The most prominent and notable characteristic of this latest album (and perhaps Devo’s music in general) is their striking blends of multi-layered synthesizers, heavy back beats, hand clapping, and experimental electronic frequencies. Each song has a slightly or drastically altered combination of these techniques, contributing to the album’s holistic identity while still allowing for substantial differentiation between tracks. No Place Like Home is the most dynamic and sophisticatedly constructed track on the album; starting with what sounds like a heart monitor then dipping into a refreshing piano section that swells with soft-synth effects into a mystic, echoing combination of keyboards and lyrics that introduce the song with the herald “a song of truth and beauty for you.”

Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo’s lead singer and co-founder, has a quirky, David Byrne-esqe quality to his vocals that contribute to the bands deadpan humor, that when coupled with the electronic, dance-beat background music creates the distinct, and off beat attraction to their brand of social commentary. In Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man), Mothersbaugh sings of the working man/woman’s ambition for more exposure to authenticity while condemning the sense of burden felt as the result of the universal problems they feel helpless to control. Amongst shouts of, “Don’t Shoot! I’m a man!”, the bass-heavy, synthetically dubbed background levels with, but does not detract from the pleading lyrics. This comparability between what seems to be light hearted, dance-tempo instrumentals and the almost monotone delivery of substantial, socially conscious lyrics defines the trend that Devo has embodied as their unique combination between content and musicality.

Aside from the how catchy each song is, the quality that contributes to their danceability has also opened an invitation to the band members to use a song’s background beat as the track’s staple and allow for the degradation of lyrical quality and quantity. The albums starting track, Fresh is an example of what is musically one of the strongest tracks but lyrically weak. However, I would not consider this to be a significant down side to the album because as previously mentioned, there are tracks on this album that sufficiently balance the saturation of synths, beats, and verbal relevance.

By Lacey Smalldon

Kenny Greeley – vocals
Andy Bell – guitar
Brandon Stewart – bass
Alan Bell – drums

What was the reasoning behind naming your band The After Party?

We wanted something that was fun and easy to remember, and who doesn’t love after parties?

How would you guys sum up your experience as a band thus far?

It’s been amazing! We have met some really awesome people, and have had the opportunity to experience things that most people will never experience in their lives!

You guys are going to be touring with Rookie of the Year and School Boy Humor on The Most Beautiful Summer Tour. What are your expectations?

We expect to have the best summer of our lives, and to get a nice tan on the beach! This is the first time that we will be on the road for more than a month, so we will get to learn what life on the road is all about! We can’t wait to go out and meet every single one of our fans.

What are some short term and long term goals for The After Party?

Short term goals are to continue touring as much as possible, and to continue writing great new songs! Our long term goals are to hopefully get signed to a major label, have our album distributed internationally, and to make a comfortable living solely from making music!

How important is keeping in touch with your fans?

It’s very important! Without your fans you’re nobody. Sometimes we get behind, but we try our best to stay in touch with everyone!

Where do you guys usually write your music? Do you find it easier at home or out on the road?

A majority of our music is written when we are at home. We do work on ideas on the road, but we get distracted too easily when we’re traveling.

What would you say The After Party’s message is that you are trying to convey through your music?

We try to write fun, catchy music that everyone can relate to on one level or another, and allows all the ladies to shake their money makers all night long.

Final words?

To everyone who has ever listened to our music and supported us in any way, we love you! To everyone who has not, it’s about time you jumped on the band wagon to see what all the fuss is about.

Be sure to check out their Myspace and see if they are stopping at a city city near you on their summer tour with Rookie of the Year and School Boy Humor. A check out their music video for their song Come On, Come On below!

The concert took place at the Newport and when I arrived there were hardly any people there…and I arrived an hour or so late. I went into the pit to watch Sing It Loud and there was an abundance of empty space between me and the other people around me. This was the first time I had ever seen Sing It Loud but not the first time I’ve heard of them. While some members of the band didn’t radiate an excited aura, their bassist and lead guitarist really stepped it up and showed the crowd that they were there to have fun and do what they love. They were a pleasure to watch and I wish more people would have been there to experience it.

When A Rocket To The Moon took the stage, the crowd became slightly larger but there was still free room for me to sway around without hitting someone if I so pleased. I had seen A Rocket To The Moon in concert two times previous and loved every second of their sets. Tonight, though, there was something off. I don’t think they played with as much energy or enthusiasm as I was used to. The music was impeccable but they were not attention-grabbing and I feel as though they could have been more personable. Everyone has their bad days though, right?

