Author: Alexzandra Hackford (Page 4 of 5)

New Tunes From An Old Favorite

March 31, 2009 / Alexzandra Hackford

If you haven’t heard already, punk princes The Bouncing Souls have been releasing a new song each month as part of their 20th anniversary album. We’re three tracks deep, and already The Souls, true to form, are making quite a buzz on the scene.

Gasoline—

The first track, released January 1, 2009 is entitled “Gasoline” and packs a five-fingered, old-school Souls punch. BlogCritics.org called the release, “punk rock satisfaction from start to finish,” and said, “The Bouncing Souls prove with this single that even if 20 years have passed they still are capable of pushing out great tunes.” The track is classically up-beat, pure punk rock with singer Greg Attonito’s signature pipes driving the melody, as he sings of being sheltered from reality and searching for a distraction from the monotony of every-day life. Aversion.com called the track, “ everything you’d expect from the Souls…a dose of old-school grit gleaned from stacks of British singles…from The Clash to early oi!, with doses of big-sugar pop-punk melody.” It seems the Bouncing Souls can do no wrong, even after 20 years!

We All Sing Along—

February brought us, “We All Sing Along,” a gritty heartfelt anthem of a song with a positive twist. Track two is the perfect combination of old-school Souls attitude with a smoother more polished feel that mimics more recent releases like 2006’s, “The Pizza Song.” BrokenHeadPhones.com called the track a, “punk anthem” celebrating its positivity and inspirational tendencies. If the Souls can keep cranking out tunes like this one after more than twenty years, there’s hope for the future of punk music after all.

Airport Security—
As far as punk love songs go The Bouncing Souls have hit the jackpot with the third of this year’s twelve releases, “Airport Security.” In an interview found on ReadJunk.com the band said about the song,

“A good love song is hard to come by.. Most times they are corny and annoying…but the good ones are sooooo Good!! Airport Security is that attempt for me. Its a love song from me to my wife with a slice of a political statement/comic relief…but hopefully when the songs starts you forget about me, my wife, politics, comedy and yourself. If you do…it’s a good love song.”

It’s safe to say the Souls have achieved that exact affect sweeping the listener off his feet with the lyric, “I could write a thousand songs and never get it right/In my mind its getting harder to leave you/You know I have to believe you’re alright/What else can I do while I’m flying so high.” There’s a sort of longing in Attonito’s voice that becomes almost playful when combined with the pulsating guitars of the verse. This is the perfect follow-up to “We All Sing Along.”

It seems as though The Bouncing Souls have a nice little album coming together here. All three of the tracks released so far have been packed full of Bouncing Souls’ signature attitude with a new school twist that’s polished and mature. After pumping out more than 20 years of hardcore punk rock, The Bouncing Souls have managed to find a happy medium between their old school, garage-punk roots, and the shiny pop punk of today’s mainstream. If the next nine tracks are anything like these three, we’re all in for a treat, courtesy of The Bouncing Souls.

Alternative, CD Reviews, Punk, Rock

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Southern Boys Put A Country Spin On Rock ‘N Roll

March 28, 2009 / Alexzandra Hackford

Cage The Elephant, Relentless Records
One sunny afternoon just north of Nashville, TN, the grit of southern rock fell in love with the energy of funk and the very essence of rock n’ roll. Their love grew and multiplied and a short time later, out of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was born Cage The Elephant.

Brothers Matt and Brad Schultz joined up with a high school friend Jared Champion, and family friend Danielle Tichenor. A few months later Lincoln Parish, an eager young musician, e-mailed the group several times asking to join. Subsequent jam sessions proved successful and Parish joined the group at the ripe old age of fifteen. Cage The Elephant began to conquer the local tour circuit, and after word spread of their high-energy, high-chaos live shows, they signed with Relentless Records. Since then, they’ve been working hard to release their debut album “Cage The Elephant” which dropped in the US June 23, 2008

Since 2007 Cage The Elephant has been touring and living in the UK where their first single, “In One Ear” debuted at number 26 on the Top 40 charts, and their intense live shows have earned them opening spots on tour with Kings of Leon and Queens of The Stone Age.

