I'm A Lover Not A Fighter But I'm Battling A Heavy Heart

Loomis and the Lust

PWNZ Like: This Providence, Phantom Planet, John Mayer, The Almost

  

            California can do a lot for a band, from inspiring their music style to their album cover art. For the Santa Barbara-based band Loomis and the Lust, California seems to be nothing but sun, sand, and fun.

           

            I first heard of Loomis and the Lust when they played a free gig at California State University East Bay in Hayward, California in late October. I was instantly attracted to their low-key rock and roll.

 

            According to lead singer Will Loomis, Loomis and the Lust is "a band missin' old-timey music." Nostalgic is right. When you hear their material, you'll be reminded of easy lazy summer days, similar to '60s surf rock.

           

At times, Loomis' voice sounds like John Mayer's. Like the band This Providence, their guitars are simple but memorable; mellow but dancy.

 

            "Break on Love," a track off of the band's latest EP, Nagasha, is a little aggressive and very infectious. Loomis's vocalizing easily gets stuck in your head. The track could easily be a Phantom Planet song. It's an attitude-y song about being overwhelmed by the demands of a relationship. The rhythm of the guitar solo reminds me of The Ting Ting Tings' song "Shut Up and Let Me Go."

 

            "Sweetness" displays Loomis and the Lust's darker side. Loomis' vocals are beautiful and drowsy, with a slight edge to them, and the song is relatively catchy when it gets more fast-paced.

 

            Loomis and the Lust have addictive slow-burning jams. The music is upbeat, but the lyrics are slightly melancholy. They capture the essence of a relaxing hot day at the beach. They set the mood of their hometown perfectly, like We the Kings do with Bradentown, California. Although their lyrics themselves aren't breath-taking, the music is. Loomis and the Lust definitely aren't your average rock band, but they're definitely worth a listen.

Artist Vs. Poet

  

PWNZ Like: Forever the Sickest Kids, Hit the Lights, the Maine, All Time Low

  

            Artist vs. Poet is no stranger to the scene; despite being only a year and a half old, the band was quickly signed to Fearless Records and released a self-titled EP in November of last year, just four months after they had formed.

 

            And now they're back, offering their polished pop-punk sound on their new EP, Damn Rough Night, which will be released on Dec. 15.

 

            Artist vs. Poet don't stray too far from their sound on their first EP, but you can't say Damn Rough Night is an exact replica of their old material. Their lyrics have a simplicity and sheer sincerity, like those of Hit the Lights. AVP's music is like a tuned down version of Forever the Sickest Kids; their songs are short and no-nonsense.

 

            The title track, "Damn Rough Night," is the perfect single. It's insanely catchy; you'll have it stuck in your head for days on end. The music is bright and upbeat, and the lyrics are brutally honest. Like All Time Low, they hold nothing back. "Damn Rough Night" is a tune that'll make you want to dance.

 

            One of my favorite tracks on the album is "Rescue." It's full of hopeful naivety and about depending too much on someone. It's like crashing and burning and coming back with a fierce determination of getting that person back, not being afraid to admit that you need them. Frontman Tarcy Thomason sings:

 

"I'm coming home/

Only 300 miles away/

I thought I was doing just fine/

But you'll be my crutch tonight/

(Woah)/

You're the only one who can be my rescue/

(Don't let go)/

I won't give up/

Let up/

You're my only hope"

 

            Overall, I really liked the album, but I felt like it was too short. "To Hell with the Letdown" wouldn't be my first choice for the last song because I felt like it didn't give the EP an end; it didn't do a good job of wrapping the album up. Don't get me wrong: It's a great song, and I'm not critiquing it, but its placement on the EP. Maybe AVP did it on purpose, leaving it open-ended to make the listener anticipate the release of their up-coming full-length in March.

            AVP might be a young pop band, but this is just the beginning.

 

But we all took a pic with him. Right when I was posing w/ him fer my pic, he did a hair flip and made a movie magic laugh! In the pic I look like I have a mustache!

  

We crossed the street and ran into Tarcy of AVP again. I decided to ask him the Question, too. Apparently he's very moral! Hehehe =)

http://vimeo.com/8005780

The reason he looks so distracted was b/c there was some drunk girl walking down the street coming out of a bar and her drunk friends were laughing at her when she tripped.

Then Kyle came out, and obviously a lot of girls followed!

Nic, Kim, and I decided to put ourselves in a wedge between the wall and some girls in front of the barricade when we saw Caleb emerging from the darkness.

"Caleb!" ppl screamed. He made his way over slowly. Everyone opened their arms to hug hum, and he had his little arms open, too. He ignored everyone else and walked into Nic's arms, hugging her tightly! =) I couldn't believe it! It was such a sweet hug! Everyone called fer his attention.

"Caleb!" I said, and he came to our little corner.

OMFG, Caleb looked so cute in his little red glasses; they matched his hair! =) Caleb said he'd lost his voice because he was sick, so I decided not to ask him the Question. I took a pic with him and Nic did too. =)

OMFG, hella scandalous! Caleb gave Nic a kiss on the cheek in her picture without her even having to ask fer it! Totally jealous! =) He looked so cute; it was kriffing insane!!! =)

 

 

                Kim was gonna take a pic, too, but he said he had to go back and get his jacket, so Caleb went away. We were waiting patiently for him when Ziggy (FTSK's merch guy) came. He was loading up the merch onto the trailer with ben from SIL.

            Ppl were telling him to tell Caleb to come back, but he said "I'm not even on the bus! I'm still loading the merch!"

            He was walking away when a bunch of girls started whistling and hooting. Ziggy stopped in his tracks and started flexing his muscles. He went all male model on us! Hehehe =) he came back and started shaking his butt, very Nate Flynn-esque! =)

            Nic asked him to sign her green lollipop (w/ the wrapper still on).

            Ziggy threw up his arms into the air and said "Oh my god! I'm famous!" Hehehe =) Ziggy's so cute! Then we took pix w/ him.

            Ziggy worked the crowd for a little longer, then got back to work. Everyone was having fun, except for one girl.

            She had been in front of me before Caleb had left & had asked me if her memory card fit in my camera so I could take a pic of her and Caleb.

            "Sure," I said, taking out my memory card and putting hers in, remembering when my camera had failed @ the AP tour in April. She had made a t-shirt that said 'I ♥ Caleb!' it was really cute. She had blonde hair and a pony tail. She had gotten J-Cook to sign her shirt.

            She looked kind of nervous. "Did you come here alone?" I asked.

            "No I came w/ my friends. They're really mad at me. They're in the ca but I want to meet Caleb." I nodded, feeling sympathetic.

            But then her dad came and made her go, even if she begged him. It broke my heart when her eyes welled up w/ tears. I gave back her memory card and she left.

            We waited for a long time for Caleb, exactly 14 minutes. Kyle was still by the trailer, so we decided to abandon our post for a bit.

            I got Kyle to sign my poster. When he was signing it I asked him if he liked Star Wars.

            "What?" he said and leaned down to hear me. I asked him again & his eyes opened wide. "Yes."

            I asked him who his favorite character was & he said the Ewoks. I asked him if he meant the leader he looked @ me questioningly. I sounded so dumb! =( I had forgotten the leader's name (it's Wicket W. Warrick)

"IDK," he said. "The leader or the cute one that always falls."

BTW, this is Warrick!

Nic got him to sign her lollipop. He did weird things! When I handed him my poster, he said "Sharpie? Check." When I gave it to him he hugged Nic w/ my Sharpie in hand. He almost poked my eye out! The Sharpie was like, literally a few centimeters away from my eye! "You almost poked my eye out!" I said in surprise.

            "It wasn't even close," he said, his eyes turning into playful, faux-angry slits. He tilted his chin down to cast shadows on his face and look like a 'villain'!

            I asked Kyle if I could ask him the Question on video and he said no, stressing emphasis on the 'no'. He said he'd taken a vid w/ a fan, who posted it on YouTube. It was a "bad video w/ a lot of girls", according to Kyle. He said the label got mad @ him and he had to pay $10,000. IDK what this scandalous video is about! =/ does anyone know?

