Happy Holidays

I hope everyone enjoyed their well-deserved breaks, but don't worry, I will still fulfill your musical desires with the highly anticipated song of the day.

Castledoor - Burn the Maps

Castledoor is an indie rock band from the Los Angeles area, and they are not currently signed to a record label. I highly recommend you check them out.

Here's the video:


-Clio

END OF YEAR; LE TIGRE: TKO

The end of the year is always hectic, especially if you're a struggling student wondering why you are even going to college. As the days run shorter because of daylight savings, and as the time to leave the hole where I've kept my sanity hidden for a long while gets closer, I've realized that I will not be capable of adding new material to the blog for weeks and weeks to come. This is not because I am a lazy bum--which, I am, no doubt about it--but because I feel that my writing has come to a level of mediocrity that I cannot handle, therefore, I will leave and not post until next year, when the school begins once more. During winter break, I will be looking for my mojo, and if I cannot find it, then, I will be searching for my muse, and if I cannot find her, then, hopefully time, wisdom, and material being read will allow me to write better material.

As for you, music lover, I can only wish you the best in the holiday season to come, and don't forget to buy music, it is necessary for the lives of artists! hahaha.

I will be leaving you here with a band whose genre I do not understand that well, but who are of my fancy. They are a feminist "punk/electro-pop/New Wave " trio made up of Bikini Kill's former vocalist, Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, a music journalist, and JD Samson, who is member of different bands as well as of dancing group called Dykes Can Dance.

I found out about this band, I believe, three years ago, when I saw their music video for the song "TKO," which blew me away because of its nice beat, and because of Kathleen Hanna. The band is on hiatus as of now, there are no comments of what will happen. The song "TKO" is from their 2004 album, "This Island."



-C.S.H.



I will be posting the video, now! I apologize, beforehand for the quality of the video, it is not good, but it has good sound. Ha!

LE TIGRE: TKO

I've Been Thinking...

As we draw close to the end of the year, numerous blogs give their list of the "Top 10 Albums of The Year." Personally, I think this is a tad bit cliche. How could I ever chose just 10 albums that standout above the rest. It would be clearly biased, and there are probably albums that would be far greater than anything I would have chosen, but I've just never heard of them.

I started thinking about this because I was doing my usual reading of blogs, and I came across one that asked the readers if they were stuck on an island, and they could only bring four albums, what would they chose and why. This really got to me. How could I ever only chose four albums, and never be able to listen to anything else.

This got me thinking about how fortunate most of us are. I have the privilege of carrying my whole music library, which used to be a difficult task, in the palm of my hand. I've never had to chose just one or two albums. I have all the music I could ever want at my finger tips.

Then this made me think, do I just listen to anything because music has become so accessible. I still buy albums, but not how I used to. There was a time, not to long ago, when I would research an album before I purchased it. Now I'll buy an album just for the hell of it.

I feel like spoiled kid who can just listen to whatever she wants. The sad thing is that while I type this, I am listening to ipod.

After taking all of this into account I did chose four albums that I could not live without. I'm sure that I could change it many times, but for now the four albums I would chose are...

1.The Matches - Decomposer
-Probably one of my favorite albums. I love the musical diversity, and there is a quirkiness to the album that makes it addicting.
2.Beirut- The Flying Club Cup
-This is Beirut's best album to date. I've been listening to it non stop since I first bought it.
3.Against Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy
-It was hard for me to chose just one of their albums, but I ended up with this one. Its just very consistent, not to mentioning that Turn those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists is one of my favorite songs of all time.
4.Head Automatica - Decadence
-Everything Daryl touches turns to gold. This album is amazing. Whenever I listen to it I can't help but be in a good mood, and it's the ultimate album for when your trying to pull an all-nighter too.

Feel free to post yours too

-Clio

Blondelle: I WONDER

Today is the 66th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Blondelle. A British quartet made up of Sam Stewart (lead guitar/ vocals), Mike Deegan (drums), Will Cameron Jr. (rhythm guitar/ lead vocals), and Rory O'Donnell (bass). The lads are peers of my comrade and I, ranging in age from 20 to 21.

The band formed, well, the date of this day was announced on their website in prior times, but as of now there is none to go by, but I do know that they formed at the tender age of adolescence, but did not launch what is now Blondelle and its album until last year, I believe.

Blondelle has no record label, and is now currently looking for a new manager.

The lads have been the opening act for bands such as: Editors, Hot Hot Heat, Noisettes, and The View. They have yet to tour the States, but have travelled around Europe and Japan in the last year. They are currently touring in Italy.

Their album, "Started When You Were Young" was released more than a year ago, and as of now they are recording new stuff. You can listen to their new music on theirmyspace page.

They are considered powerpop, and can be compared to Mando Diao, and a happier, perkier, younger Hot Hot Heat.
-C.S.H.

BLONDELLE- "I WONDER"

Sorry...

It's been a while since either of us posted, but as the end of the semester draws near, we have been increasingly busy. Because of this, posting might be a little bit slower for the next couple of weeks. You probably wondering, what has been happening in the world of music since they last posted. Well, for me:

1. I went to the Finch Reunion Show in Pomona. It was amazing, and they announced that they are getting back together and writing a new album.

2. I went to the Chiodos "meet & greet" and fell in love with their new album. I don't know why, but it's extremely catchy.

Otherwise, I haven't had many noteworthy musical experiences lately.


So the Song of the Day is: Chiodos-Lexington(Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face)

Its not really a video, its just the song with a picture of the album



-Clio

Die Romantik: Another Round

I am in dire need of a new band to expose your ears to, but I do not know what band this might be.

After much consideration, I have realized that I do not have a band that veers from what I have posted, so, I will introduce thee to the band Die Romantik. No, they do not sing in Deutsch, though, they do seem to have a song in French. They are a three man band consisting of: Dominic Matar (keyboards), Olivier Bernard (guitar), and Eric Hagemann (drums). I have no idea who the lead singer is; it does not say so on their website.

Paris, 1996, as high school students, they met. The band was formed in August 2005.

They released, Narcissist's Waltz, their debut album, on June 6, 2007.

What genre do they fall in? They are indie alternative rock, perhaps, to my best recollection.


-C.S.H.

Here comes Die Romantik with "Another Round":

Sweetest Girl

After hearing this song once I couldn't get enough. Even though I don't usually listen to hip-hop, I am willing to acknowledge that their is some really good and meaningful stuff out there. So today I chose The Sweetest Girl by Wyclef Jean feat. Akon, Lil Wayne, and Nia for the song of the day.



-Clio

Viva Voce: From the Devil Himself

I am back, and with me I bring Viva Voce, a band that I have been mentioning in previous posts, but had yet to write about them.

Viva Voce, formed in 1998 by Kevin and Anita Robinson--they are married to each other. This indie rock band, is greatly influenced by the pre-punk era from whence The Velvet Underground comes from. Viva Voce's sound is a fusion of psychedelic rock with some hint of experimental Velvet Underground.

The song that I will be posting "From the Devil Himself" is from Viva Voce's third full length album "Get Yr Blood Sucked Out," which was released September 2006 in the States.

