THE ODDNOTES

Top Ten Albums of 2009 According to Mark Jaeschke.

2010-01-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

10)manchester orchestra - mean everything to nothing
having followed manchester since about 2006, the release of their sophomore album was one of my more anticipated album releases of the year. needless to say, andy hull and company delivered fantastic record. bolstering a much more full and produced sound than ‘i’m like a virgin loosing a child’, the album also has lyrics that are up to par with past songs, such as golden ticket or colly strings. though there is some filler on the album (who’s idea was 100 dollars, anyway?), the vast majority of the album is strong and to the point.

9)japandroids - post-nothing
i had originally dismissed this band as just being another lo-fi act thrown into the indie rock hype machine; all scene and no substance, if you will. HOWEVER, ‘post-nothing’ is actually a fantastic and almost danceable debut. the album is chock full of wonderfully distorted guitars, energetic drums and the songs seem to be made with the soul purpose of seeing how many hooks can be thrown in a single song.

8)silversun pickups - swoon
if i didn't know better, i'd think it's 1992. the band harkens back to the lush sounds of my bloody valentine’s opus, ‘loveless’ and revisits the smashing pumpkins classic ‘siamese dream’ to put together a pretty solid release. although there are a few tracks that leave room for improvement, the best tracks on the album pick up any slack left by the lesser tracks. if the band continues on their pumpkins-esque musical journey, hopefully their next album will be comparable to ‘mellon collie and the infinite sadness’.

7)russian circles – geneva
russian circles is one of the bands that have been on my radar for some time, but for one reason or another, i’ve never gotten around to listening to them until more recently. after experiencing their live show, which was at the newer chicago venue lincoln hall, located (quite obviously) at 2424 lincoln avenue, i immediately obtained their newest effort ‘geneva’. the title track ends up tearing the listener to shreds at a little before the two minute mark, where guitars lift you higher than any city skyscraper enter the previously sparse song and a mere minute later a crushing bass riff (the studio version doesn’t do justice to what they do live) hurtles the listener back down to a cold pavement. the band continues this pattern for the rest of the album, but they reach perfection during the closing track philos, a somewhat slower and more serene piece which eventually takes off into explosions in the sky-esque territory and finishes with a reflective guitar melody and eventually white noise. the album definitely an exhausting musical journey, but it’s well worth it.

6)the paper chase - someday this could all be yours, vol. 1
there’s an old saying i’ve heard on many an occasion that states: ‘everything is bigger in texas’. the paper chase, hailing from dallas, prove this to be true; ‘someday this could all be yours’ is a schizophrenic experimental album that tells tales of natural disasters and the people who get caught in them. beginning with if nobody moves, a hypnotic track which features what sounds like a marching band from hell and vividly paints a picture of human extinction, the listener is instantly entrapped. the rest of the album tackles forest fires, mass hysteria, floods, blizzards and ends with the human condition itself and even though the majority of the album is an a major key, i can’t think of many albums that are as menacing as this one.

5)the decemberists - the hazards of love
the people at pitchfork media, as they seem to be almost trying to do these days, have left a sour taste in my mouth after rating this album a 5.7 on their animal collective-centered rating scale. will they ever learn? the answer is probably not, but that’s why we have blogs. the hazards of love sees the decemberists exploring even more territory than they have with their past release ‘the crane wife’. though not as good as the picture perfect ‘picaresque’, i don’t think that colin and company were really trying to make a great ‘pop’ album. so, instead of focusing on great individual songs, the band proves here that the sum is greater than the parts; ‘hazards’ is a sprawling 17 song epic about love, transformation, and death. oh, and heavy metal.

4)cursive - mama, i’m swollen
a saddle creek flagship; cursive proves that art isn’t as hard as they had once claimed, or at least the very least, they sure make it seem easy. ‘mama, i’m swollen’ is a monstrous improvement from the lackluster happy hollow and bolstering songs such as the first single from the hips, the poppy i couldn't love you, and the epic closer what have i done?, cursive shows the doubters that they’re still

3)m. ward-hold time
2009 has, it seems, brought my love of straight forward pop music to a close and has brought a newfound love of folk music into my life of all the folk artists i’ve been listening to since in my time, there are very few that i enjoy more than matt ward; and with the release of both the adorable she & him album last year and this year’s offering ‘hold time’ he shows that his craft is truly one of a kind. there’s a certain rustic feel to all of his music that no one else has been able to replicate, and even when the production is pristine, that sound still shines through. his guitar work (as if anyone doubted) is second to none.

2)the antlers-hospice
i'm not too original for having this one near the top of my list, i suppose; many others already have and many more will be ranking ‘hospice’ near the top of their lists, but the album deserves as much recognition as possible. That being said, there's not much i can really say that hasn't already been said about this album already; it’s epic, beautiful, and heartbreaking. the album hasn't gotten any less desolate sounding or any less stunning since i first listened to it, and i doubt it will.

1)califone-all my friends are funeral singers
i came across califone after a recommendation from a good friend of mine. she told me that i needed to hear their 2001 effort ‘roomsound’, and after checking it out i was blown away; the band finds a way to harness classic folk sounds with some post-rock and other experimental sounds. fast forward a few weeks and i had acquired their most recent album ‘all my friends are funeral singers’ and, after hearing just the first track, giving away the bride, which features a drum machine and folk guitar riffs, i knew this was something special. the album highlight is funeral singers, which features an amazing film to go with the song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJh2JPotmAs), which is by far one of the most moving songs i’ve heard in a long while. thank god for recommendations.

-mark.

Introducing a new writer: Mark Jaeschke

2010-01-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

my name is mark and i’m not the kid of guy who is known for having a fantastic memory. i’m not dumb by any means, i just sometimes have trouble remembering little things on occasion. be it those silly one month anniversary celebrations with a girlfriend (i mean, celebrating those are dumb anyway…right?), math equations...during my first year in middle school, i had grades that were on a constant descent throughout the entire year. starting off with a b the first quarter, i dropped to a b- the second, and a c+ to a c- for the third and fourth quarters, respectively. and even after my dismal performance throughout the year, the math department decided it would be a spectacular idea to throw me into the honors program. you can imagine how well that went. hell, i even have trouble remembering birthdays. i recently was at a hospital for some blood work and when asked by a worker for the date of my father’s birth, i furiously racked my brain for about thirty seconds trying to remember the date, but it was to no avail…some son i am. needless to say, i could continue to list off examples of when hippocampus has failed me, but i would end up writing a novel.

and yet for all of the important dates, facts, and ideas that i should have memorized, there are an abundance of life happenings that i shouldn’t remember which have somehow all impressively lodged themselves inside the walls of my brain. a prime example of this enigma includes when a young mark placed a toy camel outside by a tree in my backyard, only to wake up the next morning and find that my little plastic dromedary had ran off. the poor thing was probably picked up by a bird, ripped to shreds, put into a birds nest and then shat upon by baby birds. what a miserable existence. another, more fitting, of my memories was a when a young, and apparently quite narcissistic, me was watching videos my parents had taped of my baby years (don’t laugh, i’m sure most of you have those videos too) where i saw myself to elvis presley in my basement. there were also many youthful memories of mine revolve around listening to oldies 104.3 in my mother’s soccer mom van. sadly, oldies 104.3 is no longer in existence and has since been reformatted into jack fm where they ‘play what they want’, meaning they play the same four or five def leppard or ccr songs on a constant loop. the bastards. growing up with groups like the beatles, the who and yes constantly being played throughout my house as a kid added a strange quirk to my already hyperactive personality. that also reads as ‘i was a weird little motherfucker when i was growing up’.

it is needless to say that not many kids growing up in suburbia circa 1994-1999 were big into classics like baba o’riley or strawberry fields forever. no; instead most of my peers were sporting their limp bizkit hoodies, baggy pants and spiky hair (feat. blonde highlights) or were wearing sweats with terms such as ‘juicy’ on the rear while singing the latest spice girls single. oddly enough, since starting at columbia, i think i’ve heard the song 2 become 1 at least five times or so. strange. so, completely unable to relate to my classmates, i would wander the halls of patton elementary in shirts i had gotten with my family while on vacation (my favorite being a tee-shirt of a shark about to feast upon a school of innocent fish, perpetually stuck in a moment of terror, as they are about to be made into the shark’s next meal, which my parents had purchased for me while we were vacationing in florida), old navy jeans and ratty sneakers, looking for some other outsider to talk about why revolver is far superior to sgt. pepper’s lonely hearts club band (it still is) or debate whether or not the who’s keith moon could beat zep’s bonzo in a drum off (i’d have my money behind keith, for the record). luckily enough, i found a few people who i could talk shop with. though i was far from being ‘cool’ in elementary school, my small group of friends enjoyed each others company. by the time i arrived in middle school, the number of peers i could talk to about the oldies grew exponentially. while i was there, i learned about egypt (the only thing i still remember from that class is that making paper mâché mummy coffins is the best possible way spend class time), how to practice safe sex in health class and most importantly about bands like weezer and the mighty smashing pumpkins. outside of school, i ventured into the world of blogging, via xanga.com, and attended many very very very bad emocore shows at local venues. i was in my prime during these adolescent years.

in high school, i flirted with heavy metal acts ranging from the bay area thrash group, testament, to hollywood’s finest sleazeballs, guns n’ roses, and all the while, still listening to my favorite alt/classic rock groups. however, this greatly confused many of my metalhead cronies, who would give me strange looks when i’d sport a nirvana shirt to their shows. in fact, many would be quickly grow engraged and scream at me for supporting the man who single-handedly killed off hair/thrash/prog metal in one fell swoop with a song called smells like teen spirit. needless to say, by my senior year, i had begun to lose interest in the genre; my neck has suffered permanent and irreversible damage from going to many a metal show and i lost interest as to whether or not axl rose’s magnum opus, chinese democracy, would ever see the light of day (it finally was released to a less than stellar fanfare and mediocre sales. that being said, the album is really pretty good.) and started to dive further into what most people define as ‘indie rock’. having already been familiar with a few of the saddle creek bands, as well as the decemberists (whom i initially despised), i spent lots of time listening to new bands who i was less than familiar with. this trend continued into my freshman year at depaul when i began to start writing reviews for shows i’d attend or albums i’d listen to. i eventually became a regular writer in the depaulia magazine and met many wonderful people while writing said articles.

so now, a year and a few, four to be exact, months after i sent in the first album review of many in to my editor at the depaulia, i sit in my room pounding the keys of my computer, a task that seems almost foreign now, to complete a biography of sorts which is to go along with my ‘best of 2009’ list. and although writing again seemed strange at first, there’s something about writing something that isn’t a twenty-one page paper on the decline of the music industry for my art and business of recording technology class that is very refreshing. not only is it refreshing, but it’s also odd to see that old habits (read: writing too way too much) seem to diehard. i had intended on originally writing a mere paragraph or two long synopsis as to who i am and why i am re-entering the blogosphere. but that would have been too easy! so i end up spewing out what seems more like the beginning of a tedious / boring memoir that probably only three people (two of them would be my parents) on planet earth would be interested in reading than the two paragraphs i had intended to write.

oh well.

anyway, despite my self proclaimed mediocre memory, i plan to keep writing music related blurbs on a semi-regular basis and hopefully branch into movie / art / whatever writings as well. now, whether or not i can think of anything interesting enough to say that isn’t show / album related is a totally different story, but there will hopefully be at least something to read every so often. so, in attempts to refrain from any more rambling, i will end with a lyric:

brosandi / hendumst í hringi / höldumst í hendur / allur heimurinn óskýr / nema þú stendur.

uhhh…yeah. right.

-mark.

Top moments, downfalls, and people of 2009 according to: Courtney

2009-12-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

10. Karen O and the Kids / Where the Wild Things Are
Few things get me out of my house in the middle of the night where there are hoards of people. Taco Bell is one of them, and this past semester it was a midnight screening on the opening night of Where the Wild Things Are. A Text From Last Night pretty much sums up the night: “It looks like a Radiohead concert had sex with Hot Topic”- or something like that. The entire theater was full of college kids like myself and I had actually had my ticket for a full two weeks before the screening. It was all quite worth it though. The movie was fantastic, and Karen O was just recently, and rightfully, nominated for an award for her work on the soundtrack that perfectly captures the pains and joys of being young.

9. Lady Gaga
I’m not the hugest Gaga fan, and I still haven’t even gotten my hands on her most recent album. As a student at an art school, though, I’ve learned to develop a great appreciation for what she does. Sure, she looked like a giant bloody tampon at the VMA’s, and sometimes those lacy veils she wears are creepy as hell. But isn’t that what art and fashion is about? Pushing it to places where none have gone before? I’d say so, and she does exactly that. Gaga is more than just a pop tart. Beyond her bizarre sense of style, she has become a huge advocate for gay marriage, and continues to raise the bar with her music videos - which are actually more of a short film than anything else. So even though I am not “gaga for Gaga,” I still became a supporter of what she does.

8. Kanye stealin’ the mic.
Okay, so everyone knows that Kanye West is kind of an asshole. Which was why it wasn’t THAT surprising when he stole the mic from little Taylor Swift at the VMA’s when she won video of the year. Maybe I’ll get some flack from this, but I thought it was hilarious. My jaw did drop in disbelief, and I did feel a little bad for Taylor (mostly because she plays that innocent role so damn well...). But then...it was hilarious. There were countless jokes made out of it and seeing them even today cracks me up. “Yo Neil, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Michael Jackson had the best moonwalk of all time! Of all time!” Things like that.

7. Adam Lambert losing American Idol
I don’t think anyone saw this one coming. I’m not the biggest American Idol fan in the world, but I did follow this season, especially because I thought Lambert was one of the most exciting people I had ever seen on the show. His voice was dynamic, outfits always put together well, and from the start, he blew everyone out of the water. Yet, little Jason Mraz-esque Kris Allen beat him out. WTF?

6. Fall Out Boy breaking up.
Not going to lie, I’m a Fall Out Boy fan. I’ve been stuck on them since 7th grade or so, and no one can deny their smart lyrics. They’re almost too catchy and poppy to resist, and without a doubt they were one of the biggest pop-punk bands of the last half of the decade. When they broke up, I will admit to being a little sad.

5. The Amazing Concerts I went to.
When I was living in Michigan, I was lucky to make it to one or two concerts a year. I live in a tiny town with zero concert venues, and the closest ones are hours away. In the Spring, I saw Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s with Cloud Cult and Ice Palace in Grand Rapids. It was incredible. Since I’ve moved to Chicago, though, I have been to four amazing shows. Empires with the Felix Culpa and the Dear Hunter, Lightning Love with Pet Lions, Brand New with Manchester Orchestra, and Nico Vega with Neon Trees. Incredible shows, and I can’t wait to add more to the list.

4. Single Ladies by Beyonce.
This is another thing that I’m not a huge fan of. The dance in the video though has been recreated so many times that it’s practically viral. From plus sized ladies, to babies, to Joe Jonas and Justin Timberlake, everyone was rocking the black leotard and getting fierce with it. Also, thanks to the videos that are always playing in the Columbia College cafeteria, I know the song word for word and can probably do most of the dance since the damn thing is played at least three times a meal.

3. Michael Jackson’s Death
I’m not sure anyone really saw this coming. Without a doubt, Michael Jackson has made one of the largest influences in the music world. With his dance moves and all of those hit singles, he had rightfully earned his title as the King of Pop. But Michael wasn’t the only star to leave us, and this ear was definitely the year of unexpected deaths. Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze, Ted Kennedy, Brittany Murphy, Jimmy ‘the Rev’ Sullivan, David Carradine, Billy Mays, DJ AM, and loads more. RIP all of you bright souls.

2. Barack Obama being sworn into office
This was an amazing moment for me. I did tons of campaigning for Barack Obama in the fall, and had to deal with racist and republican asshole’s from my town while I went door to door trying to spread the word on this brilliant man. Now his first year in office is coming to an end, and I have no regrets for rooting so hard for our new president.

1. Moving to Chicago.
Since eighth grade I have wanted to live in the Windy City, and now I am finally living here and going to the school I’ve always wanted. It’s opened up so many doors for me, I’m getting a great education, and I’ve been having the time of my life. Sure, I will probably be in debt up to my eyeballs by the time I graduate, but it’s all one hundred percent worth it. I’ve made great friends and great memories and I’m in love with my life.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Top 5 Albums of 2009 According to : Sara Garcia

2009-12-29T14:04:00.000-08:00

5. John Mayer – Battle Studies
I already know I’m going to get tons and tons of shit for this. I’m normally one of those “anti-commercial” people who hates mainstream media and can’t bear the thought of listening to such an album. However, Mayer has honestly put one of the greatest “chill out” albums of our time. I will go as far as saying “Who Says” is our generation’s “I Want You” by Third Eye Blind (does anyone remember that song? SO GOOD.).

4. Thursday – Common Existence
Again, another example of a band that has been around for a long time and has been able to keep up with the times and not fall short of themselves. This album reminds me of Full Collapse and War All the Time which are two of my favorite albums. If you like old Thursday material, you’ll like Common Existence.

3. Endless Hallway – Autonomy Games
For approximately three and a half years, I’ve been waiting for Endless Hallway to come out with an album. This band has been one of my favorites all through high school and never fails to bring back some of the greatest memories. A full-length from this band was so long awaited that when I found out they’d come out with it, I had to have it immediately. This albums is one of those albums that sits in your car all the time, due to the fact that it’s such a great-sounding album and so nice to drive to.

2. The Color of Violence – Youthanize
This album sums up everything you think about society in a nutshell and it’s pretty amazing how quickly they do it. I don’t think any band aside from Daughters or Outbreak has come as close to “For the morally well-endowed. Let the "Body of Christ" bless our bank accounts!!” The lyrics on this album just blow my mind and after seeing them live, I still can’t find everything. Their cover of “Rock Music” by the Pixies is spot on and I will never be able to get over how great it is.

1. Portugal. The Man – The Satanic Satanist
Number one album of the year. This album invokes every calm cell in your body and it just puts you in so much of a better place. I can’t think of anything else in the past decade besides Sigur Ros’ material that puts you in such a calm place. Everything about this album says “put on a pair of headphones and go sit down in your recliner because you’re going to chill out for the entire duration of this album.” I really haven’t been able to stop listening to it.

Honorable Mentions for 2009:
The Color Morale – We All Have Demons (Congratulations boys, you’ve put out a full-length that so many people enjoy, couldn’t be more proud of you.)
Animals as Leaders – Self-Titled
The Appleseed Cast – Sagarmatha
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Metric - Fantasies
Russian Circles – Geneva
Thrice - Beggars

Show Experience: Neon Trees and Nico Vega

2009-12-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to get to know my way around Chicago venues. First it was the Beat Kitchen, then the Aragon Ballroom, and my most recent concert on Tuesday the 15th took me to Schuba's for Neon Trees and Nico Vega. I only just got into Nico Vega a few weeks ago, but I will still excited to see this band. Their press release said their shows are 'quite possibly the most explosive live show you will ever see,' and of course, I had to see if they would live up to that kind of reputation.

Pictures are taken by me....as you can tell, I'm not a photographer.

The first band was a four-piece from Utah, Neon Trees. The bar was not yet crowded for this band, and I had only listened to a few songs of theirs when I saw they were on the bill with Nico Vega. They put an a great set. The drums and bass were heavy, which made their songs easy to move to, and the electronics provided by the lead vocalist gave their sometimes melancholy lyrics a dancey quality. Not going to lie, I also couldn't help but notice how the lead singer continued to become unbuttoned. After starting out with a tight suit coat, vest, button up shirt, and tie, he ended up with the coat gone, the tie off, the vest unbuttoned, and some chest was definitely revealed. I actually felt a little bad that the crowd was not that big, because they are definitely ones to look out for in the world of rock music.

Once Neon Trees was done tearing down their equipment, the crowd tripled in size and we waited in anticipation for Nico Vega. The guitarist and drummer got everything on stage set up, and then left us to wait for a full half an hour. Once they took the stage though, it was easy to see that we were in for a show. The guitarist, who set up the stage in a black pea coat and pants, had changed into a fur vest and glittery jeans. The lead singer, Aja, was clothed in a floor length black vintage gown with gold and silver shiny stripes on it. She was also wearing a big, black cape. A fucking cape.

This band is practically un-human. After their first song, Aja looked out at the crowd and posed the question: "what did we do to deserve all of you?" They answered the question for us. With only a two people in the band providing music, they had a full bodied rock-n-roll sound. And with a vocalist like Aja, they definitely have to work. One of the most powerful voices I have ever heard live, and the woman is all over the place. On the floor, against the guitarist, on top of the drums, from one side of the stage to the next, and then to the center where she practically leers over the audience as she howls out the lyrics. If one was standing still for some reason, they would've been able to feel the distressed wooden floors of Schuba's shaking under their feet the entire time from everyone jumping and dancing and singing along. Aja owns the stage with her interpretive dance moves and gestures. The guitarist and drummer back her up perfectly with a hard rock sound. They lived up to their press release and so much more. Definitely one of the best bands I have ever seen live.

Nico Vega is still on tour with Neon Trees, so be sure to check their myspace and see if they are coming to a venue near you. You won't want to miss it.

DIY Mondays: Sam Pura of The Panda Studios

2009-12-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Sam Pura owns and runs a recording business in San Jose, CA called The Panda Studios. He grew up in California and graduated from Ex’pression College of the Digital Arts in Emeryville, CA. Since then, he has been successful at producing albums for bands like Heavy Heavy Low Low and North.

What experiences most prepared you for recording bands?
I always try and defend myself to that question and say "building my studio and running my own gigs was how I learned. I did go to ECDA in Emeryville CA for audio production, but I don't like to give them much credit for my experience. Really the way I learned was talking to my friend's bands and whoring myself out to them trying to record the best people I could for literally free. The HHLL - Fuck It album was made by paying me $70 for example... I knew that offering my services for free to bands with a larger following would help my recording services. I figured that if a lot of people are listening to my records, a lot of people would positively respond to it and want to bring their musical projects to record with me.

What was the "driving factor" in entering music?
I'm not sure what you exactly mean but I'll approach it like this. I'm genetically made to record music. I never did well in school, I was kicked out of my catholic college prep high school for a 2.1 GPA. I never applied myself in areas I didn't enjoy. Instead I would sit in class thinking about music all the time, wanting to be playing my guitar or something rather than sit in chemistry. Thankfully I had a reliable upbringing and my mom was very understanding to my feelings about school and she instead pushed me to go to ECDA. My Dad on the other hand was a little disappointed at the time and basically stopped giving a shit about what I do, and my sister was an honor student at my high school, graduated in the top 5 of her class and went to UCLA. There has always been a lot of example on what true success is to me, and it's always pushed me to take my involvement with music to the next level.

