, and if I didn't feel that way I would probably not play music anymore.

PPJ: Which of your records are your favorites? Which do you wish you could improve on, and why?

Chris: Our newest album, "Just Say Yes", is by far my favorite. It is the best collection of songs we have ever put together. I am still very happy with both "Action" and "37 Everywhere" and proud to say that me and my friends created those albums. I am proud of the songwriting on both "The Rewind EP" and "Major Motion Picture", but I think that the recordings left a lot to be desired. We were a lot younger and inexperienced at the time we recorded those. Our self-titled album and "How to Get Kicked Out of the Mall" (both which were put out in the 90s), I kinda wish no one ever heard. We were very young when we recorded those and not that good. A lot of people in bands would have changed the name of their band after their early releases, but we never did. We have always been Punchline, and always will be Punchline. This is the band that we learned how to play our instruments in, and other than putting out a few bad early albums, I'm pretty proud of that fact.

PPJ: What went into the recording process for the upcoming "Just Say Yes?" Did you do anything differently than you had on previous records?

Chris: We split the recording of the album between 2 producers who we really loved (Jamie Woolford and Sean O'Keefe). We decided which producer would be better for each song, and in the end, everything turned out perfect in my opinion. We also funded this new album completely on our own, which we hadn't done since "The Rewind EP" in 2002.

PPJ: Why did you leave Fueled By Ramen Records?

Chris: We had a 3 album deal with FBR and we had put out 3 albums. It was time to move on.

PPJ: Are you close to signing a deal with anyone else?

Chris: We signed a deal with ourselves. We started a new label called Modern Short Stories that we will be releasing "Just Say Yes" on September 16th. We are very excited about having our own label, and love being able to do things totally our own way. We're also looking forward to signing a few bands once we get our feet on the ground after the release of "Just Say Yes."

PPJ: What can we expect from the new album?

Chris: It is head and shoulders above anything we have ever done. Our album is not out yet so its still acceptable to listen to our own album and really enjoy it. I have been doing that. When I listen to our album, I try to think about if I wasn't in Punchline if I would be a fan of it. I can honestly say that I would be (and I'm a tough music critic!) I think that the album could appeal to anyone, not just people who read AP magazine and go to Warped Tour. My Mom loves it...and my Dad even cracked and finally liked one of our albums. I think aunts, uncles, grandmas, dentists, cardiologists, canaries, and beagles could all like our album. It's got a little somethin' for everyone.

PPJ: What was the best tour you've ever been on?

Chris: It's really hard to pick just one. Although it was a short West Coast leg of a tour, being able to do The Get Up Kids farewell tour was incredible. I always loved that band and to be able to be on a part of their last tour ever was amazing. We have been on a lot of great tours, but that one was almost magical.

PPJ: Is there anywhere you haven't toured that you want to?

Chris: I would like to tour Australia and see lots of cool animals. I've always been a fan of cool animals.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Chris: Procession Came Opposite, The Casual Lean, and Barely Blind.

Thanks again to Chris for answering our questions, and the Mike at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Just Say Yes, which hits stores in September!

Listen at: Website | MySpace | PureVolume

Thrills, The - Teenager

2008-07-26T18:20:00.001-05:00

The Thrills - Teenager
Record Label - Virgin Records
Release Date - July 30th, 2007

Ireland's pop outfit The Thrills are known for their beachy pop songs, carried by the breathless voice of singer Conor Deasy. Probably the best way to summarize their sound is to note that the band was featured playing in the bar on The OC. With they newest release, Teenager, The Thrills have delivered us another round of exactly this music. The album isn't a huge departure from either So Much For The City or Let's Bottle Bohemia. This isn't to say that the album isn't enjoyable. Rather, the opposite is true. When listening to Teenager, it's hard to believe you're not on the west coast at sunset.

The album opens with some jangly guitars and cymbals on "The Midnight Choir," and launches almost immediately into Deasy's falsetto. The Thrills have often used guitar hooks rather than vocal hooks, and this trend continues here. It's a pleasant midtempo track that sets the mood for the rest of the album.

When listening to Teenager, the lyrics end up taking a backseat to the instruments. Part of this is the thinness of the vocals, but part of it is just the fact that the lyrics aren't particularly memorable. Deasy is always nice to listen to - he never hits a harsh note - but at the same time it doesn't really matter what he's saying. Many of the songs on this album feel like that - like they make better background music than singalong tunes. However, maybe that's the idea. I'm not sure. The downside to this is that many of the tracks blend together and seem a bit interchangeable.

There is a marked change of pace on "Restaurant," where the guitars are clearer than on other songs, and there's a bit of a country vibe to the whole song. Deasy's voice almost clashes with the music, but not quite. There's a fine line there that he manages not to cross, and it makes the song work beautifully. "I'm So Sorry" uses a piano and a harmonica to great effect, also adding to the country feel. Sometimes it's hard to believe that this band is from Dublin, when it feels like their songs are straight out of the American West. The title track is a meandering song that has Deasy longing for a love from his past. The instrumentals are beautifully arranged and complement the pining vocals perfectly.

The final track, "There's Joy To Be Found...The Boy Who Caught All The Breaks," is where the band brings in all the musical elements found throughout the album to create a wonderfully hopeful dual song that winds everything up nicely. Overall, this album is simply "pleasant." It's not inspiring, but it's not unbearable. It's perfect background music for your summer bonfires on the beach.

Tracklisting
01. The Midnight Choir
02. This Year
03. Nothing Changes Around Here
04. Restaurant *
05. I Came All This Way
06. Long Forgotten Song
07. I'm So Sorry
08. No More Empty Words
09. Teenager
10. Should've Known Better
11. There's Joy To Be Found...The Boy Who Caught All The Breaks *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Athlete, The Magic Numbers, Nada Surf

Listen: Website | MySpace

Buy: iTunes | Amazon

Interview - Hit The Lights

2008-06-11T14:17:00.003-05:00

Lima, Ohio's Hit The Lights have seen their fair share of turbulence in the past year. Despite the departure of their lead singer, the band have pushed through and are about to release a new album, Skip School, Start Fights. Read on to see what the HTL guys have cooked up for you this time around.

PPJ: First, please tell us who you are and what you do in the band.

Nick Thompson: My Name is Nick Thompson and I am the vocalist of Hit The Lights.

PPJ: Where are you on your tour right now? Which night has been the best so far?

Nick: We actually just made it home from a short headlining run with I Am the Avalanche, Jet Lag Gemini, and Thee Armada. The Chicago and Columbus shows were both pretty insane. The kids were awesome and even though it was incredibly hot, they still gave us everything they had. It was so much fun, a HUUUGE "fuck yeah" to both cities for making us feel welcome.

PPJ: What music did you listen to when you were growing up? Do you think any of it influenced the music you're writing today?

Nick: Growing up my dad and I listened to a lot of 38 special, I remember listening to a lot of 80's radio pop and always being into that. I grew up in a town in Ohio that was kind of cut off from any kind of "scene" so I started out listening to bands like Bush and Nirvana with the rest of my friends, but never really felt close to it. I think the first record that got me into punk was Blink 182's Dude Ranch. It was a total accidental find for me and when I did, I called it surfer rock because I didn't know what pop punk was. From there it kind of blew the door wide open so I could get into all the Fat Wreck Chords bands, all the drive thru bands, all of the Vagrant bands, and then started going to shows in Dayton, Ohio where there WAS a cool scene. Dayton opened me up to hardcore, then along came bands like New Found Glory who showed a hardcore meets pop punk type of music that I shit my pants for. All of those products have combined into how I write my music now.

PPJ: Probably the biggest question on everyone's minds is how things are going since Colin Ross left the band. Are the songwriting dynamics different now, or even just the dynamics of the group?

Nick: It's pretty insane how well things are going for us at this point. We left home in January to do a second record with me covering the vocals, doing it because we felt that we owed it to ourselves to keep pushing this band. We recorded a record that is by FAR the best thing this band has ever produced, went back on tour with a brand new guitar player (Kevin Mahoney) and it's honestly more fun than it has ever been before. It's not something we expected to happen, I think we all just decided to go for it because we knew that this is what we wanted to do. We are all very happy with the situation we are in, I think it shows on stage AND on our new record. This whole situation has really opened up our eyes to appreciating more things, such as friends, the road, and being in this band in general. We're stronger than ever, and I can honestly say that no one here expected things to be going as
well as it has.

PPJ: What has been the fans' response to the lineup change?

Nick: Kids have been amazing at the shows, and that helps me more than anything. It could be a really awkward thing to sing songs that used to have a different voice behind them, but every single night I have kids that have no problem going off and getting in my face to sing the words so I take that as a positive. I get a lot of fans coming up to us and telling us that they were super skeptical(which they should be) and didn't know how they were going to feel about a new voice, but telling us it's the best show of ours they've ever seen. When kids take time to find me, walk up, and tell me that, then I absolutely take it to heart. You don't have to read about it, come out and judge for yourself.

PPJ: Why did you decide to name the new record "Skip School, Start Fights?"

Nick: We had a really rough time deciding on the record name. It's a really important record for us, and one that we feel closest to I think, so we were kind of hoping a name would just fall into our laps at the right time. We were thinking about just keeping it self titled, and honestly, we love the record no matter what, so the name is just icing on the cake. A lot of time went by and we really weren't agreeing on anything that just popped and Omar had this bad advice idea that went "Skip School, Start Fights" that we were going to use, so we decided to go with it. We thought it was easy to remember and was funny but kind of edgy.

PPJ: What was is like working with Hidden In Plain View's Rob Freeman?

Nick: Rob has been our boy for a looooong time. We originally went in with him between some over seas tours to record a few demos for our label. Colin was still in the band then, it was about 2 years ago now. We did three tracks (which ended up leaking) in a matter of four days, and it was just a great experience. Rob and I worked well together with melodies, which is a huuuuge deal to me and the other dudes. He brought nothing but good ideas to the table, so when it came down to making this new record with a new vocalist, we all knew that we could trust Rob to help us create our vision. He's a young producer who gets great sounds, knows his melodies and harmonies, and ALWAYS is about what's good for the song. He kicked ass on our record, just like every project he's a part of. Rob's an untapped resource that I think a lot of people are going to flip out over once they hear the record.

PPJ: How do you think the new record differs from your older ones?

Nick: Even before our first record was officially released, we knew what we wanted out of a second record. Our main goal was to be a bigger, brighter, heavier version of what we were on "Stick Up". Of course the song writing is better but I feel the songs in general are a better representation of who we are. It captures the energy and feel of our band, it gives the vibe of our live show, which is something that I don't think "Stick Up" did a great job of. I'm not slamming our first record by any means, but we're a little older and a little wiser and we have a good grasp on what we want our music to be.

PPJ: What's your favorite song you've ever written, and why?

Nick: I've always loved Save Your Breath, just because there is so much energy in that song live, but in all honesty: there's too many songs that we love to name one. Our songs mean a lot to us, there are so many different reasons to like a particular one. The question is too hard, stop challenging me!

PPJ: A lot of people are talking about how pop-punk could make a comeback and rule the scene again. Do you think Hit The Lights can help do that with "Skip School, Start Fights?"

Nick: I know for a fact that we set the bar pretty high for ourselves when it comes to making our third record. We love pop-punk and we will always rep it hard, it's definitely popping up again so hopefully we can do our part to spread the love and bring the paaaaaaaain!

PPJ: What do you hope people will take away with them when they listen to your music?

Nick: I think the thing that we MOST hope for is that kids genuinely enjoy our music. We don't want them listening to us because we're a buzzy band, we don't want them listening because that's what they're friends are doing, we want them to love our music as much as we do. We could give a fuck if our shows are packed in or sold out, as long as the real fans who REALLY get it, are there to sing and rock out with us. We don't want kids coming to shows because all their friends are going, we want kids to be there on their own accord because they get us. We want the scene that we grew up in; where kids can see the bands face to face and look eye to eye at them and sing
their lyrics back and have that amazing connection that you will only know if it happens to you. We want to spread that experience and we want kids to go away feeling how we feel. That's what it's all about, that's what it SHOULD be about. Straight up.

PPJ: Lastly, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Nick: 1. Third Eye Blind
2. Pantera
3. I Am the Avalanche

Be sure to look for Skip School, Start Fights when it hits stores on July 8th. Until then, go see one of their action-packed live shows! Thanks again to Nick for taking time out of his day to answer these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview.

Interview - 2*Sweet

2008-06-11T13:58:00.003-05:00

Chicago's 2*Sweet have been making waves in the quickly expanding pop-punk scene. They are currently Smartpunk's #1 selling unsigned band - a feat that is sure to capture the eyes and ears of labels across the country. Read this funny and insightful interview to learn a little more about these rising hometown heroes.

PPJ: To begin, please tell us who you are and what you do in the band.

Justin Pence: Hello, I am Justin Pence, I sing in 2*sweet.

PPJ: Can you tell us how your band got to be where it is today?

Justin: We started playing out in many different bands together and decided to form this group very unseriously, 40 demos later and alot of figuring out exactly what we enjoy in music, we started to take this band full time and have done things our own way, making it up as we go, we recorded a record and released it on our own, we book our own tours and that's where we are at!

PPJ: You've always been heavily promoted by "Hey Chris" Gutierrez. How much do you think that endorsement has influenced your fanbase? Has it brought you any negative attention?

Justin: Chris is an amazing dude, it has certainly influenced our fan base, he gave us a chance and has always helped us spread the word on all the new stuff we have going on. Everything about that dude is positive, he is an amazing friend and author, we plan on touring with him again in the near future.

PPJ: Your MySpace page lists your genre as "Chicago Doom Pop." What exactly does that mean?

Justin: We like riffs alot, we like heavy riffs, we try and incorporate as many heavy riffs as we can, we like to think of them as doomy. My vocal style has morphed into a more morbid operatic feel so thats where the first part comes from. In all we are a pop band, we write pop songs with choruses, doom pop!

PPJ: You guys are still unsigned, so you're putting out your debut alone. What has that been like?

Justin: It has been alot of hard work, we developed everything on our own, did all of our own marketing, all our own promotion, the last two months before the release were insanely difficult and busy especially for me, but to have a final product in our hands is an outstanding feeling.

PPJ: Is there promise of a signing announcement anytime soon?

Justin: There is no promise of that sorts, we made up our own label though, C. Walrus.

PPJ: 2*Sweet has a heavy presence on all kinds of social networking sites. How much time do you guys spend on those pages? Do you think it makes your fanbase tighter?

Justin: We spend a good deal of time promoting, networking and communicating on the internet, it's awesome to us that people want to reach out to us like that, we spend as much time as we need to, doing our own promotion has been a very personal process for us. I absolutely believe it helps to make the fanbase tighter, we are a very hands on, extremely accessible band, I believe that it is very important to do so. We have a brand new video upload feed on our myspace, we post and respond to messages daily, on tour it gets slow but we make it work.

PPJ: You've got a relentless touring schedule with The Appreciation Post this summer. What are you most looking forward to on this tour?

Justin: We are on tour with The Appreciation Post right now, we get along with these dudes so well, I am most looking forward to grilling as much as possible this summer, grilling and swimming, that is summer!

PPJ: Tell us one thing about each 2*Sweet band member that people probably don't know.

