Travis Garland's Fashionably Late EP Track-by-Track Review

Travis Garland released his latest EP Fashionably Late Monday October 22nd 2012, and this is my track-by-track review of it.  Overall, Fashionably Late emulates an 80s R&B sound, which works well with Travis’s crooning falsetto that will give girls chills.  It’s a sexy EP with Travis not shy to allude to making love with a girl with his lyrics and the utilization of his talented voice.  Something unique that I noticed is that each song shows Travis as a three-dimensional and diverse artist that can do it all and doesn’t have to be categorized in just one genre of music.

"Fall in Lust"

Within seconds of hearing the song, I instantly thought of it sounding like a Michael Jackson song - not a specific one but emulated MJ's kind of sound.  The combination of the melodic beats in the background and the vocal harmony blends at the chorus contribute to the sound of an MJ tune, and I dig it.  Obviously from the title, the song is about sex and lust, and this boy doesn't love and just wants to satisfy his sexual needs.  So who wants to have that job?

"Abby Lee"

This song has more of a gospel sound to it with organic chords and the theme of religion.  In addressing the girl, Abby Lee, Travis preaches and asks God for forgiveness for having sinful thoughts about her, and she makes him believe.  His serenading invites her to have her way with him (i.e. his sinful thoughts) with temptations that "feel good."  The song also showcases proof of his vocal worth - just listen to his gospel descants at the last chorus (which remind me of live performances by Brendon Urie) and you are guaranteed to have feels for him.

"Didn't Stand a Chance"

This one was probably my favorite off the entire EP.  It's an acoustic R&B song that really shows off his crooning voice, which, in my opinion, is his selling point.  When listening to this song, I imagine a music video of him singing at a beach house porch in Hawaii at sunset, or maybe this song could be featured in a romantic comedy or something because it follows more of a traditional love song framework, which strays away from his previous two songs about sinful and lustful love.

"Feel" (feat. Three McDaniel)

The last track of the EP takes on a techno sound with the beat dropping in the background, and I'll admit that it kind of reminds me of something that Justin Bieber would produce.  Even though I'm not a fan of the Biebs, I still like Travis's song mainly because it really, really shows off his vocal range.  He uses more of his pop chest voice as opposed to his falsetto crooning that builds intensity at the chorus with a crazy melody. If you're not convinced by now that this boy is talented, this is the song to listen to.  

You can download Fashionably Late for free from his Tumblr site, or you can listen to the songs individually on his YouTube page.  Either way, it's four songs, so take some time to listen to it.  You won't regret it.

Close to Home

It's been awhile since I've made a post like this.  Band number twenty-six of Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Close to Home.  I heard about these Cincinnati guys from the promotion of We Came As Romans - they toured together during Scream It Like You Mean It.  I trust the taste of the We Came As Romans guys, so I decided to add Close to Home to my list.  Let's see what we got.

Two of the three songs I listened to had a different sound from their most recent song, "Backstabbers Need Not Apply," and I honestly think they will be in better shape if they stick to "Backstabbers" sound.  The sound is much heavier and they keep the rocking momentum going, and it's easy for them to rock your ears with the up-tempo bass drum.  The latest album that they have on iTunes is Momentum, which has been out since July 31st 2012, and if the sound resembles more of "Backstabbers," then it should rock.

One of the things I really like about Close to Home is the vocal work.  I enjoy the somewhat raspy clean vocals which add a rugged aspect to their sound.  In the earlier songs, the unclean vocals aren't as prevalent, so to me the music loses its heaviness and the clean vocals seem more relaxed, which isn't as engaging as I'd like.

The music overall is listening goodness, but I'm not sure if I can picture them on stage, which is a big factor to me since I love going to live shows, except for the breakdown parts because those are the easiest to envision.  Right now they have no tours or shows planned, so we shall wait until they come back around!

All Time Low - "Outlines"

All Time Low released another single from Don't Panic (due in about two weeks!) called "Outlines," which was featured in the promo video showing snippets from a few songs (see video below).  Out of the singles they've released, this one is probably the most rock, and it makes for a perfectly good jam.  I can easily rock around my room playing intense air-guitar or head bang at a live show (in a month, hey hey).

At first when I heard it, I immediately thought, "Hmm, Somewhere in Neverland is better," but after the second listen to it, it's already grown onto me and currently on repeat.  Relatively around the chorus, it has the same feel as "Time Bomb" - the music progression is somewhat similar in my ears.  I have a weird habit of comparing songs to "Time Bomb" a lot, and don't ask cause I don't know why.

I really like Jason Vera's vocal work at the refrain because he has a nice range; clean and crisp higher vocals.  My favorite part of the song is the breakdown at the bridge.  Even though it's repeated lyrics, the drums and the guitar progression sounds awesome and that's probably where I'm going to be head banging to when I see them live.

All Time Low has really been harping on this philosophy of living life and being high off of it and never letting a dull moment pass by.  Not complaining cause it's a good message to put in songs.  I seriously cannot wait for them to be in Texas cause I haven't seen them since April 2010 at Stubb's Outdoor venue.  I have no doubts that they will put on a great show as always.  November just needs to get here faster!

