"I've got the worst hangover from you"

Beneath It All (EP) by Hey Monday - Oh where to begin... I suppose I should start with my initial reactions to the single I Don't Wanna Dance when it was released in the summer (or perhaps when I first heard it performed at Warped Tour.) My initial reactions to the song became my general feeling for the entire EP, mainly the question what happened to one of my favorite pop-punk bands? The punk has been left with Hold On Tight, instead the band taking the word "pop" to heart with six songs so produced it's hard to believe there is even a band involved. It could all be done with computers as far as the casual listener can tell, which leads me to wonder where the direction of this once promising band is heading. While the songs are catchy, and the lyrics have a few decent moments (see Wondergirl) they are sadly forgettable, and have lost the spark that came through in their first album. No more guitar riffs and gone are the duets between the punk spark of the music and lead singer Cassadee Pope's sweet and strong voice. Now it seems Hey Monday has fallen victim to overproduction and cookie-cutter, radio friendly tunes that just don't hold the same appeal earlier songs like Homecoming, Candles, and Josie. All in all, the EP is generally alright, as long as you are looking for a pop record with dance ready songs. But don't turn here hoping for a punk pop band, because the latter is all that seems to be left.

Key Tracks: Wish You Were Here, Wondergirl

Currently Listening To: "Summertime" by My Chemical Romance from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys"

a taste of what's to come...

in an effort to encourage myself to keep up with this blog, i made a list of the albums and things i wanted to review on here. maybe if i actually post it that will help even more. so here is my master plan list.

Newer:
The Summer Set “Love Like This”
30 Seconds to Mars "This Is War"
Hey Monday "Beneath It All"

The Maine “Black And White”
Set Your Goals "This Will Be The Death Of Us"
Anberlin "Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place"
VersaEmerge "Fixed At Zero"
"Eclipse Soundtrack"

Older:
The Maine “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”
Four Year Strong "Rise Or Die Trying"
The Rocket Summer "Do You Feel"

Other:
Favorite Albums
Favorite Songs
Music Videos
Live Concert DVDs
Live Concert Music Videos

"Cause i know what's best for me"

Guaranteed To Disagree by We Are The In Crowd – Over the summer I really got into this band and this album. They are from Poughkeepsie, New York and feature duel vocals from both a guy and a girl. Although Jordan Eckes does have a pretty good voice on his own, it does get overshadowed by his counterpart Taylor Jardine, who revitalizes the genre as a female vocalist who invigorates their songs. Tay has a voice that although does not sound like Hayley Williams of Paramore, does have the same powerful and intriguing quality. She definitely drives the songs vocally with Eckes playing off her with opposite lines. The album itself is a short EP of only seven songs, six of which are some of my favorites in the pop-punk genre. Having the two vocalists portraying two different sides of the story in each song sets the band apart from the other similar artists, which is valuable in a genre that consists mostly of similar sounding male singers and songs about love and heartbreak. The first track Carry Me Home opens with Tay’s voice over a swelling chorus, starting the EP off with an energetic and enthusiastic pace that sets the tone for the rest of the tracks. The real gem on the EP is the second track Never Be What You Want, which has lyrics that take on an empowering stance on Jardine’s part. Coupled with impressive pop-rock music, the album continues with a similar formula that hits on most marks. And of course Mike Ferri, Cameron Hurley, and Rob Chianelli make up the rest of the band and impress on the music. These songs really got me through the summer, and they really do boast some impressive melodies. The only song on the album that I'm not particularly fond of is We Need A Break which is an alright track but to me just doesn't quite live up to the lyrical content of the rest of the EP. Overall this well-rounded and very enjoyable EP from a promising young band. After seeing them play Warped Tour this summer, I will definitely be attending their live shows in the future. Keep your eyes out for this group - they are definitely going to gain some serious attention soon.

Key Tracks: Carry Me Home, Never Be What You Want, Lights Out, For The Win, Calendar Pages

Currently Listening To: "We All Roll Along" by The Maine from "Can't Stop, Won't Stop"

so this is how it goes...

hey so i have definitely been a failure when it comes to keeping up with this blog. truth be told, i have recently become addicted to tumblr and thus spent a lot of my blogging time there. none of that is like this with the music reviews, so i definitely need to get back on track here. since i last posted i have gotten a lot more new music and discovered some older stuff too. here is the plan: work on putting up a good amount of reviews and getting myself back in the album mindset. i have made a list for myself of the albums and subjects i would like to touch base on to help me get back on track. so i may have a ton of updates in a relatively short period of time. let's get this going!

<3

I'm ready to be amazed.

I never actually put up a review for my second favorite album of 2009, even though I did review parts of it as part of a concert review done after seeing the band perform live. So here is my official review.