            I asked him again b/c I thought he had been kidding. He hadn't.

            I asked him for a pic and he said 'yes!'. We all took pix w/ him. When kim was taking a pic w/ him, she told me she told him that he smelled nice, like a dash of Axe cologne. He sniffed her hair and leaned down to whisper, "That one's a keeper." I saw Kyle sniff Kim's hair! Weird, I know!

            I was walking away w/ Kim and Nic to where they were waiting for Caleb, when I called out "CLIF bars!"

            I remembered that we had bought the bars for Kyle and took them out of the backpack.

            "Emergency delivery!" I said, trying to get through the crowd & to Kyle. "Emergency delivery!" I repeated. The girls in front of me didn't budge.

            I was upset. Why didn't they move? It was an emergency! =(

Kyle came towards where I was standing and the girls (who didn't move) were about to ask fer a pic when I cut in. Hehehe =) That was my little revenge!

"Kyle I got you these! Didn't you ask fer them?" I held out the CLIF bars. "IDK what flavors you like," I explained, shrugging.

Kyle had taken the 2 CLIF bars, holding one in each hand. "Oh my god!" he screamed, looking up at me with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

He thrust out the CLIF bars. I was scared (Kim says my eyes went wide!) b/c I couldn't understand what I'd done wrong! =/ Did he hate the flavors?! What did I do?!!!!

Kyle walked through the girls who were watching us, holding out the CLIF bars with Frankenstein arms.

IDK why. I know it's dumb but I was scared and I thought he was gonna hit me or something.

His face hadn't changed, still wide-eyed and his mouth was slightly open "It's a hug," Kyle reassured me. "It's a hug."

He wrapped his arms around me and I wrapped mine around his waist. I remembered telling Nic that I had wanted to slap Caleb Turman's butt. I had read on FuckyeahARTTM's blog a while ago when ppl were talking on Formspring.com about butt-touching (accidental or otherwise). Someone had said they almost slapped Caleb's butt, but Caleb had turned to look at them before they acted and they didn't do it. It sounds crazy, I know! But I wanted to finish the job.

My mind was a blur and I almost spanked Kyle! IDK, I was crazy. I had lifted up my arm and was gonna do it when I realized, 'WTF am I doing?!' and put my hand back down.

Afterwards Kim and Nic told me we had been hugging fer like 10 seconds or more, the world's longest hug (fer me at least! Hehehehe =)) I didn't feel the time.

I broke away from Kyle and he explained to me that one of the CLIF bars was his favorite flavor and he'd tried te other one before and liked it (they were Black Cherry Almond and Crunchy Peanut Butter, but I'm still not sure which one he was talking about).

I smiled and said bye, a little shaken! =) Emotional roller coaster, man! =)

We went back to the barricade. While we waited we saw Pat Brown of Sing It Loud going into the bus with his lil suitcase. Everyone yelled out fer him to come over, but he didn't. =/

Caleb was coming back! We took some pix of him while we waited fer him. He did the weirdest thing, like twitching his nose like a bunny! All the girls were laughing and Kim called him a rabbit. Kim got to ask him fer a pic.

Someone came and told the guys to hurry b/c there was a cop that wanted them off the street.

"Oh, really?" Caleb said, his eyes wide. The guy nodded.

"Caleb, can I please get a pic?" Kim asked. "I've been waiting here forever!"

Caleb said ok and they took this amazing pic! She'd had to wait fer 21 minutes!

 

Before we left, we took this cute pic of Kyle! =)

We waited around but no one else came out, so we walked down to McDonald's, about 7 streets down to meet my Dad.

That was my experience! =) My legs hurt but it was so worth it! Cheap Date PWN'd!

Link me to any concert blogs by y'all! I wanna read them!

 

San Francisco was cold, dark and windy.

My sister Kim and I went with our friend Nic to San Francisco on Friday to see Artist vs. Poet, Sing it Loud, the Rocket Summer, Forever the Sickest Kids and My Favorite Highway at the Cheap Date tour at the Regency Ballroom.

We had originally planned to leave right at 4PM, but we got delayed and went about 20 min. late =( we went to pick up Nic. It was going to be her first concert ever and I was happy to share that experience with her.

By the time we got there, there was already a line that stretched onto the other side of the street! =( I was bummed out to say the least. I had wanted to be one of the first to get in or at least close to the beginning of the line.

I was left alone in line while Nic and Kim went to Peet's Coffee shop to get a hot cocoa and a chocolate chip cookie. While they were gone, I endured the ridiculous cold. No kidding! It was fucking freezing and I couldn't stop myself from shaking!!! =(

But across the street from us were the band's buses and trailers. I saw some guy walk to the side of the bus with Sing it Loud's Sick Boy!!!! I wasn't sure it was him though. He was pretty far away. But it turned out that it was! I wanted to go and talk to him but I knew I'd lose my place. The line was getting bigger! Insane big! =/ I was really happy I wasn't at the very back.

Sick Boy left and Kim and Nic came back. I tried to tell them I thought I spotted Sick Boy! =) a few minutes after that we got a glimpse of him walking around and Kim confirmed that it WAS Sick Boy! =)

The guy Sick Boy had been walking w/ before was going around the line saying 'meet and greets'!

Nic asked him what he meant but the guy said forget it and rudely walked away! =( a bunch of people followed the guy and went down the street where the end of the line was. There was some tall guy in a beanie and a striped jacket we thought was Kyle! (It wasn't IDK who he is!) And we were really jealous b/c we thought it was FTSK, but it was probably My Favorite Highway or something b/c I didn't recognize anyone there.

When we were getting into the venue, it was late, like 6:15PM or something. We had to open our black backpack to some security guard woman, who inspected it and confiscated our Sharpies! =( she also took a bar or Twix and bag of Skittles. =( I was totally bummed out and PO'd. we'd bought those candies for the guys! (Twix for Kieren Smith of Sing it Loud b/c he's as sexy as chocolate! Hehehe =) and Sour Skittles for Nate Flynn!)

She said she'd give it back to us after the show =( I was happy Kim had hidden our presents in a small purple bag inside the backpack, hidden by scarves. =0 we had bought Jason Dean of Artist Vs. Poet a blue lightsaber, Star Wars sticker book and Star Wars playing cards since he, like us, was a Star Wars fan. =) we bought Kyle Burns of FTSK 2 CLIF bars, Crunchy Peanut Butter and Black Cherry Almond. He'd asked for them on his Twitter (but didn't specify which flavors he wanted!) so we bought them at Walgreens. =) we also brought a Flapjack pin for Bryce Avary of the Rocket Summer. I love Flapjack! =) And Bryce reminds me of him that's why I wanted to give it to him.

I saw FTSK necklaces on sale for $10. I always wanted once since I saw J-Cook wearing it. But I didn't buy it b/c I thought I'd spend my money on other shirts.

I bought FTSK's latest EP from Ziggy, their merch guy. Ziggy gave me a big promo poster of the band with my purchase.

I bought TRS's EP from Bryce's wife, I think. A pretty girl with auburn hair who also gave me a free TRS poster!

I bought AVP's EP and a purple SIL shirt.

On the back of the EP it said that their full length would come out March 2, 2010! I can't wait! =)

While I was buying the EP, Nic came out to get me and we walked towards the stage next to Kim. We were in the 3^rd row, waiting for AVP to start.

We were totally stoked! I'd never seen them live before and I wanted to see them in action.

They came on and started out with a weird metal-ish song I'd never heard before! It was weird! =) it sounded techno-ish! It was pretty crazy.

Jason Dean was head-banging hardcore w/ Tarcy onstage.

AVP setlist

•1)      Weird metal song

•2)      Assurance Closure

•3)      Lisa Marie

•4)      Damn Rough Night

•5)      Runaway

 

During "Lisa Marie", Tarcy wrapped the mic cord around his neck. I was totally stoked! =) I really like "Runaway" and "Damn Rough Night" so I was happy they played them.