Get More: All Time Low, MTV Shows

Review of Radio 1's Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw

A couple of times this week, I listened in on Radio 1’s Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio, and I decided to write a review for the show on Tuesday September 25^th 2012.  However, it’s only a partial review because obviously the Brits are six hours ahead of us – the show starts 6:30AM their time and 12:30AM CST – and runs til 10:30AM their time, 4:30AM CST…I’m not THAT dedicated to hear the whole show.  I have other priorities to attend to.  I relatively stayed up until 2:30AM, which is half of the entire show.

The first thing I want to point out that is a guilty pleasure for me (and probably a lot of other people) is: who doesn’t enjoy listening to British people with great radio voices talk?   You have me sold at British – I’m just saying.  The second thing I’d like to point out is the impressiveness of how far technology has progressed.  It still blows my mind that I’m able to listen to this radio show that audiences in England are listening to at the same time.  It gives me a sense of connectivity to the population overseas.

So Nick Grimshaw started this show very recently, Tuesday being his third show of the series, and impressively he was able to snag Emma Watson on the show.   I looked Grimshaw up on Google, and I became unimpressed.  Not that it’s not impressive he had Watson on the show, it’s just he’s been doing host work for awhile and he’s replacing the former host of the show, so essentially the show’s been around and probably has the credibility to have a notorious actress on it.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stick around to hear her segment.

As a host, I think Grimshaw has good radio host nature.  He’s personable and funny.  He relates to his audience by talking about everyday activities, not wanting to wake up early cause everyone can identify with that, without censoring anything – he’s not prim and proper.  Every morning he plays the “Wake Up Song” as a gimmick to “wake up” his listeners.  It’s a comedic gesture and it’s cute.  I also thought it was nice of him to go outside to the girls waiting at the studio and give them tea.  That was sweet (pun intended).

Since this is British radio, I had expected British artists to rule the airwaves, but I was pleasantly surprised.  There are British artists who play on the radio, but they also played music off of America’s Top 40 list.  I like this because coming from someone who doesn’t live in England, I am able to discover new music.  However, personally, I was not too stoked about hearing PSY’s “Gangnam Style.”  That song is just utterly ridiculous and I can’t believe it’s playing over in England.

Another segment on the show is “News Beat,” where Grimshaw’s co-host, Tina, reads off news stories periodically throughout the show.  It keeps audiences informed about current events even though this show is primarily centered around entertainment.  It’s interesting to hear about the different stories but I can picture younger audiences tuning it out and doing other activities until the regular show comes back.

The major news on Tuesday’s show was a big announcement about the world’s current phenomenon, One Direction.  For about an hour, Grimshaw dragged out the anticipation of everyone listening in, including the many girls who gathered outside the studio very early.  I felt so sorry for those girls because they had school that day, 8:00AM to be exact, and he didn’t reveal the news until ten minutes til eight.  I wasn’t there in person waiting for the news and I was already slightly annoyed.

What was the big news you ask?  Well, next weekend each member of One Direction will be co-hosting the radio show all day.  Each member will be aired at certain time slots:

(Keep in mind that these are the British times, so be a big kid and do the math.)

            8AM – 10AM – Liam Payne

            10AM – 12PM – Harry Styles

            12PM – 2PM – Zayn Malik

            2PM – 4PM – Niall Horan

            4PM – 6PM – Louis Tomlinson

In all honesty, I don’t see this as big news, and it was hyped up too much, especially the way Grimshaw handled it.  I hardly listen to the radio in the first place unless I’m cruisin’ in my car, so this doesn’t affect me.  With the way that Grimshaw talked about big news, I was expecting something related to the album or a performance or something.

            The last segment that I listened to was a phone call with Niall Horan of One Direction.  Grimshaw woke him up and chatted with him for a bit.  They talked about what it would be like if Niall had a solo career cause apparently he is the most serious of the One Direction boys.  They kept the chit-chat pretty light and funny and nothing too serious.  

            Overall, it was entertaining.  Again, I don’t listen to many radio shows, but this one managed to keep my attention.  I probably won’t listen to it again unless there’s something absolutely pertinent that I want to hear.  Give it a listen if you can stay awake that late and enjoy some nice music and nice British voices.

I'm not Surprised I Love: All Time Low - "Somewhere In Neverland"

Guys!  All Time Low was planning on dropping their newest single, "Somewhere in Neverland," from Don't Panic on Tuesday September 18th 2012, but I guess it leaked?!  No surprise here - I am absolutely in love with it.

From within the first bit of instrumental intro, I'm already hooked from the guitar progression.  One of the most profound things about this song is that it gives me the same feelings that "Time Bomb" from Dirty Work does for me, and that's an amazing feeling.  With its hypnotic drum line, "Somewhere in Neverland" makes me wanna jump up and down and dance - hell I even wanna crowd surf to this song.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a giant sucker for giant metaphoric songs?  Well this song does a good job of capturing me because obviously Neverland is a reference to Peter Pan, yes?  The lyrics cater to Wendy to run away and wanna be lost in a better reality - Neverland.  The first verse accounts the boring and dull life activities of adulthood and the second verse express a yearning of a life to stay forever young, which alludes to Peter Pan never growing up.

