Neon Horse are a band shrouded in mystery. They are quite secretive about the identities of the members. Early press for the album stated that the band was created from veterans of no-name bands from the L.A. rock scene. The liner notes list Norman Horse as the singer and Neon Horse as the band. Their sound is hard to describe but has a lot of elements of late 70s and early 80s rock with plenty of synthesizers and chorus effects on the guitars. I chose this for Halloween because it has a kind of campy feel like a cheesy horror movie, but it’s just plain fun. Their self-titled debut album was released on Tooth & Nail Records and there has been a lot of speculation that the band is comprised of Mark Salomon formerly of Stavesacre and Jason Martin of Starflyer 59, both bands either currently or formerly on Tooth & Nail. While I’m not too familiar with Salomon’s work, I can definitely hear Martin’s guitar style all over this record. While the band members themselves remain tightlipped about their identities, it’s not hard to find the truth if you dig a little deeper. The band’s entry on Wikipedia gives a link the album’s entry on the ASCAP website. ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is a group that licenses music to radio stations and other media and it’s how musician’s get paid royalties. Anyway, the entry for Neon Horse lists Salomon and Martin as the composers, so that solves the mystery. Regardless of who they really are or want to be known as, Neon Horse have created a very excellent and succinct album which is a great listen on this Halloween.
Today I’m doing something I haven’t done before. I’m giving you two songs for the price of one, but don’t get too excited because it was free anyway. Relient K and Switchfoot are two bands that began their careers in the contemporary Christian scene each releasing three albums before crossing over to the mainstream with their fourth albums. For Switchfoot, it was their huge hit “Meant To Live” from the album The Beautiful Letdown. Relient K saw some success with the singles “Be My Escape” and “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” from their album mmhmm. The reason I’m featuring both of these bands together is because they are currently out on the Appetite for Construction Tour. I had the pleasure of seeing them in Baton Rouge last night and both bands played full sets and each one was amazing. Aside from getting to see two awesome bands, buying a ticket for this tour is making a donation. One dollar from each ticket goes to Habitat for Humanity which builds houses for needy families. Switchfoot released their sixth album Oh! Gravity the day after Christmas last year and was somewhat of a return to form for them. It has a much rawer sound than their overly polished 2005 release Nothing Is Sound. The guitars are grittier and the songs are faster and catchier. Today’s song is an excellent commentary on American materialism and the live version was outstanding. Relient K just released their fifth album Five Score and Seven Years Ago, which was their second album for Capitol Records. This album has a much more poppy sound than some of their previous work, with piano used more than ever before on the singles “Must Have Done Something Right” and “The Best Thing.” However, it does have some hard rock tendencies on songs like “I Need You” and today’s song which has the catchiest riff on the album. These are two of my favorite bands and to see them on the same bill was a great show. As a special treat during Switchfoot’s set, Relient K singer Matthew Thiessen came out to perform a song he co-wrote with Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman. The song was called “Rebuild” and hasn’t yet been released but I’m guessing it will show up on Switchfoot’s next record. Be sure to check out both of these band’s albums and if the tour is coming close to you, don’t hesitate to get tickets. You can check out the remaining dates here.
Pop-punk fans across the nation mourned in 2005 when Blink 182 announced their indefinite hiatus, but the members of the band never slowed down, instead creating two separate bands. Guitarist Tom Delonge went his own way to create the much hyped Angels and Airwaves, while bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker stayed together to create +44 (pronounced Plus 44, duh). For all the talking that Delonge did about Angels and Airwaves being music that will change your life and loads of other hyperbolic statements leading up to the release of their debut We Don’t Need To Whisper, the album fell a little short of they hype for me. It’s not bad and it is indeed different than Blink, it just wasn’t that great and Delonge’s nasally voice can grow tiresome without the balance of Hoppus’s more even pitch. Overlooked in the post-Blink era was +44’s debut When Your Heart Stops Beating. This album is not to much of a stretch from Blink 182’s 2003 self-titled release, but it has more of a synth element added. The vocals and lyrics are spot on and Barker’s drumming is a strong as ever. The title track was really the only single that saw any airplay on radio and TV with today’s song being released as the second single. Angels and Airwaves will be releasing their sophomore album I-Empire next Tuesday, but I’m looking more forward to what +44 will be coming out with next year.
Ben Gibbard is the front man of Death Cab for Cutie, who I featured in an earlier post. To me Gibbard is one of the best songwriters of today, with the ability to constantly deliver clever lines you wish you wrote. He’s released five full length albums with Death Cab and one with his side project The Postal Service. I would suggest checking out all of those albums, but today I wanted to feature a somewhat different side of Gibbard. In 2003 he released Home Vol. 5, a split EP with Andrew Kenny, who fronts The American Analog Set. Gibbard’s songs alone are worth the price. He gives us four songs that mainly just feature him and an acoustic guitar and shows us his folky side. Today’s song “Carolina” is not a James Taylor cover, but it shows Gibbard’s range and truthfully it would be cool to hear a whole album like this.
