The Maine

Ok. So. One of my favourite bands. I found them while creeping around on buzznet.com a long time ago, they had a feature on them and they were talking about their skinny jeans (the majority of the band has unbelievably skinny legs). Anyway. They're really good. From Phoenix and are also hilarious. They are really in touch with their fans, especially Pat the drummer, the one who has the long hair and is on the left in the picture. They frequently post videos on their youtube account and on their buzznet and host live chats.

But onto the music. SO. The lead singer, and one of my future husbands is John O'Callaghan, he's the one in the front with the RayBans, that's what our children are going to be born wearing, he plays the acoustic guitar sometimes as well, but most recently stands there and acts bored (or at least he did the last time I saw them... quite disappointing, BUT they're usually very energetic). The drummer, as I said before is Pat Kirch, he is so little it's scary... he also has some weird alter ego, which is a little creepy. Behind him in the picture is Kennedy Brock, who does some of the backing vocals and plays guitar, I think he looks like a sweetheart. The number one sweetheart in the band though is Jared Monaco also plays guitar and when I went to get a shirt autographed for my sister, HE thanked ME... it was so sweet!! Now. The grand finale, my favourite person in the band Garret Nickelsen. He is a)obsessed with zombies and b) always does rock hands... which makes me very very happy.

This band lineup got together in 2007 and no one knew O'Callaghan could even sing. When they first preformed he apparently would stare at the back of the stage because he was so nervous. And his voice has improved incredibly, it's so... mature... on their new album! They've played everywhere from little bars to Bamboozle and Warped Tour, and at Bamboozle I was surprised by their amazing fan base! They're definitely a lot bigger in the states then they are here!
Their new album, is called Black and White, it came out in the summer and upon first listen wasn't as catchy as I thought it was... BUT the second time I listened to it, it was amazing! It was so far from their old stuff I was floored! Their older stuff was a little poppy, but this is more rock/Tom Petty inspired and I read an article that it was supposed to resemble some Third Eye Blind, butttt I don't hear it.

Anyway. Top 5 Songs from the album, which makes for half of the album because it only had 10 songs on it!

1. Inside of You

2. Fuel to the Fire

3. Listen to Your Heart

4. Give It To Me

5. Growing Up

1. Inside of You... this was their first single off of this album and I LOVE it. The vocals are so different from their old stuff and it really set them apart from all of their old stuff. The best part of the song is right after this huge build and the lyrics get really fast and the guitar is so sweet in it too.

2. Fuel to the Fire... I just like the idea of the song and the way the lyrics are. It's kind of a rejection thing maybe? I'm not sure I just like it it's catchy.

3. Listen to Your Heart... this is my favourite song on the album, it's so cute. He says that he wants to run away with the girl... *swoon* and he says something about finding her in a crowd if she just whispers *swoon*

4. Give it to Me... I like this song because there's a breakdown part that's so funny "...when the pretty boys try to get next to you they really just want to have sex with you... it's the way you move and the clothes you wear, the alcohol and the way that you don't care all I really want to do is get next to you, next to you..." it's just so classic 90s.

5. Growing Up... their second single off of this album... it's slower and has a piano and reminds me of Tom Petty... there's a piano twirl in it too (or at least I think that's what it's called... where you start at one end of the keyboard and go all the way down... whatever it's sweet!)

So enjoy the awesomeness that is The Maine.

The Pretty Reckless

OH MY GOD IT'S JENNY HUMPHREY!!!! And don't they all look soooo happy in the picture?! I mean they're ecstatic about being in this band... oh wait. Right, they're edgy and cool so they can't smile or even appear to be having fun in any picture... gooootttttt it.

So despite their obvious coolness, let's get the facts straight... the band is fronted by Jenny Humphrey from Gossip Girl (actual name Taylor Momsen) she also played Cindy Lou Who in the Jim Carey version of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. How is it possible that you don't check them out!

I was expecting them to be some horribly fronted band, with their only reason for having fans is because of her popular following on Gossip Girl... when I youtubed them to find some of their music, just to hear a sample (this was innnn January-ish) the first thing that popped up was "The Pretty Reckless Make Me Want To Die". Being completely naive to their song titles I thought that this meant they actually made someone want to die! Then I realized it was the name of the song, it was featured in Kick Ass and is SO CATCHY.

