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A Day To Remember - Homesick (7.75/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
It's no secret; A Day to Remember is the king of the happy-hardcore subgenre. Even though they play slightly harder than most of the genre's front-runners, there are just enough pop-tastic hooks in their music to crown them king. Not sure what happy-hardcore is? Also called pop-hardcore, it's just the combination of the two most dried up genres in all of music (pop-punk and hardcore) to create a slightly more interesting one. A Day to Remember does it best, in fact, they're probably the most consistent band on all of Victory Records right now. I honestly can't name another band on Victory that has released the same exact album three times in a row. If that's not consistency, then I'm not sure I know what "consistency" means.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on February 15, 2009
Alaska and Me - I Will Die In The West (8.1/10)
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by David Taintor
Tyler Cox may have been born in the wrong decade — or, for that matter, the wrong century. While most of us left our dreams of covered wagons and panning for gold logged in now ancient games Oregon Trail, I Will Die in the West is Cox’s beck and call to return to a less complicated time.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on December 09, 2008
All The Right Moves - All the Right Moves EP (7.8/10)
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by Matt Nistler
When I first caught word that Minnesota's The Evermore Escape had plans to change their band name, and presumably sound and image to match, I was a bit apprehensive. I'll admit that I was never an Evermore Escape “Super Fan” by any means, though I definitely had been following the band's progress enough to notice them making a name for themselves in the ever-buzzing Minnesota music scene.
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Posted by matt.nistler on November 17, 2008
American Fangs - American Fangs (8.2/10)
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by Tyler McGinnis
When I was first given American Fangs’ self-titled EP to review, I had no idea what to expect. Having never heard the band, I could only make guesses on what they sounded like from their name, which helped me almost none. So to prepare for what I was about to listen to I decided to head over to SmartPunk and see what I could find. What I found on the presale page for the EP were comparisons of the band to bands like Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, and Every Time I Die. Needless to say I still had no idea what to expect.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on December 27, 2008
Balance and Composure - I Just Want To Be Pure EP (10/10)
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by Jordan Lyga
How many of you wish bands now days actually made music instead of just turned on their Mac books, threw on a neon shirt, and made sure they couldn’t actually sing so that the Autotune would make their voice sound like a robot’s? Well if you’re one of these exasperated folks, then this is the band for you.
Doylestown, PA’s own Balance and Composure obviously didn’t get the memo that meaningful music was just a thing of the past. Their debut EP “I Just Want To Be Pure” is packed with enough power to tear your heart from your chest, your ears out of your head, and hands off the keyboard of just another MySpace band’s profile.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on March 21, 2009
Before We Forget - L.T.D. (9/10)
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by Thomas Gutches
NASCAR, crashes, burnouts, pit stops, all those come to mind when you hear “Go Fast (Turn Left),” the opening track off Before We Forget’s debut record “L.T.D.” (short term for “Live The Dream”, an inside joke/saying with the band and their close group of friends - it describes one’s lifestyle being far different than the traditional American and succeeding somehow from it). “Go Fast (Turn Left)” starts off with a ridiculous combo of southern riffs mixed with fast paced drum rolls and leads right into vocalist Micah Powers’ ferocious screaming which comes off like Lil’ Jon doing the infamous “Yeahhh!” in a southern accent. This is a song you’d expect to hear in a “Nascar Greatest Crashes” segment on SpeedTV. Definitely attention grabbing and perfect choice for an opening track. We then go into “That One Animal”, a great build up song that constantly leads to anticipation; everything from epic guitar sounds to heavy metal breakdowns to... gang vocals? So far the album is grabbing my attention.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on October 15, 2008
Better Without You - Seriously EP
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by Thomas Gutches
The album starts off with vocalist/guitarist going acapella into “You’re Going Down (Not In A Good Way)," a very heavy hitting anthem that definitely grabs your attention in a way where you’d expect this song to start off or close out their show. Definitely a great marketable song in today’s pop music. While the following track, “Cutting Ties” guitar effects takes away from this songs potential of being a very power driven pop song.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on October 13, 2008
Cavashawn - Cavashawn (7.9/10)
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My first thought when putting Cavashawn's self-titled EP into my stereo was “am I listening to the radio by mistake?” No, not because the production on the album mimics that of the static heard on the radio, but rather because their sound is less like the typical unsigned pop-rock group and more like everything that is popular on the radio today. I don't know what it is in the Windy City's water, but it seems like the region knows how to consistently produce quality pop-rock bands - with Cavashawn being no exception.