I always kind of viewed myself as a loser, but when I'm involved with producing music, I can feel that thats where I belong.

How did you start The Panda Studios?
Great question. I used to dodge it all the time and I'll explain. My family got divorced when I was a junior in high school. My sister went away to college and my dad moved to Finland. So pretty much it was just me and my mom during my final days of high school. When I started ECDA, I said to my mom "Mom, if I want to go make this a career, I need to start right now. There are so many classes in that school and only 3 are dedicated to recording bands... and thats all I want to do." So my mom agreed and pretty much started The Panda Studios. She bought me my originals microphones and Pro Tools. Over the years while going to school, I found a live-in recording studio. Thankfully she paid my rent while I went to school, and I literally never went to school (got suspended by the way from ECDA for consistent absences hahaha) and recorded every day. Spent literally every dollar I had on more and more gear until I graduated.

People always ask me how I started and it always makes me feel so lucky to be in the position I am. "How do I start a studio man?" ...umm you need like $10,000 and then you need to dedicate the rest of your life to upgrading that gear and staying current. It sucks... it's a very hard world to get into.

What are the trends you see in your current business? Do you record more during a certain time of the year, certain bands, etc.
Not really unfortunately. The biggest trend is that everyone is broke, and I had to redesign my rates and expenses to answer that demand. Everyone wants to make records, but no one wants to spend a lot of money on it. It's tough.

What has been the hardest part about owning and running The Panda Studios? The most rewarding?
The hardest part is feeling like a loser. I live at my girlfriend's for free, and I can't afford health insurance. It's a hard career with a lot of low points, but the most rewarding experiences would have to be when people contact me to tell me how much they enjoy the music I've been apart of. That's the entire reason for the studio, is to bring better music to the world.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter the music business in recording?
I always tell them not to go to school. ;) It's really expensive and all of my friends who went to ECDA with me and had student loans to pay for it, are all in careers not related to audio. You basically put yourself into $90k of debt to go to a school to learn to record bands, and then once you are in the world the only available positions are in other states, and they are unpaid internships. It's just not a logical choice. Go knock on studio doors today and get an unpaid internship before you commit to school, or just start recording bands yourself at your house. It's not hard to get great sounds with very little & cheap gear. It's all about your mind. If you can think smart, you can figure out a way to be involved with recording artists.

How do you find the artists you record / How do they find you?
It's pretty much all word of mouth. Bands discovering bands with good recordings and then look at the linear notes to find my information. That's the usual way, I've never attempted to advertise. The new studio will definitely have some new advertising ideas to unveil, but mainly it's all word of mouth for the past 6 years.

When it comes to music and listening to other songs not recorded or mixed by yourself, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Do you critique it?
All the time. The best engineers are always "critically listening". The best education is using your ears to identify why things sound good or bad.

Have you ever encountered a situation while recording that made you uncomfortable?
Every day I record! There are always awkward moments, and the majority of times I don't really handle them too well. I'm really succinct with my statements and sometimes that comes across as rude to new individuals. It's hard to balance an awkward situation... like a female vocalist crying because she's frustrated with the bad quality of her voice, or educating a frustrated artist on why what they are doing doesn't sound good and how to improve that. It's very hard and definitely really puts people on the spot when they are paying me hourly for my time. No one wants to pay someone to identify all the weak points in you, but thats exactly what my job is.

What's the next project you're about to start on?
The new studio build. Once that's done, we're going to launch a new website with 24/7 video streaming in the studio for viewers to follow along with their favorite bands recording process. Also starting a podcast and interview TV show with artists on tour that stop by the studio. Hopefully those new projects will bring more curiosity to the studio and bring better bands. As far as musical projects, I am going to finish the new HHLL full length, and start on a STZ 5-inch. Nothing really too big planned besides making the space that should ideally bring more artists through.

When you get a career in doing something you love, is it really all just one huge party? Or do you actually have to be responsible with what you do?
It's a very hard career, but I love it. Everyone thinks it's a party because I smoke weed all the time (legally of course) and post pretty awesome pictures and video occasionally. But it's a hard life. If I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't be recording bands. I'd be a doctor making the Benjamin's. ;) Starting your own business costs so much money. Taxes rape me from my potential earnings, and the economy and home recording industry forces me to compete with lower prices. It's a hard things, and that's why most people don't do it.

I love what I do though, and the challenge is finding a way to support my life with recording bands. Everyone says the hardest work is the most rewarding and maybe someday I'll hit it huge and be mainstream. But until then, I'm just trying to bring better music to the world and work with bands that inspire me to push myself and deliver recordings that continue to raise the bar for me.

For more information on Panda Studios, check out thepandastudios.com

Scrambler Seequill : Free music!

2009-12-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

It's always fun finding little hardly-discovered gems on the internet. But like most good things in life, sometimes you just have to wait for those gems to find you. The gem that I am currently talking about is the lovely duo depicted above, Scrambler Seequill. The two of them, Michael Gamble and Devin Febroriello, have banded together to create a group with an incredibly unique sound. The drum-heavy band comes complete with the occasional electronic blurb and the ghostly (aka: haunting) vocals of Febroriello, giving them the sound of modern day thrashers that had a meeting with a band from the '70's.

Scrambler Seequill is currently gearing up to release their album 'Secret Passageway.' To celebrate that, they are offering a free download of four of their tracks. To download these songs and preview the album, click HERE. You shall not be disappointed.

Scrambler Seequill's myspace.

Show Experience: Twin Tigers, As Tall As Lions, Minus the Bear

2009-11-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

After a super long week of work (Thrice, The Academy Is..., The Devil Wears Prada), I got to enjoy myself at a wonderful show down in Dekalb at Otto's bar. I've been waiting years to see Minus the Bear and seeing As Tall as Lions was just the icing on the cake for me.

The first band up was Twin Tigers, a band from Athens, GA. This band was so incredibly great to watch and had such a great stage presence. I honestly can't get over how great of a choice they were to bring on tour with Minus the Bear and ATAL.

As Tall As Lions was up next and this band has been such an inspiration to me over the past few months. They played material off of their new(ish) album, You Can't Take It With You, as well as some of their older stuff. If you ever in your life get the chance, you have to see this band. It's one of those bands that's in the top 50 bands to see before you die. The stage was fairly crowded with all of their instruments, but it was awesome to watch them get around to playing the trumpet or keyboard or steel drums because when you have that many people on stage and a small amount of room, you have to get creative.

Last up, but most definitely not least -- Minus the Bear. The Seattle-based quintet has been one of those bands that won't ever get old for me. I've been listening to them since high school and I don't think I'll ever stop listening to them because the music they make is so unique compared to what's out there. You won't hear songs like this on the radio at all. They played one of my favorite songs first, "Knights" off of their "Planet of Ice" album. Some new stuff was tossed in there and then some songs off of their EP, "Beer Commercials." The funny thing was, I kept getting e-mails or texts and each time I would go to check them, their guitarist was about three inches from my face when I went to look back up. ...and of course they played an encore. That's just how good the band is. Minus the Bear is another one of those top 50 bands to see before you die.
*All photos taken by Sara Garcia*

PacTour : Photos and Review by Alice Xiao

2009-11-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday I had the chance to shoot the PacSun Tour at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL (Huge thanks goes out to Big Picture Media). I’ve been looking forward to this day for about a month and I ended up getting pretty sick the week of, but I wasn’t about to cancel. I take what I do seriously, therefore rain or shine, sick or not, I dragged my butt out of bed and walked to the venue.

In case some of you didn’t know the line up for the tour consisted of Eye Alaska, InnerPartySystem, POS, and Soasin. I started my journey by checking in with will call for my photo pass, which I ended up losing my pass sometime in the middle of the night.

The Fireship kicked off the show, this is the band that won the PacTour battle of the bands for Chicago. I was pretty upset I walked in during the middle of the set because they’re a pretty solid band and they’re singer was dressed very well, just thought I’d add that in there. You can checked them out at: http://www.myspace.com/thefireship I promise you will not regret it.

Eye Alaska is a multi genre band that formed in 2006 from Orange County, CA. They signed to Fearless Records in 2008 and recently released their debut full length album, “Genesis Underground” in July 2009. Starting off their set with Brandon Wronski casually walking onto stage rocking rain boots, a backpack, a fancy sweater while eating an apple. Before this year I knew nothing about Eye Alaska, I decided to check them out a few months ago and they easily became one of my favorite bands. Eye Alaska has adopted a unique sound; with intricate sounds that mesh with harder beats, it’s hard to put a finger on what genre they really are. Not only has this band developed their own signature sound, but their performance was very unique as well. Everything from their wardrobe to the tiniest movements separated them from man of the bands I’ve seen live. It’s safe to say
that these boys have swag and that’s something you guys will have to go check out for yourself. They performed two of my favorites that night (American Landslide and Walk like a Gentleman) and their stage presence was great. With Brandon’s balancing act and their unique style, Eye Alaska is definitely worth checking out live.

RADIO LIVE TRANSMISSION! InnerPartySystem, a synth rock band formed in Pennsylvania, came to the town with a light show! I met these guys back in July at The Vans Warped Tour and they are definitely some of the coolest guys around! They started off their set with a cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission,” which happens to be one of my favorites. Usually I’m not a fan of cover songs, but IPS definitely took this song and made it their own. Their talent and understanding of their equipment/instruments definitely show through their music, they are a blast to watch and of course, dance to. The crowd livened up as IPS hit the stage bringing their electronic sound and the light show. If you have never heard or seen IPS live, you are in for a treat.

Moving on into the night. I think that most people would agree with me when I say, POS is the man! Stef (Stefon Alexander or P.O.S.) is a rapper and insanely talented musician from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I first witnessed one of his many great performances at the Vans Warped Tour this past July, where he performed not on stage, but in the middle of the pit. Don’t think this guy knows nothing of the rock n’ roll culture, chances are he probably knows more about it than most musicians. He brought the energy level way up on the PacTour. People who didn’t know who POS was definitely was not expecting a rapper to be on the tour. The great thing about Stef’s music is that he isn’t afraid to break boundaries, he says what’s on his mind and isn’t afraid to call out the issues with pop culture or politics. When the crowd appeared to be “tired” he wouldn’t continue with his performance until they “woke up” and sung along with him. He kept his optimism alive throughout the set and it’s clear that By the end of his set, he had the entire room demanding for another song.

Finally, the night ends with a wonderful performance by Soasin, an alternative rock band from Newport Beach, CA. I’ve been listening to these guys since way back in the day, it was sad to see Anthony Green go, but Cove has been a great asset to the band. As each member took their positions on stage, the crowd cheered in excitement. The band kicked off their set with “Secrets” as kids jumped and sang along. A couple more security guards came in five minutes into the set, because things started to get a bit rough. The night continued with the band cracking a few jokes. Being a huge fan of Anthony Green, I was
hesitant to see Saosin at first. Although it’s been a few years since Anthony’s depart, I find that some people still feel that he made the band. However, seeing Saosin perform with Cove Reber it finally made me realize that Cove is a great choice for a front man, an amazing vocalist, and well, he made me laugh with a few jokes.

Well, that was my experience at the 2009 PacSun Tour. If it hasn’t hit your city yet, I recommend you purchase a ticket and attend the show. It was a blast to shoot the show, although there were probably eight people in the photo pit (talk about crowded!) the bands did amazing and each one had their own unique performance. I hope you enjoyed my babbles and photos, remember more photos can be found on www.flickr.com/photos/alicelolz.

Show Experience: Anberlin, Scarlett, and Action Madison

2009-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

All photo credit goes to Sara Garcia
About a week ago, I got the awesome chance to see Anberlin. They played a few minutes north of my house at this venue called Chubby Rain. The openers, Scarlett and Action Madison were both local bands and I have to say Action Madison, you are definitely growing on me like mold on bread.

Anberlin opened up with Godspeed and holy crap, their set was so amazing. They had this awesome light show going and you really just had to be there to appreciate everything. Really, the winning point was when they covered "True Faith" by New Order. Come on, guys, 80's music, win

If you're from the Northern Illinois area, definitely check out Chubby Rain. Thrice is playing there next Tuesday and if you can, get tickets, ASAP. From what I've heard, they're going fast, if they haven't sold out yet. Also, The Academy Is... will be there next Thursday and yours truly will be working. This is a small hint of what's to come. ;)

Interview: Naomi from Rockstar Diaries!

2009-11-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

As a blogger myself, I have a stockpile of bookmarked blogs. Some of them I visit once a month to just quickly look over the pictures and remind myself why I had it bookmarked, and some of them I check back and read every single day. Or at least look every day and hope that maybe my favorite bloggers have updated. One of those blogs that I check on a daily basis is Rockstar Diaries. This blog chronicles the life and marriage of Naomi and her husband Josh. Not only is it super adorable how Naomi blogs about the love she has for her husband, but she also includes tons of great vintage-looking photographs, links to some amazing Etsy shops, and I think she managed to brighten everyone's day with her Here's to Happiness lists that included things that were making her happy, as well as readers of the blog. It's always a blog that I recommend to anyone looking for some internet reading, and I was honored when Naomi agreed to do a short interview with us! Please read, smile, and then check out her lovely blog.

What made you decide to start blogging about your life with your husband?
I've always been a big fan of journals. I love writing and documenting and keeping track of what I'm up to or how I'm feeling... It's always nice to look back too and reminisce or see how much you've grown or how far you come! A few months after Josh and I were married I started the blog as a new way of journaling.... I loved that with the blog, I could post and keep track of our photos. And I found blogs to be a great avenue for keeping up to date with our family and friends lives as well.

How does life in Washington DC compare to life in New York City?
We've found the cities really hard to compare. They both have a lot of offer, but in their own ways. When we first got to DC, we found ourselves saying "I miss this or I miss that" about NYC and we decided we needed to just get out and make new favorite spots and places in DC. I think you can make any city your dream city if you really get out and explore it with an open mind... it's funny, because now we'll go back to NYC for the weekend and be like, "ah, I want to go home! (to DC.)" Both cities definitely have made a special place in our hearts.

You always seem to be in such a positive mood, what do you do to pull yourself out of a bad mood whenever you fall into one?
I can actually get pretty moody... which is why I try really hard to look at the positive stuff. At the end of the day, I'm healthy, I'm happy, we have jobs and great friends and family and loved ones, a home, a warm bed.... I think it's up to us to focus on the good rather than the bad. And if we don't like our current situation, it's up to us to change it! I think just stepping away from the situation and figuring out how to improve it makes all the difference.

How would you describe your style, and where are your favorite places to shop?
Hmmm. l love color. If I'm not in some bright tights or a bright dress I'll put on bright lipstick. I love mixing vintage stuff into everything. I like thrifting along Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. I love Monk....and a few etsy shops too-- like Thrush and Dear Golden.

To date, which has been your favorite flavor of cupcake and which bakery makes it the best?
I am loving the Key Lime cupcake at Sweet Tooth Fairy Bake Shop in Provo, Utah. Currently, they are my favorite.

Do you ever feel like you're over-exposing yourself and your married life on the blog? Or have you made certain guidelines to make sure that doesn't happen?
When we first started getting comments or emails from people we didn't know through the blog, we worried about it. Actually, we debate taking it private all the time. But honestly, I think it's been good for us. I find I gather a lot of inspiration and creativity from many bloggers out there and hope that our blog gives back just a little bit of that inspiration to someone else. Especially since we focus a lot on our marriage and often in todays world, you don't see young marriage in a positive light.

What is your current top ten list of things that is making you happy?
Hmmmm.
01. Heated seats in the car.
02. Autumns colorful leaves.
03. Cough drops.
04. Thin point sharpie markers.
05. Scarves and hats.
06. Acorn squash.
07. Baby clothes.
08. San Pellegrino sparkling water.
09. Photographs of pretty beaches.
10. 8 hours of sleep.

What do you do to stay involved with the world of dance? Was attending Juilliard as strenuous as it seems?
Oh, the world of dance! I'm actually teaching dance here in DC, and occasionally I'll go get involved with a little freelance dance project. But I'm really happy with my decision to not dance professionally right now. It's been very healthy for me to step away from that world and reevaluate my passion for it. It's a strenuous world and it's not for everyone.

I loved my experience at Juilliard. Yes, it's intense and crazy and there were days I thought I'd die, but it definitely helped shape me as a person outside of the studio too. What I loved most about my 4 years there was getting to rub shoulders with all the talented musicians or actors or dancers. I felt so inadequate everyday around them (still do)... but I'm thankful I got to meet and build friendships with such a great artists. I think that is Juilliard's biggest strength; bringing artists together from all over the world to collaborate and create and explore together. I loved that about the school. I miss that daily interaction-- all the jam and improv sessions. I really miss that.

Who are your favorite musical artists, currently?
I don't know if it's a good thing but I am loving Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson's new collaboration. I love their sound together (hated her first solo album though. This one is so much better!) I 'm listening a lot to St. Vincent, DeVotchKa, Ra Ra Riot and some stuff by Castledoor. Besides that, I listen to Regina Spektor every single day. I will never get sick of her. I love her.

Anything else you'd like to include?
Nope! Thanks for thinking of me!

Be sure to check out more updates from Naomi at the Rockstar Diaries!

Band recommendation: Lightning Love

2009-10-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

*photo credit: Matt Robertson*

Clearly, I am a lover of music, but for the longest time I could not find a band that really reached out to me. I actually would find myself jealous of people who could, with a snap of my fingers, tell me the name of the album that they related to the most, and which parts of it correlated with their own lives. I never had that life defining album (except maybe in seventh grade when I thought Simple Plan's "No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls" was musical brilliance...). There is little romance in my life to relate to heart ache and blessed love affairs. I don't hate my dad, so I can't relate to THOSE types. My life is anything but jaded, and I don't have many jealousy issues. It wasn't until the beginning of September that I was introduced to LIGHTNING LOVE and their album 'November Birthday.'

Never before had I heard a band that perfectly embodies who I am as a person. Fun, slightly cynical on love, sarcastic, and basically has the same outlook on things that I do. Such as their song 'Everyone I Know' in which the words "Everybody knows, I've got a job but I never wanna go, rather stay at home, lay in bed, watch TV, and drink alone. And you're just the same, you think being grown up's some kind of game, and I've gotta say, all your interests and goals are pretty lame." are sung. Each song on this 11-track album is loaded with snarky and sarcastic lyrics, and I think just about everything is covered. From being the girl who is always rejected for someone 'who's so damn ugly,' the inability for either sex to be correct in most situations, pissing and puking in elevators after a night of too much fun, and of course, just having a good time. There is also the great combination of female/male vocals, along with poppy and electronic beats that make each song fun to bop your head to.

This 3-piece from Michigan has definitely written the soundtrack for my current life, and I love them for it. 'November Birthday' is up there on my favorites list, and it should be up there on yours. Take this recommendation to heart, especially if you're a sarcastic chick who's down on love and likes to party.

Youth Inspiration: Analyssa Benedict

2009-10-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

*photo credit: KrisKidd*
Name: Analyssa Benedict
Age: 20
Location: Long Beach

What exactly is World Class Youth and how did you get the idea for it?:
WORLD CLASS YOUTH is an organization in which aims to expose up and coming talent within the fashion production, entertainment and art industry giving the young and youthful of Los Angeles an open door to their dreams and success. WORLD CLASS YOUTH throughout each season hosts fundraising/community service events based around the fashion production, entertainment and arts industry ( i.e. art shows, photoshoots and l.a. fashion week ) not only to reach out and spread the movement but for personal growth in job skills and team building of each member. This is a revolution and as a collective team, WORLD CLASS YOUTH hopes to be an inspiration to the youth of todays society and show them that they too can make a difference all while achieving their goals.

i have been working in the industry since i was fifteen years old and i thought it would be a wonderful idea to give people who have huge dreams in that field the same opportunities i had.

Before this past summer, were you attending school?:
yes i earned my career certificates in fashion merchandising and retail marketing now i am majoring in business management

If so, was it difficult to balance school and your business endeavors?:
Most definitely, but it helps that my major focuses on what im taking part in that way I can apply it everyday, it also takes a lot of motivation and ambition!

Do you believe that adults have a skewed vision of today's youth? How do you think we can go about changing that?:
I believe that there are a lot of "older" people out there who believe in the youth of todays society but a majority of them look down on the talents and skills we put on the table being that we haven't had "as many years experience" as them, which is a huge factor but that doesn't mean we cant present the same quality.

Has there ever been a time when you weren't taken seriously because of your age?:
There has been a few times where i had to really push for the recognition for example i have a good story when i started as an intern at the California Apparel Mart when i was fifteen, the showroom assistant had me clean out the stock closet ( not so much dirty work but i would have rather been working in the office speaking directly to clients/buyers ), the showroom owner came in that afternoon to pick up some paperwork and was absolutely amazed on how well organized and clean the closet looked, the remainder of my time as an intern i was placed in the office doing administrative work and filing which was such a huge deal to me and a great advantage to my growing experience in the field.

What's next for you?:
First thing is im going to finish college so thats exciting, second thing is expand WORLD CLASS YOUTH to the east coast and third continue my life staying true to myself and inspiring others which is one of the biggest blessings to me.

What advice do you have for a young adult looking to step into the business world?:
GO TO SCHOOL! get your diploma go to college and take some classes, anything is possible for anyone who is motivated and ambitious to live their dreams, im a prime example because im living mine right now. Always seek happiness, be nice to everyone you meet and stay passionate for what you do.

Follow Analyssa on Twitter @ twitter.com/theanalyssa and/or contact her at analyssa@worldclassyouth.com. Also, to see more about what WORLD CLASS YOUTH is about, visit WORLDCLASSYOUTH.COM

Spit the Dark

2009-10-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Don't know if you guys have ever noticed, but we're fairly large supporters of Empires. Not only do they hail from my favorite city and new home (Chicago), but they have also been cranking out music and making it pretty far independently. They recently released their video for 'Spit the Dark' off their first album 'HOWL.' Check it out, and if you haven't done so already, give them a nice listen. You can also download their album for free at http://weareempires.com, so take full advantage. We all know that you can't get much for free these days.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm always weary when childhood favorites become readapted and turned into movies. Each book comes with some sort of fond memory, and if the movie doesn't follow the book just as you want it to or there are crucial points missing - it becomes something horrible. When I heard that Where the Wild Things Are was being turned into a movie, I had a slight flash of panic. But when I heard that Spike Jonze was in control of directing it, and that Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had the responsibilities of creating the soundtrack, any and all panic dissolved. I've been a Spike Jonze fan for a little while now and it can't be denied that his movies contain some of the most beautiful cinematography in the film world. And I'll refrain from going into a large gush-session about Karen O, but it needs not be said that she is also brilliant when it comes to music and her talents.