I first heard this song from Damone back in 2003 and I immediately liked it. However, I didn’t actually get their debut From the Attic until about 2005, because I could never a copy of it. I finally came across a used copy and was treated with 11 tracks of female fronted rock and roll. Most of the songs on this album are along the pop-punk lines, but singer Noelle LeBlanc has an amazing voice that reaches beyond that genre. After some label troubles, the band finally landed on Island and released their sophomore album Out Here All Night last year. Out Here All Night was a far harder rocking record and in my opinion a better album than From the Attic. It has a very 80s feel to it with big guitars and and some true power ballads. However, my favorite song of theirs remains “Up To You.” It’s incredibly catchy and has one of the coolest guitar solos I’ve heard in a while.
I guess it would be somewhat excusable if you were unaware of who Greg Dulli is. Afghan Whigs, the band Dulli fronted in the 90s, weren’t exactly commercial hitmakers. However, anyone who considers himself knowledgeable about alternative rock should have at least heard “Debonair” from Afghan Whigs 1993 album Gentlemen. So if you haven’t, I suggest you download that now. After the Whigs split in the late 90s, Dulli started a new project dubbed The Twilight Singers, which consists of Dulli and whoever he happens to be playing music with at the time. They’ve released four albums including last year’s stellar Powder Burns. The Twilight Singers are a little lighter and jazzier than Afghan Whigs, but still have some rocking parts. In 2005 Dulli came out with Amber Headlights, his only album released under his own name. The nine songs on this record are songs that Dulli wrote back in 2001, but were shelved after the death of a close friend caused him to go a different direction as he wrote what would become The Twilight Singers 2003 album Blackberry Belle. There are some excellent tunes on Amber Headlights including the great lead track “So Tight” which has plenty of attitude to go around, but my favorite would have to be today’s track “Cigarettes.” The jagged verse gives way to a soaring chorus that makes for an outstanding song. If this is your first encounter with Greg Dulli, by all means explore him further. A good start would be the Afghan Whigs retrospective Unbreakablewhich was released last year.
Dead Poetic started out as a typical screamo band like many others who threw random screams into melodic songs that were largely forgettable. From there they progressed to a slightly more straightforward rock style on their 2004 sophomore album New Medicines. The title track is still one of their best and it’s where they find that perfect mix of melody and screaming. Most of the rest of the album was good but some songs were plagued by nonsensical screaming. After two and half years and several break-up rumors and lineup changes, Dead Poetic released Vices last Halloween. Vices is easily their strongest work yet, leaving behind the screamo genre and bringing to mind rock acts like A Perfect Circle and Deftones. The Deftones influence due in part to Deftones front man Chino Moreno producing two tracks on the record and lending his voice to today’s song “Paralytic.” Overall, Vices is more in your face rock and it showcases Brandon Rike’s powerful voice. While most of the album is entirely rocking, it does have a few mellow moments, such as “Paralytic.” In this song we see a more experimental Dead Poetic and great guest vocals from Moreno. In fact this song resembles something similar to Team Sleep, Moreno’s side project from 2005. Dead Poetic parted ways earlier this year, but the will be releasing a best of entitled The Finest in November. My suggestion would be to download a few tracks from New Medicines and definitely buy Vices, because it was one of the best rock albums of last year.
I first became acquainted with Thrice in 2003 when I saw the video for “All That’s Left,” the first single from their major label debut The Artist In the Ambulance. At first I wasn’t too impressed. As I saw it a couple more times it grew on me, but I never got the album. That was until I finally heard the title track and I was hooked. Teppei Teranishi’s lead guitar is amazing on the song and Dustin Kensrue’s lyrics are though provoking. I finally purchased The Artist In the Ambulance and I liked it but I was surprised at how heavy some parts of it were. Judging from Thrice’s singles I wouldn’t have guessed that they have as many scream-heavy songs as they do, but I eventually grew to love the screamers as well. In 2005, Thrice came back with their powerhouse fourth studio album Vheissu which shattered all expectations and is easily my favorite of their albums. Vheissu found Thrice exploring their more melodic side, to the chagrin of many longtime fans. They did however mix in plenty of heavy tracks and some of the best guitars in recent modern rock history. What also struck me was the lyrical content of Vheissu. Kensrue wrote passionately about his faith and I think the album contained more Christian lyrics that some “Christian” bands out today. The most notable of these was the poignant interpretation of the apostle Peter’s denial of Christ, in “Like Moths To Flame.” Vheissu set the bar pretty high for Thrice, but I knew they would keep creating great music and now after two years we have some new stuff from them. The Alchemy Index is an album in four parts. Each disc contains six songs dealing with one of the basic elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air. I guess this bold concept was too much for Island Records. The band and the label didn’t see eye to eye and they parted ways amicably earlier this year. Instead, Thrice have gone the indie route with Vagrant Records, known mostly for releasing albums by Dashboard Confessional and The Get Up Kids. I was a little thrown by the pairing at first, but with a band like Thrice, the label is a non-issue. These guys make the music they want to make period. Vagrant decided to release the album in two part increments beginning this month with Fire and Water, with Earth and Air following in the Spring. What’s interesting is that each disc is informed lyrically and musically by its title. Fire has lots of imagery dealing with flames and burning and whatnot, while Water is largely concerned with the ocean and ships and things of that nature. This had to be an incredible challenge for the band to write in this way, but they’ve proven they are up to it. I must admit I was a little afraid that Fire would be all screaming and devoid of melody, but that is not the case. There’s an ample mix of both along with some of Thrice’s heaviest guitars ever. Water finds Thrice delving their more experimental side, with lots of electronics and keys mixed in and absolutely no screaming. All of the songs on Water put the listener in a somewhat dreamlike state, especially the epic instrumental “Night Diving.” Today’s song is probably my favorite from Fire. I like it because it isn’t one tempo all the way through. It rises and falls and has a great chorus. The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II is a must for any fan of Thrice’s previous work and a great buy for someone looking for a little depth to their modern rock. I just can’t wait until Spring to see what the next two volumes will be like.
