Play Pretend

I am trying to broaden my fanbase by talking about different bands, because I feel like I pretty much only talk about alternative bands.  The only hardcore band I have talked about is Mom Fight, so today will be dedicated to introducing all of you to a hardcore band called MVA.

[Photo:  Silvio Capoferri & MVA]

Hailing from Bloomfield, NJ, their unique sound sets them apart from other bands in the same genre. Their style somewhat combines elements of skate punk, as well as metal and traditional hardcore.  "Circular / In Between," from their 2017 EP Eternal, encompasses skate punk chord progressions and hard-hitting drum sounds from hardcore.

The fifth song on the EP, "Play Pretend," is the perfect closing to an EP of this nature.  The track starts off as a break-neck speed hardcore song, but over the course of the song slowly disintegrates into a breakdown that consists mostly of drums.  One of the hardest-hitting songs on the EP, "Play Pretend" overall summarizes their main purpose and sound.

I know this post is short and sweet, but at only 9 minutes, it fits the EP very well.

French Blonde

You may remember my post from a few months back about Deal Casino.  Since then, they have released a full length album that still transports me to a different place.  This past Wednesday they released a video for the NPR Tiny Desk Contest, featuring an unreleased song, "French Blonde," that is nothing short of a musical masterpiece.

Review of Deal Casino's EP

I like comparing new music to old to help paint a better picture of what I think a band was trying to achieve.  I have to say, though, that Deal Casino is a band that I have a hard time doing that with, mainly because of how original and creative their music is.  Their self-titled debut featured elements of classic rock, including '70s harmonies and a rich guitar presence.  While they are keeping their roots evident in this song, you immediately feel a sense of evolution and maturity.  Like most alternative rock bands, they are starting to become more experimental with different vocal and instrumental styles and techniques.  The spoken words in the verses, the pedal on the bass, and the added effects throughout the track all bind together in a way that I have never seen (or heard for that matter) before in any song.  While hearing things like this might get some people thinking that this song is an acquired taste, it's not.  Anyone with an appreciation at all for the art involved in music will find their own individual love for "French Blonde."

[Video:  Deal Casino, YouTube]

Lyrically, "French Blonde" is very unique from what they have released in the past.  The spoken words in the beginning and the rhyme schemes feel as if a Charles Bukowski poem has come to life:

I'm a dead animal

You're used to seeing my guts

You just pass me on the street

And drive right over me

While you're puttin' on...your makeup

I'm the next holiday

I'm your team, down by 6

I'm all your meals at once

A French blonde at Sunday brunch

They're strange (not in a bad way at all), yet oddly charming and intriguing, so you want to keep listening--something that Deal Casino has landed several times before...just never like this...and it's incredible.

I'm going to leave you off here, since I want you to enjoy this unreleased track for yourself.  Comment down below with your thoughts!

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The Goodness

I had an interesting conversation with my boyfriend the other day about what "emo" really means.  It is very often that we hear people say things like, "I'm feeling emo today so I'm going to listen to Fall Out Boy."  Statements like that seem to drive us music lovers crazy.  So while sitting at dinner, my boyfriend and I talked about the characteristics of "emo," so I have compiled a list for you about the myths of emo.

MYTH NUMBER ONE:  Emo bands wear makeup and nail polish

The first band that comes to mind when thinking about makeup and nail polish is My Chemical Romance.  My Chemical Romance is NOT emo!!  Their first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, is somewhat close, but everything else is not.  Don't get me wrong--The Black Parade was a great album.  Everyone I know has gone crazy for "Welcome to the Black Parade" since sixth grade, but My Chemical Romance is basically pop punk with makeup.  Honestly, the best I'll give them is "mall emo," which is music that you would hear at Hot Topic.

MYTH NUMBER TWO:  A band is emo if they make you emotional

This is a tough one because emo is short for emotive, so to be fair, the term "emo" is overall very subjective, which is why you see bands falling victim to the stereotype more often than they should.  But let's consider music as a whole for a minute.  Think back to when you were younger, when you were first appreciating the theory and composition of music.  What was the first song that made you cry?  I don't remember mine, but it was probably something by a Classic or Baroque era composer.  Do my emotions make G.F. Handel emo?  Even though, like I said before, the decision is technically subjective, stylistically Handel is not emo.  So what do I mean by stylistically?

