Make sure to check out the new site at music-rag.com

10.31.2013

Halloween Playlist

       I love Halloween, a lot, and while this playlist is shortened from my own and has some duplicates from last year (missing classics like "Time Warp" and, the always expected, "Thriller", and repeating awesome songs like "House of Wolves" and "You Raised a Vampire"), it's still stuffed full of great music that's perfect for the holiday.
"Blood Red" The Maine
"Venus In Fleurs" Grimes
"Creature Feature" Sensual Harassment
"Hysteria" Muse
"Killin' It" Foxy Shazam
"Rotten to the Core" The Builders and The Butchers
"Infinitesimal" Mother Mother
"If Looks Could Kill" Camera Obscura
"All the Cool Girls Are Dead" The Pink Spiders
"Afraid" The Neighbourhood
"Reno" Gods of Macho
"Monster" Skillet
"Hammerhead" The Offspring
"Snake Devil" Scary Kids Scaring Kids
"Amen" New Medicine
"You Raised a Vampire" The Moog
"Invaders Must Die" The Prodigy
"Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)" The Wombats
"Midnight Show" The Killers
"House of Wolves" My Chemical Romance
"She Scares Me" Dubkiller (click this link for a free download; it's not in the YouTube playlist [this is the instrumental; get the version with Mark Victor and RockMafia here. Both versions are free])
       Happy Halloween!
-E

Bang Bang Bang/C'mon Man You're Dead

         Sahara Beck's new album comes out today and I'm super excited for you guys to hear how great it is.
      Check out the first review of the album here (that still makes me so happy to say), listen to two of her previously released singles below, and head over to iTunes to grab your copy of You Could Be Happy now (I would recommend listening to "Mary Jane" on repeat, but that's just me).
"Bang Bang Bang"
"C'mon Man You're Dead"

Riot

       I don't have much to say about this song other than it only makes me love Australia's music that much more and that the music video is completely amazing (seriously, the guy who uses nunchucks as make-shift drum sticks is awesome).
       If you're dragging yourself out of bed for an early morning class (because you seem to have selective amnesia every time you sign up for classes and keep ending up with the earliest possible), turn this all the way up; it works wonders.
"Riot" Velociraptor

10.30.2013

Creature Feature

         Sensual Harassment has a new video out for Halloween and, if you're just as excited for the holiday as I am, you're going to want to check it out.        
       The track is heavily influenced by elements of horror music, with a low bass, steady rhythm, and a trilling melody and, with a sound that's both eerie and easy to dance to, you're going to want to add it to your Halloween playlist.          
       Get the song for free when you like it on Facebook or tweet about it and watch the video below; the video's awesome because, rather than gathering the top scenes from horror classics, it's filled with lesser known horror films from back when (i.e. less slasher, more horror, and just good).       
       Head to the websites below to check out more music from the band and start getting excited for their up-coming album which should be released early next year. 
"Creature Feature" Sensual Harassment 
-E

Fire to Myself

       Normally, I don't go for anything that features a lead singer who isn't playing an instrument, but I'll make an exception for vocals like this.
       Hailing from Missouri, alternative singer/songwriter Al'Michael presents us with a great first single off his upcoming debut EP Head VS Heart (to be released January 2014).
       The composition features acoustic tracks intermixed with electronic tracks and an ever constant back beat that solidly places both feet in the pop genre. With his rich, soulful vocals added to a pop instrumentation which we have far too long associated with weak vocals and sugary lyrics, Al'Michael's single, "Fire to Myself", offers a new outlook on the pop genre.
       Honest lyrics state "the moon and the stars and the sky, seem more touchable to me than you are", "I stay awake at night, talking to my mind" and "I barely understand myself, do you know what that feels like when happiness is loneliness, 'cause that's the only thing that feels right" with a chorus that blatantly admits "I don't want to live this way anymore" while an electric guitar, solid back beats, and a simple piano melody seamlessly come together to create a composition that just feels right. An unabashedly emotional ending that features the repetition of "catch me if I fall" fading out to that simple piano melody overlaid with "I don't wanna be this way, I want things to change" before coming to an abrupt end has me excited to see what Al'Michael comes out with next.
       You can grab this single and another single, "Where Were You", on iTunes now.
"Fire to Myself" Al'Michael

