Blacktop Mourning - When a Counting Crows Legend Listens to MySpace, a NEW Star Band Is Born! (Yes, it does happen!)

Blacktop Mourning


Are they rock, punk or alternative? You might ask but not be able to answer. Neither can I but I don't care. I found this band on MySpace over a year ago and thought they were amazing then, with amazing vocals in particular. Some reviewers have already found them, including a contract with MTV and a record deal with Tyrannosaurus Records (Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows started this label and discovered the band on MySpace.)

Oh dear, mention MTV and that's usually enough for me to think twice about reviewing them -- after all, if a band goes commercial that quickly, I have to wonder if they will maintain the magic that attracted me in the first place, or will they go downhill as the newest victims of 'committee' and 'marketable mainstream' good intentions?

Still, I waited and came back after awhile to see how they were progressing. Some reviewers have called them similar to Fall Out Boy, especially around the vocal chords. I'm not sure it was meant as a compliment (sarcasm!), but I happen to LOVE Fall Out Boy and love their vocals, so as far as I'm concerned that is a big plus.

Can they stay a mix of rock punk and alternative and still be a hit (Fall Out Boy comparisons notwithstanding)? I think so. Complex and hard driving musicality emanate from this band. Angst driven vocals and adventurous lyrics compliment but don't overshadow the inventiveness and aggressiveness needed for hard-core rock and metal endeavors, not to mention the needed guitar riffs!

But you decide, as you are the folks they really need to please in order to prove that they can go the distance as a major music force that proves that you can mix and meld music genres.

You can find their MySpace site at http://www.myspace.com/blacktopmourning

Enjoy and happy holidays!
CG Anderson
cganders1@yahoo.com

You Decide--Nell (Korea) vs. Art of Dying (Canada) Quickie Music Review

Well, I couldn't decide to go west toward Korea or east, across the Pacific, back to Canada and the US.

So I went both ways.
Isn't Internet travel just so much easier and convenient? !!

Nell is out of South Korea. They are an alternative/indie rock band. They are very easy on the ears, so think of them as more the easy-listening type of alternative band, rather than the hard driving rocker type.

The music was a bit tinny but I blame the upload to MySpace. The vocals are very nice and the musicality good. The samples I listened to tended to the ballad-like and I would have preferred some that were a bit more passionate and intense, but then that is me.

Decide for yourself. A nice group to listen to, especially after a hard days work or while studying for a midterm. At least that was my impression.

You can find their MySpace page at
http://www.myspace.com/bandnell

Don't want easy listening? Not interesting in studying but would rather dance around your room pretending to be a rock star?

OK, try the wildly popular, yet unsigned?, grunge band out of Canada -- Art of Dying.


Raucous, wild, over the top, energetic, evocative, emotional, you name it. It's a grunge band. Good emotive, angst-ridden vocals, good musicality, driving beats without 'over-amping' -- it is no surprise why this band is so popular.

The only complaint was the overdone MySpace site that slowed down the download and made me wait in order to sample their songs. I almost gave up waiting, but still...I'm glad I hung in there and gave them a listen.

Check them out at
http://www.myspace.com/theartofdying

So there you have it. East and West by going west and east!

Enjoy!
CG Anderson

Got an idea for a band I should review? Let me know at cganders1@yahoo.com

MUSIC REVIEW: The Click Five is a Band to Watch!

Atlantic Records has yet another Winner in The Click Five

OK, so this time I'm reviewing a band that is probably not all that unknown, but there's a reason. They're good! They also show that a PowerPop band can make it big, especially in a music industry that still seems dominated these days by rap and hip hop, with rock and roll only recently beginning to reemerge as a contender (and often, under the guise of being an Alternative band.)

With Jenny, The Click Five blend pop sentiments with the wonderful retro-feel of what we now call Powerpop. Headlight Disco (don't cringe at the name) heartens at first more to a 70's groove but adds in a modern twist by rotating and bending the expected beats and rhythms with definite leanings toward what in the 70's might be confused with punk influences, or even with anthem or epic rock, but now might be more recognizable as rap influences. Counter to the others offered up on MySpace, Happy Birthday shifts the focus away from grandiose themes or retro sensibilities and moves instead into a more alternative/pop vibe.

All in all, the songs are all impeccably produced, perfectly played and with vocals that are both vibrant yet subtle (as a Powerpop band should be, by the way.) The three offerings also hang together in spite of their different influences and changes in emphasis--that is the sign of a great band as well as a great producer. Everything fits, yet the variety is there to keep you interested.

If you haven't heard of The Click Five, then definitely check them out at www.myspace.com/theclick5

And put a little Power in your Pop.

Have a great weekend!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events...and Canada!