Today was the first cold day of the fall around here and few other bands make fall music as well as Counting Crows. It’s hard to believe their debut August and Everything After is nearly 15 years old. That album made Counting Crows a household name with the hits “Round Here” and “Mr. Jones” and cemented the band’s place in 90s rock history. They of course have released three albums since then which included hits like “A Long December” and “Hanginaround.” The band got a lot of radio play back in 2003 with their cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” which appeared on their fourth album Hard Candy. They released a greatest hits in 2004 entitled Films About Ghosts which is a great buy for the casual fan. Today’s song is one of my favorites of theirs that wasn’t a huge hit and I think it should have been included on Films About Ghosts. The band’s name actually comes from the lyrics of this song. It has a timeless feeling to it and is still great even 14 years later. The are working on a new record entitled Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings due out in early 2008. In the meantime August and Everything After has been re-released with loads of bonus tracks and a second disc featuring a full-length live concert from 1994. If you don’t already own this album, that’s just another great reason to get it, but just listen to this song and you won’t need much convincing.
Rilo Kiley is an interesting indie rock band who just released their fourth studio album and major label debut entitled Under the Blacklight. I haven’t had a chance to listen to much of this album but what I’ve heard is excellent. Singer Jenny Lewis has an amazing voice and Blake Sennett’s Guitar licks are as catchy as ever. I had heard of Rilo Kiley for a few years now but didn’t hear anything by them until 2004’s More Adventurous. “Portions for Foxes” was my favorite from that album and it’s proof that they can write a great pop-rock song. But going back to Under the Blacklight, I particularly like today’s song because of it’s slight alt-country feel. It’s just has a little twang to it and is possibly influenced by Lewis’s 2006 solo album Rabbit Fur Coat . For people like me who like random trivia, it’s interesting to note that both Lewis and Sennett were child actors. Lewis appeared alongside Fred Savage in the classic video game movie The Wizard and Sennett was Pinskey in Nickelodeon’s summer camp series Salute Your Shorts.
Pete Yorn is a great singer songwriter from New Jersey. He rose in popularity back in 2001 with the single “Life On a Chain” from his debut musicforthemorningafter. That album yielded one more minor hit in the form of “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is).” That’s the song that really made me take note of him. He followed up in 2003 with Day I Forgot which had some really good songs but didn’t see as much commercial success. Last year he released his third full length entitled Nightcrawler. Yorn noted in an interview that his first three albums follow a chronological order beginning with morning, moving to day, and ending with night. I hadn’t even noticed that before but it obviously makes sense. Nightcrawler is some of Yorn’s most interesting work yet. Today’s song is one of my favorites from the record and it also contains another one of my favorites of his “Undercover” which originally appeared on the soundtrack to the first Spiderman movie back in 2002. Yorn also recently released a five song EP entitled Westerns which contains some more alt-country inspired tracks which are also very good. He’s currently working on a new record and plans to tour for most of 2008.
During my time at KXUL, I discovered that there are a lot of great bands from Dallas, TX. One of which was Forty Percent, who played quite a bit back in 2003. The band have since broken up and they only released one album entitled Portland. I finally found a used copy of it on Amazon earlier this year and I got to rock out to some great songs I hadn’t heard in a while. Forty Percent never saw much success outside the region and it’s hard to tell why. All of their songs have a great pop sensibility and manage to rock you at the same time. Perhaps they didn’t stay together long enough to see how far they could go. Most of the members are in different bands now, none of which I have heard. You can still by the album new, but you can probably find a used copy on eBay or Amazon for cheaper. Today’s song is the first one I heard by them as well as the album opener. It has an Incubus inspired feel to it and it’s incredibly catchy.
