Music Addict Blog

PWNZ Like: Ben Jorgensen, My Favorite Highway, We Shot the Moon

After the Minneapolis, MN pop punk band Sing It Loud called it quits last fall, former guitarist/backing vocalist Kieren Smith, like many other of the band’s former members, decided to continue pursuing a career in music. But Smith had a plan—to stray away from SIL’s pop sound and go for a more raw alternative sound.

Inspired by bands like Weezer and Goo Goo Dolls, Smith independently recorded The Better Life EP with producer Jordan Schmidt (All Time Low, the Morning Light), which was released last November. 

The Better Life is Smith at his best. The EP captures the heartfelt honesty and openness of Smith’s lyrics. Though it is a softer sound than what Smith produced in the past with SIL, The Better Life has an obvious resemblance to the band’s last record. Smith’s voice is soothing and angelic, similar to that of Ben Jorgensen.

“Hold On” has a faster beat than all of the other songs on the EP. It is young and exuberant as a love-stricken Smith embraces his relationship and his place in the world. Smith seems optimistic and powerful, ready to take on the world and its challenges. It’s an inspiring and refreshing track, with a unique outlook towards the future comparable to We Shot the Moon.

The track “Up To Me” is liberating and uplifting as Smith tries to re-discover himself by reevaluating his life and his beliefs. He decides to live his life for himself and not everyone else, because ultimately, it is up to him to decide who he wants to be. “Up To Me” is the most upbeat and inspirational song off The Better Life.

“I’ll keep moving on/

Despite what they’re saying/

Never liked them anyway/

If it was up to me/

I would spend my day, every day/

Making love and being free,” Smith sings.

Overall The Better Life is definitely an album worth listening to. It is a fulfilling and exceptional album. The work and dedication Smith put into the EP is apparent—and this is just his first release. 

Catch Kieren Smith on tour with Jamestown Story in February:

http://www.facebook.com/kierensmithmusic  

Stream The Better Life for free:

http://www.purevolume.com/kierensmith/albums/The+Better+Life

            PWNZ Like: This Providence, Raining and Ok, the Bigger Lights, Ivory

            Unlike most acts these days, the unsigned Chicago rock band the April Year are fueled by their own raw talent and musical ability, not relying on the use of Auto-Tune or co-writing.

            The quartet—vocalist/guitarist Spencer Walters, backing vocalist/guitarist Tyler Madden, backing vocalist/bassist Timothy Plom, and drummer David Tansey—site Ryan Adams and Brighten as some of their influences, and when listening to the April Year, their inspirations are apparent.

            The band digitally and independently released their debut EP The First Time In Forever, offering it for free download for a limited time, but scheduled for official release Jan. 18. The EP is teeming with heart breaking and honest lyrics backed by moody and sometimes melancholic indie rock. The First Time is a mixture of solid upbeat pop and darker pessimistic songs.

            The dangerous and taunting “So Much For the Art Museum” displays a determined Walters fighting to end a former love, sick of the mind games and indecision. On this track, the April Year’s attitude is as fierce as the Bigger Lights. Walters’ vocals have the flare of This Providence’s Dan Young and This Century’s Joel Kanitz. The guitars are sharp and edgy, like those of Raining and Ok.

            The deceivingly upbeat initial sound of “Through Hell and High Hopes” contrasts greatly with the regretful and hopeless nature of the lyrics. The song sees Walters beat himself down for stupid mistakes that lead to heartbreak in a fragile relationship. The chorus is catchy and lighthearted. The openness of “Through Hell and High Hopes” is admirable and adds to the overall intimacy of the album. The dramatic aspect of the song definitely makes it a high point of the EP.

            The April Year is an incredibly talented act. Like Ivory, the band is unafraid to bear their souls through their music, giving their sound a more authentic and distinctive feel. The April Year has set the bar high for themselves. By establishing a solid and seemingly effortless sound early in their career, they have accomplished a feat most bands take three albums to achieve.

Download the two-song sampler here:

http://theaprilyearfreesampler.tumblr.com/

Stream the rest of The First Time In Forever for free at:

http://www.purevolume.com/TheAprilYear/albums/The+First+Time+in+Forever

PWNZ Like: From First to Last, We Are the In Crowd, Paramore, My Arcadia

            The Australian quintet Tonight Alive, which came onto the scene last year and captured the hearts of Australians and Americans alike, has returned with a three-song EP, Consider Thisreleased via Sony/Columbia Records on Oct. 4. Although they are a relatively new band, Tonight Alive have successfully established their sound as colorful pop punk, beginning with their debut albums All Shapes and Disguises.

But with their latest EP, the band expands on the darker side of rock. Singer Jenna McDougall has striking silken and slightly-accented vocals, backed by Whakaio and Jake Hardy’s dark brooding guitars, Cameron Adler’s funky bass, and Matt Best’s relentless rapid-fire drums. Unlike most bands releasing their sophomore debut, Tonight Alive are not afraid to stray from the grid work they laid out on All Shapes and Disguises.

The edgy opener “Revenge and its Thrills” begins with bone-chilling guitars, reminiscent of My Arcadia. “Revenge” is about breaking out and rebelling, willing to take a stand and unwilling to slow down. The beat of the song is heavy and calculating, definitely head-bang worthy. Although it is angsty and angry, it is vivid and memorable.

“Thank You and Goodnight” sees Tonight Alive revert back to their pop-punk roots. The song is lively and upbeat, bold in its message and honesty. Like We Are the In Crowd, Tonight Alive can be sarcastic but bubbly all at once. The song is charming in its audacity and amusingly catchy in its bittersweetness.