My Favorite Highway came on, some guys I'd never heard of. Not to be mean or anything but all their songs sounded the same and a little cheesy live like they were trying to rip off Bryce Avary or something. IDK about them =(

Things got interesting when the second song hit. We saw Nate Flynn on the side of the stage, taking pix of the band playing live w/ his phone. He was mouthing the words. We tried to take pix of him but his side of the stage was really dark and you really couldn't see anything I the pix!

MFH played "Say So" and pat brown came onstage and started singing w/ them.

During the set we saw Jason Dean on his phone in the balcony! OMFG I love Jason Dean! He totally PWNZ! I waved @ him and he smiled, waving back! Then I made a heart w/ my hands and he made the heart back! =) you can only imagine what a total fan girl moment I had! =)

We looked up at the balcony and saw Craig Calloway and Tarcy Thomason from AVP making out w/ their girlfriends (hardcore)!!!! It was weird and I felt embarrassed and we looked away. =(

After MFH, SIL came on. That was our second time seeing Sing it Loud (we saw them @ warped) but Kieren wasn't there.  =( it totes bummed me out b/c I really like Kieren. I totally regretted not meeting him @ Warped. I thought it was going to be my chance to meet him on Cheap Date, but I guess it wasn't =( the band started out w/ "Best Beating Heart" and Pat Brown and Nate Flynn were bouncing around towards the end of the song. He had on only a blue jacket and it was unzipped. Nate Flynn looked like he was in pure joy, dancing the whole way through the set. 

Pat Brown said that it was a special night b/c Nate Flynn got a mic, since Kieren wasn't there. Nate Flynn called the crowd "beautiful people" and the explained that at the LA stop, which was the one before ours, their trailer broke down and Kieren had to stay back w/ it to buy another one. They said that they had originally planned to cancel the rest of the dates, but changed their minds.

Nate Flynn said that in LA someone had stolen his & Kieren's iPhones, Pat brown's laptop and $140 from Nate Flynn's wallet. They said the trailer broke down 2 separate times during the tour & according to Nate Flynn, the band had a "rough week". =( I felt really bad for them. How could anyone do something like that?!?!?! How could someone steal something so important from them w/ all their personal info?

During the set, Nate Flynn stopped & told the crowd to chant "Kieren!" while he filmed it. He said he was gonna send it to Kieren in LA. =) I thought that was really sweet of him =) I chanted Kieren's name as loud as I could.

SIL sang "Sugar Sweet", a new track off their album coming out in March. I took a vid of it. It's a bit messed up b/c ppl kept crowd surfing! Hehehe =) they hit me a couple of times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj1iku0R0ow

During the song, Nate Flynn was dancing and shaking his booty next to Ben. Ben slapped his butt!!!! Scandalous, I know! =) the band said they wanted to come to SF in March. At the end, Nate Flynn crowd surfed bare-chested! I was totally stoked! He came like, right next to me through the crowd! =) kim touched his armpit & I touched his armpit, sweaty arm and his chest! Nate looked like he was really happy, his eyes closed and smiling all the time, but then he looked like he was in pure ecstasy when my hand was on top of his nipple! =)

That was kriffing* crazy! =) it was really soft and I kid of massaged it for at least 10 seconds! Hehehe =)

Nate flynn's a total hottie!

Sing it Loud setlist:

•1)      Best Beating Heart

•2)      Bite Your Lip

•3)      Sugar Sweet

•4)      I've Got A Feeling

•5)      No One Can Touch Us

•6)      Come Around

When they were setting up for The Rocket Summer, Bryce had these little globes that lit up and said things like "Hope, truth, frustration, self-improvement, restoration, failure and triumph" then Bryce came out & he was doing solos on all his instruments, smiling at the crowd, pointing and looking really cute. Then he started dancing and did the moonwalk! =) everyone cheered! He looked totally cute!

During "You Gotta Believe", Pat Brown came out to sing w/ him.

Bryce took a picture of the crowd and posted it on his Facebook.

After a few songs, Bryce disappeared from the stage, surprising everyone. Then he suddenly said, "Hey, I'm here in the crowd!" (Or something along the lines of that). Everyone screamed & turned around. I ran off, abandoning Kim & Nic & went to where Bryce was. Unfortunately, there was a really big crowd where Bryce was. Everyone had their camera out, so it was kind of hard to take pix of him. =(

He finished the song he dedicated to the organization, Invisible Children, and said that he wanted to get back to the stage, but he needed everyone's help. Everyone was kind of confused, but then it registered; he wanted to crowd surf! =) & Bryce did! I took these pix!

Bryce is so amazing! When he got back to the stage, he sang "Hills & Valleys" and threw confetti. We picked up some and put it in a plastic baggie.

The Rocket Summer setlist:

•1)      Break it Out

•2)      Do You Feel

•3)      Save Me

•4)      You Gotta Believe (feat. Pat Brown!)

•5)      So Much Love (amazing song, I love it!)

•6)      An old TRS song

•7)      Hills & Valleys (OMFG, my fave off the EP!)

•8)      So, In This Hour

While FTSK were setting up, Tarcy of AVP & Pat brown appeared on the balcony w/ some fans, but you can't see Tarcy in this pic. BTW, Pat's the one in the gray tank!

I think this is when tarcy took the pic of the crowd that he posted on his Twitter.

Pat brown had a drink in his hand. I waved frantically as he looked down at the crowd, hoping that he would see me, but I knew my chances were slim. =/ he did & he waved back! =) I knew I was pushing my luck, hoping the same thing w. Jason Dean would happen w/ the heart, so I raised my hands & made another heart. He's not gonna do it, he has a drink in his hand, I thought. To my surprise, pat proved me wrong. He put down his drink on the railing and made a heart back!!!! =) Hehehe he totally PWNZ! I don't believe it! I love Pat Brown! =)

A loud screeching came on through the speakers and a fake principal's voice (named "Mr. Mister"!) came over the PA, greeting the students @ FTSK High School, calling in 6 'students' to the 'office'. All of FTSK came out, jumping around.

They launched into "Believe Me, I'm Lying".

During the set, Jonathan Cook was playing w/ the mic chord, saying that he loved the crowd and we were "on steroids". During the set, Kim put her arm up in the air and J-Cook interpreted it as a wave and waved back! =) Kim was like 'OMFG!' next to me.

Jonathan was air-guitar-ing during one of the songs, being really energetic & jumping all over the place. He asked the crowd to do spirit fingers & the all did.

Caleb & Jonathan said that SF was the most beautiful city & they said they'd never seen so many kids jumping @ one of their shows. Jonathan said he'd gone to Fisherman's Warf & bought an oyster. He said that when he opened the oyster, there was a little pearl inside and that he'd keep it to remember SF forever! =) I thought that was so sweet! =) Then Caleb did this weird jazzy "Ooh!"

            They left abruptly, and the crowd started cheering "one more song! One more song!" Kim was totes stoked because they came back out and eventually played "What Do You Want From Me," her fave song off The Weekend: Friday EP. Jonathan said he really meant it when he said San Francisco was his home away from home and that he was so sorry it took so long to come back. =)

FTSK Set list:

•1)      Believe Me I'm Lying 

2) Catastrophe 

3) Hey Brittany 

4) Becky Starz 

5) The Way She Moves

6) Breakdown

7) She's A Lady

8) What Do You Want From Me

9) Whoa! (Me vs. Everyone)

 

When their set ended, we made a pit stop in the bathroom. We fixed our hair to look acceptable

fer the pictures and did a quick recap of what had happened.

            We got out and went to the lobby, where ppl were buying merch and the guys from bands were talking to fans. We looked around fer the security guard woman who'd taken the candy and sharpies, but we couldn't find her at all. =(

            Then we saw Jason Dean of Artist vs. Poet by the bar, standing next to the AVP merch table all alone. We immediately went to him. He was tall, stunning, drop-dead gorgeous! =) His blue eyes stood out against his pale skin and he had a delicious smile. He had really sexy freckles.