The definition, in terms of style, changes depending on the "wave of emo."  Emo wasn't even a term in the '80s, so the first wave of emo was the early '90s, when it was pretty much punk music.  The second wave came in the late '90s and was much different than the years preceding.  This wave was more quiet but had more complicated guitar parts.  And finally, the early 2000s was close to being pop-punk without really getting all of the way there.

MYTH NUMBER THREE:  "They're emo because they SCREAM in their songs"

The biggest reason why the above statement is a myth is because over the years, people have attached characteristics to emo music simply because they didn't know what emo was and probably just wanted to sound cool.  Screaming should have never been associated with emo.  The screaming that kids were probably actually referring to was metalcore screaming, which is in its own genre completely, which is fine because I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole.  Think of it this way:  A band that has an excess of emotions is not going to scream in the way that A Day or Remember or Converge does.

MYTH NUMBER FOUR:  If a song has a heavy guitar, then it's emo

We're at the one I have been waiting for, and it's is another one where I have absolutely no idea where it came from.  The guitar has been a staple of music since the 1950s when rock and roll first hit radios.  Years and years of development eventually led to guitars producing heavier sounds from different pedals and fuzzboxes.  With all of this in mind, how does a sick guitar make a band emo?  The Rolling Stones weren't and never will be emo, and the same thing can be said for Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull.  All-American Rejects, even though they had very few heavy guitar parts, still managed to make it onto some emo lists, along with Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate.  I don't really understand the All-American Rejects one, except for the fact that maybe people thought they were emo due to their look?  The Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate one is easier though... scene bands have commonly been confused with being emo.  If you aren't sure what "scene" is, think of the girls who shopped at Hot Topic and wore plaid skirts, awfully layered and colored hair, peace signs with their tongues sticking out, and very heavy eyeliner.


I know, I threw a lot of information at you, and if you're unfamiliar with this topic, you're probably a little overwhelmed.  I have seen so much of this lately, though, with the early and mid-2000s being so far away now... people are "reminiscing the days of 'emo.'"  Just thought I'd nip it in the bud now while it's still relevant.


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Eldorado

I am writing this post as I am lying in bed.  These cold days and nights are somewhat weakening, making the nighttime a place to unwind and get into a different element than you were during the day.  I have spent most of the night just hanging around, but as I usually do, I went on Spotify to listen to some relaxing instrumental music.  Some include Disney/Disney-Pixar scores, Alan Silvestri, etc...  But since I have been listening to the same songs for a few days now, I looked elsewhere to find nighttime comfort.  The biggest go-to for me is Electric Light Orchestra.  Jeff Lynne's chilling yet soothing vocal effects, his use of orchestral accompaniments, and transitions between tracks, are all perfect for submitting your mind into a different thought zone, allowing for the dismissal of problems and situations of typical every day life.

Despite these feelings of content and satisfaction, I am never one to listen to an album straight through.  I get distracted and will end up pausing and skipping to the tracks I love the most.  But my tiredness got the best of me tonight, and I did what my dad has been telling me to do for a month:  I am listening to ELO's Eldorado from beginning to end with no interruptions.

[Photo:  Electric Light Orchestra]

It's an album I've known my entire life, but knowing each song individually is different from knowing them all as one piece.  The opening track "Eldorado Overture" flows unnoticeably into the second, "Can't Get It out of My Head."  So unnoticeably, as a matter of fact, that when you are listening to the vinyl, you  would think it is one long track.  So unnoticeably, that when you are listening, your heart and time somewhat stop ticking.  But unlike some other heart-stopping music, your heart doesn't begin again at all until the album is over, and it's only because of the realization that it's over, and life doesn't actually flow that way.

The whole album has one main theme, and the songs are connected somehow, whether it be by the overture or the song before, it almost feels as though you are reading a book.  I have noticed a lot how several albums don't have something tying all of the songs together.  Either the songs are too different in sound or meaning, or they could even all sound too similar, blending all of the pieces together so no songs stick out.  A common occurrence with ELO is balance between differentiation and similarity between tracks.  While "Boy Blue" and "Nobody's Child" sound different within, what connects them is their similar intros (they're also several tracks away from each other).