10.29.2013

Die For Something Beautiful

       When I saw that this band's self-described genre included the phrase "fashion art" I began to worry (not that I have anything against fashion, it's just that I prefer boots and jeans or flats and skirts; keep it simple), but I am oh so pleasantly surprised. 
       The slowly building melody that leads you in is nice, but the song didn't hold anything unique until around that 0:20 mark when those vocals came in (have I mentioned how much I really like scratchy vocals? Let me just reiterate myself in case you're new here: I fucking love soft, scratchy vocals. I don't care what you say, just say it in that voice). Add in that wonderful piano melody (the best instrument, of course) that starts around the same time as the vocals, an evenly paced drum beat that tells you how to move, and the bands fantastic use of discordance during the bridge at 2:57 that only highlights the gorgeous resolution that comes around with the return of the chorus and those final notes which rise and fall before fading out, and I'm addicted before I've even begun to listen to the lyrics.
       Of course, a band with a composition that amazing is going to have awesome writing skills to go with it, so perfect lines like "you'll never find all the things you want...they will haunt you", "crawl on your knees, you might survive...you delay the things you know you hide", and "every time I see your face at night, moving slowly through the wanted lights, watermarks illuminate your eyes, every time I see them make me want to cry" don't even surprise me; I just want to keep listening.
       I'm legitimately upset that I've been missing out on a band this amazing for so long, because every one of their songs is just as fantastic as their last.
       These guys already have their strong fan base and amazing music, so just start falling for their music now and don't fight it, because they're only going to grow more successful. Get their EP, The Ends Beginning, on iTunes now.
"Die For Something Beautiful" Palaye Royale
http://palayeroyale.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/PalayeRoyale
https://twitter.com/PalayeRoyale
https://www.facebook.com/PalayeRoyale
- E

Navajo

       While I would love to stay up with my readers on the other coast and in other countries to share the awesome music that you keep sending in (and getting me horribly addicted to), I have to read a ridiculously in depth article about something I don't care about.
       I'm not sharing new music with you tonight, but I am pointing out a song that was song of the day last week or so, that you need to be listening to now. 
       Featuring a slowly building and danceable melody, a chorus you can't help but sing to, and just great lyrics, Ponderosa has a sleeper hit on their hands and you're going to want to get it and learn all the words now; plus it's kind of perfect for listening to in the middle of the night and the music video's kind of awesome.
"Navajo" Ponderosa
- E

10.28.2013

The Water

      Fossil Collective's The Water EP was released today and their always haunting melodies, perfect lyrics, and soft vocals make it a must-have. 
       Grab their self-produced EP on iTunes now and, if you still don't have their last full-length, Tell Where I Lie, get it, because there will always come a time where the only thing you want to listen to is a lot of Fossil Collective.
"The Water" Fossil Collective
- E

Bang Bang Bang

       If you still have not heard any of Sahara Beck's music, you're missing out. Check the first review of You Could Be Happy (it makes me so happy to be able to say that) and get excited for the EP to come out this Thursday.
     As I stated in the review, of all the EP's released, or set to be released, this year, You Could Be Happy promises the best up-and-coming artist that you need to keep your eye on. Grab your copy on the 31st or pre-order it now.
"Bang Bang Bang" Sahara Beck

Real Thing

       Dream pop band The Walking Sticks has put out one hypnotic single after another and I can't get enough of this sound.
       London Grammar's success overseas and in the US has proved that synthesized dream pop is ready to make its comeback, and it's all because those weaving melodies and pulsating beats are so addictive.
       Check out "Real Thing" from the Walking Sticks for awesome lyrics, a  great melody, and gorgeous vocals. 
       Get their new EP on December 10.
"Real Thing" The Walking Sticks