My friends and I were sure to buy advanced tickets, and it's a good thing we did. The movie theater was packed, and they managed to fill up two screening rooms for the mostly college-aged audience. We all waited anxiously through the previews, and when the opening credits finally started to roll, we broke out into an excited applause.

Start to finish, the movie was perfection. Child actor Max Records plays the role of Max, a young and slightly "out of control" boy who runs away from home after getting into a fight with his mother. He treks through the woods, finds a boat, and sails his way across a large body of water to, obviously, where the wild things are (wherever that may be..). After a scary first run-in with the wild things, he lies and says he is a king from a far away land, and has been a king to others, too. They adopt him into their group, and the wild rumpus starts. Max becomes like a family member, and at the same time a ruler, to the wild things in attempt to bring them happiness. I don't want to go into much more detail and give anything away, but I found it amazing how each of the wild things represented a part of himself or someone in his life.

As expected, the soundtrack was one of the best I have heard in a movie in a long time. Karen O took on the group name of Karen O and the Kids to produce a folky audio pairing that accompanied each part perfectly. Each piece was able to accurately fit in with exactly how I was feeling at each given part of the film, and made the experience that much more better.

If you haven't seen it yet, go see it. I promise you won't be disappointed. And if you have seen it already...thoughts?

Rating: ***** (five out of five stars, duh.)

Show Experience: From First To Last, Color of Violence, Miss May I, & The Color Morale

2009-10-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday, I made my way down to The House Café in Dekalb, IL for yet again, another awesome show. I was pretty hesitant at first considering From First to Last was one of those bands that I listened to in high school and the crowd that usually listened to them consisted of 14 year old fan girls who thought Sonny Moore was the best thing since sliced bread. Regardless of that stereotype being the only one I could think of that would attend such a show, I went… mostly for The Color Morale and The Color of Violence.

The show started off with The Color of Violence playing first and I was beyond blown away by their performance. I knew this was a side project of Travis Richter and Derek Bloom’s (From First to Last) creation, but what I didn’t know was that I would be so awestruck in the contrast of the music made by both bands. Travis Richter had such an intense energy around him and going on and to be honest, I felt like I was the only one who was totally in to that. During their set, they invited Joel Coan to come up and play drums for one of their songs since he had recorded drums for one of songs off of Youthanize. Again, I was completely mindblown and I’m still trying to find missing pieces of my jaw from that night.

Next up: The Color Morale. This band has been in Rockford, IL for quite a while and this was the first show to kick off their tour with the signing of Rise Records and their new album, We All Have Demons. I’m pretty sure that at least half of the crowd was there for The Color Morale. They put such an intense show on and I was front and center for the whole thing. Now, if you’re front and center for a show at The House, you’re going to get mauled. My legs are so destroyed because I was constantly being pushed up against the stage. Regardless, it was still an AMAZING set. The liveliness of the crowd was so intense, it was like this was a huge family gathering because everyone seemed to know each other.

Miss May I is a band from Ohio and again, an incredibly insane band to watch. Their stage presence was great, the music was awesome and the guys were so friendly. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any photos of the guys, but I think the other photos make up for it. At least, I hope they do!

Lastly, From First to Last. I was yet again, blown away by their AMAZING performance. These guys do such a great job putting on a show. The last time I had seen them was at Warped Tour several years ago and I can tell you right now, I knew this set was going to be better than that times ten and oh, it was. They played a new song and Travis Richter said to me back in February via Twitter that From First to Last was going to come back and blow everyone’s minds. He was dead on. Their new material, set to be released in February of 2010, is so great, I can hardly wait for it to come out.

Be sure to check out the bands if they’re coming to a city near you!
http://www.myspace.com/thecolormorale
http://www.myspace.com/missmayi
http://www.myspace.com/thecolorofviolence
http://www.myspace.com/fftl

The Sometimes Store

2009-10-13T20:01:00.001-07:00

THE SOMETIMES STORE - THE GOTH SALE from oh really on Vimeo.

I've mentioned my creative posse on here quite a few times. To explain, "creative posse" is the group of friends that we were encouraged to make during our orientation for Columbia College; a group of people who will inspire us and be there for us to bounce ideas off of each other and just be good friends. I've made some amazing friends here, ones who will already spend two or three hours in the Emergency Room with me over some stupid injury. Well, I have one of the best creative posse's around, and the above commercial is a burning example of the talent that runs in my group. My friend Caleb Dewitt is a freshman film major and an intern with The Sometimes Store. He created this commercial with the help of my friend Amanda for their GOTH SALE for Halloween. Love this commercial so much, he did an amazing job on it and I was clearly super impressed. This thing is scary as hell.

Have you guys been thinking about Halloween costumes? What're your ideas so far?

Want answers? Ask questions!

2009-10-08T01:35:00.001-07:00

Coming up in November, my friend and future blog photographer Alice and I will have the opportunity to interview POS, innerpartysystem, Saosin, and Eye Alaska at the PacSun Tour! We've been doing our research and brainstorming questions, but we want to know if YOU have any questions for any of these artists? If so, zip us an e-mail at theoddnotes@gmail.com or leave a comment on this post with your questions! If we like them, we'll ask them!

Let me remind you guys that you don't need to be a blogspot member to leave us a comment! All you have to do is click on the little thing that says '0 Comments' at the bottom of the post. We'd love to hear your feedback :)

Current music: I Sing I Swim - Seabear

Brand New and Little Focker.

2009-10-05T21:08:00.001-07:00

What a surreal past couple of days I have had.

On Saturday, I made the short trip out to the Aragon Ballroom with two friends for Brand New, Manchester Orchestra, and Sybris. I think the Aragon has to be one of the coolest venues I have ever been to (which isn't saying much since most of the shows I attend are in bars or smaller venues). Ornate walls and pillars, and a beautifully painted ceiling which was made to look like the night sky, complete with twinkling lights to look like stars.

The opening band, Sybris, is a local band from the Chicago area. It was kind of cute, actually, to see how stoked they were about playing for us. After every other song, their lead vocalist would shake her head and mention something about how amazing it was, and how much of a dream come true it was. Though I had never heard of them before Saturday, I would definitely listen to them again. Between the softer lighting and the lead's powerful vocals, it was the epitome of an ambient experience, and definitely worth another listen.

Manchester Orchestra was the first band, and I feel like I've expressed multiple times how much I love this band. There's nothing to not like about them. Beautiful lyrics. Vocals and melodies that fall into different musical families. I must admit, I was slightly disappointed that the only song they played off of (my favorite) Im Like A Virgin Losing A Child was 'Colly Strings,' but their set was amazing regardless. They started stirring up the crowd a little more than Sybris did, and got us worked up. Andy Hull was on point that night, a blur of curly hair, a plaid shirt, and his voice harshened by smoking too many cigarettes. I was easily able to forgive the fact that they didn't play any of my favorites.

I'm going to start off this next part by saying that Brand New has been one of my favorite bands since the sixth grade. I'll admit that I'm not the hugest fan of their newest album 'Daisy,' but the words that Jesse Lacey are able to put together are pure genius. The crowd grew even more and more anxious as they set up (and of course, they took the longest out of the other bands), and when they finally took the stage, it was like a giant balloon of energy had exploded and the people were alive. We jumped. We sang. We moshed. It was practically a religious experience (and no, I don't think I'm over exaggerating). There's something so exhilarating about being in a crowd that loves a band just as much as you do. That sings all of the words, and there wasn't a single pair of feet that stayed planted on the ground.

Amazing concert. One of the best I have ever been to.

Over the past few days, there had been rumors of a movie being filmed in the South Loop area (my neighborhood), and even better, it would be being filmed only three or four blocks away from my apartment. After hearing more information, we discovered that they are making Little Fockers, another movie to add to the Meet the Parents movies. To add to the excitement, people had been seeing Ben Stiller, Robert DeNeiro and Owen Wilson around. I was determined to find the source of the action. No doubt, this will be in theaters, and I wanted to be able to witness it. My friends and I didn't have to travel far. One block over and three blocks up at the Hilton hotel on Michigan Avenue was a film crew, extras, security, Ben Stiller, and an unexpected Jessica Alba. I was able to take a few pictures, however, they are obviously not great quality and I'm no photographer.

Also, you can now become our fan on facebook! Search 'the OddNotes' and filter by groups, it'll be right there!

Have a great week everyone!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ODDNOTES!

2009-10-03T23:56:00.001-07:00

Upon looking at the dates, I realized that today, October 4th, is this little blog's SECOND birthday. I can't believe I have been doing this for two years now. There has been a huge and awesome amount of great interviews, help from other writers, and it's only going to continue to get better! On a personal level, I'm also happy that I haven't given up on this thing. Usually after two months I give up on a blog, but now it's been TWO YEARS and it's still going strong. There has been the occasional hiatus here and there, but look at us soar now. Thanks to Sara for all of her help, and thanks to everyone that stops by this blog and reads it. Let's see this go for another two years! We've got some tricks up our sleeves.

PostSecret

2009-10-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Secrets taken from http://postsecret.blogspot.com

Frank Warren, founder of PostSecret, the most trusted stranger in America, spoke in my town yesterday. The moment I found out about the event, I was more than determined to go see him speak, due to the fact that the PostSecret project has inspired me so much.

The talk opened up with a huge projection of All American Reject’s “Dirty Little Secret” video in which Frank was able to get $2,000 donated to the 1 (800) SUICIDE help line. Originally, he had been offered $1,000 to donate secrets, but challenged the original offer.

He then discussed secrets that were unable to get past the publisher and lawyers and displayed them on a huge screen. These secrets brought about so many different emotions. They made you laugh, cry, think about your own life and whether or not you carry this same burden.

I know this question is going to come up already and the most popular of topics secret-wise that Frank receives are about peeing in the shower. He also shared that many of the senders are often tricky. When there is no postage on the postcard, he usually finds his own address and name in the return space.

He often carries around a small box of secrets with him when he travels. One that really stuck with me was one about traveling. “You said I was an idiot. I put your bags on the wrong plane. I guess you were right about that.” He said that it makes him think about how he treats people that he meets and how we have to respect everyone around us if we want the respect we deserve. Another was shared on an In-N-Out Burger bag, reading: “I smuggled this grilled cheese into the auditorium where you were speaking. You were good and so was my meal!”

After he was done talking, he let people come up. I was probably the most excited and nervous person to approach the microphone. To hear your voice expressing the deepest secret you could possibly have and sharing the inspiration you gain from one small, but so big idea is usually nerve-wracking, but in my case, it was extremely calming and I couldn’t have been any happier stepping away from the microphone. Another person came up and shared their secret, which was far more enlightening than my own – “I played with action figures until I was a senior in high school. My favorites were Ninja Turtles.”

Frank is by far one of the most sincere men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and watching speak in my life. I was so awestruck by the simple words he spoke, “when we’re keeping a secret, it’s keeping us.” It made me think about the other secrets I carry in my own life and how they affect me so much. After the signing, I received a text message from someone I hadn’t seen or kept in touch with for a long time, thanking me for sharing my secret.

The Radiant Man...

2009-10-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

That dude up there is my friend Mike. I'd even go as far to say that he is a member of my constantly growing Creative Posse. He's probably one of the only heterosexual fashion majors that I have met at Columbia College. He's got a great blog called The Radiant Man... Click on that link right there, or on the link under the 'Blogs & Friends' and read his blog. It's a blog centered around fashion and music, and pretty much awesome. A few of my other friends are also writing for it and he's got some good stuff coming up. And he finally put me under his Radiant Links list, so that's got to mean something. Check him out. Solid dude, solid blog.

Harry Potter & Creative Posse.

2009-10-01T11:44:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks in Chicago have basically been some of the craziest of my life. One of the things that I had been most excited about when moving to Chicago was the Harry potter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. I'm a self-proclaimed nerd, and I'm a geek when it comes to Harry Potter. So after hearing that the museum had hundreds of movie props and such, I was more than ecstatic to hear that my friend Brian has a membership to the museum, as well as free vouchers for the exhibit. Above is a photograph of the infamous flying car. Unfortunately, I was not able to take pictures of any of the other parts of the exhibit (which I thought was lame - we've seen it all in the movies, so why can't we take pictures?). But they had dozens of different character costumes, the wands, the quidditch equipment, some of the creatures, and we were able to sit in Hagrid's massive chair from his hut. It was geekdom at it's finest, and I loved it.

The rest of the museum was also awesome, it's one of my favorites. I've been there multiple times, and it's always fun to look around, and it's so interactive so for once, science is fun. I love the baby chick hatchery, and sadly the most disturbing yet interesting part of the museum containing fetus' from different stages of pregnancy was closed down. Here are some more pictures from the adventure (please note, I'm not a photographer).

My favorite part about going to an art school is our forming of 'creative posses.' I've met a slew of creative people, and my friend Alice is a great photographer (hopefully soon you will get to see some of her work, I've recruited her to take some pictures for the blog!). My apartment got turned into a photo studio, and we had a good time with it.

Then this past Friday, my friends and I rolled out to the Metro, which is a pretty big venue in the Chicago area. Once a month, they have an event for 18+ called 'One Night Stand.' The DJ's were ON POINT. It was so fun to go and dance for a few hours, and we'll definitely be hitting it up again next month. Clayton Hauck from everyoneisfamous.com was there, so hopefully I will be able to post some pictures soon. But if you are in the Chicago area and fall into the 18+ category, definitely check it out!

Now I'm off to go check out apartments in Lincoln Park, and grab some lunch before class. Until next time!

Current music: Wait, Wait - Lightning Love

Little monsters.

2009-09-15T11:57:00.001-07:00

Bonjour!

Sara and I finally got the opportunity to get together this past weekend. As you all know, she's been helping out with the blog for quite a while now, and since we're living in the same state and about two hours away, I got to go hang out with her in Belvidere overnight. Shortly after I got there (after much anxiety due to closed down Blue Line subways and faltering trains) we went to a hardcore show. I'm not much into the hardcore scene at all, but it was still fun to watch guys and gals who looked like they stepped freshly out of a Hot Topic throw down in some huge pits. Not going to lie, Belvidere, you all are a few years behind when it comes to style.

After the show and a trip to Culver's (I miss those in the city), we went back to her house and got to work at recreating the look for the blog. Obviously it has the same layout, but it was time for a color change. I found the cute little monsters picture, and Sara worked her magic on it to add the words and change the background color. NOTE: Neither Sara or myself drew the little monsters. We did edit the picture, but if you are the illustrator of these cute little guys, please e-mail us at theoddnotes@gmail.com so we can give you proper credit! There is also a new Top Five bands on the side.

Currently, we are working on a nice surprise for all of our readers. The word 'free' is involved, so that should instantly make it better. Lately, I have been living by the phrase "if it's free, it's for me." Chicago is fun, but it certainly is not cheap.

Also, now that I have a paypal account set up, we are still looking for sponsors! If you look to the side, you can see our lovely current sponsors, 410 BC and ElenArt. Rates are super cheap and with all that we've got planned coming up, there will be lots of viewers coming to see your advertisement! If you are interested, again, e-mail theoddnotes@gmail.com and we'll get you hooked up.

Time for me to jog off to class, now. Even though I love warm weather, it makes it a bitch to walk to class. And I kind of want fall to kick in so I can start wearing my sweaters and other cute items in my wardrobe (coughcough like the beautiful new winter boots I bought before I came here coughcough).

Au revoir!

Book vs. Movie: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

2009-09-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today in my history class, the teacher brought up something about how books are always better than the movies that they are turned into. Usually, I agree with this. But then I really started thinking about it, and there are actually a few cases in which the movie is definitely better than the book. So I thought it would be a fun thing to write about, and the first book turned to movie that I could think about was Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.

I saw the movie before I read the book, and before I even knew that the book existed. I blogged about it a few months back and I believe I made it very clear how much I loved it. Not only am I a huge fan of Kat Dennings and Michael Cera (the two shared that awkward romantic chemistry that only Michael Cera can possess), but the way the characters interacted made me want to be hanging out with all of them. From Nick's gay bandmates to Norah's drunken best friend Caroline and all the random people in between (such as the angry convenience store owner who was used to Caroline's drunken puking sessions in the ice box), to all of the amazing music that was played on the soundtrack. Band of Horses, Devendra Banhart, We Are Scientists, etc. The soundtrack alone is it's own perfect indie entity. There was also the fun scavenger hunt of sorts around the city as they searched for the secret show of their favorite band 'Where's Fluffy?'

So after I was all jazzed up about the movie, I picked up the book, written by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan at my library. I was excited, because after the movie was so good, I thought that the book would be even better. I was disappointed. I guess I should just start about by saying that I'm not a big Rachel Cohn fan in the first place. I've read some of her other books, and I just can't get into them. But again, I was expecting an awesome book, so I read it. There were many elements missing in the book that I loved so much about the movie. There was a drunk Caroline, but she never gets lost and there weren't as many funny and slurred remarks from her. Where's Fluffy? was found in an instant. And the book just really didn't do it for me. It also didn't have the amazing soundtrack playing in the background to tie everything together.

So in this case:

MOVIE > BOOK.

There's a light on in Chicago

2009-09-09T11:08:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

The past week of my life has by far been the best ever. I'm pretty sure. I have been wanting to move to Chicago since I visited in the eighth grade. My band class took a trip here to visit random areas throughout the city, and get a chance to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. That trip in eighth grade helped me decide that this was where I wanted to live, and I've worked very hard to get here.

Last Sunday (August 30th) I moved into my new apartment which is amazing! Top floor, two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen (with a dishwasher!) and a huge living room with high ceilings. Saying good bye to my parents was difficult, but I have yet to feel really homesick. I've been keeping myself busy, so I haven't had much time to think about missing home - though I do miss my family.

Some high lights of my week include:

• Visiting the Art Institute and Museum of Contemporary Art. At the Art Institute, we got to see a bunch of classic paintings. Ones that I had only seen before in art books and on TV. The Museum of Contemporary Art was much more interesting to me. I liked a lot of the work there, even though I didn't understand some of it. A fan tied to a string and attached to the ceiling so it spins around in circles...? I'm sure it's symbolic in one way or another, but I don't get it.

• Attending the Chicago Jazz Fest. I'm not the world's hugest jazz fan, but I can appreciate it, and it's hard to turn down free music around here. There was loads of people crowded into Grant Park with lots of cool vendors, delicious smelling food that I couldn't afford, and some really great performances. It was beautiful to sit in the grass and watch the sun setting paint the sky hues of purple and pink against the lit up skyline.

• Going to the Bean in Millennium Park. Millions of pictures have been taken of the large mirrored sculpture in Millennium Park. Even though it was very dirty (my friends and I decided that we were going to take a day to Windex that thing down), it was cool to hang around inside of it for a little while. Also, looking into the far end of it gives the illuminated skyline a great spotlight. And let me tell you, as pretty as the skyline is during the day time, it is way better at night.

• Meeting random people in the Park. When my friends and I are bored here in Chicago, we usually just end up walking around aimlessly. Back in Alpena (where I'm from) walking around would take us to a place called NoWhere. Here, we end up in Millennium Park and meet random people. This time it happened to be three older women who also lived in the city. We ended up playing Duck Duck Goose, Concentration, and singing random songs from random Disney movies. Meeting people here has proven to be very easy, and I've enjoyed it tons.

• Pet Lions, Lightning Love, Window Theater concert. The Student Programming Board around here puts on various shows throughout the year, and the first one was Pet Lions, Lightning Love, and Window Theater. Window Theater is a band here around campus, and they were alright. A three piece band made up of Columbia students with a sound of Dashboard Confessional meets Simple Plan. Lightning Love was my far my favorite band of the night though. I had never heard such snarky and playful lyrics that related to me so much in a long time. The lead vocalist had a voice that reminded me of Zooey Deschanel and she sang of misfits, love that doesn't work out, and drinking alone. Pet Lions was also okay. They were the 'headliner' so to speak, and I enjoyed their music. After all, I did feature them in an episode of OddTV (hahaha anyone remember that?)

&bull: Corresponding with the people across the street. Before I came here, I bought an art model doll off of my aunt during her garage sale. When I moved into my new apartment, I was tickled to discover that the people in the apartment across the street from me also had one, so I taped a big sign that said "HELLO!" on it, and hoped for a response. Even though the people with the art model doll didn't write anything back to me, the people in the window above them did. We write notes back and forth, taping each largely written response to our windows. Turns out, the people across the street are in a magazine office....which really...it's an amazing coincidence since I am going to school here at Columbia College for magazine writing...I'm hoping for an internship ;)

That is about all of the noteworthy things I have to bring up. Soon, I should be getting more on track with introducing more musicians and artists to the blog. It's been an exciting week, and I'm sure it's only about to get better!

In Review: District 9

2009-08-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

District 9 was in my category of “to see, or not to see?” However, my brother was IN LOVE with this movie after the first time he saw the preview. So, we decided to go to that last weekend. After seeing this movie, I’m putting it in my “TO SEE AGAIN” category.

If you want to save yourself the pain of reading this, I’m going to say it was like Cloverfield and 28 Days Later had a baby.

The movie in some parts, is shot in a style of a first-person view, hand held camera view. After a while though, you get to see more special effects and so the whole hand-held camera thing doesn’t quite work.

It takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa and focuses on a man who is about to lead a team who evicts the aliens living in District 9 to another location where human and alien interaction won’t be a problem. On the other hand, the aliens aren’t too thrilled with this idea and of course react with violence and anger towards the MNU (Multi-Nations Union).

The man who is leading the group finds illegal contraband belonging to the aliens and confiscates it. However, his exposure to the container leads to him becoming one of the aliens. From there on, it’s pretty much this huge chase to catch this guy because he’s able to control the alien technology. To the government, this is the six-million dollar man due to his accidental exposure and newfound abilities.