I then left the pit after their performance and walked out to the main area as Fun. was setting up their equipment. When I walked back in they had started their first song and the crowd had now tripled in size. Lead singer Nate Ruess and guitarist Mike Schey were previously in The Format before they announced hiatus in February 2008. Many people were greatly anticipating their set and for good reason. I can honestly tell you after watching them play live they are one of my top favorite bands. They had such an energy and quirkiness to them that you couldn’t help but be completely enthralled into the music.

Finally, it was time for the headlining band to make their way to the stage. The crowd had nearly doubled from the size that it was for Fun. and the pit was packed so there was absolutely no elbow room. I opted to move to the railing beside the pit so I had a good view of the stage. Lead singer Justin Pierre came out followed by the rest of his band and you could tell by the look on his face that they were ready to give the audience the best show of their lives. Without any introductions they went straight into their first song. By the end of it the room was hot and steamy from the masses of people completely letting go to the music. At the end of the night I was sure of one thing. Motion City Soundtrack had the most flawless set list that I have ever heard. Some songs they played included L.G. Fuad, The Future Freaks Me Out, Pulp Fiction, Even If It Kills Me and for the encore, Everything Is Alright.

Since I was in middle school I had always wondered what going to a rock show would be like. In the fall of 2009 I started going to concerts and started experiencing for myself what I had been anticipating for so many years. I thought I had a good idea of what a successful show was but I was proven wrong. Motion City Soundtrack’s performance was something that I could have never anticipated or have prepared myself for.

All in all, the show was something that I never expected it would be. My expectations were blown through the roof as I stood and witnessed one of the most spectacular performances that I have ever seen. Even as time has passed, Motion City Soundtrack has been able to retain their talents and personality that has gotten them to where they are today.

Written by:
Becca White

I had a chance to interview John (JG) and Stephen Gomez (SG) from The Summer Set while they were in Columbus on May 7th for the AP Tour which is  sponsored by Alternative Press Magazine. I was able to ask them about their views, their music and their past and future tour experiences.

What are all of your names and what do you do in the band?

SG – My name is Stephen and I play bass.
JG – My name is John and I play guitar.

You guys very recently just played Hoodwink Festival and Bamboozle in New Jersey. What was the experience like and why did you choose to cover Taylor Swift for Hoodwink?

SG – It was awesome.
JG – It was unbelievable. It was so much fun to be able play someone else’s songs, like someone who you respect a lot. We just got to hang out on stage so it’s not like—
SG – We didn’t have to like rock out.
JG – Yeah, we just got to play good songs which is really fun! And Taylor Swift? We are all just die-hard, head over heels for her. So, I mean, it was a pretty easy decision.
SG – It’s cool doing it too cause you learn. Like when you play other people’s songs you learn things about music yourself. It’s definitely a good learning experience.

You guys also have your first summer on Warped Tour this year. What are your expectations for it?

JG – I’m trying to go into it with no expectations because I don’t know what to expect.
SG – Everyone says, you know, that it’s really hot and really hard but say it’s like the most fun you’ll ever have. Well, I guess I’m kind of expecting a little of both at the same time, but I know it’s going to be kind of rough at times. I’m looking forward to it.
JG – So it’s a dream to know that we can play it.

How’d you guys get involved with that? Did they ask you or did you contact them?

JG – Yeah, pretty much! They offered and –
SG – Yeah, they asked us to play and obviously we were like “Yeah.”

In the midst of all this touring, has there been new music being worked on?

JG – Yes. Our favorite place to write is on the road. I think that’s where most inspiration comes from. At home, you’re kind of just in your everyday life, hanging out with friends. I think touring, and being on the road, and traveling around…I don’t know. I find it a lot more inspirational on the road than I do at home.
SG – I like both. I think each breeds each it’s own different kind of song. Both are good. Oh! And we are working on some stuff.

Is it going to be any different than Love Like This?

SG – A little bit. It’s still really melodic, poppy stuff so-
JG – We are going to try to be more of a band. A little less production and a little more how we are live.
SG – Just be more of a rock band.

What has this tour experience been like and how do you think it has been beneficial to you all as a band?

SG –  I mean, getting to play in front of really good sized crowds every night is obviously going to help any band.
JG – On top of that we were a little worried because we were coming out on a tour with three buses and like how it was going to be having a bus versus a van, like is everyone going to be like rock stars or are we going to have a fun time? But everyone’s been like a huge family on this tour, like we are so close to everybody.

How important do you think staying connected with your fans is?