            "Hi, Jason!" I said. He smiled and said hi back. I asked him if he'd gotten my Tweet (I'd tweeted him earlier that day, my tweet reading: "@JasonAVP: San Francisco surprise! Impending..." He said no, what did it say?

            I asked him if he was a Star Wars fan.

            "Yeah, yeah, I am," he said, the question bringing a smile to his lips. He looked at me right in the eyes and I got all nervous and embarrassed (he's so hot!) and looked down.

            "Well, since I knew you liked Star Wars, we got you something!" I was unzipping the backpack and Kim later told me that he had looked really curious.

            I took out the Star Wars stuff, handing it to him.

            "You shouldn't have!" he said all excited. He was beaming, his eyes wide and a big smile on his face. He gave me a hug. =)

            He thanked us as I broke away from the hug. But Kim came forward and I hugged Nic, calling out a group hug. =)

            Jason said, "Group hug!" and Kim said "Group hug!" right after him. We embraced! =) Gah, I get so giddy just thinking about it! OMFG, Jason Dean! 0_o Then we took pix with him.

 

          "Can I ask you a question on video?" I asked Jason. He was still smiling and played with the lightsaber. It shot open and came close to hitting a girl in a purple shirt with blond hair in the face!

            "Sure," Jason Dean nodded. I asked him the Question, a Question I ask ppl I meet at concerts from now on. I tried to ask, "If ye had to choose, would you rather die in a zombie invasion in 2012 or an asteroid hitting the Earth in 2036?" The big dumbo that I am, I paraphrased and called it a meteor instead of an asteroid. =( But he answered! =) He PWNZ! I loved his answer, he's so hot! He was playing with the lightsaber through the video, just watch the blue blur on the bottom right side of the vid.

http://vimeo.com/8005888

            I asked him who his fave Star Wars character was.

            "Ah, that's a toss-up," he replied, thinking about it. He looked down at me. "I really like Boba Fett, but I also like Darth Maul," he said. He went on to tell me that he also like Luke Skywalker.

 

 

He asked me who my fave character was and I said, "Greedo! He's evil and all."

 

            Then he asked if I watched the animated series on Cartoon Network and I answered yes before he finished the question, thinking he was talking about Star Wars: Clone Wars animated movie that came out like last year. So basically, I lied to Jason Dean. =(

            Kim asked him if he read the novels, and he said "Yeah!" He asked me which one was the last one I'd read and I said that Kim and I were reading a Darth Bane novel (Star Wars: Darth Bane: Path Of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn, to be exact).

 

            He said he'd never heard of Darth Bane before. I asked him what was the last book he'd read, and he was about to answer, but he got distracted. Nic had already gone away, so I just went after her.

            Next to the merch table and behind the bar was AVP's Craig Calloway! He had on a cute plaid shirt and was just standing around. I noticed he was wearing the same brand (SV) as Cameron Leahy from The Downtown Fiction and Nick Santino of ARTTM.

            We took pictures with him. He was really nice and cute! Kim told him his cheek was really soft and he just laughed cutely! =)

 

            Tarcy was standing right next to him, so we asked him fer a picture. =) He was being really nice and looked cutely nervous! =)

 

            The merch tables were right next to each other, and Sick Boy of Sing It Loud was just a few feet away. We thanked Tarcy and went over to take pix with Sick Boy! =) He looks sickly cute! Hehehehe =)

 

 

            After that, we saw a big line at the TRS merch table, next to SIL's, and I saw Bryce! I was like, OMFG, it's Bryce! I'd never met him before, so I was really excited! =) I cut in line (I'm evil, I know, but it's not like anyone noticed).

           

            "Who is he?" Nic asked me.

            "He's Bryce Avary of the Rocket Summer," I explained. "He's the one who looks like Flapjack."

            "Did you say Flapjack?" a girl in front of me asked. She looked mildly amused.

            "Yeah, doesn't Bryce look like him?" I answered.

            "I totally see the resemblance!" she laughed after studying Bryce fer a few seconds.

            The line moved and the girl took a picture with Bryce, and we were almost up next.

            Some ppl had bought posters and were getting Bryce to sign them. He had a black Sharpie and was signing someone's poster before we got to him.

            "I'm sorry," he said, shaking the Sharpie back and forth. "It's fading." He scrunched up his nose and looked at the person, then retraced his signature.

            There was another girl in front of me who asked if I could take a pic of her with Bryce. I said sure and she thanked me. After I took it, she told me it looked perfect! Hehehe =)

            "Hi, Bryce!" I said coolly, holding out my hand. I asked him if he could sign it and handed him a little red Sharpie I'd found. I felt so lucky I'd gotten it! =) He did sign it! =)

 

            I asked him if he'd ever heard of Flapjack.

            His eyebrows scrunched up in thought, his mouth forming a smile.

            "No, what's that?" he asked, shaking his head.

            "It's a cartoon, and you remind me of the main character," I explained. I took the Flapjack pin out of my pocket and gave it to him. He held it up to his face, studied it, and laughed.

            "He's cute, blond, and bubbly, just like you!" I kinda regretted telling him that later, but at least it made him laugh! =)

            I asked him fer a pic, and he said yes.

            "Can I have this?" he asked, holding up my little red Sharpie. "I'll give you this," he said, wagging the malfunctioning black Sharpie at me.

            "You want mine fer the one who doesn't work?" I asked, thinking out loud. My eyebrows rose up in surprise.

            "Yeah," he answered, half-whispering. He sounded reluctant.

            "No," I said, embarrassed and looking down. I knew that Bryce needed it and wanted it, but I needed it, too. I didn't have another Sharpie, and I wanted to get some things signed.

            "I'm sorry," he said regrettably. "That was so low of me. You don't have to give it to me. But you can if you want to," he added as an afterthought.

            "No," I said. "Thanks, Bryce."

            I immediately felt guilty as Nic, Kim, and I walked away. I felt selfish. Bryce needed that damn Sharpie. Who was I to say no?

            We continued our search for the security guard woman, but she was nowhere in sight. We were totally worried. We asked one of the security guards if he'd seen the woman. He said he'd check, and it turns out she'd already left.

            The guards told us there was a bag of all the stuff they'd confiscated and we could look fer our stuff there. But someone had already taken the candy!! =( But at least they left our big-ass black Sharpie, normal black and silver Sharpies. =/ Not only had they taken the Twix bar and the bag of Sour Skittles, they'd also taken my orange Sharpie! =( I was so mad. How could someone steal something like that?! =(

            We went outside the venue, and that's when it hit me that I should've gone back and given it to Bryce, since now I had most of my markers back, but I couldn't since there was no re-entry! =( I felt really guilty, and I promised myself that next time I go see TRS, I'd sneak a whole pack of little Sharpies to make it up to Bryce! =)

            We saw some girls waiting by the buses. Security had put a barricade that reached from the back of a bus' trailer to the wall of the Regency, cutting off the side of the street next to the venue.

            All of a sudden, Jonathan Cook was walking up the closed-off street, pushing the barricade to get our and then putting it back in place!

            OMFG! I couldn't believe it was J-Cook! =) He was wearing a leather jacket over a white shirt, a cute blue Neff beanie, and a sombrero tied around his neck.

            He looked totes cute! =) Everyone gathered around him as he was getting out of the barricade, and it was really hard to get his attention.

            "Let's move over here guys!" he said, walking to the corner of the street. "I'm getting claustrophobic!"

            But Jonathan didn't like that spot fer long either, and made us move onto the sidewalk.

            It was really crazy! There were so many people! Nic got him to sign a green lollipop she'd brought to the show, and he did! I got him to sign my FTSK poster and was about to ask him fer a picture and he looked at me momentarily, but then got distracted again.

            Kim and I did manage to take pix with him.

Nic didn't want to b/c she got upset that she kept asking and she thought he was ignoring her, when in reality it was just that he was overwhelmed with all the fans.

I wanted to ask him the Question too and while we were waiting, Kim took this awesome picture!

