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!

1985

Band number fifteen on my "Bands to Listen to" list: 1985.  Don't get the band name confused with Bowling for Soup's "1985" because this band is a group of four guys!  However, I’m a little confused because I remember a band called Fast Times following me on Twitter, but now they’re calling themselves 1985.  The bassist, Kyle, also follows me so that’s how I’m keeping myself up to date with them.

These guys are an unsigned band from New York and establish themselves as Pop/Indie.  They currently don't have any music up on their Facebook page, but they do have a single out on Pure Volume that you can listen to and download!

The song is called "On My Way."  It's a very upbeat song that makes me wanna go swing dancing.  Musically in its entirety, it's a happy sounding song - it's one of those songs where you jam it on your little radio set and dance on your bed like a little kid.  If you're having an off day like me today, I suggest you listen to it because it will crack a smile on your face.  But be forewarned that the song goes by quickly, so don't hesitate to replay it again!

Millionaires - Your Girl Does Party album

I always have mixed feelings about Millionaires...mainly because their music isn't what I normally listen to, but I'm not opposed to it either.  How did I come across these two ladies?  Long story short - a band from Dallas, The Hit, the lead singer, Kade Holloway, is dating Allison Green (pictured right).  The Hit went on tour with Millionaires, so there was no way I could avoid them.  I'm not gonna lie, I initially had no interest in hearing anything Millionaires but when I saw them live in San Antonio on the KA$H 4 KU$H tour, they put on a great performance.  I guess that wasn't exactly as short a story as I wanted to make it, but anyway the point of this post is that this duo released an album back in May, Your Girl Does Party, and this is my attempt to an album review.  (I'm not going to write a track-by-track but rather a general feel for the album because I don't feel adequate enough for a t-b-t.)

The Millionaires aren't really that hard to figure out: they love to party and they love to have fun.  Any song you listen to, they don't hesitate to tell you what they want.  A fun factor about the album is that it somewhat incorporates a narrative in between songs.  Basically a guy gets upset that his girlfriend keeps going out to party, and she gets annoyed that he keeps pestering her.

One thing that should be disclaimed when listening to this album (or maybe even any of their albums) is that the lyrics and metaphors are super raunchy.  They're straight forward, and honestly, this content is not for youngins - in the first track, "Boss Bitch," they admit that they're not girls that your mom will like.  Even though these girls have raunchy music, I have to admit that sometimes the lyrics are truly clever and impressive.

In my honest opinion, the better tracks are in the first half of the album.  They're cute, they're catchy, they're fun, and they make me wanna get crunk (can I say that?).  My favorite track of the entire album would have to be "Dat Boi" because it has a mix of hip hop and pop and has a good dance beat.  Though the lyrics are explicit and dirty, it still manages to make me think of it as cute.  It also makes me think about eating candy - don't ask me why but the way the music sounds makes me think of candy.

As I mentioned, the first half of the album rocks more than the second half, with the exception of the remix of "Drinks on Me," which I think works well with their popular song "Alcohol."  What turned me off about the second half is that almost all the songs started sounding the same to me, melodies, production, and lyrical content.  I couldn't tell you the difference between them if I tried.

I have to say, Millionaires are a left field in terms of my music taste, but I like to think of them as my guilty pleasure.  Whenever I wanna feel like a thug or a gangsta, this is what I will turn to.  It's refreshing to hear their music sometimes because their message says to go out and have fun and not care what everyone else thinks.  They're not good girls and clearly have no claims of wanting to be, which I think is empowering in its own way.  Sometimes it's fun to get crazy and forget about being a goody good girl.  Their music's fun to dance to, and it has its cute and catchy moments that I wouldn't mind learning and sing along to.  Call me crazy but don't shoot it down until you give a shot!

My Genuine Find - "Hello, Hello" Music Video

Bobby Mares of My Genuine Find released a new music video for his latest single, "Hello, Hello," about half an hour ago.

What I like most about Bobby's videos are the concepts and ideas that he concocts.  In this video, he sets it back a century when the only form of communication was letter writing.   However, the plot takes a The Lakehouse (starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock) turn in which the girl he's exchanging letters with is from the future, and she tells him to follow a map leading to her.  A very romantic storyline here that will make the girls love Bobby even more - plus, who doesn't love a guy in suspenders?  The cutest shot in the entire video is towards the end (which I won't give away so you'll have to watch it) but it involves using shadows!