They currently have a show in Oregon, which as of today, is their last show for the season, until they begin to tour once more. They were an opening band for The Shins during The Shins' spring tour; they took the gig instead of their original headlining tour that they were to have during spring, with opening band The Village Green.

-C.S.H.


VIVA VOCE: FROM THE DEVIL HIMSELF:

I Hate to be Brief

I don't have a lot of time, but today's song of the day is

& Down by Boys Noize

Its a great dance track, and an all around good song.

Here's the "official" video, but I'm not quite sure if it actually is. Either way I'm just posting it for the song.



-Clio

No Worries

Regarding my good friends last post, I will continue to update our lovely little blog to the best of my ability. However, the song of the day may turn into the song of every other day, or just whenever I get a chance.

So because I didn't pick a song for Saturday, sorry, I will chose one for today.

M.I.A - Boyz

Boyz is off her new album Kala, and I must say it is an excellent song. In my opinion, it is one her best songs yet.



-Clio

Oh, and in light of the last post, my last.fm is last.fm/user/missclio so feel free to check it out

Yet, another one...

I apologize, but this week I will not be posting much. If my partner in crime wishes to post, it is up to her, on my part, I am taking a short sabbatical from here!!!

But, do not panic! I will leave you with a treat. So, there's this amazing website, called LAST.FM, so, visit it and pay some tribute to it. It is AWESOME! You sign up, get an account, and sync your itunes or music program with their software, so that every single song that you listen to is "scrobbled" onto your profile. It updates on a weekly basis the bands that you've listened to and so forth. It also has a list of the songs that you listen to the most. It's one of those crazy websites you get addicted to. So, go, and sign up! And, if you really like, I can become your friend on it, just let me know!

Alrite, I am out.

Hope you have a SUPERY DOOPERY AWESOMERY THANKSGIVING!!! I know I will... I'm going home, finally, in over a month, and will be having home-made food! YES! NO MORE BAD COLLEGE DINING FOOD!!! LIFE WILL BE GREAT FOR FOUR DAYS!!!

Take care, and, listen to so much music that you think your ear drums are numb!!! ha!

-C.S.H.

NOISETTES- "DON'T GIVE UP"

Are puns really a lower level of jokes? I've no clue, in any case, make some noise for the NOISETTES!

The Noisettes are a British Indie Rock band. There are three members: Shingai Shoniwa (singer and bassist), Dan Smith (guitarist), and Jamie Morrison (drummer). They formed in 2003, and have been active until now.

Their latest album is: What's the Time Mr. Wolf? Released in the States April 2007. Their first EP, Three Moods of the Noisettes, was released in April of 2005. As of now they are recording songs for an album which will be released early 2008.

The band is currently not touring, but will commence next year, sometime.

What sound are they? A mixture of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Janis Joplin. If that makes sense. You have the punk influence, and what could be classified as soul sounding vocals.

NOISETTES- "DON'T GIVE UP"

Gypsy Punks Rock!

Since I have started my radio show I have been introduced to a lot of new music. One band that I have take quite a liking to is Balkan Beat Box. They're Gogol Bordello -esque, which could be related to the fact that they have one of the members.

I know it doesn't work for everyone, but the mixture of Middle Eastern themes with western rock is the greatest thing ever. Because of this, today's song of the day is Bulgarian Chicks.



-Clio

The Clash: "London Calling"

To be cliched is like drowning in the piss of an elephant, at least, for me it is that way; in any case, I will be cliched, pardon me.

I do not listen to punk. I do not listen to punk, matter of fact, I hate punk, but, I do not hate the ideals behind the life of a punk. You can see in how I write that I do not know what to call someone who is punk, or a punk, in any case, I am a true believer that punk is dead. Punk died when Green Day introduced the fabulous sound of pop-punk, or at least, the essence of punk died then. If you do not agree with me, then, too bad, I really don't care.

In any case, even if it pains me to admit that I like this song, even if it pains me to admit that I kind of like The Clash, even though I do not listen to them most of the time, I have to share "London Calling" from The Clash, off their London Calling album. This is one of the most successful Punk Rock songs, it is perhaps one of the most Political Punk Rock songs, it is definitely one that still has impact on individuals who are open to analyze the history behind the lyrics. I am no punk aficinado, I practically know nothing of punk, except that, it fights the rhythm in which bloody society runs. Song was released December 7, 1979 in the U.K. What else is there to say? I have nothing else, because I am no punk.

-C.S.H.

THE CLASH: "LONDON CALLING"

The Message

I've been reading a lot about early rap lately so I figured this song of the day, especially since I missed Saturday, should be dedicated to the first rappers, the ones who paved the way for current musicains. That is why I have chosen The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Rap music just isn't what it used to be. Before the music had substance, it had a message. People weren't going to just "pop, lock, it drop" it. The music was about a struggle connected to the youth of color during that time and was an outlet for them.

So here's the music video:

-Clio

Mando Diao "Long Before Rock 'n' Roll"

I apologize for not updating the blog; I was bombarded with interviews, as well as with Geology project nonsense, thus leading to the inability to have time to post music that you should be listening to.

So, now here goes my post of Friday, and Monday! Ha.

Mando Diao is a Swedish rock band, falling under genres such as rock, pop, indie rock, but, to tell you the truth, I would label them Power Rock. That is what they are, and definitely what they are good for, both in recorded music, and in live shows.

It is a set of five chaps: Bjorn Dixgard: vocals, guitars
Gustaf Noren: vocals, guitars
C.J. Fogelklou: bass guitar
Samuel Giers: drums
Mats Björke: keyboards

They toured the States late spring, early summer, and are currently on a European Tour, playing songs from their newly released album: Never Seen the Light of Day.

What else is there to say?

They are good + You are smart = You listen to Mando Diao.

And if you like Mando Diao, you can always check Bjorn Dixgard's new solo project. He is also currently touring Europe. IT IS INSANE!

Ah, the song that I will be posting is "Long Before Rock 'n' Roll" because it is the only decent video on youtube.com, cinematographically--yes it is a music video (directed by Daniel Elskis), actually, the first video off their 2006 record Ode to Ochrasy-- and unlike those shot by fans. I was initially going to post the song "Tony Zoulias (Lustful Life)" to actually a point I brought up today in two of my conversations with friends. This video is not as great as it could be, but you get the sense of what Mando Diao brings to Power Pop from it.

As of now, Americans are unable to buy their new album, this is why I am posting an old song from their old album, because I do not own any of their new music. If you go to their site mandodiao.com

-C.S.H.

Against Me!

Against Me! is one of the few bands today that does not fit the prototypical mold set by the record industry. Sure they just got signed to a major record label, but they are one of the few bands who have "payed their dues" and they deserve the recognition. That's why today I have chosen Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists to be the song of the day. This song is in your face and forces the listener to question the assumptions they hold dear.

So Here's The Music Video:


-Clio

Kasabian

For various reasons, of which I hope are not personal, I was not able to update my posting earlier today, I apologize for that. I also apologize if I have some mechanical errors, as well as some diction problems--I have not been writing as well as I should be, today, and I haven't been a good editor this day, either. So, there goes another apology; this apology only goes for this post, not for any previous or future posts, and now I will leave thee with what is important!