It's so cute! OMFG OMFG! I love his smile! He looks really hot! Hehehehe =)

Moments after Kim took that picture, Jonathan went all rebellious! He turned to the Regency's wall and tagged it up! Hehehehe =) We caught him in the act, but I didn't understand what it means!

I finally got his attention and asked if I could take the vid. He said sure, and I asked him the Question and he came up with a random answer! Hehehehe =) He made everyone laugh!

IDK why he walked away so hurriedly! I think he just did it fer the vid, to make it look like a dramatic exit. Hehehehe =) He had nowhere to go but straight into the wall!

http://vimeo.com/8005936

After Jonathan, we turned around and went towards the back of the trailer. Austin was standing there in his beanie, crowded by girls.

I asked him if I could ask him the Question and he said yes. Hehehehe =) Austin's so funny!

http://vimeo.com/8006003

The reason I look kinda off at the end of the vid is b/c I asked Austin why he was looking at me if he was s'posed to be talking to the camera.

"Well, you're the one asking the question," he laughed. Everyone laughed at me! I felt embarrassed! Hehehe =) Austin's so evil!

 

 

==========================

too long! continuing my part 2 later!

-Jack

Forever the Sickest Kids

PWNZ like: A Rocket to the Moon, Call the Cops!, Sing it Loud, the Maine

The Ft. Worth./Dallas, Texas six-piece techno-happy party monster known as Forever the Sickest Kids released their EP, The Weekend: Friday, the first installment of a three-part EP series on Nov.17. The band, who came together in college a few years back, decided to release an EP every six months instead of devoting their time to recording a full-length that would keep their fans waiting two years for new material.

            Friday is a fast-paced mood-lifting hyper EP. The band consistently delivers adrenaline-shot songs, never stopping and keeping the listener engaged, very much like This Century's To Love and Back EP. The order of the songs on the EP complements each song. They skillfully ease you into the next song.

            "Tough Love", the third track off the seven-song EP, could very well be a bonus track on Underdog Alma Mater. It's reminiscent of "Breakdown" and "Catastrophe." It's a love-lorn powerpop song about a harsh breakup that leaves the lover questioning what caused the end of the relationship. With hints of self-doubt, the lover recognizes he's made mistakes, but still wants to salvage the relationship. In the song, vocalists Jonathan Cook, Austin Bello, and Caleb Turman sing: 

"She was the one/

The only one for me/

I made mistakes/

But she always forgave me/

She was the one/

My only obsession/

She kept my feet on the ground/

She kept my head in the clouds" 

            "Hip Hop Chick", on the other hand, is a weird song-but in a good way. The song is about trying to date outside of a music genre-in other words, a scene boy's journey as he dates a Jay-Z-loving hip hop chick that alters the boy's appearance and molds him into the ideal hip hop boy (i.e. saggy pants, Soulja Boy dancing). It's a funny song about trying to be something you're not in order to impress someone else. The song's beats are so sugary, they're sure to give you cavities.

            Forever the Sickest Kids' song "What Do Want from Me" has an air of Blink-182 and early-era Simple Plan. It's straightforward and brutally honest, capturing a troubled teenager's encounter of trying to prove themselves to their peers, in this case through drinking and facing fake friends. "What Do You Want from Me" is a memorable song off the album, packing the energy of going to an FTSK gig. Gang vocals galore! Midway through the song you'll have the chorus memorized and you'll find yourself singing along. This energetic song does the band justice, and sounds like it's perfect to play live.

            Despite all this, the album is a little confusing. Just when you think the album ended perfectly on "What Do You Want from Me", FTSK throw you a curveball. The last song, "Hawkbot", mentions head spins and robots, and it's difficult to grasp its meaning. It has a decent beginning, opening up with a futuristic Cook and incessant beats, and then launches into Chae Hawk's guest vocals, which are at times incomprehensible. You keep waiting for FTSK to jump in and reclaim the song, but they let the guest vocalist dominate the song, allowing Hawk to drone on for too long.  By the time FTSK jump in near the end of the song, it's too late.  The vocals feel out of place, like Cobra Starship's "Damn You Look Good and I'm Drunk (Scandalous)" with the V.I.P. Boys and A Rocket to the Moon's 'Sometimes' with Eye Alaska's Brandon Wronski. The song profoundly confuses the listener, prompting them to think, "Wasn't I listening to FTSK? Who turned on the radio to the mainstream rap radio station?" It makes you wonder-did the aforementioned hip hop chick put Cook up to this? We appreciate that FTSK experimented, but experiments are not always successful.

            Nevertheless, Camp FTSK did a good job on this EP. They consistently kept the album upbeat and poppy, capturing the anxiety and excitement of a Friday. Forever the Sickest Kids are pure energy personified. With their original sound, FTSK are a rarity in the music industry; you can compare them to a lot of bands, but no one can match them just quite right.

 

Listen to the album at: http://www.imeem.com/artists/forever_the_sickest_kids/album/Kavqr3Ys/the-weekend-friday-album/

 

Flyleaf

 

            PWNZ like: Evanescence, VersaEmerge, AFI, There for Tomorrow

  

            Temple, Texas natives, Flyleaf is a Christian hardcore band, fronted by Lacey Mosley, with lead guitarist and background singer Sameer Bhattacharya, background singer and rhythm guitarist Jared Hartmann, bassist and background singer Pat Seals and drummer James Culpepper. The band gained fame from their debut self-titled 2005 release and are back with a vigorous theatrical album, Memento Mori (Latin for 'remember you will die'), issued by A&M/Octone Records.

            This time around the band is reaching for higher heights, going for a more grandiose arena-ready sound like AFI. Their new songs are powerful and demand your attention. Despite being a Christian band, Flyleaf's lyrics aren't centered around religion; instead they are ambiguous, blurring the line between fantasy and reality, in a very Evanescence cred-worthy way.

            The first single off the album is "Beautiful Bride", a hypnotizing song that would fit perfectly on Flyleaf. It's thundering drums with air-punching riffage, reminiscent to Muse during Flyleaf's edgier, more aggressive moments. This track is a great way to start off the album, because it hits the ground running and gets the listener excited for what's to come.

            "Missing" is an outstanding track off the new record. In it, Mosley's voice is mystifying. Her voice conveys feeling confused and lost amongst the chaos of the music. The song is admirable with its sentimentality and honesty. In it, Mosley sings:

Something's missing in me/

I felt it deep within me/

As lovers left me to bleed/

Alone

 

            Memento Mori is a befitting representation of Flyleaf's sound. The album is a haze of emotions, showing the band's ability to switch from blissful fantasy to their fierce metal side. The songs have a flow to them, making the album song like an elongated song.

            I just wish the songs lasted longer. I was given a fleeting taste of the music, but I felt like I wasn't able to fully savor them, leaving me wanting more.

           Listen to a free stream of the album here: http://www.imeem.com/artists/flyleaf/album/bWqPfmio/memento-mori-album

The Almost

  

PWNZ like: Ryan Adams, The Starting Line, the Silversun Pickups, Anthony Green, Taking Back Sunday

            The Almost have no boundaries. The side project of the successful Christian metal-core Underoath's drummer, Aaron Gillespie, the Almost has progressed greatly since their 2007 debut, Southern Weather.

            The young band released their sophomore 12-song album, Monster Monster, earlier this month. The Almost's sound is mature and toned-down, more so than their previous album. The chaotic drums and guitars remind me of The Rocket Summer's song "You Gotta Believe."

           "Hands" is a fearless track off the record with steady handclaps and stomps. Its youthful "so what?" attitude is charismatic and draws the listener in. The use of such a wide range of instruments, from uplifting piano to a tambourine work well together, makes the track memorable.

           The acoustic "Hand Grenade" is a gloriously stripped down number reminiscent of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals' song "Crossed out Name." It's a solid country song, where Gillespie's vocals sound hopeful and dreamy, making the overall song feel intimate and personal.

