4/4: A Zach Fraser Blog

Portugal. The Man

2009-06-14T19:03:00.001-04:00

Here's my article on Portugal. The Man for Creative Loafing.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/cribnotes/2009/06/12/portugal-the-man-plays-the-earl-on-saturday/

Portugal. The Man plays the Earl on Saturday

June 12th, 2009 by Zach Fraser in Music news

Portugal. The Man, Batata Doce and Noel Stephen. $10. 9 p.m. Sat., June 13. The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com.

Portugal. The Man does whatever the hell they want to when it comes to making music.

Ranging from alternative, to post-hardcore and even all the way to country — whatever the genre may be — these guys have the balls to make any kind of music that suits their mood. Touring in the wake of their fourh studio album in four years, The Satanic Satanist, the band proves that being prolific is their only priority.

“Honestly, I think we should be putting out more music,” lead singer Jouh Baldwin Gourley toldAlternative Press. “It keeps you thinking, keeps you growing and progressing. If you stop and let it sit for too long, I feel like you start to lose track of where you were going.”

Maybe it comes from their past experiences in bands (Anatomy Of a Ghost), their ambitious music endeavors, or the fact that three of four members grew up in Alaska. Regardless of the members motivations or influences, Portugal. The Man has gathered a cult following based on their live shows, dense lyrics and willingness to experiment.

The Satanic Satanist opens with, “Save me, I can’t be saved,” while the album’s closing line counters with, “I don’t believe.”

And that’s how it works for Portugal. The Man. They’ll sing about anything: faith, conformity within the music industry, even Hunter S. Thompson references. While other bands have started taking the easy road to fame and fortune by wearing the right clothes and singing radio-friendly songs that will garner them MTV air-time, Portugal. The Man has stuck to their roots by playing the music they want to make regardless of what anyone else thinks. And in the end isn’t that what it’s all about?

Portugal. The Man, Batata Doce and Noel Stephen. $10. 9 p.m. Sat., June 13. The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com.

Passion Pit review/preview ATL

2009-06-05T12:11:00.002-04:00

Check out my article on Passion Pit for the alt-weekly Creative Loafing.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/cribnotes/2009/06/05/passion-pits-penchant-for-disenfranchised-vocals-and-infectious-beats/#more-7658

Everything Must Go

2009-05-17T22:38:00.003-04:00

Taking Back Sunday have released another song of their new album, "New Again," out June 2.

The song brings some great passion and emotion out of lead singer Adam Lazzara as he sings, "You quote the good book when it's convenient."

One of the most clever and relatable lines I've heard in a long while.

Head over to their Myspace to stream the last song off their upcoming album, "Everything Must Go."

"Left Right Left Right Left"

2009-05-16T22:21:00.002-04:00

As if the band couldn't be more fan-friendly.

Coldplay have released a free live album that they recorded to show their appreciation to us, the fans.

Head over here to download "Left Right Left Right Left" and enjoy.

CD Shopping

2009-05-16T22:17:00.002-04:00

Just bought:

Vampire Weekend-"Vampire Weekend" (been streaming this for ages, finally got around to purchasing)

Cursive-"Mama, I'm Swollen"

The Devil Wears Prada-"With Roots Above and Branches Below"

Manchester Orchestra-"Mean Everything to Nothing"

Green Day-"21st Century Breakdown"

Blink 182-Live "B" side from 2002 show in Chicago

Here We Go Magic-"Here We Go Magic"

Coldplay-"Left Right Left Right Left"

Once CDs are fully digested I'll blog about them.

Love,

First Show Back!

2009-05-15T22:52:00.003-04:00

Blink 182 made a surprise appearance at Paramount studios last night to perform together for the first time since thier hiatus.

The band rolled through a 3-song setlist playing, "Rock Show","Feeling This" and finally ending with "Dammit."

The jokes, the fun and the overall "fell good" vibe the band used to bring was all present Thursday night.

For anyone who knows me or has read the blog before knows how monumental this is to me. I've loved this band since middle school and can't wait to see them on tour this summer.

"Rock Show"

"Feeling This"

"Dammit"

My Favorite Highway-How To Call A Bluff

2009-05-14T16:47:00.005-04:00

With the re-issue of My Favorite Highway's debut album "How To Call A Bluff" last week, I thought it was only appropriate to blog about them.

The quartet have been stirring up some commotion in the record industry for some while as they recently signed to Virgin records.

Although I'm usually not for major record labels, I am in My Favorite Highway's case. Virgin records has given the band a chance to re-release their debut album that flew under the radar due to distribution difficulties.

The CD's 11 songs pave the way for one hell of a ride. Lead singer David Cook acts as the backbone of the band as his crystal-clear voice brings every song to the forefront as "How To Call A Bluff" proves to be a great first effort from these Virgina natives.

Songs like "Bittersweet Life" and "Steel City" bring out the emotional side of everyone. Lyrics that produce witty, yet sappy punches are plentiful on these two, and every song for that matter.

My Favorite Highway are heading out on tour all summer long with bands such as: Ace Enders, The Cab, Person L(new band from Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line), The Secret Handshake and much more. Make sure to keep an eye on their dates as they surely will be stopping near your hometown.

Passion Pit

2009-05-13T22:38:00.002-04:00

Passion Pit have produced one of the most refreshing indie-esque sounds I've heard in a very long time.

The band blends the uplifting sound of electronica music with the smooth flow of the indie scene. Passion Pit, who hail from Cambridge, Mass. are surely on the rise with their debut album dropping Tuesday, May 19 on Frenchkiss records.

If you're into bands like Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, or others in this sub genre of indie music, make sure to head over to their myspace and stream "Moth's Wings," my favorite track of their upcoming album.

The Exclusive Interview with Gym Class Heroes' Guitarist

2009-04-27T16:06:00.002-04:00

Assistant A&E Editor

Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Photo by Abby Sanford

Zach Fraser: For a UT student who hasn’t heard your music, how would you describe your sound?

Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo: Um, I think I’d just say it’s rooted in hip hop but influenced by everything, that’s about the best description I can give you ‘cause it’s all over the place.

ZF: Very few bands can say they’ve toured with such a wide variety of genres. You’ve toured with The Academy Is… and Fall Out Boy and on the last tour with Lil’ Wayne and T-Pain, is there a genre you prefer to tour with?

DL-K: No, I mean, not necessarily. I would say I really enjoy touring with the Academy and Fall Out Boy because we know those guys so it’s kind of like going out with old friends. But I think every tour we go on is a new experience, we can take something away from each of those.

ZF: How has the crowd been reacting to the new album, “The Quilt?”

DL-K : Good. It’s been a really good reaction I think, especially on this last tour. We have done, like you said, arena tours before. We did that with the All American Rejects and Fall Out Boy but Lil’ Wayne was the first hip-hop arena tour we ever did and it was really cool to see the fans react really well, cause’ on tours like that there are a lot of people who don’t know Gym Class Heroes or maybe they’ve only heard “Cupid’s Chokehold,” so it feels good to win over new fans every time.

ZF: Is there a favorite song of yours of the new album?

DL-K: Um, I have a couple. I like “Live a Little” and “No Place to Run.” I really like “Live Forever,” it’s a really meaningful one too. But I think that answer changes everyday

ZF: On your Last album, “As Cruel as School Children” you had appearances from William Beckett of The Academy Is… On this new album you have appearances from The Dream and Busta Rymes, is that a testament to the direction the band is going in?