The album comes to a faded end, with the second to last track being "Eldorado," which is much slower than some of its predecessors.  But once again it transitions flawlessly into the final track, "Eldorado Finale,"  which is symmetrical to the overture; the beginning of the overture is the end of the finale, and the end of the overture is the beginning of the finale.  Lay down, close your eyes, and listen to this album (with headphones, not earbuds) from beginning to end with no interruptions.  It will almost feel as though you are watching an opera, each song presenting a different scene with different emotions being presented and provoked.  Even though there are different emotions, the whole opera makes sense because of one ongoing theme and message.  And if Jeff Lynne and the rest of ELO did not do a phenomenal job of this, then maybe music isn't the field for me.

Christmas in L.A. (... in June)

Funk music peaked in the 1970s with bands like Kool & the Gang and CHIC, who both centered their music on bass lines and even fused the genre with disco.  Recently, there has a been a funk revival that is represented through bands like The Meters and Snarky Puppy.  Leading this revival is the Michigan-born band Vulfpeck.

Vulfpeck is currently considered one of the best and most original funk bands.  Rather than sticking with classic elements of funk, they shift between adding different pieces of jazz and soul, giving their work a unique take on the timeless genre.  A large portion of their songs are instrumental, which represents how talented they are.  All of their songs, both instrumental and vocal, showcase all of the elements equally as to not mask the abilities of the band members individually, along with how well they mesh together.

[Photo:  Vulfpeck]

Very minimalistic, each member and their respective instrument play their role and their role only in the songs.  In "Game Winner" from their 2015 album Thrill of the Arts, singer Charles Jones and guitarist  David T. Walker feature in the song.  The two of them, with Charles also on the rhodes, gives the track a gospel swing.  While the track can appear to be too packed with elements, everything from the synth to the background vocals are distributed evenly, leaving no room for confusion, only room for complete amazement.

The group's talent does not stop at instrumentation and delivery.  They seem to be masters at strategically placing samples throughout their songs.  In "Game Winner," leading out of the bridge with the line "Give me the ball," there is a sample of a basketball swoosh.  Also, the one-minute-long instrumental track "Walkies" on Thrill of the Arts has a dog bark sampled alongside a groovy bass line and a rhodes.

"Christmas in L.A." was first released as an instrumental track on their 2014 EP Fugue State.  The same track was used on Thrill of the Arts, except this time with vocals and the most Christmas-y instrument of all--sleigh bells!  The vocals are often sung by featured artists, however on this track it is sung by Vulfpeck drummer Theo Katzman, who happens to have the perfect funk voice.  The track is also backed by some more gospel-like vocals, giving them a funk-soul fusion.

Vulfpeck is available for purchase and streaming everywhere because they're awesome.  I HIGHLY suggest listening to their albums and EPs in tracklist order.  I mainly say that because "Welcome to Vulf Records" (the first track on Thrill of the Arts) will get you extremely excited for the rest of the album.  The track has an insane piano introduction that really just screams "Opening" and "Listen to me first!"  Listening to it first will only benefit you in the end... I'll place that song below for your convenience.

[Courtesy of Vulfpeck on YouTube]

Purple

Joe Parella, Chris Donofrio, Jon Rodney, and Jozii Cowell may not be familiar names now, but if you wait around a little bit longer, you will know them as the successful and up-and-coming group, Deal Casino.  This alternative rock band has formulated a sound that is unique to them, rather than conforming to the norms of the genre.

[L-R:  Joe P., Jozii, Chris, Jon / Photo: Cody Cutter]

Between 2014 and now, Deal Casino has held residencies at the most popular venues at the Jersey Shore--specifically Asbury Park--quickly earning them recognition as one of the hardest working bands in the scene.  All of their hard work has paid off, giving them a whopping 612,000 streams of their song "Anything That's Bad" on Spotify.  And if that wasn't good enough, their songs have been streamed on Spotify over 1.5 million times.  With a following as large as theirs, what is it about Deal Casino that has drawn so many people in?

Over the past five years, the band has recorded five EPs:  Cocaine Love, The Runaways, Heck, Nika, and their most recent, Human Cannonball.  All recorded at Asbury's Lakehouse Recording Studios, their team includes audio engineer Erik Kase Romero and producer Jon Leidersdorff (aka the owner of Lakehouse).  It is not uncommon for bands to venture into different studios with different producers and engineers to help release their work.  With Deal Casino, however, keeping things consistent has definitely helped their sound naturally progress and mature.  Since the beginning, their recordings have achieved a polished sound, despite their desire to have them sound as if they are live recordings.  For a four-man band, they put out a sound that is well-developed, rich, and are as high in quality as any monumental rock band.