Anywhere But Here by Mayday Parade - There is little I can say to do justice to this amazing album. I still listen to most if not all of it everyday since I bought it. Although there have been a lot of skeptics since Jason Lancaster left the band shortly before the release of A Lesson In Romantics, they can be sure of one thing: Mayday Parade's second full length album delivers to both the musical and lyrical standards set by its predecessor. The opening track Kids In Love may make the first time listener slightly wary - an overused theme about kids in the summertime falling in love. The track is fun, poppy, and very upbeat, which does give off the impression that this may very well turn into another cookie-cutter album from a pop-rock band like all the rest. But leave your worries with that first track, because with the opening of Anywhere But Here, the second and title track of the album, you are immediately reassured that this is indeed an album worthy of your ears. The lyrics of that second song, coupled with the undeniable swells of the music (the key change in the last chorus is particularly moving) bring the band full force with their sophomore effort. The rest of the album continues to impress, with some of the best lyrics heard from the band. It has been extremely hard for me to pick favorites from the album, so much so that I can only really name those that don't particularly impress. The opener, although fun and happy, doesn't quite live up to Mayday's caliber, and the song Get Up is again a fun song but less substance than the others. Along with those two, I'm not a huge fan either of Center Of Attention. That being said, these are still fair tracks, just not quite to the level of the rest of the album. Songs like Still Breathing, Bruised And Scarred, If You Can't Live Without Me Why Aren't You Dead Yet?, Save Your Heart, and I Swear This Time I Mean It are all lyrically near perfection, and the moods change enough that you don't fell like you are listening to the same song over and over as seems to be the trend in this music genre these days. What may be my favorite (if I could choose) is the closing track, The End, which takes the lyrics to a new level and the music beyond what I have heard from this band before. The whole album is a beautiful triumph from a successful band, and this track closing it adds to the prestige that is Anywhere But Here.

Key Tracks: Anywhere But Here, Still Breathing, Bruised And Scarred, If You Can't Live Without Me Why Aren't You Dead Yet?, Save Your Heart, I Swear This Time I Mean It, The End

Currently Listening To: "Still Breathing" by Mayday Parade from "Anywhere But Here"

Set apart this dream for me...

The year and the decade is over, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to review both in music. 2009 was a great year for music, and there are so many releases that captured my attention, both expected and unexpected. The past decade has been defined by music in my mind, seeing as all of the music, concerts, and artists that I love I discovered in the last ten years. This is gonna be a long one, please be prepared.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW:

Notable Albums Released by Date:

• 21st Century Breakdown by Green Day - 5/15


• Nothing Personal by All Time Low - 7/7


• Ocean Eyes by Owl City - 8/14


• Jennifer's Body Soundtrack by Various Artists - 8/25


• Lost In Pacific Time: The AP EP by The Academy Is... - 9/22


• brand new eyes by Paramore - 9/29


• Crash Love by AFI - 9/29


• Anywhere But Here by Mayday Parade - 10/6


• Time To Win, Vol. 1 by Down With Webster - 10/6


• The Twilight Saga: New Moon: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Various Artists - 10/16


• Glee: The Music, Vol. 1 by The Glee Cast - 11/3


• Memento Mori by Flyleaf - 11/10


• Believers Never Die: Greatest Hits by Fall Out Boy - 11/16


• The Twilight Saga: New Moon: The Score by Alexandre Desplat- 11/24


• Glee: The Music, Vol. 2 by The Glee Cast - 12/8

My Top 5 Albums Of The Year:

1. brand new eyes by Paramore


2. Anywhere But Here by Mayday Parade


3. Lost In Pacific Time: The AP EP by The Academy Is...


4. Memento Mori by Flyleaf


5. Crash Love by AFI

Second thought, let's make this a two-parter. More to come.

The neighbors have complained damn near every night

So I can officially declare myself a slave to the world of concerts. On November 5th I went to the Alternative Press Fall Ball with You Me At Six, The Secret Handshake, Set Your Goals and co-headliners Mayday Parade and The Academy Is... and I must say that it was one of the best concert experiences I have ever had. It marked my third Mayday Parade show, and my first The Academy Is... show and both were amazing. I still can't get over how much of a good time I had and I was so pleasantly surprised. Mayday Parade was up to their usual greatness, and The Academy Is... did so much more that I expected. Not only did they play some of my favorites from their first album Almost Here, but they also had amazing stage presence and a great feel. An overall spectacular night that confirmed one of my core beliefs about myself: I most definitely need to be a part of the concert world for the rest of my life.

First of the night to play was You Me At Six, a pop punk band from the UK. Although they didn't have a completely original sound, they were very good for having never really toured here in the US before. They did a cover of Lady Gaga's Poker Face which was the highlight for me since it was the only song I actually recognized. They did a fairly good job, but I wasn't at all familiar with them so it was a little hard to judge.