JG – Very important. They are the reason that we make music and the reason that we can keep making music.
SG – They are the reason why we can travel and do any of this. It’s awesome.
JG – We’re really thankful.
SG – And it’s awesome that it’s easy to stay in touch now with things like Twitter or different social networking sites.
JG – And I hope people like us for our band – not just to come and get a picture with you. Like that’s fun and all, but all and all I hope people like the music and we’re not just like a circus act. We’re not just like a petting zoo.
SG – I don’t want to feel like an animal people are staring at – a monkey in a cage.
JG – We’re just kids.
SG – I hope they liked our music first and through that -
JG – Learned about us.

Who have been some of your biggest influences in music?

JG – I’d say Third Eye Blind is huge. Third Eye Blind is the first record I ever bought.
SG – Yeah, definitely. When you grow up you start of listening to one thing, that leads you to another thing. The stuff that I first started influencing me as an artist definitely isn’t –
JG – Blink 182 was huge.
SG – …It’s definitely what made start wanting to play music. Like do I necessarily listen to Blink when I am writing a song now? No. But everything kind of builds on each other and everything that you listen to and have been influenced by–
JG – It opens up to new things.
SG – It opens up to new things and little traces of it come out in your music. But, I mean, I think everyone’s music tastes changes over the years.

For the most part every band has a message that they are trying to communicate to the listeners through their music. What would you say The Summer Set’s message is?

SG – …..I don’t know. I mean, I feel like every song has its own message. As band we love what we do and we hope the people enjoy our music and have a good time with it.
JG -  And mostly with our live show we love having fun, just fucking around.
SG – And hopefully kids have fun too.
JG – And hopefully kids have a good time…I don’t know. Our message is just trying to be real. I think like, being secure with our insecurities and writing about our insecurities and writing about everyday life. Things that we’re uncomfortable with and things that we love. Just different experiences.
SG – Yeah, there’s no one thing. Like, I can’t really be like “This band represents good times and sex, drugs and rock and roll!”. We’re all different and we’re all individuals.

So I saw you guys on Halloween with Cartel-

SG – Oh God!

Ha, yeah! I was kind of confused and asking myself “Why is that guy not wearing any clothes?”

JG – Oh. My. God.

So going off of that, why did you guys decide to dress  up as hicks and call yourselves ‘Northern Surrender’?

SG – We just thought it would be so funny because we are not like that at all. We’re not like gun-toting conservatives!
JG – Gun-toting, meat-eating, Bush-loving conservatives! We thought it was just funny to act like that.
SG – It’s fun to be the exact opposite of who you are! That’s what Halloween is…I guess.

If you guys didn’t decide to pursue music as a career, what do you think you would be doing right now?

SG – I’d probably be in college…you know…doing that thing.
JG – I guess college? I just never really thought about it.
SG – I was in college for a little bit though so I’m pretty sure that’s what I would be doing.
JG – I’m pretty against Plan B’s…backup plans. I think if you want to do something then do it.

Like ‘live  in the moment’, sort of?

JG – Exactly! Like if you have something you want to do, there should be no reason for you to have a backup plan. If you want to do something, you’ll do it. Simple as that.

And I have some fun questions.

JG – Okay,
SG – Cool!

Biggest pet peeves?

SG – Loud noises before ten in the morning -
AP Tour Camera Guy – What up, dudes!?
Hey!
SG – Hey! But yeah, that really bugs me. Whenever Brian’s just fucking screaming at like eight in the morning I’m just like “Ugh, I’m so tired”.
JG – Uhm, I don’t like people being negative. I don’t like negativity. I think there is no reason to be negative. I mean, there are certain times you’re going to be down and stuff like that, but I just don’t like it when people are not thinking about the positive side of things. Like for example, when Brian [lead singer] broke his foot, we could have been like ‘Oh wow, we jump around and go crazy live all the time like he does, this is going to suck. The kids aren’t going to like it, the kids aren’t going to have fun anymore’. But we looked at it like this is an awesome thing, this is a good thing, and we are going to learn how to be a band in a different way. We’re going to have to learn how to have him stand still, this is going to be awesome and we’re going to be better because of it.

Who would you say the funniest member of the band is?

JG – Josh!
SG – Josh! Josh is funny and he doesn’t even try to be funny. Just the shit he gets himself into and the things he says.
JG – He gets himself in really weird situations.
SG – And he doesn’t even realize what he says.
JG – He’s just really funny.

Craziest tour story?

