Farewell Fighter

I've already hyped up You, Me, And Everyone We Know a ton this year. I mean, they only released one of my top two records of the year. In their newest track "Love, Lust, Or Losing It?" posted on Facebook, Farewell Fighter sounds very similar to an early You, Me, And Everyone We Know. The production is definitely not as slick and the overall band is not as polished, but the vocal, instrumental, and lyrical structures all seem to scream You, Me, And Everyone We Know. This is definitely a band that if they get signed can release an album the caliber of Some Things Don't Wash Out. Farewell Fighter is definitely a band to watch in the upcoming year, and their new seven song EP will be out January 18th. Listen to the new song on Facebook here.

Albums Of The Year 2010 #10: The Wonder Years - The Upsides

2010 was a "pop-punk" revival of some sort. No Sleep and Run For Cover Records rose up with excellent signings and many great pop-punk bands became quite popular such as Fireworks, Man Overboard, Transit, and This Time Next Year. However, The Wonder Years may easily be the biggest breakout of this group of bands. Way back in January, the band released The Upsides which immediately became an anthem for many AP.net college students. The lyrics involved the hardships between friends, failed relationships with girls, and how to look past them. The opening track, "My Last Semester", immediately croons the listener with the absolute message of the album, as vocalist Soupy Campbell states that he's "not sad anymore, I'm just tired of this place". "New Years With Carl Weathers" represents the band's ultimate style, with the driving melodies and instruments along with humor and brutal honesty of the lyrics. "All My Friends Are In Bar Bands" is a perfect closer, as Soupy wonders about what has happened to his old friends and brings all his new friends (vocalists Matty Arensault of A Loss For Words, Dave Mackinder of Fireworks, Shane Henderson of Valencia, Jamie Rhoden of Title Fight, Nik Bruzzese of Man Overboard) to assist him in chanting the album's opening line again and again. The band has busted out huge this year, and has recently signed with Hopeless Records. The band recently re-released The Upsides on Hopeless with four new tracks, all of which are excellent. The positivity of the album brings a fresh breath into music that seems to be rather negative these days. Check out The Wonder Years on myspace here.

Albums Of The Year 2010: Honorable Mentions

Here are all the albums that may not have made my top 10 list, but deserve plenty of credit. I linked every report I have done for any of the albums as well as bolding the top fifteen that did not make the list. 

Starting tomorrow, the top ten list will begin to be posted. Check it out tomorrow and the rest of the year. 

List after the jump.

Sparks The Rescue New Record

Fearless Records has announced that Sparks The Rescue will be releasing Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With in April 2011. Sparks The Rescue's debut was solid pop-rock, praised by critics as one of Fearless Records' best bands. Sparks just completed their first headlining tour with Amely and You, Me, And Everyone We Know, and will now work on finishing their album. Listen to Sparks The Rescue on Myspace here.

Benton Falls - Ashes and Lies

"Ashes and Lies" may be the name of an older song by Benton Falls, but it can somewhat loosely symbolize this EP. Anyone who said there would never be another Benton Falls song was lying, as the band has released five unreleased songs from the ashes. One of Deep Elm's most celebrated bands, Benton Falls' indie/emo style brings back memories of 90s bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and American Football. Along with these five new songs comes a cover of Benton Falls' "Angels On Hiatus" by one of Deep Elm's newer great bands, Clair De Lune. This may be the last material we will ever get from Benton Falls, so stream it on their page here.

Go Radio Album Announcement

Go Radio will be releasing their first full length album, Lucky Street, with Fearless Records on March 1st, 2011.  Led by Jason Lancaster, the writing genius and stronger vocalist on Mayday Parade's A Lesson In Romantics, Go Radio released a great EP earlier this year which is on my favorites EPs list. Mayday's newer album was atrocious, and Go Radio is more than capable of creating the older Mayday Parade sound. Link to the original facebook post is here. Tracklisting can be found below the jump.

Interview With Bright And Early

Bright and Early is one of the great up-and-coming pop-punk bands of the scene today. Releasing one of the best EP's of the year, Bright and Early is in the studio working on a new EP, out early in 2011. Singer John Browne agreed to do an interview with us, talking about recording, touring, and reaction to the EP. Check it out after the jump.

The Life of Touring: Documentary

As a new contributor to Muzik Dizcovery I wanted to make my first post on the site something huge. So with that, I would like to present you readers with a film project I am working on that is very relevant to the genres posted on this blog.

If you head over to this Kickstarter page you can donate to a film that will about the life of touring. Me and my friend will be following Warped Tour and giving music fans the real experience of touring. Read more at that link above.

Here's to more posts at Muzik Discovery that turn people on to some great music!

Best of The Year 2010: Favorite EPs

Here are my favorite EPs of the year. I look more for stronger song quality and lasting value rather than a cohesive product in EPs compared to albums. The best of the best are bolded, and every artist posted about on the blog has a link to their article.

