Category Archives: Music
Hopelessly on the Rise
Ah, Hopeless Records. What has recently become one of my favorite labels holds some of the most popular pop punk bands of the past decade: All Time Low, Silverstein, There for Tomorrow, and even Yellowcard, who signed for their latest release entitled “When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes.” They also claim bands such as Enter Shikari and The Wonder Years, who have quickly managed to establish themselves in their past couple of years on the label. So who will be next? Three of Hopeless’s latest signees come to mind, all of which I’ve been lighting up on Spotify as of late. So have a listen, because these guys (and girl) are well on their way to headlining the next big tour.
3. Divided By Friday
@DividedByFriday
I will confess a bit of personal attachment to this band. I befriended drummer Al German via Twitter over a year ago when they were still an unsigned local band in North Carolina. Starting in their early high school years in the small town of Laurinburg, DBF quickly began headlining shows all over the state. Their first full length, “Maybe in a Memory,” brought these sixteen and seventeen-year-olds to the attention of multiple labels. I caught lead singer Jose Villanueva after a show about a month ago and asked him about it. “Suddenly everyone was calling us,” he told me. “We had big labels telling us that we were one of their top prospects at the moment… we were only juniors and seniors.” Since their first release, Divided By Friday has put out two singles and three EPs, steadily gaining talent with each one. Their latest EP, “Prove It,” was released just under a month ago and features both singles (“Prove It” and “Lost in Limbo”), as well as four other tracks that are sure to catch your attention. You’ll even find a song featuring Jenna McDougall of the Australia-based Tonight Alive. In short, these guys are young, talented, and full of the potential, providing unique-sounding vocals and intense melodies (not to mention that the drumming is phenomenal). And for proof, check out their ever first music video for “Disappoint: Surprise” off their second EP, “The Constant”:
2. We Are The In Crowd
@WeAreTheInCrowd
Let’s face it. Female-fronted bands are perfect. The girls love seeing a fellow lady on stage, and the guys… well, you get the idea. But, at the same time, male vocals bring out an intensity that only guys can. So what if you mix both? Enter We Are The In Crowd. Tay Jardine and Jordan Eckes trade off vocals as only they can to create a unique sound that is practically impossible to find a comparison for. While they certainly put on a great display of harmonies, We Are The In Crowd also uses their unique setup to portray a multi-perspective feel to each song. Some songs resemble arguments, while others sound more like a built-up mutual opinion. Their first release, “Guaranteed to Disagree,” goes with a rather poppy sound that’s great for roadtripping or whatever else makes you smile. Singles like “Both Sides of the Story” and “For the Win” are nothing short of entertaining and have an almost nostalgic feel to them. Their second full length, however, has taken a slightly more serious turn. Released on October 4, “Best Intentions” has showed a more mature We Are The In Crowd, and it’s proven to be for the better, and watching this band continue to develop is bound to be a thrilling experience. Check out the official music video for the first single of this sophomore release, entitled “Rumor Mill,” and decide for yourself:
1. The Dangerous Summer
@DangerousSummer
But sometimes, you need to sit back and think. Relax. Take the edge off. You need music you can feel. Lyrics you can relate to. Chord progressions that invoke emotion. You seek passion. Sit down with AJ Perdomo for a little while. From The Dangerous Summer’s formation in 2007 as seniors in high school, AJ’s ability to write has spoken for itself. But lyrics are only a piece of a band. Thankfully, The Dangerous Summer has a little something called chemistry. Each member brings their own passion to the group: the guitar riffs are beautiful, the drumming is subtle yet intricate, and the melodies captivate the listener. This, my friends, is music. TDS’s alternative sound takes influence from indie and modern rock, and also throws in some elements of its own. Their first full length, “Reach for the Sun,” is a stunning piece of work, and yet, in their latest release, they have somehow managed to outdo the former. Released this past summer, “War Paint” was nothing short of phenomenal. And, incredibly enough, they are just as impressive live as they are on the record. Still need more evidence? Check out their latest music video for their first single, “Work in Progress,” after which I named this blog:
So there you have it. Three young, talented bands on a label notorious for producing some killer music. Clicking on each album image above will take you to it on the iTunes store; buy if you can in order to support these guys. Stay inspired my friends.
December Air
I made this a couple months ago. Not sure if I like it. But that’s okay. It was fun!
This Beautiful Republic
For fans of: Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, A Day to Remember, The Almost, The Classic Crime, Sent by Ravens.
Alright, so here it is: my first music review of any kind. Perhaps I’ll keep it up, but maybe not at the same time. Either way, I’d like to introduce you to a little band known as This Beautiful Republic. For those of you who have over-familiarized yourselves with them already, then you are aware of their current circumstances and are now scratching your heads. Well don’t worry, we’ll get there. Let’s backtrack.
