Artist Vs. Poet VS. Nicki Minaj

Hey!  Here are some guys I haven't seen or heard from in awhile!  Earlier today pop rock band, Artist Vs. Poet, released a cover video for Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" with the help of many fans.  AVP requested fans to submit videos of them singing/dancing/acting crazy to create a montage video.  I think it's cute when artists and bands get their fans involved in something like this.

As for the cover itself...I'm not a big fan of Nicki Minaj or this overplayed song on the radio (but what on radio isn't?), and this cover essentially did nothing for me.  I usually like AVP's covers ("Bad Romance" is my fave!), but I wasn't feeling this one.

For anyone interested be on the lookout for their single, "Doin' Alright," coming out in October and an EP later on!

#UNBROKEN

So it's been a week since the release of her fourth album, "Unbroken," and I still haven't got a physical copy of it.  BUT...my sister called dibs to buy it anyway, so I let her do that.  I listened to the album on Spotify, and I have to say that I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I was gonna be.  No doubt that her voice is still marvelous, but the sound of her music now is so RADIO sounding.  Not that I have anything against radio songs...it's just different, but it's safe to say that "Fix a Heart" is still my favorite song on the album along with "Lightweight" too I might add.  She's definitely gearing towards a poppy sound, and at one point I thought I was listening to an intro for a Breathe Carolina song - now that was weird.  Needless to say I am delighted to have her back making music after a long struggle, and I have no doubts she will continue to inspire.

For a more detailed and thorough review go to Album Confessions!

What's up in the Neighborhoods?

Blink-182's anticipated album, "Neighborhoods," released yesterday, Tuesday September 27th!  I don't know when I'll be purchasing this album, but I'm excited to hear what they've whipped up after a long time.  One of their songs, "Up All Night" (below), leaked during the summer and served as a pretty good teaser for fans...

I can't say that I'm crazy for the song, but I also can't say that I completely hate it either.  We'll see what happens whenever I get the album!

They're currently on the Honda Civic Tour with My Chemical Romance, but I believe they've already passed through Texas.  My baaaaad.

This is good music, Cross My Heart

Recently, Bands The Need Love Too promoted a Canadian-based band called Marianas Trench.  I had heard of them before but never took the time to listen to them, so I finally did.  On their Facebook page before you press the "like" button, they have one song that's available to listen to: "Cross My Heart."  It's the typical pop rock sound, but I'm not complaining - like I said, I'm a sucker for pop rock!  But I was told explicitly to listen to "Masterpiece Theatre III" ...


The song sounds different from "Cross My Heart."  It has an eerie vibe but in a good way.  I like the combination of using classical instruments, rock instruments, and an electronic beat; it makes the song intriguing.  The song changes tempo and sound a few times from slow to upbeat and slow again, and it kind of reminds me of the way "Bohemian Rhapsody" is structured, which is pretty cool!  All the different sections are amazing, and each of them are really good to listen to.  Sometimes when bands have slow tempo songs, I tend to get bored, but that is not the case with this song.  I embrace the mellow sections.  I think the vocal work is my favorite part of the entire song.  The singing and harmonies are awesome, and at some points, the singer's voice reminds me of the singer from Honor Society.  If it isn't obvious, this song is a masterpiece.

Marianas Trench will be performing in Austin Saturday November 6th at the newly opened Emo's East with Simple Plan, Forever the Sickest Kids, and The Cab.  It sounds like an awesome line-up, but unfortunately I won't be attending because I have to watch my expenditures.  There are so many good shows coming up this semester that I'm actually watching what I'm spending. It's kind of sad.  If I could, I would love to go see them live, meaning I'd be seeing three shows three nights in a row.

[[EDIT]]
So my friend just told me that "Masterpiece Theatre III" is a compilation of all their songs together.  It seems so seamless.  I have to say - that's pretty amazing.  That just makes the song even more of a masterpiece.