Now, referring to what we all want to read about: music...

For this post, I was thinking of introducing you to Mott the Hoople, but, I will not, considering that I haven't listened to any of their albums in months, so, instead, I will bring you one of my favorite British Bands: Kasabian.

The band consists of four members: Serge Pizzorno (guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals), Tom Meighan (lead vocals), Ian Matthews (drums), and Christopher Edwards (bass). They are a British rock band from Leicester. Their name is derived from Linda Kasabian who was a member of the Charles Manson cult.

They are often compared to Oasis and to The Verve, the exception being that they haven't yet arrived at a good U.S. music chart standing, which is a good thing because then they are not mainstream here, and I can post them, and not feel bad that they are signed to a major label.

Their sound, well, I could describe it to you, but all that I will say, is that they are a good live band, even if they do not use live synths. Their sound is a mesh of electronic, alternative rock, and some powerpop inserted somewhere. I think, perhaps I am wrong, and if I am, then, I apologize. Don't let this description be the judge of them, they have some nice components like strings, and other instruments that I cannot recollect as of now. I apologize once more.

Here is the video, the song is "Club Foot" off their first album "Kasabian," which was released September 2004. Their most recent album was released a year ago, on August, "Empire."



I give you this video, even though it is old--if you do your research, you will see that the blokes look a little different--because it is the best video of them on youtube.com, possibly because it is from a television show. Ha!

Alrite, have a good nite, and listen to KASABIAN!!!

-C.S.H.

Radio Show

So for all of you religious readers of our blog, or anyone who happens to stumble upon it, I officially have a radio show. It's going to be every Thursday from 2-4. You can check it out at kspc.org or at 88.7 fm (if you're within 35 miles of Pomona, CA).

It will be amazing, I promise. Think about it, two hours packed with music you can't hear anywhere else, what more could you ask for.

-Clio

Biffy Clyro

Because today is an epic day, why, I do not know, I have decided to choose Biffy Clyro's song, Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies. This song is amazing, but you must listen to the intro first to get the full effect.

Biffy Clyro is a Scottish rock band and they have just recently released their new album Puzzle.

So here's the music video, sadly it is missing the amazing intro, but it is an epic song either way.



-Clio

Owen Pallett and Final Fantasy

The day is not here anymore. I apologize for that, and with this apology, I bring with me, a very experimental, and skilled Canadian Artist: Owen Pallett.

Pallett is the main member of the band Final Fantasy, which is almost a solo project, but it also includes Leon Taheny, who is given credit as engineer and drummer.

I have nothing else to say, other than to plead you to listen to this musician, he is good, and shouldn't escape your hears.

In this video, you will listen to Final Fantasy playing "Peach, Plum, Pear" live off their "Has A Good Home" album, which was released prior to "He Poos Clouds" which is his latest album as of now.




Sorry, I also have to add this other song, "Many Lives --> 49 MP" because this is by far my favorite song off the album He Poos Clouds:




I also forgot to mention that his latest releases--two songs--are actually from ALPHABET SERIES -X- which was released October 23, 2007. He is to release a new album in the fall of 2008

-C.S.H.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Alright. It is Sunday. It is the "day" of rest, at least, I know it is not for me, but if it is for you, then you will understand why I am giving myself this free day. I will not be posting a "song of the day" today because of the previous commentary. I will post a song tomorrow, which will start the week.


If you still are feeling a little sad because I will not be posting a "song of the day," then, I will give you a very classy website with concerts for the "Los Angeles" area:

Here



-Brought to you by: C.S.H.

Barely Made It, But I Did...

Sorry for my lateness, but do to circumstances out of my control I have been unable to get to a computer until this very moment.

So, the song of the day (or should I say night) is...

The Spill Canvas -- All Over You

This song has been stuck in my head all day and is extremely catchy. Sure they're a bit melodramatic, but hey, aren't we all.

Here's their new music video for it:

All Over You

Add to My Profile | More Videos


-Clio

The Warlocks: Mimesis At Its Best?

Let's see. I posted two days ago, and now I am posting again. I will be mentioning The Warlocks because, even though I do not support bands that want to mimic slash pay tribute to an older classic rock band, or a band that they admire in particular, I believe that The Warlocks do a great job at maintaining the mimesis to a minimum in their new album: Heavy Deavy Skull Lover.


Heavy Deavy Skull Lover just came out on October 23, 2007, on Tee Pee Records, making it the sixth album in The Warlocks's repertoire.

The Warlocks are a Los Angeles, California based band, which might be a reason why I do not hate them for their mimicry; I am from Downtown, Los Angeles.

The band comes from the city where music keeps its residents alive, forming in 1999, and now maintaining the genre of "neo-psychedelia" under their sound. They are a group made up of seven members: one plays the tambourine/keys; two play drums; and four members currently on guitar, including the vocalist, and I have no idea if the bassist is included in the playing of guitar also.


The Warlocks are currently touring and will hit Los Angeles on November 17, 2007 at the Troubadour, for more information, go to: The Warlocks's Website.



-C.S.H.

Now, for the live performance of The Warlocks at the Tee Pee Records Showcase. Luna Lounge, Brooklyn NY, October 19th 2007. The Song being played is: "So Paranoid."

Well I am an English Major...sort of

It is only right, as I continue to put off writing my paper, that I choose the next song of the day.

Maximo Park -- Russian Literature

I couldn't help it, I'm reading Nabokov in my class.



I have decided to add a video of the song to because I am an unoriginal bum. Its of a live performance, and let me just say if you have not seen Maximo Park live you have not truly lived.

-Clio

Literary Theory, Ancient and Modern

First, and foremost:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! And if you do not celebrate this non-holiday, then, feel free to hate me because I just alluded to a holiday that you do not celebrate...

AND NOW FOR THE REAL REASON WHY I AM POSTING:

I was in class on Tuesday, in my literary theory class, and all of a sudden my professor--man of almost sixty years old--started singing:

"Here she comes, you better watch your step
She's going to break your heart in two."

And I began laughing, and he looked in my direction, and asked, "Do you know this song?" And I shook my head, in agreement, and kept on laughing. The song is "Femme Fatale" by The Velvet Underground from their 1967 released album The Velvet Underground and Nico, featuring lead vocals by Nico.

THE VU is an American Band from the mid-sixties. They were definitely an experimental band, coming into phase before the punk era, making them simply a pre-punk band.

New artists that try to mock them are: Viva Voce, Pop Levi, and perhaps, The Dandy Warhols.

-C.S.H.
(Bollocks, I actually posted this right at 12 a.m. but it kept publishing it at three minutes earlier, and this is the "newer" version, which has my bloody initials, sorry for that!)


Here goes an actual video of The VU AND NICO...

Drum Roll Please...

We have decided to add a new addition to our blog...THE SONG OF THE DAY! We are very excited about this because will be consistently updated for all of our loyal readers. These songs will vary from current music to classic rock to whatever the hell we feel like picking. So brace yourselves because today is day one of the song of day amazingness!!!!

The Song Of The Day Is...