DL-K: I wouldn’t say necessarily, I think that those appearances we felt would work well for those songs so we got a hold of those people. Actually Busta Ryhmes heard the song we were working on while we were in the studio and Travis was in the studio and then he was like, “I gotta get on this, I gotta get on this,” so I think in that case even he wanted to be on the song and pursue that. I think people only make guest appearances on any song that we have, I think its more important to us that the song fits the person who’s playing with us rather than getting someone for the sake of getting a name with us.

ZF: I noticed a few college shows after tonight, maybe a handful, but not too much after that, do you know what the future entails for the band?

DL-K: I think we’re going to be writing for most of the summer and yeah, that’s the only plan right now which is kind of cool because I haven’t had a summer in like five years, so it’s kind of sweet.

ZF: You know the whole thing is going on with the music industry, how it’s changing, with online piracy and everything. As an artist, how does that affect your band and how do you view it?

DL-K: Well, financially speaking it takes away from the band because, you know not that bands really get that much off of record sales, but the record labels do. When the record labels lose money, then they start holding back on the money they allocate [to the band] but, in terms of people hearing the music I mean it’s really good actually because it allows more people to get access to our music so I think it’s kind of just changing the way that music works, which happens you know, every so often, you had tapes and CD’s and then CD’s with burning and after that came the whole digital revolution so I think it’s just a natural evolution of music. I think it’s good to find ways to evolve with it, which I’m sure will happen, but it’s a new thing so it’s a real transitional period for the music industry. But I’m still for what it holds in the future, because I think that people are going to start taking music into their own hands more and they’re relying less on labels which could be a good thing so we’ll see.

ZF: What bands have influenced you and the band as a whole?

DL-K: As a whole I’d say probably the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, the very very early Black Eyed Peas stuff, as far as me personally a lot of music has influenced me. When I was first getting into guitar I’d say bands like Green Day, Nirvana, the alternative music. And I think later in college underground hip-hop and hip-hop in general and at this point it’s whatever I think sounds cool, I listen to, I’m really into Muse, I think they’re amazing.

ZF: I know you’re on the record label Decadyance which is part of Fueled By Ramen which is in Tampa so is anyone going to be here from the record label tonight?

DL-K: Probably (laughs). I don’t know actually. But there was one of our friends I knew was gonna be here, but she can’t because she has to do some teaching stuff.

ZF: Has there been any differences in the college shows compared to a normal crowd that would buy tickets as is, have you noticed any differences in the crowd?

DL-K: Yeah, the transition between the Lil’ Wayne tour and this. It’s hard to tell differences in the crowd, but in terms of the overall show, these shows are a lot more intimate because we’ve been playing arenas. It’s kind of a little bit harder to connect with the individual people because there’s so many, but these shows are cool. They’re a lot more laid back and people kind of come to these shows I think like chill out and have a party mentality which is just really cool.

ZF: And finally, what do you expect from the UT audience tonight?

DL-K: Debauchery (laughs), madness, just a good time I hope. It’s cool ‘cause we’ve been playing a couple outdoor shows and spring is finally here so we’re coming out of the east coast where it still might be snowing, so it’s good to get out.

To hear the interview, make sure to tune into WUTT 1080 AM, or campus cable channel 95.

The Minaret Online Article

Uwire Link

UTunes: Plant Park Heroes Rock Campus

2009-04-27T15:57:00.001-04:00

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The second annual concert in the park continued in the footsteps of last year’s event, making the Gym Class Heroes show one of UT’s most memorable moments of the year.
The concert, which was funded and provided by student government and Student Productions, turned out to be entertainment for everyone.

Julissa Veloz, UT student and recent American Idol contestant, opened up the concert with a quick song backed up by two choreographed dancers.

Veloz’s quick performance lead into the true opening band of the night, Quietdrive.
The alternative-rock band from Minneapolis was well rehearsed and polished on stage as they entertained the growing audience of UT students. Quietdrive rolled through roughly a 5-6 song set list, ending with their fan favorite rendition of Cindi Lauper’s, "Time After Time."

After Quietdrive exited and an intermission, the unique sound of Chester French took the stage. Whether you loved or hated this band, they were quite entertaining. The eclectic range of sounds and over-the-top antics provided for great eye candy.
Chester French entered the concert with a bang asking UT students the question, "Are you guys ready to f***?"

This brought laughter and chuckles from UT students and was foreshadowing of what was to come from these Harvard alumni.

The band played roughly eight songs, a few of which were off their free album, "Jacques James Vol. 1: Endurance." Make sure to go to chesterfrench.com to download your free album, which features appearances from artists such as Lady Gaga, Diddy, Pharell and many more.

It’s safe to say that the UT crowd was beginning to become anxious with nearly 40 minutes of waiting time between Chester French and Gym Class Heroes sets, but as the sun set and more students flooded into Plant Park, Gym Class Heroes finally took the stage and the adrenaline kicked back in.

UT students began to go wild as the lights dimmed and the band entered playing, "Peace Sign/Index Down."

"Forget every f****** thing your teachers have taught you," shouted lead singer Travis McCoy as he took the stage.

At this point, if you were to look to the back of Plant Park it would seem as UT students were being evacuated out of the dormitories and into the concert as tons of students swamped the venue.

Gym Class Heroes continued to entertain as they rolled through a few more songs and into their breakout single, "Cupid’s Chokehold."

Once again the band humored and won students over as they preached, "scream like there’s a new president in this m*****f****!"

Gym Class Heroes had everyone in Plant Park on their feet as they continued to play crowd favorites "Taxi Driver" and "Clothes Off!"

Without a doubt, the best moment of the night was when GCH played their hit single, "Cookie Jar." As the intro to the song sounded, the light show illuminated a portrait of hands raised and fans cheering along to what seemed to be the UT audience’s favorite song.

"I like girls, they like me, they look so good, in they Seven jeans," the chorus goes. "Want you to be the one and my only, I want to be faithful, but I can’t keep my hands out the cookie jar."

As the band concluded their nearly 75 minute set list and left the stage, most UT students proved that they had never been to a concert.

Nearly half the crowd exited thinking the show was over to find the band come back on stage to play an encore.

Dumbfounded and embarrassed, the fans that had left sprinted back to catch the final act of the night to find the lead singer not present on stage.

Before you knew it, the crowd erupted and revealed McCoy in the middle of the crowd. A rock star amongst UT students proved to be all it needed for most girls as they mauled the lead singer as he exited the crowd and show for good.

I found myself several times throughout the show being absolutely blown away by Gym Class Heroes stage presence. They were truly sensational live, and, above all else, seemed to be having a great time playing to our campus.

While a lot of UT students may have never heard of Gym Class Heroes before last week’s concert, it is safe to say that the band is probably currently being played on many students’ iTunes. I know they’re on mine right now.

http://www.theminaretonline.com/news/utunes-plant-park-heroes-rock-campus-1.1728001

The Narrative

2009-04-23T00:16:00.005-04:00

What a sigh of relief it is to find a band like The Narrative.

A band that blends the intimacy of singer/songwriter lyrics with the smooth sounds of alternative music is really a rare, but great find now-a-days. These New Yorkers are stirring up quite a bit of commotion lately after being featured on absolutepunk.net.

What's their catch?

They're unsigned.

Jump on board and fall in love with this band before they get signed, I have a feeling a record company is right around the corner from signing them.

This Providence Breaks The Mold With New Album

2009-04-15T14:39:00.001-04:00

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Record label Fueled By Ramen is home to some of the biggest names in music today, but still manages to house one of the industry’s most under-appreciated acts, This Providence.