Now, that their self-titled LP has finally been released in the States, Cage is poised to take control of the American rock scene. The band’s organic melodies channel the likes of The Chili Peppers and outspoken lyrics mock their critics with a raw poignancy reminiscent of Dylan himself. On the opening track “In One Ear” the band claims, “They say that we ain’t got the style/we ain’t got the class/we ain’t got the tunes that’s gonna’ put us on the map” but subsequent tracks like “James Brown” and “Lotus” dispel any such rumors.

BBC reviewed the new record saying, “’In One Ear’ is a definite two fingers up at the music industry (”I’m an antisocial anarchist who sounds like so and so… Rock ‘n roll is dead I should have stayed at school”).” The story behind the lyric is, no doubt, one of the many things that draw fans to Cage’s live shows and helps to make the track so phenomenal.

Cage The Elephant continues the record with tracks like the fan-favorite “Tiny Little Robots” which channels “the kind of guitar playing that The Hives would appreciate,” (Contactmusic.com)and finishes everything off with the distinct, “Soil To The Sun,” a track that proves Cage is in it to win it with their haphazard enthusiastic rock.

While DrownedInSound.com called Cage The Elephant, “Kings of Leon 2.0.” nothing could be farther from the truth. While it’s true Cage shares geographical origins with Kings, the overall intensity and passion found in Cage songs such as “Back Stabbin’ Betty” and “Back Against The Wall” put the two bands in completely different categories; Cage is pure rock, while Kings have a distinct indie-edge.

Opinions aside, Cage The Elephant have made it clear that they are here to rock, and with their debut record, courtesy of Relentless, they’re not about to let anyone forget the fact. Online music source, Mirror.Co.UK described Cage’s magic perfectly saying, “[Cage] moves in demented unison, hits you with the force of a hurricane and doesn’t forget to drop killer riffs and top tunes.” Their energy smacks the listener in the face from the very first beat and keeps him coming back for more track after track.
Check out Cage The Elephant on iTunes, or sample some tunes for free on the band’s MySpace here.

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Funk, Get to Know, Indie Labels, Punk, Rock, Soul

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USS Make Smoothies, Impress Crowd In Austin

March 26, 2009 / Alexzandra Hackford

Canadian rock duo USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) brought their high energy rock to RedGorilla Music Fest Wednesday, complete with techno inspired beats and homemade smoothies (they made them on stage), giving everyone a taste of what it would be like if Nirvana went to a rave.

It’s true there are thousands, probably millions of independent bands in the US alone. They record in their basements or garages, tour on meager merch sales, and survive purely on adrenaline. Most of them will never make a dent in the mainstream rock market, but every now and then a band comes along that possesses enough talent and drive (the combination is key) to take them straight to the top. Case and point: USS.

You may not be familiar with USS yet, but these guys have been enjoying great success in Canada thanks to heavy radio rotation and a never-ending desire to create something completely unique. With the help of their trusty MacBooks, USS has been creating Nirvana inspired indie-rock laced with infectious beats and energy to boot, for years. Now, with intuition to guide them, USS is embarking on the ride of their life: the release of their upcoming album, and an exciting tour to follow.

USS’s set at RedGorilla Music Festival last Wednesday was an experience in and of itself. Their energy, above everything else was intense. They ran around stage shouting lyrics in perfect harmony, and spitting energy with their wicked rhymes. To top off the night, USS took the audience on a strangely entertaining ride when they proceeded to make homemade smoothies on stage, while singing. Ash would sing a line, pick up a banana, rub it all over his face and then sing another line. He’d do some more rubbing and then place the banana into the blender and pick up a strawberry. After some more singing and eccentric expressions, he would rub the strawberry all over his face, sing some more and then throw it into the blender with the other fruits. The set ended with the two drinking the smoothies and acting surprised as to how they wound up with smoothies in their hands. It was borderline train wreck, but it was brilliant, and the music was so spot on live it was incredibly entertaining. I laughed my head off, danced my heart out, and still have their melodies stuck in my head. USS puts on such a great set it’s a wonder they haven’t been around longer.

