I See Stars - Til the World Ends cover

After much anticipation, Punk Goes Pop Volume 4 released I See Stars' rendition of Britney Spears's "Til the World Ends."  What can I possibly say?  I love it.  I will admit that at first I thought that it was just a mere carbon copy of Britney's song with some moderate tweaking, but what was really getting me was that I wasn't getting a full sense of the I See Stars guys.  That is until I hate the 3:21 mark then I was extremely happy.  Another note, I love Devin's voice, but at some points of the song I couldn't tell if it was really him singing or if they incorporated parts of Britney's vocals as well.  You have to admit his voice is normally really high when he sings, so anyone could have made that honest mistake.  Other than that, I still love this cover, and I'm even more excited for the album to be released next week!

The Dangerous Summer music video - No One's Gonna Need You More

The Dangerous Summer released their music video for "No One's Gonna Need You More." Normally you'd think this was just another punk/alternative rock band, but it's really not.  Besides the captivating and somewhat raspy vocals of AJ Perdomo, the song lyrics aren't typical of most bands.  Usually, I think bands try to have catchy lyrics that sometimes don't make much sense or they're simple little rhymes, but The Dangerous Summer's songs are deep.  Forget that the song is upbeat, listen to the words, and it's almost as if AJ is pouring his heart and soul to whoever the lucky woman he chose to serenade this to.

I was supposed to see them tonight at Emo's East with Hit the Lights, but unfortunately they had to pull from the tour lineup due to circumstances beyond their control.  In the meantime, I think I'll take a listen to their latest album from the summer, War Paint, and you should too!

Alyssa Bernal releases debut album!

Remember when I went to San Antonio last month to see Tyler Ward?  Remember the talented San Antonio girl who opened up for him?  Well as of today, Alyssa Bernal released her anticipated debut album, Love Hangover, which is now available on iTunes!

I have not purchased it yet, but I do recognize some of the songs she played at the Tyler Ward show.  Her pop sound is coated with really pretty (and I do mean pretty) vocals that will put a smile on your face and could possibly turn your sad and rainy day - like today - into a sunny and happy one (I recommend listening to "Soaking Up the Sun" for that).  As I mentioned in my concert post about her, I definitely still urge you to listen to "Cali, Cali, Cali" - it's catchy, it's fun, and it's easy to sing along with.  Also on this album are collaborations with Pharrell in the song "One of Us Gotta Leave" and Jason Wade in "Hold Me Tight," which sound like two more awesome compositions.

Alyssa is a sweet girl with lots of talent and has been patiently waiting for her album to drop, so you should check it out and maybe buy it!

Let's Drive to Juneau

A few days ago, the lead singer of this band, Juneau, followed me on my Tumblr site so naturally I had to check them out.  Not to be confused by the name of the character in the actual movie played by Ellen Page, Juneau is another Houston-based band!

Although they don't have actual music on their Facebook, they do have it on Reverb Nation.  There are three songs on there: "Drive," "Bittersweet Surprise," and "Secrets."  If you're looking for upbeat music to get your day started, listen to "Drive" and/or "Secrets," and if you want something mellow or heartfelt, listen to "Bittersweet Surprise."  Their more upbeat songs are somewhat reminiscent of the band, Honor Bright, who unfortunately decided to call it quits this summer.  They both have a sound that is borderline rock going into pop rock (especially "Secrets"), but I feel that Juneau is lending itself in the direction of pop rock.

I'm gonna say that I like this band especially because I really love the guitar.  If they came back around to playing shows in Texas, I would definitely see them.  Right now they're preparing for a couple of non-local shows in Winsconsin touring alongside Rookie of the Year, so hopefully they play shows here again!

Hallelujah

I realize this cover video was released back in September (where has the semester gone?!), but one of my friends who occassionally does photography for There For Tomorrow showed this to me earlier and I really like it.

Maika Maile (such a beautiful name), lead singer of There For Tomorrow, recorded a cover version of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen as a tribute to Jeff Buckley.  This song is incredibly pretty, and it's interesting to see this rocker maintaining the prettiness of it.  There are still hints of a rock sound, but I feel as if it's sublte and still staying true to the song.  On top of that, Maika's sweet and vulnerable voice is to die for.  Normally, I've always heard it really strong and powerful, but in this cover, it's still powerful but in a soft way - if you can make sense of that.  Listening to this song puts me in deep thought about life, and all I need to do now is light a candle in my pitch black room.

Big Time Rush at an All Time Low?

Fans of Baltimore boys, All Time Low, attack Nickelodeon hunks, Big Time Rush, for ripping off ATL's song, "No Idea."  BTR has released a song with the same title and the same chorus.  The verses and bridge are different, but the chorus is the exact same.


(All Time Low - rockified "No Idea")


(Big Time Rush - poppified "No Idea")

Now I will admit that I had a similar reaction to just hearing about this incident, but after listening to both songs, I have to say that although I am disappointed that Big Time Rush's song sounds almost exactly like All Time Low's, it just might be a good publicity stunt.  The sounds of the songs are obviously different, but there's no denying that the chorus is straight up the same line by line and note by note.

Shockingly enough, no address to the issue has been made - at least there isn't any from either of the bands' Twitters.  I wonder if All Time Low is aware of the current predicament because I'm pretty sure fans would blow up the band's Twitter about Big Time Rush stealing their music.  If they do, it wouldn't surprise me that they'd all handle it with professionalism and with the absence of hostility.

Honestly, I do love both groups, but it is a little weird to hear the same song from both.  I hope that this music sharing was talked about between both groups, and if it wasn't and BTR decided to release this song without ATL's acknowledgment, disappointment would loom the air because I personally love ATL's "No Idea."  If anything, this really ought to be a great opportunity for ATL to gain more fans and popularity because with any situation such as this, people will make a big deal about it and cause interest and/or curiosity to innocent bystanders who will feel obligated to hear the original song.  This incident could be an awesome way to sell more albums too.  ATL's dropped over the summer, so BTR could potentially help spark the initiative to buy Dirty Work.  BTR's album drops on the 21st, so regardless of the song or not, their album will sell.

What Happened In Vegas stays in Vegas

Check out What Happened In Vegas's new music video "Clearwater."  I stumbled upon these guys' MySpace page about two years ago, and I think they're quite awesome sauce.  They're are an unsigned rock band from Michigan, and I wish they could pay a visit to Texas.  

I felt a little sense of Panic! At the Disco - lookswise and some soundwise - which is a good thing for me.  The song is definitely head-nod worthy, and I could probably listen to it while I'm doing anything: homework, working out, taking a shower, walking on campus, jamming in the car, and much more.  I'm sure if I saw this live, then it would be even more awesome because I feel like these guys could put on a great live show.