R.I.P. DJ AM

"Ignorance" is my new best friend!

For the past few days, I've been blasting Paramore's latest single "Ignorance." At the moment, I could relate to the lyrics so much. Nitpicking certain lyrics and realizing just how much your situation pertains to them is just the best thing ever! As for my situation... boys are scum... enough said. =p.

ANYWAY, "Ignorance" seems to be getting a lot of airplay on the radio, being on constant rotation in Live 105, at least. Their video for the song presents a new look for the band, a more mature one, if you will, equipped with all-black apparel and corresponding solemn facial expressions.



It seemed like only yesterday when I went to my first Paramore show, with no more than 20 people in the audience... My, have they grown up, in regards to their fanbase and clearly now their physical appearance. Paramore's third studio album "Brand New Eyes" is set to be released on September 29. According to many of those who have previewed the album, the band has done a lot of growing up with their music, as well. Ignorance seems to be a good preview of what's in store, with its darker tone, in-your-face attitude, and straight-ahead rock. I guess we'll have to wait and hear for ourselves once the album gets released.

You can check out Paramore on their tour with Paper Route and The Swellers. They will be playing at the Warfield on October 2. The Live 105 presale starts tomorrow and to the general public this Saturday. Better grab em ASAP, while they're still available.

Blast from the Past: Acceptance

The other day, I was listening to Acceptance's final album "Phantoms." That album never ceases to amaze me. I could listen to the album the whole way through for days on end and never get sick of it. Every one of those songs could've been a hit.

It's a shame that the band split up before they hit the big time. They were right on the cusp of success, being signed to Columbia records, with a successful stint on the Warped Tour, playing with the likes of Anberlin, Finch, and The Juliana Theory. I remember in my senior year of high school, they were on a tour with Panic! at the Disco and The Academy Is... I wanted to go to that concert so bad! Unfortunately, I couldn't at the time. Little did I know that they would break up after that tour. I knew I should've gone! To think, they could've been on the same level with P!ATD, perhaps even bigger (and better).

The band broke up 2005, just as "Phantoms" was gaining popularity. Vocalist Jason Vena decided that the rockstar/touring life wasn't for him, and he just wanted to live a "normal" life.

Their flame went out way too early. Acceptance, we hardly knew ye. sigh.

Anyway, here's a video of them playing "Different," one of their few released (and might I add, overlooked)singles, for AOL Sessions.

End of Summer 2009 Playlist

Alas, the summer is coming to an end, and the first day of school is approaching. Blech. Anyway, what a better way to end the summer than to create the perfect playlist, one that captures the essence of what has transpired over this funny sunny period of time. There were weddings, great concerts, and Grizzly Bear(s). Oh my.

Here are the songs that defined my summer. Whether they conjure up memories of past events, ran up the play count in my ipod, were inescapable on the radio, or were overall themes to an overall great summer of 2009, these are the songs that stuck out. Enjoy!

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Yeah Yeah Yeah's

It's Blitz! came out earlier this year, but I haven't come to fully appreciate its splendor until now. This album is a lot different from their previous ones. Less gritty New York garage punk, and more electronic dance techno, with more emphasis on the synthesizers and atmospherics.

"Zero" and "Heads Will Roll" kick off the album with a bang and are a couple of sexy upbeat numbers that will get you off your feet. "Soft Shock" and "Skeletons" are a bit more mellow and reflective, with Karen O's well-crafted lyricism exuding a close sense of intimacy and vulnerability. The best song off the album would have to be the last "Hysteric." Its probably one of the most upliftingly romantic songs I've ever heard.

Also, if you have the chance to, check out the deluxe version, which includes the acoustic versions for "Soft Shock," "Skeletons," "Hysteric," and "Little Shadow." They're absolutely stunning!

The Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's will be playing at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10. There are still tickets available for both dates. Better get them while you still can! Here.

Barcelona @ Slim's- 8/13/09

8/13/09, Barcelona, Slim's, San Francisco, CA

I first found out about Barcelona through the local radio-station Live 105. They had a segment of new music from up-and-coming artists, and Barcelona’s “Get Up” happened to be one of them, instantly catching my attention. I’m a sucker for slow, heart-wrenching, somewhat sappy ballads, and the song had all the right elements in line. I decided to go check out their album “Absolutes,” and it was like love at first listen.

Barcelona’s debut album “Absolutes” was originally released in 2007, but the band decided to reissue the record only recently, revamping a few songs, adding a couple of new ones, and garnering the help of three-time Grammy Award winning producer/engineer Michael H. Brauer to perform some sonic tweaking, taking the trio’s sound to the next level.

The Last Ambassadors, opened up the show, performing to somewhat of a sparse crowd. The local quartet came out looking like a bunch of ragamuffin frat boys. In fact, my cousin and I initially mistook the band for the stage-crew. Whoops. Despite the not-so-great exteriors, the band did have a few catchy tunes and their level of enthusiasm was enough to earn a respectful applause from the crowd.