"If you're an ocean/
Then I wanna jump right in/
If you're a hand grenade/
Then I'll pull the pin/
I'll wait right here, all night for you/
To let me in and I'll run run run run/
Run right back to you, I'll run,"Gillespie croons.

           Other tracks on the record are considerably diverse, ranging from slow and sweet acoustics to heart-thumping, aggressively darker songs.

            The last song, "Monster," is deceptive and unexpected. It starts out low-key, with simple guitar, similar to Anthony Green's Avalon, displaying his insecurities, honesty, vulnerability and craving for acceptance. But soon the song evolves into a guitar-bashing, deafening track. Gillespie's vocals toward the end of the song are confident and empowering. This song is bold, edgier than any of the other tracks on the record.

            Monster, Monster is a solid record, mainly alt-country. But as it progresses, the album incorporates pop and punk, making it difficult to label what genre(s) it's part of. Even if the lyrics are simple, they still manage to make a powerful impression on the listeners, very much like The Starting Line's Kenny Vasoli.

            It might not have liquid-smooth transitions, but it's just enough to keep you satisfied and goes to show you Gillespie's unique ability to make awe-inspiring music with whatever instruments you hand to him.

BTW: hear the playlist of the songs in the review on my Imeem.com account here: http://www.imeem.com/artists/the_almost/album/_1MT7dMY/monster-monster-album/

 

The Rocket Summer

PWNZ like: the Secret Handshake, Forever the Sickest Kids, This Century, Sparks the Rescue

Bryce Avary's a man of many talents and it shows. On the Rocket Summer's new dynamic release, You Gotta Believe EP, Avary, a native Texan, played all the instruments on the record.

Avary isn't one to disappoint; the EP is loaded with piano-driven adrenaline-pumping bubble-gum goodness. It's hard to compare his sound. The EP, which was released Oct. 27, is satisfying like a sugar buzz, lightweight intoxication. It's much more anthemic than Avary's last effort, Do You Feel.

The title track, "You Gotta Believe", starts off the EP on an upbeat note. Avary's confident delivery is charming and energetic, building up momentum and making the listener really want to believe by the end of the song. The track feels liberating when Avary proclaims, "You gotta be free!"

"Hills and Valleys", the exhilaratingly hopeful second track off the record, projects the highs and lows of touring, of Avary's insecurity of not having someone to come home to; yet it portrays his excitement of having the opportunity to explore the world. The beautifully written lyrics inevitably tug at your heartstrings. Avary sings soulfully:

"Say you're with me/

There's gold ahead/

There's gold in dreams/

In life's hills and valleys/

Will you stay with me?"

 

Avary tunes down the rest of the EP. Still, it manages to be youthful and defiant; it's fast-paced like a sugar rush and leaves you wanting more. This EP feels like a release for Avary, because he doesn't seem to hold anything back.  Avary has the unique ability to flawlessly mirror his emotions through his piano in every song, like Jack's Mannequin's Andrew McMahon, a rarity in this industry.

Overall, the EP is optimistic and energetic, with admirable thoughtful heart-on-sleeve lyrics. You Gotta Believe's clap-happy sing-along choruses are as infectious as H1N1-just you try to get the 'ooh-ooh-hoos' out of your head.

 BTW: hear the playlist of the songs in the review on my Imeem.com account here: http://www.imeem.com/people/8nnNKgx/playlist/yj7I37Ep/the-rocket-summer-you-gotta-believe-ep-music-playlist/

And catch the Rocket Summer on the Cheap Date tour running now to Dec. w/ Forever the Sickest Kids, My Favorite Highway, Sing It Loud and Artist Vs. Poet!

Between the Trees

PWNZ Like: Anthony Green, Ivory, Phantom Planet, the Downtown Fiction

  

            Between the Trees is a piano-pop band out of Orlando, Florida. The band broke out with their unique sound, displayed on their first album, The Story and the Song. Now, entering the music scene with the release of 2009's Spain, the band has overcome drastic lineup changes with only three members in comparison to their original five.

            Spain is a beautiful and colorful album packed with earnest love songs and piano ballads. Released just this past August, Spain has been an album I can't stop listening to.

            Vocalist Ryan Kirkland's voice is admirable and amazingly wide-ranged. The title track, "Spain," is a song about running away to Spain and escaping life's problems, where Kirkland sings that "the rest of the world can wait." It opens with a dazzling piano intro, which would make Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin proud. Kirkland sings his songs with a genuine sincerity, his voice guiding the music.

            The band continue with their Jack's Mannequin piano-driven sound on "Miss You," where Kirkland yearns about someone he loves from the point of view of a hopeless romantic. It's sung with such passion, it inevitably tugs at your heartstrings almost as bad as Ivory's "Coast of Maine."

            Between the Trees has a very Cinematic Sunrise-esque theatrical feel to it. Their emotions are always clearly portrayed in their music, the love and longing displayed exquisitely and consistently throughout the album.

            Despite their posh appearance and piano-pop stereotype, Between the Trees are surprisingly loud; their hypnotizing guitar riffs and dominating drums are well-formed. Kirkland's voice is unique in his genre, oozing energy like Phantom Planet's Alex Greenwald.

            Between the Trees is a band that will take your breath away. Despite being a young band, their lyrics are mature and their music epic, with an original sound you're sure not to forget.

 

Hey y'all!

So, on Tuesday I and Kim went to a school field trip to CSU East bay. Bogus start to the day =P The school was pretty average, nothing spectacular.

But during lunch, what do we get? A free rock concert! Totallyl PWNZ!

It was Loomis and the Lust (weird name, I know) which was a totally rad band a beach-y sound to them which isn't surprising since they're from Santa Barbara.

Our friends and us were totally stoked. The day was a total snooze-fest, to the max. Until lunch came around!

Loomis and the Lust were cute (even if they took forever to set up!). They started out with Super Mario theme song to warm up!

Tommy and the High Pilots were also s'pose to play alongside Boston-based act Westland, but I wasn't able to catch them since we had to leave.

After the Loomis and the Lust set we went to the merch stand. I bought a CD from Will Loomis himself. I told him they reminded me of This Providence. It was funny b/c he didn't know who they were and kept saying "We sound like Providence?" Really weird, hehehe =)

Well I asked him if he could get the whole band to sign the CD and he said sure and called the lead guitarist, Casey Hooper over. He had been behind Will when I had just arrived at the merch stand and I had seen him taking a picture. He had left but then came back.

Will had signed the CD and left to talk to some college girls. Casey was signing my CD when my friend, Nic, popped out of nowhere behind me and rudely shouted "Oh my god you guys are so cute!" I felt really PO'd b/c she made me look really dumb in front of the Lust! Casey laughing nervously and said 'thank you'. He asked fer her name and then mine's. I was about to tell him when she interrupted me again and made me feel really bad. She asked where they got their names from and Casey said 'My mom!'. Hehehe =) He's so cute.

I still felt bad though, b/c she had interrupted me. I mean, she was my friend yeah, but she was hogging the attention and interrupting me. I mean, she hadn't even bought anything! =(

I asked Casey for a hug as well as Will and they tried to hug me at the same time. Hehehe =) I told him my name was Jack, short fer Jaqueline.

I got the rest of the band to sign the CD and give me hugs but I was still upset by Nic's actions. "You're so embarrassing," I said to her when we were walking back. I mean, who tells a guy he's cute to their face, especially if you barely know him? Who interrupts their friend? She made me look really immature in front of them. =(

I was really upset b/c I had previously told her to keep her cool and act sophisticated. I told her not to act like a little kid. Apparently she hadn't listened.

What made me even more upset was that we weren't able to hear the other 2 bands, especially Westland, whose hot lead singer Aaron had given us a little flyer during Loomis' set, asking us to maybe stay to watch them?

(flyer front and back!)

I tried to get other kids to buy Loomis and the Lust's CD (unsuccessfully) then found out I blew my $5 fer nothing b/c later they gave them out fer free!

I checked Westland out online and they totally PWN'D!