All The Right Moves - The Monster I've Become

Boxer and Clover - Fate Has Favorites

Bright And Early - Louder Than Words

Brighten - Be Human

Cari Clara - You Better Run

Circa Survive - Appendage

Come Wind - Wanderer O' Wanderer

Go Radio - Do Overs and Second Chances

I Call Fives - Bad Advice

I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business - Dust'n Off The Ol' Guitar

Isles and Glaciers - The Hearts Of Lonely People

Kiven - Two In The Same

The Last Dinosaur - Tales

Mae - (e)vening

NGHBRS - Hellomind

Now, Now - Neighbors

The Offseason - Goin' For Broke

Pistolita - The Paper Boy

Soletta - The Road Back Home

The Spill Canvas - Abnormalities

Stay Ahead Of The Weather - We Better Get Goin' If We're Gonna

There For Tomorrow - Re:Creations

This Condition - Spirit

Tonight Alive - All Shapes and Disguises

Vertigo Whales - Everything Connects

We Are The In Crowd - Guaranteed To Disagree

Albums Of The Year 2010: Honorable Mentions (V)

Here are two albums that were just on the verge of getting into my top ten of the year. This will be the last post of my favorite pop albums for now, as the last two will be on my top ten list. I will link the entire pop list here when I have it all compiled into one post.

Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer

We may as well deem Cee-Lo Green the king of the radio single. He had already had one major hit as part of Gnarls Barkley ("Crazy") that went double platinum and was named Rolling Stones #1 song of the decade. He has already created some competition for his best song with the megahit "Fuck You", that had two million listens on Youtube a week into its existence and has been nominated for five Grammys. Everyone knows that song, but "Fuck You" isn't the only gem on the album, one of the best R&B and soul influenced pop albums of the year.  "Bright Lights Big City" is the perfect club dance song with bass beats along with a great synth line and an extremely catchy chorus. "Bodies" combines dark imagery and a drumline style snare section enhancing Cee-Lo's unique vocals. "I Want You" is another unique arrangement, with what almost seems like a full orchestra enhancing the song. The whole album is meant to be checked as a whole, so go get it now. Singles aren't everything.

Albums Of The Year 2010: Honorable Mentions (IV)

Just one album today, but it's worth it.

Hellogoodbye - Would It Kill You?

There are two ways of making a surprising album. One is to be a band that few people have heard of, and making a great release. The other way is to be a well known band that ditches all the awfulness of a previous release to create something special. Hellogoodbye ditched the autotune and the dancy electronics to create a more natural indie influenced pop album.  "Finding Something To Do" immediately begins the album on a different note than the debut, with driving guitar (yes, real guitar!) and handclaps, putting Hellogoodbye the closest they've ever been to making a rock song. Possibly the strongest track on the album, "When We First Met" is separated into two distinct sections, the light, fluttery acoustic verses and the heavier, pounding chorus, both accompanied by a similar keys melody. The whole album is great, but along with those tracks, "Would It Kill You" and "You Sleep Tonight" are key tracks.

Albums Of The Year 2010: Honorable Mentions (III)

Keeping on with the best pop albums of the year, here are #7 and #6 on that list.

He Is We - My Forever

Purevolume always seems to be one of the least respected sites for finding new music. I mean, many of the bands on there are for fourteen year old girls to discover their new favorite Ke$ha metalcore cover, but once in a while there is a true gem. Their list of the top unsigned bands of 2009 had quite a few finds, including the currently signed Amely and Tonight Alive and the should-be-signed Every You and Gabriel The Marine. However, #1 on that list is He Is We. Rachel Taylor has an exceptional voice, blaring out the band's contagiously catchy choruses as on the made for corny chick flick soundtrack "Happily Ever After". "All About Us" features ex-Underoath vocalist Aaron Gillespie singing call and response with Rachel and the twinkling piano and acoustic guitar. And first single "And Run" has the obviously necessary in every pop single hand claps. Don't forget to check out "Fall" and "Forever and Ever" as well.

Albums Of The Year: Honorable Mentions (II)

Two of my favorite pop albums of the year, actually #9 and #8 on the list I'm creating for AP.net of the best pop albums of year. I'm giving you guys a bit of a sneak peek though.

The Rocket Summer - Of Men

And Angels

Bryce Avary and his moniker The Rocket Summer has been on these lists for about a decade now. Armed with exceptional talent (he plays every instrument on the record) and extremely catchy hooks, Of Men And Angels, may not have many stand out tracks, but the almost the whole record is extremely solid. Of Men And Angels has the most religious influence of any of The Rocket Summer's albums, but it still should not isolate anyone away from the album's messages. "Hills and Valleys" is a highlight with its positive message, harmonizing piano clinks, and handclaps. In addition, other tracks to check out are "Walls", "Of Men And Angels", and "Light".