I cannot get over Alex's vocals in this song, especially during the chorus.  His voice is captivating that I actually wanna take his hand and fly off to Neverland.  The melody of the chorus is simple to catch on easily, and no doubt that I'll be singing it in my head all day today instead of doing my school work.  I've already listened to this song about seven or eight times now while writing this post, and I am not sick of it one bit.

Going through the "All Time Low" tag on Tumblr...so far the reception of the Hustlers can be described in one word: perfection.  I haven't seen any negative feelings towards "Somewhere in Neverland" yet, but I don't think there should be because it's a really good song.  I can't wait to hear this song live on their fall tour - I see them on Wednesday November 7th 2012!  Go see them on tour if they're coming to a city near you!

I Can Believe I (Really) Like: Christina Aguilera's "Your Body"

Finally!  My vocal mama is back in the music scene with her first single, "Your Body," and I think I'm madly in love with it.  Maybe it's because I'm obligated to love everything Christina Aguilera, but in all honesty, it's not a biased love.  I've listened to "Your Body" about four times now, and I can't get enough of it.  I told my friend, Luis, that I can't wait to rock out to this song at karaoke.  It sounds like an awesome song to sing and dance to, and I definitely can't wait to hear it on the radio so I can jam in the car.

The one thing I listen for the most whenever I hear Christina sing is how she showcases her vocals.  With a powerful voice like hers, she has to flaunt it flawlessly, and no surprise here, she does in this song.  I can't wait to learn this song so I can jam along with her, and I can't wait to hit the clubs with this song playing because it's got a bumping beat that makes me wanna get on my feet and dance my ass off.

Apparently, the real lyrics at the chorus line "All I want to do is love your body" is really supposed to be "All I want to do is fuck your body" (got that detail from Luis).  I think that it definitely adds more sex appeal to the song than it already does, but if it's going to be a radio hit, they gotta do what they gotta do - remember Enrique Iglesias's "Tonight I'm loving you."

When I listen to the song, I can't help but think about "Not Myself Tonight," although I prefer this single better.  Christina talks about letting loose and going crazy on someone "tonight" which is prevalent in both songs with the small detail that she won't be kissing any girls in "Your Body."  Regardless of who she's loving tonight, the song is without a doubt drop dead hot and sexy.

All Time Low - "Don't Panic" Album Release Information

Mark your calendars Hustlers cause All Time Low has announced they will be releasing their next album, Don't Panic, on October 9th 2012!  See the album artwork and track listing here!

I honestly believe they released pretty decent singles so far to hype up the album that drops next month!  If you watch the trailer below, you can hear short snippets of two other songs from the album - "Outlines" and "Somewhere in Neverland" - and it further gets us stoked for the new tunes.

To me, it sounds like they're slowing down the usual music tempo they play.  The songs have good beats, but they're not as upbeat and intense as some of their old which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Crowds will still be able to have a good time jamming to the new songs.

Don't forget to go see All Time Low on their upcoming tour!  It's right around the corner and you won't wanna miss any second of it!  Get your tickets now!

All Time Low - "For Baltimore"

It's always nice looking forward to hearing a new track from All Time Low.  It's even nicer to wake up and it's the first thing you listen to all day - signs of having an awesome day, I hope.  That's right Hustlers, your beloved boys have released their single, "For Baltimore," off of their Don't Panic album today.

At first, it starts off kind of mellow, which I wasn't too stoked about cause I just woke up and wanted to be impressed, but don't worry, the song instantly picks up in tempo, energy, and awesomeness.  I'm currently listening to it as I'm writing this post, and it's getting me pumped up for the day.  I hear similarities with "The Reckless and the Brave," which shows their consistency in sound.  The lyrical content sorta remind me of "This is How We Do," from their So Wrong It's Right album because they talk about drinking to memories and such - that's just me and I'm not complaining.

Although I am thoroughly enjoying the song right now, it doesn't replace my personal favorites from them, but "For Baltimore" is definitely getting me hyped up for the upcoming album this fall.  I already find myself head bopping borderline head banging and also starting to sing along at the chorus.  Not to debunk Jack or Zack's guitar and bass, I have to say that the way Rian's drums and Alex's vocals compliment each other makes me wanna go crazy dancing.  But overall it's still definitely jam worthy, and I want it on my iTunes now.

I cannot wait to see All Time Low when they stop by Texas on their The Rock Show at the End of the World tour.  For you Texas fans, they'll be at both House of Blues in Houston (Tuesday November 6th 2012) and in Dallas (Wednesday November 7th 2012).  They never disappoint because they always put on an awesome show, so can't wait for November to get here!

I (Really) Can't Believe I Like: Taylor Swift - "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

I don't think anyone understands how mad I am at myself that I have fallen under the spell of this cursed song by T-Swizzle.  Yes I call her T-Swizzle cause she's my homie, y'all.  See?

If you don't believe me that I didn't like it at first: here is proof (and read the review while you're at it because Luis makes some valid points).