This Beautiful Republic started out with a group of high school kids in Toledo, Ohio, back in 2004. Skip ahead a couple of years and a couple of switches in the lineup, and, in November 2006, they signed with ForeFront Records. Three months after their first EP, Casting Off, was released in January 2007, they release their first full-length album, Even Heroes Need a Parachute. A year and a half later, in August of 2008, their second full-length, Perceptions, was released. However, while the band was having notable success on the Christian rock scene, lead singer Ben Olin left in late 2009, and the band dropped ForeFront to become independent in 2010. Little has been announced from the band since.
Okay, so why do we care about a band that is potentially defunct? Seems kind of pointless to write your first music review on a band that lost their lead singer just over a year ago. Well, allow me to explain. First of all, I’ve been on a kick with these guys as of late. I can’t help it; their music is addicting. But here’s the real kicker: they’re real to me. I get these guys. Olin and the guys wrote songs about brokenness and desperation, as well as songs about total surrender. They have managed to tear me to shreds in a couple lines; that’s powerful stuff. I don’t often encounter bands that really sound like they feel what their singing about, and it’s even less often that I hear it through the instruments as well. These guys pull off both; listen carefully, and, if you have an ear for this stuff, you’ll catch it.
A prime example actually features one of my all-time favorite musicians: Aaron Gillespie, former Underoath drummer and current frontman for The Almost. So, if you’re an Aaron fan and can handle a little screaming, “My God” is a great introduction. Let’s face it, at some point in your life, you’ve probably taken a step back and looked at your life in absolute horror. I have. I then spend hours beating myself up, getting to the point where I sound just like the chorus of this song: “My God, my God, what have I become?” Not-so-ironically, I often find myself playing this on my iPod in the process. But Olin hits what I frequently miss in the very next line: “You never fail me. You’re what I need.”
My point? This isn’t your typical cliché Christian radio nonsense; This Beautiful Republic actually gets it. We are broken people in a broken world, with one singular solution (for more details, check out The Story). These guys are raw, and they’re real. If you like what you’re hearing, I’m going to recommend checking out “Going Under” off their first album and “No Turning Back” (currently my favorite), as well as their music video for “Surrender Saved My Life,” which you can check out below. Also, go to their website to find them on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes, and the like, and be sure to take advantage of a free and legal download of “Surrender Saved My Life” on their PureVolume page. Thanks for reading my first review!
I’d Hate to Be You…
Here’s my latest YouTube video. The “unofficial music video” for “I’d Hate to Be You When People Find Out What This Song is About” by Mayday Parade. Enjoy!
Letters
She wasn’t ignorant of the circumstances. Soon after her diagnosis, she started writing. She didn’t have much time. Certainly not enough. So she wrote. Letter after letter. It was what she was made for. The wisdom she had intended to pass on could no longer be given in person. So she wrote. Her love pushed her on, even in her final months. The handwriting became shakier, the letters shorter, but, nevertheless, she wrote. She wrote for us. We were too young; we couldn’t possibly understand everything she had to tell us. Some letters were saved for certain landmarks in our lives. Graduation. Marriage. Children. Others were for when the time was right. Dad knew what to do with them. And, when she passed on, we began to open them. Slowly. There are still many left inside the fireproof box she filled. Many I have yet to see. I can be patient. It was what she intended.
Today, I found my response. I didn’t realize that I was looking for one. Now, it’s clear that I was. I didn’t write it. I wish I did. Yet, in a sense, I think I have. Sitting outside, staring at the stars. It’s not like she can hear, but I talk anyway. She’s in a better place; the things of this earth are the least of her concerns. I guess it’s for me, not her. And, of course, God listens in. We talk. He listens. He comforts. I’m not crazy. I just miss her. She would understand. This sums it all up, though. Every thought, every feeling, every emotion. For all the letters, here is mine.
Dear Mom,
It’s been eleven years since I saw you
Since I said goodbye to
Everything I knew
I thought that day would never come
Well, I guess that I was wrong cause
It’s already comeI miss the smiles I miss the laughs
Sometimes I wish that things could just go back
To the way they used to be
When you were with meTake me back to all those times
That we knew back before
When we were running we were playing
And we still knew nothing more
The innocence we had could never last forever
And mommy look at what I learned to play today
Do you think that I’ll be famous one day
When you see me now I hope I make you proudSo I’ll spread these wings and try to fly
And if I fail at least you know I tried
I hope that I make you proud
Even if I fallIt’s time to say goodbye it’s now or never
It has to end somewhere nothing lasts forever
I loved you then I still love you now
And I know nothing ever changed it
No, not then, not nowLife can change so suddenly
So thanks for taking care of me
I hope that I make you proudMuch Love,
Your Son“Proud” by The Icarus Account. Edited for context.
Click here to listen.
From the Underoath, August Burns Red, and Emery Concert
Some videos from one of the best shows I have ever seen. At the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh, NC, on November 22, 2009.