Nine Days broke onto the scene back in 2000 with their hit “Absolutely (Story of a Girl).” I bought their debut The Madding Crowd because I liked that song, but I didn’t know how good the rest of it would be. I was pleasantly surprised by that album that was full of hooky pop songs with lots of piano and plenty of rock guitar to go around. If this album had come out last year, it would have been huge considering the giant spike in popularity of bands like The Fray and Augustana. Unfortunately Nine Days only released one more single from their debut and it didn’t do as well. They seemed to have all the tell-tale signs of a one hit wonder. That was too bad because I really liked the album and I didn’t want to see them fade into obscurity. A couple years later, I started to hear today’s song on the radio. I was excited that there would finally be a new album coming out. I would look for it when I went to the music store but was always disappointed. I never heard another song from their second album and then I just kind of forgot about them. Last year I was listening to The Madding Crowd and I started wondering what happened to their second album. I did a little research online and found out that it had been shelved indefinitely by the label. The crappiest part was that the band were not longer on the label, but the label wouldn’t give them the rights to the album so they could self release it or release it on another label. It appeared that their sophomore album So Happily Unsatisfied would be another casualty of the big business that is the music industry. The band still wrote some more music and released a few other albums independently, but their true follow up album remained unheard. Finally sometime last year Sony gave up the rights to the band. Nine Days have now made the entire album available for free download on their website. Just click on the album cover above for the link. Nine Days are still writing and recording but will probably never have another hit. That’s just the way it goes sometimes, but in ten years when you see “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” on VH1’s one hit wonders, remember today’s song “Good Friend” and know that they should have been at least a two hit wonder.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Jimmy Eat World are one my all-time favorite bands. Needless to say I was eagerly anticipating their new album Chase This Light. It’s been three years since their fourth album Futures came out and they released an EP in 2005, so it’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to hear some new Jimmy Eat World. Now that Chase This Light is finally out, I’m happy to say that Jimmy Eat World have delivered another stellar album. They posted the opening track and first single “Big Casino” on their website a little over a month ago, and I’ve listened to it countless times since then. It’s probably one of their best songs ever and an excellent choice for a first single. It boasts one of the biggest hooks on the album and really sets the tempo and energy level for the rest of the album. Chase This Light is far less melancholy than Futures and overall quite poppy. While it still rocks, there’s nothing along the lines of “Pain” or “Bleed American” to be found on Chase This Light. The band steps outside themselves a couple times on the album, but each with great results. “Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues” is a string driven song that is the only dark spot on the album. I’ve always liked the moody side of Jimmy Eat World that shows up in songs like “Disintegration” from the Stay On My Side Tonight EP and “Cautioners” from Bleed American and this song falls into that category. “Here It Goes” is a song that some purists may dislike, but to me its one of the best on the album. I’ve never been one to dance, but it’s hard not to want to when listening to this song. It’s a pop song, but it’s incredibly fun and it’s one you’ll be singing along with the first time you hear it. Today’s song is another one of my favorites. I love the rapid fire lyrical delivery in the chorus and it’s another one that gets stuck in your head. If you liked Jimmy Eat World at all before, I see no reason you wouldn’t love this album.
The Almost is the side project of Underoath drummer/singer Aaron Gillespie. He is the melodic half of Underoath’s vocal duo, and on Southern Weather he branched out of the hardcore/metal scene and delivered a straight up rock record. Fans of Underoath may have been a little surprised at this venture, but anyone who listens to Underoath knows Gillespie can write hooks with the best of them. What’s interesting to me is that Gillespie wrote this entire album by himself and recorded all the instruments on the record save for a few notes here and there. He did all of this in his downtime while Underoath were recording Define the Great Line, and he single handedly made a better album that a lot of bands out there that have been playing for years. You’ve probably heard or seen the video for the great first single and album open “Say This Sooner,” which is probably the catchiest song on the album. With the Almost, Gillespie is not afraid to wear his Christian beliefs on his sleeve. On “Dirty and Left Out” he gets a little help from former Sunny Day Real Estate front man Jeremy Enigk and the borrow some lines from the Gaither classic “Something About That Name.” The chorus of “Amazing Because It Is” is the first verse of “Amazing Grace” with a new melody. The Almost just recently put out a new video for the title track “Southern Weather,” one of my other favorites on the record. It was difficult to decide which song to post because they’re all almost equally good, but I went with the album closer “Everything That Makes Me Sick.” It has a soaring melody and great guitar lines and is a good one to end the album with. As much as I like Underoath, I know they won’t last forever and it’s good to know that Gillespie is capable of making music this good. I look forward to hearing more.
Explosions In the Sky are an interesting experimental rock band from Austin, Texas. Part of their intrigue comes from the fact that there are no vocals in any of their songs. They are entirely instrumental. That might be a turn off to some people, and at one time I might not have given them a second listen. However, I suggest you do because they make some pretty great music. I was first introduced to the band after hearing their amazing score for the film Friday Night Lights, which chronicles a season of football with the Panthers of Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. The movie is one of the best as far as football movies go and even if you don’t necessarily like football, it’s still pretty good. When I was sitting in the theater I found myself paying close attention to the score and how it sets the tone for the movie. I love music but I must admit I’m usually not into scores unless it’s something timeless like Star Wars or Superman or pretty much anything by John Williams. Shortly after seeing the movie, I purchased the soundtrack and was not disappointed. This is a great CD for night driving or to just have as background music while working around the house. The band recently released their fourth album All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone earlier this year. Today’s song first appeared in a longer version on their third album The Earth Is Not a Cold a Dead Place. This is my favorite, but the whole CD is great. The band are also doing some of the score for the television series adaptation of Friday Night Lights. So if you’re in the mood for some cool instrumental music, Explosions In the Sky are a band worth checking out.