SG – Craziest tour story? Oh God…
JG – I’d say about a year and a half ago we ended up crashing a wedding. We were at a hotel and this wedding reception was going on and we just dressed up and went there. We acted like  we were a part of the family.
SG – Jessica and Dave’s wedding?
JG – Jessica and Dave’s wedding. I said I was one of Dave’s college roommates from way back when at UD. I found out what college he went to and that was probably one of the funniest things that have ever happened to me.
SG – That was definitely the craziest thing I’ve ever done.
AP Tour Camera Guy – What about this tour?
JG – This tour? Hmm, I don’t know.
SG – You’re birthday was pretty fun.
JG – My birthday was crazy. The best thing about it was everyone had a crazy time, it was probably one of the most insane nights of the tour, but at the end of the night I was like “This was a great birthday guys!” and everyone was like “Wait…it was your birthday?” I was like “Well…yeah. It was,” No one had any idea it was my birthday which made the night a lot more genuine to me. It was just like hell yeah, it was just a good night that happened to be on my birthday.

Final words?

JG – Come hang out with us! We hope we make more and more friends and fans.  We hope it always grows and more people want to join the club.
SG – Ha, join the club…
JG – I don’t know. We just want to meet as many people as possible and play for as many people as possible and, I don’t know, we hope we can let people loosen up for thirty minutes a day if they come and see us, and have a good time.

Thank you guys!

JG & SG – No! Thank you!

Be sure to check  out The Summer Set on Van’s Warped Tour this summer and go pick up  a copy of their first full-length album Love Like This in stores now.

Photo by Spencer Williams

Written by:
Becca White

On stage frontman Scott Lewis beat his chest and spewed hate for the world as a vein in his forehead pulsatted in sync with drummer Shawn Cameron’s light-speed double bass work in such a way that I half-expect it to burst at any moment, covering the crowd in gallons upon gallons of his loathsome blood.  Guitarist Cory Arford and Ryan Gudmunds shreded their way through the band’s debut single, “Lie To My Face,” and asthe song reaches it’s utterly savage climax and the relentless blast beats and drop-C chugging begin, Lewis’ vocals slip into the kind of deep gravelly growl reserved for gargoyles, minotaurs, and the gigantic demon from Fantasia; and then, without any warning, the music stops, Lewis draws in a deep breath of the silent, molasses air through his tattooed throat and curdles out a four word avalanche of vicious emotion, “lie to my face!” To this day, I’ve never heard anyone go that low.  I was hooked.

Nearly two years later, Scott and the boys are back with their third album, Hell Chose Me, and very little has changed.  Scott’s growls are as low as they’ve ever been, his screams still sound like he stole a banshee’s voice box, and the lyrics are still unapologetically vindictive.  Ryan and Cory are still shredding through the kind of ferocious riffs that make Kerry King quiver and chugging through foundation-shaking breakdowns; and Cameron’s hyper-technical percussion work still feels like an explosive test on fast-forward.  But, it’s not what stayed the same that makes Hell one of the best deathcore releases in months; it’s the overall complexity of the album.

There seems to be this terrible movement within the hard core scene where the goal in each and every song is to bullshit your way through to the verses in an attempt to build up to the epic breakdown, each one being heavier and boggier than the former.  I call it “brOOtal syndrome” and it’s an epidemic that claims even the most reputable and virtuosic death metal and metalcore bands; and it’s not that the breakdowns aren’t important, it’s just that too much importance is placed upon it and the rest of the songwritting process suffers.  So, in the midst of this myspace-ready plague, Hell is a breath of fresh air.  The super down-tuned “Beethovencore” riffs on tracks like “Entombed Monarch” and “Dead Archetype” are a testament to a refreshing revivalist movement towards better guitar-work throughout the entire song and the post-breakdown bass groove “Names Mean Nothing” is a clear indication of some very positive cross-genre experimentation.

When you get to bass tracks, Carnifex’s continual production of uber-brutal breakdowns may be a strong suit on Hell, but it’s the band’s refusal to buy into the maelstrom of bullshit currently surrounding the scene.  Bottom like: if Hell chose Carnifex, Hell chose right.

Written By:
Kevin Lindsay

The title of the album itself, to this author, is an obvious reference to their altered reasoning inherent within the album’s music.  It is a reference to the death of “traditional psychedelic” (or maybe more accurately drug-music), that has followed with the switch to the glittering new style of the likes of MGMT, Animal Collective , a handful of DJs, and to a lesser extent Radiohead.  It is no secret that hippies and rockin’ rollers alike have now accepted, and gladly assimilated with the world of electronica. To the extent that hippies rarely support traditional psychedelic-rock nowadays, the indie crowd has taken up that duty.