Albums Of The Year 2010: Honorable Mentions (I)

Over the next two weeks, I will go through the albums that were definitely some of the best this year, concluding with my favorite on New Years Eve. The honorable mentions are in no specific order, just the ones I decide to write about. Check out the first two after the jump.

Dem Waffle Houze Boiz

Disclaimer: The music really isn't good. However it is, in fact, absolutely hilarious. From the band name, to the lyrical content (mostly about food and waffle houses), to the fact that this band is just three nerdy white guys trying to rap, Dem Waffle Houze Boiz are amazing if you disregard everything else. However, the band does show slightly more talent than some of the mainstream bands taking the same pathways. The beats are okay, if not great, and they can write some damn catchy choruses such as in "The Noise". "Booty Clap" is a T-Pain rip-off that is atrocious, but the song is amazing if you are looking at pictures of the members while listening to it. "Forever" is a parody of Drake's song of the same name, while "Black Gold" parodies Kanye's "Runaway" with an ode to soda. Seriously, the band isn't good. But at least you'll smile the whole time while listening. And for some people, that's all that matters. I'm one of those people. Check out Dem Waffle Houze Boiz on Bandcamp here and download their free mixtape.

Listener

Most people associate music with singing. Fewer people allow screaming to be part of music. However, not many people can think that plain spoken word can be used in music. When lyrics are powerful enough and the instrumentals can accompany the words, spoken word music can be extremely powerful. Aaron Weiss from mewithoutYou is a perfect representation of those concepts. But even mewithoutYou has some singing. Listener is pretty much poetry backed by indie guitars and drums. The mewithoutYou comparisons are valid though, as Dan Smith can pretty much be described as Aaron Weiss with a southern twang in his voice. For those that prefer just the lyrics, Listener also has the entire album without the instrumentals. Listener may not be for everyone, but the band is definitely special. Listen to Wooden Heart on Bandcamp here and listen/download to the poetry version here.

New Yellowcard Album

Yellowcard was probably one of the first pop-punk bands I listened to. Back in elementary school, "Ocean Avenue" and "Only One" were two of my favorite songs, and they are still pretty high up there for nostalgia's sake. After the great album Paper Walls, Yellowcard took a three year hiatus, which they recently came out of. Their newest album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, has finally been completed and is expected to be released in March. This is easily one of my most anticipated for the upcoming year, and I'm sure it is for many other people as well. Yellowcard will be on tour with All Time Low, Hey Monday, and The Summer Set this spring. Follow Yellowcard on Myspace here.
*Update* The album release date is now announced to be March 22nd.

The Offseason

2010 has been an exceptional year for new pop-punk bands. The Wonder Years released one of the most beloved albums of the year, Man Overboard and Transit let out two great albums, and many other bands like I Call Fives, Bright and Early, and Such Gold have released exceptional EP's. A lesser known band that deserves to be stated in the same sentence as those bands is The Offseason. Their debut EP, Goin' For Broke, is extremely catchy and puts out those passionate lyrics that good pop-punk is known for. "Livin' The Dream" has a superb hook that challenges You, Me, And Everyone We Know for the best "Livin' The Dream" of the year. The band has released their EP for free, and you can stream the whole release on Bandcamp here.

Now, Now

I seem to be on quite a female band kick right now, as including this post, the last three have all been female bands. However, they have all been quite difficult stylistically. Modern American Theatre leaned towards technicality, while Aria was more pop. Now, Now's (formerly Now, Now Every Children) is influenced by indie bands, similar to Metric or Stars. Now, Now is one of No Sleep Records' newest signings, and one of its few female bands. Now, Now got a lot of exposure when they were on tour with Paramore in Europe. However, that little bit of exposure wasn't enough. This band deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Metric and Stars. Lead singer Cacie Dalager has a unique, raspy vocal style that should definitely appeal to fans of those two bands. Check out Now, Now on Myspace here.

Aria

Aria is a band that just shows pure dedication. I mean, anytime a sixteen year old girl travels 2000 miles to join a band, there must be some sort of special push for her. And what a result that push has created. Aria more resembles the older, more technical VersaEmerge than any of the simple female led pop-rock bands such as Hey Monday. The instrumentals are definitely a major positive in the band, and lead singer Bianca has quite a set of pipes. The band also obviously has some connections, as the production is exceptional for a first release. Aria is definitely a band that's worth following for the future, as they show tons of potential at a young age. Check out the band on Myspace here.

Modern American Theatre - We Could Make A House

I depend on other websites in order to find new music. Without other sites, there wouldn't be any content for me to cover. Sputnik Music just did an excellent review on this band, Modern American Theatre. Their new release, We Could Make A House, combines the guitar taps and Minus The Bear like instrumentals with a poppy, female singer to create a fairly unique band. Although the vocals aren't exceptional, it is definitely fresh with this style of music, as most of the bands in this style (Minus The Bear, Maps and Atlases, Six Gallery) are led by males. This band is definitely one that needs exposure, as better production could easily make this band better than they already are. Check them out and stream or purchase their album on their Bandcamp page here.