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Posted by matt.nistler on October 06, 2008
Chase Coy - Look How Far We've Come (8/10)
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by Matt Nistler
For most teenagers the typical happenings in life are scoping out a date for the Homecoming dance, gearing up for SATs, and maybe flipping burgers at McDonalds for some extra cash. Seventeen-year-old Chase Coy, from Greenwood Indiana, is definitely not your typical teenager. In addition to already having released a couple handcrafted EP's, he has also garnered around 65,000 friends on Myspace who have pushed the “play” button on his page well over 7 million times. Yes, it's safe to say the future is looking bright for Mr. Coy who is sure to attract many new listeners with his latest full-length album entitled “Look How Far We've Come.”
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Posted by matt.nistler on November 04, 2008
Colour Academy - Through Telescopes EP (8/10)
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by Matt Pagirsky
I’ve been a fan of Colour Academy for a while now. The band is truly the product of what I like to call, “small town dreams.” Their humbled hometown of Enterprise is located deep in the southern reaches of good ol’ Alabama. These rustic roots have allowed them to progress through a typically desolate music scene with tall aspirations and a sound that is constantly evolving. When I first listened to their new EP, “Through Telescopes,” I heard a band reaching for new heights and succeeding gracefully.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 29, 2009
Crash Boom Bang - Gold Rush (7.4/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Before I delve too deep into this review, I’m going to come right out and warn you that while this may be a critique of Crash Boom Bang’s debut full-length, Gold Rush, there is another band whose name will see mentioned many times in the following paragraphs. This band that I am referring to is the Plain White T’s. Normally I try not to stay fixed on band comparisons for any real length of time, but in this particular case I feel it is valid to go in-depth with the comparison.
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Posted by matt.nistler on February 17, 2009
Dremnt The End - Dremnt The End (7.8/10)
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by Tyler McGinnis
When I first received a CD to review with a disco ball on the cover I was very skeptical over what to expect. My best guess was a mix of dance and pop and to be honest this scared me a little bit. This was my sight unseen (or unheard) impression of Dremnt The End, a five piece outfit from Austin, Texas. Upon listening to their music though, I found my ears opening up to what my headphones were pumping in. While my guesses of what to expect had been pretty close, I found the band doing much more at the same time.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on March 02, 2009
Dropout Year - The Way We Play (8.3/10)
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by Matt Nistler
The last time we checked in with Maryland’s Dropout Year, the band had just recently switched up lead vocalists and had also just released an acoustic EP, On a Lighter Note, that was only available digitally.
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Posted by matt.nistler on April 06, 2009
EndFest ft. The All American Rejects, 3OH!3, Lady GaGa, The White Tie Affair, Flo-Rida (May 10th, 2009)
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by James Grant
Concerts 101: If you book them, the bands will come.
And so will all of their fans. After all, it’s not every day that hip-hop groups and rock bands come together under the same roof for a concert.
In a stellar promotional move, Northern California radio station 107.9 The End drew over five thousand fans to Raley Field in Sacramento, California with a varied of artists: The White Tie Affair, 3OH!3, Lady Gaga, Flo-Rida and The All American Rejects.
The White Tie Affair opened, and did a good job getting the crowd's attention from the heat and getting it to the stage. One of the White Tie Affair's two guitarists sprayed the crowd with water bottles several times during the set, which didn’t quite do it for some members of the crowd, who fainted and had to be carried out by paramedics. Although The White Tie Affair’s set was offset by some minor technical difficulties, it was still better than most opening bands.
As several more fans dropped to the heat, 3OH!3 took the stage and dropped their beats. As fans threw up their 3OH!3 hand signs, the awkward duo from Boulder, Colorado threw down a set full hard-hitting bass and hardcore lyrics. 3OH!3’s high-octane-back-and-forth stage presence and bigger-than-life bad ass attitude left no room on the stage for a band or any backup dancers, a feat that not even Flo-Rida or Lady Gaga would be able to equal.
After a long wait in between bands, Flo-Rida’s posse took over EndFest’s stage to please the more gangster members of the audience. Armed with squirt guns, Flo-Rida’s mob did their part to cool off the crowd, appropriately during his song “Keep it Pouring.” Although the sun was bright, Flo-Rida was able to transform the stadium’s festive atmosphere into something closer to a club buzz.
Whether it was the weed smoke that rose from the crowd during Flo-Rida’s set or just the heat, Lady Gaga took the stage with a techno-rave-trip act that seemed fit for a Broadway rave. With a different scanty wardrobe for each song, matching strip club dance moves and heavy breathing into the microphone, Lady Gaga did her part to explain the rising trend of pre-teen sexuality, winning not only the hearts of the men in the audience, but the admiration of the impressionable pre-teens that made up at least half of the crowd.