Little Lady London

       Check out the latest video from The Black Whiskey Union for good lyrics, a fun composition, and just enough brass thrown in to have me playing this on repeat. 
       Head to the websites below to support the band and look for more information about the band on the site soon.
"Little Lady London" The Black Whiskey Union
- E

Ghost

       A solid back beat, strong rock riffs, and honest lyrics make this song ridiculously addictive, and that hook will be circling around your head for days (seriously, I woke up with this in my head).
       Watch the video, become addicted to the song, get excited for their new video (coming soon), and turn the volume all the way up, because it does an amazing job of waking you up on a Monday morning.
"Ghost" Darling Parade

10.27.2013

Road Trip

       Road trips are the best and, now that I have a car that won't break down (knock on wood), it's even better (you know you have to give in and buy a different car when the tow truck guy recognizes you and doesn't ask where to tow the car).
       So, if you're headed on a road trip, you can turn the volume up and stay awake. If you're not headed out on a road trip, then just sing-along, because these songs are perfect for that.
- E

Love Don't Die

       I've got most of the New Music Monday posts ready for tomorrow and I can't wait to share the new music with you guys but, because I have to shove something at you, you should check out The Fray's latest single from their upcoming album.
       The band was supposed to take a break after their Scars & Stories tour but said they were feeling creative and went back to the studio to start work on their next album, and I couldn't be more excited. 
       The single was released last week and includes all the emotional compositions, catchy hooks, and sweet lyrics you've come to expect from The Fray. It sounds like a radio hit, a phrase which gets a bad rep, but popularity does not make the song any less great (because lines like "a thousand years go by, but love don't die", "you don't say much, yeah, that's true, but I lose it when you do", and "even if they try, they'll never take my body from your side" would be great even if they never left the bar scene). The band has experience in the business so their hits are going to be radio ready with a sing-along chorus; that's actually a good thing, despite what every hipster I've ever met claims (it means that the artist will be able to keep making music, rather than being forced out of the business).
       Even though the single is awesome and the band has talked about a new song that is, as of yet, unreleased and not anywhere to be found ("Our Last Days"), the main reason I can't wait for the new album to be released is to see these guys perform live again; never have I seen a frontman better than Isaac Slade.
       Check out the new single and fall in love with, yet another, hit from The Fray.
"Love Don't Die" The Fray
- E

10.26.2013

Revolution/Cool Kids

       I hate calling out bands that aren't going to last, but it's easy to determine whether a band will be famous or not just by listening to a few of their songs.
       I've been talking up The Other Side tour since I found out that For the Foxes, Echosmith, and The Downtown Fiction would be heading out together and, while I am super excited for The Downtown Fiction and Tonight Alive has done an awesome job of getting their music out there, the only bands you really need to see on this tour are For the Foxes and Echosmith. 
       I love The Downtown Fiction; I think they're awesome, their music's catchy, and I can't wait to dance around to "I Just Wanna Run", but they're still going off the hype from an album they put out over two years ago. They're going to need new material and be able to show that they have evolved to a more mature sound if they don't want to get stuck in that rut reserved for those bands that can't get over high-school emotions.
       Tonight Alive has a few songs that will get a lot of radio play because they're catchy and you want to sing along ("Lonely Girl" and "Come Home") but their songs, as a whole, read a lot more like high school punk and their sound is less mature than a band of their age calls for. There's a lot of good to be said about being childlike, but there's not much good in being a child.
       Get tickets for The Other Side tour to see the opening bands. 
       For the Foxes doesn't need to change a thing about their sound; all they need is exposure and they're set. Go see them, sing along, and fall for all of their music because these guys' music and lyrics are going to keep them moving upward.
       Echosmith is just pretty great. Give them some time and they'll be unstoppable because people LOVE sibling bands. They've also got fun compositions and lyrics that are unabashedly honest and mature beyond their years; this band is going to fall perfectly into the upcoming music trends and you want to see them now when tickets are still less than $20.
"Revolution" For the Foxes
"Cool Kids" Echosmith
Get your tickets from any ticket site (or head to one of the band's websites) now.
- E

Down

       It has a '90's alt-rock feel with great lyrics and I really can't make it through without turning my volume all the way up.
"Down" SafetySuit
- E

