I blogged about 2AM Club when I first started this blog, but since it was so new, chances are you didn’t listen to me! You might have seen these guys on The Early Show, on tour with TV/TV or Mike Posner! (you know, “you think you’re cooler than me”). These guys are so much fun, especially live. It’s an r&b, pop, somewhat Gym Class Heroes but classier, type thing. Check out the video:
When I first heard of Matthew McGinn, he went by “Courage Call”. The instant I heard, “Change Your Mind” I heard his genuine talent and his adorable vocals. The song was a little creepy, (“I’m just going where ever you are”), but apparently it’s supposed to be funny (I see the humor, but I’m not sure creepy people would haha). While Courage Call’s songs are catchy and fun, Matthew McGinn has done a little soul searching and maturing to bring us his self-titled project. Matthew is the boy next door; charismatic, charming and sweet. He kind of reminds me of the talented Jonas Brother (Nick, but I bet you knew before I said it). Here’s a taste of both but make sure to go to his myspace, as I LOVE his song “Maybe This Will Be My Year.”
Courage Call – “Change Your Mind”
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Matthew McGinn – “Better With You”
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What’s better than a cute guy that can sing? A cute guy that can sing with a twin! WIN.
Trey and Ty are twin brothers from Florida. If you like acoustic, pop rock, singer/songwriter type of stuff – you’re about to fall head over heels my friend! On top of all this, there’s an uncanny vocal resemblance to John Mayer. Yes, John Mayer. Just listen to “Invincible”:
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Told you, I wasn’t lying. Now, if that’s not enough, you have to check out their covers. I love when rock bands cover r&b/hip-hop so when I came upon their youtube page, I was happy. But! I can’t figure out which cover is better, Drake’s “Find Your Love” or Usher’s “Burn”, so here’s both:
Have I convinced you to check them out for yourself and buy their latest record, Love Is The Answer? Well, here’s one last attempt, a beautiful love song by The Icarus Account, “Tidal Waves & Hurricanes”:
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I always love to see a band working hard to get their name out there. Some bands put out some demos or an EP and expect the world to come crawling to them. This band got creative and took on a growing social media outlet: Tumblr! (For those of you out of the loop, tumblr is like twitter but for blogs) Anyway, their songs are catchy and they’re nice guys. Check out their myspace for their video and their tumblr to download their free EP: farewellfighter.tumblr.com
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I was a huge Mayday Parade fan during the Summer of 2009, so when I found out Go Radio’s singer was Mayday Parade’s ex-singer, I had to give them a listen.
Now, somehow I was lost in the loop. When I first heard “Do Overs & Second Chances,” the only thing I was thinking was “Wow! This sounds exactly like Mayday Parade” and I didn’t realize Jason Lancaster (ex-mayday, now- go radio) sang vocals on my favorite record, “A Lesson in Romantics” and had left soon after that. Don’t ask how this happened, I have no clue. BUT! Now that I know this information and after listening to the record, I’ve fallen in love with Go Radio.
Summer of 2009 I had “If You Wanted A Song Written About You, All You Had To Do Was Ask (Album)” and “Miserable at Best” on constant repeat. (Yes, I was two years late – There are just some bands you keep meaning to listen to but somehow you don’t get to it).
“Goodnight Moon” is a classic power ballad. Jason Lancaster can do no wrong. His vocals have a huge powerful range and I love the reference to a classic childhood story. “Thanks For Nothing” picks up the beat and takes a strong jab at Mayday Parade and whoever it was who stole his girl? I like to visit songmeanings.net for my lyrics and I couldn’t help but to laugh out loud to this comment “Also agree this song is about derek and mayday. Whatever Jason definitely got the last laugh. New mayday sucks, and go radio is amazzzzzzzing.” AGREED. These songs and “It’s Not A Trap, I Promise” are my top three favorites.
Basically, I don’t have to go song by song to tell you that this record is definitely one to pick up. I could listen to Jason’s voice all day.
Named one of PureVolume’s top 20 unsigned of 2009, I stumbled on Every You. They have the typical pop/rock sound but the guy’s vocals aren’t annoying and whiney like a lot out there. He sounds like he belongs in a band leaning more towards rock then pop, if that makes sense, but I like the mix of his voice and the sound. Give them a listen, tell me what you think.