As the sun began to set to the west and roadies cleared the stage for The All American Rejects’ set, symphonic music began to blare from the speakers, confusing some fans and relaxing others. After a drawn-out wait filled with various Mozart compositions, the guitar began to drone and The All American Rejects made their comeback with a full band of stage presence. Headed by the charismatic Tyson Ritter, who was decked out in an all-white outfit accentuated by a pair sparkly pink Converse that matched the color and flair of the light show that backed the Rejects’ performance. With songs from their old records and new hits, The All American Rejects’ comeback was one that won’t soon be rejected by those in attendance at 107.9 The End's EndFest.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on May 15, 2009
Fiasco! - Better Safe Than Sarcastic (8.25/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
Stereo Skyline!, Kelsey And The Chaos!, Panic! At The Disco, NeverShoutNever! (or EatMeWhileImHot!), PlayRadioPlay!, and P!nk. While it's starting to seem like the little "!" in band names is becoming a washed-up trend symbol (maybe that's why Panic dropped it...), there are still a handful of bands that can pull it off and do it justice. Rancho Cucamonga's Fiasco! is one of them. Sure, they're another pop-rock band, but they touch up on the side of the genre that most bands ignore; the fun part.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 05, 2008
Fiasco - A Greater Life In Tales (8.8/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
DISCLAIMER: I received the 17 track version of the album A Greater Life in Tales (unlike the 11 track version on iTunes), so this review is based on all 17 tracks. All 17 tracks are actually divided between the old EP and the new full length.
I was once told by one of my English teachers from back in the day that "a dictionary definition intro to any form of writing is lame". Anyway, since I'm a lame person… Wikipedia says that "a fiasco is an absolute, abject or utterly humiliating failure." Rancho Cucamonga, California's Fiasco! is the exact opposite. How many bands have big enough balls to release an epic 17 track eclectic album (as an unsigned band) and parody a Christmas song with lyrics about Barack Obama? None.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 05, 2009
Fight Fair - Settle The Score (6.0/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
I went around a local shopping mall with my iPod and asked 5 people to give me a little feedback to what they were listening to. The responses were:
* "This shit's dope."
* "Shit sounds like Fall Out Boy."
* "What the hell is this?"
* "Wow."
* (laughs) "Seriously?"
Those five responses sum it up pretty well, Fight Fair's reissue of their EP Settle the Score is a big-time hit or miss. Some people are going to think this some of the most intense stuff they've ever heard, while others are going to write a 5 page blog explaining how much this band sucks. Unfortunately, I absolutely love this EP. It's really not even that good, but it's also one of the most fun summer albums released this fall.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 21, 2008
Fireworks - We Are Everywhere EP (7.9/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
The term gets thrown around too much, but I have to say it. Fireworks are one of those non-trendy punk bands that people would call "the saviors of pop-punk". It's too bad there isn't much of the genre to save since Hit the Lights saved it a few years ago. Fireworks' EP We Are Everywhere sounds strikingly similar to HTL's Until We Get Caught; and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just more of the same old sound. I guess I can't complain since I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, but the number of pop-punk bands out there is mind-boggling. Fireworks, just consider yourselves lucky Colin Ross left Hit the Lights because Hit the Lights obviously doesn't sound like Hit the Lights anymore since he left.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 20, 2008
Forgive Durden - Razia's Shadow: A Musical (9.2/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
"This is the beginning and the end. The rise and the fall."
- The Narrator
In music recently, albums have been made to tell a story, generally referred to as a "concept album." Normally, there's going to be some sketchy plot lines mixed with unnecessary songs. (Well, I've never heard of the idea of a musical). Recently, Forgive Durden (aka: Thomas Dutton) announced their new album would be a musical. Dutton proclaimed the musical as "Razia's Shadow." Razia means, "contented," taken from the Arabic language.
When Thomas was asked to explain the plot line of the album, he declined the request. However, he tells the story as, "a world divided in two by the selfish actions of a powerful and egotistical, yet insecure angel. After generations of darkness, the world is eventually brought back together by love and sacrifice of a couple brave enough to fulfill their destinies." As Razia's Shadow ends, Aaron Weiss (mewithoutyou) speaks, "So this is my cue of where to leave you. Now it's your story to retell and pass on." This is my story.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on October 29, 2008
For the Foxes - Six Ways to Love EP (8.8/10)
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by Matt Nistler
One of the perks of being an album reviewer is that I never have a shortage of music to listen to. The music junkie that I am, I've accumulated so much music that if I didn't want to listen to the same album twice, I really wouldn't have to. I wouldn't dare try to count just how many artists are on my Ipod. However, even with all the music available at my fingertips, there is one album that I find myself continuously returning to over and over. The amazing album that I am referring to is The Format's 2006 release, Dog Problems. I am happy to announce that with For the Foxes' Six Ways to Love EP I think I may have found 2008's Dog Problems.