Punk Goes Pop for the fourth time around

Read on Alternative Press that PUNK GOES POP VOL. 4 is going to be released on November 22nd!  Normally with any "Punk Goes ... " album, I get excited for it, but I looked at the song list...

Allstar Weekend - Yeah 3x (Chris Brown)

A Skylit Drive - Love the Way You Lie (Eminem feat. Rihanna)

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - We R Who We R (Ke$ha)

For All Those Sleeping - You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)

Go Radio - Rolling in the Deep (Adele)

I See Stars - Til the World Ends (Britney Spears)

Pierce the Veil - Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars)

Silverstein - Runaway (Kanye West)

Sleeping with Sirens - Fuck You (Cee Lo Green)

The Downtown Fiction - Super Bass (Nicki Manaj)

The Ready Set - Roll Up (Wiz Khalifa)

Tonight Alive - Little Lion Man (Mumford and Sons)

Woe, Is Me - Last Friday Night (Katy Perry)

...and I am EXTRA excited.  There are quite a few good bands on this list that I'm interested in hearing, especially with the song choices.  Personal pick-out - I See Stars's rendition of Britney Spears' "Til the World Ends."  I can't help but make the connection to I See Stars's latest album name "The End of the World Party."

Panic! at the Mercenary

Panic! at the Disco released a new song that will be featuring in the upcoming soundtrack Batman: Arkham City.  The song?  "Mercenary" (below)


I like this song.  It sounds like a mix between a Panic! sound and a Batman sound (especially with the dialogue in the music interlude).  The intro guitar melody was nice in an eerie kind of way, and I really like the "Hey Mister!" because it hooks you into the chorus.  I like that the song is energetic yet it has some semi-mellow sections with the strings; I'm not bored at all listening to this song.


Panic! comes to Austin in about a month, and I am excited to see them!  For anyone interested...they'll be playing at La Zona Rosa October 19th, and recently it was announced that Patrick Stump will be joining the tour!  It's going to be a great show!

The Secret Handshake was Amazing

Earlier I read on Alternative Press News that The Secret Handshake has come to an end, and the leading man, Luis Dubuc, is investing himself in a new project called Mystery Skulls and is also a part of a metal band, Of Legends.  The first song released by Myster Skulls is "Amazing" (below).

I'd just like to point out that I enjoy seeing the cartoons playing in the background, but aside from that I've noticed Dubuc's recent interest in oldies music.  The Secret Handshake's last album, "Night and Day," sounded like a blast from the 80s, and I enjoyed it.  I'm also feeling this new sound he's working with.  I remember I saw The Secret Handshake for the first time in San Antonio last fall playing music from his new album, and it was a good show!  Now I can't wait to see what else Mystery Skull has in store for the future!

Don't you wish you could Time Travel?

So NeverShoutNever's new album "Time Travel" released yesterday (September 20, 2011) and this video was released as well.  I used to listen to a lot of his old music, so I was curious to see what he's been up to.

This isn't a song that I would jam to, but I'd probably only listen to it if I was laying in my bed closing my eyes.  Honestly, I feel like I'm in a trance induced by drugs - I even think he references them in his lyrics.  The video itself makes me think I'm on drugs because it's spacey looking.  I will point out that he's not as nasal and whiny sounding as he usually is, but the vocals still add to the drug-feeling effect.  I guess we all know what he's been up to! 

I know that Bobby Mares of My Genuine Find gets compared to Christofer Drew (NSN) a lot, but I can't help feel that Drew's song reminds me of Mares's "Hello Universe" (above) in terms of the way it sounds - they both include space sounding elements and they kind of sound similar vocally.  Whenever I was listening to "Time Travel" my ears were anticipating the chorus from "Hello Universe."

The last time I saw NeverShoutNever was last October when he was introducing himself as a new band: Christofer Drew and the Shout, and he claimed to wanting to change his sound to more classic rock.  What happened to that?  Obviously hasn't happened yet.

You have No Idea how sad I am right now.