Now, I’m not going to tell you how the movie ends because that would just be spoiling things. Go see this one for yourself if you want to find out what happens to him. It’s by far one of the best movies of the summer and if you’re going to spend $10 on a movie, go see this one.

Artist Interview: Tom Falcone

2009-08-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I interviewed Tom Falcone, and it was slightly embarrassing. First, I thought he was of Cute Is What We Aim For fame (I still won't ever forget that) and then I was surprised not only to find out that he was not a musician in a popular pop-rock group, but also that he was only sixteen years old.

It's been awhile though, and now the young photographer is seventeen. Still youthful, and still incredibly impressive. He's making his mark by doing live and promotional shots for various bands, and his photographs that he took has been printed in Alternative Press magazine. I've kept in touch with him a little bit through e-mails, and it sounds like he's still kicking, so I asked if he would do a follow up interview. He was down, and this time, I didn't make any embarrassing blunders.

Name: Tom Falcone
Age: 17
How have you been since we last spoke to you?: Great, keeping busy, and livin' the life
What have you been up to since your last interview as well?: Many...many states...and even Aruba haha
What were you doing on Warped Tour, and how did you manage to go out on tour?: In...January 2009, I did a shoot with There For Tomorrow. We kept in touch and I ended up asking them if I can ride with them for a week of Warped and it ended up being great times. Throughout the week, my main objective was to just promote myself as much as possible, meeting bands, handing out my card, taking live photos and even squeezing in promotional shoots throughout the day if anyone wanted to book me.
As a young artist, are your abilities ever questioned by clients and others?: Yes, but no at the same time. Many people know I'm seventeen. Many people don't. Some management collectives do not ask for any personal information. They base what they see off your resume and portfolio. When it comes time to meeting the band and shooting, a few questions are asked but most of the time it rules because band members range from 18-20 something haha. It always works out for the best
Are you planning on going to college to pursue photography or anything else? Or are you just continuing on with your current photography career?: I am looking to attend photography school next fall. I have to take care of some business this year, but I will be going to school no worries haha. If that fails and I get bigger offers...well...only time will tell.
It seems that you primarily shoot bands, are there any other subjects that you like photographing?: Landscapes are beautiful. Mountains, and lakes and all that corny stuff. It's awesome.
Which bands have you been listening to lately?: Set Your Goals...Sing It Loud fo sho...I'm pretty excited for the new Breathe Carolina...
What's next for you?: A bunch of label shoots and a bunch of school work. Maybe a tour or two in the fall/winter. Who knows right now!

Check out the rest of Tom's portfolio here. Also, follow him on twitter at twitter.com/falconephoto

In Review: The Soloist

2009-08-15T09:37:00.001-07:00

I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was a young kid. Strangely enough, I always loved getting newsletters at school, enjoyed reading the bulletins that were meant for parents and printed on brightly colored papers with comic sans font. I enjoyed reading them so much, that I eventually created my own in the middle of my elementary school education. I called it the Neighborhood News, and for a few weeks only, it was a weekly periodical that I distributed to my five neighbors. In it, I put in weather updates for the week, maybe a crossword puzzle, and would ask the few recipients of my newsletter what they were doing lately. The neighborhood was aware of who was going where for vacation, whose garden had just produced a hearty amount of tomatoes, and other mundane ‘news’ that no one probably cared about. It was my first experience with “profit.” My dad recommended I sold these plain printed pages with a staple in the corner for seventy-five cents. A quarter went to ‘saving’ for the paper it took to produce these little gems, another quarter went to ‘saving’ for the ink it took to print them, and the last quarter went straight to my grubby little hands. I thought it was a sweet deal, and once I found out that what I was doing was a very amateur form of journalism and that people actually got paid decent money to do it, I was hooked.

However, the problem started as I started to get older, and I started to become a little more introverted. I had given up on my Neighborhood News only a few weeks after I had started it, and started taking a real journalism class in high school. The thought of talking to people started to make me nervous, and I mostly stuck to writing reviews on different movies and music, and tried to remain as pretentious as possible whilst doing so. Then during my senior year, I started taking journalism courses at the college, and writing JUST reviews was not an option. I had to start talking to people and I generally liked to keep my interviews short and sweet. My town is not exactly an inspiring place, and unfortunately, I had this mind set throughout the entire year of that class.

Sometimes it just takes a little push to inspire someone to be a little bit better at what they’re doing. For me, I’m easily influenced by movies. If I see something in a movie, and it looks cool enough, I usually want to do it. Hell, if convincing enough, a movie could make me aspire to be a stripper. I’m serious. I am still a bit of an introvert, so while the stripper aspiration will probably never come true, I have finally found a movie that relates to my chosen field of work in life, and also made me regret my ‘everyone is boring’ opinion that I carried with me throughout high school.

That movie was The Soloist. I’m late on this movie, it was in theaters months ago, and has probably been out on DVD for a while, but from the previews I remember it included a few of my favorite things: journalism, classical music, and a silver fox (Robert Downey Jr =]). And even better, it is based on a true story.

Steve Lopez (Downey Jr.) is a columnist for the LA Times, and during a reflective walk through the downtown Los Angeles area, he comes across Nathaniel Ayers (played by Jamie Foxx), a homeless man dressed in flamboyant colors who is playing erratic melodies on a violin with only two strings. In search of a story that doesn’t involve him giving blood for the entertainment of his readers, Lopez sits around and listens to the homeless man babble on about random things. Using his journalist eye, Lopez notices a few names scratched on the wall next to Nathaniel, and when he asks about them, he is surprised when he is informed that they are the names of his school mates at Juilliard. Sensing the potential of a story, Lopez leaves Nathaniel on the streets and heads back to the office and starts his hunt for him in the Juilliard records.

Within a few weeks and a few more conversations with Nathaniel, Lopez discovers that the homeless man is much more than a rambling idiot with an instrument. He unveils the whole past of Nathaniel’s life as a music lover, and a student of music at Juilliard School, all the way up until when and why he became homeless (much to my disappointment, Nathaniel didn’t blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol). When it is revealed that he suffers from schizophrenia, Lopez takes it into his hands to help Nathaniel through his mental illness, and get him back to playing the classical music that filled his passions as a child and as a grown man. The stories that Lopez wrote on Nathaniel and his interesting past touched a lot of people, and a moved reader even donated an old cello of hers to the use of Nathaniel to use and play. Lopez also won a media award for his series on the homeless musician. Even more importantly, he won the friendship of an unlikely contender just by taking the time to talk and listen to him.

Not only did this movie tell an amazing story of how someone went to having it all, to having nothing at all after being robbed by a mental illness, but it also instills the sense in you that everyone does have a story. I have to say that this movie did inspire me to start writing more again, and my interviews will no longer be of the short-and-sweet variety.

In Review: Dr. Manhattan - Jam Dreams

2009-08-12T13:53:00.001-07:00

Photo credit: Sara Garcia
I have been waiting for this CD from Dr. Manhattan for a LONG LONG time. All of them, really. This is one of the hardest-working bands as far as I’m concerned and they all do such an amazing job. They were dropped from their label, their booking agent dropped them and they were pretty much screwed. So, they called up an AMAZING man named Casey Bates, who has produced such gems as Fear Before’s last two albums, Portugal. The Man’s album and so many others. Anyways, Casey took these guys in and produced such an awesome album with the help of Saves the Day’s Chris Conley.

Their opens up with “Electraumatized” which is such an AWESOME track, actually, let’s just say that about all of them. There are really no words to explain how excited I was to get this CD on my computer.

The second track, “Texas” has been around for a while, if you’ve been paying attention to the band. They recorded it at Daytrotter Studios a while back, but it is such an awesome song. And if you know Dr. Manhattan, they mumble a bit and such on albums at the end or in the middle of the track and I absolutely LOVE it.

“After All” can so easily be compared to “Tracey’s Buns.” It’s a sweet love song or something like that. The only difference between the two songs are the lyrics and that it’s more of a jam than a love song. Love jam? Yes.

Whaddya got? “Mailman” is probably one of the top two songs everyone that loves Dr. Manhattan has been waiting their precious little butts off for. And if you really want to know the words (I know you do), they can be found on their myspace. This is probably one of the most eccentric songs on the album, as in, “I took some C.M.T. and couldn’t find my contacts for a week.” Hm.. yes. The album name does come from this song, though.

We love Wauconda, that small town that produced these boys, and they give it a shout-out on the song “I’m High.” If anything, this song is all about homesickness and missing ladies. It’s cute and any of us that have been away from home for a long time can probably relate to this song.
I could lay down and cry with this album in my hands. “Cowgirl” is another song that is seriously adorable. I don’t know how they come up with these things, but the robbies that Tracey makes probably have some part of it. This is a song for a lady.

“Misses Stewart” is probably one of the funniest songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s like, white boy rap met the Prince of Bel Air and “Misses Stewart” was born. It’s funny because the chorus goes a little something like this, “we don’t care about how it gets to our mouths as long as it’s in our mouths.” Hmm....

By far the most anticipated track on Jam Dreams was “Biscuits and Groovy.” HELLO, how could you not be stoked on a song involving zombies and jamming out being your duty. Every time they play this live, every one turns into a zombie halfway through the song and eats brains.

LISTEN UP, a 40 second intermission involving glass breaking, yes. You take it from me and I’ll get it back. TRUST ME on this one, it’s awesome.

“Man With a Woman’s Chest” is about a drawing... at least, at first it is. It’s a song you can scream to in your car or maybe it’s just a true jam dream. You can’t stay here, but you don’t have to go home.

If only you have the mouth to see, you’ll like “Hard Time.” Actually, you’ll all have mouths to see with and you’ll like it. I swear to every Butterfinger on the face of the Earth because it’s like Tom Waits took some Adderall and jammed out with these guys, halfway through the song.

This last one (yes, finally, I know, you’re all excited) is a song about “Camping Ground.” Or something like that... Dance away because you bring them here (Sorry Dad, I did not know). But this album is pretty well summed up with this song and you’ll all love it, I swear, my little kiddies.

Overall, I’m going to give this every thumb in the world up, because it deserves it. These guys are so amazing and seeing them come out with another album is so exciting because everyone’s been waiting for it. If you haven’t yet, check them out on tour in the Northeast US or their six-week stint that’s about to be coming up in the next month or so throughout the rest of the country.

Dr. Manhattan's myspace.

Empires and Kevin Devine show.

2009-08-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

So, on August 5, I went down south to DeKalb, IL to the House Cafe to see Empires and Kevin Devine. Northern Illinois University is also in this part of Illinois, so if you go there, you should most definitely check out the House Cafe, they have great food and even better shows.

About a year ago, I was pointed in the direction of the Chicago-based band Empires. At the time, they had Howl up for a free download and hey, who doesn’t want free stuff these days? So, I downloaded it and immediately, I was hooked. This was my first (but most definitely not my last) time seeing Empires. Unfortunately, I had only caught the last four or so songs they played that night. However, I will give mad props to Sean Van Vleet for having some amazing stage presence. It was so energetic and got everyone in a great mood. When I walked in, they were finishing up “Valmont” but played other songs off of Howl, like “I Want Blood,” “Warning Mark” and “Midnight Land.”

After Empires played and tore down their set, Kevin Devine was next. I had only heard a few of his songs but had fallen completely in love with his voice. Seeing the Brooklyn-based artist play in person was a completely different story. He was so spirited with the way he played, I had a few tears in my eyes. And the venue was small, so it was a really intimate experience. He played “Cotton Crush” and “Fingerprints and Photographs” and I couldn’t tell you the rest of the set if I even tried. However, he did make a lot of conversation throughout his set. Everyone started talking about cave diving and whether stalactites or stalagmites were the icicle-looking things that hang off the roof of a cave. Another audience member encouraged Kevin to cover Brand New and he said that he might, and if he did, he would acknowledge the guy who requested it. Unfortunately, he didn’t play a Brand New cover, however, the way he plays is almost equal to seeing Brand New live. The way he is so in to his songs and heartfelt about each and everyone of them. It was honestly one of the most beautiful experiences I’d ever had the experience of seeing.

All in all, it was a great night, they were all amazing people to talk to. It was everything you would hope that a local show would produce. The guys were all so nice and I would HIGHLY recommend seeing either of the bands if you ever get the chance to.

**Top photo of Sean Van Vleet of Empires and bottom photo of Kevin Devine both taken by Sara Garcia**

Empires myspace.
Kevin Devine's myspace.

Best of both worlds.

2009-08-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago (and yes, I am late on reporting on this. AKA: I was too lazy), Panic at the Disco 'divorced.' While Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith stick with Panic! At the Disco (they even brought back the exclamation! point), Ryan Ross and Jon Walker have created their own little group called The Young Veins. Recently, both halves have released new songs, and it all boils down to this:

The Young Vein's first released song 'Change' makes it quite obvious that Ross brought in all of the Beatles influence to Panic at the Disco's second album. The song definitely pays homage to classic rock and also possesses a certain folk rock twang to it, complete with organs and a few guitar solos connecting verses and choruses. Fans of Panic's pretty.odd album will certainly love this side of the newly divorced 'family.'

The Young Veins myspace

Now that the exclamation point has returned to the band name, Panic! has brought back sounds from the past and released a song that was much closer to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out than any of the songs off their second album. They have gone back to being pop and radio friendly. Even though I was personally a fan of the whole Beatles shtick of the second album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out has also served it's purpose in my life as a guilty pleasure, and I'm also anxious to hear what this side will put out next. Fans who hated pretty.odd will love the revived version of Panic! at the Disco. And if you loved both albums...well now we get the best of both worlds.

Panic! at the Disco's myspace

More posts soon!

And summer, where nights belong to lust and lovers.

2009-07-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how at the beginning of the summer I promised a mass amount of updates on this thing, and so far it turns out that I'm a liar and do the exact opposite? I have been quite the busy bee though. Lots of preparation for a big move to Chicago, and soaking in time with friends and family before I hit the road and move to a city that is exponentially larger than the small town that I've grown up in.

I have acquired a new laptop though, so hopefully that sparks some inspiration in me to want to do some more writing. I have tons to write about, just little motivation to do so. In due time though!

So until I start writing about some movies that I've seen recently and some bands that have been drifting into my ears lately, enjoy the poll on the side, and please keep checking back. My dad (yes, my dad reads this. Hi dad...and dad's co-workers?) told me that with this brand new laptop, there better be some new development's on the blog.

Patience is a virtue! Please don't run out of it, especially not with me and The OddNotes!

-Courtney Kaz.

Florence and the Machine.

2009-06-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

Summer brings many things, and one of my favorite gifts is the time I am granted to spend hours sitting around and listening to music. For awhile, my computer was being a total boner kill (well, metaphorical since I'm a girl..), and I couldn't run iTunes without my computer crashing out moments later. So for a few weeks, I relied heavily on online mixes. I've found that these were a great source of some music that I had never heard before, one of them being Florence and the Machine.

The first song was 'Kiss With A Fist.' A playful yet rock-edged song that, according to FATM's myspace page 'is NOT a song about domestic violence. it is about two people pushing each other to psychological extremes because they love each other.' Either way, the song is snarky, with a lyrical style similar to that of Miss. Lily Allen's. Considered a summer anthem by many, the chorus chants, "blood sticks and sweat drips/break the lock if it don't fit/a kick in the teeth is good for some/a kiss with a fist is better than none."

Upon further listening, I also came across her haunting, yet powerful cover of Cold War Kids's 'Hospital Beds.' And after continuing to listen, it is obvious the musical diversity that Florence Welch possesses. From the dancey and verging on disco track "Howl" to the orchestral background of 'Cosmic Love' that would make Yani proud. No matter the musical styling of the song, each one is fully showcases her vocal range and strong beauty of it.

If her vocals weren't enough, she also has a sense of style that seems to change regularly. She goes from being dressed down in plaid and t-shirt's, to being dolled up in vintage dresses and glitter. Surely, she is a style icon in the making, and it is well deserved.

She can be seen in the July 2009 issue of NYLON magazine (which also offers up a full free playlist of music), and she is releasing a new CD titled 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) on June 21st.

FRIDAY NIGHT: VAGRANT SOUL W/ BLACK SLATE GHOST

2009-06-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dear people of Alpena and surrounding areas,

Time to do some supporting of local music and check this out Friday night (June 11th) in Alpena.

DETAILS:
Doors open at @8
980 Golf Course Rd
Being held at The Church
Vagrant Soul w/ Black Slate Ghost
18+...If you're 21, it's BYOB
Cost: $5 cover charge

See you guys there.

With a new season comes new posts.

2009-06-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

I found it to be sad when I couldn't remember what the password was for this blog. I have also been finding many inspirations since I got out of school, and this has always been my perfect outlet for that. I was also kind of surprised when someone stopped me the other day and asked me if I was still doing the OddNotes. People are still remembering it, and when he said, "that was pretty much the only blog I read" I figured that something must be done.

The past few weeks have been crazy. I graduated high school. I'm making new friendships and building more and more on the ones I already have. But now, diction is taking over my brain, and I feel like I haven't done enough writing to keep myself satisfied. I have my paper journal and my personal blog for my personal matters, and now I'm reviving this for all of the amazing musicians, artists, and designers I have been discovering lately.

As if this summer isn't enough, I'm moving to Chicago at the end of August. Hopefully, I'll be leaving with a new camera in tow so expect some style shots, concert pictures, etc. I really plan on picking this thing back up. Just be patient, and it will be better than ever!

Movies!

2009-05-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, so I haven't updated this in quite a few days, and it's almost embarrassing. My high school career is over with next Sunday, and after that, I plan on having much time to watch movies, listen to music, and find more people who need exposure. For now, I'm going to post something from my personal blog to get the ball slowly rolling.

Over the weekend I ended up watching eight movies, it was crazy, and I think the most movies I have ever watched in a three day period.

• Mama's Boy.
• Pumpkin

•Into the Wild. I always find myself being really inspired by this kind of thing. The true story of a guy who donated all of his college fund to charity, destroyed all forms of identification, and just hit the road. I think that doing what he did would feel so liberating. Not having to worry about paying bills, and being able to see the country in it's purest and most natural form. If he had survived, he would've been able to tell so many amazing stories, no doubt. There was also a pretty good cast. Emile Hirsch was brilliant, and then Vince Vaughn, Jena Malone, and Kristen Stewart were also some pretty good additions.

•Earth. I saw this movie in the theater with a new friend it was great. I'm a big fan of the Planet Earth show. Again, more showing off what a beautiful planet we live on. Some of the animals on that show, I didn't even know existed, and it always broke my heart when a little baby animal died. And I think it was ALWAYS a baby animal that died, except for one instance. Also, watching it on the big screen was pretty sweet. I think I need to go and be a hippie now or something.

• Donnie Darko (I watched this while house sitting with friends. Never gets old.)
• Margot at the Wedding. I'm not a huge Nicole Kidman fan, nor am I a fan of Jack Black. I can never take his serious roles seriously, and I didn't see the point to this movie, other than making the audience feel good and awkward.
• Silence of the Lambs.
• Winter Passing. I really loved this movie, though that might have something to do with the fact that Zooey Deschanel was in it...

Expect more content soon. Also! Check out our sponsors on the side. Both of them are awesome and deserve attention and support. If you're interested in sponsoring on The OddNotes, e-mail me at theoddnotes@gmail.com for rates & more information.

Snakes & Suits tour: Concert Experience (Empires, This Providence, The Academy Is, Evan Taubenfeld)

2009-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

March 29, 2009, House of Blues Dallas

This show ended up being pretty spontaneous for me; I knew about it, but I didn't know if I was going to go until the day-of. Since I hadn't bought tickets ahead of time, there was good chance they were going to sell out. I called the box office at one point, and when the lady told me they only had “a few” ticket left, I hauled ass to Dallas from my college in Denton. After getting lost in downtown Dallas (as I always do) I finally found HoB. I parked illegally, went to the box office, and was nervous as hell when I asked if they still had Academy tickets. Obviously they did, or I wouldn't be doing this write-up.

When doors finally opened, the first thing I did was go to the Empires merch table and ask the merchie if I could talk to one of the band members about getting a press/photo pass. (Security cockblocked my camera because it's an SLR and therefore 'professional'.) Tom came out a minute later and we spoke, but he said I would have to talk to the tour manager, and he went backstage again to ask around. Well, I never heard back from them. I was stand by the rope that blocked the backstage doors, and there was a bouncer there. Since I already had my mind set on getting my camera in, I began to pester him. Finally after about 30 minutes of talking to different people and repeating “I'm with a blog called The OddNotes” a good 15 times, I got my photo pass. I include this whole story because it was a big moment, not only for me but also for The OddNotes. Our first official press pass!

Now onto the show. The first act was a scrawny blonde dude named Evan Taubenfeld. I had never heard of him before, but I figured I would get some shots anyway. Evan absolutely blew me away! His songs are witty and sweet; I was immediately hooked (especially when he sang the lyric “then Katie, I couldn't get enough, she was just like pumpkin pie.”) He was funny, often telling jokes between songs and even talking between verses! Some might find this obnoxious, but I found it to be such a breath of fresh air, since so many artists take themselves so serious on stage. (I later found out why I liked his music so much, and why his style had a familiar ring to it: he used to be Avril's lead guitar player, and co-wrote many of her songs!)

Next up was Empires, who I was most excited to see. Sure, I wanted to see The Academy Is..., but I had seen them before. Empires, on the other hand, hadn't been to Dallas before. I had been sending them messages and comments and tweets, all demanding Dallas! And let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Their performance was energetic and fun, with many people in the crowd singing along. They had a decent set, playing many songs off of their album, along with a cover or two, ending with Tom and Max laving the stage for Sean to perform “Hayley” solo.

This Providence played next. I'm not gonna lie, I've never really listened to them, so I'm not really a fan, so I don't have too much to say. I will say that they did sound really good live, and their songs were quite catchy. If you're a fan and haven't seen them live yet, I'd recommend it; I'm not a fan but I quite enjoyed their set.