WTF Week Continues - Rise Records Signs Sharks

Rise Records just seems to be turning all sorts of heads this week. And there's still more to go. But until then, let's focus on Sharks. To be honest, I've never heard of this band before. Now that they've signed, I hope they get the recognition they deserve. Coming from Britain, they are teaming up with Rise to release the material they recorded during their first two years as a band. The band can best be described as a British The Gaslight Anthem or Fake Problems, performing that rock and roll/Americana (even though they're British) sound very well. As with Man Overboard and Transit, I'm curious to see what the future will be with these bands. They obviously can't tour with the usual Rise bands, so i expect some interesting tours ahead. At the very least the distribution of Rise will launch all the bands' popularity to a new level. Check out Sharks' Facebook page right here. The album is out April 5th.

Boxer And Clover - Fate Has Favorites

It's always nice when a solid band you forget about puts out an exceptional release. I already had Boxer and Clover's last EP, but it didn't stick with me. However, I downloaded Fate Has Favorites earlier today, and I've listened two or three times since then. The songs are exceptionally catchy, and the vocals are superb. The lyrics aren't too shabby either. The band just knows how to make good pop-rock songs similar to Mae or the poppier side of Jimmy Eat World. This release has reopened my eyes to the band, and I will give the older EP another listen, along with many more additional listens of this release. Check out Boxer and Clover on Myspace here.

The Damned Things - Ironiclast

This was the last album of the year I was really looking forward to. The Damned Things are a so-called "supergroup" with Keith Buckley from Every Time I Die along with Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley from Fall Out Boy and Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of Anthrax. However, there's a slight letdown involved, mostly having to do with Keith. Keith is probably my favorite heavy vocalist out there, but the vocals do not seem up to par with Every Time I Die. The songs however, are fairly strong. This band knows rock and roll. Taking influences from metal and classic rock, The Damned Things could have come straight from the 80's. Guitar solos aplenty combined with the hooks create an accessible heavy album. "A Great Reckoning" sounds extremely similar to the Foo Fighters. However, the one big thing that can be said about the album is that these guys know what real rock is. Even with the letdown, it's a solid album, though one that probably will not be appearing on my end of year list. Check out The Damned Things on myspace here.

First Five Warped Bands Announced

Warped Tour is announcing their bands a little bit differently this year. Every week from now until late March they will be announcing about five bands a week, with the main stage bands coming last. The first five announced are Every Avenue, Go Radio, Dance Gavin Dance, We Came As Romans, and The Word Alive. Every Avenue is extremely solid pop-rock in the All Time Low vein, and will be releasing their third record around that time. Go Radio includes Jason Lancaster, ex singer of Mayday Parade, and creates music as good if not better than Mayday Parade's A Lesson In Romantics. DanceGavinDance is intriguing due to the return of one of my favorite singers, Jonny Craig, back to the band. However, after seeing him with Emarosa last year I do not have any intention of wanting to see him. We Came As Romans and The World Alive are basically generic metalcore (WCAR with synth/autotune). The first five bands are solid, as I would see Every Avenue and Go Radio, though I'm hoping for some can't miss bands later on.

B.o.B. - No Genre

Disclaimer: There are no #1 hits like Nothin' On You, Airplanes, or Magic on this mixtape. However, B.o.B. shows off exactly what made him one of the most hyped rappers coming into the year. I have only lately started listening to hip-hop, and from what I know about the genre, this is a great release. B.o.B. rips apart his verses, showing great flow while the production and beats are top notch. Also, the amount of features is kept much lower than the album, mostly focusing on his own raps. Any fan of hip-hop should download this mixtape. You can download it for free right here.

Rise Records' Curious New Signings

Seemingly just days after I rag on them in the Decoder post, Rise Records will add two of the best pop-punk bands of 2010. Man Overboard and Transit announced today their signing to Rise. The promised "WTF Week" has definitely been full of WTFs so far, with an expected more to come in the next few days. Man Overboard released one of my favorite albums in the year, the superbly catchy Real Talk, though it will fall just outside my top ten while Transit has been praised for their honest and hard hitting Keep This To Yourself. What make these signings surprising is that these bands just don't fit the Rise standard. It definitely seems that Rise is trying to break their awful reputation by signing some credible bands, while diversifying in the process. I'm extremely curious to see what the next signings are, and if the label will stay on this hot streak. Check out Man Overboard on Bandcamp here and Transit on Myspace here.