One of my favorite songs by them is "Purple" off of Human Cannonball (the new video was just released so I'll post it below for your convenience).  The song is lined with country-like guitar licks between the stanzas, and pulled together with "Ol' '55" Eagles harmonies in the chorus.  While their musical style is no where close to that of a southwestern / country rock band (like the Eagles), they have strategically placed elements of those genres in their songs.  "Panama Papers" (my personal favorite) has obvious '70s and '80s rock influences, with blaring guitar bends throughout the chorus as well as in individual parts of the song.  The guitar existence in all of their songs is very prominent, which was a common characteristic in 1970s music, regardless of genre.  "Bare Hands," from 2015 EP Nika, the guitar in the chorus and second verse has a groovy vibe, which when followed by "Purple" on a playlist, it is apparent that their signature style has merely just matured, rather than changed

You can purchase their EPs Heck, Nika, and Human Cannonball on iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp, as well as stream them on streaming services.

["Purple" Official Video / Courtesy of Deal Casino on YouTube]

All These Wolves

Flammable Animals, the band that debuted with What Lies Beneath the Parkway North last year, just released All These Wolves, a new EP that exemplifies the main components of alternative rock.  Fast rock tempos, clever hooks, jarring guitar work, and lyrics that make you think instead of just tapping your foot, are just a few of the several things Flammable Animals have seemed to perfect.

Flammable Animals' Debut EP 'What Lies Beneath the Parkway North'

A few months back, bassist Pat Napurano approached me about conducting an interview for this EP, and of course I said yes.  I compiled a list of questions and sat down with Pat in their living room to get a behind-the-scenes look at All These Wolves.

[Artwork:  Michael Burke, Samantha Bastone, and Erin Holmes]

How is this album different from What Lies Beneath the Parkway North?

First off, the production on this is way better - the quality is certainly there.  I think that everyone really pulled together on this one and we all just did our jobs really well.  I think it differs in the fact that it's mature and the songs are just better.

Is there any song in particular that you're really excited for everyone to hear?  And is there any one that you're really excited to play live?

If it's a song I want people to hear, probably "Due North" (Kevin's song).  That's the one I want everybody to hear.  But playing live, probably right now is "Ordinary Threat," 'cause I've been having the most fun with that one live.

Why do you want everyone to hear Kevin's song?

It's totally different in the fact that if you listen to our first EP, and then listen to this one and get to that track, it's just way different than anything we've ever done before.  That's the only song of ours that sounds like that.

I'm going to branch off a little bit from the album.  As a band in general, what would you say your ending goal is as a band?

End goal right now obviously for us is to get signed at some point and really try to do some heavy touring - really get our names out there.  That's pretty much it for right now.  You can't become complacent in what you're doing.  We want to go as far as we can with it.

Bands sometimes change their identities to try to reach that kind of goal and I know you said there's nothing in mind right now, but would you guys ever consider changing who you are in order to get to that point?

No, not at all.  We really love each other, and if you really want to get down to it, sometimes we'll fight like idiots but we do love each other, and that's why I like being in the band, because of who we are when we're around each other.  It works really well for us, so I don't think that will ever change and we will never change who we are, what we do. . .

So even musically you wouldn't change anything?

That's a different story.  Identity is one thing, but changing our sound. . . who knows?  I think this one sounds way different than the last one, and I like that.  I don't want to do two things in a row that are the same.  That was our goal, to really go in the opposite direction.  We targeted a bunch of areas last time to hit, like things we wanted it to sound like, but we also had the mind set of, "Let's stay from things we don't want to sound like," which is just as important, I think.  That's what really came into play here.

When you were writing the album, was there anything you were hoping to achieve with it?

At least on the business end of things, we would like this one to make a bigger impact than the last one did.  Everyone who has heard it liked it so far, so all positive reactions.  I'm interested to see how everyone else feels now.  We wanna see if it makes a bigger splash - there are more people paying attention now.  Artistically, I think this is exactly what we needed production and writing-wise.  I can't wait for everyone to hear this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Boyfriend's Car," the second track on the extended play, was recently released as a music video that you can watch by clicking this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UTvnKEEsD4.

Be sure to get your hands on a copy of All These Wolves, available for purchase NOW on iTunes, Bandcamp HERE, CD Baby HERE, and is also available to stream on Spotify.