And now last but definitely not least: The Academy Is...! I have seen TAI several times in the past, so I kind of knew what to expect. As always, they were amazing. I use the word “they” lightly, however; the one reason I didn't enjoy the show was that it seemed like the was a William Beckett show, not a TAI show. He played guitar and sang solo for almost the entire set, joined by Adam Siska on bass for only 3 songs. I was disappointed because when they play electrically, Mike Carden and Michael Guy Chislett play guitar, with Siska on bass, Andy Mrotek on drums, and William only singing (and sometimes picking up a tambourine.) For the acoustic show, however, William was the one playing guitar. In short, I felt like the guys who usually play guitar should have been up on that stage as well, making it more of a TAI show and not just William. Band setup aside, Beckett performed wonderfully, as he always does. His voice was clear and perfect enough to melt some young teenage hearts, I'm sure. He had a wonderful set list, comprised of an even mix of songs from all three TAI albums, and even played “The Fever,” which was never formally released. (He said he played it because someone in line before the show had asked about it.) Every time I see The Academy I am blown away by their sound and Beckett's pure genius, and this show was no different.

See more of Katie's pictures from the show at her flickr!

Apologies.

2009-04-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to make a post real quick to apologize for the intense lack of posting around here as of late. I have been super busy with school and life and other things, so I haven't had a ton of time to dedicate to this blog (unfortunately.) I only have TWENTY-ONE school days left until I graduate from high school. After that, good things can start to happen.

I am moving to Chicago at the end of August, so I will be surrounded by things and people to write about. Also, I plan on being more 'free' this summer, so there will also be some stuff coming up from that. For now, keep anticipating Favorite Song Friday, as well as some band recommendations here and there. You only have to deal with the monotony for four more weeks, I promise!

For now, if you want to read what I've been doing day-to-day, you can read my new personal blog HERE.

Have a good one!

-Courtney Kaz

Favorite Song Friday - Carolina Liar.

2009-04-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

Show Me What Im Looking For - Carolina Liar
I was actually debating with myself on whether or not I should post this song. I try to keep the things in here a little bit under the radar, and after being blasted all over the radio and vh1 and whatever else, this song has been whipping around in the mainstream. However, this song is too catchy to not post as my favorite song of the week. It's a great pop song. The lyrics are mediocre, yet uplifting in some strange way. I am also in love with the last few chorus' with the choir added in and stronger drum beats. I'm not sure if I should really advise people to listen to this song though....it's annoying how easy it is to get stuck in your head.

-Courtney Kaz.

Would you like to advertise on the OddNotes?

2009-04-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

As you can see on the side, I've started a small section for advertising. If you are a small business owner of some sort and would be interesting in advertising on my blog as well, please e-mail theoddnotes@gmail.com for more information & minimal rates.

-Courtney Kaz.

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, Cloud Cult, and Ice Palace.

2009-04-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

I've put off writing this for a few days. For some reason. I think I can chalk it up to my usual procrastination when it comes to blogging, but one day, the fire will come back!

On the 14th, Tuesday, I made the four and a half hour trip down to Grand Rapids, Michigan with my best friend and mom for the Margot and the Nuclear So & So's show with Cloud Cult, and Ice Palace. UNFORTUNATELY, I don't have any pictures from the event. My camera is mostly unreliable and wouldn't handle live shots very well. So here's the blow-by-blow.

Ice Palace was the first band of the night. If you're a reader, you already know that I really just started getting into this band, but they're very easy to like. What I enjoyed the most about the band was that even though some of their songs were mostly downbeat and laid back songs, there was still the opportune 'rock out' time, where it got very dancey and fun to move to. Complete with a guest appearance from Hubert from Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, Ice Palace had a solid set.

One reason I wish I had a camera for this band was because of the excellent style of their keyboardist/vocalist/trumpeter Amy Hager. Ripped fishnet stockings, colorful sneakers, a burgundy skirt, tank top, and an awesome printed gold scarf. Kind of grungy, but effortlessly cool looking.

Cloud Cult is a band that I have already seen before, so I wasn't too sure if I should've gotten too excited about it. Though as their set went on, I felt bad for thinking that it would be anything less than amazing. Since this band is just as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ears, they practically move mountains when they play. Watching their on-stage artist is just as captivating as the rest of the band. The music was beautiful as always, and I truly can't get over the symphonics they mix in with the rest of the band. I'm glad that my eyes weren't the only not-dry ones in the house, but the quirkiness of the vocalist's sleep mask and the fact that hardly anyone in the band was wearing shoes was enough to make me smile. A+ once again for Cloud Cult.

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's has been my favorite band for a long time now. They've inspired many of my personal writing pieces, so the fact that I was able to finally catch them in Michigan at an All-Ages show had me so stoked. Despite the fact that Richard Edwards seemed to be pretty fact, and that his guitar string broke half way through, it was an amazing set. Personally, I was happy that they played almost all of my favorite songs by them. The occasional dance moves from some of the members was appreciated and amusing. They originally closed with 'As Tall As Cliffs' and my hands stung so bad from the 'clap-clap-clapclapclap' that goes throughout it, but it was perfect in so many ways. It was the last date from that leg of their tours, and every member from every band came out on stage to clap and dance along. Then, they played a much appreciated encore of 'Barfight Revolution.'

What a perfect way to spend my last day of 17. My friend also assured me that it was a great First Concert experience for her. I definitely hope to catch all three of these bands again someday.

-Courtney Kaz.

Favorite Song Friday (Empires)

2009-04-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

I Want Blood - Empires

Empires is definitely one of the most underrated bands out there. They released their debut album, Howl, for free last year on their website (click and the album is still downloadable. From this album is I Want Blood. Sean van Vleet is a powerhouse with his vocals. The lyrics to this song are just a tad disturbing, and his voice perfectly delivers the impression of a 'desperate and a little delusional' man. I really do have a feeling that this band is going to blow up within the next year, and just by listening to this song, you can see the raw potential and talent that they have.

-Courtney Kaz.

SPRING MIXTAPE

2009-04-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

DOWNLOAD HERE

My Fall/Winter 08 mixtape was cold morning lit cinematic self-discovery wrapped in a blanket on a walk toward a non-specified destination with optimism and stoic fascination camouflaged in the tracklisting because everything is a silver lining within a silver lining, whereas the Spring 09 Mixtape is the start of your day when your destination ends up being a fun memorable adventure that you really didn't plan in the first place. The content/cozy feelings, and how nothing seemingly-doubtful can really get you down because you know summer is coming soon so you just stick your tongue out and pose like Marie Antoinette on your bed because you're not scared of being the queen of debt downfall and making people angry at you because you're too busy manually focusing on the sun's sudden glow and planning the years adventures. Why should I please those who will never be pleased

Spring is fun on it's own, but I think that a lot of the magic of it really comes from the entire anticipation factor. It makes you think of change, and it makes you think of before and afters. Winter just passed, what happened then? Summer is coming, what's going to happen then?, etc.

:)

//TRACKLISTING

Made once again by Nate, who also made the Fall and Winter mixed tape that was posted a few months back. Remember, if you like any of these songs/artists, be sure to check them out and buy their music and stuff.

-Courtney Kaz.

No Wednesday band recommendations?

2009-04-14T03:43:00.000-07:00

It has become a custom now to post some band recommendations for you all on Wednesday afternoon...or the afternoon after, or whatever, since we all know that I'm not the most punctual person on the planet. However, this week, there will definitely not be any band recommendations.

Why?

Tonight, I'm heading out of town for a short amount of time to see Margot and the Nuclear So & So's with Cloud Cult, and Ice Palace. I haven't been to a concert since the summer months, and the fact that I'm seeing three phenomenal bands really boosts the excitement that I'm feeling.

So instead of band recommendations, there will be a concert write up, hopefully by the end of the week. Maybe some pictures?

Oh, and tomorrow I'm finally legal. Eighteen! Scary thought...

Have a good Tuesday/Wednesday!

-Courtney Kaz.

Happy Easter + Favorite Song Friday...Two Days Late.

2009-04-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter, everyone! I must admit, Easter is one of those holidays that doesn't really do it for me anymore now that I'm growing up. I was one of those kids who was raised on the sole fact that Easter is just a day where the Easter Bunny comes along, leaves some candy and a small present, and leaves again. I never really got into the religious aspect of it, which is why I now just appreciate a day spent with family, jellybeans, and sleeping in.

Soul Meets Body - Death Cab for Cutie
Granted this isn't any new or 'obscure' song, I think it is one of the best. I had forgotten how good Death Cab for Cutie's Plans album is, and immediately this song grips itself right into my core. This song starts out with the moderate tempo, and builds up to something that is filled with clarity, and melodies that are so easily ingrained into my mind that 'bada ba da da da' is the only thing coming out of my mouth when I am not engaged in further conversations. Which almost makes me sound crazy, but in my personal opinion, this is definitely one of Death Cab's finest songs. I don't even need to go into how brilliant the lyrics are, because anyone who knows Death Cab, knows that Ben Gibbard is a force not to be reckoned with.

Sorry for all the junk that is attached to the music player. If anyone knows of any good and minimal flash players that I can use for this kind of thing, PLEASE let me know. I'm trying to stray away from posting a billion youtube videos.

Have a good day.

-Courtney Kaz.

Weekly Band Recommendations (Rego and Halloween, Alaska)

2009-04-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

Here's this weeks batch of finds. Hope you all enjoy and appreciate them!

It seems that about every week I post up some female-fronted group.. So this week, I bring Rego to the table. Singer/songwriter Rebecca Rego is the leading lady of this band, and her bold yet feminine and warm voice is backed with bluesy guitars and soft drums. The tone of the songs that I've heard make them the perfect band to listen to while pouring out a drink for a love gone awry. Or something. I actually like this group so much that I'm a little miffed that there are only two songs on their myspace page.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/regorego
Recommended song: After the War
Similar artists: Regina Spektor, Norah Jones

Halloween, Alaska is band from Minneapolis that has become my favorite find of the week. They are a band that could probably play on mainstream radio, but could also keep credit with the indie kids who need their fix of picturesque lyrics and somewhat downer tunes. Smart, smart band, and I enjoy the poppy quality that the vocalist brings to the songs, but also the softer music that keeps everything laid-back. Definitely a band worth checking out and could leave many people satisfied.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/halloweenalaska
Recommended song: The Hollywood Sign
Similar artists: The Honorary Title, Snow Patrol

-Courtney Kaz

Weekly Band Recommendations (Ice Palace & Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps).

2009-04-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm more than a few days late on these, so technically you'll have two band recommendation posts this week. Hopefully I'll pick up the ball on Wednesday.

Truthfully, I had never heard of Ice Palace until I found out that they were touring with Cloud Cult and Margot and the Nuclear So & So's this month. I'm seeing them in nine short days, and upon listening to this band, I am fully excited for the show. Though they are not the most intricate of bands, there are certain parts of certain songs that really tug one into the song (such as in Phonebook Pillow). This band has a haunting tone that laces through most of their songs, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if you like indie/folk/rock, you will for sure like this band.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/icepalaceband
Recommended song: Trampolining

Stumbling across this band made my morning. Perfect for a Sunday morning that isn't meant to be lazy. Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps is fronted with the vocals of, obviously, Caroline Smith. Her voice holds a beautiful clarity and tone to it that sticks out above the soft and not-too-overpowering band. It's softer music with a slightly uplifting edge that can satisfy those looking for softer listening or just a little bit harder. Wonderful music.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/carolinesmithmusic
Recommended song: Closing the Doors
Similar artists: Charlotte Sometimes, Feist, Meiko

Please check out and support each of these bands. They deserve it!

-Courtney Kaz.

Favorite Song Friday.

2009-04-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Cobra Starship - Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous This is by far the catchiest song I have heard in a long time. I'll admit to being a Cobra Starship fan, and one of the things I admire most about their music is how cohesive it all is. You could mix up all of their songs, and they all sound like they belong together. Now working into their third album, this song still fits in. There's the nice contrast between choppier beats and the smooth melodies. It won't get out of my head.

-Courtney Kaz.

Blogging vs. Paper journaling.

2009-03-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I would love it if you guys would check out the new poll on the side. I have a blog, obviously, but I also have a paper journal. I think it's kind of funny that whenever I mention to someone that I keep a journal, they either look at me like I'm crazy, or ask something dumb like, "OH MY GAWD, SO IT'S LIKE A 'DEAR DIARY, TODAY SO-AND-SO BROKE UP WITH ME AND I'M SOOOO HEARTBROKEN' KINDA THING?" No. No it's not.

Clearly, this is a day and age where print media is dying out and losing to technology, but I truly hope that nothing ever takes away from the relief that comes from putting things down on paper.

So I'm just curious to see how many other people keep a paper journal as well. Also, if you have a blog, I'd be interesting in reading that as well, so leave a comment or something with a link to it. I may even add you up to the Blogs & Friends list on the side :)

-Courtney Kaz

PS: Does the weather suck royally for anyone else, or is it just the mid-west?

Favorite Song Friday

2009-03-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

Peter Bjorn & John - Lay It Down This song is from the most recent PB&J album. A song about carnal attraction with some blunt lyrics that are fun to listen to. Guaranteed, you will probably be singing "Hey, shut the fuck up boy, you are starting to piss me off. Take your hands off that girl, you have already had enough" for a few weeks. At least that's what I've been doing... There are also some great beats that come up in here. Also - how brilliant is the video? Kind of creepy in that awkward way, but also totally awesome.

Enjoy!

-Courtney Kaz

Where the Wild Things Are and Blender

2009-03-26T15:30:00.001-07:00

Growing up, I was a huge fan of Maurice Sendak. His stories were always enough to satisfy my young mind, and the illustrations that filled them were also enough to leave me envious. I dug Little Bear, and of course, Where the Wild Things Are. My sister is also a fan of this particular story. I'll admit, it has been awhile since I've read the book, but the new trailer for the movie version of it has set my heart on fire with excitement. It does not look like this movie is going to disappoint at all. Even just the commercials show how beautiful of a film this is going to be. I cannot wait for it.

Also, I hear the plug is going to be pulled on Blender magazine, and that the April edition coming out will be the last issue. I'm not devastated. I'm not a subscriber, but I do read friend's copies, and they left me fairly unimpressed. What makes me worry more though, is the fact that I'm about to drop a ton of money on college to go into a writing field. Into a field where publications are struggling to stay afloat and things are transferring more and more onto the internet. We'll have to see how the next five years are...

Tomorrow: Favorite Song Friday, I haven't forgotten! I may even post it as soon as it is Friday here at midnight to be even more sure that I do not forget.

-Courtney Kaz.

Band Recommendations of the Week.

2009-03-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday, everyone.

I was going to try to do these band recommendations on Sunday or Monday, BUT, Sunday is my day of rest, and really - who wants to do anything on a Monday besides complain about it? I think Hump Day is a suitable day for these. If I am ever tardy on a band recommendation day or a Favorite Song Friday, feel free to harass me at theoddnotes@gmail.com and make me get it done.

Here are this weeks bands:

Northern Michigan has been teased over the past few days with some warm weather. As the seasons change, so do my musical tastes - and when I get Spring and Summer, I want some good ol' pop-punk. Good thing New York band With the Punches found their way to me on Myspace on a 60 degree day. This band is loaded with great energy and will easily be able to remind you why pop-punk music is a guilty pleasure of yours. This band has the vocals that make up a great poppy sounding group, but the music is a little harder, and creates an infectious blend that makes it easy to listen to.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/withthepunches
Recommended song: Keep it Going
Similar artists: Set Your Goals, the Higher, Thieves and Villains

I had this band in my Top Five list a few weeks ago, but this band deserves to have more attention drawn to them than just their name being put in a list. Hailing from Syracuse, New York, Jacksons Kid Summer has managed to accomplish one of my favorite things: mixing female and male vocals together, and actually harmonizing properly to sound good. Really good. The lyrics are smart and are backed with energy that is able to wash over you and pull you into the music.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/jacksonskidsummer
Recommended song: Saturday Night (wait until the middle, it will blow you away)
Similar artists: The Morning Of

That's it for this week! Please check out these bands and support them all you can. They are well deserving of the attention.

-Courtney Kaz.

Favorite Song Friday....a day late!

2009-03-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream. I've been listening to this song for a few weeks now, and I still can't get it out of my head. The repetition of some parts of the song makes it really easy to get drilled into your brain, and usually you won't be able to help but sing-a-long. I also think it has a really 80's feel to it, mixing old with the new.

Enjoy it!

-Courtney Kaz.

Greta

2009-03-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is the movie trailer for Hilary Duff's new movie 'Greta.' I'm not the biggest Hilary Duff fan in the world, but it does seem like this film will be a step outside from the kinds of movies she is usually in. I'm actually pretty excited for this.

I'm going to start doing a few things around here to influence more posts. Such as:
• Favorite Song Friday. I'll post up my favorite song of the week and talk about it a little bit.
• Weekly band recommendations. This blog is kind of built on that, so I'm going to be working a bit harder at bringing 2-3 bands weekly to everyone.

Also guys, some feedback would be awesome. I want to know what you guys are thinking, and you don't even have to be a blogspot member to leave comments on the posts.

That's all I have to say for now!

-Courtney Kaz.

Kris Kidd interview

2009-03-15T19:27:00.001-07:00

Young talent always amazes me, and what makes me even more excited is being part of the younger generation that is starting to harness their artistic abilities and actually do something with them.

Part of the new generation of go-getter's is KrisKidd. He's a fifteen year old photographer from the Los Angeles area. When I first saw his work, I have to say that I was impressed, and I think one of my first questions to him was, "...are you really fifteen?" Most people associate 15-year olds with poor (and sometimes annoying) attitudes, and lack of direction. However, this kid is driven, and is working towards building a revolution of young and professional artists. With a mentor, a few connections, and a camera, this tenth grader is definitely one to lead the pack of budding artistic youth.

I am court vs squid (obviously) and Kris's SN has been removed for a little privacy.

court vs squid: What grade are you in?

KrisKidd: 10th sophomore

court vs squid: Is it ever hard to balance a blossoming career with school?

KrisKidd: every once in a while it'll get really difficult. i'll have to deal with finals the same week i'm shooting for some company... and thats always really stressful.

court vs squid: Are you considered a 'cool kid' at school with all of your connections and the fact that you're becoming pretty widely recognized across the internet and other areas?

KrisKidd: oh, no. definitely not. my school is very out of the internet loop. so, i'm safe. its like a superhero alter-ego for me.

court vs squid: Haha, so you've got some Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus action going on over there?

KrisKidd: ohforsure. best of both worlds, right? hahaha.

court vs squid: What companies have you shot for so far?

KrisKidd: well, i'm currently doing alot of work with World Class Youth Fashion Benefit Co. and i'm currently working on getting together with the amazing Brian Lichtenberg.

court vs squid: Are clients ever surprised that you're only fifteen?

KrisKidd: of course! its always a shock to find out you're working with someone who can't even drive. but thats to be expected.

court vs squid: how did you get into doing the whole photography thing?

KrisKidd: well, it started off with me taking pictures with those little polaroid cameras from the 90's then gradually progressed into something much much bigger

court vs squid: what's World Class Youth all about?

KrisKidd: World Class Youth is a group of teenagers and young adults that share similar interests in fashion and art. We put on monthly events that earn money to go toward our fashion benefit show that will take place in Fall '09. its also just a great group of people to be around, we bounce ideas off of eachother, and help one another. It's like my second family. i love them.

court vs squid: There are a lot of young people these days starting clothing lines, making music, creating zines, photographing, etc. How do you feel about this, and also how do you feel to be a part of such a generation where it is getting harder to restrain younger people in their artistic ventures?

KrisKidd: i think its the beginning of a revolution. and i plan to be as much a part of it as i can. i think young people know more than they used to. We have style, we know what we want, and we know how to get it.

court vs squid: Do you think that it's harder to prove yourself as a young artist?

KrisKidd: definitely. people doubt you because of your age. I know people three or four years older than me that still don't get booked because they're so "young" and people think young means amateur and unprofessional.

court vs squid: How do you think our generation can change the stereotype?

KrisKidd: We just need to keep at it, we can't give up. Eventually, people will start to take notice. Its just a matter of time, until then, i'll just keep taking photos.

court vs squid: Is photography what you want to do with your life career-wise?

KrisKidd: I sure hope so. I'd love to be some sort of celebrity portrait photographer... think Lionel Deluy and David LaChapelle

court vs squid: Have you found any sort of muse y et? What are your inspirations?

KrisKidd: Actually, as far as muses go, i met a girl last night at LA fashion week, who was absolutely stunning. I could definitely see her as my muse. haha, i'm usually very inspired by music, fairytales, and urban culture, to name a few things.

court vs squid: haha, did you exchange info with her?

KrisKidd: no, i was so nervous. but i will find her, i promise

court vs squid: how supportive are your parents of you and your photography?

KrisKidd: very supportive, its not their thing, but as long as i'm happy, they're happy. so its always reassuring to know they have my back.

court vs squid: what kind of equipment are you using for photography/editing?

KrisKidd: i have my Canon XTi, which i am hoping to upgrade from soon. and i shoot with Alienbee lighting. and i use Photoshop CS3 to edit. its a long process. hahaha.

court vs squid: are you entirely self taught?

KrisKidd: mostly, but i have a big sister/mentor KlarizaG who has taught me alot about lighting. and now that i'm working with World Class Youth theres alot more people i can learn from

court vs squid: oh man, klariza's your sister?

KrisKidd: illegitimately. hahaha. but i love her to death, an d we're pretty close.

court vs squid: ohh that's awesome. you're lucky, you live in a good area for meeting people and making connections

KrisKidd: oh yeah, its all about who you know, and i feel pretty lucky to know the people i do

Below, I've posted some of his shots. To check out more , visit his myspace and flickr account.

-Courtney Kaz

(click to make images larger)

Matchbook Romance reunites.

2009-03-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

Matchbook Romance is back! After announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2007, they took a two year break. Recently, their myspace page turned into a counter. Then, last night at midnight, their myspace page resurfaced with new reunion show dates, and news of a possible tour and record.

I'm so glad to have them back.

The new tour dates they have posted are:

May 28 2009

6:00P

The Knitting Factory

New York, New York

May 29 2009

6:00P

School of Rock

South Hackensack, New Jersey

May 30 2009

5:00P

The Chance

Poughkeepsie, New York

Check out everything else at http://www.myspace.com/matchbookromance

-Courtney Kaz.

PS. If you are in the LA area, please direct yourselves to http://www.boxeight.com and check out Fashion Week information!

BOXEIGHT: IF YOU ARE IN LA

2009-03-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

If you are in Los Angeles or anywhere near Los Angeles, check this out. BOXeight has helped do a lot for this blog, and deserve a ton of support. They are hosting fashion week out there, and there's going to be a ton of designers. Check out http://www.gurnz.com and http://www.boxeight.com for more details!!