Justin: I am a vegan. Dave is straightedge. Pete is a shredlord. Andy is a beat maker. Dan is a wolf enthusiast.

PPJ: What are your plans after your summer tour is over?

Justin: More tours, demoing new songs, more tours, more tours, more songs, more tours, working on a dvd, working on a cartoon, more touring and repeat.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Justin: Three bands you should be listening to; two of which we are touring with this summer: Fireworks (from Michigan), This Time Next Year (from Cali), Debello (from Chicago). Also listen to Down.

Don't forget to pick up 2*Sweet's debut CD, Sleep Without Dreams, when you catch their tour with The Appreciation Post. Thanks again to Justin for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview.

Girl Talk 5.3.08

2008-05-04T14:51:00.005-05:00

Girl Talk played at Hollins University last night. The opening acts were Ced Hughes and Kid A.

Since the crowd was rather small (about 200 people), Gregg Gillis took his table and laptops off the stage and set them on the floor and played in the middle of the crowd, while people danced on the stage. The show was one huge dance party. Gillis' show was impeccable - he kept the crowd moving and excited about every song. He played a good deal of new material from his upcoming album, and it's looking like he'll have another Night Ripper on his hands.

Chris Pureka 4.10.08

2008-04-14T14:36:00.003-05:00

Chris Pureka returned to my school last night to play "Rock The Stacks" during our Spring Previews weekend. She played here last spring, and I was excited to see her return since I missed last year's performance.

Generally, I am not a fan of female folk music. I don't like the prevailing vocal style or the similar guitar work that the women use. However, Pureka has won me over with her beautiful singing voice, intense lyrics, and engaging banter.

She played for an hour and a half, drawing songs from her multiple albums and threw in a Bruce Springsteen cover ("I'm On Fire") for good measure. She cracked jokes inbetween all her songs. It was a bit odd to jump from banter to songs - the vast majority of Pureka's catalog is extremely depressing. In fact, she joked that the last song she played was the only happy one in her repertoire. She talked about how a friend sums up indie music by saying her record didn't go platinum, but rather went rusty can. She read aloud a letter she received asking her to try out for Miss Massachusetts. She kept the audience in stitches - if she hadn't, we might have all been in tears by the end of it due to her lyrics.

Her performance was near perfect - the acoustics in the library are perfect for this kind of performance. Pureka is a gifted guitarist, and her gravelly vocals complement her subject matter very nicely. Overall, it was a pleasant, low-key evening - one I wasn't particularly expecting to enjoy but ended up loving.

A handful of other photos can be seen here.

Easter recommendations.

2008-03-22T23:28:00.004-05:00

This Will Destroy You.
I actually avoided listening to this band because I assumed they were hardcore or metal. Just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover - they're an instrumental post-rock band.
For Fans Of: Explosions In The Sky, Caspian, God Is An Astronaut
myspace.com/thiswilldestroyyou

She & Him.
This is the result of a collaboration between M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel. Deschanel actually has a very pretty voice, and these songs are delicately beautiful.
For Fans Of: Coconut Records, Tegan And Sara, Bon Iver
myspace.com/sheandhim

The Hush Sound.
This Illinois group just released their third album, Goodbye Blues. It's a wonderful record that may even top their previous recordings.
For Fans Of: Straylight Run, Rilo Kiley, Eisley
myspace.com/thehushsound

Rosematter - Shooter's Gonna Choke

2008-03-18T12:12:00.004-05:00

Rosematter - Shooter's Gonna Choke
Record Label - Oort Records
Release Date - October 23, 2007

Okay, time to be honest: I used to be a ska kid. Less Than Jake, Suburban Legends, Save Ferris...I loved it all. To this day, the opening horns of "Come On Eileen" can still get me up and dancing. I think that's why I'm as curious about Rosematter as I am - it sounds like the stuff I grew up on, minus the brass section. That may be a bit of an oversimplification, but you get the idea. Subtract the horns and replace it with a bit of the intensity that Paramore used to have, and you've got yourself Shooter's Gonna Choke.

Lead singer Katie Kolos wastes no time exploding to the front of the track on "Decadence Is Freedom With A Smile." She's backed by pounding drums and thick guitars that complement her vocal style well. Rosematter keeps the songs short and sweet, exactly the way high energy rock should be. The drums on "I Bet She Gives Great Helmet" pave the way for crowd interaction: clapping, jumping, and moshing made easy.

Rosematter have perfected the art of mixing upbeat music with downtrodden lyrics, which are probably best showcased in "Your Mom Doesn't Count As A Fan, Jesse:"

and you are pressing all my buttons / and throwing these colors at me / feeding off my failure / and I am trying to keep my composure / my blue eyes are turning green / but you will never see

The Pennsylvania-based band also often turns their eyes to the west coast, as they do in the beautiful "Fool Me Once, Strike One. Fool Me Twice, Strike Three:"

behind the wheel I am the only one with my eyes open / to witness the Pacific Coast Highway / stretch to become a breathtaking symphony for the soul

This song in particular shows similarities to bands like The Forecast in tempo and vocal style. it also nicely displays the band's versatility in lyrical subjects. On the flip side of that, however, the band doesn't slow down for any of the tracks - every one of them pummels the listener just as hard as the previous one. On one hand, none of these songs would work as ballads, but I'd like to see what other directions they can go in before they pigeonhole themselves. On the other hand, they seem to have no shortage of heavy hitting riffs or choral hooks, even when it comes to ass late in the album as "Being Brave Usually Means Having Your Adult Teeth Knocked Right Out."

"Pull A Fievel And Go West" uses some gang vocals, but they are placed rather far back in the mix. I think Rosematter could use gang vocals to their advantage, seeing how much their music already lends to crowd participation. The last song, "I Drink To Prepare For A Fight (Tonight I'm Very Prepared)," features the most graphic of their lyrics, and is thus one of the more powerful songs. The pop culture references and vivid imagery throughout the album is one of Rosematter's strongest points, and it all comes together nicely in this final track.

Rosematter intrigues me because their influences reach so far back, and at the same time, I am interested to see where they will be going in the future.

Tracklisting
01. Decadence Is Freedom With A Smile
02. I Bet She Gives Great Helmet *
03. I Don't Cheat, I Get Results
04. Fool Me Once, Strike One. Fool Me Twice, Strike Three *
05. Do Re Egon
06. Chuck Norris Jokes Aren't Funny Anymore
07. Anyone Who Hates John Hinckley Doesn't Understand True Love
08. Your Mom Doesn't Count As A Fan, Jesse
09. Being Brave Usually Means Having Your Adult Teeth Knocked Right Out
10. Pull A Fievel And Go West
11. I Drink To Prepare For A Fight (Tonight I'm Very Prepared) *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Paramore, The Forecast, Kenotia

Listen: MySpace | PureVolume

Buy: iTunes | Amazon

Say Anything 2.25.08

2008-02-26T19:08:00.002-05:00

Say Anything at James Madison University, 2.25.08.

Say Anything played a one-off show at the end of their tour at JMU. The opening band was a local jam band called Electric Baby. They played for an entire hour and it was difficult to not tear my ears off. Luckily I was able to doze off for awhile until they finished.

The show was advertised as reserved seating, since it was in a theater. However, as soon as Electric Baby left the stage, the audience was allowed to move about. Of course, this quickly turned into people rushing towards the stage, where there was not enough room for everyone. We decided to stay towards the back so we could see and just stand at our seats.

As Say Anything took the stage, the recorded intro to "Belt" played through the speakers, and the band tore into the track. The set was roughly as follows:

Belt
Woe
Skinny, Mean Man
The Church Channel
The Futile
Shiksa (Girlfriend)
Baby Girl, I'm A Blur
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
Every Man Has A Molly
People Like You Are Why People Like Me Exist
Alive With The Glory Of Love
***
Vexed
Spores
An Orgy Of Critics

The band had incredible energy throughout the set, and Max Bemis alternated between being congenial with the audience and ridiculing them. The crowd varied in the songs they knew - some people clearly had only heard ...Is A Real Boy, while others seemed to be newcomers. I was surprised to hear "The Church Channel," since Hayley Williams' voice is such a large part of the song. However, Bemis handled it well and the song was not lacking. Overall, it was easily one of the best shows I have seen in a long time.

Sherwood 2.23.08

2008-02-26T19:06:00.000-05:00

Sherwood, Houston Calls, The Higher, & We Shot The Moon at the Masquerade - Atlanta, GA 2.23.08.

We Shot The Moon took the stage at 7:15 PM and rolled their way through a quick set that included four songs from the EP (all but "Julie") as well as two or three newer songs. The band was working well as a group, seeing as how the lineup is still being solidified. Jonathan Jones still knows how to work a crowd, and his singing was near perfect.

After a quick break, The Higher stepped up for their set. I'll admit it, this band is a guilty pleasure of mine. Unfortunately, singer Seth Trotter is much more nasal live than recorded, and sounds like he's really straining hard to hit his notes. You'd also think that a band with such high octane songs would be more active onstage. To their credit I do think they were a bit more interactive than the last time I saw them. Nonetheless, they are still fun to dance around to.

I'd heard all kinds of good things about Houston Calls' live show for awhile now, so I was pretty excited to see them, and they did not disappoint. They were very high energy and continually working the crowd. The room exploded when they began playing "Exit, Emergency," and things never slowed down from there. The band closed with "Bob And Bonnie," who were apparently in attendance that night.

Sherwood took the stage with their usual sunniness and charm, and played a very brief set - only about 45 minutes or so. Songs played included:

Middle Of The Night
We Do This To Ourselves
For The Longest Time
Alley Cat
Traveling Alone
The Best In Me
The Town That You Live In
Holiday (Get Up Kids cover)
Never Ready To Leave
Give Up
Song In My Head

To my dismay, the entire crowd stopped moving with the Get Up Kids cover - no one seemed to recognize the song! However, their set was very good, even if it was so short. I don't think I will ever get tired of going to see this band.

2.17.07 recs

2008-02-17T13:18:00.004-05:00

We Shot The Moon.
The newest project of former Waking Ashland frontman Jonathan Jones. These piano pop songs are catchy as hell, and I can't stop listening to them.
myspace.com/weshotthemoon

Kiss Kiss.
I should have listened to people earlier when they told me about this band. Their odd brand of darkly theatrical pop-rock is creative and always impresses me.
myspace.com/kisskiss

The Faint.
I recently rediscovered my love affair with this bizarre Omaha-based electronic group. Their dark lyrics and detailed instrumentation can get just about anyone out onto the dancefloor.
myspace.com/thefaint

2.10.08 recs

2008-02-09T21:34:00.000-05:00

Mercy Mercedes.
Usually I'm not a fan of dance-rock, but Mercy Mercedes are the catchiest new band I've heard recently. "Dr. Huxtable" has been on repeat ever since I got a hold of their new Casio Rodeo EP.
For Fans Of: The Years Gone By, Farewell, Cobra Starship
myspace.com/mercymercedes

Once soundtrack.
Once is one of the most beautiful and touching movies I've ever seen, due in no small part to the incredible soundtrack featuring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. These are songs that can easily bring me to tears.
For Fans Of: Damien Rice, Jeff Buckley, The Frames
myspace.com/oncesoundtrack

At The Drive-In.
Here's a classic for you. Complex prog-rock band that had a brief and intense career before splitting up to form The Mars Volta and Sparta. If you don't already own the album Relationship Of Command, you should probably go to your local record store immediately.
For Fans Of: Fugazi, Bear Vs. Shark, Death From Above 1979
myspace.com/atdi

We Shot The Moon - Polar Bear & Cougar EP, The

2008-02-07T22:08:00.001-05:00

We Shot The Moon - The Polar Bear & Cougar EP
Label - The Militia Group
Release Date - December 18, 2007

I was really upset when Waking Ashland called it quits. They had been a favorite of mine for a long time, so when I heard that Jonathan Jones was working on a project with some of the Sherwood guys, I leaped for the EP. To my relief, I was not disappointed.

The collective known as We Shot The Moon encapsulates the best of Waking Ashland, Sherwood, and the California sunshine. The EP's opener, "Sway Your Head," has one of the catchiest hooks in recent memory, along with a nice piano melody and a strong drum backbone. Jones' vocals are dead on, and he ranges up and down the scales effortlessly.

"Julie" is a lilting pop-rock powerhouse with loud guitars and Weezer-like harmonizations. "Water's Edge" is very reminiscent of Waking Ashland circa Composure, only it is overflowing with more energy than Waking Ashland ever had. The chorus practically explodes out of your headphones. "LTFP" is the most rock-oriented of the tracks. It takes awhile to build up, but when the chorus drops down, the band delivers another crack hook.

The EP closes with the acoustic based "Welcome Home," which was originally one of Jones' solo songs. I might even go so far as to say it's one of the best songs he's ever written. The lyrics are the most complex on the album, and the addition of bells are a nice touch. Jones sounds completely sincere in his delivery, which is nice to hear in a pop-rock band. If these five songs are what We Shot The Moon came up with right out of the gate, I cannot wait to hear what they'll come up with for their full-length debut.

Track Listing
01. Sway Your Head *
02. Julie
03. Water's Edge
04. LTFP
05. Welcome Home *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Waking Ashland, Brighten, The Morning Light

Listen At: Web Site | MySpace | PureVolume

Stranger's Six, The - A Date With Daylight

2008-02-06T21:15:00.000-05:00

The Stranger's Six - A Date With Daylight
Label - Orange Peal Records
Release Date - May 8, 2007

I have to admit, when a band advertises itself as "a perfect blend of sleaze and class," I approach them rather cautiously. Is it possible to mix those two? Or does it end up just being a slimy mess?

A Date With Daylight opens with stuttering drums and loud, monotone vocals. While the chorus of "Back To The Start" has a nice hook that brings +44 to mind, the sleaze factor is pretty high in this one. This song, and many of the ones that follow it, stick to a standard song structure and don't really ever step out of the box. Singer Aaron "A-Fresh" Thompson is trying hard to make his voice sound booming and epic, but he ends up merely shooting out the words without much emotion behind them. This emotionlessness makes it tiresome to try and pick out the lyrics, or even to hear much of the music under the vocals. When you can hear the instrumentation, it is also often bland. There are occasionally interesting guitar licks, but most of it is just a wall of sound that takes a backseat to the vocals.

All of the songs follow the same format: guitar intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge/breakdown, chorus. You might even go so far as to say the band are sticklers for this format. There is no variation - even the choral hooks sound very similar. It feels like there was no passion put into these songs. "Hiss And Hearse" has the most unique instrumental intro, with a neat distorted guitar sound that isn't heard anywhere else on the album. Unfortunately, Thompson soon begins droning over this glimmer of creativity.

By the time "One Step Closer" rolls around, one begins to feel like they've heard all these songs before. And indeed, the guitar in this song sounds very similar to the one in "Echo," and then the same tone is used again in the next song, "Ready To Fall." And true to cookie-cutter form, the band puts a slightly slower song at the end. However, this doesn't imply a more heartfelt song - just a slower tempo and more drawn-out vocals.

So for The Stranger's Six, the question of sleaze versus class is answered: sleaze will overpower the class every time.