Next came The Secret Handshake who seemed to enjoy using vocals altered to sound a little more electronic-y, not something I am particularly fond of, but like You Me At Six, they did have a very good stage presence which was commendable. They also did a cover, this time of Miley Cyrus' Party In The USA which was the best part of the opening show. Other than that, I wasn't particularly captivated by them, but for fans, I'm sure they did more than please.

Third and last of the opening bands was Set Your Goals, the one stand out for their seemingly unrelateable music to the rest. They have more of a punk sound that didn't really seem to fit with the rest of the bands playing, and once again, not really my thing. They played a lot longer than they seemed to need to as well, and by the end of their set I found myself checking my cell for the time. They seemed to please the crowd, but I myself wasn't so thrilled.

And then we have one of my favorite bands. Mayday Parade came on and, as usual, killed it. They opened with Jamie All Over, a classic from A Lesson In Romantics that got me going right away. Their set had a great mix of my favorites from Lesson, of course the classic Three Cheers For Five Years, and my three new favorites from their new album Anywhere But Here, including the title track, Kids In Love, and The Silence (incidentally, the albums first three tracks.) The one obviously missing song from the set was Ocean And Atlantic, which is my personal favorite from Lesson, but they did play their biggest hit from the album When I Get Home You're So Dead, and ended, as usual, with my other favorite Jersey, which they close with at most shows. Mayday always has a great stage presence, and you could clearly see their enthusiasm with the new songs especially. They got involved with the crowd really well, and put on an all-around great show. As usual, they did a part acoustic version of Miserable At Best, which although as a song, I'm not a huge fan of, is always beautiful and always has the whole crowd singing. After the whole show was over, I was fortunate enough to get to meet four of the five band members who were the nicest guys. They are very gracious and fan-conscious, thanking me for coming and liking their new album. Overall, they are not only an amazing band, but they perform well and are genuine, nice guys. I will definitely be going to see them again.

Mayday Parade Set List:

1. Jamie All Over - A Lesson In Romantics
2. Three Cheers For Five Years - Tales Told By Dead Friends
3. The Silence - Anywhere But Here
4. Kids In Love - Anywhere But Here
5. Miserable At Best - A Lesson In Romantics
6. Anywhere But Here - Anywhere But Here
7. When I Get Home You're So Dead - A Lesson In Romantics
8. Black Cat - A Lesson In Romantics
9. Jersey - A Lesson In Romantics

Last to play was, of course, The Academy Is... who blew my mind. I have been a fan of them for a very long time, since my friend introduced me to Almost Here back in the summer of 2007. Almost Here was one of my favorite albums for a long time, but oddly enough I never listened to Santi for the first year or so after it came out, even though I knew TAI and was a big fan of Almost Here. It took me until about the latter end of 2008 to realize that I had never listened to Santi, and although I had heard LAX To O'Hare and wasn't too fond of it, I decided to give the album a try. It ended up being another favorite album for a while, which encouraged me to listen to Fast Times At Barrington High, which they had come out with in the summer of 2008. So after getting myself caught up with their catalog, I was back into the TAI swing, and although I really enjoyed them, this was the first time I have had the opportunity to see them live. And let me just say, it was well worth the wait. They opened the set with Almost Here, one of my all-time favorites of their songs, which really got me going right away. The second they went into it, I sort of lost it, getting completely wrapped up in the music and the fact that I was less than four feet from them while they were playing one of my favorite songs. Just being there was an amazing thing, and the fact that they started with that song got me absolutely hooked. After Almost Here, they went into Neighbors from Santi, which also happens to be one of my favorite songs of theirs. The energy even by that point was crazy, and as a single, that song got most of the crowd singing, which is one of my favorite parts of concerts, when everyone is singing together. The set followed with Checkmarks, About A Girl, I'm Yours Tonight from their new EP (to be reviewed in the very near future), Classifieds, After The Last Midtown Show, Summer Hair = Forever Young, and Slow Down. They did an excellent job of integrating new and old to please all fans, and I was particularly happy to have four of the nine songs be from my favorite album. Their new song I'm Yours Tonight was really great, and now that I have had time to get to know it better, I am able to appreciate it even more. The whole set was amazing, and their stage presence was electric. They made it one of the most fun concerts I have ever been to, and I applaud the work that they did. All of the bands were very impressive, but The Academy Is... definitely made the show what it was. So thank you, for showing me that there is no way I can live my life without concerts.

The Academy Is... Set List:

1. Almost Here - Almost Here
2. Neighbors - Santi
3. Checkmarks - Almost Here
4. About a Girl - Fast Times At Barrington High
5. I'm Yours Tonight - The AP EP: Lost In Pacific Time
6. Classifieds - Almost Here
7. After The Last Midtown Show - Fast Times At Barrington High
8. Summer Hair = Forever Young - Fast Times At Barrington High
9. Slow Down - Almost Here


Currently Listening To: "I'm Yours Tonight" by The Academy Is from "The AP EP: Lost In Pacific Time"