Take Me Home

       I'm briefly interrupting SafetySuit Saturday because i am just so ridiculously excited to see The Downtown Fiction (almost as excited as I was to see my first ever concert [for the purpose of you guys still possibly respecting me, we'll just say that Tokyo Police Club was my first]).
       Aside from Sleeperstar and Swifty (I try to ignore her but I can't), their's was the only full length album I listened to during my freshman year of college... and that was a weird year. Regardless, I thought for sure that the band had broken up as the break between albums was so great and I'm so glad they're still together and that I get to go dance around to this, because they're like a young The Maine with a lot of extra punk thrown in and their music is kind of awesome.
       Look up tour dates for Tonight Alive's The Other Side Tour because Tonight Alive is great (bands with lead female vocals are coming back around to be the next trend that takes over music), For the Foxes has catchy music you have to move to, and Echosmith is the definition of up-and-coming.
"Take Me Home" The Downtown Fiction
- E

Something I Said

        I'm fairly positive that SafetySuit is one of the most underrated bands. 
       An opening verse which states "I'm so confused, I must be losing it, this can't be right, I never knew that you could choose to love someone then change your mind, so I just wonder why and was it something I said" is more relatable than most break-up song lyrics and the bands always awesome use of emotional compositions and, of course, those scratchy vocals, make the song great.
"Something I Said" SafetySuit
- E

10.25.2013

You Could Be Happy

       Sahara Beck's latest EP, You Could Be Happy, is set to be released on October 31, and I couldn't be more excited for her fans to hear what she has come up with.
       The young artist, hailing from Queensland's Sunshine Coast, showed her advanced talent for song-writing by releasing her first full-length album at the age of only fifteen in October 2011 and, by 2012, had won a Queensland Music Award. Beck has performed at multiple music festivals (BIGSOUND, Caloundra Music Festival, Golden Days, Noosa Long Weekend, the SolBar, The J, Peregian Originals, Joe's Waterhole, Brisbane Powerhouse, Judith Wright Centre) and her music has received international radio play.
       The great thing about Sahara Beck is that I had no clue she was seventeen until I read her bio. Most young artists have under-developed vocals (you can still hear the 'child' in their voice when they go to hit some notes), the lyrics read like something I could have jotted down with ease, and their compositions either aren't full enough and hang awkwardly in the background or there's too much going on and it drowns out the vocals, but Beck shows no signs of these shortfalls. With balanced compositions, gorgeously full vocals, and lyrics which read mature beyond her years, this EP promises that Beck is a force to be reckoned with in the music world.
       "C'mon Man You're Dead" has an instantly addictive upbeat tempo and an opening line that grabs you and pulls you into the song before those first 20 seconds are up. A chorus which states "they don't know who you are, though they ran very far, to get away from you, we thought we knew who we were, then we got our fingers burned just to keep up with you" and the emotion in her voice when singing "what's wrong with me, look around and wonder why, people spread these dirty lies" show a young artist wise beyond her years.
       "Mary Jane" may be my favorite song on this album and, while it may reflect poorly upon me that I can't get enough of a song that discusses alcoholism and marijuana ("he wakes up in the morning, and he pours a glass of wine, and I'll tell him it's too early, and he'll say 'aw, babe, it's fine"/"I never need to question when his eyes are cherry red, and I always call her Mrs. Jane, 'cause you know that it sounds nice"), it's too great to ignore. The lyrics are amazing, but the composition makes the song perfect, because the only thing better than the haunting repetition of "now I'm all alone come find me, now I'm all alone come find me" is that back-beat.
       "Bang, Bang, Bang" places the emphasis on Beck's vocals and writing skills with only an acoustic melody to carry her through a soft, yet catchy, chorus. The refreshing maturity that flows through Beck's music is clear in an articulate verse which states "I would rather walk than run, 'cause if you chased me, nothing could grab my foot and pull my body down to the ground, you don't have to fight us, but if you don't, we all know that you're going to have to change your wicked ways eventually" and features Beck's penchant for story-telling mixed with introspective metaphors.
       "Madman" features a solid instrumentation with an alt-rock feel backing those indie folk lyrics, giving it a different feel from the rest of her songs, and it's only made better by that bridge that can't stop from overflowing with emotion; Beck's music is honest, and her willingness to share everything through her lyrics makes songs like this amazing.
       "Daisy" relies only on a soft pattern picking style and Beck's full vocals to carry out mature lines "call me happy, call me down, tell me love will come around, this is how I'll disappear, without hate, without fear", "this is your life, this is mine, going backwards all the time" and, by the time the tempo picks up for "death is peaceful, not so sad, I wouldn't bother getting mad, won't make a difference either way" I'm awestruck by the fact that she has written this at only seventeen years of age. Even if you factor out her age, focusing only on her writing ability versus that of other popular artists, these lyrics are markedly more eloquent than any other popular artist has been able to put out as of recent.
       "You Could Be Happy" features an up-tempo rhythm and a playful melody, and Beck's story-telling skills are in full swing with a verse which states "I said don't be so ashamed, don't let them push you into the shade, you replied 'well, it's all the same, have I ever told you 'bout the flame that never died? Spark arose within the darkest of nights...kept burning and burning till the sun did arise'" and I can't stop playing it on repeat.
       Of all the EP's released, or set to be released, this year, this one promises the best up-and-coming artist that you need to keep your eye on; the music's gorgeous, the vocals are flawless, and I'm blown way by the maturity displayed in this young artist's work. Start falling for her music now because you're going to want to get You Could Be Happy as soon as it drops on the 31st (or pre-order it now).
http://www.saharabeck.com/
https://www.facebook.com/saharabeckmusic
https://twitter.com/SaharaBeck
- E