Track Listing
01. Back To The Start
02. Echo
03. Skin Your Teeth
04. Love Letter
05. No Time For Queens
06. Caged Heat
07. Hiss And Hearse
08. Chopping Block
09. One Step Closer
10. Ready To Fall
11. I Only Sleepwalk

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Good Charlotte, banging your head against the wall repeatedly.

Listen At: Web Site | MySpace

Ryan Ferguson - Only Trying To Help

2008-02-03T15:50:00.000-05:00

Ryan Ferguson - Only Trying To Help
Label - Better Looking Records
Release Date - August 21, 2007

A lot of bands try and cultivate their image to be that of traveling minstrels. I hate when bands do that. A lot of indie bands have vocalists that deliver their lines very flatly. I hate when bands do that. Ryan Ferguson does both of these things. I love Ryan Ferguson. The San Diego songwriter appears minstrel-like, but it isn't forced. His vocals are often slightly monotone, but he doesn't sound pretentious when he does it. His newest album, Only Trying To Help is refreshing because of this.

The album begins with the jangly chords of "Remission," and metaphors of surgery guide the listener through the tinkling keys and fairly forceful vocals. With a few well placed "whoa-o's," Ferguson has my full attention. The hooks are subtle and the melodies enjoyable while the the lyrics are deceptively dark. The stuttering guitars on "X's And O's" underline the sadness of the words.

never a big fan of fiction / I think I'm converting just to serve this fantasy of mine / no ink in my last pen / you've dried it out with run-on sentences / she's writing now with dark lipstick / engraving x's and o's in my head

"Kill My Confidence" is the album's lead single, and it's got a rollicking chorus that will stick in your head for days, complete with choral backup vocals and perfectly arranged keyboard flourishes. The music takes a dark turn in "Introduction." There are ominous strings sections, and the verses are chanted rather than sung. However, the tunes turn light again with "Future Reservations," going so far as to recall the likes of Death Cab For Cutie. Ferguson also evokes The Shins with the instrumentals on "In The Sea," but his vocal delivery is more along the lines of Straylight Run.

"Must Be Friday Night" is a highlight on the album. It begins with light guitars and choir vocals before giving way to Ferguson's plaintive voice, and building up with more and more instruments and voices as the song progresses.

The album closes with the expansive "And I Worry," where Ferguson's listed instruments include "guitars, vocals, bass, piano, percussion, nonsense," and Chris Prescott is noted as "mallet master." Overall, the album is fresh and enjoyable. It somehow manages to take all of the things I hate about indie rock and mold it into something I can love.

Track Listing
01. Remission
02. X's And O's *
03. Kill My Confidence *
04. Introduction
05. Future Reservation
06. The Impostor
07. In The Sea
08. Better Off
09. Not On My Watch
10. Must Be Friday Night *
11. And I Worry *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: No Knife, Pinback, Matt Costa

Web Site | MySpace

2.3.08 recs

2008-02-02T20:30:00.001-05:00

Empires.
Their initial claim to fame is that their guitarist is Tom Conrad, formerly of The Academy Is. However, Empires is a legitimately separate entity from that band, and I think they might really make waves with their pop-rock tunes.
myspace.com/empires

The Morning Of.
These kids have seen a lot of hype recently, and with good reason. Bouncy pop songs with dual male/female vocals, their album is a good time all around.
myspace.com/themorningofrock

City And Colour.
The acoustic side project of Alexisonfire frontman Dallas Green. This is his second album as City And Colour, and it's completely breathtaking.
myspace.com/dallasgreen

Perishers, The - Victorious

2008-01-27T17:11:00.000-05:00

The Perishers - Victorious
Label - Nettwerk
Release Date - September 4, 2007

When I hear a new album, I always find myself envisioning the ideal time and place to be listening to that album. The albums I find to be the most beautiful and delicate feel like they would sound best when walking through a snow-covered forest at sunrise.

The Perishers' Victorious definitely sounds like that. The quartet, who hail from Umea, Sweden, create songs that are the aural equivalent of hand-blown glass. Ola Klüft's voice glides over light guitars and sweeping melodies with just the slightest hint of backing vocals to give the songs the depth they need.

The album opens gently with "Midnight Skies," a meandering tune where Klüft lets his voice waver along the scales until the band chimes in full force, turning the song into a track that will delight fans of the Once soundtrack. "Never Bloom Again" has a very precise melody that invites listeners to close their eyes and feel it in full force. The Perishers' lyrics are all about failed relationships and the unanswered questions that come with those situations. They're the kind of lyrics that people say they wish they didn't know how to relate to. Even on the upbeat tracks like "Carefree," these lyrics are prevalent.

tonight the ocean's at my feet / the stars glitter just like diamonds /
I'm here to drown my fears / so I can wake up empty and be carefree

"My Own" has the slightest hint of alt-country in it, making the song reminiscent of The Thrills. Klüft's voice sounds a bit odd when placed over these guitar tones, but the song maintains the mood of the previous tracks. The album's title track is one of the more melodically upbeat songs, and is at once successful and unsuccessful. The storylike verses are contain some of the best lyrics on the album, but when it comes to the sweeping hook in the chorus, Klüft does not seize the melody - instead he ends up sounding a little bored. He does much better when he sticks with quieter, more detailed songs.

"Come Out Of The Shade" features a programmed clapping beat that works surprisingly well when coupled with the piano that the band uses extensively. It's the only track on the album that uses this kind of programming, and I think the band should try pushing themselves in this direction a little further.

"Is It Over Now?" is a track that absolutely screams Morrissey - from the lyrics about a nonexistent relationship, to Klüft's vocal stylings, to the relatively minimal instrumentation. The track is barely two minutes long but is a perfect interlude-like break toward the end of the album. The final song, "Get Well Soon," has a big piano and beautiful vocal harmonization. Although the track doesn't really seem to go anywhere, it still ties up all the album's threads nicely.

Victorious may not be a perfect masterpiece, but The Perishers are well on their way to creating that. For now, we can soak in the beauty that they have managed to create thus far.

Track Listing
01. Midnight Skies
02. Never Bloom Again *
03. Carefree
04. My Own
05. Victorious
06. Come Out Of The Shade *
07. Best Friends
08. Almost Pretty
09. Is It Over Now? *
10. To Start Anew
11. 8 AM Departure
12. Get Well Soon

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: The New Frontiers, Snow Patrol, Bell X1

Listen At: Web Site | MySpace

Astrea - Departure

2008-01-26T16:21:00.000-05:00

Astrea - Departure
Label - X Off Records
Release Date - July 12, 2007

"Post-hardcore" is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days, and it doesn't seem to mean much anymore. In my mind, the word conjures images of a handful of stellar bands and tons of middle of the road scenester bands. Astrea falls into the latter category.

Their music isn't bad, per se, it's just not anything mindblowing. Driving drums and whining guitars fill the speakers, and singer Brendon Pires is doing his best impression of Saosin's Cove Reber. The five song EP seems to all run together, and it's difficult to recall which hooks belong to which songs. The lyrics are generically about broken hearts and fate, doing their best to sound profound and forward looking.

The band's bio has the band claiming that they've "developed an original style." However, I'd be more inclined to agree with them later in the bio with the statement that they make their music "as broad as possible," thus making them sound just like everyone else.

Track Listing
01. Over Your Head
02. Between The Tides
03. Hourglass
04. Love Is War
05. Shadows

For Fans Of: A Heartwell Ending, Therefore I Am, a less intelligent Circa Survive

Listen At: MySpace | PureVolume

Kings To You - Antidote, The

2008-01-26T15:28:00.000-05:00

Kings To You - The Antidote
Label - Unsigned
Release Date - March 20, 2007

I didn't think that the lines between early pop-punk and modern mainstream radio intersected. Apparently, I had just never heard of SoCal's Kings To You. This band manages to mash together the sounds of the time with the "punk" mattered more than the "pop" with what you can hear if you switch on your local alternative rock station.

The Antidote's opening track, "Fight Night" opens slowly but the chorus soon rushes forward into the story of an estranged girlfriend. Cliche as this may sound, the lyrics are intensely personal and the addition of thrashing guitars and drums add to the painful emotions. Singer David Arthur has a strong voice capable or conveying such ideas in a believable way - you know he knows what he's talking about. The band powers through to "The Rise," which sounds much like the early work of So They Say. The song has a raucous chorus that pulls the song forward.

The album's fifth track, "Show Yourself," is an instrumental track. While technically sound, it's not particularly interesting and seems to slow down the album's momentum rather than add any new layers to it. However, the drums kick back in immediately with "Strike Back," a song that does exactly what its title says. It's got a huge singalong chorus about running away and never looking back. That seems to be the mantra for this band - grab your chance to get away while you can to make your way in life. "Strike Back" also features a brief guitar solo; this would be a great choice for a single.

"Take The Fall" is an acoustic based track that showcases the softer side of the band, and in particular Arthur's vocal capabilities. This slow-burning ballad hints at a future possibility of mainstream radioplay for Kings To You. The band then pummels through another couple of rock songs before coming to the album's second ballad, "The Arrow Or The Hero," where Arthur attempts a falsetto. It works fairly well, but I wish he had chosen his regular range, seeing as the lyrics to this song are so good:

the apple fell far from the tree and the arrow was shaky in hand / the target and my expectation struck me down instead / I won't be reminded of the damages you've done / so if I don't stand for something good in this world / set me sail and let me drift out to sea

Unfortunately, the song ends rather abruptly, and what could potentially be a tearjerking track simply feels unfinished. The album's closer, "Misconception," has a nice melody and again showcases the band's talent when it comes to lyrics. It's slightly more low-key than most of the rockers on the the disc, and winds the album down quite nicely. With a little polishing and a little more decisiveness in the direction they would like to take, Kings To You have the potential to be a massive rock band.

Track Listing
01. Fight Night
02. The Rise *
03. Don't Blink
04. Gone Blank
05. Show Yourself
06. Strike Back *
07. Take The Fall
08. Closer
09. Cut It Down
10. The Arrow Or The Hero
11. Second Opinion
12. Misconception *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Lovehatehero, So They Say, A Thorn For Every Heart

Web Site | MySpace | PureVolume

Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals - Lifeline

2007-12-28T15:57:00.000-05:00

Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals - Lifeline
Label - Virgin Records
Release Date - August 28th, 2007

I think the best way to describe Ben Harper is "respected." Lifeline is his eleventh release with the Innocent Criminals. All his releases have been critically acclaimed, making him well-known in the States and a superstar overseas. I'll be honest - I haven't heard most of this illustrious back catalogue. But I do know that I've seen this band play a handful of times, and each time has completely mesmerized me.

Because of this, I jumped at the opportunity to review Lifeline. I slid the disc into my stereo and was enveloped by the fluid, easygoing, reggae-based tunes. The inside of the CD's slipcase proudly proclaims that "Lifeline was recorded and mixed in 7 days on a 16-track analog tape machine. No computers or pro-tools were used anywhere in the process."

That's quite a feat these days in music, and it points to a love of the essential qualities of music, and that's exactly what Lifeline delivers. The album begins with an acoustic guitar and bare percussion on "Fight Outta You", leading into gravelly opening lines from Harper. You feel like you ought to be sitting barefoot on the porch in the summer. For those of you more indie or country oriented, imagine a more soulful rendition of Wilco's Summerteeth album.

The breezy vibe continues with "In The Colors," a loving song in which Harper pleads come and dance with me, and you really want to. The lyrics aren't full of long words or complex metaphors, but they are honest - more real than any band that takes itself too seriously and thinks they're going to change the world.

"Needed You Tonight" puts the piano high in the mix, and Harper belts out the words over the jangly melody. The song feels vaguely familiar, but Harper's immediacy and urgency makes the emotions fresh. "Say You Will" is the most musically upbeat track, beginning acapella and continues bouncing through similes:

like Marie Antoinette said to Louis XVI
man, I think we're going down
our chances are slim and none
and I'm afraid slim just left town

The whole song is backed by a female choir repeating the chorus and adding well-placed "shoops."

Harper slows it back down then with "Younger Than Today," a bittersweet nostalgic song. However, he immediately picks back up with the catchy guitar riffs of "Put It On Me."

"Paris Sunset #7" is a beautiful instrumental track that sounds exactly as its title implies. It's full of delicate acoustic guitar, and sinks further down the octaves as the song progresses, eventually bleeding into the final track, "Lifeline." The title track is reminiscent of Damien Rice or Elliott Smith - a faint acoustic guitar underneath the quavering vocals of a man desperately reaching out.

Lifeline is a thoroughly enjoyable album. While not the most technically innovative or lyrically complex, it's still moving and at times, intense. Save this one for next summer, when you're floating in the pool drinking lemonade.

Tracklist
01. Fight Outta You
02. In The Colors *
03. Fool For A Lonesome Train
04. Needed You Tonight
05. Having Wings
06. Say You Will *
07. Younger Than Today
08. Put It On Me
09. Heart Of Matters
10. Paris Sunset #7 *
11. Lifeline

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Donavon Frankenreiter, John Butler Trio, Ben Harper and the Blind Boys Of Alabama

Listen At: Website | MySpace

EOTY List 2007

2007-12-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

This year it was really difficult for me to put together an end of the year list. There were just so many great albums released. Everything is open for discussion - feel free to ask me why I placed something where I did or whatever. I also know that I just didn't get around to listening to everything released this year, so if you feel that I have a glaring omission, please tell me so I can find it and hear it. Thanks, and enjoy the list!

Best Albums
01. Jimmy Eat World – Chase This Light
02. Say Anything – In Defense Of The Genre
03. Lovedrug – Everything Starts Where It Ends
04. Feist – The Reminder
05. Straylight Run - The Needles, The Space
06. Anberlin - Cities
07. Every Time I Die – The Big Dirty
08. The Rocket Summer – Do You Feel
09. Dustin Kensrue – Please Come Home
10. Four Year Strong – Rise Or Die Trying
11. Coconut Records - Nighttiming
12. Chase Pagan – Oh, Musica!
13. Portugal. The Man – Church Mouth
14. Everybody Else – Everybody Else
15. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
16. Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
17. Saves The Day – Under The Boards
18. Relient K – Five Score And Seven Years Ago
19. Fall Out Boy – Infinity On High
20. Sherwood – A Different Light

Most Disappointing
01. The Academy Is… - Santi
02. Cartel - Cartel
03. Cobra Starship – Viva La Cobra!
04. The Receiving End Of Sirens – The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
05. The Spill Canvas – No Really, I’m Fine
06. Armor For Sleep – Smile For Them
07. Waking Ashland – The Well
08. Limbeck - Limbeck
09. Paramore – Riot!
10. Envy On The Coast - Lucy Gray

Best Songs
01. Anberlin - *fin
02. Feist - The Water
03. Dustin Kensrue - Blood & Wine
04. Brand New - Fork And Knife
05. Lovedrug - Salt Of The Earth
06. As Tall As Lions - Into The Flood
07. Kanye West - Stronger
08. Portugal. The Man - Telling Tellers Tell Me
09. Jimmy Eat World - Let It Happen
10. Relient K – Deathbed
11. Melee - Frequently Baby
12. Against Me! - White People For Peace
13. Wilco - Impossible Germany
14. New Atlantic - Wire & Stone
15. Coconut Records - Nighttiming
16. Say Anything - That Is Why
17. The Rocket Summer - So Much Love
18. Radiohead - Bodysnatchers
19. Stacy Clark - Empty Bottles
20. All Time Low - Dear Maria, Count Me In
21. Ryan Adams - Two
22. Paramore - Misery Business
23. Rihanna - Umbrella
24. Holiday Parade – Driving Away
25. Saves The Day – Turning Over In My Tomb

Keep Your Eye On
01. We Shot The Moon
02. Rosie Thomas
03. Everybody Else
04. Holiday Parade
05. Brighten
06. The Morning Light
07. Modern Skirts
08. The New Frontiers
09. Cavil At Rest
10. Pictures In Pieces

Most Anticipated
01. Brand New
02. As Tall As Lions
03. The New Frontiers
04. Pictures In Pieces
05. Saves The Day
06. Glassjaw
07. Jack’s Mannequin
08. The Matches
09. The Reign Of Kindo
10. City And Colour

12.2.07 recs

2007-12-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

These are all artists who played at Folkfest at my school last night.