Sage Francis - Li(f)e

End of year lists bring forth bands that you may have never heard of before. Sage Francis seems to be my biggest discovery of the list season. When I saw pictures of Sage Francis, I thought he was some folk singer in the the vein of Iron and Wine or Bon Iver. Instead, Sage Francis combines hip-hop with folk to create a very intriguing release. Lyrics are at the forefront of this release, especially in "The Best Of Times", a song that is especially easy to relate to with its extremely personal statements of his life. The instrumentals are solemn and fit perfectly with the mood of the songs. Sage Francis has crossed genres extremely successfully, and with a few more listens this album may be at the forefront of my list. Check Sage Francis out on Myspace here.

Record Labels, Talent, and Popularity

I need to make something clear. Someone brought up a point in the comments on the Decoder post that I just need to make sure everyone knows.

Tyler said...

New Attack Attack isn't that good personally, but how can you say these bands have no talent when rise records sponsors them. If they had no talent wouldn't they not be sponsored? And the new attack attack screamer has no talent though not going to lie.



Record labels don't care about talent. They care about record sales. And if kids will eat up talentless bands, they will sign them. Just look at Abandon All Ships. There is not one bit of unautotuned clean vocals in any of the band's songs. It's generic scenecore to the max, and that's all it is. For another example, just think about most top 40 artists, in particular artists such as Ke$ha. Does she actually play an instrument, or have any vocal skills whatsoever? Does she write meaningful lyrics? Maybe to the class slut, but mostly, no. All this long post says is that TALENT DOES NOT EQUAL SUCCESS. That is what's happened to the music scene these days. I'm sure I've met plenty of people, even in my own school, that are probably more talented than the people on top 40 radio. But they either don't have the money, the exposure, or the image. That's what you need to be a successful artist these days.

Hellogoodbye - Would It Kill You?

Hellogoodbye is a band that should be on everyone's "biggest improvement of the year" list. The band, known in the mainstream for their autotuned electro-pop hit "Here (In Your Arms)", has made an enormous leap in the caliber of the music that the band is putting out. Would It Kill You ditches the autotune and much of the blatant electro influences and creates one of the most fun pop albums of the year. The band shows much musical maturation with both song structure and the musicianship within the songs. Instrumentation is much more varied than before, perfectly shown in "Betrayed By Bones". The band's lyrical content has also improved. Although this album doesn't have a mainstream hit the caliber of "Here (In Your Arms)", their musical improvement has brought respect to the band throughout the music community, and Would It Kill You is an album worth checking out. The band's Myspace page can be viewed right here.

Decoder

Rise Records does not have a great reputation as a record label. Signing bands such as Attack Attack, Scarlett O'Hara, Abandon All Ships, and many others can do that to a label. Luckily, Rise does have a few bands that actually have talent, such as Tides of Man, PMToday, and until recently, Oceana. Decoder seems to be another band entering that highest tier of Rise Records bands. Decoder takes members of old VersaEmerge, Of Machines, and old Oceana to create a combination of those three bands. Decoder is a technical version of post hardcore similar to the talented Rise bands listed above. Two songs from Decoder's self titled album are on their Bandcamp page, where you can also pre-order the record. Hopefully the record will showcase the band's talent rather than going to the generic side of the spectrum. The album will be released on January 17th.

Happy Body Slow Brain

Taking Back Sunday's news of bringing back Tell All Your Friends members Shaun Cooper and John Nolan created quite a stir earlier this year, including crashing AbsolutePunk. However, I'm sure this news was not very uplifting to the two members who got replaced, Matt Fazzi and Matt Rubano. Fazzi decided to continue his music career with his new band, Happy Body Slow Brain. HBSB is a much more mellow and technical band that TBS ever was, with fairly strong R&B and prog influences. Fazzi is a very strong vocalist that was underutilized in TBS. The band's first album, Dreams Of Water, is an extremely solid album that is being sold on Bandcamp with quite a few benefits, including individual track art, embedded lyrics, a digital poster, and more. The link for their Bandcamp is right here.

New Layout

If you haven't noticed (which means you must be blind or something), the site now has quite a different layout. What do you guys think of it? Any changes that need to be made?

I am also on the lookout for a new header. If you can do some decent graphic design, please email me. It doesn't have to be that professional, I just need something that accurately represents the message I am trying to bring with my site.

Album Review: You, Me, And Everyone We Know - Some Things Don't Wash Out

Unconventional seems to be You, Me, and Everyone We Know’s middle name. First came their unconventional journey to their first album, including troubles with Drive-Thru Records founder Richard Reines, who after offering to manage the band barely supported them and did nothing but cause trouble for the rising band. Then the band put exposure before profit by releasing their first two releases for free, a rarely seen business model for a touring band. From there, the band signed to Doghouse Records and put out one of the best pop-punk albums of the year, commonly using a surprising brass section to make their record unique from the oversaturated pop-punk music scene.