Unzip Your Harrington

The first time I listened to the Drowners, I assumed, because of their sound, that they were English.  And don't get me wrong - the Union Jack (even though paired with an American flag) did nothing but add on to the deception from this post-punk NYC-based band.

[Source:  Amazon]

Now, my "false" predictions that the quartet is English weren't completely false.  Lead singer Matthew Hitt moved from Wales to NYC.  See?  I kind of know what I'm talking about!

Anyway, enough with my ongoing obsession with Englishmen.  Everything about this band is perfect.  To start, their songs are not long at all . . . we're talking Beatles lengths.  In fact, only one song from their debut album Drowners was over 3 minutes.  Even though the songs are short, they don't seem unfinished like some shorts songs do.

Their songs are also very lyrically well put together.  "Watch You Change" has the repetitive line "There's not a shoulder cold enough for me to give her," and "Unzip Your Harrington" starts the chorus with "I'm gonna hang around long enough to be part of your furniture."

It's crazy I have gone so long without knowing this band and their music.  Bands with such cool tunes deserve a lot more recognition.  Share them with a friend, they'll probably love them.

Irresistible

Fall Out Boy have done nothing but impress me so far with this new album of theirs, American Beauty/American Psycho, which is set to be released January 20th.  The most recent song released from the new record is "Irresistible" and already holds the number one spot on iTunes, bumping Mark Ronson's and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" to number two and T-Swift's "Blank Space" to number three.  The band also has "Centuries" in the number nine spot.

As put by Ryan Reed in his Rolling Stone article from yesterday, the song is "deadly love."  "You're second hand smoke / I breathe you in, but honey I don't know what you're doing to me" starts the bridge, while lyrics such as "I didn't come for a fight but I will fight till the end / This might be your battle, might not turn out okay" line the verses.

Whether you're a fan or not of this pop punk/alternative rock band, this track - hopefully as well as the rest of the LP - is a must buy.

[Source:  YouTube]

Bohemian Rhapsody

I am really surprised I have neglected to post about this song.  This is, hands down, one of the best songs ever.

The whole five minutes and 55 seconds was written by Freddie Mercury for their 1975 album A Night at the Opera.  While the song held the number-one spot for weeks in the UK, the song would make more appearances in that same position in 1991 immediately following Mercury's death.

It's hard to figure out the best parts of the song.  The harmonies?  The story?  The composition?

"I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all."

"I'm just a poor boy."

"Nobody loves me."

"Nothing really matters."

Nothing really matters.  I mean, the song is pretty depressing when you listen to it.

"Mama, ooh / Didn't mean to make you cry / If I'm not back again this time tomorrow / Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters."

Nothing really matters.  Continue life as you normally would.  Don't let this get in the way of you living your life.  Nothing matters - I don't matter.

You can also interpret this song as being the story of Mercury's life according to himself.  He supposedly felt he wasn't special and that he didn't matter.  But I don't know if that's true.

[Source:  YouTube]

Better Than Words

I have been a fan of One Direction for two and a half years and was never able to get a hold of tickets for any concert.  But that finally changed when tickets for their Where We Are Tour went on sale back in December.  After losing so many sets of tickets, my dad was finally able to get four tickets to see One Direction at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Now, I'm not used to nose bleed seats.  Every concert I have ever been to I have been close.  For example, I was fourth row to see Bryan Adams, 15 feet from Justin Bieber, and 20 feet from the Jonas Brothers.  I guess you could say my dad spoils me.

That was unfortunately not the case last night.  We were section 335, row 24 - there were 26 rows in section 335.

But that didn't stop me from going crazy.

5 Seconds of Summer opened for the boys and they were great.  They also went on at like 7:00 on the dot.

1. Eighteen
2. Heartbreak Girl
3. Don't Stop
4. Teenage Dream (Katy Perry cover)
5. Amnesia
6. Beside You
7. What I Like About You (Romantics cover)
8. Good Girls
9. She Looks So Perfect

I actually lost my voice before One Direction even went on stage from screaming so much during 5SOS' performance.

 Calum

Ashton

Ashton talking...to me

I also spent $75 on merchandise.  I bought a 5 Seconds of Summer shirt and a One Direction tour shirt.

 Front

Back

Okay, Harry looks absolutely fabulous in the big picture on the shirt... not that he ever looks bad, because he doesn't.  I'm just saying.

And now for the main event.

One Direction was, like their song, "Better Than Words."