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Posted by matt.nistler on November 24, 2008
Good Old War - Only Way to Be Alone (8.8/10)
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by Matt Nistler
With the current state of the music industry it seems like band signings are being based more on image and marketability and less on the quality of the music produced. I can't entirely say that labels should be blamed for signing trendy bands, as this is definitely a way to attempt some some quick cash in a struggling economy. The unfortunate side effect of this, as disco and hair metal can attest, is that musical trends are fleeting and the songs these bands produce will soon be forgotten.
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Posted by matt.nistler on November 11, 2008
Go Radio - Welcome to Life (8.6/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Whenever I turn on prime time television, I’m always amused at how TV personalities seem to continually get recycled. Here we are in 2009 and Joe Rogan (ex-Fear Factor) is still hosting a show (Game Show in My Head) where people have to do weird stuff to win money. Kaley Cuoco (ex-8 Simple Rules) is still playing the role of a blonde bombshell that all the guys are after (The Big Bang Theory), and Regis Philbin (ex-Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) is still hosting a show (Million Dollar Password) where contestants are trying to win a million dollars.
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Posted by matt.nistler on January 18, 2009
Jack's Mannequin - April 7th, 2009 (San Francisco, CA)
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by James Grant
In an interview before his headlining Farther From Earth World Tour kick-off concert at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on April 7, Jack’s Mannequin lead singer Andrew McMahon excitedly described the grandiosity of the tour’s stage production to The Daily Chorus. But no amount of warning could have prepared the night’s sold-out crowd for the exhibit of light, decibels and energy that McMahon and his three band mates delivered.
Opening act Low Vs. Diamond lacked the luster in their performance to be a memorable band worthy of looking up on iTunes, with a slightly introverted and melodramatic set. As far as opening bands go, though, Low Vs. Diamond was certainly not the worst, but left ample room for improvement.
Matt Nathanson, known for his melodic songs like “Come On Get Higher” and “Car Crash,” fulfilled his self-proclaimed role of “teasing and fluffing the audience before Jack’s Mannequin” with a humorous set, laced with comedic dialogue in between songs that were practically flawless in their execution. Nathanson never missed any of his high notes and established many high points during his set.
Jack’s Mannequin closed the night with a stellar production that involved a colossal disco ball, stage lights similar in their appearance and size to small Star Wars fighters and McMahon’s relentless energy on his Baldwin grand piano, which McMahon involved as more than just an instrument in the production, climbing up on top of it at the start of “Bloodshot” to send a paper airplane out to the audience and stomping on the keys at the climax of the night’s encore.
Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 11, 2009
Jeremy Larson - Salvation Club (8.7/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
Music nowadays is nothing like it used to be. I mean, everything sounds great. Bands come out with albums more often now, but they usually rush them. Then other bands sound too similar to "other" bands, which labels bands with useless genres. When a band sounds like another band, it usually brings down the stock of the band they are being compared to. However, this case is completely false with singer/song writer Jeremy Larson. Larson released his self titled debut in 2007. Later that year, I purchased the record, and immediately comparisons ranging from Copeland to This Day and Age were brought up. His self titled record delivered soft vocals, a slew of pianos, and just calming music. It became a mystery how one man could make such sounds, without a backing band. It just demonstrates true talent. Larson doesn't slack off, he takes a huge leap forward with his second record, Salvation Club.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 05, 2008
Lanterns - Apocalypse Youth (8.25/10)
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by David Taintor
If there is one thing I have come to know about myself it’s that I am a sucker for pop music. I can unabashedly say that I actually like Taylor Swift’s new song, and I might have to agree with Rolling Stone in saying that Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” is the best single to come out of 2008. There is something so instantly gratifying about the right melody in the right major key. Maybe it’s the recession-riddled economy that makes this type of music so appealing — something to distract us from the fact that the sky is falling - is really falling right outside our windows.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 28, 2009
Life's Only Lesson - To See If We Could Fly EP (7/10)
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by Jordan Lyga
When I was first asked to do the review for Life’s Only Lesson, I went to their myspace to see what I was in for and listened to about a minute of “Long Island” and wrote the band off as just another one of those myspace bands. You know what I’m talking about, the bands that are so decidedly mediocre and lacking substance that you realize the only reason anyone cares is because mediocrity thrives online. At the urging of another TDC staff member, I gave the band a second chance, and was I ever glad I did. Their record, “To See If We Could Fly” is an eclectic mix of musical genres, outstanding musicianship, and raw feeling that is bereft in most of their contemporaries.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 15, 2008
Lights - Self-Titled EP (8.4/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Although I am an American that dearly loves his country, I am also a big fan of Canada. I love their National television station (which allows me to watch an unhealthy amount of “The Simpsons”) I crave their whiskey and beer (mmm Labatt Blue) and root for some of their sports teams (Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays are amazing). And I most definitely am a fan of one of the latest Canadian imports – Ms. Valerie Poxleitner aka “Lights.”