The Seattle natives are looking to finally gain the notary they deserve and make a name for themselves on a label that is home to bands such as: Paramore, Panic at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.

The third studio album from This Providence, “Who Are You Now,” is a collection of 13 songs that feature lightly-distorted guitars, falsetto choruses and longing-for-love, yet redeeming lyrics.

“Nothing Matters, I’m just chasing the wind,” hums lead singer Daniel Young. “If I can’t have you, darling.”

“Who Are You Now?” doesn’t break musical boundaries by any means, but serves strictly as ear candy, making it as contagious and entertaining as it is simple.

“Sure As Hell,” opens up the album with echoing and almost even eerie guitars as the band pronounces, “And as long as there’s a God in Heaven, I will want you.”
While the opening track fades away, the next song and single from the album, “Letdown,” jolts into your system and sets the pace for the next half of the album.
“My Beautiful Rescue (Renovated)” as the name explains, is ultimately a renovation of This Providence’s most famous song from their self-titled sophomore release.

To many fans surprise, the song fits in perfectly to the album and even gives the original a run for its money. More upbeat and lively than the mostly acoustic first version, “My Beautiful Rescue (Renovated)” is one of the highest moments on, “Who Are You Now?”

As the album begins to wind down, tracks such as “Sand In Your Shoes” change the pace of the LP and really showcase lead singer Daniel Young’s vocal range and abilities.
“Falling in love is easy to do with the wind in your hair and the sand in your shoes” Young sings. “And though it may hurt to have your heart broken in two, that didn’t stop me from falling for you.”

This Providence always seems to be the unsung heroes of the powerhouse record label that they are on. The fame and fortune of the other artists makes it very easy for smaller bands like This Providence to be lost in their shadows.

Only time will tell if This Providence and their third release “Who Are You Now?” will be the album that propels them into the limelight and gives them the credit they deserve.

Although the songs may not press the means of musical progression, the band has surely provided its audience with one of the best albums of 2009, containing songs that just sound great and are fun to listen to.

-The Minaret

Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends

2009-04-05T23:31:00.003-04:00

As of tomorrow I will be checking into a rehabilitation facility, my diagnosis: addiction to the familiar drug/band Coldplay.

That being said, I've been listening to a ton of Coldplay lately, not just early, "Yellow" or "In My Place" Coldplay, but their whole catalog in its entirety.

They say addiction to some things acts as a gateway drug, well I'm glad to say my addiction lead my to stumble upon the most recent and yet most overlooked album from the British rock act, Coldplay.

"Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends," the fourth album from the band has so much more to offer than meets the eye.

I will hands down agree with most critics and fans alike that say the album didn't produce that hit track or emotionally connecting song, but at the same time it offered musicianship, art and storytelling.

I didn't know, "Life in Technicolor," a song without lyrics, could make such a lasting impression and great start to an album in this day and age.

Songs like, "42," "Loves In Japan" and "Death and All his friends" have for the most part have been overlooked by many and I strongly encourage you to take another listen.

The rhythm changes and array of instruments on "Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends" are an eclectic mix, this we know, but they end up working out extremely well.

Some bands best works can be found in the cracks and seems of an artist's music catalog.

"Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends" may be a collection of "Deep Cuts," but true beauty lies beneath, so give this album another try, I promise it won't disappoint.

42 Live:

Life In Technicolor ii live:

M. Ward

2009-03-29T17:47:00.001-04:00

Rekindled love with this song. Great video from a great singer/songwriter.

Virgin Records

2009-03-29T17:39:00.005-04:00

How many bands can you find in the picture? (link to larger picture here.)

i.e. blimp in sky=Led Zeppelin

Answers.

...Music thoughts

2009-03-26T23:29:00.000-04:00

As of recently I have been going through a lot of cynicism when it comes to music these days.

Sure, there are great bands out there, but the problem that confronts us is the undeniable fall of the music industry. Only in times like today can bands such as brokenCYDE and Hollywood Undead survive.

I'm not stubborn, I know the way we consume music(and all our media for that matter)has taken a turn down the digital age road, but it doesn't help the fact that I don't like where music is at or what it has become.

The days of playing shows to get noticed are long gone and I miss them...badly.

As venues go bankrupt and are forced to foreclose, there is surely another .com that spurts up in its place to further the online music business.

Yes downloading music is easy and convenient, but what's lost in the process is everything that is good about music, the Cd art, the intimacy and the ACTUAL sound of the song not being washed away and reduced to .mp3 format.

I sometimes find myself thinking back at my earlier years and all the great Cd's that I grew up listening to. I can tell you what the Cd art looked like, who the band members were, every lyric to every song and the overall lasting effect the music gave me.

On the other hand, I sometimes find myself thinking if there will be any Cd's that I can sit back and reminisce on in ten years.

Don't get me wrong, there are good bands out there, no, there are great bands still, but when you reduce yourself to the instant gratification of downloading music the art becomes lost in the process.

One song here, one song there. You know you've done it, downloaded that one song and neglected the possibility of the whole picture, the album. Sure, you'll make bad purchases, but you'll also find those albums that will be ingrained in you forever.

Think about it, what if you were to have just bought Led Zeppelin's single, "Whole Lotta Love"? There's no argue that this is a fantastic single, but in the process of the quick fix of music, we lose out on what was to become one of the best records of all time, "Led Zeppelin II"

The online music industry is great in theory, giving us means to discover new great bands, but at the same time it gives means for bands like 3oh!3 and Cobra Starship the chance to not only get heard, but actually make it in the industry.

There is nothing real and worthy about two skinny emo kids singing about, "doing the Helen Keller." Oh yeah, and I'm from Colorado, I've TRIED to like these guys, there's just nothing there at all.

There once was a day and an age where playing in a band started actually by picking up an instrument first. Today, starting your own band begins at your local Urban Outfitters where people learn to be in a band for the fame, not the art.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, I'd agree with you on this, but for me, I won't reduce myself to this kind of music, I can not and will not do so.

There are so many good bands out there for the bad ones to ruin it for everybody, so I beg you, buy a physical CD, give music a chance and find something real in one of the lost arts of our time, music.

Thursday Brings The Best of the Week

2009-03-26T22:41:00.001-04:00

Zach Fraser

Assistant A&E Editor

Published: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Thursday Common Existence

Thursday has either been loved or loathed by critics since their beginnings, some media hailing them as the pioneers of the post-hardcore genre and other’s treating them as nothing more than a musical scapegoat.

The band is no stranger to being accused of falling into the abyss by the shadow their successful breakthrough album “Full Collapse” cast, but Thursday looked to rid the “washed up” stigma that plagues the band once and for all with their most recent release.

“Common Existence” is the fifth-studio album from the New Jersey natives and one of the hardest hitting Thursday records since the bands beginnings.

Make sure to catch your breath before you take your first listen to “Common Existence" because the only breath of calamity you’ll find on this album is in the fractions of seconds between tracks.

The first song on the album, “Resuscitation of a Dead Man” opens like a bullet flying out of a .22. The song draws on up-beat drums, hard hitting guitars and guest vocals from Tim McIIrath of Rise Against.

Lyrics from the entire Thursday catalog never seize to draw connections to the deepest of human emotions, and “Common Existence” is no different when lead singer Geoff Rickley expresses his inner-struggles on “Last Call.”

“Everything we build,” sings Rickley, “It falls apart, and the architect abandons us."