I heard the song once from Luis's blog, and I wasn't a fan of it like I said in my comment.  However, I didn't deny the fact that it was catchy, and I don't know how it happened but I found myself singing the chorus over and over and over and over again.  I had watched several covers of the song by other people, and somehow it just became imprinted on my brain.  It's so damn catchy and easy to learn that it didn't take long for me to learn the chorus by the next time I heard it on the radio - I even got it stuck in my sister's head, and she hates me for it.

It really doesn't surprise me that this song went to number one on iTunes because look, I'm 21 years old and I find myself singing it for no reason, just imagine little teenage girls who actually love T-Swizzle.  Not to mention that I was with some college friends this weekend, and they LOVE this song and blasted it for everyone to sing along to.  Curse you, T-Swizzle, even some of my jock friends love your song.

Even though I don't condone the fact that her source material for a majority of her songs are her real life love drama, it doesn't disregard the honesty and relatable-ness of her songs.  For this particular song, many people have experienced break ups and this addresses the feeling spot on.  For my own curiosity, I really wonder who this song is about.  Maybe the "indie label" lyric can be of some help?

I'm really ashamed that I like this song now.  It hasn't even been a week since I declared my dislike for it, and now look at me.  I wanna play the song right now and dance in my room singing at the top of my lungs.  So, thank you to everyone who contributed to this epic downfall of myself (Bobby Mares, Tyler Ward, and the Bennett Brothers).


PS.  I'm not trying to hate on T-Swizzle.  I am not a fan of her, but I'm not trying to bash her.  Most of the things I wrote in this post are exaggerated, so don't take me TOO seriously.

Hedley

Band number 25 on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Hedley.  I found this pop rock band when I saw them perform at the MMVA's in Canada, and I sorta fell for them!

No music is up on their Facebook page, so I watched two of their most viewed music videos along with their latest single, "Kiss You Inside Out."  Usually for these band profiles I merge all my thoughts and assessments into one general consensus, but each song that I listened to was different, and I can't really do that!

"For Nights I Can't Remember" is a pretty good love ballad, and it's got a unique sound that I don't hear very often.  It's kind of got a soft jazz kind of sound, and I really like it.  Jacob Hoggard's voice is just so incredibly pleasant to listen to, and he croons this song really well.  One of the lines that really stuck out to me is, "Cause if falling for you, girl, is crazy then I'm going out of my mind."  I don't know why, but I just really love that line, maybe it's the way he sings it...it makes me believe him.

"Never Too Late" takes a different turn in terms of sound and content, and it sort of reminds me of a little bit of The Summer Set.  This song's got a beach sound to it, and the music video even takes place among the ocean waters.  It sounds really happy with its upbeat-ness, and you can't help but snap and dance to its beat.  It sounds like Hedley has different dimensions to them - they don't' have just one sound, they're versatile and can play anything and still sound good.

"Kiss You Inside Out" is my personal favorite of the three, mainly because Hoggard's vocals are simply orgasmic.  The song in general has a very infectious beat that's got me bopping in my seat, and the chorus reminds me of Maroon 5 with its catchy "ooo"s and easy-to-learn lyrics.  To me, the song itself and the music video describe an intimate relationship between two lovers, and even though it's more upbeat than usual ballads that describe the same thing, it's still pretty powerful.

One last thing I'd like to point out about Hedley...they seem really interactive with their fans.  They’re holding a contest for the best cover of “Kiss You Inside Out,” and the prize is a Skype date with the band!  On their Facebook page, they allow fans to post pictures of themselves with the "Kiss You Inside Out" lips and there’s a collage of them.  I think that’s awesome how bands get involved with their fans and make them feel close to the band.  I might post a picture just because it looks like fun!

Right now, they have two shows coming up this fall, but unfortunately they'll be in Canada both dates. Sad day for us Americans who are a fan of them.  Their single "Kiss You Inside Out" released this past June and is available on iTunes, so definitely take a listen to it and maybe buy it like me!

Rocky Loves Emily - "Be Mine Tonight" Music Video

I'm going to keep this short and simple because what more can I say about these sweethearts from Michigan?  I'm ecstatic that they're doing well and keep moving on up especially with J-14 magazine supporting them and their new music video.  If you like to dance and jam out to pop rock, then Rocky Loves Emily's "Be Mine Tonight" is for you.  Check it out!

I Can't Believe I Like: Fun. - "Some Nights"

If you know me, every single time fun.'s radio hit "Tonight" invades the music space of any car I'm in, I immediately change the station.  Long story short, I have a love-hate relationship with mainstream radio music.  Although I may like songs that play on the radio, I also can't stand them because they're overplayed all the effing time - so naturally "Tonight" wasn't a hit with me.  Though the music snob side of me comes out whenever this song and band are mentioned, I have to admit that I didn't really give these guys a chance.  If we're being honest, they aren't exactly my general taste in music.

However, one day when I went out to lunch with my sister and some of our friends, a song came on the radio and it fascinated me.  I thought, "Hmm, what an interesting song.  I kinda like it!"  I voiced my thoughts and then the unfortunate soul who is my friend revealed, "Oh this is fun.'s new song.  It's about the Civil War."

Uh. Whut.