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Posted by matt.nistler on December 09, 2008
Love, She Wrote - Oh! And about last night... (8.3/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Pop-punk (or "pop-rock," if you prefer) is a genre that has never really been about innovation or originality. Yes, there are some who will go into great detail describing how innovative and groundbreaking bands such as Blink-182, Midtown, and The Starting Line were, but when it comes down to it most of the music produced in the pop-punk genre ends up sounding pretty much the same. With this being said, there is still a great deal of difference between being a group of generic, predictable pop-punkers, and being a band that puts time and energy into handcrafting songs that just happen to lie in this genre. While Love, She Wrote's music is reminiscent of other bands, these guys are definitely not just another boring, generic group.
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Posted by matt.nistler on January 15, 2009
Love is a Story - The Science of Sound (6.6/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Love is a Story is the emotronic solo project of Oklahoma City's Lance Benjamin Kay (or simply “Benji”) and “The Science of Sound” is his debut full-length album. The music is mostly electronic and the majority of the vocals are auto tuned to the max and sometimes aided by vocoder. Many artists (especially pop-rockers) these days are criticized for abusing auto tune and vocoder to cover-up flaws, but there is also a wave of artists, including The Secret Handshake and T-Pain, that unabashedly embrace these artificial sounds, using them as the very basis for their music. This is also the category that Love is a Story fits into.
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Posted by matt.nistler on January 07, 2009
Mandy K - Mandy K (3.5/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
I already felt the same old blood rush once, and I don’t need to feel it again, thanks.
It’s only proper for bands in a certain region to all sound the same. After all, they all work with the same producers, have the same fans, play in the same venues, and probably even have the same photographers. That is why music sounds the same. Suck it up cynics, because it’s an inevitable epidemic that we all have to put up with.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 16, 2009
Mark Rose - The Greatest Lakes (9.0/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
Sometimes breaks turn out to be great. Yeah, I've taken about a five month hiatus from writing just to catch up on life. Life and I did it's part on each other. Through the off time, I've found a lot about myself that I didn't know. The same could be said for Mark Rose.
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Posted by matt.nistler on March 21, 2009
Mikky Ekko - Strange Fruit (7.5/10)
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by David Taintor
It is so nice to be surprised.
With innumerable music blogs, mailing lists, magazines, MySpace Top-8 friend lists, and MTV channels, it’s nearly impossible to be introduced to a new band without any preconceived notion. Maybe you’ve even read this very site and been introduced to a new band you hadn’t heard before. I know I have.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on May 21, 2009
Moneta - Heroes (8/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
The TV show Heroes and Washington’s Moneta’s sophomore EP Heroes -- one is full of flying people, people with mind-reading powers, people who time travel, people who can suck the powers out of others by standing near them, and people who eat other people’s brains to get more powers. The EP is actually very similar to the television show. Moneta is a group of six dedicated individuals from Seattle, Washington, who fight the evil trends by playing an epic style of pop rock that is chock-loaded with optimistic lyrics, catchy guitar hooks, radio-friendly production, and catchy choruses. Every bit as good as its TV show counterpart, if not better.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 29, 2009
New Found Glory / Set Your Goals / Bayside - March 28th, 2009
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by James Grant
When in Hollywood, do as the… Hollywoodians do?
Although Saint Ambrose probably never could have imagined his words altered to be used in such a way, New Found Glory, Set Your Goals and Bayside all took his timeless adage to heart in a novel way, and brought to the Hollywood Avalon’s stage an unhindered and savage show that merited each performer his own star on the Walk of Fame on the sidewalk in front of the venue, on Vine Street, on Saturday, March 28.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 05, 2009
Otenki - Making Sense of Static (7/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Fact #1: During the time I spend online I check out countless numbers of bands as part of my personal quest to find the next big thing.
Fact #2: Often times when I'm on a band's Myspace/Web Page/Purevolume I'll scroll down to read their biography to get a feel for the band before I even hit “play” on a single song.
Fact #3: Even though you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover, or for that matter a band by their Myspace biographical info, I still do. If the information on a band's page makes them sound highly inexperienced or gives the impression that they are just another neighborhood garage band then I'll probably pass on your band in favor of someone else with more developed tunes.
Fact #4: When I read in a band's biography that they have performed at The Taste of Chaos, The Vans Warped Tour and recently recorded with Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Mercy Mercedes, Senses Fail) all as an unsigned band then you had better believe I'll be sticking around to check out each and every note.
