Artist: The Weakerthans
Song: Aside
CD: Left and Leaving
Link: http://www.myspace.com/theweakerthans
Artist: The Weakerthans
Song: Aside
CD: Left and Leaving
Link: http://www.myspace.com/theweakerthans
Artist: 22nd Century
Songs: Apartment 509, Life In Space and Stevie Guide
CD: the twenty second century
Link: http://www.myspace.com/22ndcentury
22nd Century’s hard punching and sometimes comical style is a mixture of Ramones style power punk with a healthy dose of 1990’s grunge. Their debut CD was produced by legendary music producer John Webster (Aerosmith, Cher, The Cult) and has garnered attention, including honorable mention in Billboard’s 2009 song writing contest. The trio has stuck to playing venues on the West Coast of North America (from LA to Vancouver) but will seek to expand their reach to Europe and Asia in 2010.? ?The band is currently writing for their second album, due out in 2010, which will include remakes of Martha and the Muffins “Echo Beach” and Angel City’s “No Secrets”.
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Artist: Teenage Bottlerocket
Song: Don’t Want To Go
CD: They Came From The Shadows
Link: http://www.myspace.com/teenagebottlerocket
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Artist: Tsar
Song: Kathy Fong Is the Bomb
CD: Tsar
Link: http://www.myspace.com/tsar
Artist: American Heartbreak
Song: Raise Up Your Hands
CD: American Heartbreak(Rock And Roll)
Link: http://www.americanheartbreak.com/
Artist: The Fags
Song: Rockstar
CD: Light ‘em Up
Link: http://www.myspace.com/thefagsmusic
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Artist: I Am The Icarus
Songs: Destination, Faster and The Secret To Living Is Dying Well
EP: I Am The Icarus
I Am The Icarus is a new project out of San Diego, CA spearheaded by songwriter Daniel Godfrey. Citing his biggest influences as being groups like Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails, Daniel set out to write his debut EP and showcase his diverse taste in alternative rock. His new self-titled release was recorded and produced by Shaun Lopez of FAR/Deftones fame and in-addition helped contribute guitars to the album. FAR drummer Chris Robyn also lent his in-studio skills, which has yielded an EP that has huge production, a modern meetings 90’s rock spirit and undeniable hooks with songs like “Miss Blue” and “The Secret To Living Is Dying Well”.
www.myspace.com/IAmTheIcarus
www.authentikartists.com
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ARTIST: Big City Kids
Song: One Night Stand (single)
Big City Kids (Los Angeles , CA) have developed quite a stir in the music industry by bringing forth a unique
blend of electro-rock and creating a visual that defies your wisdom of a live band. The group consists of 4 very
young adults that have shared and experienced life on the road throughout the United States and parts of
Canada.
When asked what we should expect to see from them in the near future they replied “ well, we just finished
recording what has been exciting our fans on the internet and what not, so we will be on the road non-stop
throughout the rest of the year and we wont stop until we are forced back into the studio. But we have enough
music to keep everyone dancing for a while, so we’re just ready to party!” states BCK front man EMERSON
Artist: Riverboat Gamblers
Song: A Choppy Yet Sincere Apology
CD: Underneath The Owl
Link: http://www.theriverboatgamblers.com/
Artist: Oh No Not Stereo
Song: Lets Get It Started
CD: 003
Link: http://www.ohnonotstereo.net/
Artist: That Was Something
Song: She Is The West Coast
EP: Down But Not Out
Links: http://www.myspace.com/thatwassomething
Artist: Underwhelmed
Song: Freak (Like Me)
CD: Reveal
Link: http://www.myspace.com/underwhelmednyc
PLAYLIST:
Artist: Megaphone
Song:Gravitate
CD: Exit Silent Mode
http://www.megaphonemusic.net/
PLAYLIST:
Artist: Just Kait
Song: Sick
EP: Being On TV
Link: http://justkait.com/
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PLAYLIST:
Artist: Megaphone
Gravitate, Write It Down and My Favorite New Disaster
CD: Exit Silent Mode
For the hard rock quartet megaphone, the mission has been simple: Saving rock n’ roll from the machine, and bringing it back to where it should be – loud, catchy and in your face. That they’re succeeding with that mission is obvious; a huge draw in their native Orlando, Florida, extensive radio play, gigs opening for arena headliners and festival appearances. And with their new album, Exit Silent Mode, filled to the brim with unforgettable hooks, melodies and songs, megaphone is poised to take everything about their band to the next level.
Comprised of Matt Bloodwell on guitar, vocals and main songwriting duties, Paul Smith on lead guitar, James Woodrich on bass, and Scott Smith on drums, megaphone is a collection of some of the brightest rock and roll lights in Orlando music. The band formed in late 2004 when Bloodwell, formerly the drummer for Orlando band Precious, moved to guitar and decided to form a band around the songs that he had been writing. He explains, “I wanted to put together a real rock band with big guitars and big hooks.”