Gang of Rhythm

       There's really no song better suited to kick off your Friday morning than something fun from, the always amazing, Walk off the Earth. 
       Check out their latest version of "Gang of Rhythm", their "Car Loop Version", performed around, and relying on, a VW beetle.
       If your music library is missing their latest album, REVO, head over to iTunes or Amazon to get your copy now for more gorgeous songs featuring perfect vocal harmonies, great lyrics, and instrumentations that will amaze you.
       Make sure to vote for the band to win a YouTube Music Award, because you know it's been over a year since you saw a video better, or at least more fun, than any of theirs.
"Gang of Rhythm" Walk off the Earth
- E

10.24.2013

Swifty

       Every time I go on a Taylor Swift binge, I know it's going to be a weird night, but I don't even give a fuck. 
       I am really sorry if you're a guy; come back tomorrow and there'll be good music.
- E

Last Year's Bands to Watch

       Hearing Passenger and Walk off the Earth on the radio this morning makes me super happy and it also makes my Thursday easier (though I really think I'm forgetting to do something so my Friday might be more difficult after shirking whichever responsibility I can't remember).
       This is the first 'Throwback Thursday'; I don't know if it will happen once a week, once a month, or if it will just be random, but it will feature bands to watch from this time last year, 'old' songs that are still awesome, or playlists from this time last year if it happens to fall on the same day.
       This week's will just feature a list of past October's bands to watch (with August and September's BtW thrown in as well) and, if you haven't heard them on the radio yet or bought any of their albums, do so now, because they're only getting better.
August
WALK THE MOON (if you still haven't danced to "Anna Sun" in the summer, get on that)
Youngblood Hawke (sadly, they're a little overplayed now, but check out "Forever")
Sleeperstar (I think I'm too excited for Lost Machines)
Timmy Curran (he's a surfer, so I'm pretty sure you won't hear too much more from him, but check out his old stuff)
September
Tokyo Police Club (no one puts out good indie rock like Canada)
Kodaline (these guys just keep getting better and they'll be famous everywhere whether you like it or not)
LP (if you like vocals amazing enough to give you chills, start listening to LP)
October
Momma Holler (check out their latest album on their website if you still haven't heard it)
Two Gallants (I blew my speakers out in my first car because I just couldn't turn down "My Love Won't Wait")
Paper Route (this album [and Swifty's Red] got me through last Fall)
Foxy Shazam (no one tells a story like Nally)
ALL CAPS (Horner's vocal nodes have put a stop to this, but their past songs are still so much fun)
Passenger (Rosenberg deserves all the radio play he's getting)
       Check them out and get their music if you don't already have their albums.
- E