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Posted by matt.nistler on October 13, 2008
Paper Route - Absence (6/10)
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by David Taintor
Behold the growing pains of a young band! Like an awkward adolescent, fresh out of a pair of braces and clothing his mother picked out for him, Paper Route forge forward.
When a young novelist sets out to write his or her first book, presumably they use of everything they’ve got: every anecdote, every metaphor, every fiery line of prose. The same can be said for debut full-lengths. It’s a band’s opportunity to create an identity, and, ultimately, make an artistic statement, in a way that a five-song EP cannot do.
When I reviewed Paper Route’s EP, Are We All Forgotten, some months ago I found it to be a pleasant pop record in the vein of The New Pornographers, a signal that the band had potential … potential that’s not fully realized on Absence.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on May 21, 2009
Poema - Demo EP
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by Matt Nistler
If you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing any songs by Rio Rancho, New Mexico’s Poema you might be wondering what a four-track demo EP is doing being reviewed by The Daily Chorus. To make matters even quirkier, not only do Poema not perform the typical style of music that I tend to review (I’ll admit I like my poppy punk) but they also don’t fit the mold. They aren’t a band with flashy outfits that all the webzines are hyping up. Rather, Poema are simply just two teenage sisters, Elle and Shealeen, that quietly play happy, acoustic music that they love to play – and darn it, they do it quite well!
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Posted by matt.nistler on February 05, 2009
Punchline - Just Say Yes (8.5/10)
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by Tyler McGinnis
Few bands have a résumé that spans ten years and includes headlining Japanese tours, signing with (and later leaving) a powerhouse independent label, and various member changes. But, for Pittsburgh’s Punchline this is just scratching the surface of their decade of existence. The band has been through more than most bands of its genre could even dream of and all the while its members have taken the changes in stride. However, through all the changes and growing up the band has experienced, one thing remains, the band's commitment to making the music it wants to make, which is the reason each album has been unique in its own way while still fitting into the band’s style.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on December 04, 2008
Sail By The Stars - A Sunshine State of Mind (8/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
Here is how you describe Sail by the Stars (Josh Koterba's) sound: It's as if Kenny Vasoli grew up in the Arizona alterna-pop-core scene and decided to start a pop/rock solo project with Goot as the producer and main influence. Confusing? It might be, but I've been listening to Josh's debut EP, A Sunshine State of Mind long enough to figure out how to dissect his sound to the very last vibration.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 05, 2009
Say When - Say When EP (7.6/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Whether you are a fan or not of the music that Boston's Say When plays, you have to give the band props for persistence and sticking with what they love. Without the assistance of a record label the band has done as much, if not more touring than many bands who are lucky enough to have additional promotion and financial backing.
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Posted by matt.nistler on December 17, 2008
School Boy Humor - Camera Shy But Still a Star (7.25/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Instead of beating around the bush I'm just going to come right out and say it. School Boy Humor remind me of Forever the Sickest Kids. To take that comment a step further I'm going to also throw it out there that in addition to sounding strikingly like FTSK the band also sounds like most every band famed Texan producer Geoff Rockwell has ever produced for. So when I found out that Rockwell had indeed produced, engineered, mixed and co-written the band's Vagrant Records debut EP, I was not the least bit surprised.
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Posted by matt.nistler on November 03, 2008
Select Start - <3 (7.8/10)
(1) comments
by Ryan McDonough
There are two things I dislike about this band. The first is that their myspace layout is more entertaining than their actual music. The second is the fact that they seriously titled their EP “<3”. Besides those two things, everything else about this band is completely awesome. And yes, I am aware that I said that their layout is cooler than their actual songs. All it means is that they have awesome songs, but an even more awesome layout.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on March 21, 2009
Sketching in Stereo - Technicolor Dreams EP (7.4/10)
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by David Taintor
There are several key components of Sketching in Stereo’s Technicolor Dreams EP that I instantly identify with — the outstanding guitar tones, progressive song writing and relentless energy, but most of all, Sketching in Stereo are exactly the type of band I would want to play in.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 17, 2008
Sparks The Rescue - Eyes To The Sun (7.8/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
Sparks The Rescue, a Maine five-piece, might have just found their breakthrough in the rock scene. Their new release, Eyes To The Sun, is the bands full length record. Instead of following the typical band (releasing previously released songs on a new record), Sparks The Rescue decided to give the listener a whole new taste. In with the new, out with the old, the band picks up from their previous release The Secrets We Can’t Keep, but they continue to carry their unique pop-rock sound. Let me introduce to you Eyes To The Sun.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 17, 2008
Taste of Chaos - February 15th, 2008
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Our new contributor, Spencer Rhoads hit up the madness that is the Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour two weeks ago when it swung through San Jose, California. Spencer was kind enough to cover the event for TDC and you can find a show review below complete with some awesome pics from our other new contributor, James Grant in the comments.
