Panic! at the Disco- Vices & Virtues

I'm not in the mood to look for my BOTC notebook where I do all of my planning, nor am I in the mood to write up notes in one of my other notebooks. So, here we go with an unorganized blog post (just like the good ol' days).

I truly didn't know what to expect with this album. I could only take in consideration that their first two were very different from each other and that Ryan Ross was no longer around. Scratch that, I didn't care at all that AFYCSO and Pretty. Odd had very little in common (I just didn't know what to expect from Brendon without his partner in crime). Congratulations Brendon Urie for winning my respect even further. I had seen his vocal abilities grow over the past years to the point where I consider him a phenomenal singer, but now I feel I can respect him even more as a writer/musician. I can't speak for all Panic fans, but I think as a whole people expected Vices & Virtues to sound more like A Fever You Can't Sweat Out. Correction: it's a lovely blend of their previous two albums.

The video for "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" was released before the album and did a wonderful job of getting me psyched for the entire album. I feel their second single, "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)" is the perfect catchy follow up while taking their video visually somewhere new. Panic! at the Disco may just be the cutest little theatrical band around and the closest I've ever been to a theater kid was drooling over Razia's Shadow (oh yea, and Brendon Urie fucking killed it then too).

I think it's fairly well known that all good albums have at least one acoustic song that "has a special place in your heart" (more or so most albums do I mean). I like to think I'm not biased and simply don't hand my heart over to any sob-story/romantic/cute acoustic song that comes my way like some cheap whore, but Panic deserves hearts to be handed over for "Always." You got me there. Where I am a little biased though, is when it comes to vocalists. It's not that I only listen to phenomenal vocalists and nothing less, I can just... appreciate "epic" vocal parts. Like I said before, Brendon Urie's a phenomenal singer, but his actual melody lines are beautiful and catchy. That's what I mean by being biased. I appreciate songs/albums that have melody lines that are fun and emotional to sing as a singer myself. As a vocalist, I want to cover and practice every song off of Vices & Virtues and that's a beautiful thing.

Anyone that downloads certain songs off of this album, shame on you. No really, shame on you. Each song compliments the others and the flow from one song to another is something to appreciate and be proud of on its own. Sorry if you take this advice and don't like every song off of the album, but I don't say this about all albums either (Sorry, Hey Monday's Beneath It All EP). My apologies for not having much to say about Spencer Smith, but all of the extra little sound effects that wouldn't be found on a traditional drumset are a nice touch throughout the entire album.

Ryan Ross (and Jon Walker), I love you both but "Panic! at the Disco" (whatever a band title means to a musician anyways) can stand on its own.

<3Becca

A country/acoustic/folk playlist

So, this post is a little different for me, because it's not even a write up on a specific album. I hate to sound superstitious, but sometime after I wrote about Envy On The Coast, they announced that they were breaking up and the last band I wrote about on here was Sing It Loud... yea, enough said about that. A few days ago, I started putting together a playlist for myself, and for some reason I got super into it. I started adding songs that I thought fit together, arranging them in an order that I thought flowed nicely, making sure songs there weren't too many similar songs in a row, and deleting songs that I thought stuck out too much. I'm not trying to bullshit anyone by saying this playlist means a lot to me, but it simply put me in a good mood, and so far a few friends of mine have seemed to agree. I will admit that I've broken some rules on making a playlist! There's three Envy On The Coast songs, two The Almost songs, two Loretta Lynn songs, and two Murder By Death songs. I just couldn't help myself. I'd also be happy to send any of these songs, so feel free to message me!


1. Puritan Dirt Song
Envy On The Coast
Lowcountry

2. Runaway II
The Early November
The Mother, The Mechanic, And The Path

3. Don't Come Home A Drinkin'
Loretta Lynn
Country Music Hall Of Fame: Greatest Hits

4. Dirty And Left Out
The Almost
Southern Weather

5. Brother
Murder By Death
In Bocca Al Lupo

6. Battesimo del Fuoco
The Dear Hunter
Act I: The Lake South, The River North

7. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
Fall Out Boy
My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue

8. Medicine Man
The Hush Sound
Goodbye Blues

9. Don't Be So Hard
The Audition
Punk Goes Acoustic 2

10. Made of Stone
Envy On The Coast
Lowcountry

11. Curbside Prophet
Jason Mraz
Waiting For My Rocket To Come

12. Romance Is... (Acoustic Version)
Lights
Acoustic

13. Sometimes The Line Walks You
Murder By Death
In Bocca Al Lupo

14. Night Drive
The All-American Rejects
Punk Goes Acoustic 2

15. Death March On Two, Ready?
Envy On The Coast
Lowcountry

16. It Ain't Me, Babe (With June Carter Cash)
Johnny Cash
The Essential Johnny Cash

17. Knife Going In
Tegan & Sara
The Con

18. Children of Divorce
Jonny Craig
A Dream Is a Question You Don't Know How To Answer

19. Fist City
Loretta Lynn
Country Music Hall Of Fame: Greatest Hits

20. Hand Grenade
The Almost
Monster Monster


<3Becca

Sing It Loud- Everything Collide

I honestly expected an even more drastic change from Sing It Loud's debut record, Come Around to Everything Collide. Yes, the change is evident, but they're still the same band. Everything Collide was released 5/11/10 and all though they weren't on this year's Warped Tour, they just finished up a tour with Every Avenue, The Secret Handshake, and There For Tomorrow. I have absolutely no complaints about this record and there's no tracks that I would bother skipping. Sing It Loud have already released two singles off of Everything Collide ("Sugar Sweet" and "Here With You"). Evan Lucy of AP Mag wrote a review saying they "have thankfully ditched the irritating keyboards and cookie-cutter choruses for Southern-fried guitar riffs and plenty of spirited tambourine." I agree that their music has matured, but did you have to completely rip on Come Around before giving them a compliment? There were other reviews that I came across that were like this and... I simply don't get it. I personally like Come Around, but have to even admit that Everything Collide takes it to the next level. With that said, Sing It Loud are even more unbearably underrated.

"Letting Go" rocks the Yellowcard violin better than Yellowcard themselves (alright, that's kind of a biased statement). "I Can't" may not be the best or the most complex song off of the record, but the lyrics say it better than I could ever describe it: "I can't, I can't keep myself from singing..." (Fuck you lyric sites that say the lyrics are "I can't keep myself from SAYING"). It's a little difficult for me to pick a favorite song, but it would probably have to be "Wonder Why." Anyone who knows Sing It Loud's history on how they got started as a band, knows why it's easy for them to say "So, forgive your enemies and never forget their names, I hope you don't try to run away, because it never really helps anyway."

myspace.com/singitloud

purevolume.com/singitloud

<3becca

This needs to be said

I've currently been working on my next write up (Sing It Loud), but before I even continue working on that, while the butterflies in my stomach are still fresh I need to say this. Envy on the Coast announced tonight that Sal and Jer are leaving and that this is the end. My initial reaction was simply a panic attack... then sadness... then some anger. Mind you I was trying to keep it classy by commenting on their announcement and saying thank you for all the great times I've had over the past few years. This is the most in depth thank you I could ever say to them. Well, try more of a timeline rather than a simple "thank you."

April 2007: It was the first time I had ever seen them live. Envy was headlining... TEMPLE show represent!!! I arrived 2 hours early assuming I would have to wait outside in the nice weather, but no. Brian greeted us at the door and let us come in even though doors were supposed to open only a little while before the show. That was where I met a lot of new bands I had never heard of before including Blameshift, Robbie Hassett, The Junior Varsity, Destiny or Design, and as the opening band (no really, get this): Stereo Skyline. When we got there, Envy hadn't even done their soundcheck yet, so yea, I couldn't believe that I was allowed to walk into the completely empty room (except for some merch tables) and watch their soundcheck. This was when they had a 6 song setlist. The 5 songs off of their EP and their 'new' song: "Sugar Skulls." I was in the very front row loving every second of their set, including actually feeling Brian's sweat fall on my face when he did a little hair flip while playing (I know, gross). I will never ever forget my first Envy show. It holds so much importance and come on, I can't forget the days when there was no facial hair and Ryan wasn't sporting luscious dreads.

August 2007: Lucy Gray CD release party! It was at Looney Tunes... right before it burned down to the ground and they redid it. The OLD Looney Tunes you could say. We were running late, so my friend Elaine and I stood in the back... next to Robbie Hassett, but we didn't mind. Ryan had said that they just finished filming their first music video, but I remember feeling like it took FOREVER for their "Sugar Skulls" video to finally be released. I don't mean to put so much focus on Ryan, but this was when he just got his new dreads. It was a slight shocker, and while he shook the maracas to "Vultures" with no shoes on, I couldn't help but think I had just walked into some surreal Tarzan performance. It was the day before the Long Island Warped Tour date and I was absolutely heartbroken that I had tickets, but wasn't allowed to go, so being at the very very very first Lucy Gray show ever made me feel quite special. It was a good feeling. After their set, we waited on line to get our CDs signed. Brian asked me my name and wrote "Becca" across the top of the album art. They each signed it, and I'll never forget how Jer looked to Bri and said "She looks like your sister."

"Yea... in a really different way."

"Yea, a different way."