PAS/CAL -- C.A.U. (Sans Muscle)

So to start off our song of the day on the right foot, it was only appropriate that I chose the a feel good, borderline cheesy piece because secretly we all love a playful song every once in a while. Detroit indie rockers, PAS/CAL, never disappoint, and their song C.A.U. (Sans Muscle) is no exception. This track will keep your head bopping and your hand clapping along to its catchy lyrics and undeniably blissful tone. Complete with piano, acoustic guitar, and supporting strings this song will have you smiling all day long.

Here's their site:
pascalgoespop.com

-Clio

Harwood Halloween Concert with TL/Rx and Quasi

There is the common misconception that our society is somewhat a supporter of ageism. Perhaps, but then again, not? Well, it is not when we refer to Ted Leo, at least, I do not believe so. He is old, born September 11, 1970, according to the knowledgeable Wikipedia.org. Not as old as some of our parents--my mother was born '69, but getting there. Ha!

In any case, his age has created a masterful performer--let's not omit the fact that he has been performing for many a-years now. His gig at Pomona College, Sontag Greek Theatre, yesternite (October 27) was very impressive. I have seen Roger Waters live, and seen how this middle aged man can make the whole Hollywood Bowl stadium stand up and sing in unison, but Ted Leo can do it better, and he had no fancy effects like those aiding Waters's show. Even if you do not know much of his musical repertoire, Ted Leo can make you like him in an instant, at least that's one of the vibes I've received from a couple of friends I have introduced his music to. As like any true independent musician, Ted Leo give will you his piece of mind, and he will give you his best performance, even if he is just performing in front of a bunch of moronic college students.

The night began with an opening band who reigned over the name Quasi, an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. When you see them prepping for the show, you want them to stop, right then and there. The band consists of an ex-husband and wife team, and a new member on bass. Believe me when I say that they are not as good as the duo team Viva Voce; I refer to Viva Voce because they are a husband and wife team. Perhaps the breakup of its married members of Quasi never turned out as well as it should have, and it is affecting their performance. In any case, beware of the "experimental" tendencies of this trio.

After a murderous hour of listening to the prepping and playing of Quasi, I stood up from my seat, and ran to the front of the stage, awaiting for TL/Rx. I was lucky enough to stand right in front of the mic where Ted Leo stood, it was the first time that had ever happened, perhaps because I was in my scene? Ha! College is definitely not my scene! Hahaha... In any case, as TL/Rx set up for their gig, there was a bunch of morons standing behind my friends and me. Two of them kept making noises, and shouting praises. Being the humble and responsible musician that he is, Ted Leo got on the mic, and said in a sarcastic and somewhat irritated tone, something like this: "Can't you see that we are checking to see that everything is working? We are doing our jobs here, be quiet!" The morons did not stop, but TL/Rx were about to get some revenge, as the concert livened up.

The set began with a song from their new album, which was then quickly followed by "Me and Mia," which set the tone for the rest of the performance. In the middle, between "Me and Mia" and their last song "Timorous Me" there was a guy who was crowd surfing, and got to the edge of the stage, and before he had his feet settled on the grounds of the stage, he was kicked off by the guitarist, James Canty. Not only was it magical, but it was funny. The set began getting better and better, mosh pits flew in and out, kids sang along, and then, "Timorous Me" came on, and at the beginning no one knew the song, except for a couple, I was included in that couple, and then the song ended. Chris Wilson, on drums, quickly packed up, James did the same, and Marty "Violence" Key also followed--he's from The Young Pioneers--but Ted Leo was hesitant to leave the stage, and when the crowd began to clap, and shout: ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! Ted Leo smiled, and with his energetic charisma began a song by himself, acoustic, but not there yet; the guitar was a bloody electric guitar, just imagine him singing with an acoustic guitar, that would be priceless! In any case, it was worthwhile to see him perform old material as well as new, at least, we can assure that TL/Rx are not following the trend of ageism!

Soon, it was time to leave. Soon TL/Rx also left.

*The picture above was when a college student gave his Viking hat to Ted Leo to wear, he wore it for a couple of songs, and then returned it.

Go see Ted Leo and The Pharmacists live! It is a must! No one can live in this world without seeing a musician as good as he is. No one!


-C.S.H.

The Junior Varsity Is No More

Its official, they've called it quits. Their lead singer, Asa, now plays drums for a new band called What's Fair, and Andy, their lead guitarist, now plays for The Deer Hunter. The band is still scheduled to play a few shows in Central Illinois, but that will be it.

Here's the message from the band

hey guys,

andy here with TJV.

If you've come to a show lately, you've surely been surprised by the current lineup. If you havent heard yet, asa quit the band and weve had our friend brandon carnes covering the lead singer/bass player duty until we decided what we want to do.

As it looks, all the current members of TJV are going to head back to college. So we're sort of putting this thing on the back burner. We might do some shows here and there for fun, but we probably will not be touring as a band again. We have a show on Saturday November 10th at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Currently, this is our last booked show, but we are planning to book a couple in december in the central illinois area. These may be the TJV farewell shows.

The support we have received from all these little cities in the cornfields has been overwhelming for the last 5 years. We couldnt have kept moving forward if it wasnt for the initial support we received from our home area. We are sorry for the demise of this band, but it is hard to replace a singer. Its almost like starting over again. Asa was our 2nd singer as it was.

November 10th in Jacksonville will definitely not be the last show though...we'll plan a couple fun events. Nobody has too hard of feelings about the events that transpired...i think we are all ready to start a new life.

ALSO--you can catch me on tour this november playing guitar and piano for a band called "the dear hunter." We'll be all across the US opening for Circa Survive and i am very excited about the opportunity.

www.myspace.com/thedearhunter

Check em out...im sure you will love it. And come say hi at some of the shows this fall.

If anyone has any questions about whats going on, hit me up on my blackberry at andywildrick@gmail.com

ill be driving 19 hours by myself to rhode island today...so entertain me haha.

thanks for the love guys.

-andy

The Higher

So after all the hysteria of the higher losing their drummer, and 16 year old emo kids suffering from more confusion than their little brains could handle, order has finally been returned to the universe.

We are pleased to announce we have a new drummer. Doug McCarthy is the newest member of the group and will be on tour with us for our upcoming run in the US with Daphne Loves Derby and This Providence, as well as our first trip to Japan in November. We would like to thank all who tried out and those who expressed interest in playing with us. We also would like to thank our fans for the support and understanding during this transition period. We have posted a Live EP on absolutepunk.net for FREE download for all of you to enjoy. One Love.

-The Higher

That was a close call, I don't know what I would do if The Higher broke up. I think I might be forced to listen to decent music.

-Clio

Beirut!