So. I basically fell under fun.'s musical spell with "Some Nights" (the title I later learned, thank you Vicci).  What is it that drew me to this song?  I don't know.  It's different.  It has a unique sound to it.  I guess I like the patriot sound it has - hence the subject about the Civil War.  I really enjoy the chant-like vocals and lyrics partnered with the drums which make me want to march and pump my fist to the beat.  

Now, I do like the song, but it doesn't mean I'm jumping for joy for fun. (pun intended)  I promise you I probably won't go see them live...that is unless I hear more songs and unexpectedly like them.  What I can promise you and myself is that I will not change the station if "Some Nights" is on.  I think it makes a good car song...like you could easily jam to this while on a road trip.  That's just me.

But yes, I can't believe I like "Some Nights" by fun.  Who would have guessed?

"Too Young To Love" Playing at the Mall!

Y'all remember Boy Epic's recent single "Too Young To Love" right?  Well here's some awesome news!  Since Wednesday, August 1st 2012 (why am I so late writing this?!), 2Y2L has been playing in mall stores around the entire country!  Don't believe me?  Well these two fools, Matt (Boy Epic, pictured left) and Chris (Cut Down Trees, pictured right), went to H&M in Dallas and they heard it!  This is really exciting cause I'm happy to see that these fellas are making their way to the top!

Currently, Matt has been working on new songs and played another Six Flags show this past weekend!  Him and Chris are busy, busy, busy, and I can't wait to see what else they have to share!  For your entertainment, check out the fan video for "Too Young To Love" Matt released awhile back featuring submitted fan vids and appearances from certain peeps!

Havenside

Band number twenty-four on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Havenside.  These California guys used to follow me on Instagram (sad face) but I'm still here checking out their music!

Overall they'd fit right in with the Houston We Have a Problem festival line up, and their sound is not the usual intense fast-paced heavy feeling.  Their music sort of embodies a slower more breakdown-ish feel.  Not saying that ALL of their songs sound like that.  First thing I want to note is that I hear a slight hint of We Came As Romans - mainly because of the unclean vocals and the way he sounds.  I get a sense of redemption and newly found self-confidence that literally says fuck the world ("Fuck everything" and "fuck everyone" from "Vengeance" lyrics).

They seem like they'd be intense to see live.  They're definitely not the kind of music that conservative parents would want their children to listen to.  From the "Endless Suffering" music video, they seemed really intense and I even got a little scared!  If you watch the video, you will see why.

They currently have no future tour dates up right now, but they do have a couple of shows in California; check them out if you're in the nearby area.  And their Nemesis EP is also out for purchase and download.  Give them a listen!

Delusions

Band number twenty-three on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Delusions.  These guys from New Jersey followed me on Instagram, and now I'm getting the chance to listen to them!

Their sound is heavier than my usual taste for heavy music, but I think I can listen to them more than other bands that I've listened to.  Does that make sense?  They're definitely worthy of the Houston We Have a Problem festival line-up because the intensity of their music is great.  Crowds can easily get rowdy to them and the drums even make me wanna try moshing - though I might break a bone or two or maybe worse.  Mainly the vocals are unclean, but when the clean and unclean sing together simultaneously, I really like it.  I enjoy hearing both of them contrast each other.  At one point in "Right From Wrong" I believe I hear three different vocal layers (unclean, higher pitched unclean, and clean) which I thought was interesting.

These guys are pretty good but unfortunately no shows or tours are coming up right now because they just got off tour with Legend, Dr. Acula, Bermuda, and Adaliah.  I wouldn't mind seeing them live, so maybe one day I can see them rock the stage!

Pierce the Veil ft. Kellin Quinn - "King For a Day" Music Video

This will be the last music video post for today I promise!  Pierce the Veil released their video for "King for a Day" featuring Sleeping With Sirens' Kellin Quinn.  The video narrative embodies the general unhappy worker with tyrant boss scenario in which the worker(s) take action and rebel against the tyrant in order to feel like a king for a day.  Again, I'm not going to give too much away, so you'll have to find out for yourself how they do it and if they succeed.

In other exciting news, Pierce the Veil and Sleeping With Sirens will be touring together this fall for the Collide With the Sky tour.  They'll be in Texas in mid-October, so I will be hoping to go because I saw both of them for the first time at Warped Tour and they rawwwked it!  Check out the tour dates and go see them if they're coming to a city near you!

The After Party - "Waste the Day" Music Video

The After Party also released a music video this weekend - "Waste the Day" - and it's quite cute.  The video cuts away to show four separate narratives of the guys with their girls.  The song is a song you wanna listen to on a Sunday being lazy with your significant other and essentially, as the title suggests, waste the day with them.  It's simple as that!  Take a look and take a listen if you're having an off day cause this will probably put a smile on your face!

The guys have also announced that they will be having a second part to their The Boys of Summer tour, so check the tour dates if you wanna see them with Hollywood Ending, Sandlot Heroes, and Almost Hero!

I See Stars - "Filth Friends Unite" Music Video

I wish I had internet this weekend because I See Stars released their music video for "Filth Friends Unite," their first single from their Digital Renegade album.  Now, I usually like all music videos that I watch, but oh my goodness, I fell in LOVE with this one.  It's not just a music video for entertainment - there's also a direct message going on in the video.