Music REVIEW: Alternative rock group Scatterheart. Vancouver, B.C. keeps producing great music groups.

Music Review: Scatterheart has range and depth.

Scatterheart proves that once again, Vancouver, B.C. is a hub for great music.

I know it seems like I focus a great deal on Canadian bands but I assure you that it isn’t intentional. Maybe it’s karma or the fact that I include …and Canada in the name of my music/arts/media and light humor blog. I simply listen and search out bands that I believe are worth listening to, regardless of origin and without preference for genre. I like all music. I admit though that I often find myself listening mostly to pop, alternative and rock/punk with the best of the best rap and hip hop thrown in for good measure. (Best by my standards means simply that I like the music, vocals & lyrics and often find the lyrics relevant to the human condition, i.e. they have something worth saying or evoke emotions in me, the listener, and take me on a journey into their world.)

So yes, I found an alternative band this week and yes, they are from Vancouver, B.C. So sue me. (No, wait, don’t! That’s only a figure of speech!)

Scatterheart is unsigned but with a full, richly produced sound nonetheless. You can tell they’re a longtime professional band, meaning, not a garage wannabe but a working, professional band that knows their strengths and plays to them. An alternative band with a strong rock basis apparent in every chord and beat, they are surprisingly versatile. One moment they are riff extraordinaire and high energy, powering you out with stressed vocals and intense musicality. The next moment, or rather song, they are the object of restraint, fluidity and introspective social and emotional angst, pining for a better life.

I can’t tell you who does what, they didn’t list what each member did within the whole. Jesse, Wes, Mike and Doug only listed their names. However, the vocals have a wonderful plaintative feel and the music easily fills the gaps, backing up vocals and building the music into powerful swells when appropriate, moving everything along with nary a hiccup to the whole composition.

The more tender Soothe and the bass driven Shadows were my favorite of their four MySpace selections, but I enjoyed all four offerings.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/scatterheart
And check their site for upcoming live performances as well.

Have a great weekend and always keep the wire live.

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events …and Canada

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit given when quoted or reposted.

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CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, tech, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious (help me reach 1 million friends, add yourself as my friend now! Especially since my ability to add you is broken—still---and no eta from MySpace on a fix.)
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

Music Review: ClosetHuman deserves some Exposure. Great duo, great sound, from great Ontario!

Music Review: ClosetHuman deserves some Exposure. A great duo out of Ontario.

ClosetHuman is an Alternative Sound Worth Noting.

I was going to do a spoof today, since this blog has gotten rather serious for the last few months and could use some humor again. But as I was adding friends from my myspace friend request list, I happened to hear something rather extraordinary.

So I'm going to do a quick writeup of a band (or a duo that sounds rather like a band) called ClosetHuman. (or Closet Human...not sure which way would be more appropriate!) They list themselves as a blend of Electro, Alternative and Pop. Now, I'm often quite disappointed by electro, electronica and so forth type bands, but this time, I am most definitely not disappointed.

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, aka Canada, Jack Fang and JS Roy (no, I'm not kidding, those are the names given) might look like they belong on the cover of Spin or even Vogue, but these two gentlemen manage to bring a full, robust sound to their music without overdoing or overpowering it. Instead of the often overused electronica tricks that bury a good song, they use the sounds, beats and amps judiciously and appropriately.

The music enhances the lyrics and vocals rather than overshadowing it. The lyrics are strong, delivered with passion and while a bit hard to decipher at times, they are actually quite emotionally evocative and socially aware.

Jack Fang's vocals backed up by JS Roy's bass and guitar (and probably his production skills at blending the lyrics and music just right) make an impressive and compelling mix.

There are two very surprising things about this duo. First, I wouldn't necessarily type them as Electro, save for the heavy use of synth. Alternative with a slightly pop and punk feel seems to fit them better. Then again, all music is so fluid now that trying to stereotype a group as 'this' or 'that' now seems unfair and pointless. They are good and a good listen, that's the main point.

The second surprising thing is the fact that they are apparently unsigned. They sound like a professionally mixed and produced group. That they are doing all this themselves with such an amazingly good result makes them all the more impressive. Put them with a good label and a great producer and it's almost scary to think about how far they might rise and how many established names they might shake up in the process.

Their song, The Thief, was my favorite, but all four of their myspace offerings were a fun ride.

Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/closethuman. They are worth a listen.

Have a good Easter or equivalent!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events and Canada...

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit is given when quoted or reposted.

CG Anderson is a 10 plus year new media provocateur involved in media, art, technology and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious
Help me reach 1 million friends. Add yourself as my friend today and get your friends to do the same! Thank you so much! Together we can bring great artists to a wider audience!
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/