Doug Cheatwood And The Bastards Of Fate.
One of the most bizarre things I've ever seen. Cheatwood was rolling around on the ground, pies were thrown at the audience, and there were crazy lights and fog. I can't quite tell if they're geniuses or just insane.
For Fans Of: Portugal. The Man, The Drugstore Cowboys, Bear Vs. Shark.
myspace.com/dougcheatwood

Red Clay River.
Good old-fashioned bluegrass/country, heavy on the moonshine. Vocalist Daniel Bivins has a gritty voice reminiscent of Tom Waits, and the group of them are perfect when it comes to harmonizing and stomping their feet.
For Fans Of: Tom Waits, Harry McClintock, The Cox Family
myspace.com/redclayriver

Ced Hughes.
Performing under the name Shoot The Moon last night with a friend as a DJ and Kid A on backup vocals, Ced Hughes has a bouncy, in your face style of hip hop that uses beats from Interpol, Justice, and Amy Winehouse, just to name a few.
For Fans Of: Kanye West, Consequence, Jay-Z
myspace.com/cedhughes

Brand New 11.29.07

2007-11-30T10:03:00.000-05:00

Brand New at the Commonwealth Ballroom, Virginia Tech 11.29.07.

Brand New played a solo show at Virginia Tech on an off day from their tour with Thrice and mewithoutYou. The stage setup included two drum kits as well as a freestanding drum, and the lights were exclusively yellow and white.

The show began with a half hour of Jesse Lacey alone onstage with an acoustic guitar. He did not address the audience until a brief mumble about colleges and "We are Brand New" before launching into Soco Amaretto Lime.

Jesse solo:
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself (Morrissey cover)
Play Crack The Sky
Two Headed Boy Pt. 2
Moshi Moshi
Soco Amaretto Lime

Jesse then exited the stage and returned with the rest of the band for the remainder of the set. The songs were delivered with much screaming rather than singing, but that style works for many of Brand New's songs, especially the tracks from The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. The setlist was:

Luca
Jesus Christ
Limousine
Handcuffs
Welcome To Bangkok
Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades
Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't
Jaws Theme Swimming
The Archers Bows Have Broken
Millstone
Degausser
You Won't Know
Sowing Season (Yeah)
***
Untitled

There was minimal band/crowd interaction, except for when Jesse expressed concern over the actions in the pit. He also introduced Limousine as a song about a tragedy near his home, and dedicated it to the school, as Virginia Tech is a "school that knows tragedy."

On a number of the songs, Brand New's crew joined them onstage to play extra instruments, often with multiple people per instrument. It's really incredible to watch them do so.

The band quickly left the stage after Sowing Season, and the belligerent crowd began chanting for Seventy Times 7. Eventually Vinnie Accardi came back onstage and began the slow buildup of Untitled. He left and then brought the rest of the band back out with him to finish the song. At the end, everyone left the stage except for Lacey, who remained at the mic to say, "Hey Chuck! It's Marvin. Your cousin, Marvin Berry! You know that new sound you're looking for? Well listen to this!" before leaving.

Overall, it wasn't the best show I've seen Brand New play. However, Brand New's average set is better than most bands' best sets, so I'll continue to go see them every chance I get.

11/25/07 recs

2007-11-25T12:39:00.001-05:00

Rosie Thomas.
Beautiful acoustic pop music. Her album These Friends Of Mine was recorded with Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer, and includes guest vocals from Jeremy Enigk (on a Denison cover), Damien Jurado, and David Bazan.
For Fans Of: The Weepies, Brandi Carlisle, Maria Taylor

The New Frontiers.
Formerly known as Stellamaris, these Texans play atmospheric pop rock that will completely envelope you while you are listening. Their upcoming full-length was recorded with Matt Goldman, and I'm sure it will blow many listeners out of the water.
For Fans Of: Nada Surf, As Tall As Lions, The Appleseed Cast

Cold War Kids.
Long Beach natives Cold War Kids are a pretty unique band these days. They play a blend of rock and blues, full of swagger and soul that's hard to find in our scene. The album released earlier this year, Robbers & Cowards, is probably going to end up pretty high on my end of the year list.
For Fans Of: The White Stripes, Spoon, The Strokes

Ryan Adams show review

2007-11-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals At DAR Constitution Hall, 10.30.07.

There were no opening bands on this date, and people were still filing into their seats as Ryan Adams and the Cardinals took the stage. They began without fanfare, and played three or four songs before Adams even addressed the audience. Even then, all he said was a simple, "Hi, we're The Cardinals." The night was divided into two sets, with an intermission-like break halfway through. The majority of the material was from Adams' last two or three albums with The Cardinals, and included:

Mockingbird
Beautiful Sorta
Cold Roses
Off Broadway
Rescue Blues
Why Do They Leave
Everybody Knows
[spacewolf's birthday song]
Please Do Not Let Me Go
The Sun Also Sets
Halloweenhead
Nightbirds
When The Stars Go Blue
-intermission-
Peaceful Valley
Blue Hotel
Goodnight Rose
Bartering Lines
Shakedown On 9th Street
Goodnight, Hollywood Boulevard
encore: Easy Plateau

After about five songs, Adams stopped and announced that it was time for JG's nightly joke ("I went to a hospital cafeteria. They were serving broken leg of lamb.") and that it was also guitarist Spacewolf's birthday. So a punky birthday tune was sung, and then the set was resumed.

There was a lot of fake smoke throughout the show, and there was also a black backdrop with hundreds of pin lights that shone various colors during the night.

There were long breaks between many of the songs when Adams spoke into a mic to his band's earpieces. The audience took these opportunities to shout requests, eventually irritating Adams enough that he went offstage to get a megaphone. He then proceeded to shout at the audience, "No! A little more to the left. Cross your arms like that! Be a different color! Lean the other direction!" Unfortunately, the audience never took the hint. There was even one man who shouted for "Summer Of '69." The rest of the crowd immediately gasped and booed him.

Although Adams was not very interactive, his performance was perfect. Despite downing a number of beers and other beverages, he was on pitch and wonderful to listen to. I would definitely go see him again.

Last Car In Alaska, The - Comfort

2007-10-25T12:09:00.000-05:00

The Last Car In Alaska - Comfort
Record Label - Unsigned
Release Date - August 15th, 2006

Some of the best shows I've ever seen have taken place in rec centers and basements. Even if the bands aren't of the highest caliber, there's a certain amount of heart and passion that make them worthwhile. The Last Car In Alaska wouldn't be out of place at all at a show like that.

The Last Car In Alaska's songs are based in punk, with a melodic edge that works to bring the lyrics to life. While the production isn't the sharpest, there are promising guitar hooks and driving drumbeats just underneath the vocals. Throughout the album, Dan Ubilla has high and low points as a singer. He tends to be a bit flat and monotone, but occasionally manages to spit out a nice vocal hook, like with the gang vocals on "Listen: We're All Quietly Battling The Human Condition."

In spite of the spotty vocals, Ubilla's lyrics are top notch. If Fall Out Boy had put out an album between Evening Out With Your Girlfriend and Take This To Your Grave, the lyrics here would probably be very similar. Take for example, the first verse of "Starving, Hysterical, Naked:"

The sun didn't fall so much as crash / and in the wake the sky was burned / an orange crisped to black / I still swear that if you squint / you can almost see all the purple hues / dancing around in it

The band steps away from their usual tempo with the closing track, "Bethany." It's a slow acoustic ballad that is simple and heartwrenching at the same time. It shows the band's versatility and the possibilities for their future. Most of the album is like that. The pieces haven't all fallen into place yet, but there's great potential for future material: just like all those basement bands we love to watch.

Track Listing
01. I Like You Man...You're Crazy
02. Listen: We're All Quietly Battling The Human Condition
03. With Friends Like You, Who Needs Friends?
04. You're The Kind Of Girl
05. Starving, Hysterical, Naked *
06. Bethany *

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: the early work of MxPx, Fall Out Boy, and Taking Back Sunday

Web Site | MySpace | PureVolume

Sleeping With Giants Tour 10.20.07

2007-10-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

The Academy Is..., Armor For Sleep, The Rocket Summer, & Sherwood at Amos' Southend, NC, 10.20.07.

It's a rare event when I'm super stoked to see every band on a tour bill, and that was the case with the Sleeping With Giants Tour. I love every band on it, and every one of them put on a stellar show last night.

Sherwood were first up, with their mic stands wrapped in fall leaves and their keyboard adorned with sunflowers. While their keyboardist was by far the most energetic, the band played their usual spot on performance. Vocalist Nate Henry hit every note, even the extended high ones. Their setlist included:

Never Ready To Leave
Give Up
Learn To Sing
The Best In Me
Middle Of The Night
Song In My Head
Only Song

While it was a bit sad that there was only one track from Sing, But Keep Going, the slowed down version of "Song In My Head" that they performed made up for that.

The Rocket Summer was next, and Bryce Avary got the crowd moving in no time. He played:

Break It Out
Around the Clock
Do You Feel
Brat Pack
So Much Love
So, In This Hour...

Avary bounced back and forth between guitar and keys effortlessly, getting the crowd to clap and dance right along with him. There was one point where he left the front of the stage to go play drums to intro a song. It's cool to see him put into practice all his skills. I wish he could have played a longer set; I can't wait to see him perform again.

Armor For Sleep was the direct support for the night. While less mobile than The Rocket Summer, Ben Jorgenson and company delivered an impassioned set that included some of their best tracks, as well as a few new ones:

The Truth About Heaven
Remember To Feel Real
Smile For The Camera (new)
Dream To Make Believe
Williamsburg (new)
Stay On The Ground
Awkward Last Words
Car Underwater

The Academy Is... took the stage to the sound of a couple hundred screaming girls, and they played like I've never seen them play before. They had an incredible light show, and frontman William Beckett strode around the stage like he owned the place. When I've seen them in previous years, Beckett used to strut more like a diva, but he has grown into his own presence and performs with heart that is not seen in many modern frontmen. They played many more cuts from Almost Here than I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise. Songs included:

Same Blood
Attention
Slow Down
LAX To O'Hare
Neighbors
Black Mamba
Classifieds
Sleeping With Giants (Lifetime)
Bulls In Brooklyn
The Phrase The Pays
We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands
Checkmarks
Seed
Everything We Had
Down And Out
***
40 Steps
Almost Here

It was easy to envision this band filling up arenas: they already play as if they are facing that big a crowd. And I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a big fan of Santi. However, all the new songs sounded great live - they fit the band's performance style and are pulled off with flair. This band is going to continue to grow for a long time to come.

Show Review - Saves The Day acoustic

2007-10-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Saves The Day, Dr. Manhattan, & Single File at Alley Katz in Richmond, 10.12.07.

This tour is Saves The Day's first acoustic tour ever, promoting their upcoming album Under The Boards.

The opening band was Single File, a three-piece from Denver with incredibly catchy garage pop. Their singer had an excellent voice, and they were fun to watch. They played a half hour of songs from their album No More Sad Face, including:

My Best Defense
The Grocery Store
Velcro
Melody Of You
Look At Me I'm Crying
Zombies Ate My Neighbors

"Velcro" is easily their catchiest song, reminiscent of American Hi-Fi style pop. About halfway through the set, the guitarist and bassist switched instruments and continued on with the set. Both were equally proficient with the two instruments. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this band.

The direct support was Saves The Day's new labelmates, Dr. Manhattan. They had an interesting setup: the drum kit had a shirt strapped to the front that read "CRUNK OR DIE!" and the keyboardist also had a kick drum propped up on two tupperware bins to beat on. Now, the songs these guys write are really interesting and inventive. However, most of the band was clearly chemically altered, and kind of embarrassing to watch. It was neat to see the keyboardist jumping around and banging on his drum, but the singer and bassist were just making fools of themselves. Hopefully they'll learn to grow up a bit - they have potential to have a powerful show.

Finally Saves The Day came on. David and Chris took their seats to a screaming crowd, who immediately began shouting out requests. Throughout the show they kept reiterating that they would take requests at the end, but that they would play a prearranged set first.

Everything was spot on. While Chris' voice has gotten more nasal over the years, he still hits every note. He's also still clearly passionate about his music, even the oldest songs. The set drew from Saves The Day's entire catalog, including Can't Slow Down and a number of b-sides. Songs included were:

This Is Not An Exit
Rocks Tonic Juice Magic
Eulogy
Deciding
See You
Radio (new song)
Dying Day
Coconut
Third Engine
Three Miles Down
Stay (new song)
She
Don't Know Why
Take Our Cars Now

*break before requests*

You Vandal
All I'm Losing Is Me
Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots
Hold
Firefly
Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off To Heaven
Shoulder To The Wheel
At Your Funeral
Jessie And My Whetstone

At one point, David had a look of complete astonishment on his face as the crowd finished a verse for Chris without his help. Saves The Day is another band whose fans are completely devoted to them. Chris was overwhelmed at the number of requests and the intensity of the requesters. On songs from Stay What You Are and Through Being Cool, I could barely hear Chris over the crowd, even though I was standing three feet away from him. The new songs sounded really good; "Radio" in particular sounded like a return to the sounds of Stay What You Are and Through Being Cool.

Note to showgoers: if you plan on getting completely drunk, please stay at the back of the venue. The kids who got there early to get a front row space will not appreciate it when you push your way in, spill beer all over them, and sing loudly in their ears while pumping your fist. Also, an acoustic show is not the place to attempt to crowd surf or stage dive. Thanks.

Other than that, it was a great, intimate night where it was easy to see the love of the crowd for the band, and vice versa.

2007-10-09T19:44:00.000-05:00

The Frantic are an up and coming band from the Chicago suburbs, and their new album, Audio & Murder, is about to hit stores. Frontman Kyle Dee took a few minutes to answer my questions about the new album and how it feels to be in a band so young.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Kyle Dee: I am Kyle Dee. I sing and play guitar in the band 'The Frantic.'

PPJ: You guys are pretty young for a band. Do you think that gives you any advantages or disadvantages?

Kyle: I think like all things, it comes with pros and cons. It's great for us because we have a head-start on our music career. We have a ton of energy, and a longer shelf life than some of the bands at a higher age. It helps us stand out in the crowd as well considering I am about 5' tall. Our music appeals to all ages though.

PPJ: What bands do you think have impacted your music and your lives the most?