Also, feel free to comment on the posts! I'd love to get some feedback. Under each post is a little link for commenting. You don't have to be a member of blogger to comment or anything :)

-Courtney Kaz

M.S. Corley book covers

2009-03-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

I think I am kind of late on this, but I've been seeing these around and I have decided that they are too cool to not post.

I have yet to express my love for books on here, but be assured that I am close to becoming a certified bookworm/nerd. I'm always reading, always have a book on me, and literature is the first thing that I could remember loving (since kindergarten!). However, I think I break every reader's golden rule: don't judge a book by it's cover. I am usually drawn to the crisp photographs and minimalistic that adorn the covers of most books that are published these days.

But when I saw these covers by M.S. Corley, I fell in love. They remind me of the boxes of musty books that my mom still has from the 70's - which in this case is a really good thing. He's managed to take newer favorite's like Harry Potter and the Series of Unfortunate Events and completely redesign them to look vintage and awesome. These covers are definitely made to be judged, and they get great ratings in my book. Har har.

Check out the rest of the covers at http://mscorley.blogspot.com/

-Courtney Kaz

Listen to this: More Amor

2009-02-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

More Amor is a band that I just started listening to not very long ago. I heard their name thrown around on the Internet, and when I finally got around to checking them out - I was pleasantly surprised. The band is made up of two guys, Tom and Kyle, and a trusty iPod. Each of their songs offer up something a little different. From the energized track with powerful vocals 'OB Forever' to the slower and easy to sing along with 'Young Hollywood.' My personal favorites are 'Little Bit' and 'Same Damn Song' (just to throw in some more recommendations).

This duo has hit the nail on the head on creating a great balance between the use of their instruments and technology. I was able to get an interview with one half of the group, Kyle, so read and get to know a little more what they're about. And then definitely show them your support.

Half of your band right now is an iPod, are you looking to fill the positions, or do you like it that way?
We've pretty much decided that we are like peas in a pod. Maybe even an iPod. We have also pretty much decided that our pod is only big enough for two peas. So to answer your question, it's really our iPods decision to only have two of us. We do however, like it that way.

What has it been like playing together as More Amor as opposed to other bands you have played with?
More Amor has kind of been something we have wanted to do for a long time. We've been best buds for quite sometime and it felt like a collaboration of our talents was inevitable. I think for both of us, this time around, we are really happy with the music we are making and the roles we are playing in the group. It's been nothing but a blast so far and I dont see that slowing down anytime soon.

You guys released an album a little bit ago, are there any music videos in the works? What song of yours do you think would make an awesome video?
We did self release a record last summer, and we have brainstormed some awesome ideas for videos. We'd love to make a video for Young Hollywood. It could be really fun documenting us running around our new home. We will be making some videos in the future. I assure you. We'll all just have to wait and see what songs we end up doing.

Have you guys done any tours together yet? Are you planning on doing any, and who are some musicians you would love to tour with?
We actually did do a small tour out to CMJ last Fall. We packed Toms Camry hybrid up to the roof with our gear, and our clothes, and hit the open road. We only played 5 shows altogether but had a blast on our road trip to the big apple. We plan our touring our lives away in the near future. As a group, some of the bands we would love to tour with in the future include Tegan and Sara, Justice, MGMT, and Boyz II Men to name a few.

What are your goals as musicians?
I think with all musicians, our biggest goals are to have an opportunity for people to hear our music, and to just improve all around musically. Not only as single musicians, but together, to become a better band.

Word has it that BOXeight is going to get some stuff set up for you, how are you feeling about that?
We are really stoked to have the opportunity to be working with the BOXeight crew. They are all artistically talented, awesome people with real drive to get things done. We are excited to be able to grow with them as artists and as a community.

What are each of your current top five musicians?
As of right now, my top 5 favorite musicians, in no particular order, would have to be John Mayer, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Dan Keyes, and Tegan and Sara. They count as one by the way. This is constantly changing though as you could imagine.

Where do you pull your inspirations from?
Inspiration comes from all over the place. The California air, the California trees, the California girls. It comes from other artistic and driven people. It comes from a glass of whiskey on ice in a hot tub with Marvin Gaye serenading you. It comes from beautiful dogs you can pet with your friends. Inspiration is everywhere.

Are we going to continue seeing more of that sexy mannequin?
That sexy mannequin you speak of is our old friend Tayshawn. He is the backbone of More Amor and our closest allie in this world full of madness. He keeps our heads on straight and we keep his moustache on straight. Tayshawn will probably outlive us.

What is something the world needs more of?
The world needs more Arrested Development. Enough said.

What is next for More Amor?
We are actually in the process of colonizing the moon before the summers end. We are working with some head officials over at NASA to get the development finished before the fall comes. We are going to be holding an online raffle to see who gets to come with us. The raffle will happen sometime this summer and you must be 18 years or older to enter. Keep checking myspace.com/moreamor for more details in the months to come.

Anything else?
Yea. The future is bright, must wear shades.

-Courtney Kaz

Valentine's Day Playlist.

2009-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is today, and people either love it or hate it. Love it because there is finally someone to celebrate with. Hate it because you think it’s a pointless holiday made to fuel the candy/card companies. Or you’re just bitter. Either way, everyone has those love songs that just add to the greatness of the holiday. Here are 11 great and necessary tracks.

1. The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson. This song addresses the major theme and most important part of love: taking someone for who they are!
‘Cause I love the way you call me baby. And you take me the way I am.

2. First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes. I don’t think anyone who has heard this song can disagree with me on this choice.
And you said, “this is the first day of my life. I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you. But now I don’t care I could go anywhere with you and I’d probably be happy.

3. Alive With the Glory of Love - Say Anything. This song is so energetic that it really can’t help but be loved. Not only is this one of my favorite ‘love’ songs, but it’s also just one of my favorite songs in general.
Should they kill me, your love will fill me as warm as the bullets, yeah. I’ll know my purpose, this war was worth this. I won’t let you down.

4. Falling For You - Weezer. Not only is Weezer a classic, but this song is so playful and great, that it had to go on the list. It’s also a good one for those ‘old goats’ with ‘young chicks.’
But I’m shakin’ at your touch, I like you way too much. My baby I’m afraid I’m falling for you. I’d do ’bout anything to get the hell out alive. Or maybe I would rather settle down with you.

5. Charlotte - Air Traffic. This Brit-pop band breaks the mold on the typical love song. With both the energy and the lyrics are not all that conventional.
I’m wasted, I’m face down on the floor can’t take anymore, I gave it all away. Lately I can’t find the eyes, help me realize that I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love.

6. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel. Anyone who has seen Say Anything knows this song. Granted, I’m not sure if this song has the same effect as it does when there is a dashing, young John Cusack holding a boombox over his head, but it’s worth a shot.
In your eyes, the light the heat. In your eyes, I am complete.

7. Brighter Than Sunshine - Aqualung. This song is like sitting down after fifty hours of standing. Like a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Really, it’s just refreshing. Affectionate lyrics, crisp and clear sounding piano. Wonderful.
What a feeling in my soul, love burns brighter than sunshine. Let the rain fall I don’t care, I’m yours and suddenly you’re mine.

8. Rooftops and Invitations - Dashboard Confessional. What would a ‘love’ mix be without a little Dashboard? This is one of my favorite tracks of theirs. Very sexy.
When every move and each impulse brings clarity, to stay like this is everything you’ll ever need.

9. Reasons to Love You - Meiko. I have a total voice crush on this woman. This song does take the slow song, but it is close to perfection.
I wanna dream away with you tonight, we can go anywhere you would like. I wanna feel how I wanna feel forever.

10. Journey of the Featherless - Cloud Cult. Not exactly a love song, but it is a cute song. I thoroughly enjoy the orchestra at the beginning, and the lyrics are very clever.
I left you a love poem, the best I have written. My favorite words were the ones I couldn’t spell.

11. Melt My Heart to Stone - Adele. Adele is another one of those British gems, and these lyrics are so vulnerable and wonderful, it has to be added. Contributed by BOXeight’s own Chad Wilson.
And I hear your words that I made up, you say my name like there could be an us. I best tidy up my head. I’m the only one in love.

Hope everyone has a pleasant ‘holiday.’ Sorry I couldn’t provide download links, but I really don’t need to get sued.

-Courtney Kaz.

Don't forget to check out The OddNotes at www.boxeight.com!

Just a heads up.

2009-02-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

From now on, all of the posts at The ODDNOTES will be mirrored over to www.boxeight.com

We've got a sweet little set up there, and if you scroll down the main page, you will see a 'The OddNotes' button. Check it out, and also throw up some mad support for the crew over there. They are all awesome people.

Thanks a ton to Pete Gurnz for hooking all of this up, and see you all there. But continue to check back on here for polls and whatever else.

-Courtney Kaz.

Just saying what everyone and their mother already knows...

2009-02-08T21:01:00.001-08:00

Blink is back!!

I am so stoked on this. I was and still am a pretty huge Blink 182 fan, and I have been waiting for them to regroup ever since they went on their 'indefinite hiatus.' I'm banking on them doing Warped Tour this summer, what do you guys think?

Also, I just have to say that I hope the new album that they are creating is better than their last one. I wasn't too fond of that record, and kind of miss when they were just stupid assholes in the 90's.

In other news, Radiohead was fucking awesome at the Grammy's. In my opinion, best performance of the night. M.I.A was super pregnant, and the entire time I was wondering if all that would be damaging to the baby, or if her water would break on stage. Adele beat out the Jonas Brothers for Best New Artist, which is pretty amazing. I'm hoping that Coldplay and Jay-Z do a remix album together. Seeing Dave Grohl behind drums again was great.

Twas a good night at the Grammy's. Good night, all.

-Courtney Kaz.

Oh, and stop being so shy, everyone! I'd like to start seeing some comments in here. I want to know what all of you think. At the bottom of each post, there is a little link to click on to comment. You don't even have to be a member of blogger or anything. :)

Peep This: 2012

2009-02-08T08:47:00.001-08:00

A few days ago, I logged into Myspace, and was incredibly weirded out by the banner that was on the log-in page. It said something to the effect of, "how would the governments of our planet prepare 6 billion people for the end of the world? They wouldn't. But we will." Although I don't entirely believe it, the thought of the world ending in 2012 has always creeped me out. Curiosity was killing me, so I clicked on the banner.

This took me to a page that for The Institute for Human Continuity. The website shows a few of the theories of how the world is going to be coming to an end, and offers up a 'Survival Lottery Ticket.' Apparently this ticket ensures you a spot in the mass group who would be trying to survive the imminent apocalypse.

At first I found the site to be incredibly amusing. Because if the world was ending - why would a little online lottery ticket help you survive in any way? But when I started clicking around, I realized that Sony Entertainment had made the website. Why?

As a viral campaign for a movie expected to come out in November of this year which illustrates the different methods of how our world will end. There's also a pretty awesome cast including John Cusack and Amanda Peet.

There's one of the trailer's for the film. Looks pretty epic, yet somewhat chilling at the same time.

It always makes you wonder..

-Courtney Kaz.

the odd notes vs. myspace ROUND TWO.

2009-02-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

Alright guys, this is starting to get a wee bit ridiculous. Myspace has disabled our link yet again. I think it's to the point where Tom is starting to get jealous. Tabitha and I were also having issues sending our links in messages. In fact, last time I tried to message my link to someone: I got phished five times in a row.

I just sent them another bitch-mail, so hopefully they'll disable our link again soon and it will all get cleared up.

Thanks a lot, Myspace. I really appreciate it again. If you couldn't already tell.

:

-Courtney Kaz.

Listen to this: The Chain Gang of 1974 + interview

2009-02-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

These days it seems hard to find a band that is serious about their music but also have a fun feel to it. Most songs these days seem to be focused on sending a message out to the kids, helping them out. The Chain Gang of 1974 seems to make it clear that while the music has a fun sound, they're serious about what they do and write for themselves. Another resident of the Denver area in Colorado, Kamtin Mohager will be touring with The Secret Handshake and part of 3OH!3's backing band on AP tour. Be sure to check out this up and coming powerhouse.

You certainly have a unique style of design [myspace page, music videos, merch] where do you get most of your inspiration from?
- I've never been one to be extremely inspired by American band's. I've also never been one to really be inspired by mainstream band's, as well. Most of my influences (with a few exceptions, of course) are from the UK and Europe. So I tend to go off what they're doing, but it always turns out to become my own thing in the end.

You recently went on tour with 3OH!3 and that was really the first time you had played in those states and to that crowd. Did it give you the sort of exposure you wanted?
- Definitely. I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish and more with that tour. It allowed my music to reach a large amount of new people. It's not like everyone was freaking out and loved my music. Personally, I feel the song's I write are a little harder to digest than most band's out there today, especially with a lot of the kids who attended the tour. So I'm still working hard and pushing, but have now made it one step higher.

Your full length is dropping this spring, what can we expect from that?
- Expect a very weird, unique album. I don't want anyone to look at "Mad Paranoid" as just a "Dance" record. Having been able to spend a lot of time listening to it now that it's complete, I've discovered how out there the record actually is, and I'm so proud of that. I NEVER want to create music that sounds like it was created out of a cookie cutter. But there are 12 full tracks on the album. Definitely excited for people to hear it.

A lot of bands set out to inspire and help their fans with their music. What do hope to do for your fans as a musician?
- Here's my attitude towards all that stuff. It means the world to me that somebody will take the time out of their day and listen to the music I have created. The true thought of that is mind-blowing to me. But I have never been one to create music for someone else. I am making this music for myself only. So with that said, it's even more taking back when someone comes to me and tells me a life story involving my music. I just hope my tunes can allow them to go outside the box with any type of art they're trying to pursue.

Outside of making music, what are a few projects you would like to get involved with?
- At this point, there's nothing I can do unless it involves making music. But we will see if that changes in the near future.

What has been your favorite show you played to date?
- The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA.

What can we expect next from The Chain Gang?
- Don't expect anything. That's the key thing to remember about The Chain Gang Of 1974. It's NEVER going to be the same thing. It will continue to evolve into something else. So don't expect anything. Just go with it.

TEN RANDOMS:
Where were you three hours ago?
- In my bed.

What movies have you watched in the past 5 days?
- Gran Torrino, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Real Genius.

What is the most ridiculous outfit you have worn?
- In 3rd grade I wore a matching Chicago Bulls outfit, but ended up pissing my pants at school. So I went to the lost and found, and they hooked me up with some JNCO's, which my parents never allowed me to wear. So I definitely felt like a rebel.

When was the last time you ran?
- Probably a year ago.

What is the weirdest thing you have done at 4 am?
- Smoked Hooka in the middle of nowhere Utah, on my way to California, while listening to "A Storm In Heaven" by The Verve. It was trippy.

What do you want to know about the future?
- Whether or not true love really does exist.

What is your heritage?
- My parents were born in Iran. They moved to American right before the Islamic Revolution, which allowed me to be born in Northern California. But I am Persian.

What is your favorite tongue twister?
- I hate tongue twisters.

What is your favorite type of sock?
- Long, black, dress socks.

Do you believe in the Loch ness monster why or why not??
- Only if I'm on LSD.

Check out the Chain Gang of 1974 at www.myspace.com/thechaingangof1974

-Tabitha Jones

Sorry boys.

2009-02-03T20:53:00.001-08:00

Dear boys,

I hope you don't feel as though your masculinity has been somewhat poked at when you visit the page now. But as a girl, I only find it appropriate to get this place in the mood for Valentine's Day! I do not have a Valentine (though I am taking offers), but I still think it's a pretty cute holiday, despite all the haters who label it as a holiday used to benefit corporations or whatever.

In lieu of the 'holiday,' I'll be cooking up some new posts soon. You can be expecting a list of my favorite 'romance' movies. A Valentine's Day mix, and for the haters mentioned above: an anti-Valentine's Day mix. I'll try my hardest to get actual download links for you all, but I'd rather not get my ass sued. This girl here does not have a job to pay for legal expenses.

There's some cool stuff coming up. Keep spreading the word!

-Courtney Kaz.

Brian Benham interview.

2009-02-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

In the summer, I'm always looking for chill music. And through my searches for chill music, I somehow came across Brian Benham, and since then, he has become one of those artists that make me glad I scrounge around myspace for random musicians to listen to.

Each of his songs are laid back, with soft and almost vulnerable sounding vocals. After delving into it a little bit more, I discovered that not only does he sound good, but the lyrics are just as good as well. He's also in touch of his fans, which automatically scores a musician points in my book.

Brian kindly did an interview with me, and I have to say that he got these answers back to me faster than anyone ever has before. After you read the interview and get a good idea on how much he loves what he does, please click on the myspace link at the bottom of this and give him all of your support. He really, truly deserves it.

You recently wrapped up a tour with Skyler Stonestreet, how was that? When do you plan to go on another big tour like that?

Touring the country is a dream many musicians share, the fact that Skyler and I lived out that dream was really a blessing. I never would have guessed that a few years ago while writing my first songs that a few years later they would carry me across our country on such a wonderful adventure. I'm proud of the fact that we pulled off our first national tour independently. Skyler and I have the same sense of humor, so while the tour was difficult at times (lack of alone time, sleeping in REALLY bad hotels, way too much fast food, a little drama) we came out of it laughing and closer, she's a great girl with so much talent. Right now I have no set plans of when I'll be touring again, I've considered college booking agencies, but ideally I'd like to hop on someone's tour as an opening act.

When you write a song, what is your process like? Do you keep journals for random inspirations, or do you just sit down and unleash a stream of conscious?

It's funny, I've never ever wrote a song on paper, I'm always singing to my laptop, I pop it open hit record and begin strumming. I start with my simple chord progressions and songs just kind of spill out of nowhere. I don't write with this driving idea or goal behind the songs, they just flow randomly and come together in their own little ways.

Where does a lot of your inspiration come from for your lyrics?

Out of the blue really, I rarely write directly from my life experiences. My life outside of music is pretty ordinary. I spend a lot of time working between 2 jobs AND performing AND working on music. So if I were to write about my life it would be kind of boring, it would be songs about working all the time and who wants to hear that!? Music is my break from the rest of my life. I write songs about what I would like to have in life, or long and hope for. My most honest songs have hints of social commentary in them, that's definitely me. When it comes down to it, I just love writing and singing, not every song actually has to do with me though.

What is the most challenging part about being a musician?

The goals in music are so fuzzy now. It's really an interesting pursuit. I've learned to just go with the flow and be thankful for the journey I'm on, the good stuff, the bad. It's challenging not knowing what the ultimate goal with music is anymore, the industry is so wack right now that getting signed doesn't mean what it used to. It's challenging financially too, cause like I said, I work two jobs and perform a few nights a week when I'm not on longer tours and it gets hard, it's frustrating but hopefully all of my hard work will pay off someday. If not, again, I'm thankful to have spent a unique few years pursuing a dream and doing what I love. I think I need to keep in mind that I'm young, keep my faith in what I'm doing and just keep on keepin' on and hope for more good times are ahead.

Do you hope to achieve a mainstream status, or would you rather stay being an independent artist?

I don't hope for that, not really. If anything I hope to be able to tour more, and share music in a real setting face to face with people who are out supporting live music. One day if a label approaches me and would like to have me on board of course I'd be a part of that and would be SO SO SO THANKFUL to have people on my side helping me move further toward being able to share these songs and make this my life full time. I don't know what the future holds, but I try my best to keep good things in mind, we'll see what happens.

Which musicians do you look up to and why?

I look up to Tristan Prettyman, it's been a pleasure to watch her career unfold. It's continually inspirational to observe her popularity grow and see her remain down to earth and so kind. I look up to her as a songwriter very much, she's written many of my favorite songs.

Jack Johnson inspires me a lot too, I look up to him and all of his success. He's released several huge albums, has his own record company and just seems like a really good guy. I love how simple his style is too.

Nate Ruess is one of my favorite lyricists, he used to front the band The Format. I look up to his quirky style. Speaking of The Format, I'm still sad that they broke up!

What has it been like recording so far? When can we expect the new album?

I Just got home from recording the first half of my new album, 'Home Sweet Home'. I recorded 7 tracks in Encinitas CA with Lee Coulter producing them ; Home Sweet Home, Cheshire Cat, Pick Up The Phone, Slide, Life Is Waiting, Nobody's Fool and Wish You Were. I'll be heading back to Encinitas to finish the record the first week in March, 7 more songs to go. It's a big album with 14 songs, I feel so good about all of them and I'm very anxious to share a whole new record with everyone.

Recording is a fun process, it's great to take my basic acoustic tracks to a producer and let them decorate them with production and breathe more life into them musically. This record is going to be Folky, with influences from Pop, little cues from Country and even a little Soul flavor for good measure. The new record will be finished next month and released in May or June of 2009.

What do you think sets you apart from other musicians?

This is a difficult one to answer. I'm not sure of what my appeal is, or what people enjoy about my style. I'd like to think that I come across as a genuine person, I do my absolute best to keep in touch with my fans (who are really more like friends!) thanks to myspace. I'd like to think there is something unique about my style and my voice that sets me apart? Sorry this one's kinda hard!

When will Tina and Trell be making another appearance on the interwebs?

Haha, oh my. You know, I debate deleting those cooky videos all the time. I often wonder how confused people get when say they stumble across me on myspace, enjoy the music and then decide to dig deeper and stumble across my borage of ridiculous youtube offerings! Tina and Trell is a hot mess for sure, who knows maybe another will pop up soon. It's insanity but whatever, we have fun being completely immature, childish and weird while making those.

Currently, what are your top five favorite songs?

Some favorites at the moment:

'God Gave Me Patience'...Tristan Prettyman'

Kid'...Amos Lee

'Sensible Heart'...City and Colour

'Use Somebody'...Kings Of Leon

'Back To Me'...Natalie Eickmeyer

And a couple of random questions..

What do you think of Michael Phelps and his weed smoking?

Honestly, WHO CARES!? Props to him for kicking ass in the olympics, if he wants to unwind with some chronic and giggle with his friends and eat a bunch of junk food, freakin' let him. I personally feel that alcohol is more dangerous than weed, it's just the legal factor of course. I feel bad that he has to deal with the issue of EVERYONE knowing he hit a bong. Poor dude, but hopefully he was high when he stumbled across the article! How weird would that be?

Do you have a good luck charm? If so, what is it?

Nah, I really don't. I just try to keep positive thoughts in mind, hopeful thoughts, thankful thoughts.

Besides making music, what do you like to do?