My favorite line of the song is of course, "You had me at hello, girl, hello, hello, hello, hello" only because it's so simple but so cute and incredibly catchy.  I'm a sucker for cheesy pick up lines such as this.  As far as the song goes in general, Bobby never fails to create a cute and catchy song for fans to easily learn and sing along to.  The music itself reminds me of "Hello Universe" - hey I see some similarities here - which he's already mentioned.

Right now, Bobby is holding a contest like for every music video he comes out with, and I'm sure all the fans are pumped!  If you're a fan of My Genuine Find and wanna win some cool prizes, be sure to read the rules to find out how you can enter!  The contest ends on Saturday June 23rd 2012, so get going!

Recently, Bobby has mentioned planning a Texas tour, which I hope he does follow through with because it's been way too long since he's played music for us Texans...or at least it's been too long since I've seen him!  Let's cross our fingers and see what happens!

Joceyln

Band number fourteen on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Jocelyn.  I found out about these fellas whenever they started following me on Twitter!  They're a pop rock band from Iowa and their EP, To You and Yours, came out on iTunes June 3rd 2012 with a single, "Everything (I Want to Know)," released in April.

If I had to compare their sound in "Everything (I Want to Know)"...I'd say it's a mix between Cartel and Versecity.  They're nice to listen to, but at the same time they're one of those bands I would only listen to as opposed to wanting to see.  They definitely fit the pop genre, fitting the formula perfectly, which I love.  The vocals are very nice, smooth and pleasant with good hooking melodies.

"Not Tonight" has a good head bopping sound.  I feel like it sounds a little bit more like A Rocket to the Moon.  What's weird is that I think they're good, but I really want to like the more because even though I like their sound, they're still missing something.  With this particular song, I think they have a little too much of the pop element and could use a little more rock.  They have potential of going into the direction of Mayday Parade.

Right now, no tours have been announced, so they've been traveling around the US promoting their music.  If you see them, you should take a listen and give them a chance!

Gentlemen! The Royal

Band number twelve on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Gentlemen! The Royal.  Here's a short story of how I found out about these guys.  I met the clean vocalist, Liam, my freshman year at Emo's (before it closed down) when he was the lead singer of Honor Bright.  After some time, Honor Bright decided to dissolve, and the members went their separate ways.  Awhile back, Honor Bright tweeted about Liam's new band, Gentlemen! The Royal, and here we are!

Overall, I enjoy listening to the music and it's head bang worthy.  Because I'm most familiar with Liam, I honestly like his voice better with this type of sound.  Don't get me wrong, I loved him in Honor Bright, but I think this suits his vocal chords nicely.  What I find interesting about them is the way they trade off vocals because most bands separate sections spotlighting either clean or screaming vocals.

They sort of have a sound somewhat similar to We Came As Romans - which isn't a bad thing - especially in "Mirror Mirror."  The song has its upbeat section but then takes a step back transitioning into a truancy sounding section that reminds me of We Came As Roman's orchestral sections.  I also think that Liam and Kyle's voices resemble each other except Liam sounds more mature.

Gentlemen! The Royal is a fairly new post-hardcore band founded this past February.  The two songs they have on their Facebook page, "A Song of Storms" and "Mirror Mirror," are both up for download!  There's no word on any upcoming tours or albums, but for right now I'm content with listening to the songs they gave out for free.  It's a good way to get music out to listeners who will potentially buy their stuff in the future!

The National Anthem

www.apaha.org

Hey readers, Siri here.  This post is way overdue, but in late May I sang the national anthem at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association gala at the Omni hotel in Houston and wanted to share it with you guys!  I'm not singing anything original or anything, but it's definitely a performance worth noting.  Whenever I see stars singing the national anthem it makes me think that they're really talented because it's not an easy song to sing live a cappella.  Not saying that I'm super talented or anything - I gave it my best - and I think I did it justice.  I mess up a few times and sometimes the mic acted up, but take a look and let me know what you think!  It was both fun and nerve-wracking at the same time, and I don't regret any second of it! I'm taking my music career one step at a time!  (:

A fun fact about my introduction: you don't hear it in the video but the anchorwoman from channel 11 KHOU introduced me as the iPhone Siri.  She said, "Now I know many of you have had the chance to talk with Siri on the new iPhone 4s, but tonight you get to meet the real Siri.  She not only talks but she can also sing.  So please help in welcoming her as she sings the national anthem, Siri Svay."