The rest of “Common Existence” follows in the path of highly distorted guitars, deep bass lines and sonic keyboards with key tracks such as “Unintended Long Term Effects” and “You Were the Cancer,” keeping your pulse straight through the rough until the 11-song album concludes.
For a band that has struggled against harsh critics and fans for the last eight years, it seems that the light at the end of the tunnel is finally shining trough for Thursday.

Rickley, who knows the battle is far from over for Thursday, confesses on the album that their common existence has been revived and the future may be uncertain, but is surely on the horizon.

“Can you feel a pulse? It’s been gone for so long, can you start it? Can you feel a pulse? It’s been gone for so long, let’s restart it.”

Neil Nathan - Do Ya

2009-03-19T11:04:00.002-04:00

I recently stumbled upon Neil Nathan at the end of an episode on my new-favorite show, Californication.

Neil Nathan, a musician based out of New York City blends folk rock with an edgy new take on songwriting.

The song that immediately caught my eye was "Do Ya," a remake of the classic song by Electric Light Orchestra.

The song can be heard at the end of episode 5, in season 2, on the hit showtime series Californication.

Also, you can stream the mp3 right here at Neil Nathan's Myspace.

More Blink :)

2009-03-18T13:53:00.004-04:00

Mark Hoppus, bassist/singer of Blink-182, recently updated his twitter about the songs he is going to rehearse for the upcoming Blink tour. He explains that this is not a set list for the upcoming tour, but is just what he's rehearsing today.

Oh man, I can't help but look at the set list and get excited for what's to come from the tour, album, and whatever the future of the band entails.

Mark Hoppus Twitter

Here's the pic:

2009 - The Year of the Reunion

2009-03-13T11:06:00.005-04:00

It seems that reuniting in 2009 is almost as trendy as auto-tune has become in every rap/R&B single as of late.

With bands like Blink-182, No Doubt, Phish, The Get Up Kids,(well, late 2008 carried into 2009) and Blur getting back together it seems that everyone is hopping on the band wagon.

The latest band to set aside past issues and decide to make music again is the members of emo/alternative Matchbook Romance.

The band which announced their indefinite hiatus in March of 2007 have posted a blog with details on their upcoming reunion shows.

Matchbook Romance released two albums and shared the stage with bands such as Chiodos, Yellowcard, and Sugarcult.

Haven't heard any of their music? Take a listen here on purevolume where you can download all 5 songs for free.

Fall Out Boy

2009-03-11T20:21:00.004-04:00

I don't want to hear it.

Whatever line that you're going to throw out at the band or any of its members has already been said, so take it elsewhere, because I highly doubt you have accomplished anything that casts a shadow as close to the band's accolades.

People's bitterness towards Fall Out Boy has become so redundant and overdone that it actually sounds as if those criticizing the band believe they can do better than the band itself.

So for this blog, let's compare your accomplishments against the bands. Then, it really will be apparent how out of place your accusations are.

--Everyone Vs. Fall Out Boy--

"Their music sucks."

OK. I dare you to make ONE song that has the lasting value and catchiness of any of their songs, I dare you. You're probably to busy playing one show a month at the local bar that only alcoholics frequent, so let's take this argument and throw it in the waste basket, because if you don't have a catchy song, you don't have anything.

"They changed their sound when they made it big."

Have you listened to the bands releases before From Under The Cork tree? Because if you have, then you'd know the singles form Take This To Your Grave like, "Grand Theft Autumn" and "Dead on Arrival" sound strikingly similar, strikingly. Also, their first release Evening Out With Your Girlfriend sounds like most first records would sound on a D.I.Y. record label like Uprising Records, the band could only go up from here.

"Fall Out Boy didn't pay their dues"

The band has been touring since 2001. 2005 was the year they made their breakthrough album. Four years is a lot of time to be sleeping on friends floors and riding in broken down buses, please don't bring this argument around anymore.

--Everyone vs. Pete Wentz--

*Tours the entire country in one of the most successful bands of our generation
*Plays in a band that has gone platinum
*Wrote and published a book
*Started and runs highly successful Clandestine clothing company
*Maintains and has signed multiple bands that have sold thousands of records to, oh yeah, his own label
*Runs a film company
*Has his own bass model
*Runs a night club in NYC
*Opened his own art gallery
*Married Ashlee Simpson
*Acted on One Tree Hill
*Created one of the only shows on MTV that actuallyplays music.

OK now, if you have a fraction of these accomplishments then let's hear your argument, because otherwise, sorry to break the news to you, he's done all of this in eight years which is more than you're probably going to accomplish in your whole life.

Now that I've typed up all these accomplishments, I really can see why everyone is so bitter.

But, next time while you're bashing the band on some music thread in a common self pity moment, Fall Out Boy will probably care less what you think, because hey, they're playing a sold out show tonight on the other side of the world and you're still living in mom and dad's basement.

Weekly Recommendation - Lydia

2009-03-08T20:31:00.000-04:00

Indie music attracts a certain brand of music consumers who love a raw and unique sound and loathe the instant gratification singles that are commonplace on the radio today.

Well, indie fans everywhere rejoice, for we have Lydia.

The Arizona natives have been stirring up quite a bit of commotion in the underground music scene for some while and are looking to leave their mark on the music industry.

A band that fuses reverberated guitars with a hypnotizing sound, Lydia takes pride in their chilling unpolished music.

Songs like, "This Is Twice Now" produce lyrics that ring spiteful when lead singer Leighton Antelman confesses, "It's never much when I sing about you."

Antelman's high-pitched voice is complemented by keyboardist Mindy White, who provides a harmonious tone that defines Lydia's distinctive sound.

Lydia, who released their sophomore album "Illuminate" early last year, looks to build off their loyal fan base on their first-ever headlining tour, "Illuminate Yourself."

Check out their website for upcoming tour dates in your area.

Upcoming Events - Spring Break (3/8-3/14)

2009-03-05T14:06:00.000-05:00

If you're not retreating back home or to a tropical paradise for break, make sure to catch some great live music this upcoming week.

Sunday(3/8) Britney Spears
St. Pete Times Forum, 8:00 p.m.
$36.75/$52.25/$95/$125/$250/$375/$500/$750

Monday(3/9) - KRS-1
Jannus Landing, 7:00 p.m.
$18

Tuesday(3/10) - Less Than Jake & The Expendables, 7:00 p.m.
Jannus Landing
$20/$22

Wednesday(3/11) - Stephen Pearcy
State Theater, 7:00 p.m.
$14

Willie Nelson
Lakeland Center Youkey Theater, 8:00 p.m.
$36.50/$56.50/$66.50/$97

Thursday(3/12) - The Florida Orchestra
Progress Energy's Center's Mahaffey Theater, 11:00 a.m.
$26/$29/$34/$42

Mason Jennings
Orpheum, 7:00 p.m.
$16/$17

New Kids On The Block
Germain Arena (Estero, FL), 7:30 p.m.
$25/$35/$45/$65

Friday(3/13) - Craig Owens, Ace Enders, Gay Blades, Versa Emerge
Orpheum, 7:00 p.m.
$13.50/$15

Pat Green
The Dallas Bull, 7:00 p.m.
$9.95

Andy McKee
Jannus Landing, 8:00 p.m.
$12

Saturday(3/14)- David Allan Coe
State Theater, 7:00
$18

The Wholigans: A tribute to The Who, Sin City, Ascension
Jannus Landing, 7:00 p.m.
$16

The Lee Boys
Jannus Landing, 9:00 p.m.
$9

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

2009-02-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Belated!