An hour ago All Time Low announced they will be performing at Unsilent Night 4 in Dallas December 10th.  This news excited me very much because who wouldn't wanna see one of their favorite bands live again?  I checked my calendar then BOOM - realized I can't go due to prior engagements, so I am very sad that I can't see them again.

Anyone who lives in Dallas and/or is attending Unsilent Night should definitely go see them!

Send them my love!

What's the Punchline?

Earlier this year, I saw Alternative Press tweet a link taking me to an online article.  They wrote about a fight that broke out between the bands Punchline and Brokencyde - Brokencyde ganged up on one of the members of Punchline.  Punchline played the pity card asking fans to download their album and maybe donating money to them.  Normally I wouldn't indulge in something like this, but Brokencyde has a bad reputation with me so I decided to download Punchline's album and donate money.  Thing is, I never really listened to the album - I always skipped over their songs.

I finally listened to them, and they're pretty good.  I listened to the songs "21 Forever," "Keystoned," and "Ghostie."  They've got the pop-punk rock sound going on, which is right down my alley.  Their music is really energetic and will get your head nodding.  Something about the lead singer's voice stuck out to me - it's unique or maybe he sings in a unique way.  I love the guitar work a lot, and it's mainly what I hear when I listen to them.

"Keystoned" bored me a little bit, so if you're interested or planning on listening to them, I would recommend listening to "Ghostie" (video above) or "21 Forever."

Lightweight

The days get more interesting as the release date of "Unbroken" creeps closer.  Found another nice song - this time a love ballad called "Lightweight."  THREE MORE DAYS!

#UNBROKEN

EVERYONE!  I am encouraged!  After the disappointments from Demi's recent song releases, I have found hope in her album again!  Demi released a video titled "A Letter to my Fans..." where she talks about how far she's come in her career, her album, and the appreciation and love towards her fans who helped her through her struggle.  A warm and touching sentiment BUT for me, I noticed the song playing in the background...a ballad that expresses emotion and power...something to look forward to when the album is released in just FOUR DAYS!

"Even if I didn't expect it, I love the life that I have, and that's what this record is about; it's about making people feel positive, it's about enjoying life, and what it's like to be me, Demi Lovato."

On a different note, I hope everyone at ACL is having a great time and enjoying the small amount of rain we're experiencing!

[[EDIT]]
I was on Tumblr just now and I found the song that's playing in the background of the video on another person's Tumblr.  "Fix a Heart"  I am in love with it already, and it's probably my favorite song on the album too.  It's so heartfelt and pretty.  Now I'm even more excited for the album to drop on Tuesday!

Who's that Girl?

                                          (Demi, Dezv and Iyaz)
I was in class when this happened, but Demi released another song from her upcoming album about an hour ago.  A song called "Who's That Boy?"  I have a question: who's that girl?

Although I like this song better than "All Night Long," I'm still a little bothered that these songs are way different than what I thought they would be.  My roommate and I talked about it just now, and it's pretty obvious that Demi is trying to make it onto mainstream radio.  She's already popular on Radio Disney, but I think that anyone would want a spot on one of the hottest stations in the US.  Her music is starting to gear towards a more "poppy" sound with a catchy beat, catchy melodies, and catchy lyrics.  I can definitely picture people jamming to this while they're driving, and I can also see her performing this at a concert.

Another thing is that I'm noticing that she's doing a lot of collaborating with various artists - Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Dev, and implied from the photo above, Iyaz as well.  I praise her for reaching out and working with different artists, but now I have to wonder if there are going to be songs that are HER, much like her previous albums.  When I buy this album in five days, I hope to see more songs like "Skyscraper"; not necessarily slow, powerful ballads but songs that empower her overcoming her eating disorder and show what a strong, beautiful, and talented young woman she is.