Breathe Carolina - "Hit and Run" video trailer

Breathe Carolina released a music video trailer in hype of their new single "Hit and Run."  From the videos I've seen of BC, they've all been revolved around crazy partying - i.e. "Blackout" - but this video seems different.  From the short clip, you can see that it's in black and white and sort of has this 50s vibe to it.  One of my favorite aspects, is the old school microphone they use.  To say the least, I'm intrigued to see what they have for this video.  The video comes out on Wednesday June 13th 2012, so stay tuned for it!

The After Party - "Waste the Day" Lyric Video

Here are some familiar faces you probably should remember!  The guys from The After Party released a lyric video for the first single of their upcoming EP Kansas, "Waste the Day."  They spent a good chunk of the day yesterday getting #WasteTheDay to trend worldwide, and they did it!

I'm pretty convinced that there's some One Direction influence in this song, and I even hear some parts that could be Nsync as well.  In addition to these popular boy bands, I also hear some hints of a beach boy song.  You could be cruising in your car with the windows down and your shades on driving to the beach.  Right?  Maybe it's just me.

Overall it's a cute song that would make any girl happy if a boy sang it to her - now just imagine what it's going to be like when these four handsome fellas sing this live to all the screaming girls in the room.  If you're having a bad day, listening to this song is a must, and after hearing it one or two times, I guarantee you'll be singing along too.

It's refreshing to me to read/hear the conversational lyrics as opposed to the deep and metaphorical ones because simplicity works just as well as complex.  The song's incredibly relatable because when you're with someone you really like, you don't ever wanna leave them and will easily "waste the day" with them.  Huh.  I think I just got an idea for an upcoming anniversary with the boyfriend - hope he doesn't read this!

The Anthem - "Out of Our Heads" Music Video

Do y'all remember the post I made about The Anthem awhile back?  About how the guys from Versecity started a new project?  And to stay tuned?  Well here you go!  The Anthem released a new music video for their debut single, "Out of Our Heads," and it's quite cute.
After listening to the song a few more times from last time, it sounds like "Out of Our Heads" is saying to let go of your troubles and just have fun.  The cliche saying of enjoying life to the fullest, evident from the prevalent party scene in the video.
The song's got an incredibly infectious beat paired with Micaiah's voice like butter (I know that's a weird comparison but that's what it sounds like to me and that's a good thing!).  The melodies of the song are easy to learn, and you'll be singing along in no time - maybe even jumping to it too.  Even though sometimes the lyrics are repetitive, I still enjoy hearing him sing.  There are a few songs that can pull that off because usually repetitive lyrics are annoying.
I'm glad to see that this new project with these guys from Houston is doing well, and I can't wait to see what else they've got in store for us!  Take a listen, take a gander, have FUN!

Pierce the Veil - "King for a Day"

Here's a band that I haven't listened to in awhile.  I was on Tumblr last night and saw Vicci had reflagged a new song from Pierce the Veil featuring Sleeping with Siren's singer, Kellin Quinn.  The song goes by the name of "King for a Day," and it is rocking.

Upon hearing the first few bars of the song, it has an overall eerie feeling, which remains evident throughout the song and I am a fan.  The song has been on repeat for awhile now cause I can't stop listening to it.  Two things that distinctly stand out to me is the guitar line at the breakdown and the ending when all you hear is someone say, "Shit."  In its entirety, "King for a Day" is hands-down going to get the crowd incredibly rowdy.

I think there's a good balance between clean and screaming vocals, and Vic and Kellin's voices blend well together even though sometimes I can't tell who's singing.  Honestly, I prefer listening to the verses and refrains (before the choruses) because they're much more intense.  The drums and the vocals match tempo really well and it makes me wanna head bang.  Call me crazy but I love a good song to imagine myself getting crazy to.

Pierce the Veil has a new album coming out this summer on July 17th 2012 titled Collide With the Sky, and I can't wait to hear what they've been working on for the longest time!  I still have yet to see them live, but I finally will at Warped Tour!  Can't wait!

All Time Low - "The Reckless and the Brave"

The wait of the Hustlers was officially over on June 1st 2012 at 5PM EST/4PM CST when All Time Low released their debut single, "The Reckless and the Brave," which is now available for FREE download on the band's website so go grab the track!

Title and chorus

As mentioned in the last post about this song, All Time Low announced their unsigned status (previously with major label, Interscope), and with each day leading up to last Friday, the band released lyrics on their website along with the countdown clock.