Connor Oberst, the singer/songwriter mastermind behind the band Bright Eyes celebrated his 29th birthday earlier this week. I took this not-so newsworthy information and used it as an excuse to blog about one of the best songwriters of our generation, so here we are!

A man that has been hailed as the "next Bob Dylan" (although I wouldn't go that far) has been writing some of the most unique and intriguing material for the past decade. The man who seems to eat, sleep, and breathe music has been in and out of bands since he was 13 years old. Acts that range from The Faint (Early years), Desparecidos, his solo projects, and his most notable musical vehicle, Bright Eyes, all bands have provided Oberst with the means of publishing his poetic lyrics and stories.

And where do I begin with Bright Eyes?

A band that functions as Oberst's respiratory system has made a name for itself chugging out some of the most thought out and lyrically dense songs that our generation has seen.

Often labeled as "emo," Oberst has made a reputation for himself showing his highest moments and then also his lowest throughout his career.

On 2002's LIFTED or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground, Oberst puts a smile on the listener's face with such uplifting lyrics such as:

"And I came upon a doctor, who appeared in quite poor health, I said, 'There's nothing I can do for you, you can't do for yourself.' He said, 'Oh, yes you can, just hold my hand, I think that that would help.' So I sat with him a while and I asked him how he felt, he said, 'I think I'm cured, No, in fact I'm sure of it, Thank you stranger, For your therapeutic smile.'

But at the same time, Bright Eye's Finest hour, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning shows some of the most disturbing lyrics in "Poison Oak" when he confesses,

"The sound of loneliness, makes me happier."

Yes, the contrast in lyrics, moods, and emotions expressed in a Bright Eyes song have almost become synonymous with Oberst.

But is that necessarily a bad thing?

The music that Conor Oberst has made is not the bubble-gum pop you hear on the radio nor the catchy single you see on MTV. The lyrics might not always be pleasant and uplifting, but that's the way life is, and that's why Oberst has been so successful.

He ventures into a side of songwriting few artist's like to go, it's not the easiest route, but the emotional spectrum in a Bright Eyes album is what makes their music so meaningful and intriguing.

It almost sounds as an odd contradiction to say that in Oberst's deepest and darkest moments he puts together some of his best work, but that's just the way it is.

The Legend of 182: A Blink to the Past

2009-02-19T10:21:00.001-05:00

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Blink-182

For those who have been living under a rock for the past 15 years, you might not have heard the name “Blink-182”, but for the rest of us, the band’s name probably strikes a chord somewhere in the memories of our youth. So let’s take a journey down Nostalgia Lane and relive the wondrous years of “Blink-182” to better appreciate the future of the most talked about band of 2009.

“Cheshire Cat” (1994)
“Blink-182” had released a number of demos in years prior that would later be re-released, but technically speaking, “Cheshire Cat” is the band’s first studio album. An album that is punk to its core, the CD highlights the sounds that would define “Blink-182” for the rest of their career. Immature jokes, quick ballads and up-tempo songs are all common ground on their first release. Although the album is unpolished (as most first albums are), “Cheshire Cat” is an album that is overall a good first release that paved the way for the band’s future.

“Dude Ranch” (1997)
“Dude Ranch”, the second studio release from Blink, saw the band start to receive more attention with roughly 1.5 million copies sold. The album’s most popular single, “Dammit” gave Blink a touch of commercial success and showed the band’s promising future. Other key tracks on the album are “Pathetic” and “Josie,” which are entreatingly catchy. Even though the album wasn’t necessarily considered their breakout album, most die-hard Blink fans swear by “Dude Ranch’s” sound as it separates the early years of Blink from their more commercial years.

“Enema of the State” (1999)
After original drummer Scott Raynor was asked to leave the band, Travis Barker stepped in for his first album with “Blink-182”, “Enema of the State”. An album that most people will forever remember as the album that catapulted “Blink-182” into the mainstream, their third studio album resulted in huge commercial success for the band with singles like “What’s My Age Again?”, “All the Small Things” and “Adam’s Song.” All three songs resulted in extremely successful music videos that saw an enormous amount of airtime on MTV’s prominent TV show “Total Request Live”. “Enema of the State” further strayed away from the raw punk sounds of their earlier demo’s such as “Flyswatter” and “Buddha” and stepped in the direction of their signature pop-punk sound that defined a generation and paved the way for bands for years to come.

“Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” (2001)
A clever play on words, don’t you think? If the title didn’t give it away, this album followed in the footsteps of inappropriate and crude jokes that are just downright hilarious. Songs like “Happy Holidays You B******” are strikingly offensive and, yet, addicting and enjoyable. “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” was yet another successful release for Blink with singles. “The Rock Show”, “First Date” and “Stay Together for the Kids” all received huge amounts of radio play.

“Blink-182” (2003)
Blink’s fifth studio album saw a departure from the pop-punk sound of their previous two releases and showed a more mature side to the group. Although different, the album was received well by critics and most fans. Songs on the self-titled “Blink-182” showed more meaning in the lyrics and experimentation with different instruments. “Feeling This”, “I Miss You”, “Down” and “Always” were the four singles chosen from the album, which scored a huge success on radio and TV station. “Blink-182” was the last studio release before the band announced their indefinite hiatus in early 2005.

“Sixth Studio Album” (Summer 2009)
As confirmed recently at the 51st annual Grammy’s, “Blink-182” has made their heavily anticipated return to the music scene and plans to record new material and tour in the summer of 2009. “It’s not really a reunion,” said singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge in a live video feed Sunday night. “It’s a continuation…we are picking up exactly where we left off.” The band, which took nearly a four-year hiatus, is currently working on their sixth studio album with a release date set for sometime later this year.
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Blink 182 Reunion Confirmed

2009-02-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Blink-182, arguably one of the most influential rock bands of the last ten years, confirmed Sunday night that they will be reuniting to record a new album and tour by summer 2009.

"We used to play music together and we decided we're going to play music together again," Blink-182 said at the 51st annual Grammy's. "Blink-182 is back."

The rock-trio that parted ways in late 2004 due to personal issues within the band released five albums to date and has affected a whole array of people, ranging from children to adults.

"I grew up listening to Blink 182," Junior Ashley Moore said. "Their music is so easy to relate to, especially the more personal songs like, 'Stay Together for the Kids' and 'I Miss You.' I'm really excited to see what they will produce next!"

Although the dates for new material or a tour have yet to be released, the band's website, Blink182.com has confirmed the future is near.

"Hi. We're Blink-182. This past week there've been a lot of questions about the current status of the band, and we wanted you to hear it straight from us. To put it simply, We're back. We mean, really back. Picking up where we left off and then some. In the studio writing and recording a new album. Preparing to tour the world again. Friendships reformed. Seventeen years deep into our legacy. Summer 2009. Thanks and get ready…"

Band Names

2009-02-12T12:27:00.001-05:00

This post on Creative Loafing was brought to my attention earlier today. (Thanks Charles.)

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacalling/2009/01/25/bands-named-after-other-bands-songs/

I thought it would be interesting to mention some bands that the article forgot to mention.

1.) Death Cab for Cutie - Bonzo Dog D00-Dah Band (yes, real band name.), "Death Cab for Cutie"

2.) Deep Purple - Peter DeRose, "Deep Purple"

3.) Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Cap'n Jazz, "Scary Kids Scaring Kids" (The band searched on Napster for a strange name for the band. Well guys, you got one.)

4.) The Get Up Kids - From The Cure's "Suburban Get Up Kids"

5.) The Killers - Named after the fictional band's name in New Orders "Crystal" music video.