Now, you're going to think I'm insane because there is no way you already thought that of me.  When One Direction came out at the beginning of the show, when I saw Harry, my legs started shaking, I started crying, and I was hyperventilating.  It got to the point where my friend kept asking if I was okay.

They performed nineteen songs:

1. Midnight Memories (Midnight Memories)
2. Little Black Dress (Midnight Memories)
3. Kiss You (Take Me Home)
4. Why Don't We Go There? (Midnight Memories)
5. Rock Me (Take Me Home)
6. Don't Forget Where You Belong (Midnight Memories)
7. Live While We're Young (Take Me Home)
8. C'mon, C'mon (Take Me Home)
9. Right Now (Midnight Memories)
10. Through the Dark (Midnight Memories)
11. Happily (Midnight Memories)
12. Little Things (Take Me Home)
13. Moments (Up All Night)
14. Strong (Midnight Memories)
15. Better Than Words (Midnight Memories)
16. Alive (Midnight Memories)
17. One Thing (Up All Night)
18. Diana (Midnight Memories)
19. What Makes You Beautiful (Up All Night)

And four encore:

1. You & I (Midnight Memories)
2. Story of My Life (Midnight Memories)
3. Little White Lies (Midnight Memories)
4. Best Song Ever (Midnight Memories)

Harry does this thing at the beginning of "Better Than Words" where he flicks his head back and spits water into the air.  I DIDN'T GET IT ON VIDEO so here's one from YouTube:

All five of them sounded perfect.  You would expect me to say that because I am a huge fan, but I really mean it.  Liam and Zayn had beautiful harmonies during "Moments," too.

Here are some of my pictures.  Videos may be posted on a later date, they just take forever to upload onto Blogger.

 Harry

 Louis

 Niall

 Liam

 Niall and Louis

 Harry

 Louis

 Harry, Niall, Louis

 Niall and Harry

 Harry

Zayn

Start Me Up

I just got home from a vacation to Key West and Miami, Florida.  Even though I live at the Jersey Shore, it was nice to get away to different beaches and see some new and beautiful scenery.

I got to Key West last Monday and drove up to Miami on Thursday.  On Tuesday (while in Key West), we walked around town and went into some of the stores.  I went into a pop culture store with a ton of rare photographs of (and just to name a few) Elvis, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

While speaking to one of the managers, he said that the store owns the negatives to those never-before-seen pictures.  You were able to purchase any picture you wanted, but, for a very high price.  I'd be willing to pay the price for some of those photos.

Anyway, back to the purpose of my story.  So when you walk into this store, the first thing you see is a ginormous (and when I say ginormous I'm talking like 5'x5') picture of The Rolling Stones in New York City before their Ed Sullivan Show debut on October 25, 1964.  It was just the five lads standing in Times Square, which sounds like a normal picture, but it wasn't.  The other pictures in the store (The Rollings Stones especially) were amazing as well.  But this store started my fascination with The Stones.

So then in Miami we did the same thing one day - we walked around and visited some stores.  There was an Effusion Gallery and I went in looking for a nice piece of art for my room and came across this picture of Mick Jagger, one of the coolest guys ever:

Last night, the restaurant we went to (The Betsy Hotel) had incredible pictures hanging in the halls.  For purchase, they had available a number of pictures of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and books called The Lost  Rolling Stones Photographs and The Lost Beatles Photographs.  Both books consist of pictures taken by Bob Bonis, a tour manager for both bands.  Bob's son has given these photos for us to see, and they are some of the best photographs I have ever seen.  All credit goes to the current owner(s) of these photos.

After viewing all of the different pictures of this band, I have developed a huge appreciation for them.  I liked The Stones before, but now I'm a fan.

Tomorrow Never Dies

I am finally going to talk about the much anticipated album entitled 5 Seconds of Summer.

I bought 5 Seconds of Summer's debut album at Target so it came with four exclusive tracks and had a special cover.

The colors available for the Target version are blue, yellow, red, and white

The track listing is as follows:

1. She Looks So Perfect
2. Don't Stop
3. Good Girls
4. Kiss Me Kiss Me
5. 18
6. Everything I Didn't Say
7. Beside You
8. End Up Here
9. Long Way Home
10. Heartbreak Girl
11. Mrs All American
12. Amnesia
13. Tomorrow Never Dies *
14. Independence Day *
15. Close As Strangers *
16. Out of My Limit *
17. Social Casualty **
18. Never Be **
19. Voodoo Doll **
20. Greenlight ***

* Target Exclusive

** Deluxe Edition (available both in stores and online)

*** iTunes Deluxe Edition Bonus Track

It appears that the lads have been busy in the studio with twenty tracks!  If you purchase the album in the UK, "English Love Affair" replaces "Mrs All American," and if you purchase the album in Australia, "Lost Boy" replaces "Mrs All American."