If you all remember the big hullabaloo about the government censoring the internet and social networking sites and blah-di-blah, this video addresses that incident.  I won't give away too much because I want you to watch the video, but the guys of I See Stars take on a V for Vendetta concept and basically challenge the government's big operation of censorship.

This video has me very hyped up especially because they embarked on the Allstars Tour this past weekend, and I'm hoping I can see them and snag an interview!  Be sure to catch them on tour if they're coming to your city!

The Endless Summer

Band number twenty-two on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: The Endless Summer.  These four guys of alternative pop rock followed me on Twitter, so yes of course I checked them out.

Right off the bat, their sound sort of remind she of the softer side of Mayday Parade with a pinch of A Rocket to the Moon, and we know how much of a sucker I am for that type of sound.  It's so pleasant and it makes me believe more in the concept of love (cheesy and quirky I know but for real).  Nick Bacon's vocals are crisp and smooth sounding and it sounds as if he's serenading to you.  I really like the fact that these guys write songs that serenade to a girl because it's heart warming and a good way to hook fans.  Even the music alone makes you wanna cuddle with that special someone and gaze at the stars (another cheesy sentiment I know, I apologize).

Overall, they've got a good beat that I can easily dance and jump around to, and I would wanna see these guys live so I can do just that in the crowd.  Also, I can't help but envision the same type of performance Disco Curtis used to give when they were still a band - still giving great energy with slower songs.

The Endless Summer sounds like they're on the right track to becoming big, so I wanna see where they go!  If you're not ready to "like" The Endless Summer on Facebook yet, you can go to their Purevolume page to listen to their music.  They released their Daydream EP this past March, and you can download their single, "Satellites," for FREE!  It looks like they don't have any tours planned right now, but they have a show coming up on August 11th in Joplin, MO so go if you can!

Clowns

Band number twenty-one on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Clowns.  I found these guys when they started following me on Instagram, so I decided to add them to the list!

Clowns is a hardcore punk rock band who sound like they know how to rock.  I will admit that I was a little scared because clowns in general scare me and associating that image with a band with a hard rock sound makes me feel uneasy, but their music actually doesn't have that effect on me.  They definitely have a hard roc sound, and I can picture some of their songs in several movie scenes with bad boy characters.

What I love most about Clowns is that just from listening to them I can feel the intense energy.  They've got an infectious beat that makes me wanna rock my head (possibly head bang) and jump around.  I can definitely see a crowd getting rowdy to their music, and they seem like a crazy group of guys that can rock the stage.  I picture them to have similar stage presence as Foxy Shazam except probably not as intense.

They've had an EP out this year that you can go buy, but if you want to listen to them before you purchase, go to their Tumblr page where you can both listen and download some of their songs!  They have scattered shows from August to October, which you can also find more info on their Tumblr, so give them a listen!

The After Party - "Waste the Day" Music Video Trailer

I know that as of recent, Kenny departed from The After Party, BUT before he did, the guys filmed a music video for their single, "Waste the Day," and released a trailer for it (see video below).  It looks like a cute music video about relationships and wasting the day with someone special.  No release date has been officially announced yet, so stay tuned!

Travis Garland covers No Doubt's "Settle Down"

It's been awhile since I've personally listened to Travis Garland, and I picked the right time to pay his music a visit.  It's not necessarily his song, but he did cover No Doubt's new single "Settle Down" (see video below).  In all honesty, I saw No Doubt perform this live at the Teen Choice Awards, and I wasn't impressed.  Though I'm glad to see that they're coming back to the music scene and I hear hints of their old sound in the song, it just didn't work for me.  I can't quite elaborate why - it simply didn't click with me.

However, I had been seeing a lot of my Twitter feed being consumed of retweets of Travis's rendition of it, and people said that they loved his version better.  Out of curiosity I checked it out.  Now, it seemed like to me that No Doubt was going for a Jamaican sound which I was debating whether it worked for them or not.  The Jamaican sound isn't quite as obvious in Travis's cover - it just sounds like a happy go-lucky song that easily gets stuck into your head plus his voice is magnifique.  I swear, anything that Travis sings is heaven to my ears.

Justin Lanning - "Air I Breathe" Music Video

Justin Lanning released his music video for "Air I Breathe" recently.  Here's someone I haven't listened to in awhile.  I always enjoy listening to his music and hearing his nice voice.  I'm a little sad because I found out about this music video in an email along with info about a show he played in Los Angeles last Friday - I couldn't go because I was flying back to Texas from Vegas!
Anyway, the one thing that I love is the concept of the music video because he includes flashbacks of the girl he's singing about.  I know it's not an original idea, but I think it's well done here especially with him discovering the camera and the flashback footage shown with an "old school camera" filter.  Take a gander!

Kyle Brylin

This person isn't necessarily a band, he's an artist and his name is Kyle Brylin.  He started following me on Twitter and he's quite a cutie!  If you want to hear his music, you'll have to go to his YouTube page where he posts original songs and covers as well!  He has lots of videos, so I watched/listened to his three most popular originals.