6.) Envy on the Coast - After an old song title lead singer Ryan Hunter developed for another band.

7.) Dashboard Confessional - Name from lyrics to the bands own song, "The Sharp Hint of New Tears." On the way home/This car hears my confession.

8.) A Day In The Life (Original Hawthorne Heights band) - The Beatles, "A Day in the Life"

9.) The Wall Flowers - Named after Bob Dylan's "Wall Flower." (Wallflowers lead singer is Bob Dylan's son.)

10.) Hellogoodbye - The Beatles, "Hello, Goodbye"

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Here's a few more bands that took their name from literature and popular novels.

1.) The Doors - Lead singer Jim Morrison's obsession with English Poet, William Blake inspired the band's name. Blake said, "If the doors of perception are cleansed, everything would appear to man as it truly is, infinite."

2.) Genesis - The first book of the bible

3.) Our Lady Peace - 1943 poem from Mark Van Doren.

4.) Soft Machine - From the title of William Burroughs’s novel.

5.) Steely Dan - The nickname for the giant steam-powered dildo in William Burroughs’s "Naked Lunch." (No, I didn't make that up either.)

"Isn't it great to see the Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder back together again."

2009-02-08T22:55:00.000-05:00

You had to know that the first thing out of these guys mouths together since late 2004 would be a joke. Didn't everyone feel the same way? The Jonas Brothers were absolutely horrendous as usual, and who better to agree with me than Blink?

Welcome back boys. The waiting begins for summer 2009.

New music.
New tour.
Exactly what I asked for in my blog earlier this week.

Easily the best news story in years.

Houston Calls

2009-02-08T17:11:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night I went and saw Houston Calls play the Orpheum with Artist vs. Poet and Valencia.

Now, I've loved Houston Calls for sometime now. Their catchy hooks and contagious chorus' are just a few reasons why the band has frequented my iTunes top 25 most played for quite some while.

As of recently, my good friend, Dan Diaz has stepped in on the tour to play lead guitar for the band. Between the free entrance, free cd's, or the numerous brewski's, my friend provided it all. Dan stepped in and helped the band play a nearly flawless set. The 8-song set moved the crowd all over and around. Songs like "Life Won't Wait" and "Exit, Emergency" had everyone humming along.

The concert was an experience in itself, drinking with the band, watching a great friend of mine play guitar, and of course, the music.

I'd like to give a big "thanks" to my good friend Dan Diaz for the festivities, it surely was greating seeing ya old buddy.

And for anyone who hasn't seen them live, or worse heard their music, I strongly encourage you to give them a listen. I know you'll be hooked.

http://www.myspace.com/houstoncalls

Blink 182 - We're Getting Closeeeeeee

2009-02-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

It seems that we keep getting closer and closer to a Blink 182 reunion.

I don't mean to get your hopes up, that is, at least no more than mine are today.

After Travis Barker's near fatal plane crash a few months back, the San Diego triplet reconciled as much as the needed to start talking again. All three members have stated that they are all speaking close to daily now, and rekindling the fire that they once had together as friends.

Now, let's not jump to conclusions. Blink went on indefinite hiatus in early 2005 as problems started to brew between band members: Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus, and Travis Barker.

But, the last 4-6 weeks have brought about hopeful statements from all three members of the pop-rock band. Mark Hoppus, vocalist and bassist has made numerous statements on his blog, HiMyNameIsMark.com speaking about Tom and their road back to becoming friends.

All this talk makes knots turn in my stomach with excitment and anticipation. Especially now more than ever.

Today, a PR statement released that the trio would be making an apperance as presenters to the 51st Grammy awards. This will be the bands first public apperance together since late 2004/early 2005.

Who knows what lies ahead for Blink. But, I'll tell you this much, one of the biggest influences and roles Blink had on everyone was the undisbutable friendship that the band stood for. Ballads and anthems about teen-angst, break ups, and the compainonship the three shared made Blink one of the easiest bands to connect with. Surely, if they were to reunite, friendship and comrodoity would have to ensue, but, I'm asking for more.

I don't want a reunion tour only. I want the band back, full-time, with new music. The band is young enough to keep chugging along making songs, they even stated that they felt the band dispersed in their prime. Let's be honest, we don't want a reunion show, we want a CD followed by a full fledged tour.

And finally we want to see that Blink 182's status no longer reads 1992-2005, but 1992-present.

Surely, that would make us all smile.

--Zach

2009-02-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

Sub-Par Super Bowl Commercials Anger Fans

Average advertising leaves viewers wanting more

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Photo Illustration by Max Roberts

Whether you watched for the game, the festivities or the downright social aspect of it, the Super Bowl this year seemed to fall a little stagnant and prove this year to have many ad flops.

Oddly enough, two brothers who entered in a Doritos advertising contest made the commercial that seemed to get the most positive feedback. Joe and Dave Herbert gave the Super Bowl audience a great laugh in their, “Snow Globe” commercial where two office mates asked their future to a snow globe, being rewarded with free Doritos. Not only do they have a great commercial to look back on, but also a not too shabby one million dollar reward for winning.

Another commercial that entertained audiences was the Coca-Cola “Picnic” advertisement. The minute long commercial featured all sorts of bugs and insects depriving some man napping in the pack of his beloved Coke. The computer animated commercial was ever so appealing to the eye which made it a success.

Pepsi’s advertisement used Bob Dylan’s song “Forever Young” as the backbone to their refresh everything slogan. Although the commercial meant well, I highly doubt that Bob Dylan’s counterpart in the ad, Will.I.Am will lead anything close to a revolution like Dylan’s musical career. All and all though, it was a fun commercial that is riding the coattails of Pepsi’s past success with their Jimi Hendrix Super Bowl advertisement.

GoDaddy.com. I get it. Sex sells, I’m a 20-year-old male in college; no one gets that better than me. But, believe it or not, most of us have younger siblings that we’d like to shelter for just a little bit longer.
Priceline continued with their awful advertisements featuring William Shatner. Shatner gives a struggling couple something to be excited about when he gives them a great deal on a vacation. The plot doesn’t sound too bad, but the over-the-top acting and hideous “Priceline Negotiator” jig makes nails on a chalkboard sound more appealing. And William Shatner, does anyone dislike him as much as I do?

Not necessarily bad, Budweiser followed in their own footsteps with making more commercials including their signature Clydesdales. The commercials which have had success in the past are starting to become a little bit to overdone and hopefully next Super Bowl we’ll have a different direction with Budweiser’s advertising.

To me, the most interesting thing about the Super Bowl commercials this year was not the awful ones nor the great ones, but the movie teasers, which seemed to stir up the most commotion.

Teaser trailers for the new “Fast and Furious movie, new Will Ferrell movie” and new Pixar movie seemed to make everyone excited. Not to mention, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” surely to be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters.

Overall, the Super Bowl commercials were average this year, leaving room for much debate as to which was the worse and which was the best. Super Bowl XLIII did give us though is anticipation for next year’s commercials, in hoping that they improve, greatly.

2009-02-05T13:44:00.000-05:00

Springsteen Bruces Up Tampa Super Bowl Halftime Show

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Photo by Oscar Algote/flickr.com

This year’s Super Bowl has come and gone once again. The clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals was entertaining to say the least, but this year’s game will need to leave room in the books for an asterisk, reading only this: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band.

The band Journey opened up the Super Bowl pre-game event with their new lead singer, Arnel Pineda, performing their hit “Don’t Stop Believing.”

Although it was a really good performance, the song choice couldn’t help but underline what every loyal Journey fan was thinking, “Don’t stop believing that Steve Perry, the original lead singer, will someday sing with the band again.”