Explosions In the Sky - "Your Hand In Mine (with strings)"
Snow Patrol are a great band from Ireland that have seen quite a spike in popularity in the past year and a half. Their fourth album Eyes Open came out in May 2006 and shortly thereafter, they seemed to be everywhere. “Chasing Cars” was featured on Grey’s Anatomy and quickly became a hit on radio. I really liked Eyes Open and I think it contains some of Snow Patrol’s catchiest songs and I can see why it’s such a huge hit. However, I still prefer their third album Final Straw, perhaps because it was the first one I heard. I has some really cool and quirky songs on it and I really grew to like the band after hearing it. “Run” was the “Chasing Cars” of Final Straw, a huge anthemic song that is sure to have people waving lighters at live shows for years to come. I knew that Snow Patrol had two other albums before Final Straw but they hadn’t been released in the U.S. They were available as an import but I wasn’t intrigued enough to pay $30 a piece for them. Finally last year they were released stateside and both their debut Songs for Polar Bears and their second album When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up included bonus tracks. Neither one of these records is nearly as good as their successors but it’s cool to see how far Snow Patrol have come. Today’s song from When It’s All Over… shows promise of what they would become. Maybe some people are sick of Snow Patrol by now, and even I have to admit that I’m a little tired of “Chasing Cars” at this point. But you can’t hate them for writing great songs and I’ve got a feeling they’re going to be writing them for a while.
Unlike most of the bands that I highlight here, I know very little about The Jayhawks. I could just regurgitate their band history that I found on Wikipedia, but you can just read that here. All I really know of the Jayhawks is today’s song “Blue.” This song was featured in an episode of one of my favorite shows Scrubs. When I heard it on the episode, it sounded very familiar and I was racking my brain to figure out who it was. I can’t remember how, but I somehow figured out it was The Jayhawks and that it came from their album Tomorrow the Green Grass. I love this song for it’s distinctive melody and the guitar lead as well. It also has an unplaceable old feel to it, like it could’ve come from the 70s. So even though I can’t tell you much about the Jayhawks, I can tell you this song is great and you should listen to it.
The Early November were an emo band from New Jersey. They released two albums and an EP during their existence. The latest of which was last year’s epic three disc The Mother, The Mechanic and The Path. Lead singer and songwriter Ace Enders showed how prolific he was on this release. Truthfully, the band could’ve just released The Mechanic and it would have been good enough. The sound on The Mechanic is a logical progression from their first full length, 2003’s The Room’s Too Cold. The Mechanic was the more rocking of the set, with The Mother showcasing a lighter side of the band with more acoustic based songs likely inspired by Enders’ side project I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business. I’ll give Enders points for ambition, but sometimes it’s best to know when enough is enough. The Path is a forgettable exercise in audio theater that consists of spoken word segments and and some short songs in between, only about two of which are worth a second listen. That being said, the Mechanic is an exceptional album filled with great rock songs. It’s actually a little more straightforward rock and not as emo as their previous releases. Today’s song is the standout track because it’s so unlike what they’ve done before. I particularly enjoy the slide guitar and the Jimmy Eat World like chorus. Even though the band have split up, don’t expect Enders to stop making music. He’s currently using the moniker Ace Enders and a Million Different People. You can listen to what he’s been working on here.
Emery are a band of guys from South Carolina who moved to Seattle to try to make it. And make it they did. They rose to the top of the “emo/screamo” genre following the success of their 2005 sophomore album The Question. That album was about as good as it can get as far as screamo goes. There was a perfect mixture of screaming and melody, interesting guitar parts and thoughtful lyrics. In short, The Question was going to be hard to top. Sadly Emery’s third album I’m Only a Man falls drastically short of the mark set by The Question. It’s almost hard to tell the same band created the album. It sounds more like something a group of high school kids would throw together and call music. It’s just very disjointed and almost completely devoid of hooks and the lyrics are akin to freshman English poetry. Emery’s debut The Weak’s End also suffered a bit from uninspired lyrics, but it showed promise. However, there is little promise to be found on I’m Only a Man. It’s ironic that a song entitled “Don’t Bore Us, Get To the Chorus” would have the least memorable chorus of all. The song starts off with an awkward Queen-esque falsetto vocal arrangement and fumbles through about three minutes before it deteriorates into unintelligible screaming. Another disappointment is “World Away” which almost a straightforward pop-song. On the DVD that accompanies the special edition, one of the band members explains that since they only have one guitar player in the band now, most of these songs were written with only one guitar part, with extra tracking done on only a few songs. I think that’s a big mistake in this genre because, the dual guitar attack is part of what makes it interesting. Because of this, most songs feel like there is something missing. So you may be asking yourself: If you hate this album so much, why are you posting a song from it? The answer is I don’t really know. I still like Emery as a band and The Question will remain one of my favorites. Emery is still a band that I think you should know and maybe you’ll like it better than I did. Today’s song is one of the few cool spots on the record. Singer Toby Morrell has a flair for over dramatic storytelling as evidenced in the song’s lyrics, but I feel that this song most closely resembles how Emery used to sound. So my final word is, definitely buy The Question, but I’m Only a Man is a decision you’ll have to make for yourself. It could have been so much better.