Personally, from the three songs that I listened to ("Just Go," "Find You," and "That Bad") I prefer him to stick with slow ballads ("Just Go" and "Find You") .  I only say this because I'm a sucker for piano ballads.  The piano lines are beautiful and almost make me cry.  His lyrics are simple and honest and straight to the point, and anyone can relate to them.  His voice is really emotional, and it adds to the songs' deep feeling.

Now, if you're into more upbeat music, "That Bad" is for you because it has more of a techno pop feel to it.  He even made his own music video to accompany it.  He dances in it, suggestively I might add, and he's super adorable.  The song talks about attraction to another person and wanting to play - something we all have felt at least one point in our lives.  The music itself sounds rather innocent, but it's rather dirty as well.

I don't think that Kyle has any performances planned right now, so I'll have to wait and see where this fella goes!  He has music available on iTunes, so go check them out and get some!

Anchors

Band number nineteen on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Anchors.  I found these fellas after they started following me in Instagram.  They're a five (but looks like four) piece metal/hardcore band from California, and from the pictures I've seen on Insta, they seem pretty intense.

Upon hearing their music, I instantly identified them to fit in with the Houston We Have a Problem lineup.  In my honest opinion, they're alright - they're good but I'm not jumping for joy mainly because of the unclean vocals being the only vocals.  Don't get me wrong, I like heavy music, but this particular level of heaviness is not my usual cup of tea because I personally enjoy some clean vocals to balance it out.  I wouldn't particularly rock out to their music, but I can definitely see a crowd getting rowdy to it.  The guitar line is good and their breakdowns are pretty good, so I can rock to that.

They seem like a young group, so I think they've got something going for them and can definitely grow some more as a band.  They released their Unsinkable EP this past way, which is on iTunes.  Currently, they have no upcoming shows or tours planned because they're working on a new record titled Reflections.  I'm curious to see how these guys will turn out, so I'll definitely be keeping up with them!

Warped Tour 2012 Photos

A few weekends ago I went to Warped Tour for the first time, and I took over 1300 photos of ten bands!  I saw (in order) Memphis May Fire, Of Mice & Men, You Me At Six, Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens, Taking Back Sunday, We the Kings, Yellowcard, Breathe Carolina, and All Time Low, and ALL were amazing to see live.  If you haven't gotten a ticket to Warped, and they're coming to your city, please go!

Because I took so many photos (and filtered through them) I'd like to share them with everyone!
You can go to my recently-made photo Tumblr to see a few selected photos, or you can go to Rock Edition to see more selection!

Shameless self-promotion at its best!

Breathe Carolina - Hell is What You Make It: Reloaded

Breathe Carolina released a "reloaded" version of their last album, Hell Is What You Make It, featuring their latest single, "Hit and Run" along with a remix version, "Reaching for the Floor," and a remixed cut of "Last Night (Vegas)."  The two new tracks exhibit more techno pop sounds, which bodes well with me but I much prefer their tracks with unclean vocals (i.e. the first half of the album).  Either way, I think they're worth giving a listen to and potentially a purchase!

The After Party - Kansas

The After Party's much anticipated summer EP, Kansas, released today for the Party girls and it includes their recent single, "Waste the Day."  I recently saw these guys at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, and they played a couple of new songs from the EP which were quite emotional and heartfelt.  But don't let that discourage you from buying it!

In just seven songs, Kansas showcases different songs evoking different emotions and feelings a person could have, and I think that is great.  Overall it's got more of a pop rock sound as opposed to the more poppy sound they had before, and I think it works well for the Summer of Love tour coming up in a week - sorta reminds me of Allstar Weekend's sound, which I can't complain about.  For the fans of 90s boy bands, the ballad, "Here Comes the Rain," sounds similar to a song from that boy band era.  They'll keep you jumping and dancing on your feet, so don't hesitate to buy the album!

Now, many, if not all, of The After Party fans are aware of the disheartening news of the departure of Kenny, the lead singer, from the band.  He is now pursuing a solo project called Ken Rice, and he's currently writing music for it.  I'm glad to hear that fans are still supporting him - I know I will - and I hope all goes well with this new project!

Summer of Love tour 2012

Hold your breathe girls cause you will be graced with the presence of the cuties from Allstar Weekend, Honor Society, NameSake, and Rocky Loves Emily (below) on the Summer of Love tour 2012!  With the exception of NameSake, I've seen all the bands perform live at least once, and fans are in for a real treat!  They won't be able to stop dancing and cheering and well, screaming.  I honestly couldn't have pictured a better group of cute and musically talented guys for this tour - it's almost too much of a coincidence.

The tour kicks off in mid-July and in Texas!  Unfortunately, I'll be in Las Vegas, so I won't be able to see these guys at all!  But if you're in the Austin, Houston, or Dallas area July 17th, 18th, and 19th (respectively), you should definitely go out for a night of fun.  They won't disappoint.

FUN FACT for all you fans of The After Party, they'll be playing the Texas tour dates, so even more cute boys to see!  My head is about to explode with the amount of cute boys and bromances adding to this equation!  DEFINITELY go to these shows if you're in the area cause you don't wanna miss out!

