I am an avid watcher of…

 

I think you can tell a lot about a band by their music videos….

For example, back when I was in high school I was watching music videos on Fuse and saw a video that actually made me go ot and buy the CD. I’m glad I did because they ended up being the most influential band of my high school career: Fall Out Boy.

Another example is Forever the Sickest Kids, possibly my most influential band of my college career…. The first time I saw their music video Whoa Oh! I was hooked, and new it would be like FOB all over again….

Music videos.

So I strongly suggest that the next time you watch a music video and you can’t pull your eyes away from the screen, go out and buy the CD,…. You just might be impressed.

I just found the only…..

Lady Gaga cover I may ever like…..

My friend posted this and this guy can seriously wail!!!!!!!

I’m really upset…..

That my podcast wont’ upload…. Stupid upgrades.

But I do have a Artist of the Morning for you!

Band: A Day to Remember

Album: Homesick

Why: It’s amazing. I know a lot of people give it crap for the opening of the album but I think it just gives it something personal. It’s hardcore with out being to hardcore. Soft without being too soft. And it just happens to show a sweet side of these boys that most bands don’t let you see. My favorites on this album are My Life for Hire, Homesick, and If It Means A Lot To You. Love ‘em. Excellent pieces….. beautiful.

I wrote this…..

For newspaper and thought it would fit in nicely….

Give it a read and tell me what you think.

The side project of three members of the local band Ludo, The New Heathers, is nothing but a disappointment. The EP entitled “The Fuel, The Fire, The Spark” was released on September 22 and is a completely different sound for these three boys. The New Heathers sounds like a country band gone terribly, terribly wrong. Where Ludo amazes fans and critics, The New Heathers falls far from the tree. This only proves that Ludo wouldn’t be who there are with the vocal talents of lead singer, Andrew Volpe.

The first song starts off with a vibrating, pulsating noise that makes you instantly want to skip it. Continuing over 30 seconds into the song, “Agatha” might be listenable with the unique vocal stylings of Tim Ferrell. Every time this CD starts, I instantly move to track two to spare myself from exploding my ear drums.

The second song however, is almost as unlistenable. The main guitar and moog (a special type of synthesizer that is named after its inventor) riffs sound like it was stolen from a lost level of Mario Brothers. While some may think that cools, let me tell you, it’s not. The lyrical melody isn’t much better.  You wouldn’t be able to tell that Ferrell has the singing voice that he does.

The only good song on this entire EP is “The Fuel, The Fire, The Spark,” which the album was named after. It’s a slow one, but definitely a good one. A sentimental love song, “The Fuel, The Fire, The Spark” makes for an excellent rock ballad on an album filled with southern rock crap. If you want a taste of The New Heathers, then do yourself a favor. Go to iTunes and purchase this song and this song only.

After this slow paced song, for some reason, the boys thought it would be a great an idea to put a fast paced wanna- be southern rock/ punk song. “Start” is by far the worse punk song to ever exist. The ironic thing is, for punk it’s not even that fast. And the fact that the whole CD is based on a southern rock feel, this song is entirely out of place.

Next on to “Hammer & Chisel,” track number 4. This would definitely have to be the second best song on the album. You can kind of hear the Ludo lingering in the background trying to get out. The drums, played by Matt Palermo, and the moog, by Tim Convy, finally make an impressing appearance and make the song sound complete, rather than a rushed work. Yet another slow song, something about it just sticks out a little bit more than the other bad songs on the album.

“Santa Rosa” ends this long album. It’s an acoustic piece that displays the musical masterpiece that should be on every single track of this EP. Ferrell has amazing talent when it comes to the guitar and a decent voice. Why can’t the whole album represent that talent that lays just on the other side of the stage?

When buying merch at your next Ludo show, beware of the free EP that you get with your purchase. Stick solely with “The Fuel, The Fire, The Spark.” The rest of the CD isn’t worth it. The fact that The New Heathers is touring with Ludo is even worse. Don’t bother showing up early. Stick to the main act. Which is what Ferrell, Convy, and Palermo should do too.

Bands need to realize….

That when you have too much time in between CD’s, fans tend to forget about you.

*cough cough* Pierce the Veil (3 years since their last album)

*cough cough* Foxy Shazam (they have two new songs…. Lame)

*cough cough* Hit the Lights (yes I know they have one coming out….)

Believe it or not….

I rebelled rock music for quite some time.

I was a country girl from the beginning. Raised solely on bluegrass and country. The good stuff. Earl Scruggs, Ricky Scaggs, Johnny Cash, all the good stuff.

I kinda miss it but at the same time I don’t. It’s all starting to sound the same. Country music just isn’t what is used to be: pure.

There’s no more acoustic guitars, no more real singing. I kinda depressing. I miss the way it used to be.

For the longest time I wanted to be Alison Krauss. She was my freakin’ idol. I wanted to be her. Sing and play for millions of people. Be famous but not to the point that everyone would know who I was.

I looked up to her……

Jack Black is….

A musical genius.

The fact that people only see him as a joke is ridiculous.

He’s hilarious, writes some amazing stuff, and even has an acting career.

He’s Will Ferrell in a compact form.

He’s actually a good singer too. Seriously give the dude a chance, go out and by one of the Tenacious D albums. You’ll laugh the entire way through I’m telling you.

Did you know that….

Norah Jones, the jazz singer, is Ravi Shankar’s daughter. Yea. No joke.

For those of you who don’t know, Ravi Shankar is the person who taught George Harrison to play the sitar…..

Yea. They chilled. Played some killer music together. Ravi is probably one of the most influential people ever towards the Beatles…. I can’t even tell you.

But NORAH FREAKIN JONES! She came from this crazy dude!

And to top that off, Norah’s sister, Anousha is quite the accomplished sitar player. Talk about a famous freakin’ family. Can you imagine her being in school?

“So what does your dad do?”

“He taught George Harrison of The Beatles to play the sitar. Ya know, the usual.”

Insane. Absolutely insane.

I don’t understand why everyone…..

Gives musicals so much crap.

I was raised on musicals…. The OLD ones.

Seven Wives for Seven Brothers. Singin’ in the Rain. My Fair Lady. The King and I. White Christmas.

Yea. Even today there are so many musicals (and no I don’t mean High School Musical).

I mean Phantom of the Opera. Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny (Yes, that’s a musical). Across the Universe….

There are so many out there.

While I might think the classics are better, something about the new ones just make me happy. It’s good to know that there is still hope for our rap and main stream ‘alternative’ music kids after all…..

But really…. Singin’ in the Rain. If you haven’t seen it, please, do yourself a favor and go rent it! NOW!

Music is meant to be….

Shared.

I don’t understand when people get angry because you share a band with someone. Music is meant for everyone. Not just you.

Yea, bands may sell out more often when their popular. But they also tour more too. They don’t have to struggle to put out CD’s…..

I mean what’s the point of being the only person that listens to a band. It’s no fun. I love sharing my music with people. It makes me happy knowing that I’ve passed on something that makes me feel better so someone else to make them feel better.

I mean honestly, it’s not like your the only person in the whole world that listens to a band anyways… So just spread a little cheer elsewhere….. Maybe they’ll spread some back.