Tonight Alive are an ingenious up-and-coming Aussie band. If Tonight Alive keep pumping out material like Consider This, you can expect to see more of them soon.

Touring in Australia and California in the new year! For info, visit:

http://www.myspace.com/tonightalive/shows

Stream the songs:

http://www.purevolume.com/TonightAlive/albums/CONSIDER+THIS 

PWNZ Like: Metro Station, the Ready Set, the Monster Goes Rawrr!, Young & Divine

Larzz Principato isn’t new to the music scene—since 2009, he’s fronted the one-man band Show Me the Skyline. But as of Oct. , Principato’s decided to drop the stage name and become a solo artist. The 18-year old singer/songwriter has grown as an artist and released his first material under Larzz, the Shut Up and Dance EP, on Oct. 25.

For Shut Up and Dance, Principato moves from clean Stereo Skyline-flavored pop to a more daring and dirty party rock. Principato’s lyrics compare to those of Cobra Starship and All Time Low with their cocky audaciousness. Principato also incorporates more synth rather than raw guitar to his sound. Like Young and Divine, Shut Up And Dance is less-serious rock, focusing more on sex appeal than before but dancy all the same.

Principato is bold on the Metro Station-esque “Love You More,” trying to convince a girl that she is better off dating him than anyone else. “Love You More” is fun and fast-paced; Principato pulls out all the moves to try and get the girl. The song’s bouncy beats and glimmering synth are true to the album’s party-rock core.

“He doesn’t care to know you/

The way I’d like to know you/

He doesn’t care to show you/

The love I’d like to show you/

I could love you more/

I could turn you on/

We could have some fun/

While your boyfriend’s gone/

I could love you more/

When he loves you less/

Steal your heart from him/

Keep it beating fast,” Principato sings.

The title track “Shut Up and Dace” sees a careless Principato willing to forget his worries for a good time. The song’s beat is reminiscent to The Monster Goes Rawrr! and is fueled by adrenaline. However, Tiffany Giardina’s guest vocals are less than spectacular. The vocals are squeaky and unpleasant and don’t go with the song. But aside from that, the song is definitely jam-able.

If you’re looking for a PG-13 sugar fix, Larzz Principato’s Shut Up and Dance EP is the way to go. It’s worth a listen because it’s not stupid and predictable party rock—Principato’s music is fun-loving and undeniably catchy.

Download “Your Sister’s So Much Hotter” off of Shut Up and Dance and a Katy Perry cover of Fireworks (feat. Molly Moore) for free at:

http://www.purevolume.com/Larzz 

            PWNZ Like: VersaEmerge, Conditions, Innerpartysystem

            The Orlando, FL-bred experimental rock band There For Tomorrow have always had a DIY-mindset that self-released their first album, Point of Origin, and strove to set themselves apart from the often artificial and Auto-Tuned industry. The five members—vocalist/guitarist Maika Maile, backing vocalist/bassist Jay Enriquez, backing vocalist/ guitarist Christian Climer and drummer Chris Kamrada—have been playing together since 2003 and are always looking for ways to reinvent themselves and enhance their sound.

            On Oct. 19, the band released a remix EP, Recreations. Unlike most remix albums singer Maile produced the record, which TFT personally mixed (with the exception of two of songs). The end result was a vibrant, high-energy album. Instead of starting over on songs from scratch, the band built on the original songs, casting them in a new light.

            Although Recreations is a remix EP, TFT released a brand new song, “Small World.” Like most of the band’s material, “Small World” is intense and emotionally driven. Maile’s fierce, rhythmic vocals shine through as he sings of his frustration with society’s quick compliance of uniformity, too afraid to accept individualism and or dissenters. The electronics aren’t overused and don’t overpower the effect of the song. After an initially acoustic beginning, TFT burst into full-band mode. The song carries the band’s trademark heavy guitars and resonating, revitalizing drum beats.

“So let me go/
Somewhere where no one’s ever been before/
Light a fire/

A burning fire/
Let it get out of control/
Let me go/
Somewhere where everybody breaks the mold/
Paint a picture/
That’s bigger than your small, small, sad world,” Maile sings.

“Re:Deathbed” is not so much an altered version of the original song but instead it places emphasis on the lyrics. “Re:Deathbed” is haunting and harsh; TFT are open and straightforward. The story behind the song is extremely personal about dealing with suicide. The song’s beat sounds remarkably similar to Innerpartysystem’s remix of Cobra Starship’s “Hot Mess.”

For the most part, the Recreations EP is a success; most of the remixes are well crafted and don’t drastically alter the original songs.  But the Twerkwork remix of “The World Calling” seems to drone on aimlessly. It switches genres too often, so the song has no real structure or direction. The “Re:Stories” mix is fine until it nears it’s end, as the effects divert the attention away from the vocals, which is never a good thing.

Still, Recreations is an exceptional do-it-yourself remix EP.  There For Tomorrow is a creative and talented band that deserves more praise than it is receiving. Usually TFT produce headbang-worthy albums—well, now they can also get you dancing.

The band posted a free download to “Re:Stories”:

http://www.mediafire.com/?g3uaf99vxf1x9t0

You can stream “Re:Deathbed” on the band’s SoundCloud for free: http://soundcloud.com/therefortomorrow/re-deathbed/s-fBb5U

Catch the band playing select dates in the UK and Australia’s Soundwave Festival:

http://www.myspace.com/therefortomorrow/shows