My Song 9

       While everything else that comes from China seems to feature choreographed dance moves, everything 'cute', and candy coated pop beats so sweet they rot your teeth, Nova Heart manages to redefine our preconceptions with this refreshing indie techno that surrounds their single, "My Song 9".
       Keep your eye on Nova Heart and I'll make sure to give you more information on the band, because they're so different and so amazing.
"My Song 9" Nova Heart
- E

10.23.2013

Australia

       Australia has always been my dream place to work because the music that comes out of there is kind of perfect and, with the internet making the world appear so much smaller, it's time to start bringing some of these bands over to the US. 
       Check out the list, choose your favorites, and support them by visiting their websites (click the band names for a link to their website), buying their music, and letting your friends know how awesome they are.
"Fortress" Dialekt (feat. Xy)
"Everything You WantedClubfeet (the video's almost better than the song. Almost)
"Lonely Girl" Tonight Alive (on that note, get your tickets for The Other Side Tour; the line-up's great)
- E

Afraid to Die/I Belong to You

       Monks of Mellonwah have released their second EP of three (titled Afraid to Die), which will lead to the release of their full length album, Turn the People. Their first EP, Ghost Stories, received international play and, after winning International Rock Artist of the Year and Best Indie Rock Band at the Los Angeles Music Awards in 2012, the band isn't going anywhere. 
       Head to iTunes to get their latest EP, Afraid to Die, and check out "Afraid to Die" for a great mix of blues, alternative rock, and a few modern twists and "I Belong to You" for a sweet song with a soft melody.
"Afraid to Die" Monks of Mellonwah
"I Belong to You" Monks of Mellonwah
- E

Legacy

       I did promise to put this video up yesterday, but I only got so far as putting it on Twitter (there's a lot more music on Twitter; it's all YouTube videos or talking up good bands; check it out).
       Check out Dobson's visit to the psych ward and the various artists whose work has inspired her own career in her new video for "Legacy", the first single from her upcoming third studio album; the song's great, the video's awesome, and I'm really hoping US radio stations decide to start playing her music. 
"Legacy" Fefe Dobson
- E

10.22.2013

Reno/Monster

       I wish I could think of something better to say than "thanks.. I try..." when my co-worker gets five inches from my face and tells me that I have "really nice skin" (what? That's not, stop.) Honestly, this is worse than the time I turned my boss down for drinks, then got scheduled for Saturday closings for three months. I guess you at least meet interesting people in retail. 
       I am so excited to not be at work for Halloween, and I'm kind of getting excited for my costume, and I am completely ecstatic for Halloween-esque music to distract me from the things I put up with to pay my bills.
       It has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween, but the video's great and it is so much fun to scream.
"Reno" The Gods of Macho
       This one's a little more applicable I guess, for Halloween. Either way, it's still perfect for screaming and jumping around.
"Monster" Skillet
- E

Wild Child

       Brett Dennen's latest album, Smoke and Mirrors, was released today and with his soft melodies, unique vocals, and honest lyrics, I can't stop listening.
       Were the songs available on YouTube, (or Soundcloud, last.fm, musicplay.on, or anywhere on the internet) I would give you guys "Don't Mess With Karma", "When We Were Young", or "Out Of My Head", but I kind of don't feel like searching any longer, so go get Dennen's new album and check those songs out; until then, you can just chill to the previously released single "Wild Child".
"Wild Child" Brett Dennen
- E

Black Cat

       I am loving everything that's coming out of Australia right now.
       Head to an online store to get their debut album, Outlands, and check out Deep Sea Arcade's "Black Cat" for solid indie rock riffs, an awesome melody, and fun lyrics for a look at what's to come on next year's sophomore album.
"Black Cat" Deep Sea Arcade
- E