Warpaint

Breaking news: a female in a band does not have to be the singer. Warpaint proves that fact in multiple ways, as the entire four piece band is female. Yes, you are hearing me right. The drummer, bassist, guitarist as well as the vocalist are females. And they actually rip things apart. One of the most intricately designed albums of the year, the four ladies of Warpaint are extremely talented at doing whatever the hell they want to do. Much of their songs are basically psychedelic jam sessions. Their haunting vocals radiate almost as an instrument accompanying every other part of the band perfectly. Both their latest album The Fool and their first release Exquisite Corpse are excellent and worth checking out. This band is making a huge wave in the indie scene, and they have a very successful future ahead. Check out Warpaint on myspace right here.

Boys Night Out - Trainwreck

I have a soft spot for albums that tell a story. Razia's Shadow (which I'm expecting a post for soon), The Deer Hunter's Act I-III, etc. Trainwreck is in the running for my favorite. As a quick synopsis, the album tells the story of a man who kills his wife in his sleep, and is sent to a mental institution. Who could think of such an insane story? Boys Night Out did, and they made an entire 52 minute album about it combining early 2000's pop-punk and post-hardcore. The music isn't life changing, but is extremely solid, especially when placed with the lyrics. The band knows how to express their character's emotions through the sounds of the instruments. And the story is still captivating. Boys Night Out has broken up, but their other albums still did not get close to this classic. But seriously, check the band out just for the story. Only a couple of the songs from the album are on their myspace, so just buy the album.

Mae

A little piece of me cried when Mae broke up. The Everglow was one of the first full albums I downloaded when I moved from liking individual songs to the full work of art a band produces. "We're So Far Away" is still probably the best piano-rock song I've heard. The whole album is just overall one of the most consistently great albums out there. Since the breakup was announced, I downloaded their entire catalog (minus their sub-par Singularity), including the different, but equally as great Destination: Beautiful. The vocals and songs may be a little less polished than The Everglow, but the songs are even more emotionally captivating, especially the incredible "Sun". The band also showed their intense dedication with their (m)orning/(a)fternoon/(e)vening project, donating much of the profits to charity. (e)vening had the band going out with some of their best material yet, including a 13 minute, three part instrumental piano piece. Mae just knows the formula for truly beautiful music. The band will definitely be missed, but their influence will live on. You can listen to and purchase Mae's tracks up for charity purposes on their site here.

All The Right Moves - The Monster I've Become

Pop isn't bad. In fact, pop is very good. Imagine having to listen to complex songs with little or no hooks all the time. Might get boring after a while, wouldn't it? For that reason, All The Right Moves is around. The Monster I've Become has stuck with me for months now, without getting old or seeming generic. Each song is a giant catchy hook of itself and there are barely any moments you won't be singing along. The band also goes the Yellowcard route by adding an electric violin. But biggest thing that separates them from most pop bands now are that they actually know how to diversify in their songwriting and to create strong lyrics. "You Always Bring Me Down" shows the band showing off their skills at harmonizing while "Hurricane" and "Learn To Love Again" are a piano ballad and acoustic track respectively. The title track also relates the album title to Jeckyl and Hyde. All The Right Moves has definitely put themselves on my radar with this release, separating themselves from all the myspace bands out there. You can check them out on myspace right here.

Hopeless Records

Losing All Time Low to Interscope Records must have pushed some sense into Hopeless Records. Since that loss, they have been on fire, signing three very well known bands and one lesser known, but still solid band. Yellowcard's recent reformation seems to be a perfect fit for a huge Hopeless release. Silverstein seems to be an odd fit for Hopeless, but they're another band that the label knows will sell records. The Wonder Years let out one of the most acclaimed pop-punk records of the year with an album that will be in my top ten. Divided By Friday is a solid pop-rock band that I've known for a while, and is finally getting the credit they deserve. Along with personal favorite There For Tomorrow (whose remix EP is actually solid for a remix EP), The Dangerous Summer, and We Are The In Crowd, Hopeless definitely has one of the most solid rosters among indie labels right now. You can check out the label and their releases on their website here.

Pistolita - The Paper Boy

Who knew a band could break up, reform a few years later with almost all brand new members, and sound so good? Pistolita brings a unique form of piano-rock to the table with The Paper Boy. This isn't your ordinary Jack's Mannequin style piano led band. The band uses the piano as a perfect accompaniment to their solid instrumental skills. The band also has a knack for songwriting, creating catchy songs with substance. The Paper Boy was one of my favorite EP releases of the year, and will definitely be on a year's end EP list. Let's make it so the band doesn't break up again. Check them out on Myspace here and give them some love. The band hasn't posted in quite some time, so let's hope that it hasn't happened again.

As The Year Winds Down...

This is the first year in which I have an extremely solid catalog of albums I can put in a top ten. As of now, I have about thirty or so in the running, but which can easily grow. After the jump, you can see the list of the albums that are in that running for the illusive 2010 favorite album list.