Kevin Devine is a singer/songwriter from Brooklyn who has released four full length albums. I first discovered his music in early 2006 when I heard songs from his third album Split the Country, Split the Street. What struck me the most about this particular song is how much it sounds like a great rock band and not what you’d typically expect from a solo artist. I was also intrigued by Devine when I noticed that Brand New front man Jesse Lacey provides back up vocals for this song and two others on the album. This song just has a great build up of energy and some pretty excellent guitar work. Devine released his fourth album Put Your Ghost To Rest in late 2006 on Capitol Records. What I’ve heard of it doesn’t rock nearly as much as “Cotton Crush” but it’s still pretty good. Devine toured earlier this year with Lacey on a small club tour where they played Devine’s songs as well as Brand New’s. I really wish I could’ve seen one of those shows. Devine is currently on a solo tour with Manchester Orchestra front man Andy Hull. Something tells me that would be an awesome show as well. Kevin Devine is an artist creating honest rock music and he’s definitely one to keep your eye on.
The Beautiful Mistake are a cool rock band from San Diego who have released two full length albums. I first discovered them when I saw this interesting video for their song “On Building” on a compilation DVD. The video was cool, but the song was just ok and not compelling enough to make me want to buy their debut Light a Match, for I Deserve To Burn. A couple years later I heard some tracks from their sophomore release This Is Who You Are and I was impressed with how good they had become. The songs are really focused lyrically and they all have excellent guitar parts as well. Today’s song is my favorite from the album and it takes it’s name from the C.S. Lewis book The Great Divorce. It’s been some time since I read The Great Divorce, but from what I remember the lyrics to this song parallel the story from the book. I would suggest reading the book as well as any other C.S. Lewis you can get your hands on. The Beautiful Mistake are currently on hiatus and this is the last album they have released although they did put out an EP in 2006. This Is Who You Are is an excellent CD to check out and hopefully we haven’t heard the last of The Beautiful Mistake.
Gasoline Heart is a cool indie rock band from Florida that released their debut You Know Who You Are last year. The band somewhat embrace their Southern roots on this record, with a very organic sound that includes organs and harmonicas all with jangly guitar lines and the amazing gravelly voice of front man Louis DeFabrizio. The music is somewhere along the lines of the Wallflowers at times, but DeFabrizio’s voice sets them apart. It’s cool to hear a band that isn’t bringing the same thing to the table that’s been brought over and over again. You Know Who You Are is an interesting and fun listen for anyone looking for something outside what most of the indie scene is offering these days. You can check out a cool acoustic performance and interview with DeFabrizio from the Relevant Podcast here.
Loveless is a little known indie rock band from Boston that I became acquainted with while working in college radio in 2004. Their debut album Gift To the World came out in late 2003 and consisted of ten tracks of outstanding modern rock. The opener “Go” was power pop perfection and the rocking “Stick To the Girl” has a hook that stays with you for days. Even with all the great upbeat tunes on this album, it’s the mellow one that really stands out and grabs your attention. “Darling Would You” is probably the best song on the record. From the chorus effects on the guitar, to the fuzzed out bass line and the incredibly catchy chorus, it’s hard to understand why Loveless didn’t see more success. Of all the songs I added to the playlist during my time at KXUL, this song was the most asked about on our website, and it seemed nearly every time it was played, someone would call the station wanting to know who it was. We even had a professor begging us for a copy of the CD. Unfortunately Loveless have parted ways and Gift To the World is the only album they ever released. Even though you’ll never get to see them live, I suggest getting this disc if you want to hear some catchy rock songs.
Mindy Smith is one of those artists kind of like Nickel Creek that are on the edge of country. The fact is she’s not country enough for country and she’s too country for indie rock. However she has found a happy medium and creates some excellent music. She first got noticed for her excellent cover of the Dolly Parton classic “Jolene.” That song appeared as a bonus track on her debut One Moment More which also included her first real single “Come To Jesus.” That song has a bit of a Southern Gospel feel in some parts, but it’s an excellent tune with meaningful lyrics. Even though she seems to have a little country in her blood, she’s actually from Long Island, NY, hence the title of her sophomore record Long IslandShores. The first single is the excellent “Out Loud” which showcases her subtle but strong voice. Also included on the record is the title track which is song about returning to Long Island for a family reunion. Another song of note is “Tennessee,” a soft ode to the state she now calls home. Today’s song is one of my favorites on the album. I love the lead guitar in this song as well as the melody in the chorus. Don’t be scared away if you see Mindy Smith’s albums in the country section of your local record store. I would consider her more along the lines of Americana and folk singer/songwriter. There’s something here for everyone and you should definitely be listening.