For USS, the journey to the top of the Canadian charts was surprisingly organic. It began with Ash’s desire for something he had never heard before. After swapping his electric guitar for a new MacBook—the first computer he had ever used in his life, mind you—Ashley Boo-Schultz paired up with pal and turntable master the Human Kebab. The evolution of the duo’s thoughts and desires came to fruition in the bass-heavy sound that can be heard on the band’s new record Questamation that is currently on iTunes, and will hit stores soon.

Interestingly enough USS has recorded, produced, marketed, promoted, and distributed their music without any help from a label. They’ve also been fortunate enough to grow a significant following without falling victim to mainstream media, bypassing the hoops of fire most new artists are forced to jump through to secure radio play. Instead, USS’s music has spoken for itself. The synth-pop and grunge-inspired rock that defines them has risen above the masses of indie music as some of the freshest, most promising tunes on the radio. Here’s to USS and their incredibly unique brand of indie-rock. If you missed this band at RedGorilla you should be ashamed of yourself. Trust me—you want to get to know USS, they’re coming your way. It’s only a matter of time before they’re dominating radio and tour circuit here in the states, and when they do all I can say is “I told you so!”

Alternative, Artists, Concerts, Dance, Get to Know

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SXSW, RedGorilla Music Fest And Austin, Texas

March 24, 2009 / Alexzandra Hackford

I spent the last seven days in Austin, TX immersed in live music from both SXSW and an independent music festival called RedGorilla Music Fest.

If you haven’t heard of RedGorilla, it’s a renegade festival started by Brian Waymire and Chris York, of Dreamscapers International. The pair is based out of both Nashville and Austin, and focus on discovering and promoting the best in independent music today. While RedGorilla is in no way associated with SXSW, they do have an unmistakably large presence in Austin, during the same week as the mother festival, with 11 venues and over 500 bands playing up and down 6th st. This year the RedGorilla lineup was killer, and featured The Matches, The Effects, The Hollywood Kills, Luna Halo, AutoVaughn, Dizzy Balloon, and many more.

I started the week off strong, seeing The Matches playing a killer set for SXSW, and then two secret shows for RedGorilla. All three were incredible and even in the Texas heat people were dancing their little hearts out to staples like, “Papercut Skin” and “Sunburn Vs. The Rhinovirus.” Complete with new bassist Dylan Rowe these Oakland rockers brought a taste of nor-cal to Austin in all the right ways.

I caught some incredible pop/rock from The Hollywood Kills Friday and Saturday night at RedGorilla. This little band from Nashville is making big waves thanks to a polished sound that has evolved from garage rock to commercially shiny, alternative pop/rock. There’s an element to their live performance that instantly draws you in and, whether you like it or not, keeps you dancing to their tunes all night long. If you haven’t heard of THK yet, make sure to check out CakeOrDeath Productions for a FREE DOWNLOAD of four songs off their new record Idiot’s Guide To Desertion

One of the many surprises I encountered over the week was Ace Enders’ set at the Photo Finish Records Showcase for SXSW on Friday. Formerly of The Early November, Ace played some new tunes for the Audience for the Recover Reunion show and had everyone’s ears on him. It was great to hear the new project and get a tast of what’s to come from such a talented artist. Make sure to check out Ace Enders And A Million Different People’s new record When I Hit The Ground asap. You’ll love it!

Another high point of RedGorilla was Tulsa, Oklahoma rockers The Effects. Now, these guys wouldn’t usually fall into a category of music I normally keep on shuffle, but after seeing them live all that has changed. These boys are 100% rock ‘n roll. They’ve put a sparkly millennial twist on classic rock with screaming guitar solos, and beats that keep your eyes fixed on drummer Erin to see what he’s going to lay down next. The one drawback to The Effects is that they don’t currently have recordings that do them justice. This is a live band through and through, and to truly experience the magic of their music you have to see them live. So…make sure you check out their MySpace for a complete list of upcoming tour dates near you.