The tour, which features Thursday, Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce the Veil, Four Year Strong, and Cancer Bats is still rolling on through the U.S. You can check out the rest of the dates and purchase tickets for the event here.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on February 25, 2009
The Apathy Eulogy - Resolved to Dream (8.5/10)
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by Matt Nistler
When it comes down to it, there is essentially two primary types of music (albeit, with plenty of gray area in between) that is produced within our music scene. First there is music that is listened to for the purpose of feeling energized. This is fun music to blare while getting crunk, while thrashing in a mosh pit, or to blast while driving down the highway. This “party music” has its time and place, but for the most part the quality of the lyrics and music is typically lacking.
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Posted by matt.nistler on June 04, 2009
The Bigger Lights - Fiction Fever (7.2/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
I recently elected to take a course called Business and Sports Marketing. So far we’ve learned about different marketing techniques, important facts of marketing, and other sections of marketing. Marketing is the process of organizing and directing all the company activities which relate to determining the market demand and converting the customers. In this situation, the fans are the customers.
Product: The Bigger Lights
Advertising: Fiction Fever [EP]
How: Absolute Management Group (Nano Tissera)
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on October 07, 2008
The Breakup - Don't Keep Us A Secret (7.25/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
In case you didn't know, it's pretty tough to write CD reviews. Do you wanna know what's even tougher? When you're reviewing a CD for a girl-fronted band that sounds nothing like Paramore, but all you want to write about is how much they sound like Paramore. I know it sounds very contradicting and confusing but whenever I listen to a female-fronted band, I think of Paramore. In fact, I'd like to thank Paramore for ruining it for other girl-fronted bands trying to "make it" out of the scene, and for ruining it for us album reviewers who are desperate and can't think of anything else to write. Seriously, even though The Breakup has no similarities with Paramore, all I can think about while listening to their EP is Haley Williams swishing her hair around in that "Misery Business" video. So, wish me luck with the rest of this review because, even though it may sound stupid, trying to think of an extra 2-4 paragraphs without mentioning Paramore is going to be pretty tough. Here it goes...
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on October 12, 2008
The Constellation Branch - The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass.... (7.3/10)
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by Tyler McGinnis
Being a big fan of experimental music, I was pretty excited to receive The Constellation Branch’s The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass. I hoped to find similarities between this band and other experimental favorites of mine such as Days Away, Circa Survive, and mewithoutYou. While it was clear that this band shared some similarities with the aforementioned bands, they also had their own unique qualities, some of which were good and some that could use improvement.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 27, 2009
The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Sky Eats Airplane, Emarosa - April 19th, 2009 (Club Retro - Orangevale, CA)
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by James Grant
On April 19, 2009, more than a thousand fans waited in a half-mile-long line outside of Orangevale’s Club Retro, a small club-sized venue near Sacramento,California.
Emarosa, Sky Eats Airplane, A Day To Remember and The Devil Wears Prada, some of hardcore music’s more notable names, were set to play the show as part of the “Sweet Brag Tour."
But little did fans know that their wait in the long line would be their last chance at fresh air for the night; the sold out show would be one of the hottest and sweatiest that they would ever experience.
First to take Retro’s stage was Emarosa, an ambient screamo group whose vocalist Will Sowers started the show off with his gasping choruses and airy lyrical melodies. Although the instrumentalists laid down and appropriate backing for Sowers, overall Emarosa failed to muster the collective energy of the crowd and proved to be the calm before the storm.
Sky Eats Airplane crashed the stage following Emarosa’s sub par opening set. At first glance the band members appeared to be just pocket-protector-sporting nerds with a Mac laptop and too much time on their hands, but Sky Eat’s Airplane’s so-called nerd herd brought a stage-stomping energy onto the stage. Sky Eats Airplane’s electronica-hardcore-meets-pokebattle sound was the catalyst for the crowd’s sudden involvement and inertia. “Long Walks on Short Bridges,” “The Artificial” and “Numbers” were some of the set list hits.
Next on the night’s bill was A Day To Remember, who aptly lived up to their name by playing a set that will be remembered by most fans in the crowd. Songs like “Plot to Bomb The Panhandle,” “Monument,” “The Downfall of us All” and “A Shot in the Dark” proved to be A Day To Remember’s most memorable songs of the night. Soaked in sweat, A Day To Remember’s lead singer remarked, “This has got to be one of the top three hottest shows we’ve ever played!”