If you purchase the deluxe album in Australia, the extra songs are "English Love Affair," "Social Casualty," "Never Be," and "Voodoo Doll."

If you live in Japan and purchase this album, the Japanese edition bonus tracks are "Heartache On the Big Screen," "The Only Reason," "What I Like About You," "Rejects," "Try Hard," "Social Casualty," "Never Be," and "Voodoo Doll."

I think, overall, the album is very strong.  I have found myself listening to and liking every track.  The only other artist I actually like every single track on the album is One Direction.

5SOS is classified on iTunes as pop, but with piercings, tattoos, edgy style and punk tendencies with a heavy guitar and strong beats on the drums, I kind of classify them as pop punk.  But just when I think one song is pop punk, I listen to a song like "Amnesia" and lean more towards pop.  Most people would say, "Pick a genre."  I don't think they need to.  This album shows that this group can sound pop, alternative, and a little rock, all while never losing the identity they have built for themselves these past few years as a band.

I'm really impressed with this record.  I love how the boys were involved in the writing of every song because each song is personal and you know it was written for the fans and not just for a spot on the charts.

End Up Here

My blog, recently, has been nothing short of a 5 Seconds of Summer tribute.  My apologies.  And while I'll probably post about their new album tomorrow, I couldn't help but post about them today. I just received the new issue of Rolling Stone and am a little upset by the review of their debut record.

To start, the title of the short article was, "An Australian Boy Band in Punk Clothing."  They are not a boy band.  A "boy band" is a group of guys who just sing, look adorable, and occasionally write songs.  One Direction, while my love for them will never die, is a boy band.  5 Seconds of Summer is a band.  Band.  Every track, with the exception of "Amnesia" which was written FOR the band by Benji and Joel Madden, was written by at least one band member, most songs written by two members.  They also all play an instrument.  Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford play guitar, Calum Hood plays bass, and Ashton Irwin plays the drums.  That, my friend, is what a band is.  Caryn Ganz (the writer of this review), are The Beatles a boy band, too?

In the review Ganz states, "...which starts with 'She Looks So Perfect' and proceeds through 11 more übertame pop-punk songs about love and heartbreak that wish they were as great (power ballad 'Beside You' comes closest)."  I, to be completely honest, think a lot of the songs are a lot better than "She Looks So Perfect," being as though it was already a title track on their previous US release with the same name.

As far as rating is concerned, she gave this record three stars.  No, that's not a terrible rating, but I think the boys deserve a little bit more.

I'm not personally attacking her.  She is a critic and is 100% entitled to her own opinion.  I just feel she did it without really knowing anything about the band.

Oh, and they are a completely different label than 1D.  Just so you know.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Tommy Ramone has died at the age of 65.  He was the co-founder of the group and was the last surviving member.

Back in 1974, Tommy, the drummer, formed the band with singer Joey, guitarist Johnny, and bassist Dee Dee.  No, they are not related.  They all decided to take on the same last name for the band.

[Source:  Evening Standard]

Johnny Ramone, left, died in 2004 at the age of 55 from prostate cancer.  Joey Ramone, second from right, died in 2001 at the age of 49 from lymphoma.  Dee Dee Ramone, right, died in 2002 at the age of 50 from a heroin overdose.

Tommy died this past Friday from bile duct cancer.

But even though the original members have died, their presence lives on.  In 2002, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time.

Thnks fr th Mmrs

I went to the Paramore and Fall Out Boy concert on Saturday and it was phenomenal.

The opening act was New Politics, a band from Denmark.  Their English was very good.  I actually did not know they weren't American until one minute ago when I looked up where they were from for the sake of this post.  But aside from that, musically they were fantastic.

Hayley Williams, let me just say, sounded beyond perfect.  Every high note was hot without flaw. She was energetic, entertaining, and very interactive with the audience.  They performed about 15 songs including "Still Into You," "Misery Business," and their most recent single, "Ain't It Fun."