Upon reading the questioning title of the album, I thought BJM would then follow up with a form of tuneful psychedelia similar to that on their first 9 albums (or so), that being an awesome display of classic rockin’ roll psych.  However, they did not do that at all (it should be noted that their previous album, My Bloody Underground, was a failed attempt at intense -garage-punk-metal something or other, which was also inconsistent with their traditional style, however, it was still a straight-up rock album).  Here they have brought forward an album that instead says, “Sure, we’ll try this electronic, rave’ish stuff out; how about this?”

The first track, “Temop 116.7 (Reaching For Dangerous Levels of Sobriety),” emerges with a gleefully pounding beat, immediately one can tell this isn’t what one would reason it would be.  The song has eastern undertones, yet has an electronic sound, which comes off as if it should be played at a rave.  It, like many of the songs in this album, is without vocals.  It closes out quietly and with class.

Then emerges the second track, an especially well named song, “The Heavy Knife.” It is both intense and heavy, unusual sounds wail in and out, it is unquestionably violent – yet somehow ready to party.  It pounds with electronic syncopation.  This song goes in tandem with its successor, “Let’s go Fucking Mental.” This song is pleasantly lo-fi, yet still electronic and large.  The title of the song is aggressively repeated for most of the number, save on comical exception, in a way that lies on the line between anger and just a raucously good time.  It’s a song not best understood in a sober mood, to be sure.

In fact there is a prevalence of anger within the album, yet I wouldn’t dare deem it an angry album. For indeed there are more genial sounds within this album then irritated ones, but the latter just seem to stick out more due to their unexpectedness.

Songs like the opening track or the later occurring “Detka! Detka! Detka!”, which is happy right off the bat and combines amiable sounds of Indian origin with raw instruments, in one of the albums only non-electric songs(it is, nonetheless, still an obvious dance number).  Then there is maybe the album’s gem, “Super F*****”, a song with a formidable walking bass beat (almost hip-hop like), again with, yet no paired with wide acoustic guitars.  It also has something else I was waiting for from BJM, a tambourine pleasantly holding the time throughout!

It seems they were at a their happiest when incorporating eastern influences, and at their most vexed when they fully dived into the electronic sound.  However, there were a couple tracks that held to neither dictum, and are just plain experimental, at least for BJM.

They are at their most experimental and out of their box with songs like “This is The First of Your Last Warnings (Icelandic)”, a shockingly poppy song with atypical female vocalists, that indeed does sound highly European.  It’s a great electrified jam-groove, and I couldn’t help but think, “this is what the Disco Biscuits should sound like.” Also, the second to last track, “Feel It,” is a thumping club song with little variation that just builds and builds with these fuzzy, euro-pop, hook-like vocals floating in the background.  It’s weird, but, it’s undeniably good, especially if you feel like moving.

On the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s myspace page, under ‘Influences’, it simply reads “ACID.” Well, after listening to “Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?” it is apparent to me they went to Europe and took some ecstasy along with their LSD to record this one.  It’s an album that incorporates a lot of different new sounds for the group; it is also one of those where if you didn’t tell someone it was an album, one might believe your iTunes was on shuffle.  It’s a comment on the psychedelic and drug-music realm, post the death of the classical rock style.  Is it a dancing celebration of that death or a Mad-Max like view of the way things are headed? I think neither.

“Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?” is BJM confirming they can indeed enjoy, and also create some of their own of, the contemporary alteration of their beloved musical genre.  And in doing so they created one of the best albums within their discography.  However, the last song is a 10 min piece that splices a pleasurable and mellow grand piano soundscape with clips from interviews with John Lennon and others.  It can be seen as saying, “Don’t be afraid people, it’s still us!”

Written By:
Sean Poynton Brna
seanbrna@gmail.com

A while ago, I  had a chance to do an interview with upcoming pop rock band, Disco Curtis before they played an acoustic in-store. Members Tanner Howe (TH), A.J. Novak (AN), Garrett Perales (GP) and Brendan Barone (BB) took some time to sit down with me and discuss them, their music and their futures.

I’m here with Disco Curtis at Brio in Polaris. Could you guys tell your names and what you do?

TH - I’m Tanner and I sing and play guitar.

AN - Hi, I’m AJ and I play drums and tambourine.

GP – I’m Garrett and I play guitar.

BB - I’m Brendan and I play bass!

How long have you guys been playing music?

TH - We all have been playing music since we were very young. I started playing guitar when I was about ten but I started out on piano when I was about four years old. Then I met this guy (motions to AJ) and we started jamming together and stuff.

AJ - And I’ve been playing music since I was ten as well. I started off on pots and pans for a year until my parents would buy me a drum set and then I played that. I was also classically trained in percussion and drum line.

GP - I’ve been playing guitar since I was about eleven and then I met these cats in seventh grade.