Bloodwell started the band, and then proceeded to recruit his favorite players in town. Paul Smith was a former touring guitarist for Seven Mary Three and a member of VonRay; James Woodrich was the former bassist for My Hotel Hear; and Scott Smith, the newest member of the band, having joined in 2007, had been the drummer for Cori Yarckin. “I was a fan of all these guys in their former bands,” says Matt, “It was a big deal to me that they were willing to take a chance with me out front and on guitar.”
megaphone’s debut full-length, For Crying Out Loud, released in the spring of 2005, immediately vaulted them into the upper echelon of Orlando bands, and earned them extensive radio play and touring opportunities, including their songs being featured on the MTV show “Made,” radio play on several central Florida stations, and gigs opening for artist like Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley of Kiss, Everclear, Edwin McCain, Seven Mary Three and more.
The album’s success was a blessing, sometimes a mixed one. As James recounts, “The first album got us a lot of gigs and attention; it really put us to work. We wanted to record a new one, but there was no urgency for it because For Crying Out Loud kept serving us so well and kept creating opportunities for us.” Matt adds, “The first album was kind of a blueprint of what megaphone would be. But Exit Silent Mode really reflects the amount of time we’ve been together as a band. It’s much more organic and represents the sound of the band as it truly is.”
Produced by Matt, Paul and Justin O’Neill, the guitarist in Cori Yarckin and a long-time friend of the band, and mixed by Pete Thornton (Paramore, Shinedown), the new album is a far more accurate reflection of the band. From the hard driving opener, “Write It Down,” megaphone has captured the combination of both anthemic and hook-filled rock that has been their trademark, with unforgettably strong choruses that pay off in spades.
“Gravitate” pulses with a muscular riff and is highlighted by Matt’s soaring hard rock vocals, hearkening back to a time when rock truly rocked, and it has quickly become a signature song among megaphone’s fans. Matt says, “It started as a tune that Paul had, and he trusted me enough to play around with it and change a few things. Once we had the final demo of it, we knew we had something. Paul adds, “It was the first time where Matt and I really collaborated, and we made it far more than the sum of the parts.” Indeed, the entire band shines on “Gravitate” – James on bass and Scott on drums drive the song powerfully and propulsively, both leading and lending support to Matt’s vocals and Paul’s wailing guitar.
“My Favorite New Disaster” is perhaps the song that best epitomizes the sheer catchiness of megaphone’s music, with its indelible hook and radiant sheen. Matt recalls, “We had to rewrite the melody right before we recorded. We had thought we had a good arrangement but the verse fell flat. In finalizing everything, we took it to a whole new level.” James adds, “The first time we played it live, the crowd reaction was amazing.”
Having had such a great experience recording, the band is already planning album number three. Matt says, “We have more ideas that we just didn’t get to on this record.” The band is also taking on much more of a DIY ethos. Matt elaborates, “Last time, I think we were trying to impress everyone in Orlando – press, radio, etc. But now we’re using a lot of the new technology to promote ourselves and go straight to the fans and bypass the so-called gatekeepers.”
Wherever they’ve gone, megaphone has attracted converts mesmerized by the sheer power of their songs and performances. They make straight-ahead, balls out rock and roll for an audience that has missed the real thing, or in some cases, are too young to have ever experienced it. On Exit Silent Mode the band has taken their vision of what rock can be to a new peak. As Matt concludes, “We don’t have an agenda. We just want to play and write the kind of music that we wish was available for us to buy. Fortunately for us and everyone else, we’ve found each other, and we all feel the same way about music.”
Links:
http://www.megaphonemusic.net/
http://www.myspace.com/megaphone
http://www.facebook.com/Megaphone
PLAYLIST:
Artist: Show Me The Skyline
Clocks & Calendars, It's On Me and Get On Your Feet
EP: Rain or Shine
Larzz Principato, the main member of Show Me The Skyline, has had his guitar glued to his body for the better part of the last five years. But, when you are obsessed with music, young, and gifted with the ability to create something that makes people crave more --- sometimes you’ve got no choice. At just 16 years old, this young artist, hailing from New Fairfield, Connecticut, is determined to make his mark. Drawing influence from artists such as Hellogoodbye, All Time Low, and Dashboard Confessional, Larzz is focused on his game plan to stand on the shoulders of the heroic artists that have had an impact on him, and to produce a fresh sound.
The name Show Me The Skyline is taken from lyrics of the song “Sticks, Stones, and Techno” by All Time Low. Larzz began writing in the summer of 2008 and entered the studio in the fall. The January 2009 release of Show Me The Skyline's first EP, titled “Rain or Shine”, was produced by P.J. Bianco and J.P Rende. P.J. Bianco is an award-winning multi-platinum producer/songwriter whose discography features The Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato.
This artist’s story is just starting, and the “Rain or Shine EP” is only the first chapter to a tale that is destined to be one filled with opportunities and challenges. Larzz is doing exactly what he has set out to do, which is to have fun, to meet lots of new people, and to pay tribute to the style of music he grew up listening to.
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