Send my boys my love!  Rawk on guys!

[[EDIT]] So I just saw that the boys from Hollywood Ending will also be playing at the Texas tour dates!  More boys, more cute, more music, more fun!  This just means that you Texas folk better get your asses to these shows!

Polyphia

Band number eighteen on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Polyphia.  I found these fellow Texans from another friend of mine, and the one thing he said to me that really stuck to me was that these guys are talented musicians.  Yes, I am aware that almost everyone in the music industry is called a musician but these guys really are talented with their instruments.  Listen to the music - not saying the singers aren't important - but really listen.

They have a couple of instrumentals on their music page, and I think these give you the chance to really hear their sound and how awesome they are.  "An Evaporation" would be a good start since it's first, and it shows live footage of them playing the song.  (If you like Christmas songs, they did an instrumental cover of "Carol of the Bells")  There is one word that comes to mind...okay maybe two - 1.  insane and 2.  sick.  They are insanely sick.  The guitar finger work is insane especially the lead guitar lines, and I think that at one point the two guitarists switch and it further shows off how talented each member is.  Don't let me forget the dual drum pedals either.  Pure sickness.

Now with the addition of vocals...it's a perfect duo that I think is a recipe for awesomeness.  My ears hear clean vocals similar to Devin Oliver from I See Stars and unclean vocals similar to Dave Stephens from We Came As Romans.  Their vocals mixed with the awesome music is like an orgasm for my ears.  When my friend told me about this band, I didn't stop listening to them for a few hours.

Another exciting thing about this band is that they're from Texas, so that gives me plenty of chances to see them if they toured!  They'd definitely be a good show to go see live, but in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy listening to the free music that they have up for download.

Lostprophets

Band number seventeen on Siri's "Band to Listen to" list: Lostprophets.  You all know my lovely friend, Vicci, right?  Well, this was a suggestion made by her!  I listened to "Bring 'Em Down," "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)," and "We Bring an Arsenal" because they had the most plays on their Facebook page.

"Bring 'Em Down" was a music video with one million views, which I think is impressive.  I feel like I'm just getting to the party that has already started - but better late than never I guess!  Their sound is quite enjoyable.  No matter what tempo or theme there is in each different song, they all have one purpose: to rock out.  Even with a softer and deeper song such as "Rooftops" still has that rock out element to it.

The music is intense and it makes me wanna head bang to it.  Personally, for me, my favorite is the drums.  They just seem to catch my attention with its pounding beat that I can feel pulsing in my heart.  Listen to "We Bring an Arsenal"s verses and refrains to hear the epitome of that.  However, all components contributing to the band really rocks out, and it sounds like they'd give a damn good show.

I'm sad to report that these guys have not toured since 2006, but that should mean that a tour would be a good thing soon!  Why?  Right now they're playing Warped Tour (which I'm sad about cause I wish I had made time to see them), so with them on the road again, they should miss the feeling of tour and decide to tour again!  If they ever came to Texas, I'd go see them for sure.

For right now, you can go get their album, Weapons Deluxe Edition, at iTunes!  Go do it!

All Time Low - "The Reckless and the Brave" and Hopeless Records

Big news today regarding the four hunks in All Time Low!  They're back with Hopeless Records.  A few days ago I had the amazing opportunity to photograph them at Warped Tour, and while that was happening, they announced that a new album will be released this fall, which is also evident in the picture above.  Excitement, excitement, excitement!  No definite date yet, but now the anticipation starts and the countdown begins.  (If you want to see some photos I took of them go here!)

Also a few days ago, they released a lyric video for their latest single, "The Reckless and the Brave" (see video below).  If you haven't listened or downloaded the song yet, now's your chance to see what you're missing!  I think it gives out a great message about going after your dreams no matter what other people say or think - you control your own destiny and you can make it happen!

Owls in the Attic

Band number sixteen on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Owls in the Attic.  Just like most of the bands on this short segment, I found out about these guys via Twitter.  They’re five guys playing metalcore from Nashville, Tennessee and claim to have sounds similar to Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice and Men, We Came As Romans, and more, so of course I’d be interested in checking them out.


On Twitter, they've been promoting their song "The Buffalo Song," and I think it's a smart choice because out of the three most played songs on their Facebook page, this one was my favorite.  Within the first few seconds of it, I can see that these boys have kept their promise of musically sounding similar to We Came As Romans.  In the other two songs I listened to - "Green Means Go in Kentucky Too" and "From Older & Wiser" - they're a bit more mellow sounding.  Overall their music is enjoyable to listen to and I really like the guitar line in the music.


In all honesty, I feel like the vocals and the music don't exactly compliment each other that well, so there's a bit of a disconnected feeling for me.  I prefer listening to the clean vocals better because the screaming vocals aren't working too well for me, but one thing I do like about them is that I can actually understand the words that he's saying as opposed to many other screamers that I usually listen to.


I'd say that these guys would fit in with the Houston We Have a Problem festival bands.  They have no tour dates or shows planned out right now according to their Facebook page, but I'm curious to see how they rock out on stage.  If they ever come in the Texas area, I think I might go see them live and see what they've got!