The Get Up Kids are one of the original “emo” bands. Formed in 1995 in Kansas City, they embodied the Midwest rock sound and pioneered the heart on sleeve lyrics that have become associated with the genre. When they started out, their name was quite fitting. Their first album Four Minute Mile was recorded in 1997 when a few of the members were still in high school. That album is a little rough around the edges. Some consider it their most honest work, but it can be cringe inducing at times when singer Matthew Pryor’s voice cracks, and the musicianship isn’t as tight as it could be. In 1999 they followed up with their highly anticipated sophomore release, Something To Write Home About. I still think it’s their best record, because the first songs of theirs I heard, come from this record. The band matured as musicians on this record and Pryor’s raspy vocal fits perfectly with the music to make for some really excellent tunes. Although the album came out in 1999, I didn’t really get into the band until late 2001. The first record of theirs that I actually bought was 2002’s On a Wire. A lot of fans felt betrayed when this album came out because the loud guitars of Something are mostly absent, with a lot more emphasis on acoustics and keys. There are a few rockers though and I consider On a Wire a really good album. In 2004 they released their final album Guilt Show. The style was more akin to their early work, but the thirteen tracks felt a little forced with only a few really working well. They announced they would be disbanding in early 2005 and they released a live record in May of that year. The live album is a great collection of new and old tracks, that’s a must for fans of the band. Since the breakup, the band members have been involved in various musical endeavors. Pryor has released a few albums for his solo project The New Amsterdams, as well a record of children’s music under the moniker The Terrible Two’s. Keyboardist James Dewees has been making some great and interesting music as Reggie and the Full Effect. Bassist Rob Pope and his brother, drummer Ryan Pope recorded and toured with the band Koufax. Lead guitarist Jim Suptic started another great band called Blackpool Lights. Today’s song from Something To Write Home About is one of the first songs I heard from the Get Up Kids and I think it’s a good example of their sound. By the way, the title is a quote from Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. Awesome.
Tonic are probably one of the more underappreciated bands of the late 90s and early 00s. They’re probably most remembered for their hit “If You Could Only See” from their 1996 debut Lemon Parade. They also saw a boost in popularity when their song “You Wanted More” was featured on the soundtrack to American Pie in 1999. The song also appeared on their sophomore record Sugar, which had several other excellent songs. I think my favorite overall album of theirs was their last one Head On Straight. There are no bad songs on that album and it even got a Grammy nomination for best rock album in 2003. That’s one of the few times I actually agree with the Grammys. Today’s song is one that was never a single, but one of their coolest tracks in my opinion. It’s kind of a story song told from the perspective of an Irish man being forced to fight for England. The song has a Celtic feel musically and it has an awesome sing along moment when Emerson Hart yells out “I won’t die for England!” This song was brought to mind because there is a Celtic Festival in town this weekend. Even though I won’t be attending, it still made me think of this great song. Tonic have disbanded with Hart going on to start a solo career and he released an album earlier this year. I would suggest that if you weren’t into Tonic when they came out, go back and check them out now. You’ll feel bad that weren’t listening before.
I’ve mentioned Anberlin in a few other posts so I figured I should let you hear one of their tracks if you’re not familiar with them. On their latest album Cities, Anberlin stuck to the same formula that was successful for their two previous records, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Their 2003 debut Blueprints for the Black Market was an extremely tight collection of hard rocking songs with amazing vocals from lead singer Stephen Christian. A lot of people may lump Anberlin in with several other bands in their genre, but to me they stand high above the rest due to Christian’s outstanding voice. Their 2005 sophomore release Never Take Friendship Personal didn’t let up and delivered what I consider to be one of their best tracks, “Paperthin Hymn.” In fact, Never ventured into a little more edgy territory with some screaming thrown in here and there for good measure. I was anxious to hear what Anberlin would be delivering on their third record and when I heard the first note of “Godspeed,” I knew I was in for a treat. “Godspeed” is the first single on the album and prominently features the amazing guitar work of Joey Milligan. Anberlin is the kind of band that I can hear a guitar solo and immediately know it’s them. Milligan just has a signature style. The band also showed their softer side on Cities, with two excellent acoustic driven tracks “The Unwinding Cable Car” and “Inevitable.” Today’s song is my favorite on the record because it showcases the full range of Christian’s voice and is also one of their best songs musically and lyrically. Anberlin have recently signed with Universal Republic Records and plan on releasing a new album next summer. Hopefully their jump to the big leagues won’t turn them into a different band. Next up for the band is a fall tour with Motion City Soundtrack and Mae as well a their final release on Tooth & Nail Records, Lost Songs, a collection of b-sides and rarities that will be released in November. I’ll probably give you a sampling of that when I get my hands on it, but for now you should definitely pick up Cities. And I suggest going with the deluxe edition, because it includes three bonus tracks and a cool “making of” DVD that are well worth the price.