Faith Hill sang “America the Beautiful” and Jennifer Hudson, in her first live performance since her family tragedies, sang the National Anthem.

According to MTV.com, Super Bowl Producer Ricky Minor requested that Hill and Hudson lip-synch to pre-recorded tracks of the songs they were supposed to be singing.

“That’s the right way to do it,” Minor said. “There’s too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”

Although lip-synched, both performances were very good in their own right, and it was truly moving to see Hudson get back on her feet after a horrible year.

Springsteen performed the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show.
For the entirety of the set, the 59-year-old legend strutted around the stage only justifying why his persona name is simply the “boss.”

They started off the halftime show with, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” followed with “Born to Run,” both of which are off his break-out and third studio album, “Born to Run.”

As the set progressed, the “Boss” ran right into his most recent single and the title track for his latest album, “Working on a Dream.”

And when fans thought it couldn’t get any better, they were all given shots of adrenaline when the intro to “Glory Days” was strummed so loud you couldn’t help but dance around.

Crowd interaction, knee-slides, jumps, smiles; everything was there during his performance.

The one thing that any aspiring musician should take away from Springsteen’s performance during the Super Bowl is this: enjoy what you do.

Today, stage performances can be described as overdone, redundant and trite. Springsteen and the E street band were neither of those on Sunday.

If there can be anything said about the “boss” and his performances, it is that he not only throws amazing performances, but you can actually tell he loves what he does.

Nearly every second of the halftime show was filled with contagious Springsteen emotion.

Running around, grinning from ear to ear, dancing, crashing into camera men, you name it, the “Boss” proved why his name has become synonymous with the best concerts around.

Of course, it is a given, when Super Bowl XLIII is brought up five years from now, people will rant and rave about a great game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals.

But, I believe that somewhere in that conversation, Springsteen’s name will be brought up, whether it is for his stage performance, the songs he played or the overall affect he had on the viewers watching, that can be contemplated.

But this is for certain: Bruce Springsteen and the E-street Band have officially etched their names in Super Bowl history.

Rihanna & Snoop?

2009-01-31T19:14:00.001-05:00

In the last two nights I have attended two concerts, although this may be strange for a lesser music enthusiast, this is nothing out-of-the-ordinary for myself I assure you.

What strikes me as unusual has been the two artists I've gone out and watched, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg.

Rihanna and Snoop Dogg? Really...Me?

Oh yes, the Superbowl madness that Tampa is offering my campus right now is off the charts. And free tickets to these celebrity musicians was something I was not going to pass up.

First, Rihanna. Wow, the name says it all. She might be the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid my eyes on. The haircut, the tattoos, her swagger, everything blew me away. Strangely enough, the music did too. I'll admit it, I have a guilty pleasure when it comes to her music, as I have been caught humming Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum ever so often. But she really was the example of a entertainer. Not only did her voice match up with what she's put on record, but she looked like she thourghouly enjoyed being there, which I did not expect. Who knows what goes on behind these radio-friendly singers, are they all milli vanilli's in disguise or are they real musicians. Most probably have everything written for them, lyirs, music, get-up, everything. Regardless, Rihanna was 100% a perfomer, which whatever you may think, is a huge part of a concert. Her strut, her crowd interaction, everything was amazing. Getting these tickets for free proved to me that I actulaly would have paid to see her. Never thougth I'd say that.

Now on to Snoop. "Snoop-a-loop! Bring your green hat!" What can be said about someone so prominent. He lived up to everything you would imagine, 45 minutes late(smoke singals anyone?), an iced-out microphone, and great tunes. Snoop strolled around the stage like he was from Tampa, successfully holding everyone in awe. Songs like "Gin & Juice", "Who am I", and "Still a G Thang" gave anyone in the crowd with asthma serious problems breathing with the presence of so much...well, smoke.

Who knows, in a day in age where bands like All Time Low and Metro Station reign kings in the genre I once loved, maybe my musical boundaries needed to be pushed just a little bit further, so Superbowl, thank you for that.

2009-01-27T13:45:00.000-05:00

Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash Gets Ready To Rock Tampa

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Super Bowl Sunday: Football, parties, food, beer and music.

Some say that the Super Bowl and all the festivities that surround it make up the epitome of America, and as Super Bowl XLIII approaches, not only do we have the anticipation of the clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals but also the live music that will be providing viewers with a little uplift to their spirits, just in case the game isn’t quite going the way they had hoped.

The voice behind NBC’s, “Waiting All Week for Sunday Night,” Mrs. Faith Hill will open up game day by singing “America the Beautiful.”

The country diva will be the fourth person in the history of the Super Bowl to sing the song, making it certain that she will perform to her upmost ability.

One of the biggest headlines surrounding game day has been the artist singing the national anthem, Jennifer Hudson. After a difficult and trying year following the deaths of her mother, older brother and nephew, the American Idol contestant will be returning to the limelight to sing what will surely be an emotional national anthem.

And, of course, what would one of the biggest sporting events be without a great half-time show?

Bruce Springsteen, the “Boss” himself, will be gracing this year’s Bridgestone halftime show with, get this, the entire E-street band.

For those who don’t know, the New Jersey native is one of the most note-worthy singer/songwriters of all time with hits like, “Dancing in the Dark” “Born in the U.S.A.” “Glory Days” and “Born To Run.”

Jersey fans may have been let down this year, seeing the Jets, Giants and Eagles all fall short of the Super Bowl, but Bruce Springsteen is as close to a redemption shot as they will see come Super Bowl XLIII.

So whether you’re tailgating with your friends and family, sitting around the living room watching the game or stumbling around a bar, this year’s Super Bowl will have enough performances from actual musicians to make the anticipation for the game just a tad bit more bearable.

2008-10-26T17:08:00.000-04:00

Jack’s Mannequin Bares All In New Album

“Glass Passenger” musician to perform in St. Pete

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

“The Glass Passenger,” the latest release from Jack’s Mannequin, chronicles the battles and struggles singer/songwriter Andrew McMahon experienced in his successful battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The album is something extremely rare and special in its entirety.
McMahon reveals his lyrical genius once again in making “The Glass Passenger” a musical memoir confessing the struggles we hope to never have to face.

“Beat my body like a rag doll; you stuck the needles in my hip. Said ‘we’re not gonna lie son, you just might die. Get you on that morphine drip, drip.”

Lyrics such as these, although not as metaphorical as most on “The Glass Passenger,” are just a glimpse at what life on the wrong end of a diagnosis can entail.

One of the most entertaining attributes “The Glass Passenger” offers is the privilege to tap into such a personal and emotional issue of McMahon’s life.

This leads to not only musical satisfaction but a complete and utter appreciation for your life, truly showing how volatile it can become at any moment.

At first, I tried to compare “The Glass Passenger” with Jack’s Mannequin’s first and highly successful release, “Everything in Transit.” After much criticism, skepticism and such on both releases, I’ve realized that to compare these two albums falls short on all means of comparison.

They are indeed as night and day as they come.

Sure, piano rock is the common theme throughout, but there is much more here, I assure you.

Jack’s Mannequin’s first release had the upbeat California rock associated with McMahon while “The Glass Passenger” progresses to a more mature and meaningful sound also synonymous with McMahon.

“Everything in Transit” offered more of a CD full of singles, while “The Glass Passenger” gives you the overall experience of a complete album.
The maturity and progression from the first album to the second makes a musical statement many bands are afraid to make today.