Shot At the Night

       Wanted to put out a quick little note to quell some fears that have been circling around the internet world lately: The Killers are not breaking up.
       Honestly people, calm yourselves. Until a band announces that they are broken up, there is no break-up; plus, most good things usually come back around after a while (Nate Ruess' career, Blink-182, peppermint ice-cream, Harry Potter, Billy Joel [I'm really clinging to his comment in Rolling Stone and hoping it comes true, because I would sell myself for tickets to see him live; not actually though, because my dad was present throughout my childhood and I don't hate myself]).
       Bassist Stoermer sat out on the last leg of the tour and guitarist Keuning has stated that he is tired of touring, claiming that the "the end is in sight...we just toured a shitload", but the band still says they want to release a follow-up to Battle Born (check out Direct Hits on November 11th). Drummer Vanucci says that the band has been working on new tracks to reach this goal and that, if Stoermer were to quit the band, they would, hopefully, continue working, even though it wouldn't be the same band (of course, it would be awesome if they could keep their bassist, but bands change their line-up without breaking up all the time; Lynyrd Skynyrd changes the line-up constantly [because everyone keeps dying; I think there's maybe one original still standing], but they just keep on trucking; RHCP lost and gained Frusciante so many times it held the same 'fear' as the threat of an US government shutdown but they're still amazing; after releasing their second album and starting work on their third, Panic! lost two members, gained back the '!', then put out two amazing albums [though, Spencer's in rehab now and Urie's been left to do videos and such on his own, resulting in the sad realization that he does actually look better with his clothes on]; Journey went from no front-man to hiring Fleischman, then Perry, then Augeri and, currently, Pineda offers lead vocals for the band and they are still popular. The fact is, as long as you have the same soul going through the music, it really only matters who's playing that instrument to the band members themselves, and that's when they have to decide between profits and people). If the band decides that they don't want to keep going after this last album, it's already been cited by Keunig that the break-up would be based upon fatigue, rather than a band feud; pretty sure there's a good chance that the band would get back together eventually.
       If the band does break up, there's no need to freak because Brandon Flowers plans to spend 2014 writing and recording his follow-up to 2010's solo album, Flamingo. If his last album is any indication, it will be sort of like The Killers never broke up at all  (he's awesome, it's just very similar).
       If you still think that you're going to fall apart because of these rumors (I get it; I was devastated over Lady Danville [they're the only reason I went back to music in the first place] and I'm still trying to find a band good enough to replace them), you can ease your worries some with the knowledge that the band has announced that this year's Christmas song will be titled "Christmas in LA"; as long as The Killers are a band, they will put out a Christmas song (they could very well break up on the 26th then, but at least you'll have Christmas).
       Flowers still insists that Stoermer's issues will be sorted out by the time they get ready to put out the next album, Vanucci is still on board, and Keunig just needs some time off; I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about a break-up.
       Calm down, stop reading internet rumors, and go outside for a run with The Killers (because it has finally reached the time of year where the pool is too cold for swimming so you now have to pretend that you like running) because the majority of their back beats are set at a perfect jogging pace.
"Shot At the Night" The Killers
-E 

10.21.2013

It Goes Like This

       When I'm slightly super angry, the only genre that can calm me the fuck down is country. 
       Rhett's voice is awesome, his lyrics are adorable, it's got a classic country riff (nothing new, but still great), and it's got a soft melody you can sway to.
       The song's not new, but the upcoming album is, so check out the single then head over to iTunes to pre-order It Goes Like This, expected for release October 29th.
"It Goes Like This" Thomas Rhett
- E

Then She Saw Her Lover

       Flora Cash has beautifully simple compositions, gorgeous vocal harmonies, perfect lyrics, and a knack for always coming up with a new song that I can't help but play on repeat.
       "Then She Saw Her Lover" is the first single from the bands upcoming LP, Assemble the Journey, and with a weaving melody supported by a constant back beat, lending a psychedelic feel to the song, and lyrics which state "maybe her lover isn't born yet, maybe her lover died a long time ago, maybe her lover lives in Canada or Mexico" and "she was looking for her lover on the street corner, but her lover wasn't anywhere to be found" you're going to want to get the album, because this duo never puts out anything less than simple indie folk perfection.
       Sign up for the mailing list to get some free music, head to iTunes to support the band, and check out the band's website to stay up to date with the latest news.
"Then She Saw Her Lover" Flora Cash