If you're like me, then you were disappointed to find out that you would be forced to miss both of Beirut's performances at the Avalon this week because of your unforgiving professors and your car breaking down. However, my luck turned on October 12th when my good friend Cindy told me in jest that they would be performing a free show at Amoeba Records that same day and I could always watch the live stream online. Little did my friend know, I was determined to see Beirut, and for this very reason me and one of my friends hopped into the "mom van" and drove to LA in rush hour. Not only did we make it in time, we were able to find free parking, and as any local knows, that is nearly impossible. The drive was worth it. This was my first Beirut show, so of course I was a little hesitant because there is always the fear that they will be terrible live. Of course, this was not the case. As the mini orchestra began to play, the entire audience was silent, hanging on to every note as if it would be the last piece of music they would ever here, and let me say that if they were the last band I ever saw live, it would be a good way to go out. They mainly played music from their new album, The Flying Club Cup, which I must say is excellent, but they did play some fan favorites from Gulag Orkestar. Much to my surprise, they did not play "Elephant Gun" or "Postcards to Italy" which was refreshing considering how overplayed both of these songs are. Their tone was impeccable, and they all performed as seasoned musicians despite their age.
Afterwards they held a signing where hundreds of hipster kids stood in line waiting to get a glimpse of the man that is Zach Condon. Of course, having driven all the way to LA, which is technically only thirty minutes from my house, I stayed to have one of my favorite bands sign my cd. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I was not disappointed at all. They were extremely professional but still had an air of approachability about them, which was refreshing.




More, and higher quality, pictures can be found at:
http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/past-performances/index.html
-Clio

Listen to the Album....Even if It Kills You

Motion City Soundtrack never fails to impress and their new album in no exception. With in you face synth and Justin Pierre's signature vocals, their new album, Even if it Kills Me, is everything a MCS fan would expect. With all the hype surrounding the new album, being the most anticipated album of 2007 in Alternative Press Magazine, some would think that the guys might break under the pressure - good thing that these sythn rock vets were prepared. They have a line up of appearances that would be any emo kid's dream. These include Say Anything's Max Bemis, and The Matches' Shawn Harris, and Rachel Milton of Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. In the end, if you're already a fan, there is no way you wont love the new album, and if you're new to the band, you'll find there sweet beats impossible to turn off.

-Clio

Payback's a Bitch

So news on the street is that Pat, the drummer of The Higher, has been kicked out. You may be wondering, how was the juicy gossip news revealed...we'll the answer to that question is simple. Pat decided to do what I believe was an amazing idea-get even. Here are the two bulletins he posted:

our "fearless leader" tom has decided that he doesn't want pat in the band anymore. so we're all gonna ride his coat tails and hold his cock and second his decision. too bad we don't have an actual musician in our band now...

this isn't a hacker. this is just a drummer that was unfairly kicked out of his band that he's spend the last 6 years of his life on. if you dont believe me. try it yourself. soheartcore@yahoo.com password - cock4life


pace! haha what a joke

He then went on to change their profile picture to one of the backstreet boys, change their name to ridin coat tails, and deleting all the music from their myspace page. Personally, I find his response hilarious, and the best part is all of the 16 year old girls reactions..."Like omg, wtf is going on here!?!"

So to the higher, maybe you should think twice about kicking out your drummer and instead reconsider your lead singer because he looks like Marsha Brady.

-Clio

Close Call

Not to long ago I received word that The Junior Varsity had broken up. Of course this news was distressing because they just released their new cd, which is far better than their past work, and I had only been able to see them in concert before the new cd was released. Well today, I found out that although it is true that Asa, lead singer and bass player of the junior varsity did quit, the band will continue to make music.

TJV didn't break up. Asa quit the band. Not everyone has quit. Its just taking some time to figure out exactly what we are going to do. We are currently playing shows with a temporary lead singer/bass player. Basically, we had to get someone that could play a show last week with one days notice. Asa quit and refused to play out our contracted engagements. Were still playing Cleveland on Wednesday this week. Come support if you'd like. This is still the best record we have put out...and it doesn't make sense just to end it all here....does it?

-andy

Although this will drastically change their sound, maybe this will be for the better and they will be able to find a frontman more dedicated to their music. So until they have a permanent lead singer the future is up in the air for the Junior Varsity.
-Clio

Today Is a Sad Day

Today, Aug 19, my worst fears were confirmed- Piebald is no more. They posted this message announcing that this would in fact be their final tour. Here is the message they posted:

Ladies and Gentleman, 8-19-07

Friends, friends, friends…we have not posted anything anywhere in quite some time and our word on the street is that this is our last tour. All the preceding words are true and we have decided to put Piebald to rest. The past fifteen years or so have been nothing short of extremely incredible. We have met lots of people, been to lots of places and experienced a whole lot of life. In 1994 we started making music, screenprinting our own seven inch covers and borrowing our parents cars to get to shows. Since then, we have traveled the globe, released many records, and played thousands of shows; pedaling the righteous name of piebald to all whose paths we crossed. In celebration of the many years of good times and incredible accomplishments, we have decided to dedicate this tour to us; Piebald. Thanks to all who have helped in any and every way…families, friends, girlfriends, vans, bands, fans, promoters, labels, booking agent, lawyer, clubs, engineers, producers, and those who we forgot to mention. Now, this is not a teary eyed time, people. This is a time of new beginnings, positive vibes, and a congratulatory nod to the past. There has been talk of a few shows to give the band an official sendoff, but as of yet, those shows are not booked and unknown. Thanks for all the undying support. We love you all.

Sincerely,

Piebald

Luke, Andrew, Aaron, and Travis

Alas, all good things must come to an end. We'll miss you Piebald.
-Clio

It's Been A While

So basically I haven't posted anything for a while, but I've had a lot of ideas floating around in me head. Something struck me recently while I was looking at Shawn Harris' Blog-he can't write very well. I'm sure he's extremely intelligent, and an excellent song writer, but something about his blog makes me want to hit my head repeatedly against a wall. This is a difficult thing for me to admit because The Matches are my favorite band and I consider Shawn Harris to be some what of a musical genius. The thing is he uses all of these big words that don't really fit in what he's talking about and he beats around the bush. I don't know if I've just been brainwashed by college classes but I thought you're supposed to be clear and concise. Your ideas can still be complex, its just that your writing shouldn't seem like a dictionary vomited on the page. I'm not trying to say that I'm a great writer and I definitely applaud Mr. Harris for attempting to educate the masses, its just that it nearly makes me sick reading comments of tons of teenage girls saying "wow, you're like soooo smart," because honestly, his writing bores me. I just had to get it off my chest. Please forgive me Shawn, even though I know you'll never read this.