Marianas Trench - Masterpiece Theater

Being in America, sometimes we think that we know all the music out there. However, that allows band such as Marianas Trench to slip through the cracks. As one of the most popular Canadian pop-rock bands, they have been called the "Canadian Fall Out Boy". And that is with good reason. Masterpiece Theater is one of the catchiest releases released in the US this year (Canadians got this album a year earlier than us here in the states). "Masterpiece Theater I" showcases the bands extraordinary harmonies and vocals, while "Cross My Heart" and "Acadia" are two of the catchiest songs all year. This band is necessary to check out, and you can listen to their songs on their Myspace page here.

Layout Changes

Hey everyone,
I'm going to be tweaking the layout slightly over the next week or so. I want to retag everything for easier navigation for what you are looking for, along with archiving my older posts so people do not get them mixed up with the posts that I actually agree with. Any suggestions or tips for what is needed, please just comment here.
Please suggest the Facebook page to your friends.
Thank you everyone,
Casey

Patrick Stump New Song

Former Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump's new solo project finally has some tunes to add to the name. In fact, Stump recorded two versions of the new track, "Spotlight". You can vote on his website for the version you like more, in addition to a stream of both the tracks and a free download of each of them as well. You have the choice of the piano led and slower "Oh Nostalgia" version or the dancy, hand-clap led "New Regrets" version. I definitely prefer the "Oh Nostalgia" version, but you can make your own decision on Stump's site here.

Interview with A Great Big Pile Of Leaves

On the November 12th date of A Great Big Pile Of Leaves tour with Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything, and Saves the Day, the band agreed to do an interview with us (myself and my photographer, Andrea). The band is definitely full of very talented people and the band has a bright future ahead.

Album Review: Circa Survive - Appendage EP

Most people get happy to see one release in a year by one of their favorite bands. Circa Survive wasn't content with that in 2010. Along with one of the best releases of the year, Blue Sky Noise, Circa Survive came around with round two with the Appendage EP. Although only an extension of Blue Sky Noise with five B-sides not released on the album, it's almost like the tracks could have been on the album. In fact, the album may even have been better with these tracks on it.

Tonight Alive

Everybody loves Australia. From kangaroos to crocodile hunters to amazing accents, Australia just seems like heaven. Tonight Alive is just another great thing about Australia. Imagine an Australian Paramore. That's Tonight Alive. However, Tonight Alive still stands out due to lead singer Jenna McDougal's excellent vocals and the band's solid songwriting skills. The band is currently in the US recording their first full length album with Mark Trombino, better known as the producer of some of Jimmy Eat World's albums. The band has two excellent EPs out, All Shapes and Disguises and Consider This. You should consider checking out the band on their myspace page here.

Freelance Whales

Horns, whistles, bells, and more. Indie pop band Freelance Whales just seems to use almost every instrument out there. They also know how to make one of the best songs of the year, "Hannah". The opening synth lines along with the background bells are only the tip of the iceberg of this amazing song. Along with one of the catchiest melodies and choruses I've heard in quite some time, Freelance Whales should be a lot bigger than they are. The whole album is incredible, and you should check them out. Check them out on Myspace here.

Cari Clara

Another day, another Deep Elm Records artist I discover. Cari Clara has a distinct sound compared to all of the other Deep Elm artists I have recommended. In fact, the vocals sound eerily similar to the one and only Thom Yorke of Radiohead. Those haunting vocals surrounded by mysterious arrangements of the traditional rock instruments with some strings definitely seem to be influenced by Radiohead. So obviously, if you like Radiohead you need to listen to Cari Clara. Even if you don't check them out. You can stream the entire album on the Deep Elm Website here.

Gifts From Enola

Post-rock has seemed to be showing up on this site a lot lately. So why don't I show you guys another of my favorites, Gifts From Enola. This isn't your ordinary crescendocore post-rock. Gifts From Enola feels more like rocking out than creating long, drawn out climaxes that can isolate listeners without patience. Even though the songs are long, they still stay creative and exciting. Their newest album, the self titled one seen in the picture, was a huge growth from the first album. Hopefully the band will continue to progress and grow in popularity. You can check the band out on myspace right here.

Deep Elm Records - Sampler 10

Deep Elm Records has just released their Sampler 10, containing fifteen new free songs. As posted earlier this week, Deep Elm is probably my favorite record label out there right now. This sampler contains quite a few of my favorite Deep Elm artists, including Goonies Never Say Die, Athletics, Dorena, Last Lungs, I Am Sonic Rain, and Moonlit Sailor for the post-rock fans with Les Sages and She Bears for those fans of indie pop/rock. This sampler is a must download for anyone wanting to find a ton of new artists to put on your mp3 player. Check it out and download it here.