One final experience I’d like to share with everyone was a set by a somewhat unknown band called Dizzy Balloon. Hailing from Oakland, CA this five-some is everything I could have ever asked for in a new band. They’ve got the looks, the sound, the stage presence, and the personality to take them straight to the top. With their Beatles-inspired sound and insanely catchy tunes like, “Raise A Glass” and “Chinatown” Dizzy Balloon kicked ass this week at RedGorilla. I was most impressed by a cover they did of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” by the Beatles. At first listen you wouldn’t think their poppy sound fits with the appropriately named, heavy tune, but DB pulled out all the stops on this one, mimicking the iconic song effortlessly, while still putting a signature twist on the classic riffs and turn-arounds that define it. There’s a clear Beatles influence in Dizzy Balloon’s sound, and this was a perfect cover to round out their phenomenal set this weekend.

Whether you were in Austin for SXSW, RedGorilla, or even Texas Rock Fest this week, all the music on 6th St. was amazing. Live music has the power to move people, bring people together, and keep them coming back for more long after their first listen, and that’s what all these festivals are about. A good band is a good band, but a good band that is also good live automatically becomes a great band, surpassing the hordes of wanna-be’s and has beens chasing fame without a prayer. Thanks to all the amazing bands for playing your hearts out at all three festivals, and making the trip to Austin to share your music with people that truly appreciate it.

Peace

Concerts

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Ida Maria Takes Over The US…Maybe

March 19, 2009 / Alexzandra Hackford

Straight from Norway comes the indie-pop sensation Maria Siversten. This quirky 24 year old loves to drink, speaks her mind, and is the proud owner of her very own psychological disorder–synaesthesia, a sensory condition that makes her see colors and shapes when she hears tones or sounds. Her lyrics are blunt, simple, and to the point in a twisted web-of-a-way that often leaves you wondering what her songs are about, but the overall effect is garge-style-scuzz-rock that’ll have you dancing around the room, remote control-microphone in hand.

For the most part Ida’s debut Fortress Round My Heart (RCA) has been well received, earning her a spot on Blender’s 1001 Downloads: Top 144 Songs of 2008. (She came in at number 109.) Rolling Stone Magazine called Fortress “warm and tuneful” but also warned listeners that Ida could ”go easier on the drunken confessionals.” There’s no doubt about the fact that her record is soaked with the remnants of some heavy drinking, but it does make for some interesting tunes.

Unfortunately for Ida Maria, not everyone’s a fan of her spunk-infused pop. DrownedInSound.com wrote:

While her vocal enthusiasm is commendable…there’s not enough bite to Ida Maria’s zesty jump-around-the-room pop-rock for it to really impress. Fortress Round My Heart drags its heels more often than it kicks them, leaving its makers’ explosions of endearing energy exposed as the rarest ingredient in the Norwegian singer’s writing…

After a brief description of her touring history, DrownedInSound.com goes on to say:

The object, according to the artist…was to create a record of ten short, sharp, perfect tracks; pop music that hits hard, that you can dance and drink and go crazy to. There are moments of decently sassy pop-rock here, songs that you can just about see someone singing along to…But these moments are few and far between, and are exclusively the tracks featuring a vaguely vibrant BPM count. When she eases off the gas Ida Maria’s wheels begin to fall off; when she’s careening along to the point of near control-loss, Fortress is a fun, undemanding listen.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say her record is an “undemanding listen” but there are times when you find yourself wondering what exactly you are listening to. NME.com wrote about a few of those moments saying:

The deranged booty call that is ‘I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked’ makes sex sound like a desperate pagan ritual. ‘Oh My God’ makes boozing sound less like a fun past-time than, well, a desperate pagan ritual. By the time things turn to God, on ‘Stella’, He’s having sex with the titular character while, drunk…

Overall, Scandinavian grunge-princess Ida Maria’s unusual blend of sassy melodies and self-deprecating lyrics isn’t half-bad. If you like a little dirt in your pop music you should definitely check out her debut Fortress Round My Heart on iTunes, or drop by her MySpace for a free preview.

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Get to Know, Pop, Rock Babes

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