BB - Uh, I’ve been playing guitar since I was about ten and I switched over to bass when I was about a year and a half ago.

Cool. So what a lot of people have wanted me to ask you guys is how did you get the name Disco Curtis?

TH - Well we got the name Disco Curtis from a guy we knew that was a Disco Master. He was like a disco drummer/dancer/instructor in the 1970’s and we actually met him; he’s a friend of ours now. But we named it in honor of him. He’s an older gentleman.

And how did you guys all come together to form Disco Curtis?

TH - We were in other bands before. Those bands kind of fell apart over time and we wanted to do something new and exciting and different. So I had this vision to do Disco Curtis and then AJ and I started jamming together. Then Garrett came in and then Brendan came in and it all just kind of fell into place. We started recording songs.

I went to go see the OP Presents tour in Columbus. How was that tour experience for only being together a year and playing with Boys Like Girls?

TH - It was really cool! Um, I mean, we’d had opportunities to open for bands like that but not as much in new areas so it was cool to get out of Texas, Oklahoma and branch out and play for new crowds. It was great. It was a great opportunity.

AN - Yeah it was perfect to get to go into these new markets where we’ve never played for any of these kids. At least in the capacity of thousands of people so it’s just like this rush of ‘I’m getting to meet all these new people at once’ and it was incredibly exciting. And now whenever we return to those areas we have great people we’ve met there before that will come out to all of our shows in the future. It was just a very, very good thing for our band and it was just a fun experience.

TH - And we’re thankful. It was just great that they took us out like that.

AN – They were all really really nice too. They were great people and it was great that they let us play with them.

BB - Yeah, it was definitely a fun experience to play with some of our favorite bands and actually get to meet them. Especially since they are all just really real guys. So it was cool.

When did you guys know that you wanted to be in a band for a living?

TH - Well AJ and I had talked about being in a band. We talked about being in a band before we were actually in one. When we were in fourth grade we thought it was so cool; the idea of being in a band.

AN - We would draw pictures everyday of our band, but we never played music.

TH - We drew stick figure pictures of us in front of these huge crowds and you make a bunch of little circles and they are all the heads of the people.

AN - Then all the kids would gather around and be like ‘What is this?’ and we’d say ‘It’s our band,’

TH - Yeah, it’s our band. We would just draw pictures of ourselves playing for people but we never actually played. Then when we started actually playing instruments and did cover songs, wrote some really terrible songs…

AN - It was a lot of Blink 182 and Green Day.

TH - We did a lot of cover songs of Pop Punk stuff and then I guess whenever we were…like we knew we wanted to be in a band but we actually started playing and jamming a lot in kind of like fifth and sixth grade, and we started to really get into it. By freshman year we started to play music that actually sounded like music.

AN - And the thing is, Disco Curtis has really made our dream a reality cause until then we always wanted to be in a band or play in a band but we weren’t really doing things right. Then with Disco Curtis we saw that we could actually do this; people started getting interested and we started learning how to actually be in a band. We learned that is was more than the music side. We learned the business side and promoting. We were like ‘Wow, I actually think this is going to become a reality and a profession,”

TH - And we started Disco Curtis just our senior year.

BB - My junior year.

TH - Yeah! Summer before our senior year we were like ‘Yep, we really want to do this. I don’t want to go to college and we’ve only got one year. Let’s do this!’

AN - Once we all kind of made the decision not to go to college and we somehow managed to get [Brendan] to graduate high school a year early, which was a big adventure as well. Once all of us were out of high school and decided not to go to college it was like ‘This is it; it’s what we’re doing.’

What should your fans expect to see from you guys in the future?

BB - Bigger things.

AN - They should expect to see us! The more that we grow we are not going to change the way that we treat them. One of the biggest elements of our band st the interaction with our fans; we rarely use the word fan, we use the word friend. Because even if that’s corny, we just really strive to achieve a real relationship with all of them so it’s not that base level of a fan. We like to hang out with them. We always hang out with them before and after every show; you’ll never see us leaving a show early. We stay there until the last person is gone. We never want to change that about our band.

TH - We’ll keep putting out music and doing bigger shows, but no matter how big the shows get we’re always going to hang out with people.

BB - I think that’s the coolest part too. As we keep going with this journey called Disco Curtis and we keep getting bigger it will be cool to remember the people that were there from the beginning. If it becomes a fad to like us or something it will be cool to remember the people that have been there since the start. It’s always cool to see those faces and stuff.