All Night Long

Demi Lovato released "All Night Long" about 20 minutes ago as a teaser for her upcoming album "Unbroken," and the song is in collaboration with Missy Elliott and Timbaland.  Months ago, I knew that Demi and Timbaland were going to work together for her next album, and I was a little afraid of what would come out of that...and I got my answer.  I love Demi and I respect Timbaland, but I'm not a fan of "All Night Long".  It's just not Demi especially after the extremely successful release of "Skyscraper" AND the title of her album announced as "Unbroken".  "Skyscraper" and "All Night Long" are complete polar opposites.  I'm still looking forward to buying it, but I hope the songs are still Demi style!  Maybe I'm just not used to hearing her with a different sound - we'll see.  SIX MORE DAYS!

I See Stars Glow

Favorite band posted a live music video of "Glow".  It's interesting.  This is my first time hearing one of their songs acoustic, and personally, I'm not crazy about it.  I'm not trying to pick on I See Stars, but the instruments don't quite match the intensity of lead singer, Devin Oliver's vocals - he overpowers them.  I realize this is acoustic, but poor Jeff doesn't even get to do his solo.  Don't get me wrong I can appreciate the experimentation of an acoustic sound, but they should stick to the hardcore sound they usually play.  I still love the song and still love the band.  Can't wait to see them in November!

[[EDIT]]
Kso, I searched on YouTube for other acoustic versions of I See Stars songs.  I found this one, and I like this one SO MUCH BETTER.

Ya better Believe

On September 10, 2011, Versecity played an album release show in honor of releasing their brand new album, HYBRID!  These guys are from Houston, and I was a bit sad I couldn't be there Saturday night for the release!  No doubt that I will buy the album and jam to it!  You should also check out their tunes or maybe even buy their new album!  Help my hometown boys out!

                              (photo taken by: Jill Wilde)

I've seen them perform live twice, and from the first time I saw them, I loved them - they really got the crowd going.  One song that stuck out to me is their rockified-rendition of Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" which they named "Tik Tok Rok".  Whenever it comes onto my iTunes or my phone's music, I never skip it because I just love listening to the way they made it their own.

                              (photo taken by: Jill Wilde)

The second time I saw them live...it was a smaller show, a different atmosphere but an outstanding performance nevertheless.  I really listened to all the words lead singer, Micah Walker, was singing, especially to the inspirational ballad "Believe".  That song gave me goosebumps.  For all the songs (and covers) they played, I could feel the passion behind their music, a feeling that I love.

I've got a Dangerous Crush on you

On September 11, 2011 Dallas-bound, pop-rock band, The Hit, released a mixed tape free for download consisting of four original songs and four covers of popular songs on the radio - the first of a series of releases.  Here's the breakdown they have planned:

09/11/11 - Mixtape
10/11/11 - Acoustic EP
11/11/11 - Full length album
12/11/11 - ???

So basically every month, something new and exciting will be released by these guys.  It's about time cause way back last November, they told me they were planning on releasing an album in the summer.  That never happened, so we'll see how these next few months play out.

Definitely check out the tunes cause their songs are upbeat and will make you wanna dance.  For updates follow them on Twitter, and for more personal updates, check out their Stickam chat 5PM CST Mondays with lead singer, Kade.

Tonight I went to Red Eyed Fly with a friend.  I was planning on seeing the band Move Out West, but when I got to the venue, the ticket seller told me that they would not be appearing tonight - a little disappointment.

A spectrum of music played tonight, and I thought it was very interesting.  The first band was a local group from right here in Austin, In the Works (above).  They had a soft rock sound that you could chill and mellow out to.  I just sat back, relaxed, and soaked in the music.  The best part of their sound is the piano work - it sounds so pretty.  Unfortunately I only got to hear the last half of their set, but I enjoyed listening to them.

 

The next band, Phone Calls from Home (above), cranked up the tempo .  The lead singer, Dave Place, came over to talk and triggered my memory.  I actually saw these guys at SXSW a couple of years back when they were sampling their music, which I did listen to.  I have to say...I am a sucker for pop-rock bands.  The band's music makes you wanna dance, clap your hands, and sing along with them even though you don't know the words.  In the middle of their set, Dave slowed down with a few acoustic songs which were very nice.  I could feel the emotion behind the words he was singing. Their performance overall was great - not only did they play good music, but they also got their audience pumped up to rock out.  They interact with their audience and get them involved in the performance making everyone in the venue feel important.