-Clio

Tips for kids like me, who don't have a lot of cash, or don't want to spend a lot of cash on gigs:

There is a beautiful business that I will not name because I might get sued, or some preposterous thing like that, considering that I am not an underage kid anymore. This business can be found through many different mediums: through the web, through the phone, or through certain physical music stores or other retailers that it has specified on its website. The business that I am discussing is one of those places where you can buy tickets. This one I am specifically ranting about is the monopoly of selling tickets. There isn't any gig it doesn't sell tickets for, except for independent venues like The Echo, Spaceland, etc.
In regards to this business, kids, beautiful kids, or young people, or peers, or whatever you want to be called, before you buy your tickets in one of these businesses, do your research. Go to the venue's website before thinking of buying your tickets online, somewhat ironic, but that’s how it swims. Look at the venue's website and check out if the venue sells tickets in its box office before the day of the gig. Do this, if and only if this type of procedure is nice to your wallet, in reference to both the ticket and gas expense or bus fares. If the venue does not sell tickets in its box office, maybe they sell tickets through the phone, where you can pick them up at will call—in this case, you buy your tickets on the phone from the venue and pick them up an hour or so before the doors are opened in the box office of the venue. If none of these options are possible, then you go to the business monopoly that sells the tickets online. You go through the application process, and when the time comes when it asks you how you want your tickets, whether printed out, sent through mail, or anything else, look if will call is one of those options, and opt for that one. As you will see in the application, if you want to print your tickets you get a fee, which adds up to the fee of the tickets, plus the convenience charge plus the tax plus some other charges you don’t want to pay for. The business wants your money; try not to give in to this at any sane cost, if it is accessible and easy for you to come around to. If you are capable of selecting will call, and you are paying with a credit card that is not yours, keep in mind that if the box office attendant is an arse, you will not get your tickets, and you will have spent money in vain, and perhaps paid for your tickets at thrice the price, if you really wanted to see the band live (this comes from me to you from an experience from an acquaintance of mine. My acquaintance had bought the ticket with her father’s credit card, and though she had the same last name as the last name on the credit card, the attendant gave her a hard time. She was lucky that after harassing the attendant some time, she allowed my acquaintance to obtain the ticket). If the credit card is not yours, get a signed permission from the owner of the credit card, and present it to the box office attendant. Be ready, and harass in the nicest way if there is such a problem.
This is the last option that I give you because it is the last one that I can muster to type and not sound like I do not know what I am writing about. This business wants to rip you off at any cost because it knows that the music fanatic will pay for gigs that he/she wants to attend, so, fight it and do your best not to conform.
This is the first tip that I have to scream to you in words. It's the one tip that I follow constantly as much as possible because I don't want to pay thirty something dollars for a ticket that would have cost me fifteen dollars if I would have bought it from the venue in which the show was held.

-C.S.H.

Salty Eyes

A while back we posted the video for The Matches' new single, Salty Eyes. Well here's the making of the video.



-Clio

Warped Tour

Warped Tour 2007...one word to describe it. okay maybe tons of words. So I'm just going to give a brief outline

late

traffic

more traffic

later

paramore

awesome

skinny girl

good voice

funeral for a friend

amazing

british

cool accents

thristy

hot

10000 degrees

eat

expenisive

new year's day

sucked

a lot

anberlin

amazing

stupid girls

smoking pot

the matches

the greatest

shawn harris

genius

best band

water

food

expensive

signing

autographs

picture

w/ matches

bad religion

legends

amazing

saw pit instructor

awkward

lost

can't find stage

spill canvas

super good

new bass player

lame

but still good

finish

wait

wait

water

bayside

awesome

bad teeth

in front

10 extra minutes

amazing

finish

meg & dia

blah

leave

hear playradioplay

pissed

thought they finished

still walk to car

drive

traffic

listen

sad

traffic

bad

driving

traffic

home

tired

no sunburn

happy

sleep



well, that's it. I have to get ready for work, that's why its so brief.

-Clio

Logo for our Blog

Fellow Readers, though many of you seem particularly uninterested in the words I type upon this web facade, I hope that this side of my art will attract you, even if it isn't as artsy fartsy as I am capable of--in a world devoid of work. I want all of you to participate and pick one out of the following four logo works that appeals the most to you, so that it will be part of our blog, our LOOK.

Pop! Music eins, seen below is black, white, yellow and red. If ye like it, just comment and leave behind: Eins.




Pop! Music zwei, also below consists of purple, black, some red, and the flash that incorporated white into it. Again, if you are particularly fond of this one, just comment and leave: Zwei.




Pop! Music drei, below, has been inspired by The White Stripes due to the colors red, white and black. Comment, and the keyword you will have to type down is: Drei.





Pop! Music vier is the last of the ones; created of blue, black and white. This came to be by accident, the final one, if it fancies your taste of logos, VIER is the word to type.





Thank you for your participation. As a result of your comments, if you leave behind your name and age, we will enter you in a raffle where prizes ranging from an interview to a ride to the moon will be given away almost instantaneously to the participants with the most awesomest of names. Again, I thank you, and I hope that my fellow comrade in treason to pop music will also vote. I will not vote, considering that I already have a favorite, even if all of them are simple and not very ridiculously good looking. Ha.


- C.S.H.

Broken Heart

Check out Motion City Soundtrack's New Video for their single "Broken Heart.". It's pretty sweet.




Also, if its not already sold out, you should try and make it to their tour this summer. They're playing a bunch of small venues and it should be amazing!!





-Clio

Motion City Soundtrack's New Single

Update from the band:

We are excited to finally release new music from our forthcoming album Even If It Kills Me (In-Stores Sept. 18) . On Tuesday, JUNE 26, we will release our new song "Broken Heart" digitally in the USA, UK, mainland Europe, and Australia on Epitaph.

You will be able to buy the song through digital outlets in the US like iTunes, Napster, Downloadpunk, eMusic, insound, and so on. In the UK/Europe you will be able to find the track on iTunes (all European stores included), Napster, eMusic, Virgin Digital (UK), HMV Digital (UK), etc. And Australia check out iTunes...






Also, the band has set up a new site for their street team. If you're a MCS fan, you should sign up at www.theboomboxgeneration.com. Once you join you add up point to get sweet prizes for helping out the band.


-Clio

Max Bemis Finally Says Something

Say Anything, an up and coming band, who have recentely finished up their tour with Saves the Day, have been busy in the studio recording their new album, In Defense of the Genre. Max Bemis, father of Say Anything and lead vocalist, gave an update saying:

"a) we've completed drums, bass and guitar on 95 percent of the songs
except for a few strangely arranged ones that will involve much more
than drums bass and guitar.alex is playing all the bass on the record,
wheras I (Max) played the bass on... Is a Real Boy.
b) we recorded most of the record at quite-famous electric lady studios
in new york city (built by hendrix). we even tracked a lot of the
record in the same room that weezer recorded the blue album in, and
most recently guns n' roses completed their unreleased opus.
c) as of now there are A LOT of songs on the record.
d) our friends from various projects and bands will be involved in
singing and playing on the record.
e) the record is another "concept album" (god help us) but this time
(tentatively) the songs will appear in order of the story they tell,
which is far more direct and personal than the last record's story.
f) brad wood is producing our record. he produced sunny day real
estate's first two records as well as liz phair's and albums by
placebo,smashing pumpkins, mewithoutyou, that dog and more. he is our
dawg, and doing an amazing job.
g) this record will be the best say anything music you've heard thus
far, at least in our opinion. i mean we're four years fucking older,
max is four times dirtier and crazier, coby's got four times as much
party in him, and alex has quadrupled his collection of gnomes,
bathsoaps and other hippy shit. the point is, we are proud of what
we've created; it's not just somethign new but something deeply
connected to the direction the music has been going for the 8 years of
this band's existence..."