Finally, we had Fall Out Boy.  I never thought I'd get to say I saw Pete Wentz in person.  Great experience, to be honest.  There was fire, sparks, moving TV screens - the group really knows how to put on a show, that's for sure.  Patrick Stump's voice sounded great, too.  They performed 19 songs including "Dance, Dance," "Sugar, We're Goin Down," "Thnks fr th Mmrs," and "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race."

Paramore

Fall Out Boy

**These are all my photos, so if you use them, PLEASE CREDIT ME**

Jamie

My friend introduced the band Basic Vacation to me the other day and I fell in love with their music.

The members are Chris Greatti, Jon Paul, and Mike Montalbano and are from New York City and Philadelphia.  They are signed with Atom Factory Music/Capitol Records.

The first song I listened to (and my favorite) was "I Believe" off of their self-titled EP.  The EP is available on iTunes and contains tracks "I Believe," "Jamie," "It's All Happening," "You're In My Head," and "Worlds Collide."

They actually just performed today at Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware.

I think if you're a fan of the group Passion Pit you will like this band.

[Source:  YouTube]

Lights

I saw Journey in concert last night!  It was a dual concert with the Steve Miller Band.

First off, both acts sounded incredible.  Steve Miller's voice still sounds amazing, and Arnel Pineda sounds EXACTLY like Steve Perry to the point where it's actually very scary.

You know, now that I think about it... I think Arnel is better than Steve Perry.

Steve Miller Band

My favorite song the Steve Miller Band did was, of course, "Abracadabra."  I think it's such a classic tune and it is one of their biggest hits.

 Steve Miller Band

Steve Miller Band

We've always liked Journey in my house, but my dad got really into their music when, if you remember, he talked with the pianist and songwriter for the band, Jonathan Cain (click the photo below to read the post).

So the band sounded remarkable.  Neal Schon performed a breathtaking solo of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that was pretty epic.  If you asked me which song I liked the most last night, I may go with "Faithfully" because that is my favorite song of theirs.

Or maybe I'd say "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)."

But I also like "Any Way You Want It."

I am indecisive.

 Journey

Journey

**These are MY photos.  If you use them, PLEASE CREDIT ME.  Thanks!

Against the Wind

I recently watched Forrest Gump for the millionth time (literally), but I completely forgot how awesome the soundtrack is.

[Source:  Wikipedia]

The CD was released June 28, 1994 with two discs.  It was re-released in 2001 with some additional tracks.

Disc one:

1. "Hound Dog" performed by Elvis Presley
2. "Rebel Rouser" performed by Duane Eddy
3. "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do" performed by Clarence Henry
4. "Walk Right In" performed by the Rooftop Singers
5. "Land of 1000 Dances" performed by Wilson Pickett
6. "Blowin' in the Wind" performed by Joan Baez
7. "Fortunate Son" performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
8. "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" performed by The Four Tops
9. "Respect" performed by Aretha Franklin
10. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" performed by Bob Dylan
11. "Sloop John B" performed by The Beach Boys
12. "California Dreamin'" performed by The Mamas & the Papas
13. "For What It's Worth" performed by Buffalo Springfield
14. "What the World Needs Now Is Love" performed by Jackie DeShannon
15. "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" performed by The Doors
16. "Mrs. Robinson" performed by Simon & Garfunkel

Disc two:

1. "Volunteers" performed by Jefferson Airplane
2. "Let's Get Together" performed by The Youngbloods
3. "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" performed by Scott McKenzie
4. "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" performed by The Byrds
5. "Medley:  Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" performed by The 5th Dimension
6. "Everybody's Talkin'" performed by Harry Nilsson
7. "Joy to the World" performed by Three Dog Night
8. "Stoned Love" performed by The Supremes
9. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" performed by B.J. Thomas
10. "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)" performed by Randy Newman
11. "Sweet Home Alabama" performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
12. "It Keeps You Runnin'" performed by The Doobie Brothers
13. "I've Got to Use My Imagination" performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips
14. "On the Road Again" performed by Willie Nelson
15. "Against the Wind" performed by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
16. "Forrest Gump Suite" composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri

In the 2001 re-release, they added tracks "Running on Empty" performed by Jackson Browne and "Go Your Own Way" performed by Fleetwood Mac.  In the movie, the two songs were featured int he scene where Forrest ran for three years straight.

New Vid!!

5 Seconds of Summer's new music video for their single "Don't Stop!"

[Source:  YouTube]