Kyle: I was born into music. As a kid, my parents would buy me a new cassette tape at least once a week. The music that really showed me my dream would be Nirvana or Green Day. I was also huge on The Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, Foo Fighters. The big 90's bands.

PPJ: Chicago has been a recent hotspot for up and coming bands. What has your experience been like with the Chicago scene?

Kyle: It really helps to be coming out of a major city. A lot of media is spread throughout Chicago and we hope to become a big part of the music scene here. The kids that come out are always really supportive and it means the world to us as a band.

PPJ: How did you go about writing the songs on Audio & Murder?

Kyle: Audio & Murder is a mix of things we have written over the years. It goes from teen love and heart break, to high school and parties. A lot of it is just about being with your friends and enjoying life.

PPJ: What was it like to work with a big name producer like Mudrock?

Kyle: Being the young guys that we are, a big name producer opened our eyes to the music business. He truly put not only his heart into the record, but ours as well. Mudrock taught us a lot about song structure and helped change our songs for the better. We couldn't be more thankful.

PPJ: What are your favorite and least favorite songs on the new record, and why?

Kyle: 'I Don't Want to Be Alone' is my personal favorite. It feels like the catchiest song to me. As for least favorite, it wouldn't have made it on the record if we didn't like a song! 'Heifer' is definitely hit or miss though. I always worry that we might offend our audience which is not the intention of the song at all. On the other hand it is the song many people remember us by.

PPJ: You've also performed alongside some huge bands. What's that like, and what's your favorite memory of a show?

Kyle: Sharing a stage with bands I've grown up loving is a dream come true.
It's awesome to know that they are real people just like you and I. They are just very talented. The best feeling in the world is following their footsteps and learning what they do to succeed.

PPJ: What are your plans for the next few months after the record comes out?

Kyle: I hope that things take off very quickly. Especially the record. (Which comes out Oct. 30th in stores everywhere.) Touring is going to be an all year plan, along with writing the next record on down time. Other than that, meeting all of our fans at shows!

PPJ: I have to ask: is there a story behind the song "Heifer?"

Kyle: Like I said earlier, the CD is about times we've gone through over the years. I wrote "Heifer" in the 8th grade about a girl that I had a feud with. I was just a dumb punk rock kid who thought getting into trouble was cool. ( It isn't. ) The girl and I get along great now and I feel bad for ever writing it. But I did.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Kyle: As a whole, the new Used album " Lies for the Liars " is incredible. I'm also currently listening to Paramore - Riot! and Chiodos - Bone Pallace Ballet.

Thanks again to Kyle for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Be sure to pick up Audio & Murder on October 30th, and then go out and catch The Frantic on tour.

The Frantic - Audio & Murder

2007-10-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

The Frantic - Audio & Murder
Label - Sinister Muse Records & Empyrean Records
Release Date - October 30th, 2007

There's not a lot of real punk music left anymore, not punk music with passion. Most of that kind of punk these days tends to be of the political variety, but The Frantic have created a record that encompasses these qualities, while still feeling like a good old-fashioned party.

These young Chicagoans (the oldest are just eighteen) combine the raw power of The Sex Pistols with the hooks of Set Your Goals. Audio & Murder bursts into action with a shout of "We're the Frantic! Who The fuck are you?!" and Ramones-esque "hey hey hey"s over pounding drums and stuttering guitars. "Big Papa" features a massive vocal hook in the chorus along with rapid fire verses that are bound to get a crowd riled up. There's even the faintest touches of synth accenting the guitars.

The growling vocals and undercurrent of power chords continue throughout the next few tracks, and the band doesn't loosen its grip on the listener for a second. "Fast Girl" provides prime opportunities for fist-pumping and crowd participation, as does the driving beat of "Frantic Summer." The lyrics aren't particularly deep, but they're relatable - tales of best friends and ex-girlfriends galore. Every suburban kid will key into the short spoken bit in "Frantic Summer" where two of the guys talk about having nothing to do since there aren't any shows that night.

"Movin' Along" is an acoustic ballad about moving to the city and not looking back to ex-girlfriends. It's got a country vibe to it, which doesn't fit the rest of the album at all. Regardless, it's a pretty song in the vein of Limbeck or Steel Train. After that divergent track, the band leaps back into their regular sound with "Rock & Roll Renegades" and keeps it there for the rest of the album.

The most entertaining track on the record by far is the closer, "Heifer." Clearly someone had a bitter breakup:

Your waist is a waste of space / My ass looks like your face /
You are a fat fuckin' heifer / I said / you fat piece of shit

The best part is that this chorus is one of the biggest hooks on the entire album. There's also handclaps and gang vocals - this will be a fan favorite for years to come for this band.

Audio & Murder clocks in at 25 minutes and 51 seconds. On one hand, I think that's far too short and I want to hear more. On the other hand, there isn't a single track I'd consider to be filler, and any attempt to stretch out the running time would have dragged the album down considerably. It's a great debut album by a band that has heaps of potential; I hope Audio & Murder will catapult them into view of the music community.

Track Listing
01. We're The Frantic
02. Big Papa
03. Fast Girl
04. Frantic Summer
05. Movin' Along
06. Rock & Roll Renegade
07. Audio & Murder
08. I Don't Want To Be Alone
09. Always Gonna Roll
10. Hollywood Homicide
11. Heifer

For Fans Of: The Ramones, MxPx, Dude Ranch-era Blink-182

Web Site | MySpace | PureVolume

10.7.07 recs

2007-10-07T18:59:00.001-05:00

Beirut.
This kid is really young, but he's making breathtaking, romantic music that's easy to fall in love with.
For fans of: Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart, Grizzly Bear
myspace.com/beruit

Modern Skirts.
Meandering indie pop from Athens, Georgia. Their singer has a distinct voice, and their music is perfect for relaxing with a glass of lemonade.
For fans of: Lakes, Blackpool Lights, Ben Jelen
myspace.com/modernskirts

k-os.
Accessible hip-hop with a reggae twist. His new album, Atlantis, is a must-have.
For fans of: The Roots, Talib Kweli, Common
myspace.com/kos

A Hero From A Thousand Paces - Mistakes

2007-10-05T14:43:00.000-05:00

A Hero From A Thousand Paces - Mistakes
Release Date - April 3rd, 2007
Label - 1x1 Music

In this music scene, there is a sort of image continuum that bands fall along. There are some bands that are entirely music driven, with no focus on image. There are some bands that try to balance both. And there are some bands that are entirely image based and their music is secondary. A Hero From A Thousand Paces fall firmly in that third category.

This band from New Jersey is made up of former members of The Pennyroyals and Riding Bikes, but have lost any vestiges of punk from those old bands. Instead, they wear exclusively red, black, and white, along with a lot of makeup and hair gel. On their slick myspace page, the music seems the be merely a vehicle for promotion of the band, rather than the other way around.

As for Mistakes, it starts off with what sounds like a pretty promising guitar riff. That is, until the rather weak vocals of Mark Fray set in, forcibly bringing to mind bands like Hawthorne Heights. The next three songs all feature the exact same guitar tones and and uncreative, sex-driven lyrics:

System overload / surge malfunction / Aching for your love / Starved and malnourished / We've been tarnished with a kiss / There goes our precious innocence

There aren't any discernible hooks anywhere, and Fray takes on a similar cadence for every verse. He occasionally ventures into falsetto, where his voice becomes even less powerful than it already was. "Semantics" is Hero's attempt at a ballad, but Fray still delivers his lines exactly the same way as in previous songs, only this time with the aid of even higher pitched background vocals. He simply sounds bored all the time. Fray does manage to belt it out a little more in "A Hand Written Apology," but the trite lyrics of I'm sorry / I never meant to hurt you don't keep your interest.

"Close Your Eyes" starts out with an acoustic guitar, a sound much more fitted to the vocals. However, the band rushes back to their electric guitars just as the song is starting to sound good. If they hadn't followed their formula, they would have has a sweet song on their hands.

A Hero From A Thousand Paces is clearly trying to capitalize on the subset of kids who are into music to be seen, not to see. By the looks of their website, they've got dozens of these kids under their net. However, as soon as those kids find a prettier boy in eyeliner, Hero will find themselves without a fanbase and will have to latch onto the next hot trend.

Track Listing
01. Bold And The Beautiful
02. With Closed Fists
03. The Aftermath
04. Semantics
05. Doctor Doctor
06. She'll Pay For Me In Singles
07. It's Not Over
08. A Hand Written Apology
09. Philadelphia
10. Close Your Eyes
11. The Stained Slide Show
12. A Good Thing

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of - Hawthorne Heights, 30 Seconds To Mars, Silverstein

MySpace | PureVolume

Verona Grove - EP

2007-10-05T13:20:00.000-05:00

Verona Grove - Verona Grove EP
Release Date - Spring 2007
Label - Pat's Record Company

These days, reviews of pop-punk albums often contain the disclaimer that the band is "nothing groundbreaking." But who says a band has to be groundbreaking to be fun? Yeah, you've probably heard Verona Grove's style of music a thousand times over, but that isn't to say you shouldn't give them a shot.

This trio from Wisconsin sound like a cross between The Starting Line and Driving East. Tell me that isn't fun. Their four song EP starts with the fist-pumping "Everything You Dreamed," and the rolling guitars and smooth vocals are sure to get teen girls jumping up and down in a frenzy. Their simple choruses and vaguely heartbroken verses are just begging for crowd singalongs.

"Revolution" is a fairly well executed piano slow jam, and sounds like it could be Waking Ashland b-side. I'd like to see them push this style a little further; they seem to know how to use the piano well.

The best song is the closing track, the synth-driven "Goodbye Surrender." It's easily the EP's catchiest tune, and is capable of launching the band into the current dance-rock craze. The backing vocals on this track are also simply made for crowd participation. Production-wise, the EP is nicely done, though I think they could benefit from more punchy vocals and drums.

So yes, Verona Grove is not breaking any new ground, but most bands these days aren't. So why not enjoy the music of those who know the formula and how to work it?

Track Listing
01. Everything You Dreamed *
02. No Words To Say
03. Revolution
04. Goodbye Surrender *

* - standout tracks

For fans of: The Starting Line, All Time Low, Holiday Parade, The All-American Rejects

MySpace | PureVolume

Marc Broussard - S.O.S.: Save Our Soul

2007-10-02T13:33:00.000-05:00

Marc Broussard - S.O.S.: Save Our Soul
Release Date - June 26th, 2007
Label - Vanguard Records

Bob Seger once sang about how great old time rock and roll was. Now, Marc Broussard is here to tell us how great old time R&B was.

Save Our Soul is a collection of covers ranging from Marvin Gaye to The Pointer Sisters to Stevie Wonder. Broussard rolls through these classic tunes with a swagger in his step and a rasp in his voice, giving each song new life.

The album kicks off with the funky groove of Stevie Wonder's "You Met Your Match." Broussard's gravelly voice gives it flair - the only drawback is that he occasionally veers into wailing, becoming a bit too high pitched to enjoy.

The cover of Blood Sweat & Tears' "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" features sultry horn and strings sections behind Broussard's meandering words. The sparse instrumentation on this track is surprisingly powerful, making this song a key slow jam on the record. Broussard picks it up again quickly with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "If I Can Build My Whole World Around You." His falsetto melts into the beautiful voice of guest Toby Lightman, who easily steals the show on this track. The song fades out too quickly though - it would have been nice to have been able to hear the entirety of the last verse.

"Come In From The Cold" is the album's lone original track, and sounds like a cross between John Mayer and Jamie Cullum. Broussard again makes use of light strings in the back of the mix, which are a nice accent to this song. Lyrically, Broussard is surprisingly good, if a bit cliche when it comes to love:

throw off all the memories that can bring you down / loving is the only way to heal a heart that love has wronged

"Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul" (Rance Allen) showcases a nice piano part, as well as some well placed harmonization in the background to create a bouncy singalong. Harmonization is also used to good effect in his cover of The Pointer Sisters' "Yes We Can."

While Broussard's voice is no match for any of the great artists he covers on this record, he is still enjoyable to listen to, and he's found ways to give each song a new twist while still maintaining the spirit of the originals. Broussard claims he wants to help people discover the heart and happiness of R&B. Listening to Save Our Soul makes me want to go dig up some old Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye records...I think that means Broussard has accomplished his goal.

Track Listing
01. You Met Your Match (Stevie Wonder)
02. Kissing My Love (Bill Withers)
03. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know (Blood Sweat And Tears & Donnie Hathaway)
04. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
05. Come In From The Cold
06. Love And Happiness (Al Green)
07. Harry Hippie (Bobby Womack)
08. Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul (Rance Allen)
09. I've Been Loving You Too Long (Otis Redding)
10. Respect Yourself (The Staple Singers)
11. Yes We Can (The Pointer Sisters)
12. Inner City Blues (Marvin Gaye)

For Fans Of: The Temptations, The Isley Brothers, The Four Tops.

Website | MySpace

Interview - Four Year Strong

2007-10-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

Four Year Strong are currently creating huge ripples in the pop-punk and hardcore scenes with their explosive blend of the two genres. Since I love their live show and their new record Rise Or Die Trying, I was excited to get the chance to ask a few questions of frontman Alan Day.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Alan Day: My name is Alan and I sing and play guitar.

PPJ: How did Four Year Strong get started?

Alan: We started like 6 years ago, we were all in different pop punk and hardcore bands and we all wanted to try and start something new and bring the 2 kinds of music we love together.

PPJ: Who would you say were your biggest musical influences when you were growing up?

Alan: We had tons of influences like Saves The Day, New Found Glory, The Movielife, Blood For Blood, The Hope Conspiracy, American Nightmare...here is an endless list of bands that influenced all of us.

PPJ: What do you think of the huge amount of buzz you guys are getting due to websites like absolutepunk.net?

Alan: We absolutely love that so many people have such strong feelings about our band, whether it be love or hate, just to know people care enough to say anything about us means a lot. Everyone at absolutepunk has been great to us, and we really appreciate that.

PPJ: On the flip side, what do you think when people complain your sound is too close to bands like Set Your Goals?

Alan: We do get that comparison every once and a while, and its a little frustrating when we hear people say we sound like them considering we've been around for years and years doing what we do now without ever hearing them until recently. But at the same time, they are a great band and we love those guys, we just wish people didn't feel like they had to choose one over the other. We are both similar
genres, but we are both executing it in entirely different ways.

PPJ: What went into recording your new album?

Alan: Our lives went into this record. We've been working on this record for a long time, and we really concentrated on getting our live vibe across in this record. It is our first national release and we just wanted people to know exactly what were about.

PPJ: How do you go about writing your songs?

Alan: Someone like me or Dan, the other singer guitarist, will come up with a riff or something, and we will all get together and just jam on it for a while. When it starts to escalate, me and dan will get together and work on the structure of the song and then start writing the lyrics and then it all just starts to fall together. We all put a lot into all of our songs.

PPJ: What drives you to write music?

Alan: Everything. Girls, friends, family, other music, but what we really try to do is take our inspiration and translate it so that people that hear it can relate to it. We want our songs to mean as much to everyone else as they do to us.

PPJ: You spent time on Warped Tour this summer. What was that experience like?

Alan: Well we only played one day in our home town, but that one day was awesome. We had tons of fune playing to some new and some old faces. And we got to hang out with a ton of friends in other bands, so it's pretty much just an amazing experience all around.