I'm Gonna Try

       DeGraw's vocals are awesome, his stage presence is better than any other artist I've seen, those piano based compositions are always gorgeous, and I can't stop playing this new album on repeat.
       DeGraw stated that he was aiming to get this album out quickly (less than two years from the release of his last album) to continue the momentum from Sweeter and that he wanted to keep the sound fresh by collaborating with other artists to ensure that fans had a new sound they'd appreciate and that people could not state that "if you've heard one Gavin DeGraw album, you've heard them all". With a melange of genre rules, his always great lyrics and melodies, and each song becoming more addictive than the last, DeGraw has succeeded in doing just that.
     Check out the song below and make sure to buy your copy of his latest album, Make A Move, available in stores now.
"I'm Gonna Try" Gavin DeGraw

- E

Spring

        New Zealand just keeps coming out with awesome music and this single from Sound the Ocean is no exception.
       The seven piece band has been writing and recording music together for over two years and, as they're all music teachers, they know their musicology, resulting in a fuller composition that can stand on its own; and lyrics like "melting frozen shackles, resurrecting feelings, step outside, I wanna step outside", "you put the spring back in my step and I'm dancing outside again...you chase the winter blues away" and a chorus that states "bursting at the seams I just can't keep it in, winter's sting is gone and I can breathe again" only make it better.
       Watch the new video for Sound the Ocean's single and start falling for their music now because their debut album, Wait for the Morning, is due for release in early 2014.
"Spring" Sound the Ocean

Revolution

       While this song is not new, the band is heading out on tour and you need to check out their music and tour dates because you don't want to miss out on seeing a band like this live. A lot of bands need to fix something before they can really make it (i.e. better representation, different lead singer, catchier hooks, more/less instrumentation, better lyrics, different band name) but this band doesn't have to change a thing; they're set with what they have.
       As I've stated before, I will fall for your music, fast, if you have soft scratchy vocals, and every time Dungo screams, I get a little more addicted to the song and the rest of their music.
       Incredibly articulate and relatable lyrics and that soft piano based bridge around the 2:10 mark that pulls the song in perfectly make this song awesome and, add in the fact that this is the first composition I've heard in a long while that flows perfectly with the lyrics (always place your emotions into your compositions), and I find myself thoroughly caught up in this bands music.
       With songs like this, I might be more excited to see these guys perform next weekend than I am to see Echosmith or The Downtown Fiction (seriously, look up tour dates because the line-up right now is amazing).
"Revolution" For the Foxes
- E

Legacy

       The music video for Fefe Dobson's "Legacy" will be released tomorrow, but after waiting so long for Fefe Dobson to come back with new music, I'm really proud of myself for holding out on posting this song as long as I have and I'm finding it too difficult to wait any longer (and the rhythm's sure to pull you out of your Monday funk). A sing-along chorus, ridiculously addictive beats, and a wonderfully strong piano melody that will be circling around your head for days makes this latest single just as fun as the rest of her music.
       Her music is always perfectly catchy; "I Want You" was the second to last song I ever played in my first car before signing over my soul to get my new car, and he found it so amazing that he took it to the grave with him (seriously, the CD portion of the stereo was the last thing on that car to break and, when it was time to clean out the interior, I just couldn't get the CD out and Bart took it with him to the crusher).
       I can never listen to one of her songs just once and I always get caught up in it, dancing and singing along by the end, and this one is no exception. Check out all of her older songs, because they're just as catchy, head over to AndPOP to watch a behind the scenes video for the making of the "Legacy" music video, and check back tomorrow to watch the official music video; until then, you can sing along with the lyric video.
       Check here for a short teaser for "Legacy".       
"Legacy" Fefe Dobson
- E