The Spill Canvas - One Fell Swoop

Listening to One Fell Swoop reminds me how good The Spill Canvas used to be. Songs like "Polygraph, Right Now", "Staplegunned", and the older "The Tide" (one of my favorite and  most emotional songs of all time) are extremely good songs that should have launched The Spill Canvas to extreme popularity. Alas, they released the mostly atrocious Formalities which was mostly a rehash of the extremely boring Realities EP. The album is even worse when put next to the first of their "alities" release cycle, Abnormalities, which was superb. I just hope the band will finally get back on the right track with a new album.

Born Without Bones Free Album Download

Bandcamp is possibly the best site for streaming and selling music right now. It allows you to sell music for whatever price you want, including a "pay what you want" option. Additionally, the buyer can buy it at practically any format, from high quality MP3s to FLAC files. Born Without Bones is one of many bands that is moving over to this excellent source. A band that has songs varied from the Saves the Day style pop-punk (with better vocals nonetheless) such as "Out of Step" to folky songs like "GKN" and "The Camera Turns". You can download Born Without Bones' Say Hello on their Bandcamp site here.

The Get Up Kids New Album and New Song Stream

The Get Up Kids were one of the most influential bands in the late 90's and the early 2000's, playing acclaimed pop-punk/emo songs. After a seven year hiatus since their last album, The Get Up Kids are returning with a new full length There Are Rules. The first track, "Regent's Court" is now streaming here. Although there is a definite indie rock feel rather than their customary pop-punk sound, there is definitely signs of the old Get Up Kids in the new track. The new album will be out January 25th.

The Last Dinosaur Free Download

Everybody loves free music. Free legal music is even better. Free legal music from an awesome band that you have almost definitely not heard of is one of the best things ever. The Last Dinosaur is offering their first EP release for free, and it's great. I can definitely hear a Bloc Party resemblance in their music with their driving guitars and distinctive vocals. Check out The Last Dinosaur on Myspace here, and download the album for free from this link.

New Circa Survive Song Streaming

Circa Survive already has one of my favorite albums of the year, and now may be adding one of my favorite EP's as well. The EP (named Appendage) will be five songs that were recorded during the process of creating Blue Sky Noise but were not released on the album. One of the tracks, "Stare Like You'll Stay" is now streaming and seems to come directly from Blue Sky Noise. Check it out here. The EP will be released November 30th.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

In the future, I will thank this album for getting me into hip-hop. You may hate his ego, but his ego actually helps him make his music amazing. Even though songs such as "Power" show off his self indulgent beliefs, it is actually one of the best tracks on the album, surrounded by tribal chants and Kanye's signature flow. Every track brings out every bit of creativity in his mind, even containing unconditional artists such as folk artist Bon Iver on a track. Pitchfork gave this album the first 10.0 score since Radiohead's Kid A. If this hasn't convinced you to buy it yet, then just take a listen to the clips on the amazon page here. Once you love it, buy it for $3.99, an unbeatable deal.

Deep Elm Records

Deep Elm Records has one of the best catalogs I have seen in a record label in quite some time. From known bands like Moving Mountains and The Appleseed Cast to upcoming stars like Desoto Jones, Moonlit Sailor, and Goonies Never Say Die, Deep Elm knows what good music is. They stream practically every one of their albums on their site through Bandcamp, and allow many different purchasing options. If you like good Post-Rock, Emo, Punk, or Indie, check out many of the bands on the site, especially the ones listed above. Deep Elm also has 99 songs on samplers for free right here. Download them and post which artists you are fans of in the comments.

Blog Reflection

So, this blog has been up for almost a year and a half now, and it still has an identity crisis. Ever since the first summer, my writing has diminished by a lot. I have a reason for that. Looking back on my old writing, it was awful. I wish I had the time to rewrite all my old reviews. Although, the result would be a lot more negative than it was then. My taste has changed, and you will see a lot more mature and varied music on the site from now on. Do not think that anything before Summer of this year I support. I now know that they are awful. Do not judge my blog just because of posts I made over a year ago. I am also changing my focus from review to just plain old input on music. There will still be reviews up, but they will be a lot stronger and better developed. There should be another one up within the next week or so. Also, there will be an interview with A Great Big Pile Of Leaves that exposes quite a bit of awesome information. Just keep checking in on the blog, and I am planning on putting a least one post a day from here on out.

Thanks everybody,
Casey

He Is We Album Stream

He Is We is now streaming their new album, "My Forever" on purevolume here. This female/male pop duo has been a huge hit on Purevolume for quite some time now, and was recently signed to Universal Motown records. If anyone has common sense, this band will be huge. Some extremely catchy pop songs should be able to dominate the radio. If you're liking bands like a more acoustic based The Narrative or The Morning of, you'll love He Is We.

Hotspur Acoustic Hot Topic Performance

You Should Know Better By Now

If These Walls Could Talk

Atlantic

Her Majesty

Heads/Tails

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