This is all that's been said thus far so I'll keep you posted
-Clio

Men Women And Children, Alone and Labeless

This is straight from the horses mouth, Men Women and Children have broken free from Warner Brother Records and are in search for a more supportative label that will be able to help push their music and are actually passionate about what they are duing. In the end, this makes a lot of sense because try and find the Men Women and Children album in your local record store...you probably wont be able too.
-Clio

The Alley

On Sunday, June 10th, I had the pleasure of finally attending a show, seeing how I had not been to one since late April. It was a co-headlining tour of The Junior Varsity and Thunderbirds Are Now!, and they were supported by Street to Nowhere, Putnam Hall, and Sound the Alarm.

I arrived at the Alley, a venue in Fullerton and very similar to the chain reaction in size, around 7:00, when the show was supposed to begin, only to see that box office had not even opened. So I went to wait in line and finally purchased my tickets.

The show was kicked off by a local band, Sound the Alarm, which was extremely similar to Epitaph's The Higher. Their music was generic, but still enjoyable. They played about a twenty-minute set, during which the lead singer managed to dance exactly like the lead singer from the Higher (neither of them can dance). Overall, they were decent and could be considered radio friendly, in that they fit a formula of bands that have been achieving mainstream success lately. If you want to hear a song that is a good representation of their sound, check out "Suffocating to Stay Alive."

The next band was Putnam Hall, which sounded like early Phantom Planet. They were also reminiscent of Against Me!, but with a dash of pop. They also played about a 20-minute set, which I must say was pretty good. They, unlike the Sound the Alarm, did try to bring some originality to their music, which I greatly appreciated. They ended with their song, "Fight the Format," which they deemed their anthem, so if you want an idea of what this band is, check out that song.

After a short break, the next band was Street to Nowhere, natives of the bay area, and a band I was very excited about seeing. Their set was probably about thirty minutes and was nothing short of amazing. I do not know if I could name a band that could be considered similar to them, but their myspace labels them as "melodramatic popular song." I do not know if that is just a fancy way of saying emo, but these gentlemen are far from the thousands of bands that have been created over the past years. With witty lyrics and a truly "different" sound, Street to Nowhere is a group that all should experience. After listening to their album, I can safely say that they somehow have a consistency throughout and yet no two songs are a like. Because of this I recommend two of their songs, "Dead Cliché" and "They're Not Like Us."

Thunderbirds are Now!, another difficult group to categorize, could be considered an electronic pop band, which puts on an engaging live show. With great stage presence, this band is far from shy, as they thrash around on stage, even jumping off stage to greet the audience of no more than thirty people. Their recorded music does not do this group justice, in that when I listened to them before the show I thought they were going to be mediocre, but their live sound was great. Being the co-headliner they played about a forty-five minute set. I recommend checking out their song "We Win Ha Ha," and see them live if you have the chance, you will enjoy it.

Finally it was time for The Junior Varsity, a band out of the Chicago area, to perform. Personally, they were the original reason why I decided to attend the show, so I had been awaiting their performance all night. They opened with a fan favorite "Mad for Medusa" and played a variety of songs from all of their albums, even some new ones off of CINEMATOGRAPHIC, which hits stores on June 19th. There was definitely a difference in the level of musicianship these guys had from the other bands that had played throughout the night, and their experience could be easily seen. This band in not your everyday band, and they definitely spice up their songs with light keyboards, and now even a song with saxophone. I recommend checking out "Get Comfortable" from their sophomore album, and "the sky," which will be on their new album.

After the show my friend and I, who was nice enough to accompany me on this trip, went and bought some merch, so I got some cds and a shirt. However, when I returned home, and opened the Junior Varsity cd, which I was waiting to listen to, I was greeted by an empty case. I am currently in the works in obtaining the cd that I had paid for, because I only make minimum wage and cannot be buying duplicate cds because someone gave me an empty one the first time.

Also, afterwards, my friend and I spoke to some gents from the band Fire Rocket Red, who did not perform that night. They were pretty much hilarious so I checked them out only to find that they were damn good. So if you have time check them out on myspace or something.

-Clio

The Matches New Video

Oakland based pop-punk band, The Matches, have made a new music video for their song Salty Eyes, the first track off their latest album. Their lead singer, Shawn Harris, has said that it was filmed in one take, so prepare to be amazed. The video is very creative and well executed considering their budget. So here it is:




For more information of the making of the video, check out Shawn Harris' blog, Heavy Breeding, here: http://shawnmatches.blogspot.com/

-Clio

"Ode To Ochrasy" Tour, May 22, 2007

The night of Tuesday, May 22, 2007 began after a group of Emoes was leading the head of the line to get into John Weston's Troubadour--the tavern where the night would begin with less than a bang, and end with a feeling of consolation—the feeling emerges whenever I see a decent band live.

We entered the tavern, which felt more like a homey wooden cabin, isolating one from the noise of outside. There was a line for the merchandise; purely Mando Diao shirts, albums, buttons, and bags, there was also a small section on the edge of the table with Pop Levi LPs. I stood in line while my friend entered the restroom, apparently the installations are small; and the flushing knob on the toilet comes off--beware when you go to the Troubadour. Apart from the wooden cabin feeling and scenery, the Troubadour is encompassed with photographs of old artists hanging on the wooden walls, and on the wall near the restroom hung a large six foot poster of Jim Morrison. I apologize for descriptions that aren’t entirely necessary.

You would think that some Swedish lads would be humble and glad to share the stage with their opening bands, but that is not the case for Mando Diao. It was obvious that the stage where they were to play was small, but it was even worse for the opening bands. The first band had to deal with a blue drum set—that of Mando Diao's—behind their own red drum set, cutting the front stage space in less than one third of the size of the stage. There was a thin strip, a strip so narrow that you would think that if the members of this band were not as sober as they seemed, they would trip on a chord and fall off the stage. The second band had more space to perform.

The starting band began after eight and a half. The Capshuns, very creative name, but the sound was not only a pop rock construction of old sounds that we've heard with a hint of The Higher—I am using this band to compare them with because they are generic. There were two guitarists, a bass player, a drummer and the lead singer. I feel for the girls in the audience that have low self-esteem--the lead singer had the body of an anorexic woman, no kidding. The instrumentals of the band were decent; there was nothing of great acclaim. The pop sound of the band and the deep voice of the vocalist clashed, making me want to go up to them after their set ended and telling them to get a different vocalist. The Capshuns played a good thirty five minutes, and then led to the half hour intermission.

Pop Levi... [Pronounced: Leevaye]. I thought it was Levee, but apparently it's not, the vocalist of The Capshuns was corrected on stage, so, I mustn’t do the same mistake, or else the fans of [Pop Leevaye] might come kick my arse. This band was not only picky, but also annoying. Their bassist was brought from the sixties; there's no chance in hell that he is from our current era. Pop Levi has a time machine; you should go ask them for it. Their bassist and their backing guitarist were out of place, as was the drummer, I think the vocalist of Pop Levi [Leevaye] should go solo, he can pull it off, he’s a good guitarist and performer. The vocalist was out of this world, no seriously, he was a robot with a hint of insane. He would dance out of nowhere, with these movements that only robots that we have seen on films and television would perform. He had energy, but his band mates diminished whatever he had going on with their inability to belong to his style. I am guessing that the vocalist sang too high pitched because of his tight clothes; he was like a tall pitchfork moving unsynchronized to the well-noted but too simple instrumentals behind his voice. This band played for forty-five minutes, which was fifteen minutes short of the intermission between their amusing performance and that of Mando Diao. They can be compared to any psychedelic band out there, except their lyrics are horrible; a hint of The Velvet Underground and The Black Angels.