TH - I remember being 13 or 14 years old and went to shows, looking up to the bands. I just want to be able to do that same thing for someone else because I remember how big of an impression it made on my life. Like I was talking about meeting Boys Like Girls when I was a young little boy, a young lad. I remember meeting Dashboard Confessional for the first time. I remember that I thought it was so cool that he stayed and talked with everyone, so we want to be like that same thing. Hopefully we have some kind of impact.

Any last words?

TH - Wow, uhm, I just wanted to say thanks to all of those who have supported us. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them.

AN - We love you!

Perfect. Well, thank you guys for joining me!

AN - No, thank you!

Disco Curtis has recently signed to Interscope Records and has been picked to play on the Vans Warped Tour this summer. I would suggest visiting their Myspace to listen to some of their songs and to check out their new music video for the song “Ashley”!

“Ashley” Official Music Video

Disco Curtis (NEW VIDEO/BLOG!) | MySpace Music Videos

Written By:

Becca White

1. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

While I had dabbled into Phoenix’s previous material, it took them this album to finally win me over. From beginning to end, these songs shine brighter, and dig deeper into the soul than anything else I listened to this year. This is an indie album at heart, yet it is easily accessible and creeped into the mainstream. A masterpiece I only like to consume in its entirety if possible, the album takes those who listen on a journey to their inner workings. Congrats Phoenix, you’ve joined the big boys.

2. Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

2009 was the year of the kings. While being a successful band all over the world, they had not achieved mainstreem success here in the states until this album. Even though technically it was released in 2008, it exploded all over 2009. so we will let it slip through the cracks. You can hear the soul pouring out of singer Caleb Followill’s mouth as he sings the lead single “Sex On Fire”. And after the radio play it got, it is hard to assume they are living like anything less than kings.

3. Muse – The Resistance

Muse is poised to be the next big band in the world, and with The Resistance you can hear that they are almost there. With each album they put out they stray slightly more toward an arena sound that works for them. A hugely ambitious record, this is the first where Muse really develops sonically. They brought in symphonic and electronic elements to flesh out their already huge dark soundscapes. 2009 solidifies their status as rock gods. They spent the year touring with U2 and playing the VMA’s, which exposed them to millions. There is nowhere to go but up from here.

4. 30 Seconds to Mars – This Is War

I always get scared when I hear albums being described as “epic”. This usually translates into “boring” for me. So when I saw the reviews of 30 Seconds to Mars latest offering, I was a little skeptical. Luckily I gave it a chance, because it blew me away. The band managed to take that huge arena sound and keep it interesting, filling the album harsh guitars, big electronics, and singer Jared Leto’s soaring vocal hooks. They even had a guest appearance from rapper Kanye West. Despite having the actor turned rock start stigma, Leto has finally created an album that lives up to his acting career.

5. Set Your Goals – This Will Be The Death of Us

If punk is dead, then no one told Set Your Goals. This Will Be The Death of Us is an amazing punk album that recalls the punk scene of the early 90’s. It’s hard not to hear traces of NOFX or Pennywise riddled throughout, and it comes off as refreshing. The dual vocals blend smoothly and the music is played fast and hard. With support from all their idols, punk could very well be the next big thing.

6. Passion Pit – Manners

Electro – indie newcomers Passion Pit have captured the scene with their debut album. The disc is just such an easy listen. Manners was way to pretty to be ignored. The songs evoke thoughts of floating through clouds and open meadows in the spring time. Despite the beautiful music they have created, one must wonder how many drugs Passion Pit had to take to create it.

7. Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster

Lady Gaga is the weirdest sensation of 2009. It was strange to see a pop start with real talent and a unique style. She dominated the media this year, and became a household name everywhere. The best part is that her music matches her outlandish behavior. This isn’t your typical pop record, and the songs are as interesting as she is. The production of the songs keeps everyone dancing, while her dark lyrics and crisp melodies keep the listener on the edge of their seat. Questions is, can she handle the fame?

8. Brand New – Daisy

Few bands can reinvent themselves like Brand New. Daisy starts with Jesse Lacey screaming his lungs out on the first track, Vices, and doesn’t let up much afterwards. You can feel the man’s pain and anger with so much clarity throughout this album. Proving that there are still a few gems in the “emo” genre, they created a piece of art that anyone who has been hurt in the past can feel.

9. Say Anything – Self Titled

Say Anything is back with a vengeance! After releasing 2007’s over inflated double disc album, In Defense of the Genre, they return with a more concise set of tunes. This seems to work to their advantage, as they noticeably trimmed the fat. There is no filler on this record. It seems to channel their older, more accessible work. Noticeably absent from the record are the curse words that singer Max Bemis used so frequently. Even though he toned down his foul mouth, he managed to keep the album full of the tongue lashing songs the band is known for.