The last band, Stars & Skyline, cranked up the intensity in sound, ending the night with a hardcore-screamo sound.  This was their reunion show according to Red Eyed Fly's calendar, and the band mentioned that they hadn't played together in five months.  You could tell they were nervous to be back on the stage, but they still rocked out like there was no tomorrow.  They got us fist pumping!

This show was the first of the semester with many more to come!  It was nice being back in the music scene, and I can't wait to attend more shows.  Even though Red Eyed Fly is a pretty small venue hosting smaller shows, the bands still know how to rock out and party.

Let's Have a Wreck

After seeing three full-page ads in the last issue of AP Magazine, Drive A was practically screaming for me to listen to them.  They're a rock band from Los Angeles, California.  It's been awhile since I've listened to rock music, so I decided to check these guys out.  There are two songs on their Music Facebook page: "The World in Shambles" and "Let's Have a Wreck," and I also found "Revolt" (video above) from their website. 

Honestly, after seeing so many ads for them, I was a little disappointed.  They're not bad, but they didn't WOW! me.  The best song of the three, I thought, was "Revolt".  I first listened to "The World in Shambles" and that was a bit of a let-down because I got bored halfway through the song, but after listening to "Revolt," Drive A redeemed themselves in my head.  The music is good but not amazing.  The raspy, straining vocals work for some bands, but I wasn't feeling it for this one.  When I was listening to the music, the drums fascinated me and I tuned into their sound - there was some head-nodding happening.

Nowadays I wouldn't typically listen to rock music, and I wouldn't start with this band.  But if they were coming to play in Texas, I'd go see them because I imagine these guys to be good live, so I'll keep an open ear.

If you like what you hear, go "like" them on Facebook and you can download some free tracks from them!

Zelda Step

Songs of Storms (Dubstep Remix) by: DJ Ephixa
Any Zelda fans out there?  Any dubstep fans out there?  Any Zelda-dubstep fans out there?  One of muh friends posted this on Facebook, and I really like it.  There are other remixes too - check them out here !

Man, dubstep is really getting to me...and I am okay with this.

My name is Skrillex

In the past six months, I've heard several friends talk about Skrillex.  The name sounded really interesting to me, and I wondered what kind of music he played but never came around to listening to it.  Recently, singer and YouTube sensation, Christina Grimmie (who everyone should check out!) made a video for Skrillex.  I watched it and got a little taste of the music, and it pushed me to want to listen to more.
So Skrillex is a dubstep DJ from Los Angeles.  The first time I heard dubstep...I couldn't get into it, but I listened to Skrillex with open ears.  I went to Skrillex's Music Facebook page and listened to the three most-played songs: "First of the  Year," "Ruffneck (Full Flex)" (below), and "Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites (Dirtyphonics Remix)".

I like Skrillex.  The way I could tell is that I found myself nodding muh head to the music.  Skrillex not only includes the dubstep sound, but he also incorporates elements of techno/trance, which I used to listen to a lot in middle school - he brings it back for me.  I like the combination of the two.  I also like the different sound sequences he uses.  There are no lyrics to the songs, but the songs still embody a "verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus" structure so for each section of the song, he uses different sounds.  I didn't know what kind of sound to expect, so it was nice to be surprised.  Most people say that there isn't a distinct beat to dubstep songs, but I felt like there is a good beat to Skrillex's songs.  One con I could say about Skrillex is that the sound elements in his songs are repetitive and could possibly get boring and maybe even certain sounds could get annoying.  Other than that, I recommend giving a listen to Skrillex, and I would recommend listening to "Ruffneck (Full Flex)" first - it was muh favorite!

If you like what you hear, you can download his free EP , which is what I did and will probably be listening to for awhile.  And for anyone going to Austin City Limits this year, Skrillex will be playing Saturday September 17th at Zilker Park!