THEN. When my sister and I went to Bamboozle, she was playing... I couldn't miss her, obviously I had to see if she was for real and her voice wasn't autotuned... even if her appearance was the trashiest thing ever (seriously she's 16... or 17 now... and wears garters on stage WHERE ARE HER PARENTS! and she drops the eff bomb ever other word! but I must keep in mind that she's "edgy"). We mosey over to the stage and everyone is yelling about Jenny Humphrey, which made me feel a little bad that she's always going to be identified as Jenny... but she brought it on herself sooo I don't feel too bad. Expecting a train wreck of a performance I was going to give her 2 or 3 songs and then find some shade to sit down. BUT HOLY CRAP! The girl actually sings in key live and actually performs! I was flabbergasted! She sounds almost identical to the way she does on the recordings the only thing that was off was her background guy, he wasn't quite as in key as he is on the recording. So kudos to her for actually being able to belt it out.

As for her band... they're all significantly older than her, which also creeps me out a bit... what late 20's guy wants to hang out with a 17 year old?! But I guess it's a pretty good gig... there'll always be young little children to fall all over them. So Ben Phillips is the number one guy, he helps Taylor (we're on a first name basis) write the songs and is also her backing vocals and the lead guitar. Mark Damon (perhaps related to Matt?!) plays the bass and Jamie Perkins plays drums and other various percussion instruments... except for little shaker maraca thing Taylor Momsen OWNS that thing hahaha.

Now fastforward to the 31st of August (my sister's birthday) but also the release of this endearing album art... isn't it just so nice that this little kid can wear leather and use a zippo? I have great expectations for the youth of today. But anyway... the album is called Light Me Up.

It is actually quite good. I again was floored. The songs are pretty rock-ish, the songs are a little more mature but they're all really catchy and performed really well!!!

The guitar is super heavy in some songs but then in other songs the drums are really heavy... so it's a perfect blend. The album also has really fast dance-y songs and slower songs that are more campfire friendly. The deeper side of me will say that the album shows the complexity of life... some songs about being so in love with someone you'd do anything for them (Make Me Want To Die... while others are purely about rejection You)... overall it's a pretty decent album.

Another random note is that she did a cover of Rihanna and Eminem's Love the Way You Lie mashed with Islands... it's acoustic and surprisingly really good!!!

But... here's my breakdown of the top 5 songs from Light Me Up...

1. Make Me Want To Die

2. Goin' Down

3. You

4. Since You're Gone

5. Just Tonight

1. Make Me Want To Die... this is their "big hit"... it's ridiculously catchy, it starts with a cute little tune and then the rock sound comes in and it's so BA it's ridiculous, the lyrics are sweet too, or maybe they're a little negative... nevertheless they're catchy.

2. Goin' Down... so this song brought some controversy in a recent interview of Miss Momsen's, where she claims that the song is about priests and their molestation scandals... then she said she had slept with a priest... classy girl. BUT the song is pretty sweet, it's one of the rocky ones on the album. The best part of the song is when the music slows down a bit and she starts singing really quickly, like she's explaining something... it caught me the first time I heard the song.

3. You... this is one of the slower songs, the guitar in it is acoustic and it makes me all fuzzy inside, even if the song is a little sad. Her voice is impeccable in it too, again I was thoroughly impressed.

4. Since You're Gone... this song reminds me of old rock... just the beat and the way that she sings. It's a faster one again and the lyrics aren't very complex, but who cares!!

5. Just Tonight... BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM, in my opinion... but of course it will never be released as a single, that's fine though I can just enjoy it all to myself. The chorus is amazing, if she wrote this I will be a loyal fan to her forever, unfortunately the information is not on wikipedia and I don't feel like looking for it right now. But seriously... I love it, I don't even care if she's talking about being drugged up in it, I like to think it's a deeper meaning, even if it isn't.

All in all... I'd say good job Taylor Momsen and Co. I thoroughly enjoyed your album! Next time don't try to be so hardcore and be more of yourself, I don't care what your publicist says, you shouldn't act like this at 17... you're not too cool for school, you should still be in it!

Peace out!

The Spill Canvas

So, after my long hiatus from pushing my music on the whole 4 people that read this... I've come back!!!! My hiatus was filled with nothing... and now that school is about to start up again, I thought HEY what a better time to start blogging again and putting off my school work even more?!