Do ye guys think I was overreacting w/ the way I was acting w/ Nic? Was I being a total beezy? Im taking her to Cheap Date and I'm totally freaked she'll do something like that in front of Caleb and Jonathan. What should I do?

-Jack

BTW: expect Music Addicts on Westland and Loomis and the Lust!

            Remember this?

 

            Kim came across them yesterday when we were at the store and we bought them.

 

            Ah, the memories! I used to love them when I was a kid. I loved the tattoos that came in the wrappers with the gum's logo, Fruit Stripes the zebra! =)

 

            I tried to do the tattooing thing again.

 

            I was left with an arm of deformities instead (my tattoos were trying to play tennis and snowboard at the same time!) and 2 bodies!

 

            I'm writing my final draft of an essay based on a Steven Greenhouse article for English.

 

            All's good.

 

            Since I'm in honor roll (4.0 GPA, thank ye very much) I was entered into a raffle and won a pair of tix fer the movies. Yay! I'm planning on probably using them to go and see New Moon. I'm not a big Twilight fan, but my friend, Nic, really wants to go and who am I to deny that?

 

            Stoked about Cheap Date (got money fer merch!) Who else is going to the SF stop? =)

 

            Heading to a bday party today fer one of my friends. It's gonna be at her house. Can't wait!

 

-Jack

 

            BTW: thnx to everyone who followed our fuck yeah Jared on Tumblr (fuckyeahjaredmonaco.tumblr.com) We got a lot of members and reblogs, our tumblearity peaked at 61 (the highest) and we were on the top 50,000 blogs (somewhere in the 45,000s). Keep sending in stuff (vids, pics, stories about yer encounters with Mr. Monaco himself!) at fyeahjared@yahoo.com (we'll give ye creds!) Follow us on Tumblr! Power to the Ging! =)

Artist vs. Poet

 Photo credit: Fueled by Photography on Flickr

            PWNZ like: Forever the Sickest Kids, the Secret Handshake, Sing It Loud, Danger Radio

 

            Emerging from the booming Dallas, Texas scene, Artist vs. Poet is your typical pop band. The six-piece act formed just a year ago, during July of '08, their band name originating from frontman Tarcy Thomason's solo project.

            Signed to Fearless Records, the band released their debut self-titled EP in late 2008. The Artist vs. Poet EP is pure genius, full of irresistible catchy hooks that tend to get stuck in your head.

            "Runaway", a song off the EP, starts off with a very Forever the Sickest Kids-esque keyboard intro, launching into quirky beats and Thomason's Aaron Gillespie-like voice. It's a weird clash of synth-pop, and their sound has a Secret Handshake simplicity about it that's memorable and works.

            Another exceptional song is the love-sick highlight "Lisa Marie", where Thomason croons about his naïve young love. It's a simple pop love song that makes the most reluctant dancer feel like getting up and grooving.

            I can't stop listening to the EP since I got it, and ever time I play it I can't help but sing along. Artist vs. Poet is an ingenious band that deserves a listen!

 

Side note:

            Though Artist vs. Poet are a relatively new band, they've got big sights on their minds. Catch the band on the Cheap Date Tour this fall, running in the US from 10/25-12/5, with headliners Forever the Sickest Kids and acts the Rocket Summer, Sing It Loud, and My Favorite Highway.

 Dates:

11/18/09 - Greensboro, North Carolina @ Greene Street Club
11/19/09 - Atlanta, Gorgia @ The Masquerade
11/20/09 - St. Petersberg, Florida @ State Theatre
11/21/09 - Ft. Lauderdale @ Culture Room
11/22/09 - Lake Buena Vista, Florida @ House Of Blues
11/24/09 - Memphis, Tennessee @ New Daisy Theatre
11/25/09 - Dallas, Texas @ House Of Blues Dallas
11/27/09 - San Antonio, Texas @ The White Rabbit
11/28/09 - Houston, Texas @ The Meridian
11/29/09 - Pharr, Texas @ Jagz
12/01/09 - Tuscon, Arizona @ Rialto Theater
12/02/09 - San Diego, California @ Soma
12/03/09 - Los Angeles, California @ The Avalon
12/04/09 - San Francisco, California @ The Grand Ballroom at The Regency
12/05/09 - Anaheim, California @ House Of Blues

 

Listen to their self-titled EP here:

http://www.imeem.com/artists/artist_vs_poet/album/-LLCjahT/artist-vs-poet-ep-album/

 

By the way a big thanks to Dangjenny on buzznet that introduced them to me a while ago on her blog!

-Jack

 

A Rocket to the Moon

            PWNZ like: This Century, The Maine, Brighten, We the Kings, the Academy Is..., the Almost

 

            A Rocket to the Moon doesn't disappoint. Their debut album and follow up to 2008's Greetings From... EP, On Your Side, is full of catchy choruses and poppy yet profound sounds. Despite of a few line-up changes and the departure of drummer Loren Brinton, the band has come back better than ever.

            The album has a more alt-country feel to it, not surprising since vocalist Nick Santino and lead guitarist and background vocalist Justin Richards are heavily influenced by country stars such as Taylor Swift and Brad Paisley. A Rocket to the Moon's new tunes have a dreamy summery theme, reminiscent of Richards' Chico, California-based band, Brighten's Early Love EP. Produced by Matt Squire, On Your Side has to be one of the best albums of 2009.

            One of the key tracks on the album is "On A Lonely Night", in which Santino recalls young love, sleeping in the backyard and stargazing. "Where Did You Go?", with its catchy rhythm and exceptional lyrics, unveils ARTTM's new alt-country sound. The track is from the perspective of a guy who was left alone on the East Coast after his girlfriend leaves him for California.

            "Life of the Party" is a classic heartbreak song. Despite the sad lyrics, it's a very fast-paced pop tune.

"Never shoulda told you that I fell in love/

Cuz you threw me right around and threw me down/

And now I can't get up/

You'll be sorry you just wait and see/

But let's get something straight/

You're gonna regret you left me," Santino sings.

 

            The title track, "On Your Side" is beautifully written. It's a soft and slow song that sounds a lot like We the Kings' "Secret Valentine" or "This Is Our Town". At one point in the song, Santino sings without any interruption by drums or guitars. His vocals give you butterflies in the stomach, sounding vulnerable and sincere.

            Despite the album's amazing songs, it does have its downfall.

            "Sometimes" is an odd song that I felt is out of tune with the rest of the album. It takes an odd latin popstar turn, sounding nothing like the band and confusing like "Too Much" off of All Time Low's Nothing Personal. Brandon Wronski of Eye Alaska's guest vocals definitely doesn't add anything to the song. "Sometimes" was better off as a bonus track because it disrupted the album's alt-country flow and was out of place.

            Also, in my opinion, the new version of "Dakota" is a big disappointment. The song has lost its touch. The original version off of the EP had a freshness and energy to it that the new version lacks. Santino doesn't belt out the lyrics to this song with as much passion, so it doesn't sound heartfelt. It's unfortunate, considering that "Dakota" was the song that broke them out, and the fact that it was an amazing song that I think didn't need any improvement.

            Don't get me wrong. I love A Rocket to the Moon, but I think that there were some parts that weren't necessary, and that these two songs misrepresented them.

            Overall, with its earnest, love-sick lyrics and Santino's amazing vocals, On Your Side is an amazing album, one that a music addict can't afford to miss.

 

 BTW: Check out the album, free stream on Imeem, here: http://www.imeem.com/artists/a_rocket_to_the_moon/album/GaLiLHdn/on-your-side-album/

 

And follow me and my sis Kim's Fuck Yeah for Jared Monaco! On tumblr right now, fuckyeahjaredmonaco.tumblr.com. We love our followers! (And I bet Jared does too! Power to the ging!)

Hey dudes! Thought I'd do an update about me!

 

I've listened ARTTM's new album via one of their online listening parties, and OMFG! Amazing! Cant wait to get my hands on one of those real hard copies next week! hehehe =) Amazing!