PPJ: With the recent resurgence of pop-punk music, what do you guys do to make yourselves stand out from the crowd?

Alan: We always just want to do what we love to do, and that just so happens to be what's in right now. We don't want to compete with anyone, we just want to make friends and have fun.

PPJ: What do you hope people will take away with them when they hear your music or see your live show?

Alan: We just hope that people will have fun and run around sing along, jump off the stage and then go home with a smile on their face. We're in it for the same reason everyone else is. To play music and have fun.

PPJ: What are your plans for after your record release?

Alan: We just want to tour as much as possible to meet everyone and hang out.

PPJ: Lastly, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Alan: That's a tough one because there are so many great bands out there. But I guess for now I'll have to say A Loss For Words from Boston, they are some our best friends and they are an amazing band. Daggermouth is also a kick ass band from Canada, we just did a tour with them and those guys rule hard. And a band we are all real into is Shipwreck, a hardcore band from Merrimack Valley, so everyone check them out as well as both of the other bands. A Loss For Words, Daggermouth, and Shipwreck. Listen now.

Thanks again to Alan for answering these questions, and to Stephanie Marlow and Rob Hitt at I Surrender Records for setting everything up. Make sure to pick up Rise Or Die Trying when you go catch FYS on tour.

recs 9.30.07

2007-09-30T22:38:00.000-05:00

City And Colour.
This is the solo project of Dallas Green, frontman for Alexisonfire. His acoustic songs are surprisingly heartwrenching and beautiful.
RIYL: Dustin Kensrue, Damien Rice, Rocky Votolato
myspace.com/dallasgreen

The Bled.
Hardcore powerhouse The Bled are back full blast with their new album Silent Treatment. It's a no holds barred explosion of sound.
RIYL: Every Time I Die, He Is Legend, Norma Jean
myspace.com/thebled

Explosions In The Sky.
Brilliant experimental instrumental music. EITS songs are easy to lose yourself in.
RIYL: Unwed Sailor, Mogwai, The Album Leaf
myspace.com/texasband

Interview - Saturday Looks Good To Me

2007-09-27T14:55:00.001-05:00

K Records outfit Saturday Looks Good To Me are about to release their fourth LP, Fill Up The Room. Frontman Fred Thomas took some time to answer my questions about the creative process his band uses to make their unique style of indie pop.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Fred Thomas: I'm Fred Thomas and I play guitar, sing and do some percussion stuff in SLGTM when we play live. I also write all the songs and lyrics and do most of the recording, production and arrangement of our records.

PPJ: How did SLGTM get started?

Fred: At the turn of the century in Ann Arbor, Michigan where the band started, me and a lot of my friends had built up this tiny community of musicians and homies who were really into music and conceptual ridiculousness. One of the ways this love of concepts and foolishness manifested itself was the idea that four or five different people could play music in different combinations and be legitimately considered twenty or thirty different bands or solo projects or whatever. So we were always starting new bands or different ideas with the same five or six people. One was Flashpapr, a kind of quiet slowcore folk improv group, one was Glass, a cheesey electro project, one was Saturday Looks Good To Me, a 60's inspired four track dance band and one was Slinner, a Pavement/Slint/Weezer tribute band where all the songs had to sound like equal parts of those three bands. I just kinda stuck with SLGTM from there, but that's how it began, as a ridiculous concept.

PPJ: How do you go about writing your songs?

Fred: It's always different. Sometimes an entire song comes to you at once, lyrics and melodies and different movements and everything are right there. Other times it takes months or years to find the perfect way to fit pieces of different ideas together.

PPJ: You're about to release your fourth album, and the band has gone through a lot of changes since the release of your first. What do you think have been the most positive and negative changes along the way?

Fred: That's a great question! I think if a musical project does the same thing record after record, it's a really bad thing. The band has evolved from a kind of recording-based entity that gathered together my friends and acquaintances and made really lush records into a full-fledged band that tours all the time, and translates these precious bedroom songs I make on my own into loud and energized communiques in the setting of a live show. This is reflected in our new record, which is probably the first one we can play live and come close to having it sound anything like the record, cause it's coming from the experience of the dance floor moment instead of the bedroom experiment. In my view, this is both the most positive and most negative change that's happened. Positive in the way that it allows for a full-circle appreciation of the songs and that we're changing and growing in an honest way. Negative in that it signifies the end of that dreamlike world where I would record anything and anyone, slow it down, throw it away, dig it back out of the trash, put reverb and delay on it and form this perfect sound, not thinking about the future or the past. It feels like growing up, which is always both good and bad.

PPJ: How did you get signed to K Records?

Fred: It was extremely mellow and intuitive. We had been working with Polyvinyl since 2003, and they've always done a great job and helped us out immensely, but we've also done a lot of smaller projects with other labels, so it was never an exclusive arrangement. When we finished our new record, I sent it to a bunch of labels to check out and K was the most excited about it of anyone, and I had been getting to be better friends with them for a few years, so it just seemed to
align perfectly.

PPJ: Would you consider "Fill Up The Room" a concept record? Why or why not?

Fred: I consider it more of a song cycle than a concept record. All eleven songs are about the ideas of love and death, and how those things are really the only things that truly effect our lives and all the choices we make. Different lyrics or musical parts repeat a lot and the context changes from song to song. All the songs sound different stylistically as well, which makes it really interesting to hear the same words or guitar lines and have it be a totally different listening experience than the last jam.

PPJ: What is your favorite aspect of writing and playing music and why?

Fred: I love recording. It's the most insular and the most vast place in music for me. You can do anything and everything's acceptable and beautiful, even the failed experiments.

PPJ: What do you hope to do with SLGTM in the future?

Fred: At some point I abandoned hope in the future. When we started playing, before we were even playing shows out of town, there was a lot of hubbub about bands in Detroit getting signed to major labels, and this kind of energy in the air that being in a band meant bigger and better things than just playing sweet shows and feeling good. I saw this corrupt the music of some people I knew and also felt a weird pressure on myself for who I was making songs for. Invisible friends. Invisible critics. As we went on there were more and more pressures and strange things like that, and I've found the only way to stay pure in your music is just to follow your muse and do everything you want to and not worry or think about where you'll end up. So no plans or desires for a future, though there will probably be one.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Fred: Since I moved to Brooklyn, High Places are my favorite band. Two folks making this really perfect percussive, dreamy and uncomfortable sound that falls into a heavy eastern/Hawaiian sounding bed of noise that echoey, slushy and sweet vocal melodies glide above. They're perfect. They did a remix for us. The Dirty Projectors' new Black Flag revamp record is pretty hard to stop listening to as well, but for the sound you never want to end, this extremely rare record by a british folk rock act called Tony Caro & John has been reissued recently and it's a flawless, homemade masterpiece that finds a midway between the minimalist hippie bliss of Tyrannosaurus Rex and somber psychedelic rock band production without the rock band. It's transcendent music, perfect sound forever.

Thanks again to Fred for answering these questions, and to Jesse at Force Field PR. Make sure to pick up Fill Up The Room on October 23rd, and to catch the band on tour with The Blow now.

Interview - Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer

2007-09-22T11:37:00.000-05:00

Pennsylvania's Zolof The Rock And Roll Destroyer have made a name for themselves with upbeat, female-fronted pop tunes. They're about to release their sophomore LP, Schematics, and frontwoman Rachel Minton was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Rachel Minton: My name is Rachel & I play keyboard & sing in Zolof.

PPJ: I'm sure you've been asked this a thousand times before, but can you explain where you came up with your band name?

Rachel: True, we're asked this question a lot & I usually lie & tell a more interesting story about how we got the name. But the truth is that one of our original members is a writer (plays/fiction) & he had a character in his writings called 'Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer'. But 'Zolof' was a masseuse to the rock star community, so he was actually tenderizing rock more than destroying it.

PPJ: Schematics will be your first LP in about four years. How do you feel you've grown musically since the release of Jalopy Go Far?

Rachel: I feel like we've learned to be more honest with our music. Jalopy Go Far & The Popsicle EP were more pop, as far as content and sound. We're still all about melody & immediate gratification, but these songs are more about being frustrated and feeling kind of crazy. Fun, but honest.

PPJ: Have you ever found it hard to maintain a focus for the band with so many members coming and going?

Rachel: No, not really. Zolof is essentially Vincent and myself & we have different friends that have played with us over the years covering bass, drums & keyboard, but we have always been the creative core of Zolof.

PPJ: You've collaborated with a wide variety of other artists over the years. Who are some of your favorite people to work with, and why?

Rachel: Reel Big Fish, The Loved Ones, Motion City Soundtrack, Will from Straylight Run, Anthony Green & so many more. On recordings or live, collaborating with people you love and respect is a blast.

PPJ: How did you go about writing and recording Schematics?

Rachel: Vincent & myself are the creative core of Zolof. One of us will come up with a melody & build the song around that. We always demo the songs so that we can step back & see how we feel about them and then move forward with writing.

PPJ: How do you keep up the energy of your live shows when you're on long tours?

Rachel: Playing is the only thing that keeps you going when tour gets long and strenuous. I mean, long drives kill momentum, but once you're hanging out and talking with kids at the show it really pumps you up again.

PPJ: Which of your songs are you the most proud of and why?

Rachel: I love all of our songs for different reasons & they've all documented a time in our life, but like a lot of musicians I'm most proud of our newest songs. Again, I think they're very honest and more revealing than our previous releases.

PPJ:What drives you to keep writing and playing music?

Rachel: For myself and Vincent, playing & writing together keeps us doing it. We have such a great time & it's so gratifying. I think that we'll continue as long as it's fun.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Rachel: The Matches, Motion City Soundtrack, & The Loved Ones.

Thanks again to Rachel for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for arranging the interview. Make sure to catch Zolof on tour with Motion City Soundtrack now, and to pick up Schematics on September 25th.

Show: The Starting Line

2007-09-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

The Starting Line, All Time Low, Permanent Me, and Four Year Strong at Toad's Place, 9.19.07

The Richmond venue was surprisingly underattended for this talent-filled tour. However, those smart enough to be present were treated to quite a good show.

Massachusetts-based pop hardcore band Four Year Strong began promptly at 7PM and tore through most of the tracks on their new LP, Rise Or Die Trying, which had been released that day. Their setlist included:

Bada Bing! Wit A Pipe!
Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope
Wrecked 'Em? Damn Near Killed 'Em
Catastrophe
Beatdown In The Key Of Happy
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die

They left out my personal favorite, "Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated," but all is forgiven as their set was high energy. Their songs translate fairly well live, considering how slick the production on their record is. However, someone needs to inform audience members that a weak circle pit of one or two kids doesn't need to be sustained for the entirety of the set.

Permanent Me is a band I've never paid much attention to, and their live show merely underlines why: it was lacking a lot of the heart seen from the other bands on the night's bill, and the songs felt very repetitious.

All Time Low picked up the slack with their explosive show. The Maryland group busted out all their usual high kicks, guitar spins, and profanity - everything that makes an ATL show fun. They played a few tracks from their upcoming full-length, So Wrong It's Right, as well as favorites from the Put Up Or Shut Up EP:

Dear Maria
Jasey Rae
Running From Lions
Let It Roll
The Beach
Six Feet Under The Stars
Coffee Shop Soundtrack
Break Out! Break Out!
Lullabies
The Girl's A Straight-Up Hustler

Despite their pervasive vulgarity (guitarist Jack Barakat announced they would be "touching dicks and sucking tits" in the back after the show), All Time Low's endless energy makes them anything but boring to watch. I'm continually impressed by them and their growing fanbase.

The venue was still pretty empty by the time The Starting Line took the stage, but they played as if they were facing a sold out crowd. The band performed a nice mix of songs from all three of their LPs, including:

Up And Go
Inspired By The $
Making Love To The Camera
Are You Alone?
Hurry
Surprise, Surprise
Bedroom Talk
Direction
Something Left To Give
21
Island
The Best Of Me
Leaving

It was interesting to see how parts of the crowd were excited to hear new songs, while others only showed interest in material from Say It Like You Mean It. The set went smoothly - the band has everything down solid. Even when, halfway through the set, an audience member was dragged out of the venue in a headlock by security, the band didn't flinch. It was a good, enjoyable show overall.

Review - Shape

2007-09-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

Artist: Shape
Album: Raised Near The Power Lines
Label: Division East Records
Release Date: March 27th, 2007

One doesn't usually think of New Jersey and immediately think of great MCs. However, the scrawny, white Jersey boy who calls himself Shape is clearly aiming to put his hometown on the hip-hop map.

Raised Near The Power Lines begins unconventionally with the sounds of a scratchy record player and distant horns. The track lazily flows into "Darkside Of The Silhouette," where we first hear Shape's meandering flow. His words are bitter, but he doesn't spit them at the listener.

In the excellent "Rising Up To The Top," Shape dedicates the track to Jam Master Jay while denouncing the senseless violence in mainstream rap, pointing fingers at artists like 50 Cent for encouraging kids to adopt the gangster lifestyle.

Shape's lethargic rhymes are very similar to other "backpack rappers" like Atmosphere and Aesop Rock. He also shares the unpolished style of these artists, rather than the highly produced sounds of Talib Kweli or Consequence. There are tracks where he picks up his pace, "Stereo Gun Unplugged" probably being the best example. This particular song is also notable for the line Sometimes I rob like an emotional white guy / 'Cause all I wanna do is open shows for Bright Eyes.

Periodically, the album has instrumental interludes that return to the record-scratch sounds of the opening track. Seeing as the album runs over an hour in length, these interludes seems a bit unnecessary. The tone of the album stays intact just fine without them.

Shape does a great job of using nontraditional instruments like pianos and horns to great effect, particularly the piano loop on "Something That Could Make You Do Wrong." Without the piano, the song wouldn't be worth noting, but with it, the song sticks in your head.

As stated previously, the album is a little on the long side - 19 tracks and 1 hour 11 minutes is a bit excessive. With a little bit of trimming, Shape would have an album that could put him on par with heavy hitters like Atmosphere and Jedi Mind Tricks. His lyrics are smart and he knows how to use interesting samples to catch your ear. If he keeps at it, people will begin to note West Orange, New Jersey, and the home of great hip-hop.

Tracklisting
01. Introduction To Power Lines
02. Darkside Of The Silhouette
03. Every Step Forward (Two Steps Back)
04. Rising Up To The Top (ft. Atbash Cipher)
05. Stereo Gun Unplugged *
06. BY3X's Favorite Beat (Instrumental)
07. Something That Could Make You Do Wrong
08. Rock Like This (ft. Atbash Cipher)
09. Empeecee2K
10. Nasty As A Bag Of Yak/Richard Pryor *
11. Early Mourning (Interlude)
12. Ax Throwers (ft. Tame One)
13. Gary Oldman (ft. Atbash Cipher, C-Minus, Bully Mouth, GDP, & Def Dom)
14. Playing To Get Famous
15. OMG (I'm Going Crazy) (ft. GDP)
16. Super Heroes (ft. Bill Hicks) *
17. The 7th Hour
18. The 7th Hour Pt. 2 (Instrumental)
19. Heart Beats

* - standout tracks

For fans of: Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Cage.

MySpace

Review: Four Year Strong

2007-09-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

Artist: Four Year Strong
Album: Rise Or Die Trying
Label: I Surrender Records
Release Date: 9.18.07

Listening to Four Year Strong makes me tired.