I used to paint, if I had more time I'd get back into it, maybe I'll work on making the time. I like chilling with my friends, watching movies with em' or going out to dinner is always nice. I practice yoga 4 or more days a week. I try to get outside and go on a nice hike either here in Flagstaff or cruise down to Sedona about once a week, it's so beautiful here, I feel compelled to take advantage of it! Honestly though, a lot of my time is consumed by music, which isn't a bad way to spend my time.

Check out Brian's music at www.myspace.com/brianbenham

-Courtney Kaz.

Cobraconda interview

2009-01-30T21:03:00.001-08:00

Everyone listens to music for different reasons, maybe it's to be inspired, to be moved. Maybe it's to get up and move your feet faster than The Flash. If you thought "Hey that The Flash answer sounds really good to me." then it sounds like Cobraconda is the band for you. Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Cobraconda is a four piece, Spencer Foreman acting as the band captain, Graham nation close behind him as co-captain, Runny James representing as goalie and K-clay on power forward, and they're breaking out across the nation to tear up your stages and get you moving.

On your myspace you describe yourselves as "Smartly half-retarded super electro-charged sex rap." What do you think people hearing you for the first time would describe the band as?
Stupid and messy but undeniably fun. Like silly string.

How does your live show reflect you all as musicians?
We all learned how to play our instruments well enough to never want to touch them again. Oh, and we really like dancing. A lot.

You toured with 3OH!3 this past fall and you seemed to be quite a heavy hitter. Was it the reaction you were expecting?
It was a bit of a surprise, a nice one. We wrote all those songs the week before that tour (our first) and then just winged it. I kinda figured it would go over well though and I know 3oh!3 s fan base pretty good cause Sean is my little brother.

Where does your main influence for your music come from?
Not wanting to have real jobs. Seriously.

Since Cobraconda seems to be the kind of band to create whatever pleases them What is your view on bands who find a sound that pleases other people and just sticks with that?
When you chase music for money, God walks out of the room." -Quincy Jones. But seriously, jobs suck.

Right now there's only three songs on your myspace, when will we be hearing more from you all?
When you come record us. Most engineers don't like us in their studio because of all the lube that gets on everything. And being that we're the largest most dangerous snake of all time, there is a lot of money spent on our insatiable need for livestock. We're actually just really lazy. Like i said work sucks.

What is next for Cobraconda?
well its Wednesday? I guess the bar tonight and then fast forward to Thursday afternoon.

Now this is a new section we're trying out, basically ten random questions to end an interview with...

What is the worst injury you have had?
Listening to Sixx am.

What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
A horse drawn coach, cucumber sandwiches and Ensure. WE like em reallllly old.

What level of hot do you like your hot sauce?
If a volcano was super pissed at the sun and then they had hate sex and created a child that went in a sauna to cry. I want that sweat.

What is the most ridiculous outfit you have ever worn?
Yours, when you were at dinner.

Can you taste the difference between red grapes and green grapes? If so, what is your favorite? Which one makes wine, both?
Both of them, mixed with paint thinner in it. Its street name is Jizzurp.

If you could go back and time and bitchslap anyone, who would it be?
graham nation for also thinking this team was a good idea from the start. horrible decision.

If you had to kiss any animal in the world what would it be?
A party animal.

What is the highest thing you have jumped from?
Our position of self-worth. And a roof.

What is your favorite tongue twister?
I sit upon a slitted sheet, I sit.

El chupacabra, Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot and why?
chupa por vida. For fucks sake, it translates to goat-sucker. And besides i already look like big foot and smell like nessie.

Check out Cobraconda's music at www.myspace.com/cobraconda !

-Tabitha Jones

Success!

2009-01-30T12:12:00.001-08:00

We are no longer considered as headlice on myspace, so throw the link around as much as you want now.

Good thing that's cleared up!

-Courtney Kaz.

Myspace.com : a place for haters.

2009-01-29T19:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Myspace,

Thanks for blocking the link that leads to The OddNotes. Do you not realize that a lot of the hits on this blog come from people who click on my link on your website? Are you mad that I won't spend an assload of money to buy an ad under your new service? Do you also not realize that I'm starting to get to the peak of things over here? As it is, your website is all about self promotion - but now I self promote and my links are 'naughty'?

If you've seen a The OddNotes link on myspace, click on it. It will take you to a page that says something along the lines of this:

Really, Myspace? Really? Anyone who reads this blog can clearly tell that this is not a spam site. Nor is it riddled with virus', nor is anyone trying to phish anyone. Are you mad because I posted the link multiple times a day?

This is ridiculous. 'Zomg Whor3 m3~11!' trains are posted billions of times a day, and you don't block those dudes. Give me a break.

You're so silly, Tom.

xox,
Courtney Kaz.

Really though guys, this kind of sucks. I did a lot of my promotion on myspace, and really, that's the only reason I can see why they blocked it. If you did any promoting on myspace, try breaking up the link with some *'s or something and tell people to take them out.

Also, does anyone know of any ways to reverse this in any way?

Jeremy Scott & Adidas

2009-01-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't decided yet if these are the best things I have seen or not. Jeremy Scott has teamed up with Adidas to create these gems - gold high top sneakers with the wings attached. It makes me think of Red Bull commercials, for whatever reason, but overall, I think they're pretty hot shoes. Pending on how much they are - I might be looking into these. Pretty obnoxious, but pretty great.

-Courtney Kaz.

Lie to Me

2009-01-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've ever talked about TV on here, but it's rare that a new season of a new show starts up with that I'm super impressed with (even though Real World Brooklyn is pretty interesting so far). But last week was the season premiere of 'Lie to Me' on FOX, and I have to admit, it's a pretty great show. At first I was apprehensive since it's another law inforcement show, but it's a bit different. Cal Leightman, the main guy, is a deception expert and relies on criminal's facial expressions alone to tell whether or not they are lying.

The storylines are pretty generic, but after watching the premiere, I started watching people's faces to see if there was any noticeable characteristics. I also started wondering how obvious it was when I tell a lie...

It's on every Wednesday night at 9 on Fox. I'd recommend it.

-Courtney Kaz

Laptop sleeves.

2009-01-28T07:52:00.001-08:00

When I actually had a laptop, I was always so disappointed with all of the boring choices there were for cases, especially since I like to showcase my personality with something a little more than a plain black bag. However, I was pointed in the direction of the laptop sleeves over at Barry's Farm. These laptop sleeves are each unique, creative, and mostly adorable. Above is the Furry Monster Laptop Sleeve, and there are various others with kissing hedgehogs, cupcakes, owls, and robots. They vary in price, with the highest one being $65 for the little guy above. Definitely worth the price, and definitely far from boring

-Courtney Kaz.

Get Free Clothing

2009-01-24T06:44:00.000-08:00

In the world, there are many people that surprise you. The skinny nerdy kid who loves black metal, the cheerleader who's into quantum physics, the man who sometimes looks a little like a lumberjack from time to time who is starting a clothing line. Matt Manning has been playing bass for From First to Last and before that, he was singing in the band Dead Reckless. A first glance at Manning and he doesn't seem like the sort of guy to associate with a clothing line but at the end of the day Matt Manning is the proud creator of an original one of a kind clothing line.

What made you want to start a clothing line?
I wanted to get something going outside of music in my life. and i don't like many clothes so i figured i would start making them myself.

What do you personally get out of designing that you don't get out of playing music?
Well for one i get paid hahah and its a nice break from touring its nice to be able to work from home.

How does your line represent you as a musician and a person?
i think it just represents what i like. ive been on a spiritual journey for a little while now and i want to start including that into my clothing and art, i think the further along i go the more that side of me will start showing through.

Was designing something you always wanted to do or did the idea grow on you the more you thought about it?
It was just one of those things where i thought "hey why cant i do that?"

Who are some of the bands/artists who wear your clothing? who do you hope to see repping your clothes soon?
I had the shirts out with me one warped tour so i got to get alot of my friends some gear. Jordan from Every Time I Die, Jake from Four Year Strong, a lot of people were interested in it. so i just gave it out to my friends.

Where does your inspiration come from?
hahaha pot? i don't know its just fun to sit around and draw up ideas that would look rad on a shirt.

Where will we be able to purchase Get Free Clothing?
I will have the store up and running in February all available on www.myspace.com/getfreclothingonline

What can we expect from get free clothing in the future?
Jean jackets and Flannels!!! woooo! maybe some cig cases hahah

-Tabitha Jones

Yes we did

2009-01-20T19:44:00.001-08:00

I figured that today, if any, would be the best day to make a blog post. Especially since today: History was made.

All morning, I waited in anticipation for the moment when Barack Obama would officially become the president of our nation. When it finally happened, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. After eight years of being subjected to the least inspiring and one of the worst presidents our country has ever had, this was a breath of fresh air.

Already, it feels like the mood has shifted. Especially for the people in our younger generation. It's inspiring to see the underdog come out on top. Without a doubt, Obama is one of the most charismatic speakers I have ever heard. And for once, I finally believe in what a politician is saying. If for some reason he doesn't fully follow through with all the promises of change that he has made, I think that the movement he has started definitely will.

What an amazing night. I really do believe that this is the start of something beautiful.

I am proud to be an American, and I hope all of you are, too.

-Courtney Kaz.

Dr Manhattan interview

2009-01-15T20:44:00.001-08:00

photo credit:evan hunt

Dr Manhattan is the kind of band everyone should know about, it doesn't matter if they like their music or not. A few summers ago, a friend of mine was introducing me to some music, she told me about heavyheavylowlow, suggesting some Fear Before songs I hadn't heard yet and sent me Big Chomper, Big Chomper by Dr Manhattan. I was floored and the song didn't leave my head for about a year and a half. Then this summer I picked up their self-titled Vagrant release at warped tour which has earned over 100 plays on my itunes since July. Hailing from Wauconda, Illinois, Dr Manhattan has released a demo, two ep's and this past year their self titled. You can catch them on tour next month with Foxy Shazam.

While we start off, give us a few, or maybe a bunch of words to describe Dr Manhattan as a band.
In short, we're biscuits and groovy.
In long, life is too short to answer long.

When I first heard of you guys a few summers ago, my first reaction was while your sound was something a little familiar, there was a twist of something different that no one else was doing. What do you think peoples first reactions are when they hear your music?
I think that's probably a likely reaction. I hope the initial reaction to our music is "Ugh. What trash" and then seconds later we are their favorite band.

The last time I spoke to you guys, you gave us a list of fashion do's and don'ts for 2008. How important do you guys think "dressing up" [in costume, in formal wear...in nothing] for a live show is?
It's important to do what feels right. If you feel like dressing up, you MUST. But if you're feelin a little casual, don't push it. If you tell yourself you HAVE to dress up it'll eventually feel like an obligation and will lose it's fun. Just like everything else in life. Do what you feel.

For your live show, which do you prefer better, a house show or a club show? Give us a bit of an explanation on why you picked what you did.
Ooooo that's hard. It really depends on a lot of things. A truly great show is a compilation of so many variables and cannot be determined by just the venue in which it's held. The people, the set, the food you eat, the temperature, the area, the time of year, etc. But i can say i like indoor shows more than outdoor. But still, so many factors can sway this. It's like asking, What's better? Pie or cake? It all depends.

You just finished up a tour with Heavyheavylowlow and Fear Before, what was it like touring with them? Any interesting tour stories that we could know about?
Touring with Heavyheavylowlow and Fear Before was like biting into a strawberry and discovering it's full of chocolate. Melty. Oh man. Lot's of stories. One time i got my head shaved by a man in a cat mask while playing a fake guitar made from scrap wood and a sharpie. that's the first memory that comes to mind. They're all our really good friends now and i don't believe we'll ever lose touch. True love.

Would you prefer to tour with bands you've known for a while or totally new bands that you've never really had the chance to get to know?
I really like meeting new bands. Like the hhll/fear before tour. We knew none of them and now they feel like brothers. What more could one ask for?

As a touring band, do you find it easier to find new good music or harder since you're exposed to so many bands?
Easier. I've been shown lots of new music by the members of the bands we tour with. Most recently Adam from Fear Before gave me Sigur Ros's Takk... It rules. Especially while driving. I listened to it with my girlfriend and ended up crying. It felt GOOD.

What are some of your guilty pleasures, or if you don't feel guilty for it, what are some things you totally love that people wouldn't expect from you all?
We all love to eat obscene amounts of food. There's never enough food. It makes you feel so good. Somehow we're still pretty skinny. That's because we train daily with Budokon Martial Arts, Yoga, and Meditation.
I don't know if that's a good answer for this question. But i do know that i'm hungry RIGHT NOW.

What are some future plans for Dr Manhattan?
Well, in the immediate future a tour with Foxy Shazam and The AKA's from Feb. 6th to the 21st!!!!!!!! And recording a new album in March in Seattle with Casey Bates and Chris Connely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The exclamation points indicate a titilated attitude toward both of the latter.
Otherwise, follow our dreams at all costs. Even death.
"How beautiful would it be to die in the heat of your passion?"
-Phillippe Petit, Tightrope walker

Dr Manhattan's myspace.

-Tabitha Jones

Tops of 2008

2009-01-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

As 2008 closed, we went in search of what everyone loved about 2008. We found a lot of great people who were willing to contribute to our little list here, and each have really stellar tastes in music. Enjoy!

Steve Kane: blogger, http://stephenckane.blogspot.com:
Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Songs of 2008:
Metro Station - Shake It
The record came out in 2007 but "Shake It" didn't get released as a single until this year. Thus forcing the question, why did they wait until the 3rd single to drop this gem? Seriously, I cant think of a catchier track to come out this year. Metro Station cornered the market on completely vapid pop with choruses that seem to never end. Edgy enough for your parents to momentarily wonder if you're sleeping around as the lyrics suggest, but mainstream enough to hear at a hockey game... or anywhere else that plays music.

Kanye West - Love Lockdown
This song is not good. Kanye West has always been a great producer, a sub-par rapper and a world class crybaby when he doesn't get his way, but he's always held it down in one way or another. His strong points have always been his singles which are typically the only truly stand out tracks on his solo records. Seemingly throwing a wrench into the gears of his typical first single banger, Ye drops this stark, boring, self-produced joint that doesn't go anywhere and finds him singing through auto-tune instead of rapping (which was never his strong suit anyway). I've read the interviews where he references the bleak influence of Phil Collins' "Face Value," so I get where he's coming from, but everything about this track feels like he's phoning it in. However, that doesn't stop it from getting stuck in my head on a daily basis.

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
Preppy Ivy League hype machines defied all uninformed criticism I bestowed upon them prior to actually hearing their record by dropping the best post-punk single of the year. It took a video of singer Ezra Koenig covering Blitz and Descendents songs with Fucked Up before I payed this band any mind, but it makes sense why every blog nerd and johnny-come-lately rock critic is singing their praise. Plus, with degrees from Columbia University, they actually have something to fall back on. It's good to have a Plan B, you know?

The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go
It took me a good few months of sporadic run ins with this song before I made the connection that it was The Ting Tings, a name I'd been hearing for months. The vocals are shouted and annoying, but the main riff is so instantly familiar it's like you've been listening to it your whole life. Enjoying this song makes me feel feel like a casualty of iPod advertising, but it's too good for me to really care.

The Cab - I'll Run
As a 27 year old man, this is probably the LEAST cool song I can admit to liking, but The Cab really brings out my inner tween every time I hear "I'll Run." The verse is bouncy, the chorus is understated and singer Alex Deleon has an incredible voice that soars to the heavens. Cool or not, they know how to write a great pop song without beating you over the head with vocoder and whatever else is so prevalent in pop music these days.

Mike Rogers: bass, vocals, guitar for All Get Out, http://www.myspace.com/allgetout :
Top 5 Albums
5. Anathallo - "Canopy Glow"
4. Dignan - "Tangled Woods Sessions"
3. Kevin Devin - "I Could Be With Anyone" EP
2. Colour Revolt - "Plunder, Beg, and Curse"
1. Parachute Musical - "Everything Is Working Out Fine In Some Town"

Peter Gurnz: founder of BOXeight in Los Angeles, photographer, artist, http://www.myspace.com/petergurnz :
Movie - Benjamin buttons was incredible - f Scott Fitzgerald remake if im not mistaken...
Music - kids by MGMT - i think its going to be one of those generational identifying songs...
Food - Yerba Matte - the new starbucks
Books - Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or The Fountain Head by Ayn Rand not this year but just a must if you havent had the pleasure
Health - Kundalini yoga - not new - but new to me i suppose

Meag Schwartz: http://www.myspace.com/meaglee :
The Shack (Book)
The Dark Knight (Movie)
The Swell Season-Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
(Album)Released in 2006, found in 2008.
Barack Obama (President-Elect)
Flipsides (The cracker/pretzel combo)
Lil Wayne (Artist)
Olympic Opening Ceremony (Event)

Nate: mixed CD extraordinaire, fashion savvy, http://www.myspace.com/hotgimmick :
I paced around like Velma with my pointer-finger in the air whispering jinkies over and over contemplating whether or not I should make this top 10 a "most memorable" category, or "personal favorites". I decided to go with the first choice, because while a film can be really memorable, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be one of my favorites. I'm sure that goes for everyone.

These are all just my personal opinion, btw. When I say memorable, I'm thinking in terms of like...the amount of possibility I'll refer to the movie at any given second, how into the film I was at the time, how much anticipation, etc.

10.
Funny Games

I love that this entire film was a social experiment, and that once everyone realizes it, they get mad and throw their hands in the air while me and the director smile at eachother and nod cause it's all going according to plan. Other than that, the bright white/grey color palette was done very well and, somehow, became memorable on it's own. Why.

9.
Atonement

BRIONY. Her character instantly skipped with crossed fingers behind her back into my all-time favorites. One of my favorite shots of the year is the one pictured above, and the long shot of the post-war beach is VERY definitely memorable on it's own.

8.
The Dark Knight

I assume this is going to be in every top list for 08, so I'll go ahead and state that I don't love it for The Joker. I love Christopher Nolan's writing and absolutely brilliant use of psychology, period. He applied it to The Joker's character very well, and I think he would do a perfect Riddler, but that's beside the point. The "Why So Serious?" marketing strategy was really awesome, and probably my favorite ever. Also, I think we're all aware by now of how much I loved the camera spin during the Rachel/Joker confrontation.

7.
Speed Racer

This is hands down my choice for best art direction this year, followed closely by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Changeling. I still hardly understand what is going on half the time when I watch it but that is the point because this film is seriously the funnest ride ever. Also, Trixie is the get it girl.

6.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Sometimes a movie comes along and just instantly strikes a chord that makes me incredibly in love with it. There are SO many things I love about this film, I don't even know where to start. The use of time as a motif was beautifully done, the "accidents" scene was perfectly put together, and every other frame of the film could be a gorgeous image on it's own.

5.
Cloverfield

I still remember everyone seeing the teaser trailer for the first time and being like "WHAT". I love that Abrams didn't answer anything, and that I am seemingly the only one who appreciated this fact, because it was kind of the point of the film, seeing as uh, it was from the viewpoint of a random group of civilians. Also Marlena's boots and disaster survival chaos poses. Marlena in general. Are you aware of Garfield?

4.
Penelope

My favorite genre will always be the modern fairytale, no matter what kind of take on it there is. There are darker sides to it, such as Pan's Labyrinth, middle-ground-odd ones such as A Series Of Unfortunate Events, and then there are films like Penelope. I would go on but I think you really just have to experience the movie yourself, cause the only thing I can think of to say is along the lines of ":)" or ":D".

3.
The Tracey Fragments

Tracey. The cinematography alone would make this movie get onto my list, but the character of Tracey was also really memorable on her own. "But how do you know what's real and what's not when the whole world is inside your head?" I'm pretty sure that all of her little quips and monologues are still twirling around in my brain.

2.
The Ruins

This is hands down the prettiest horror film ever made. Carter Smith did an amazing job on everything, and the use of paranoia was A+. I really hope he does more movies in this genre, because seriously, without his direction, I really think this movie would have been just another summer thriller. He took the simple hour-and-a-half formula and really did make it it's own experience.

1.
The Strangers

PINUP GIRL AND DOLLFACE. Liv Tyler and the husband were annoying but I only paid attention to all of the girls' movements and blocked the ugly one in the mask out of my mind. The trailer was amazing and the fact that model Gemma Ward played a stoic neighborly killer who plays on a swingset only made me love it even more.

Janet Fitch: author of White Oleander and Paint it Black, http://www.myspace.com/paintitblackbook :
1. Elegy - the film, with Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz. Though I normally hate the older man younger woman thing, and am not a huge Phillip Roth fan either, this movie of the Roth book kicked ass. I thnk what I usually hate about the younger woman/older man scenario is that it's taken for granted. Of course Helen HUnt and Jack Nicholson. Of course whoever and Harrison Ford. But Elegy is ABOUT the dynamics of that relationhip, beautifully directed by a Frenchwoman who does it all with a light, underplayed touch, unlike heavyhanded American directors who shove your face into everything in case you could possibly have NOT gotten it.
2. Man On Wire - Film about the man who walked a tightrope between the twin towers in NYC. A portrait of perfect obsession. Speaks to artists everywhere.
3. Love Junkie - Book by Rachel Resnick, about love addiction. Horrifying, fascinating, and makes you think back on your own relationships with a fair amount of shock and nausea.
4. Cai Guo-Qiang - at the Guggenheim. Chinese artist who among other things paints in gunpowder and sets it on fire, or sets off charges. He did the fireworks at the Olympics. Falling cars from the top of the Guggenheim, 100 stuffed wolves smashing into plate glass, mindblowing.
5. Election night - One minute Obama was 70 delegates behind. The next, "President-Elect". What happened??? we were ready to stay up to 5 a.m. if necessary, but it was 8 p.m. and suddenly "President-Elect". What happened/?? Then we realized-THE POLLS HAD CLOSED IN CALIFORNIA!!!! Thrilling thrilling moment. We felt that we, personally, had done it.