Songs like, “Spinning” is sure to win listeners’ hearts over with its contagious chorus.

While slower and more melodic songs like, “Annie Use Your Telescope” will connect with fans on a completely different level.

The first single off the album, “The Resolution” is gaining radio play and positive feedback daily.

The song moves along while McMahon preaches, “Yeah I’m alive, I don’t need a witness to know that I survived, I’m not looking for forgiveness” making anyone who listens surely smile instantly.

Jack’s Mannequin proves that quality over quantity really does matter as “The Glass Passenger,” their second release, showcases their musical abilities with such precision and detail that it is surely influential on all bands out there today.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5.

Make sure to catch Jack’s Mannequin at the state theater this Sunday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

Supporting acts include Treaty of Paris and Eric Hutchinson.
Local alternative rock station 97x will be there promoting the show all night, so come by and check it out!

For more information on upcoming shows visit www.jacksmannequin.com.

To listen to tracks from “The Glass Passenger” visit www.myspace.com/jacksmannequin.

2008-10-13T23:00:00.000-04:00

“Early Love” Surely to Brighten Your Day

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Line-up changes, touring issues, and label conflicts are about as much any band can tolerate from the ruthless record industry today and I assure you, Brighten are no strangers to these commonplace difficulties.

Most bands when faced with these hardships implode and call it a day on the very demanding music business.

I’m glad to see that Brighten has persevered through all of these obstacles, proving that their stint on the scene has more to do with the music and less with riding the bandwagon of Urban Outfitters and MTV airtime on “The Hills.”

Brighten open up late 2008 with their EP, “Early Love,” a successful attempt at providing us all with catchy choruses, melodic interludes and love ballads that don’t run dry after the first listen.

Yes, a lot can be said about the direction indie-pop has taken in the last two years; the genre has almost become synonymous with emotionless, trendy, and flat.

“Early Love,” on the contrary, works toward bringing back the sincerity and heart to the music we all miss.

Brighten begins their seven-song EP with “Carolina,” an infectious ballad that surely will be in the back of your head throughout your day.

It’s a warm and uplifting track where the chorus reverberates throughout the song.

“Early Love” doesn’t waste any time in the next few tracks, all showcasing Brighten’s central theme: love.

Whether it’s their ups or their downs, they’re all here on “Early Love.”

Track number four, “We Are Birds,” is by far my favorite song on the EP.

The song is a simple cry of love which comes out, well, very cute (trust me, I searched for many words other than cute that would better show my masculinity, but it really is just that).

“Swing,” the track directly following “We Are Birds,” changes the pace and mood of “Early Love.”

It shows a different side of the band with its hard sound and unsympathetic lyrics such as, “You’ve got that kiss of death and I’m not attracted to alcoholic veins.”

Overall not a bad song and I do appreciate the attempt of an unforgiving song guys, but seriously, killed my happiness buzz.

Let’s stick with less distortion and more cheerful lyrics please.

The last two songs on “Early Love” put the warm sentiment back into your blood stream with “Love Me Honestly” and “What She Really Wants” nicely wrapping up the roughly 23 minute long EP.

The performance on “Early Love” by Brighten puts a smile on your face and a longing for love in your life.

The overall effect might not only come in listener satisfaction, but in anticipation as well for a band definitely to watch in 2009.

I’d give this CD a rating of 4.5/5. For more information on Brighten and to listen to tracks from their latest album “Early Love,” visit http://www.myspace.com/wearebrighten.

Zach can be reached at zfraser@ut.edu.

2008-09-21T16:24:00.000-04:00

Underoath Gets Lost In Their Sounds of Separation

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Updated: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

After many trials and tribulations throughout the past couple of years, Tampa Bay natives, Underoath came out swinging with “Lost in the Sound of Separation.” It is a complex, melodic and intense album sure to further solidify them as veterans of the hardcore genre.

Underoath’s fourth full length release, “Lost In the Sound of Separation” strays away from the bands poppy/screamo sound on “They’re Only Chasing Safety.”

The new album progresses more towards the harder sound of their last album, “Define The Great Line.”

One thing that loyal Underoath fans will most likely recognize on “LITSOS” is how Spencer Chamberlin once and for all takes near complete control of the mic, proving that his screams are the backbone of the band.

Although not quite as prevalent as in the past, Aaron Gillespie still provides clean vocals, but puts most of his efforts into drumming throughout the album.

“LITSOS” opens with the song “Breathing in a New Mentality” a shot of adrenaline that surely will wake you up.

Chamberlain confesses, “I’m the desperate, and you’re the savior!”

He was most likely referring to the problems and struggles he had with substance abuse over the years, as well as his deep love for God.

The album follows by setting the bar high for other bands and setting the volume even higher. Even at its slowest points, the album makes “They’re Only Chasing Safety” seem like a calm walk in the park compared to this all out sprint.

“A Fault Line. A Fault of Mine” is a great track showcasing the benefits of having Chamberlain and Gillespie sing together, providing a wonderful harmony of shrieks and pristine vocals.

“The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed” lets guitarist Timothy McTague and James Smith shine throughout the song, providing deep riffs and high distortion.

Further down the track list is Underoath’s first single from “LITSOS,” “Desperate Times Desperate Measures.”

This song gives Underoath a single that is very accessible and listener friendly while still providing the raw sound of the band that everyone knows and loves.

Near the end of the album my favorite track “Too Bright to See Too Loud to Hear” gives us a slower side of Underoath.

Screamer Chamberlain actually gives his clean vocals a shot on this track and actually does very well.

Him and Gillespie combine beautifully throughout the whole song until the very end, where the calm vocals explode into an all out war of screams and shrieks.

Overall, Underoath has released an album that should satisfy fans and soar above their expectations.

“Lost In the Sound of Separation” shows how Underoath has progressed over the years to become one of the most ambitious groups out there, while staying loyal to their fans and their hardcore roots. They prove that they are indeed at the top of their game.

For more Underoath, visit www.underoath777.com.
Also listen to tracks at www.myspace.com/underoath.

Zach can be reached at zfraser@ut.edu.

Article Link

2008-09-21T16:12:00.000-04:00

This year I'm going to try and update this blog with my album reviews, interviews, etc. I haven't been successful at all in the past at doing this, so you can check out all my past articles here in the archives of the minaret:

Archives: Zach Fraser (A & E)

I'll post all new and current pieces to this blog as they are published.

Thanks,
Zach

On Writing

2007-08-15T00:07:00.000-04:00

"The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time. The four twentieth century writers whose work is most responsible for it are probably Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson, and the poet Dylan Thomas. They are the writers who largely formed our vision of an existential English-speaking wasteland where people have been cut off from one another and live in an atmosphere of emotional strangulation and despair. These concepts are very familiar to most alcoholics; the common reaction to them is amusement. Substance abusing writeres are just substance abusers--common garden-variety drunks and druggies, in other words. Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit. I've heard alcholic snowplow drivers make the same claim, that they drink to still the demons. It doesn't matter if you're James Jones, John Cheever or a stewbum snoozin in Penn Station; for an addict, the right to the drink or drug of choice must be preserved at all costs. Hemingway and Fitzgerald didn't drink because they were creative, alienated or morally weak. They drank because it's what alkies are wired up to do. Creative people probably do run a greater risk of alcoholism and addiciton than those in some other jobs, but so what? We all look pretty much the same when we're puking in the gutter."

-Stephen King

The Blood Brothers-Huge Gold AK-47

The Blood Brothers-Street Wars, Exotic Foxholes

Brighten-Ready When You Are