You might think that's a negative thing to say about a band. In this case however, it's a compliment. I get tired because I imagine all the mosh pits, gang choruses, and synchronized handclaps that a Four Year Strong show must be full of. In my mind, I'm in the pit screaming with the best of them. It's exhilarating.

Four Year Strong have blended hardcore and pop-punk beautifully with their debut album, Rise Or Die Trying. Beginning with slowly building sirens on "The Take Over," and exploding to life with "Prepare to Be Digitally Manipulated," this album is a half hour of pounding adrenaline.

Songs like "Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die" and "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Hell" use the double bass generously to great effect. The songs are driven by the drumbeats, and the squealing guitars are merely added emphasis.

Lyrically, the band is reminiscent of Fall Out Boy circa Take This To Your Grave. The best example of this is probably in "If He's Here, Who's Runnin' Hell?"

Take it or leave me behind / because you know that you never did care at all / my poor ears have had it / you're coming in static / Tuned out across the board / like a million times before / you're living it up now / just wait until it goes down

The similarity to Fall Out Boy doesn’t stop there – so many of the guitar riffs and vocal hooks recall pre-From Under The Cork Tree Fall Out Boy. Pete Wentz always claims to be influenced by Lifetime – Four Year Strong sound like a perfect mashup of the two bands.

The album never pauses, not even for a second. The slowest song is "Catastrophe," and even on that song, the band has only taken the speed down about half a notch. If Cartel were to suddenly start listening to a lot of Set Your Goals, they might sound like this song. Though this track slows things down a bit, Four Year Strong dive right back into the thick of it in the next few songs.

The only criticism I have of this album is there is very little variation between the songs. If you're not listening to the lyrics, the neverending breakdowns and gang vocals tend to blur together. It's clear that Four Year Strong have found a formula that works for them, and they're going to stick to it very closely. I hope that they can find a way to vary their sound more in future releases, before they run this formula into the ground.

I can imagine this album turning up in a lot of end of the year lists. And I can also imagine that a lot of other people will let Four Year Strong become their new guilty pleasure. As for me, I can't wait to catch the band on tour and finally get to take part in those mosh pits and handclaps.

Tracklisting
01. The Take Over
02. Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated *
03. Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope
04. Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die *
05. Wrecked 'Em? Damn Near Killed 'Em
06. Catastrophe
07. Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Hell
08. Bada Bing! Wit' A Pipe! *
09. Beatdown In The Key Of Happy
10. If He's Here, Who's Runnin' Hell?
11. Maniac (R.O.D.)

* - standout tracks

For Fans Of: Set Your Goals, Hit The Lights, Take This To Your Grave-era Fall Out Boy

MySpace | PureVolume

9.2.07 recommendations

2007-09-02T14:28:00.001-05:00

These two recommendations come via the show I hosted at my school last night. Both bands put on impressive performances.

Valencia.
Pop-punk from Philly, they put on an explosive show and are all genuinely nice guys. They have just recorded the follow-up to This Could Be A Possibility, and I'm definitely looking forward to it.
RIYL: Spitalfield, Cartel, Hit The Lights

You, Me, And Everyone We Know.
Imagine if Say Anything started writing dance rock tunes. These guys always bring the party - make sure you catch them on their upcoming tour with I Am The Avalanche.
RIYL: The Graduate, Head Automatica, Brighten

8.26.07 recs

2007-08-26T09:42:00.000-05:00

Between The Trees.
These guys write impeccable pop rock songs. They're starting to blow up fast, so keep your eyes on them.
RIYL: Mae, Melee, Brighten.
myspace.com/betweenthetreesmusic

Crash Boom Bang.
Infectious pop rock from Northern Virginia. They put on one of the most interactive and entertaining live shows I've ever seen, and are currently recording their debut LP with Tom Higgenson of the Plain White T's.
RIYL: All Time Low, Cartel, Spitalfield.
myspace.com/crashboombang

Emanuel.
These guys are about to release their second album, Black Earth Tiger. It's a big departure from Soundtrack To A Headrush: so much heavier and darker.
RIYL: Every Time I Die, Underoath, Alexisonfire.
myspace.com/emanuel

Coconut Records - Nightttiming

2007-08-20T15:56:00.001-05:00

Coconut Records - Nighttiming
Label - Young Baby Records

Usually, just knowing that a band is fronted by an actor is enough for most people to write them off. However, I am begging you to take a close listen to Coconut Records. It's indie darling Jason Schwartzman's newest project, and the songs can more than stand for themselves, actor supported or not.

Coconut Records' debut album, Nighttiming, is a breezy, hopeful walk through some surprisingly beautiful and endearing songs. The album pushes off slowly with the meandering "This Old Machine," a track that will instantly capture the hearts and ears of Bright Eyes and Death Cab lovers everywhere. Schwartzman's singing voice is decidedly different from his speaking voice, and is very soothing to listen to.

Everything about this record screams California, particularly the aptly titled "West Coast." With its bells and flowing guitars, this song is simply meant to be listened to while driving along the beach at night. The lyrics are not particularly deep, but they fit the laid-back feel of the album to a T.

"Back To You" is along the lines of a Rooney song, which is fitting, seeing as Jason's brother, Robert, fronts Rooney. With perfectly placed handclaps and a catchy chorus, much toe-tapping is sure to ensue.

The album's title track is by far the best on the record. A dance tune of the best kind, "Nighttiming" is a song that will be stuck in your head for days on end; the type of song you'll find yourself craving to hear again and again. "Minding My Own Business" and "The Thanks I Get" are a couple of well crafted pop songs, and songs like "Mama" and "Ask Her To Dance" are very reminiscent of Bright Eyes in Schwartzman's vocal tone. While these styles may seem disparate, all of the songs weave together seamlessly to make an album that flows wonderfully from start to finish.

Full of light hooks and poppy piano pieces, Nighttiming should not be tossed aside as the failed efforts of an actor. Rather, it should be played again and again while dreaming of the California coastline. Very rarely do albums come along that straddle the line between light pop and hip indie, and with Nighttiming, Schwartzman has done that better than I could have ever hoped for.

Tracklisting:
01. This Old Machine
02. West Coast *
03. Back To You
04. Summer Day
05. Nighttiming *
06. Minding My Own Business
07. Slowly
08. Mama
09. The Thanks I Get *
10. It's Not You, It's Me
11. Easy Girl
12. Ask Her To Dance

* - standout tracks

For fans of: Phantom Planet, Rooney, Of Montreal

website | myspace | purevolume

I heard the neighborhood was bleeding.

2007-08-14T22:56:00.003-05:00

Manchester Orchestra, Unwed Sailor, and Colour Revolt at Jammin' Java, 8.14.07

I was very excited to see this show, as Manchester Orchestra has quickly become one of my new favorite bands, and certainly one of my favorite to see ever since I first saw them with Brand New last spring. The idea of seeing them in such a small venue was wonderful.

The show began with Colour Revolt's Sean Kirkpatrick coming onstage to apologize for the fact that their singer, Jesse Coppenbarger, was sick, and that Kirkpatrick would be just doing a few songs solo. He did a good job of keeping the attention of the audience as he alternated between fast and slow songs for about twenty minutes.

Unwed Sailor took the stage shortly after. I had never heard of them before, and when I realized they were an instrumental band I prepared myself to be bored for the next half hour. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were actually very good. Each song flowed seamlessly into the next, with just enough synth to balance the smart guitar work.

Manchester Orchestra began with just Andy Hull playing "Sleeper 1972" solo on his electric guitar, eyes shut and almost whispering into the mic. The rest of the band crashed to life with "Wolves At Night," and the band proceeded to pound through the rest of the tracks on I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child.

The best performance of the night was easily "Where Have You Been?" which devolved into Hull screaming, sighing, and holding himself up with his mic stand. The entire venue was dead silent for a full ten seconds after he finished before bursting into applause.

I love to watch Manchester because even if Hull's voice cracks, or if Chris Freeman's tambourine is slightly off beat, they're passionate and good enough that it doesn't matter. The band is so young, but their songs are already so mature. Every note is intense and purposeful. It's refreshing.

When called for an encore, Hull returned to the stage claiming they had no other songs, but soon relented and played a song titled "Badges And Badges" from his side solo project, Right Away Great Captain. Although he called it pretentious, it was a nice pop song, quite different from his Manchester material.

All in all, a very good show. Manchester is a band I will not tire of watching anytime soon.

she's driving away from me as we speak.

2007-08-13T22:13:00.002-05:00

Holiday Parade, The Mile After, & Every Avenue at Jammin' Java, 8.13.07

Talk about pop-punk: this tour is like a mini-supertour of up and comers in the genre. It was an evening of spin kicks, hand claps, and preteen shrieks, and it was a ton of fun.

Michigan's Every Avenue opened the show, playing energetically to the fairly small cluster of girls standing near the stage. Their set was a blur of synchronized high kicks and arm waves, and they never ran out of steam. Singer David Ryan did his best to interact with the crowd, and was impressively able to keep his vocals strong even while sprinting around the stage.

The Mile After began promisingly with a nicely harmonized rendition of the first few lines of Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls." However, the rest of the set was decidedly less high-octane than Every Avenue's, almost to the point of a letdown. This isn't to say the band wasn't good - they had the requisite driving hooks and singalong choruses, but their presentation wasn't as much fun. Singer Chase Holfelder's voice sounded pinched, and they seemed to be just going through the motions.

Holiday Parade took the stage quickly, jumping straight in with "Crimson Red" and never stopping to breathe. It was difficult to hear Andy Albert's vocals, but the rest of the band was dead on in their delivery, with drummer Mickey being particularly fun to watch.

Setlist:

Crimson Red
Abe Frohman
Clothes Off! (Gym Class Heroes cover)
My Philosophy
Driving Away
Mixdown
Another Mistake (I Won't Be)
Walking By
Never Enough

The cover of the first verse of "Clothes Off" was a great surprise, and the band turned it into a nice rock and roll tune. Albert knows how to work the crowd with or without a guitar in his hand, and it's just great to see a band so clearly enjoying themselves onstage.

The band said they'd be shooting a video for "Never Enough" in the near future. Watch out, because these guys are going to be huge.

8.12.07 recs

2007-08-12T10:58:00.000-05:00

All of these recommendations come courtesy of my friend Sally, and I thank her so much for introducing me to these bands.

Feist.
Leslie Feist is also a member of Broken Social Scene, but her solo work is most impressive to me. She has a beautiful voice and a great ear for melody.
myspace.com/feist

Sondre Lerche.
Singer-songwriter from Norway. He has been called the Scandinavian answer to Bright Eyes, but he is much more polished and refined than that.
myspace.com/sondrelerche

Cavil At Rest.
This L.A. based unsigned band writes ethereal, haunting pop songs. Their live show is ten times better than their recorded material, but they're definitely a band you should keep your eye on.
myspace.com/cavilatrest

ScientificLifestyle - The Arrow EP

2007-08-08T16:03:00.000-05:00

ScientificLifestyle - The Arrow EP
Label - Mean Red Music
Release Date - 7.24.07

It's hard to be unique in Los Angeles, the town where everyone is trying to stand out. L.A.'s electro-tinged rock outfit ScientificLifestyles is trying their best, but are they making it?

Frontwoman Nicole Porter has breathy, flowing vocals that complement the sparse guitars and offset the rather heavyhanded drumming on The Arrow EP. Opening with "Flight 273," the music sounds a bit like a blast from the past - it wouldn't have been out of place on a soundtrack like Empire Records.

"Glee Slipper" is where the electronica tag on their MySpace shows up in full force, but even here it is not overpowering. It's often hard to understand what Porter's lyrics are - the background vocals tend to compete with hers. However, her voice is pleasant enough that it almost doesn't matter. On this track, the '90s stylings of Porter's voice blend very nicely with the '80s sound of the instrumentals. The song climaxes with a dance breakdown, which would have been a lot more fun had the mixing of the drums been better executed. Still, one can see that it would translate well in a live show. The band slows down for "Chinatown Swan," a very pretty pop ballad. Unfortunately, the midi programming leans toward elevator music on this track. Again, Porter's lilting vocals redeem the song.

The final song, "Or," finds a much happier middle ground between rock and electronic programming. It's the catchiest and most well-produced track on the album. Both the vocals and the instrumentals are clearly heard, and none are done to the point of cheesiness heard on earlier tracks. Overall, ScientificLifestyle's major redeeming factor is that of their vocalist Porter. The songs themselves are not as unique as an L.A. band needs them to be in order to get noticed. Hopefully Porter will be able to find a way to let her voice be heard through other avenues.

Tracklisting:
01. Flight 473
02. Glee Slipper
03. Chinatown Swan
04. Or *

* - standout tracks

For fans of: Straylight Run, Paper Route

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Interview - A Thorn For Every Heart

2007-08-01T15:43:00.000-05:00

California's A Thorn For Every Heart are gearing up for the release of their sophomore album, It's Hard To Move You. I got to ask a few questions about life on the road to their frontman, Phil Nguyen.

PPJ: First, please tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Phil: My name is Phil Nguyen and I play guitar and I sing every now and then.

PPJ: What inspired you to begin playing music?

Phil: When I was in jr. high, my favorite band was Reel Big Fish. This was back in '96. My older brother had a guitar and I would sneak into his room when we would go to school and I would try and learn all the RBF songs. But I grew up with older siblings which were all into music which made me love it as well.

PPJ: Are those things the same things that drive you to keep playing today?

Phil: Yeah, that's part of the reason why I still play to this day.

PPJL Does being from California make it harder or easier to break into the music scene?

Phil: I wouldn't say that it's easier or harder. If you have the drive and determination, your music is going to be heard.

PPJ: You're about to release your second LP. What went into writing this record?

Phil: A lot of jamming. We would take a simple riff and turn it to a song that we loved. If we were writing a song and didn't feel it, we would just drop the song and move onto the next one.

PPJ: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of your new album?

Phil: My favorite part of the album is just being able to work with these great producers. They have taught me so much. To be honest with you, I am 100% happy with this record.

PPJ: Why was there such a long period of time between your two albums?

Phil: It's like you have so much time to write your first record. And we wanted to make sure for our second album, that we wrote songs that we were all happy with. It took us a bit but we hope it was worth it. We put our heart and souls into this.

PPJ: Your sound has evolved over time. Why the changes, and how do you hope to see ATFEH continue to mature?

Phil: When we recorded our first album we were only a band for almost 1 year. A lot of the songs were written a few months of being a band. At the time our style was kinda all over the place. We wanted to incorporate all our styles into one. I love the first record. I think we did the best we could. But as you get older and are in this band for a lot longer, you mature. We write what we love and what we feel. This second album is exactly what we were feeling at the time.

PPJ: How did you get hooked up with Kickball Records?

Phil: They actually found us on the internet. We put up some demos online and they heard us and emailed us. Talked to them for a few months. Then signed on to the label.

PPJ: You're constantly on tour. Where are your favorite places to be and why?

Phil: Yeah, we tour as much as possible. My favorite place to tour is the northwest. I love Washington and Oregon. I just love the greenery and the clean air.

PPJ: What tour was the most fun?

Phil: Every tour is fun. You meet new people and life long friends. I couldn't
say what was the most fun. But one band that I loved growing up and got the honor to play with was Jimmy Eat World.