Dan Suh: DJ, ‘the Korean Tom Cruise,’ http://koreantomcruise.blogspot.com :
i have a borderline obsession with r. kelly so in celebration of his acquittal this year here is my list of top 5 r. kelly remixes released in 2008

chopped and screwed remix (t-pain) - r. freestyles over one of the best beats of the year and then stops to ask "just imagine if i had set my ass down and took my time and really wrote it".
if i were a boy remix (beyonce) - kells lets everyone knows exactly what he thinks about if beyonce were a boy. "so i go to the club with the guys / sometimes flirt with the girls / i should be able to roll out as long as i come home to you"
touch my body remix (mariah carey) - another one from the remix killa. he wants all the ladies to know that anywhere they tell him he will "mmmm-uah". genius.
love lockdown remix (kanye west) - r. puts his own spin on one of the most talked about tracks of the year. highlight of the track:
"if you bored girl / we can blow this club
if you sweating girl / you can get in my tub"
flashing lights remix (kanye west) - r. addresses rumors in his own signature style. "tasha told kim that lisa said mike said kells doin drugs now / man he's a crackhead / ya'll mean to tell me ya'll believe that?" can't argue with that logic.

Brian Benham: musician, http://www.myspace.com/brianbenham :
1. Tristan Prettyman 'Hello...x'
2. City and Colour 'Bring me your love'
3. Ani DiFranco 'Red Letter Year'
4. Zach Gill 'Stuff'
5. Raphael Saadiq 'The way I see it'

Isaiah Garnica: model, actor, photographer, musician, http://www.myspace.com/isaiahgarnica :
5. Sia - "some people have real problems" album
it's quite possibly one of the best albums of the year
4. Me shaving my head - exciting and drastic, it was a nice little flip out.
3. The Dark Knight - OBVIOUSLY
2. Kath and Kim - The TV show that fuckin is fuckin spot on!
1. The huge ass new years eve party that i'm throwing in New Mexico!!!

Kamtin: The Chain Gang of 1974, http://www.myspace.com/thechaingangof1974 :
these were my top 5 albums of the year

1) Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
2) The Presets - "Apocalypso"
3) Sun Kil Moon - "April"
4) Ryan Adams - "Cardinology"
5) Phantom Planet - "Raise The Dead"

Drmanhattan: http://www.myspace.com/drmanhattan :
Do's:
1. wear your own band's t-shirt
2. wear your own band's t-shirt ON STAGE
3. nudity
4. costumes & formal wear in casual settings
5. full body pj's with footies
Dont's:
1. wear your own band's t-shirt
2. wear your own band's t-shirt ON STAGE
3. clothes
4. hair gel
5. look like us
This is Matt's Top 5 Candy Bars:
1. butterfinger
2. butterfinger bb's
3. butterfinger crisp
4. butterfinger fun size
5. butterfinger KING SIZE

Danielle: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=22885879 :
Top 5 Bands of 2008
1. Cobra Starship
2. The Academy Is
3. We The Kings
4. All Time Low
5. Hey Monday

Drucilla: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=225578679 :
2008 - top 5 in music:
5. the academy is... - fast times at barrington high
4. lil wayne - tha carter III
3. panic at the disco - pretty. odd.
2. t.i. - paper trail
1. cute is what we aim for - rotation
2008 - top 5 in movies:
5. the dark knight
4. traitor
3. the incredible hulk
2. iron man
1. wall-e
2008 - top 5 in events:
5. youtube goes widescreen!
4. the election of barack obama
3. lil wayne is the musical guest for the 2008 season premiere of saturday night live
2. michael phelps wins 8 gold medals for usa at the olympics
1. gas prices around the world go down drastically!!!
2008 - top 10 top 40 songs
10. pussycat dolls - when i grow up
9. savage - swing
8. katy perry - i kissed a girl
7. three 6 mafia - lolli lolli (pop that body)
6. t.i - live your life
5. shontelle - t-shirt
4. rihanna - rehab
3. taylor swift - love story
2. lil wayne - lollipop
1. t.i. - whatever you like
top 5 worst things to happen in hollywood
5. paula abdul's stalker kills herself outside of abdul's home
4. heroes ratings plummet to all time lows (i have faith that the show will hang in there!!)
3. kanye west's ego gets even larger
2. madonna and amy winehouse are still alive
1. jennifer hudson's nephew, mother, and brother are murdered

Quentin Delafon: the Teenagers, http://www.myspace.com/theteenagers :
1 winter in australia
2 lykke li
3 APC
4 my PC
5 2009

Alex Suarez: Cobra Starship, This Is Ivy League, http://www.myspace.com/alexalexsuarez : 5. The Butcher and Sisky sleepover weekend.
4. Rescuing the kittens
3. Xbox Live
2.Going to Japan this summer.
1. Finally Leaving T-mobile so that I can switch to Verizon and get service in my apt.

Tyler Dziubinski: King of Fierce, http://www.myspace.com/tylerwithat :
1. Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchage Scholarship & coming out to my parents
2. Licor 43
3. Katy Perry
4. Lolita (I finally read it...)
5. Pokémon (They're always fuckin' rad)

Hope you all had a fun New Years Eve. Thank you for reading, and look forward to more awesome things in the future!

-Courtney Kaz & Tabitha Jones

Au Revoir, 2008.

2008-12-30T22:01:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone. To be honest, 2008 was a really great year for a lot of things. I'm going to break down my favorite things of this year. Here we go!

Biggest accomplishment. Barack Obama being elected as the President of the United States, hands down. I don't think I have ever been so inspired by a politician. Nor have I ever been so proud of our country. I think that this was a huge step in the right direction for us, and of course, 2009 will only get better with this man at the head of our country.

Best new band. Empires. This band has something for everyone: hard rock hits, acoustic ballads, poppy hooks, and sexy and somewhat deranged lyrics. They released their album for free on the internet, which is a plus, and after reading and hearing a few interviews with them, it seems like they've got a good head on their musical shoulders. I expect to see a lot more of them in 2009.

Catchiest artist. Katy Perry. Say what you want about her, but anyone will have to admit to singing 'Ur So Gay' or 'I Kissed A Girl' at least once. At least.

Best movie. The Dark Knight. Cliche answer, I know. It is unfortunate to me that Heath Ledger's best performance had to be one of his last. I'm not a fan of the comic-book-turned-movie films, but this one I got into so easily. And to be honest, I think it's mainly because of Heath.

Best album. This one was a really tough one for me to pick just one. So I'm going to list a few. First would have to be Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger. Andrew McMahon can really do no wrong in my eyes. This album still has the summery and poppy tunes that I love him for, but there is also the sadder songs that could make you cry. Next is Empires - Howl. Other great albums include Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - Not Animal, The Academy Is... - Fast Times at Barrington High, Mason Proper - Olly Oxen Free, Katy Perry - One of the Boys, MGMT - Oracular Spectacular, She & Him - Volume One, Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend.

Favorite TV Show. Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Still. Nothing hooks me in more than an over dramatic teen series.

Concert experience of the Year. The Forms, Cloud Cult, and Mason Proper at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sure, Warped Tour was pretty great and I got to see a few awesome bands, but nothing compares to a good Mason Proper show in a smokey bar. It was my third time seeing them, and my first time seeing The Forms and Cloud Cult. The Forms are a really laid back band that I really can't find any good words to describe them with (it's 1:30 in the morning, cut me some slack). Seeing Cloud Cult as well was an experience of it's own. For starters, they have beautiful music, and to go along with touching the ears, they touch the eyes as well with painters on stage. Amazing.

Most overrated phenomenon. Twilight. I can't name a single person right now that I know who has never heard of Twilight. I still can't even take a solid stance on this subject. Yes, I did enjoy the movies, but I can't get into the books. At all. All in favor of Harry Potter Mania again, say I. I!!

Well that is a few of my favorite things of the year. I think I need to start keeping an accurate log of stuff throughout 2009 so my post next year is even better and less cliche than this.

I hope all of you have had an amazing here, and here's to making 2009 even better. Party responsibly, and check back later on in the day for our giant compilation of some really awesome people's Top 5's of 2008 lists.

-Courtney Kaz

Peace out, 2008.

2008-12-30T21:38:00.000-08:00

1. Most listened to record: "Homecoming" The Teenagers

2. Most listened to song: My (Fucking) Deer Hunter- Fear Before

3. Best Concert: Warped tour or 3OH!3 and innerpartysystem

4. Concert/tour you were most bummed that you missed: The tour From First To Last did after warped and heavyheavylowlow

5. Best musical surprise of the year: The new Fall Out Boy CD, at least what I've heard of it. Besides that, the fact that tiny Asian girls can crank out some mean ska

6. Worst musical letdown of the year: Even though it just happened a few days ago, 2009 warped line up, ugh.

7. Favorite Movie: Kung Fu Panda all the way...I didn't see many movies this year

8. Favorite TV Show: Gossip Girl

9. Best Gadget: The Iphone, i would have so much fun with that

10. Person/Thing Blowing Up: Katy Perry seems to be doing great, I mean like back in March 12% of the female population had kissed girls and liked it now...well it's something like 300% so yeah, Katy Perry.

-Tabitha Jones

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T20:27:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,

I hope you all had a really awesome holiday! Out with 2008, and now it's time to start working on making 2009 even better. Feel free to comment with what you got for Christmas and what your New Years Resolutions are (if you have any ;) )

-Courtney Kaz

Too early to start thinking about summer camp.

2008-12-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

To me, one of the best things about Warped Tour coming to a close is waiting around to see which bands will be playing the next one. I have been to three Warped Tour's between 2004 and this past summer (my attendance depends on my grades...sometimes they're not that good), and each year the lineup has been loaded with pop-punk acts which really make me question how they could continue to call it a 'punk rock summer camp' each year.

The lineup for 2009 has been posted - and I am thoroughly surprised. Sure, there are still quite a few bands that have made their fame on myspace, but a majority of the lineup is bands who have been ones to shape Warped Tour. Kevin Lyman also cut it back to only one main stage instead of the usual two, to keep ticket prices low and to boost the amount of time these veterans get to play for us all.

Here is the line-up thus far:

3OH!3
A Day to Remember
A Skylit Drive
Alexisonfire
Anti-Flag
Bad Religion
Bayside
Big D and the Kids Table
Black Tide
Bouncing Souls
Breathe Carolina
Brokencyde
Cash Cash
Chiodos
Dance Gavin Dance
Dear and the Headlights
Dirty Heads
Escape the Fate
Every Avenue
Flogging Molly
Gallows
Hit the Lights
I Set My Friends on Fire
Jeffree Star
Less Than Jake
Lights
Meg & Dia
Millionaires
NOFX
Outernational
P.O.S.
Saosin
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Senses Fail
Shad
Silverstein
Sing it Loud
Streetlight Manifesto
Tat
The A.K.A.s
The Architects
The Ataris
The Devil Wears Prada
The Maine
The White Tie Affair
There For Tomorrow
Therefore I Am
Thrice
TV/TV
Underoath
Valencia
Westbound Train

Okay, but seriously Kevin Lyman? You could bring back the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedy's, what have you, and it still would not make up for the fact that you have allowed Millionaires and Jeffree Star on your lineup.

-Courtney Kaz

My Federation

2008-12-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

There are many things that are super embarrassing to share with your parents. Clothes are the main one - no one wants to see mom rocking a mini skirt anymore, not even your dad. Sharing vehicles can also be a hassle, and even sometimes sharing the same views on something sucks because no kid ever wants to hear, "aw, you're just like your mom/dad." However, I think that most kids, deep down, would admit to loving it when their parents dig a band that their listening to. Sure, your dad might get embarrassing when he breaks out on a Rhianna rendition, or your mom's dance moves could be really disturbing - but at least they don't bitch to turn it down.

And with this band, My Federation, your parents might rip on you for starting to get into the sounds of their generation. This British five-piece are one of those bands that reach back to the sounds of the 70's to inspire their own personal sound - and they don't fail about it. (You all know about those bands who are trying to be the next Beatles, Rolling Stones, what have you.)

This is the best way I can break down this band. Take a modern party, throw in a dash of your dad's vinyl collection, a few modern electro bands, and kick it's ass back to 1974. And of course, continue on with the party.

Their first full length album, Don't Wanna Die is the perfect blend of everything that there is to love about modern bands and rock and roll. Each song is packed full with harmonious vocals, bass hooks to grab you by the gut and make you move, there is great energy from the drummer, and occasional guitar solo's to tickle your ear. Then, there is the occasional organ or synth sound that give this band their psychedelic vibe.

Right off the bat, the album starts out with the title song 'Don't Wanna Die.' Instead of jumping right out at you with an immediate powerful hook, it starts out with the harmonious vocals that I mentioned before, a few synths laced between the words, and then it really picks up. This first song is a perfect representation of what this band can do and what the rest of the album sounds like. After all, we all know that the opener is the most important song for anything - and this band fucking nails it.

The next few tracks are as energetic as the first, and then slows down in the fourth song with 'It All Comes Clear.' But even it can't stay down for too long, and in the middle picks up with more grooves to pick it back up again and carry throughout the rest of the song. I can't say I've been to a concert in the 70's, but it reminds me of one of those songs that would be used in the middle of the set - calm the crowd down and get them pumped right back up again.

My favorite song on the whole album is 'Nothing to Say.' I really like the lyrics to this song, along with the beats and the vocals mixed with the almost choral like backing vocals. Again, this song is a perfect representation of how this band takes the old and tosses it in with the new.

After that, each of the songs are just as good as the last. 'The Rising Light' takes on a more relaxed tone, starting out slow, but picks up just a little to keep it from getting dragged out or boring. 'Paper and String' displays the most synth, from what I could hear, and again represents their beautiful concoction of old-and-new. 'Tom Tom' is an instrumental track that showcases the skills of just about everyone in the band (minus the vocalist, of course.) It starts out with a strong drum beat, throws in a little bass and synth. There is even the guitar solo that starts screaming its way out near the end. The song 'Honey For the Soul' is one of those tracks that makes it very obvious as to where they are pulling their inspirations from. With the fuzzy guitar sounds, tambourine, and moving vocals. Then, the album closer 'Something's Gotta Give' starts out with a great drum solo, and some slight symphonics are blended into the sound, giving it more of that harmonious feel. It's a great closer, and leaves me waiting for the next release (until then, I'll be spinning the hell out of this 12-track album.)

The great thing about this album, is that it is fully consistent, yet unpredictable. There are really no tracks that stick out like a sore thumb and make you ask what the hell the band was thinking putting it on there. This band seems to have a very strong grip on what their sound is, and it definitely shows.

My Federation has really captured the essence of the founding fathers of rock, and they do it in a way that's unique, and doesn't sound like they're trying too hard. Next time your dad is complaining about your music selection, toss in My Federation's 'Don't Wanna Die' album, and it will instantly throw him back to his days of vinyl, and dreaming of getting his first six-string.

My Federation's myspace. 'Don't Wanna Die' is also available for purchase on iTunes.

-Courtney Kaz

Confide interview

2008-12-20T00:15:00.000-08:00

I first found out about Confide about a week ago when I saw them opening up for Bring Me The Horizon, immediately i thought they were amazing. They were so easy to get into and remind me a lot of the bands I listened to when I was first getting into a harder music scene. They're heavy but at the same time not hugely in your face with over powering instruments on top of heavy vocals. The bands stage presence is amazing, they're a lot more involved with the crowd than other bands in the same scene as them. One of my favorite things about this band is that they're not afraid to show their faith. Their music genres on myspace are Christian/Rock/Alternative and have a daily bible verse generator on their myspace page. Religion is not a large part of my life but any band related with a "hardcore" scene that can be that open about their religion really sits good in my book.

How and when did the band start?
The band started as a group of friends in youth group about 4 years ago now. We were all into the same music and just looking to start a jam band for fun and it slowly went from there.

What are the main influences of not only the sound of the band but you all as personal artists?
All of us like different bands and draw influences from all different styles of music. We actually don't listen to hardcore as much anymore. And when it comes to lyrics Ross draws from life experiences and his faith. We all write based off of our faith actually.

How is the current tour going?
This tour has been awesome so far. Most of the dates have sold out and we are really enjoying it!

What are your plans for after this tour?
We don't have anything set in stone yet but we will be going out again for sure in the new year. Keep your eyes posted on our myspace for dates soon to come.

From looking around your myspace a bit I can tell that you guys are rather religious, if at all, how do you think that sets you apart from other bands you've been on tour with or often get compared to?
Its how we started and why we do what we do. To love the kids for who they are and where they stand in life. We take a strong interest in meeting our fans and hope to make them our friends. to love on them like we feel Christ has loved on us. So maybe the thing that sets us apart is our motives. Not to say all bands are out there to party and make money and live the rock star lifestyle. But i suppose the reason why we do what we do sets us apart.

What do you think are the best and worst things about touring and band life in general?
Worst things have to be the weather. We just lived in our van for about a week straight in snowy conditions. Some of us got sick and it was really hard to get sleep when half your body was numb from the cold. The best parts have to be meeting so many people and seeing the whole world. We love going from town to town and experiencing everything there is as well as meeting all the new people.

Where are your favorite places to play?
The major states are always pretty awesome to us. CA, FL, TX, NY. We always have a good time and the kids are always awesome for us in those states especially.

Are there any projects you'd like to get into or any bands you'd like to work with or tour with someday?
We met so many rad bands on warped tour this summer and would love to do some club tours with them. Norma Jean were amazing dudes along with A Day To Remember and From First To Last. Any of those bands would be awesome to hit the road with.

Can fans be expecting any new material coming for you guys soon?
Our record has yet to even hit stores yet and be pushed by a label so we are waiting for that to happen. see how well it does and probably go back to writing and recording in a year or so.

http://www.myspace.com/confide

-Tabitha Jones

My apologies!

2008-12-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

Sorry for the slight delay in posts. I have three albums sitting on my lap that I need to get around to reviewing. They will be coming very soon since I am very excited to share these bands with everyone. I definitely think you guys will all like them.

But alas, I have school, friends, and holiday preparations. I'm hoping to post at least 2 of the reviews by Christmastime, so stay on the look out!

Hope all is well! What do you guys think of the new Christmas theme for the page?

-Courtney Kaz.

PS. We could always use more help writing for the blog. If you are interested at all in writing about movies, music, books, whatever else, please send an e-mail to theoddnotes@gmail.com and I will get back to you ASAP!

3OH!3 concert review

2008-12-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, yeah pretty late, I headed down to The Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio to see 3OH!3. I'm a huge 3OH!3 fan so naturally I was excited about this show, a great band at my favorite club, who wouldn't be excited? Showing up about 5 hours early, my friend and I were the first two in line and after a few freezing hours, we grabbed our spots front row center and were blown away.

The first opening band, Cobra Conda, I didn't even know was on the tour, I had never heard of them before at all. In my last concert review I said that I had never danced so hard to an opening band as I did with Sing It Loud, well Cobra Conda quickly took that place. Their stage presence was amazing, two of the band members were dressed up in banana costumes, the other two were dressed as a farm and a cow. They tore the stage up, interacting with the crowd like I had never seen before. Graham, one of the front men would lean so far into the crowd he pretty much covered the first two rows. Cobra Conda doesn't have a full length album out yet and only three tracks on their myspace that can't compare to their live show but believe me when I say it: Cobra Conda will quickly become your new favorite band.

Following Cobra Conda was The Chain Gang of 1974, the only opener that I had been really excited to see but this is when the show was starting to get a little rough. The stage at The Grog Shop is only about a foot high, the sharp edge coming right in contact with your calves and knees, plus when people would start to push, you would lean forward you would fall directly on the stage. I think that The Chain Gang's set would have been better and much more enjoyable were they playing somewhere else. Despite the general painful overtone of the set, it was very good and they impressed me as far as just having a singer/bassist, a drummer and a laptop. I have been a fan of The Chain Gang of 1974 longer than I have liked 3OH!3 and honestly I wish I could say a whole lot more about their set but hopefully next time they come through a better venue choice could have been made.

The last of the opening acts was innerpartysystem. I had only heard one song by them but I had heard great things about them so I was interested to see how they were live. They sounded awesome live, their songs had a different feel and sound than the rest of the bands on the tour but in a good way. My only problem was I couldn't keep my eyes open during their set. They had such an extreme and over the top light show that it was honestly making me sick to my stomach to watch and I had to close my eyes and just listen for 90% of the set. I'll be seeing them again in January and while I'm excited to hear them live again, I'm hoping that maybe the light show will be toned down a little bit.

After much anticipation and knocked up knees, 3OH!3 finally took the stage. Immediately it was insane, they were all over the stage, the crowd was going insane and at times the crowd was louder than the performers were. While the show was amazing and they sounded great, their set felt very impersonal. At warped tour they were always jumping off the stage, over the barrier and in the crowd in every ones face. Here they would probably walk four feet or so from the edge of the stage, turn back and walk to the other side of the stage, that was probably the only thing that i was disappointed about the whole set. Afterwards, it seemed like a huge blur, I could hardly remember what songs they played, what order, what song I had gotten hit in the face during, it was like it had been erased from my memory and I had turned up sweaty, confused and kind of sore for some reason. All in all it was a great concert, it had it's few flaws that I was sort of unhappy about but I didn't let that ruin the night for me.

You can hear more from the bands on the tour here:
Cobra Conda:
http://www.myspace.com/cobraconda

The Chain Gang of 1974:
http://www.myspace.com/thechaingangof1974

Innerpartysystem: http://www.myspace.com/innerpartysystem

3OH!3: http://www.myspace.com/3oh3

-Tabitha Jones

OddTV..cursed?

2008-12-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

Maybe there are a few of you wondering why there hasn't been any new OddTV episodes lately. While Adam and I could easily pass it off as procrastination, conflicting schedules, or things like that, we know the real reason as to why we haven't been able to get together to create a new episode.

We're cursed. Plain and simple.

While we were filming episode 2 of OddTV, we noticed a bit of commotion across the street from the park that we were filming at. The fire truck showed up as well as the ambulance. Adam started filming this, trying to zoom in and get a better look. After a few minutes, the fire truck left, but the ambulance remained. The paramedics milled around outside while Adam and I were commenting on this, saying, "oh, yeah, just move around super slow, someone is just dying in there."

Two days later I was reading the paper and it turns out that someone really did die in that house.

Ever since then, we have made multiple plans and attempts to get together, but the plans always fall through. We are pretty sure it is because of this. We've been sending up apologies, and trying to get around it, but y'know...

But I have been brainstorming some new episodes, so watch out for the latest episode of OddTV.

Also, there is a text box on the side under our Blogs & Friends list. In this text box there is a code for a promotion banner. If you promote us, PLEASE LET US KNOW!! Comment the page here with the link of where you promoted, or send an e-mail to theoddnotes@gmail.com

Coming up, we've got some reviews of some great bands, as well as some interviews.

-Courtney Kaz.