Seabird was next on board. Vocalist/keyboardist Aaron Morgan captivated the audience almost immediately with his delicately stunning voice. His intimate, yet scruffily raspy drawl was spot-on, drawing in the mass to a hushed awe, shining through especially in his solo rendition of “Falling for You.” The band took the crowd on an emotional ride of poignant ballads. With songs like “Rescue Me” and “Don’t You Know Your Beautiful,” Seabird’s set could’ve easily turned into a sentimental overload. However, the band’s lighthearted presence and playful charm were able to counteract the melodramatics. Hailing from Kentucky, it was the band’s first time to hit up San Francisco. Morgan gathered a collective chuckle as he relayed the southern boys’ naively surprised reaction to an encounter of a nude beach near the Golden Gate Bridge. Their pleasant, piano-based set got the audience going, creating the anticipation for Barcelona.

“Next in line” was Denver-based four-piece Meese. Their brand of rock-infused power pop was a nice change of pace and got the crowd swaying, playing upbeat grooves such as the infectious “Count Me Out” and the title song off their debut album “Broadcast.” Tiny in stature, but immense in confidence, frontman Patrick Meese put on an exuberant show along with his brother Nathan Meese and the rest of the band. Though, the crowd enjoyed Meese for the most part, at one point, the band’s set seemed to drag on a bit too long. With the crowd growing restless, the murmurs became increasingly louder as Meese’s set progressed. The band also wasn’t shy of flaunting their accomplishments, mentioning how they were quite popular in their hometown of Denver and constantly name-dropping bands they’ve toured with, including the Fray and Our Lady Peace. Yeah, that got a little annoying.

Coming into this concert, I was very curious and, honestly, a bit concerned of how Barcelona’s music would translate into a live act. For one, many of their songs in “Absolutes” are rather mellow, melancholy, and slow-paced. I wondered how the band would be able to grab hold of the audience’s attention and keep the energy level up with such placid music. Another questionable factor was singer/keyboardist Brian Fennell’s voice. I’m not saying that he has bad voice. In fact, I think it’s wonderfully exquisite. Still, it is that exquisiteness that had me a bit worried, for it is the type of voice that is exquisite in a delicate way. Fennell’s voice is powerfully subtle, hauntingly frail, and even whispery at times, with a great example being “Get Up.” I was apprehensive as to how he would be able to project his voice, in such a way to have control of the crowd.

Boy, did they surprise me!

By the time Barcelona began to play, the crowd definitely became much heftier. The trio opened up with the first off their album “Falling Out of Trees.” As Fennell faintly crooned on through the intro of the song, accompanied only by his piano keys, the band suddenly kicked things into high gear as they proceeded on, with drummer Rhett Stonelake at the forefront, switching into beast mode and pounding away with command, while guitarist Chris Bristol got in his hard licks. They performed the song astonishingly loud, like deafeningly rockin’, volume-11-kind-of-loud. The band played the next couple of tracks, “It’s About Time” and “Lesser Things,” which were played with equal loudness and ferocity. Their songs are beautiful as is on the album, but it’s like their live show brings the songs to life, lively enough to the point as if they were actually tangible. As far as energy level and Fennell’s vocal projection, the band’s live show far exceeded my expectations.

Amongst all the “whoooing” during the songs’ breakdowns and synchronized head-banging, these guys clearly poured in so much emotion to the performance. You can really tell how much fun and how happy these guys are to be on stage. As the band got ready to play the Disney-featured “Stars,” guitarist Bristol, helming a mighty glockenspiel, hit the wrong note, messing up the tinkling intro. Instead of burying their faces, the group coolly laughed it off with an endearingly huge guffaw, with the audience instantly forgiving the tiny mistake and joining in the chortle.

The audience seemed to love every minute of it, whether singing along to Fennell’s vulnerably personal lyrics or being obediently mute as he went into soft ballads, such as the closer “Please Don’t Go,” which proved to be fitting as the audience pulled the band up for an encore. At one point in the concert, some guy in the crowd piercingly shouted, “San Francisco loooooves Barcelona,” to which Fennell had the biggest smile. I guess he was loving every minute of it, too.

Setlists:

Seabird (not complete):
Rescue Me
Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful
Falling For You
Let Me Go On

Meese (not complete):
Tell Me It’s Over
Count Me Out
Broadcast
Margot
The Quiet Side
The Next in Line

Barcelona (complete, in order):
Falling Out of Trees
It’s About Time
Lesser Things
Response
Stars
First Floor People
Come Back When You Can
The Takers
Please Don’t Go
--Encore:
Time to Mend

Third Eye Blind- Ursa Major

Oh man, so I've been totally horrible with maintaining this blog, but I swear, this time, I'm going to be more on-top-of-the-ball...I actually mean it this time! =P

You probably best know them for their late 90's smash hit "Semi-Charmed Life," but these eminent alt-rockers have found some new musical life. After a six year break, Third Eye Blind has finally released a new album!



I've always been a casual fan, but it's only recently that I've fallen in love with their self-titled first album. I never realized until now just how awesome their songs are. "Semi-Charmed Life," doesn't do the band justice. Their entire first album is incredibly solid and full of gems: "Narcolepsy," "Jumper," "How's it Going to Be," "I Want You".... and who could forget, "Motorcycle Drive-By".... that has got to be the new theme song for my life.

Anyway, just thought I'd give some local love to these native San Franciscans.

Their album is supposed to be officially released tomorrow, but right now, Amazon is having a great deal. They're selling the album for $3.99, so you better take advantage of it while you still can, you can check it out here.

I haven't thoroughly listened to the album, but I've skimmed it, and I like what I hear so far.