Dashboard Confessional is a band I grew to love during my senior year of high school. Actually I use the term “band” loosely. Up until 2003’s A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar, Chris Carrabba was the only member of the band. Their second album The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most was the first record I heard from them. Those ten tracks that clock in at under half an hour are some of the catchiest, and most singable songs in my CD collection. I still listen from time to time and even though I don’t feel as much of a connection to the lyrics as I did when I was 17, the songs are still great. Dashboard probably upset a few diehard fans when Mark came out and had (gasp) electric guitars! I liked that album and wasn’t too surprised by the direction the band had taken but it still wasn’t as good as its predecessors. Last summer saw the release of Dashboard Confessional’s fourth album Dusk and Summer. It was probably the greatest departure and even though a few songs were great, it was more or less a middle of the road album. “Stolen” has become somewhat of a hit on MTV and radio. I was surprised to see that Carrabba would be releasing another record so soon, but I eagerly went out yesterday and picked up The Shade of Poison Trees. This record is kind of a return to form for Dashboard Confessional with all of the songs using only acoustic guitars and one even using keyboards. The lyrics still aren’t as good as the first two records but they are better and more clever than the previous two. Only one of the album’s twelve tracks surpasses the three minute mark. They’re all short and to the point, and with great melodies to boot. Today’s song is the album opener and one of the best lyrically on the record. I also like Carrabba’s percussive style of guitar playing that harkens back to the old records. This album is kind of conundrum because fans of Dusk and Summer may not like it, while old fans who would like it may have stopped caring a few years ago. I think The Shade of Poison Trees is good enough for people to care again.
I was first introduced to Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice in 2003 when I heard his amazing debut O. The ten tracks on O all carry a lot of emotion with Rice mostly only utilizing a lightly plucked acoustic guitar and a voice that goes from barely above a whisper to powerfully loud. He was complimented on a few tracks by the equally talented Lisa Hannigan on backing and sometimes lead vocals. You’ve probably heard his single “The Blower’s Daughter” as it’s appeared in various movies and TV shows. The song “Delicate” from O was featured in an episode of one my favorite shows, Lost. The anticipation for his follow up album was high and when 9 finally came out last November, it was worth the wait. For the most part, Rice delivered the kind of album that could be expected. A few of the songs rocked a little more, especially “Rootless Tree” which, aside from the nonsensical profanity, is a great tune. Rice has said that the song “Elephant” is kind of like “The Blower’s Daughter Pt. 2” and I can see the similarities, even in the song structure. The best song on the record in my opinion is today’s song “9 Crimes,” which is the lead-off track. I think it’s interesting that the first thing you hear on Rice’s album is the vocals of Hannigan. One of the few Damien Rice tracks to use piano, this song has an excellent build up and a great ending.
I first heard Motion City Soundtrack in 2003 when their debut I Am the Movie came out. The first single was the exceptionally catchy and witty “The Future Freaks Me Out,” a synth driven pop punk song with some seriously clever lyrical wordplay. In 2005 they released Commit This To Memory, which built on the success of their previous work, delivering great songs like “Everything Is Alright” and “Hold Me Down.” Their third record Even If It Kills Me was highly anticipated by me and lots of other fans who were ready to see what would come next. The result is a bit of a mixed bag. Even If It Kills Me finds Motion City Soundtrack still using the song elements that they mastered on their first two albums but the effect isn’t as great for some reason. The album was had two producers: Ric Ocasek of The Cars (who was behind the boards for Weezer’s classic self-titled “Blue” album) and Adam Schlesinger of pop-rock powerhouse Fountains of Wayne. Schlesinger’s influence can be prominently heard on “Where I Belong” which is probably the sunniest song on the record. The rest of it is good, but nothing really jumps out and the lyrics are kind of a downer with the exception of first official single “This Is for Real,” which kind of a love song. The band released a pretty funny video for today’s song but it hasn’t really been pushed as a single. Despite the title, “Broken Heart” is a actually a pretty poppy song and has one of the coolest synth lines on the record. Even If It Kills Me isn’t awful, but fails to live up to the bar set by Commit This To Memory. I’m sure it will grow on me with repeated listens. If you get the chance I would suggest catching MCS on tour this fall. They’ll be out with two of my favorite bands Mae and Anberlin. I’m sure that would and awesome show and it’s tours like this that make me wish I lived closer to a big city.
One new song everyday until I get tired of doing it again. Click on the artist's name to get more information about them. Click on the album art for purchase information. Click on the play button to listen for yourself. Enjoy.
Neon Horse are a band shrouded in mystery. They are quite secretive about the identities of the members. Early press for the album stated that the band was created from veterans of no-name bands from the L.A. rock scene. The liner notes list Norman Horse as the singer and Neon Horse as the band. Their sound is hard to describe but has a lot of elements of late 70s and early 80s rock with plenty of synthesizers and chorus effects on the guitars. I chose this for Halloween because it has a kind of campy feel like a cheesy horror movie, but it’s just plain fun. Their self-titled debut album was released on Tooth & Nail Records and there has been a lot of speculation that the band is comprised of Mark Salomon formerly of Stavesacre and Jason Martin of Starflyer 59, both bands either currently or formerly on Tooth & Nail. While I’m not too familiar with Salomon’s work, I can definitely hear Martin’s guitar style all over this record. While the band members themselves remain tightlipped about their identities, it’s not hard to find the truth if you dig a little deeper. The band’s entry on Wikipedia gives a link the album’s entry on the ASCAP website. ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is a group that licenses music to radio stations and other media and it’s how musician’s get paid royalties. Anyway, the entry for Neon Horse lists Salomon and Martin as the composers, so that solves the mystery. Regardless of who they really are or want to be known as, Neon Horse have created a very excellent and succinct album which is a great listen on this Halloween.