Verse 1

I was very appreciative to have the lyrics before hearing the music because most people don't really listen to the lyrics and "analyze" (that's stretching it a bit) the lyrical content.  From simply reading them, I instantly loved the story and message behind the lyrics - they're easily relatable especially the second verse lyrics.

Verse 2

I absolutely love how All Time Low is taking a trip down memory lane reminiscing about the chance to pursue music even when faced with doubtful eyes, which is the story I interpreted from reading the lyrics. With the anthem, "Long live the reckless and the brave," they praise "the reckless and the brave" who chase their dreams no matter what odds are against them.

As far as the music goes, I love almost everything about it.  Jack mentioned during its production that it sounds like So Wrong It's Right, and I do hear hints of it.  I love the melodies, the guitar, the drums, everything!  Though I feel this song doesn't have as much crowd craziness as some of their other songs, I can still imagine them playing this song live, which I have a good feeling they will at Warped!  I'm starting to count down the days until I get to see them live again!  My head will definitely be nodding to this song.

In the hype of the song's release, Alternative Press posted an interview with singer, Alex Gaskarth.  Read it on your own time, but basically Alex discusses the departure from Interscope and how the recording experiences differed between Interscope and independent/Hopeless Records.  One thing I'm glad he addressed was the fact that Dirty Work was postponed so many times, and he didn't want that to happen again.  Glad to hear and I can't wait for the album!

Dexter's Kin

Band number eleven on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Dexter's Kin.  Funny story, the singer, Paul Benedict, messaged me on YouTube telling me to check out his band.  That was a long time ago, and I told him that I would listen to them and write about them for my blog (which I'm obviously doing right now).  He sent me a message back on Wednesday asking for the link to my blog, and I was about to answer him but his account has been shut down?  I really need to be more prompt about this stuff.

Anyway, Dexter's Kin, from New York, has an alternative and pop rock sound that I quite enjoyed.  In my head it sounds kind of indie, but it's probably not indie at all - it's just "indie" to me because I usually listen to hardcore and pop punk music daily.  It's a different sound than what I'm used to but at the same time it's refreshing to listen to something new.  They remind me of another band that I've listened to, but I can't quite put my finger on it...once I figure it out, I'll come back and edit this post!

I am honestly not jumping in my seat to see these guys live because they're not my cup of tea, but they're good music to listen to and I wouldn't mind seeing them.  Even though they're a bit more chill and mellow than the usual music I listen to, they're still engaging.  They still have my head nodding, and I think that the drums shining through keeps me listening next to Paul's vocals.  One thing that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to was the inclusion of electronic elements in their songs - "Self Inflicted" - and the infectious beats make me wanna dance.

Currently no upcoming shows or tours are posted on their Facebook page.  If you're in the mood for some good music, take a listen to them and more specifically go listen to "Spill Out the Lies."

Matinee at Midnight / A Horizon in Hues

Band number ten on Siri's "Bands to Listen to" list: Matinee at Midnight // A Horizon in Hues.  One of the members, Zack Uchima, messaged me on Facebook a long time ago telling me to check out Matinee at Midnight, however, since it's been awhile since that conversation, him and two other members of Matinee at Midnight have started a new project: A Horizon in Hues.

I still gave Matinee at Midnight a listen.  They have a typical pop rock sound with simplistic lyrics that could get a crowd moving, and at some points in the songs, I heard a hint of Mayday Parade.  Right now, they have their The Heartbreak EP out along with a download for "It Starts Tonight" on their Facebook page.

Quite honestly, I would just listen to their music and would probably see them if they were touring with someone I want to see live.  I wouldn't 100% say that I would go out of my way to see them live because I think their music needs a little more umph to it, but I did very much enjoy their semi-acoustic song "Face It, You're a Natural Disaster."  I liked it better than the two songs I listened to, and the I think the singer's voice fit more with this song.  I also really enjoyed hearing the bass line build up to the full band sound.

Now, as I mentioned, Matinee at Midnight has somewhat shifted to A Horizon in Hues.  Three former members (including Uchima) started this new band claiming to having a rock'n'roll sound, so I'm curious to hear what they'll sound like.  They have a debut release show June 22nd 2012 in their hometown of Hagerstown, Maryland where they'll share the stage with Sparks the Rescue, Rocky Loves Emily, and more on the "Surrender Your Booty" tour, so if you're going to be there, I'd say check them out!