I've also been reading Ryan Adams' book, Infinity Blues. I thought that maybe he was a little overrated, I mean the way the Maine boys (Garrett *ahem*) acts about him. But boy was I wrong. He's Amazing with a capital A. His poetry is gorgeous. I love it! I'm just on page 100, but I've read great poems.

Read the following:

To Flame

I Shot the Lights Out Too

Million-Year Fuck-Face Convention

SOS Searchlights

Night of Bones

You Will Not Miss Me When I'm Gone

One Sharp Ending

Becausewhy

Tazi after Taxi...

Low Gong Goes the Clouds

And buy a copy!

BTW, Im running an FYeah for Jared Monaco of the Maine. Plz follow and send in pix of ye and Jared!! =)

-Jack

 

Paramore

 

            PWNZ like: There For Tomorrow, The Academy Is..., Taking Back Sunday

  

            Released just this past Tuesday, brand new eyes is Paramore's most ambitious album to date. The Tennessee-based quintet stepped it up, releasing an album darker and edgier than 2007's Riot!. With harder guitars and demanding, to-the-point lyrics, brand new eyes sounds like There For Tomorrow's A Little Faster.

            Front woman Hayley Williams' voice commands the music, but doesn't dominate it. Her screaming, intense vocals relay the lyrics' emotion, and are brought out by the acoustic tracks on the disc. Like the Academy Is...'s William Beckett, Williams' voice stays in perfect rhythm with the music. Brand new eyes displays the band's insecurities, anger and vulnerability without being sappy, but keeping it pop-punk. They are honest lyrics, which can be vague and ambiguous at times, leaving the meaning to the listener.

            One of the key tracks is "Playing God", in which Williams points out the hypocrisy of religion.

"If God's the game you're playing/

Well we must get more acquainted/

Because it has to be so lonely/

To the only one that's holy/

It's just my humble opinion/

But it's one that I believe in" sings Williams.

            Overall, brand new eyes is a much more mature version of the band's debut, All We Know Is Falling, with beautifully written lyrics that establishes Paramore as more than a just a 'fad' but a force to be reckoned with.

Hey dudes! Im doing a fuckyeah on tumblr fer Jared, since he lacks one. so plz spread the word and follow us! Also, send in pix @ fyeahjaredmonaco@yahoo.com!

fuckyeahjaredmonaco.tumblr.com

Appreaciate it a bizillion!

-Jack

Sparks the Rescue

            PWNZ like: Call the Cops, This Providence, the Downtown Fiction, Taking Back Sunday, A Rocket to the Moon, All Time Low, This Century

  

            Sparks the Rescue are a band from Portland, Maine with a music that's a "little different", according to lead singer, Alex Roy. That's an understatement. Their music is so different and catchy; in fact, it's hard to label them. The band has been together since 1999, and is signed to Fearless Records. Sparks the Rescue is made up of 5 passionate guys offering you a pop-infused good time.

            Their infectious pop-songs are catchy and when their latest album, Eyes to the Sun, is over, you'll be tempted to press repeat.

            The lead singer, Alex Roy's voice sounds like that of Dan Young of This Providence and Cameron Leahy from the Downtown Fiction, with Adam Lazzara's (of Taking Back Sunday fame) whiny demanding voice and a dash of All Time Low's Alex Gaskarth's cockiness.

            Sparks the Rescue's speedy guitars and vocals create the perfect mess, with a This Century To Love and Back EP feel to it. The beginning guitars of their single, "Autumn" sounds like Jimmy Eat World, and the track "We Love Like Vampires" has a plot of dancing underground and running from the sun, un a totally un-cheesefest-like way.

            But the real show stealer is "I Swear That She's the One", where Roy sings,

"It started out when I met this girl/

She threw me down on this spinning world/

I'm over my head, yeah it could have been/

But I'm a bird with broken wings/

She's a song I love to sing."

            Basically, Eyes to the Sun is an adrenaline pumping commotion of guitars and drums everyone should listen to.

            ------

New feature! A link to a playlist w/ the songs featured here so ye can hear it! And this is the link to their myspace!

myspace.com/sparkstherescue

http://www.imeem.com/people/8nnNKgx/playlist/2web0iCw/sparks-the-rescue-music-addict-feature-music-playlist/

 did this thing fer English, thought maybe ye'd likr yo see it? Hehehe =) James is supposed to be Halvo, but I couldnt put Eric, since theres a kid in my class named like that,and I didnt want ppl to think I was writing about HIM! Comment, buzz? =) Thnx, Jack!

            "James?" his name was dry on my tongue, my throat suddenly felt parched and hoarse. He looked back at me, unflinching, his unblinking eyes boring into me. They were obscured black eyes, pools still and unmoving, yet sucking me into its infinite depths. He was looking in my general direction yes, but those expressionless eyes seemed to look beyond me with such intensity, I felt as if he could see through me and into my soul. It was unnerving, and I felt a chill run down my spine, a burning feeling in my stomach I could shake off. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, a deep fear, yet undeniable intrigue. His skin was pale, almost translucent, which contrasted greatly against his dark eyes and shock of black hair. "James?" I called, the hint of curiosity evident in my voice. But the sound seemed to resonate only inside of me, within the walls of my body. "James?" I said, a slight quiver to my voice. But it was to no avail. It was in vain. Something within me knew it was too late; he wouldn't respond. He was already one of them. He was already part of the undead.

 

hey dudes I did this imagery paragraph fer english. though maybe ye'd like it?

james is s'pose to be halvo (thats his 2nd name) i couldnt use eric b/c some kid in my class is named like that and i didnt want ppl thinkin' i was writing aboiut him! and halvo sounded to weird, so eric it was. tell me if ye like?

 

                "James?" his name was dry on my tongue, my throat suddenly felt parched and hoarse. He looked back at me, unflinching, his unblinking eyes boring into me. They were obscured black eyes, pools still and unmoving, yet sucking me into its infinite depths. He was looking in my general direction yes, but those expressionless eyes seemed to look beyond me with such intensity, I felt as if he could see through me and into my soul. It was unnerving, and I felt a chill run down my spine, a burning feeling in my stomach I could shake off. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, a deep fear, yet undeniable intrigue. His skin was pale, almost translucent, which contrasted greatly against his dark eyes and shock of black hair. "James?" I called, the hint of curiosity evident in my voice. But the sound seemed to resonate only inside of me, within the walls of my body. "James?" I said, a slight quiver to my voice. But it was to no avail. It was in vain. Something within me knew it was too late; he wouldn't respond. He was already one of them. He was already part of the undead.

   My second Music Addict post! I dont have a date or anything on which I'll be updating it, but if I run into good music, I'll write a blog dedicated to the artist/band. =) Suggestions and comments welcome!

The Secret Handshake

                 PWNZ Like: Family Force 5, Cobra Starship, Forever the Sickest Kids

 

            The Secret Handshake is a one-man show by Luis Dubuc. Random Fact: The music act was started with the money from a settlement of a car crash. TSH isn't a new band; they've been around for quite some time, but the band recently got its big break with their latest full-length effort, My Name Up In Lights, released this past spring by Triple Crown Records and recorded in Dubuc's home studio.

            Luis' lyrics are brutally honest, talking about his past loves and wanting to escape. His voice is sincere on the vocals of  the track "Saturday": "I'm gonna scream it to the world/I'm gonna shout it out loud/At the top of my lungs/I'm in love/I'm in real love/I'm in love/For the very first time."

            One of the best songs off the album is "TGIF". Where Luis remembers the shows he used to watch during his childhood and name-drops ones like Full House and The Fresh Prince.

            Compared to much everything in the current scene, TSH is  refreshingly simple and poppy feel-good music, with lyrics strikingly similar to The Maine's on The Way We Talk EP.

            With his quirky beats and passionate and honest tunes, the Secret Handshake is definitely a band to look out for.

You can catch the Secret Handshake on tour this fall with the Academy Is..., You Me At Six, Set Your Goals, and Mayday Parade on Alternative Press' Fall Ball '09.

For more info on the tour go here: http://www.altpress.com/specials/theaptour/

 

-Jack