PPJ: You've covered Oingo Boingo and Smashing Pumpkins songs for compilation albums. Why did you choose the songs you did?

Phil: We all grew up in the 80's and we all love Oingo Boingo. We just thought that "Dead Man's Party" was a perfect song to cover. When we got asked to do the Smashing Pumpkins tribute album, we were all wanting to do a song that wasn't a single of theirs because we as a band didn't want to butcher the song. We all loved the song "Jelly Belly" so thats how that all came about.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Phil: 1. The Receiving End Of Sirens 2. The Sleeping 3. Paper Rivals.

Thanks again to Phil for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media for putting things together. Catch A Thorn For Every Heart on tour, and keep your eyes peeled for when It's Hard To Move You hits stores.

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Interview: Reel Big Fish

2007-07-25T14:40:00.000-05:00

Reel Big Fish are living legends. They've been rocking their brand of ska for over ten years, and the band is still going strong with the recent release of Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free. Read my interview with frontman Aaron Barrett to see what it's like to be in such a longstanding, respected band.

PPJ: Tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Aaron Barrett: My name is Aaron Barrett, I sing, play guitar and write songs for Reel Big Fish.

PPJ: What drew you to begin playing ska music?

Aaron: I started going to local shows at small clubs when I was in high school and I always liked the ska and reggae influenced bands the best, I loved the horns and the energy and the unique sound. after I found out what "ska" was, I realized I had been listening to it for years because some of my favorite bands were The English Beat, The Specials and Madness. I had been taking guitar lessons for a few years and messing around with playing music and forming a band but once I tried playing ska, I knew that it was for me.

PPJ: You've just released your sixth studio album. Did you ever think your band would make it that far?

Aaron: I have always had my doubts and I know how hard it is to make it in the music business but I always knew, from the very beginning that I would keep trying as hard as I could to make it no matter what. So I'm not surprised that I'm still playing in this band...I do feel very lucky to have so many people listening to my band and coming to see us play though!

PPJ: What prompted the change to having more happy songs on the record than you're usually known for?

Aaron: I think the band has just been in better spirits now since we got off Jive Records and got through our mid-life identity crisis so it was easier to make more fun, upbeat songs.

PPJ: How have you managed to keep Reel Big Fish relevant over the years, even when ska falls in and out of favor?

Aaron: We are constantly on the road playing shows and winning more and more fans and I think we have good songs, and that never goes out of style!

PPJ: What do you do to keep your live show fresh and entertaining?

Aaron: We put a lot of spontaneous humor in our live set and we try to get the crowd involved and just make the whole thing a party.

PPJ: Do you ever get tired of playing your older songs?

Aaron: No way, we love playing the old songs and the fan favorites and the hits! We love to please the crowd! And it just never gets old to see a crowd go wild when you play a song they all know and love!

PPJ: You've done a lot of cover songs over the years. Which ones are your favorites?

Aaron: I love "Kiss Me Deadly", "It's Not Easy", and "We Close Our Eyes" the best. I love to do covers!

PPJ: Several of Reel Big Fish's members also have side projects. How do those get balanced with Reel Big Fish?

Aaron: They don't. Scott and I tried to have side bands for a while but there is just no time. We're on the road with RBF 9 months out of the year and we really can't put the time needed into other bands. Dan does some dj-ing and makes electronic music with a project he calls "Black Casper" but that's just him doing it himself.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Aaron: Cannibal Corpse, Toots and the Maytals, Say Anything.

Make sure to pick up Reel Big Fish's new album, Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free, in stores now, and to catch them on their current tour with Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto, and Against All Authority.

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2007-07-23T12:43:00.000-05:00

Hawaii's National Product are beginning to make waves in the rock scene with the release of their debut album, Luna. I got to ask a few questions of frontman Danny Casler to see what it's like to be him.

PPJ: First, please tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Danny Casler: My name is Danny and I sing.

PPJ: You guys are originally from Hawaii. What's the music scene like there, and what's it like to try and break into the continental States?

Danny: The band formed in Hawaii however we added some best friends to the band when we moved to California. The music scene is incredibly diverse in the sense of where there is no segregation of genres. Everyone gets along.

Breaking into the continental United States was the hardest thing we have ever tried to do. Without a name and a "homebase" your a permanent touring band so it makes you work harder to become established and taken seriously.

PPJ: How much of a role did the internet play in getting your name out there?

Danny: Aww, the good ole inter-nerd. If it weren't for you where would we be. The internet seriously is the greatest modern day marketing tool out there. With the saturation of so many acts now, its much harder to get noticed but things like purevolume, myspace, facebook, buzznet and absolutepunk make it a lot easier.

PPJ: What made you choose to sign with R&M Records?

Danny: R&M is a family orientated label. We met with several majors, a few indie majors, and everything in between. The background that our executives have in the music & film industry and their credibility made our decision an easy one.

PPJ: How does it feel to be about to release your first full length album?

Danny: Scared, excited, and all the feelings I'm sure a parent feels when they send their kid of to school. This our baby in a sense, and its gonna be sent out into the universe to do its thing and I hope its all positive in the way it affects people.

PPJ: What is your songwriting process like?

Danny: It varies. I do a majority of the songwriting that is on the record however there are moments when we all come together or other write something. We mix it up all the time to remain fresh and creative as a team/family/band.

PPJ: What was it like to record with James Paul Wisner?

Danny: It was probably one of the highlights of my life. He has always been a dream producer to me. His records have impacted my life in many ways and to know that we would be working with him was awesome. We ended up all becoming very close friends during the process so ending the record was like walking away from a family reunion.

PPJ: What's your favorite thing about playing music?

Danny: The interaction between the listener and the maker of the music. Music to me is all about connection. The way it impacts the listener and inspires thought and feeling.

PPJ: What drives you to keep playing and keep touring?

Danny: Seeing new kids who believe in music. That is my #1 motivation.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Danny: I could say a lot of the typical bands that are deserving but I feel like everyone knows bands like The Refused, Jimmy Eat World and more. I'll give some love to bands that aren't known yet who have incredible talent.

The Lives Of Famous Men - from Alaska, now Portland based, unsigned, strong catchy dancy tunes and phenomenal live. Very very nice guys.

Sequoyah Prep School - South Carolina band, softer indie rock, incredible hooks, very powerful presence live, strong vocals with super good songwriting.

Fiore - band from Orange County in the vein of Circa Survive however more straight forward vocals, great harmonies and hooks, very aggressive yet indie, has the softness of Copeland and the aggressiveness of Saosin.

Pick up National Product's new CD, Luna, and catch them on one of their many tour dates.

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2007-07-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

I caught up with Scenes From A Movie, who have been picking up quite a buzz online recently. Read on to find out how these pop-punkers have learned to stay ahead of the pack and have a good time while doing it.

PPJ: First, tell us your name and what you do in the band.

Adam Triplett: My name is Adam, and I play bass guitar and the stutter step in Scenes From A Movie.

PPJ: What inspired you to start playing music?

Adam: In all reality, it was Tom Hanks. I was pretty uninterested in playing any kind of musical instrument (with the exception of a cardboard guitar singing along to my Raffi tapes as a toddler) until I saw the movie That Thing You Do! in the fifth grade, and thought The Wonders were the greatest band on Earth. Unfortunately, I soon found out they weren't even a real band. This did, however spark an interest in playing music, which led me to bands like Third Eye Blind, and Blink 182.

PPJ: What artists influence you today?

Adam: Most of my life I've thought of bands like The Smiths and The Get Up Kids as having a large effect on my bass playing and songwriting. As a band there are few artists we all agree on, but one that comes to mind is The Matches. While on Warped, we do whatever we have to in order to catch The Matches set every day. There is no reason why they shouldn't be the biggest band in the world right now. They make us want to be a better band, which I think is the highest form of influence you can get at this stage in the game for us.

PPJ: Did coming from West Virginia give you any advantages or disadvantages?

Adam: There are maybe 4 touring bands in the entire state of West Virginia, so it's definitely difficult to cultivate any kind of "scene" or community. That being said, it also gave us the drive to rise up out of there and get our music out to as many people as possible.

PPJ: There are tons of pop-punk bands touring today. How do you make Scenes From A Movie stand apart?

Adam: Two things. Songwriting and Performance. Yes, Tony's voice sounds similar to others. That is why we strive to write songs that will be great regardless of who sings them. Still, there are a hundred bands fighting for space on your iPod right now, and our live show is our bid to win you over. We don't have fancy lighting or smoke and mirrors, but we are constantly finding new ways to make 5 guys standing onstage interesting and fun to watch.

PPJ: What is your songwriting process like?

Adam: For the largest part of this record, Tony will come up with some acoustic sketches, and we lock ourselves in my parent's basement and pound out all of
our little bells and whistles.

PPJ: What is your favorite part of your new album?

Adam: Wow...this is a difficult question. I think "If I Die" and "Goodbye Reckless" are neck and neck for my favorite songs on the record. Goodbye Reckless was my favorite of the bunch going into the recording process, and we were able to do so much with it...it's the perfect way to close out the record. If I Die was a late addition to the record, but it has some of my favorite parts to play on the whole record, as well as one of the biggest choruses we've written up to this point.

PPJ: How has Warped Tour been so far this year?

Adam: I'm an antagonist at heart. That's why I'd love to sit here and talk a bunch of shit on Warped, because you always hear everyone talking about how sweet it is to be on, etc etc. Unfortunately, that antagonist has to take a backseat, because Warped is a blast. Kevin Lyman has created an amazing thing, and we're all really really happy to be a part of it.

PPJ: Do you have any tours in the works to support the new album?

Adam: Right now our plans are to finish out Warped, and then we're doing some East Coast/Midwest stuff with The Junior Varsity, Bedlight For Blue Eyes, and Permanent Me. After that, we have a few ideas and a few things we'd like to do, but nothing we can confirm at this point.

PPJ: Lastly, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Adam: The Matches, Morrissey, and The Hold Steady --XO Adam

Thanks again to Adam for answering these questions, and to Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media. Catch Scenes From A Movie on Warped Tour now, and make sure to pick up their new album The Pulse while you're at it.

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2007-07-11T08:53:00.000-05:00

Louisiana's Tyler Read recently released their new record, Only Rock And Roll Can Save Us, and they are ready to take over with it. Take a look at what it's like to spend your days playing some sweet southern rock.

PPJ: To start with, can you tell us your name and what you do in the band?

Josh Johnson: My name is Josh and I sing and play guitar.

PPJ: How did Tyler Read get started?

Josh: Long story short…this band was formed by my brother (drummer) and myself way back in 2003. Back then Chris McPeters and Brent were in another band we played with a lot. That band eventually broke up and we recruited them after we lost some members. That accounts for everyone except our bassist, we picked him up from a Pentecostal school. It has worked out that everybody in the band is really passionate about music and what we do. We have a good time.

PPJ: Is there ever confusion related to the name of your band? Why did you choose the name you did?

Josh: Everyday someone is confusing us with an acoustic singer songwriter of some sort. It is confusing, but I think it makes it a bit original. If you had never heard of Pink Floyd or Lynyrd Skynyrd, you would probably think the same thing. We chose the name as sort of a tribute to a younger cousin named Tyler Reed McFadden, who has absolutely nothing to do with music. There you have it, the whole truth.

PPJ: You went through a series of bass players before settling on Chris Rimmer. What was going on there?

Josh: Well not really a series. My brother, myself, and our cousin Nacho formed this band. He (Nacho) got the both of us into playing music and is probably the reason we play it today. He left the band because he didn’t like touring very much. We auditioned a guy or two and it wasn’t really happening. Chris Rimmer called and asked to try out. We knew him from another band and liked him well enough. He came in, played a few songs and we went and played a show that night. It has worked out really great and he is turning into an unbelievable bass player. We call the bass line to Michael Jackson the “bass line of a generation.” And he is pretty to look at it. Which I like.

PPJ: Josh and Jordan, what's it like to be in a band with your brother?

Josh: Very much like Oasis. Screaming, fighting, the works. That part is true. But we love doing it enough not to kill or get rid of the other. We need each other to do this, we have two very different sets of talents that require the other to be there.

PPJ: What inspires you to write music?

Josh: It has gotten to the point where feelings inspire me more than anything. To keep it real and authentic, I am learning to put down what I am going through. I think that is the only way to write. But also great songwriters make me want to write more. I’ll hear something and think, “God, I wish I would have written that.” I would like to continually improve and I think that it takes time. Strangely enough, I enjoy the writing part of being in a band more than anything else.

PPJ: What prompted the change in sound between The Light, The Glass, The Transparency and Only Rock & Roll Can Save Us?

Josh: I think two things really contributed to the change in style. First off, we had a good bit of member changes going on between those releases. With both of the Chris’s in the band there is a different dynamic. We have a lead guitarist who can shred and a bass player that really holds it down. Putting it all together, it’s more like a big rock band rather than the more indie/emo sound we had on the earlier stuff. I think secondly time being on the road has helped us a lot. We toured independently a long time before getting our record deal and that helped us to try to find our own sound and work at it. While out on the road, we started getting into older music like The Rolling Stones and Queen, timeless rock bands. We decided we wanted to do something that would hopefully be as long lasting as that.

PPJ: You're a band that is touring constantly. How do you keep yourselves energized and entertained on the road?

Josh: A lot of Walmart stops, pulling pranks, and making up games. We work on our rapping skills in the car by putting on a beat and just going back and forth. We have shiested our way into dance clubs by pretending to be Hinder. (That also works with picking up the ladies). On the last tour with Showbread and Pillar, we brought some weights and worked out at what we called Tae’s Gym. It’s been fun but sleeping in the van sucks.

PPJ: How did you go about finding a label home?

Josh: A guy who tour managed the band Jonezetta sent them (Immortal) our demo. We were out on the road with Jonezetta a long time before they were signed. After a few phone calls, our A & R guy came out and watched us practice in a barn. He took us out to eat after that and said he wanted to sign us. I still don’t think anybody at the label has seen us play a show. But it seems like that’s how it works for us. Our booking agent hasn’t seen us play, or 2 out of the 3 of our management team haven’t either. We are pretty awesome….lol

PPJ: Did you ever think you'd be on the same label as Jared Leto?

Josh: Never in a million years. But he lived in a town very close to us growing up for a little while. Maybe it's destiny.

PPJ: Kathrine and Donna from Charleston, SC, want to know how you came up with the artwork for the new album.

Josh: The artwork was a ridiculously long process for us. We wanted to do a group picture to cement the idea of us being a band. But we were not getting anywhere with the pictures we were taking. So we found this drawing online from an artist who had drawn another band and we thought that would be a cool idea and would fit the album. We had someone at our label edit the pictures from our shoot into the formation that you see on the cover. The artist then drew the whole layout and it blew us away. It was a long process, but I’m glad we took the time to get it right. Some people have said it made them think we were on the “trail of rock and roll.” We love it.

PPJ: Finally, tell us three bands you think we should be listening to.

Josh: Brandi Carlile, Kings Of Leon, and Band of Horses are all in my sweet action playlist right now. Do it.

Thanks again to Josh for answering these questions, and to Jason Fisher at Immortal. Make sure you pick up Tyler Read's new album and see if they're coming to play near you.

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