The Devil Wears Prada, the “Sweet Brag! Tour” headliner, brought a whole new heavy-metal-hardcore beast into the venue. Drenching the crowd in sweat, yet again, and making the most of Club Retro’s stellar come-out-of-nowhere stage light production, The Devil Wears Prada churned out a set list that featured most of their more popular songs. “Still Fly,” a Big Tymers cover song, “HTML roolz d00d,” “You Can’t Spell ‘Crap’ Without ‘C’" were among the night’s highlights. Brutal breakdowns, a sold out crowd and superb opening acts definitely made for a show to remember.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on May 05, 2009
The Fast Track - The Life and Death of the Party (7.7/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
Lately, I've been trying to find a band that is willing to take a chance. That chance is creating something different. While my research was unsuccessful, I scrolled over a band that reminded me of early 2000's pop-punk. Hailing from the unknown music world of Minneapolis, Minnesota, The Fast Track might be the best thing compared to old New Found Glory. With the band recording with Jamie Woolford (The Format, Gin Blossoms, Punchline), I knew this could be something special.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 25, 2008
The Friendswemake - California Please EP (8.6/10)
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by Matt Nistler
Something that I find very respectable about the music industry is how it really doesn’t emphasize individual talents so much as it tends to focus on teamwork. Yes, there will always be the Pete Wentz’s and Bruce Springsteen’s of the world who do tend to stand out from the crowd, but even Bruce has his E Street Band and Pete has the support of Stumpy and the rest of his Fall Out Boiz.
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Posted by matt.nistler on February 09, 2009
The Narrative - Just Say Yes (7.8/10)
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by David Taintor
Craigslist, with its humble San Francisco office, might be best known for it’s hilarious “missed connections” listings and, maybe, more recently, for wreaking financial havoc on many major newspapers. It turns out the online classifieds behemoth provides a more productive purpose as well: forming New York’s The Narrative.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 05, 2009
The Real You - Better Now Than Never (8.5/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
"This is really good piano rock" – Matt Nistler, TDC staffer.
You are correct, Mr. Nistler. I probably couldn't have said it any better myself, because The Real You does as a matter-of-fact, write really good piano rock. It's so good that it probably won't be long before these songs leak inside the mainstream alongside fellow piano-rockers The Fray and Jack's Mannequin. Every key, every beat and every hook mold together perfectly making Better Now than Never one of the most cohesively put together EPs in recent memory.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on January 27, 2009
This Condition - We Don’t Have To Be Alone EP (8.6/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
Lalalalalala. Long Island doesn’t really produce music anymore. And if this land mass does put out music, it usually sucks. It’s either terrible hardcore acts or some TBS cover band. So lets say it’s been a while since there’s been a band worth the hype. I could stop my review here, but I’ll keep going. The area hasn’t put out “pop-rock” music ever. Not even “pop-punk.” But it seems times have changed...
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Posted by matt.nistler on December 15, 2008
This Providence - The Bright Lights EP (7.6/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
This Providence is one of the brightest acts in music today. I remember them back in late 2004, when I heard their first release Our Worlds Divorce. The debut showed so much promise; giving This Providence such a distinct sound. Vocalist Daniel Young has such lazy vocals, which makes it awesome. The area at the time was the “hot spot”, with the surge in popularity of bands in the same ilk such as Gatsby’s American Dream and Forgive Durden. Their next release was some what a letdown, yet I really enjoyed it. Some of the old sounds changed, which weren’t for the better.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 04, 2008
Trace the Skyline - Self-Titled EP (7/10)
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by Matt Nistler
At first glance the story seems all too familiar. You've heard it before...an up-and-coming band that calls Minnesota home...upbeat pop-rock music...a recent EP produced by Jordan Schmidt. Except this time the storyline is not about Sing It Loud, Lights Out Dancing, or even All The Right Moves. This time the band in the hot seat is Trace the Skyline.
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Posted by matt.nistler on January 05, 2009
We Are Only Fiction - Out From The Cave (8/10)
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by Ryan McDonough
Paul Leavitt appears to be the man to record with. Almost all of the material he has produced in the past year has been dripping awesome (get stoked for The Dangerous Summer), and We Are Only Fiction’s Out From the Cave is miles from being an exception.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on April 29, 2009
You Me and Everyone We Know - So Young, So Insane (8.1/10)
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by Kyle Schnitzer
This wasn’t going to be a secret forever. Maryland’s You, Me, and Everyone We Know made their punch through the America’s stereos, with their re-release earlier in 2008, Party For The Grown and Sexy. While this brought huge publicity to the band, it also may have labeled them. That label would be a “Say Anything cover band.” While many bands would find this attractive, I felt that they didn’t sound anything close to the California natives. The band announced they would be recording a new EP later this year. With some touring here and there, the EP looked doubtful. However, I was wrong.
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Posted by matt.pagirsky on November 21, 2008