Drake blew UP this summer and put him on the map all around the country with his number 1 hit, “Best I Ever Had”. This song became one of my favorite hits of Summer 2009. It’s the Summer anthem and song for every couple that got together or was together through this Summer. This led me to get into Drake and gave a listen to his EP, “So Far Gone”. Here are some notes about what I thought.
“Houstatlantavegas” – This song is the one off the EP that mostly shows off his nice soulful voice that got me hooked onto Drake. This song is about a crazy party girl and her life, while the singer wishes she would change so she’d remember who is always by her side. It’s a nice little introduction to the life of Drake.
“Successful” – I think Drake could surpass a lot of artists out there with his sound, personality, and hits. ”The young spitter that everybody in rap fear, a lot of y’all are still sounding like last year, the game needs change and I’m the motherfucking cashier”. See what I mean?
“Best I Ever had” – well you all know I love this song.
“Uptown” – Chorus could use less “its okay”s and less “i’m on”s but other than that – sounds like a hit!
“The Calm” – reminds me that maybe this EP is the calm before the storm, I mean, before the LP which is going to get things going crazy for Drake. A line all artists should remember, “because every picture taken is a fan that you can gain”.
“Fear” – 2nd Favorite off the EP and probably 2nd hit. I love the hook/chorus and some of the words in here. “You Know I pop bottles cuz I bottle my emotions, at least I put it all in the open”. It’s like the EMO of hip-hop – yeah! My kind of music.
Drake is one of the few hip-hop artists that I’m really keeping an eye on and paying attention to. I hope we see some ballads off his LP, “Thank Me Later”, due out later this year because if he can pull that off- watch out Ne-Yo!
“At first I was love drunk, now I’m hung over.” When I first heard the new Boys Like Girls single, “Love Drunk” chorus I thought it was the cheesiest lamest chorus ever. It sounds like The Killers, “Somebody Told Me”. The first verse tricked me into thinking I was going to hear a mature version of their self-titled but it didn’t carry through.
While listening through the record I realized that most of these songs are very generic- made perfectly for Radio disney and pre-teen girls. There’s nothing mind blowing or revolutionary about this record. I have to give it up for Martin’s vocals as they sound more mature and polished than their S/T.
One of their stand out tracks has to be “Two Is Better Than One” but that might be due to my admiration for Taylor Swift. Boys Like Girls plus Taylor Swift? Can we say #1 hit? Although I am a little disappointed in the songwriting as I expected a lot more but I love the country twist Swift puts into this song. If this were to be a radio single, it’d blow up because of the names, not the song.
“Contagious” sounds like I pressed play on a different cd but it’s one of the records better tracks. It’s got a great catchy hook and the clapping breakdown/bridge always works with these power pop bands.
I’m not a fan of “Real Thing” as I feel like I was transported to the 80′s. Some bands can pull it off and make it new and their own but BLG failed on this one.
I had no urge to listen to the next tracks all the way through but when I came to, “Chemicals Collide”, I have a little hope in the record although I’m already up to 10 out of 12.
“Someone Like You” and “Go” are the other 2 ballads (I thought power pop bands were only allowed 1 per record?). “Somone like You” pulls at my little heart strings because at first glance it seems like a love song but if you listen to the words it seems to be about God. Do we get a glimpse of a deeper side to Martin Johnson?
“Go” may be the best on the record as it gives a good message, genuine and passionate feeling. Definitely best track hands down.
I really wanted to be proven wrong by BLG but it just didn’t happen. I knew they wouldn’t be able to live up to their S/T debut and I think they knew it as well – that’s why it took them over 3 years to release their sophmore slump. Sorry guys!
I had never stepped into Spaceland in Silverlake until last Summer to see Hockey play. Helloooo Hipster-ville but anyone from LA knows that. That gives you a sense of what kind of music these guys play but don’t let that fool you – they’re good! I’ve played Hockey for a few of my friends and they all loved it. When I was introduced to them by someone at Columbia, I first heard the song “Song Away” and it’s so brilliant! ”Tomorrow’s just a song away…” I wish I would have wrote it. I’ve seen a lot of them recently in very random places which made me think of them. They are now signed to Capitol and I hope that they don’t get lost in the shuffle because I really like them!
The Song: “Song Away”
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