The band to bring back the assault is The Spill Canvas, those four nifty guys showing off their amazingly flexible karate kicks. (Is anyone else wondering how many tries it took them to all be relatively the same height and doing the same type of move without hitting each other?!) Anyway enough about their ninja moves and more about them!

First I should start with how I found these guys... all of the credit goes to my good friend Jeremy... upon meeting Jeremy (the first victim of my music assaults) he asked me if I had ever heard of The Spill Canvas... I hadn't, but looked into them and fell in love. The lead singers voice... just makes you fall in love with him. *Swoon*

Now upon observation only you can see that there are clearly 4 of them. The band hails from South Dakota... Sioux Falls, South Dakota (the reason I mention the city is because I read a book in grade 5 called Sioux Winter and that's what it reminds me of... maybe I should write the author and tell them to do a prequel called Sioux Fall...)

The band's lead singer is Nick Thomas, he has a gutsy voice that floors you when you see who he is. The first time I saw a music video by them I was floored that he was the singer. Joe Beck plays the drums, and gives some of their songs a heavier rock sound, especially at the beginning of some of them and he uses the high-hat!! Oh how I love it... Dan Ludeman plays guitar and also backs up Nick Thomas on vocals, he plays guitar so awesomely, from what I remember from their show he plays lead guitar so he's the cool rock part as well. It should also be mentioned right now that Nick Thomas also plays guitar along with his lead vocals gig. The final member of the band is Landon Heil. First of all... LOVE his name, I don't think I've ever met a Landon, therefore it's cool and mysterious with no bad memories attached to it... like the name Amanda (bad elementary school experience). Anyway he plays bass and was so cute at the show I saw them at... he just sways... ho hum. So cute.

Now, their most recent release was their Realities EP... which has, in my opinion their best song... or well maybe. The EP is poppy, alternative, rock and just so catchy.

One listen and I swear you'll be hooked, especially my favourite song on it... you can't help but singing along and bopping your head to it.

They've released, five full length albums and have a new one due out sometime this year.

I believe this is all I have to say about them right now... so here come the top 5 songs to download by them. But let me say that all of their songs are amazing, they do a lot of acoustic slower stuff and the songs I picked are more uppity and awake music, no going to bed music.

SONGS TO DOWNLOAD

1. Our Song

2. Polygraph, Right Now!

3. All Over You

4. Staplegunned

5. Hush Hush

1. Our Song... so this is the song that I'm obsessed with off of their most recent EP. Not only is the beat amazingly catchy but the lyrics are to die for. "We'll never be, strangers kissing the pouring rain, chasing after your leaving train, but we know that's not how our song goes..." so good! His voice in it is just right as well... he even has a gritty part that gives me chills. (it was bad when they preformed this song live, I almost jumped up on stage and that would have been bad because he's smaller than I am...)

2. Polygraph, Right Now!... ok the title of this song proves how good it is... there's an exclamation point!! It's about a break up... enough said. Heavy drums, he talks about being a king of a pitty party... I want to be at his party and make him feel better... his voice, just so good. Oh and the word whore is in it... so it makes you feel evil... hahaha

3. All Over You... THIS is the song that I first fell in love with, and saw the video and was floored by his voice and his appearance and just him (he looks much different now, the video is fairly old and he's rid himself of the beard/goatee and shaved his head). Onto the song... proclamation of love... the chorus is so catchy and the beat is addictive, the lyrics are a little stalkerish but hey who said stalking an ex girlfriend in a song was against the law right?

4. Staplegunned... again kind of a creepy song, he wants to throw his lips on a girl in an elevator but who cares!! Again, his voice is so good... this song is pretty heavy on guitar, the riff is different and shapes the song perfectly

5. Hush Hush... secrets... it's catchy and the guitar in it is soooo good. The lyrics again are creepy, but again... look past it... it's again about a cheater, I'm thinking he went through a lot of heartbreak before this album.... he does a lot of falsetto singing in this song... but it shows his range (again perfect... even live)

Now. Closing words. This band is amazing. You need to see them live if you ever have the opportunity to... I saw them at a really small venue and they still played like they were playing to a stadium and they were so nice and interacted with the crowd. So. Get their music. Get them to come up to Canada (I'm fairly sure they're HUGE in the States, but at the show I was at there were only about 40 people).

Now enjoy... and in the words of Paul the Intern (who cracks me up) "... Sleep well my darlings..."