10. After Midnight Project – Let’s Build Something To Break

Sharp hooks, and vocals to match made this debut from After Midnight Project cut through the crap of ‘09. Their sound contains tinges of My Chemical Romance pre Black Parade, and mixes it with pop sheen. The production is spot on, and seems to be almost a member of the band. This sometimes makes me wonder if we are listening to After Midnight Project, or producer John Freldmann himself. Either way, this is a band to watch for in the future.

Written by:

Evan McKeever

1. Clothing so attention grabbing that if the colors were any brighter they would be blinding.

2. Wild hair that seems unkempt, but in all honesty it took hours to style that way.

3. Crazy techno party beats are so infectious they stay in your head for days on end.

So what is it that sets Cash Cash, a band with new popularity from Roseland, New Jersey, apart from the rest?  If you wanted to judge them by their appearance, there is nothing that makes them unique among the many other people who play the same type of music as them.  They have the bright colored clothing, the crazy hair and wear the skinniest of skinny jeans.  But if one wants to judge them by their music, they could definitely find something that makes them different.  When I first heard about Cash Cash the first thought that came to my mind was, “No doubt I will like them, but they won’t be anything different from what I already listen too.”  If you know me, I love finding stuff that is off kilter or against the norm.  I decided I would give them a shot and I downloaded the first song I saw from them on iTunes.  That song was coincidentally their hot single Party In Your Bedroom from their self-titled EP.  I turned up the volume on my laptop, ready to listen to something I was sure I have already heard before.  I pressed play.

I was pleasantly surprised.  The beginning on the song starts out with lead singer, Jean Paul Makhlouf singing the title of the song over and over.  At that point I was kind of bored thinking, “Okay… I get there’s a party in your bedroom, where’s the meat to the song?” But as soon as they started getting into the actual lyrics, I was sucked in.  The message was something I was totally not expecting.  By the title of the song I just expected it to be about a girl who was hooking up with one of the band members (you would too, wouldn’t you?) but it was different than that.

I’m not going to explain what I believe the lyrics mean because I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s way of interpreting it, but you should definitely give this song a listen.  I continued to search for more of their songs from the EP and found that each one offered something different.  Their music is like a mix of 80s and new age techno, so it is pretty refreshing.  The fusion that they have managed to create is something that will be a door opener for many other bands in the future.

For example, Electric Hearts started out as more of a mellow beat with a darkened tone but then when it reaches the chorus it makes you want to jump around and dance.  I’ve never listened to a techno album with such versatility in the tracks.

If anything I would recommend Cash Cash to anyone looking for good, fun music.  I would expect to start hearing the names of Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alex Makhlouf, Sam Frisch and Anthony Villacari tumbling out of young mouths as they talk about their new favorite band.

Written By:
Becca White

The Ready Set is a one-man band originating from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Jordan Witzigreuter is the man behind the music and is responsible for creating some of the most infectious pop music that I’ve ever had the pleasure of stumbling across.  Witzigreuter writes all of his own music and records it all himself as well, but when he goes on tour he has a group of friends who come along to help him recreate the sounds.

I’ve found that when I try to pinpoint what type of music or what band I could compare him too, I just can’t – it’s utterly impossible.  His music is something unique and different of his own which I absolutely love.  Despite the fact that I can’t get enough of his music now; some of his earlier songs like Logistics or Sixty-Eight didn’t really appeal to me all that much.  They had that standard cliché sound of most rookie techno: over-edited and the beats make render the lyrics unintelligible.

My thoughts about his music changed when I heard the new songs he recently released.  His new digital single “Stays Four The Same” shows the formidable growth he has made in his music from his previous songs.  The vocals are entirely audible and the music behind them is completely catching.  Some guitars and drums are thrown in for a more instrumental feel which makes it such a pleasure to listen to.

After listening to a couple more of his songs (like Giants and Unender), I was completely blown away.  Thank God Witzigreuter figured out how to remix a song where his vocals are able to be heard.  Reason? Not only has his song writing abilities improved but his singing talents have skyrocketed immensely.

Witzigreuter has really found himself as an artist in a short amount of time and is now currently touring with bands like Backseat Goodbye and Plug In Stereo.  He also has toured with The Scene Aesthetic and The Color Fred.

I stated earlier that this is a band that deserves a chance to become big.  I think the folks over at Decaydance agree with me; they signed him onto the label today, Nov. 24. With all the time Witzigreuter puts into his music to produce such wonderful tracks, I think you would agree.

Written By:
Becca White