As any good European band would do, Mando Diao's stage crew began flashing the stage lights on the audience for some minutes before the band members appeared, all band members wearing black. As Gustaf entered the stage, and stood there smiling at his crowd, I noticed that the man had no shoes on; he wore black socks. Their performance began with "Welcome Home, Luc Robitaille" followed by "Down in the Past." The third song in the first set was "Song for Aberdeen." What surprised me the most was that they included songs from Hurricane Bar and Sheep Dog. From experience bands that headline their concert with the name of their newest album means that they are only going to play songs from that album, and nothing more, but Mando Diao gave its audiences good old songs like "God Knows." The energy that was experienced came more from Gustaf than from Bjorn who has been given more vocal leads than previous years. As far as performance, Mando Diao have energy, and talent but the inability to realize that their instrumentals do not underscore their vocals. At the beginning of the show, their lyrics could be heard but as their performance resumed, it was harder to decipher what they were singing; to the point that sometimes it was hard to figure out what song they were playing. Gustaf's amazing vocals were heard when he sang "Ochrasy." This is the last song on their new album; perhaps the most political that one can relate to. For this song Bjorn was the only one on stage whose presence was underscored. The other band members hid either with their head down over keyboards or on the grown near an amplifier. This was one of their dramatic appeals that we experienced that night. Thirty minutes before they ended their show, they got off the stage. Gustaf and Bjorn placing their guitars softly on the middle of the stage, and everyone except for the drummer leaving the stage quickly. To the inexperienced audience this would have been the end of the concert, but everyone knew that these humble lads were just going out of stage so that they could be brought back by the screaming, clapping, and chanting of "MANDO DIAO." Humble, indeed. After about five minutes of keeping their audience begging for more noise, the drummer—now wearing nothing more than his slacks—the keyboardist and bassist ran toward their instruments. Bjorn came down the stairs of their lair before Gustaf did, and when Gustaf decided that it was time to please us with his presence the upcoming song of the second set began; I don’t recall it’s title, sorry avid readers. Ha.

Mando Diao might not have the deepest of lyrics, but they do have the instrumental abilities that WE seek in bands these days. There is no routine in their sound or in their lyrics. There is power rock, and there is power pop as well; all fused in to create a sound that can't be compared with any other American band that we have heard on the waves (radio stations) or on the local MTV channels. When Mando Diao leaks into the mainstream waves, it won't be because of their worn-out, trite sound, but because of their Swedish sense of sound and performance. Their music is a fusion of Led Zeppelin and Incubus, and a hint of The Beatles somewhere.

--C.S.H.

Well, I'm a jerk

Yesterday, my good friend Mark Santos, an up and coming musician had a gig at the Whiskey A G0 Go in Los Angeles. Being the nice person I am, I bought a ticket and found a ride to the event. Everything seemed to be going well, and we reached the wonderful city of Los Angeles with an hour to spare. With this in mind, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat to ensure that none of us passed out. For some reason, due to our horrible luck, we completely missed my friends gig. It wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that everyone voted at the end because it was a competition so he, sadly, did not receive my precious vote.

The real purpose of this blog is to help my friend, who is quite a musician if I do say so myself, and tell you all to check him out. If he advances in this competition, he will be playing at the key club, which would be pretty amazing. So check him out at:

http://www.myspace.com/joevsvolcanorock

So help an aspiring musician out!

-Clio

A Short Forthcoming

I am currently not on my own laptop, and am unable to post any concert reviews that I have written about the previous concerts that I have attended. I will be posting about the Ode to Ochrasy Tour led by the Swedish band Mando Diao. Their opening bands were: Pop Levi, and The Capshuns. Mando Diao are an indie band that have been around since 1996, and toured Europe for most of these years. They have led two tours in the U.S. One which finalized this May 22, 2007 at the Troubadour, and the other which was in 2004, I believe.

I would consider them power rock, but are more on the verge of pop rock. As far as comparing them to other bands, they might sound a little like Blondelle, or if you want a reference to mainstream, they would be a mixture of rock music you can dance to. Sorry, I can't compare them to a mainstream band because my list of mainstream bands is short, but one of my friends said that they remind her a little of The Beatles, could it be because both come from European countries? I do not know. Until the day that I post the review of Mando Diao, listen to them and if you have a band with whom you can compare them to, please let me know. You might find them on youtube, myspace, and perhaps on a rerun of Conan O'Brien's late night show of May 25, 2007.


-C.S.H.-- I will be posting with my initials instead of with my name. Thank You.

Since we started a bit late, here is an old concert reviews...well not too old

On Sunday April 22, myself and one of my pals decided to attend Men Women & Children's show in Anahiem, California at the Chain Reaction. I must say that it was an great experience

The first band to go on was Hopefield, and they were pretty good. Football isn't really their thing, because they were definitely playing in front my car when we were waiting and the bassist couldn't catch the ball to save his life. Other than that, they were pretty darn good. Nothing extremely memorable, but I couldn't complain.

The next band was overnight lows. Now the lead singer was supposedly a woman, but I couldn't really tell. It took me on an emotional roller coaster. I'd be like, its a girl no a guy...damn, I don't know!!! They're really good though, so its okay. I recommend listening to their song Delay the Wait, its extrememly catchy

Afterwards, the oohlas came on. Now, I had seen the Oohlas perform before and I had mixed feelings about them. This time around, they were pretty good but I couldn't hear the lead volcalist very well, which sort of sucked. They are very orginal, and their song Across the Stars in Blue is addicting.

Then, Bedouin Soundclash, which is officially one of the most amazing bands ever, came on. They're sort of like reggae/indie/popish amazingness! Words can't explain how good they were. There were these kids next to me who were trying to dance, but they couldn't. I just wanted to be like, stop, please stop, spare yourselves. During there last song, some of men, women & children came out with congas and they held it up to audience. This band had a great live sound and excellent stage presence.

Finally, Men Women & Children came on. Let me just say, if you have not seen this band live, you are missing out. Their live show is great. everyone was really into it. Not to mention Todd (ex-guitarist from glassjaw) is in the band. They were just really good. Also, for anyone who has seen them, you know that they always use a bubble maching during their show, which seems the facinate much of the crowd.

It was definitely a memorable night, and I recommend checking out these bands live.

-Clio

A Brief Introduction

Despite the deceiving title, the purpose of POP! Music is not to talk about mainstream music of today because it doesn't need us and most of it is not worth the attention it receives. This blog has been created to talk about up and coming talent or even talent that has been established but not yet acknowledged by much of middle America. POP! Music is here to do exactly what we said, pop the common held notions of today's music, and spark conversations on artists who have proved themselves to be more than the formulated groups created by our capitalistic society to cash in on the obsessions of spoiled teens. In the end, this is a work and progress and input is greatly appreciated. POP! Music is just two college kids attempting to write something of substance and I apologize if we fail you in our mission.

-Clio