I felt awkward and didn't know what to say, so me being the selfish person that I am, I asked if Brian's sister was pretty. They said "Of course!" and so what if I was fishing for a few compliments from my favorite band? Dan personally shook my hand as he read my sweatshirt that simply read GEEK across it as he said "It's ok. I'm a geek too. Nice to meet you!" The whole car ride home, I listened to Lucy Gray feeling so happy that I had new Envy on the Coast music to listen to (and the fact that the release party was a few days before the actual CD came out to the public!) and that I had a new Envy experience to tell my friends about at camp the next Monday when I saw them.

November 2007: I joined the Envy boards. Through the boards I met so many new people that all had the same love and passion for the boys and their music as I did. Absolutely none of them were "fan gurls," they never talked about how hot they were, and they had a unique sense of... precision and organization when it came to posting. I've gotten to know such wonderful people and I even regret not staying consistent with my posting on the boards. Thanks girlies! I wish I could name each and every one of you on here.

December 2007: Well, there's not much to say about this month, but I had the Lucy Gray balloons painted on my bedroom wall. I took pictures when it was done and sent them to Envy's myspace. I assumed they wouldn't respond because it wasn't tattoo photos, but I was wrong. Brian personally responded saying that they looked really good, but he wouldn't want to sleep in the same room as "those fucking creepy balloons."

December 2008: Their annual holiday show had 2 Long Island dates, 2 days in a row. December 29th and December 30th. I got invited to a Sweet 16 December 30th. I'm sorry, but who plans a party on the day of Envy's holiday show? Haha. Clearly, someone who "doesn't get it." December 29th was my 1 year anniversary with my boyfriend, and he surprised me with tickets and a bouquet of black roses (don't judge, they're my favorite flowers). No romantic date needed. For me, there's nothing better than a night of moshing to my favorite band.

February 2009: Saying goodbye is never fun. Yes I was heartbroken (not as heartbroken as I am now though), but inside I trusted each of their decisions. With sadness, there was much hope and excitement for their new music.

June 2009: I was living in Boston for a few days for a summer program at my dream school, Berklee College of Music. Envy was opening for Taking Back Sunday extremely near by at House of Blues, I had tickets, I couldn't be anymore anxious to go, but at the last minute I wasn't allowed to go. Well, I guess you can't win 'em all.

August 2009: It was a blink-182 show and first I spotted Ryan towards the front watching Taking Back Sunday's set, but later I saw Brian, Jer, and Sal wandering around looking for their seats. I had seen them in person multiple times before and had spoken to them multiple times, but spotting them at a time that I didn't expect to see them, made me weirdly star struck. They finally found their seats. Their seats were directly behind mine. I creepily spent more time turning around and making awkward eye contact rather than simply watching blink's set.

December 2009: Seats for their annual holiday show? Say what?! The idea of seats made me nervous, but luckily I had amazing 2nd row seats, and just like always, Envy played an amazing set and even made me forget I was stuck in one spot. Ryan looked like a drunk forgetting that the stage spun and As Tall As Lions was an excellent choice for an opening band. I couldn't have been anymore pleased, but what did I expect? The boys always delivered.

January 2010: Haiti Relief show in my hometown! They were finally on my territory and ya know what that means? Not much, except for the fact that I knew which pizza place was the best place to go to after the show. I showed up early, waited on line with bags and bags of things to donate to people in need. I know I said there isn't anything better than moshing to your favorite band, but I take that back. There's nothing better than a night of moshing to your favorite band while helping those in need in Haiti. ;)

March 2010: Lowcountry! Envy opened my eyes to a slightly new genre. They were still the same band with minor changes and I was perfectly fine to opening to change. I opened my pre-order package, carefully taking out the CD, the autographed zine, the Lowcountry patch, and the Lowcountry t-shirt singing to myself "Now I have a t-shirt to go with my scars..."

April 2010: Oh, beautiful Irving Plaza. I managed to get towards the front of the line as a friend of mine let me wait with her, because she somehow managed to cut a drunk kid on line. I don't know. Don't ask. Once again, their performance was everything I hoped for and was even worth waiting 'til 1 in the morning or so for the next train in Penn Station. The things we do for the bands we love.

July 2010: This would be where I am right now. Heartbroken, but feeling much better a few hours later after writing all of this out. I'm sorry if I forgot anything else in my little timeline (as I'm sure I did). I can't thank you boys enough for all the wonderful memories and all the amazing music you've produced together. I've had the pleasure of seeing you grow through your music and not only that, but I've had the pleasure of growing WITH your music. I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it weren't for all of you. I know it sounds cheesy! But it's the truth. Whether it's your lyrics that get me through a tough time or simply your musical influence on me as a musician. Thank you thank you thank you for everything. This may be the end, but it's not THE END.

"Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." ~Charlie Parker

<3becca

Travie McCoy- Lazarus

Search: Travie McCoy. Did you mean Travis McCoy? No. I didn't actually. I meant Travie Lazarus McCoy. I honestly can't believe how many people get his name wrong and call him "Travis." Yes, that's his legal name, but it's Travie. Sorry, but get it right.

Lazarus was released last week (6/8/10) and it already has gotten attention, because of it's current chart topper, "Billionaire (Featuring Bruno Mars)," which couldn't be anymore appropriate in this economy. As I write this, "Billionaire" is actually #5 on Billboard's Hot 100. Anyone's who's hoping for the entire album to sound similar to "Billionaire" will be quite disappointed to find that each song has something unique about it; while any Gym Class Heroes fan that expects Travie to use his talent of mixing genres, will get exactly what they're expecting. On Lazarus, Travie mixes pop, rap, hip-hop, reggae, pop-punk, rock, and r&b. I don't mean to compare Gym Class Heroes and Travie's solo work so much, but his words are still witty and he's still... well, doing exactly what got him signed in the first place: poking fun at everyone. By no means am I saying one is better than the other, but the hard times Travie was going through were evident on Gym Class Heroes's The Quilt, but Lazarus is just a feel-good album. I couldn't be any happier with the fact that Travie doesn't just rap on Lazarus, but SINGS too. He's proven that he's perfectly capable of doing both extremely well.

If I had to recommend one song, it would probably have to be "Superbad (11:34)." Love love love "Superbad (11:34)" and it's one of those songs that you just can't explain why. It has a rock feel with... whatever genre T-Pain is, but it doesn't have Travie's typical rapping either. That's probably the best way to describe it. I feel like fans aren't too fond of "Akidagain," but I personally like it. In "Akidagain," Travie describes all the toys and things he cared about as a child and how is life is different now after growing up. The chorus is sung by children which adds a nice touch and rather than it sounding cheesy, it actually reminds me of the chorus of children singing in Pink Floyd's "We Don't Need No Education."

Last, but not least: by no means does the release of Lazarus mean that Gym Class Heroes is over. They're actually the opposite of over. What I mean by that is, they're currently working on their next album, The Paper Chronicles 2, which is to be released 2011. I excited for their future music, but for now, I couldn't be happier with Travie McCoy's solo debut.

myspace.com/traviemccoy

purevolume.com/traviemccoy

<3becca

Punk Goes- Punk Goes Classic Rock

Compared to other albums, it's a little bit more difficult to rate this album as a whole, simply because it's a collection of various artists rather than just one. I won't be writing about each song, but the songs I don't mention get a general thumbs up in my opinion. If there were any shitty songs, I'd take the time to write about them. Punk Goes Classic Rock was released last week (4/27/2010) and me being a huge fan of the Punk Goes... collections, I had to get my hands on it as soon as I could. One of my absolute favorite covers off of this album would have to be VersaEmerge's cover of "Paint It Black" originally by The Rolling Stones. This isn't even just coming from a VersaEmerge fan, but a Rolling Stones fan as well. It's safe to say that VersaEmerge are the kings (and queen) of covering random music. This is the 4th song I've heard them cover and they've done a wonderful job of each of them. "Paint It Black" always had an eerie feel to it, but with VersaEmerge's duet vocals and modern twist, they've managed to make it catchier and even eerier. I have no complaints on I See Star's cover of "Your Love" by The Outfield. They did a good job of it, I just don't approve of the song choice. Come on! Midtown already covered "Your Love" on Punk Goes '80s and I would've liked to hear I See Stars record a different song. I know "Free Fallin'" originally performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and covered by The Almost, is ridonkulously popular on iTunes, and I must agree; "Free Fallin'" fits The Almost extremely well. I was actually really surprised when I heard that Punk Goes 'virgins', Envy On The Coast, were going to be on this album. But once I discovered they would be covering Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" in the style of Jimi Hendrix, I could only respond with "OH. They would..." Yes, they do Jimi Hendrix justice, but in a strange way it's more so that that particular song just fits them well as a band. As an Envy On The Coast fan, this is just a minor detail that I feel the need to point out: there are many reasons why I love them, but one of them being that I love the fact that they have multiple singers! Maybe they were trying to stay true to the song by only having Ryan sing, but I would've loved to hear them change it up by having all three singers (Ryan, Sal, and Brian). If VersaEmerge can do it, so can Envy On The Coast.

I don't have much to say about Mayday Parade's "We Are The Champions," but just a general thumbs up. It may just be a slight change from their last cover... "When I Grow Up" (off of Punk Goes Pop Vol. 2). Like Mayday Parade, Never Shout Never also covered a Queen song. Except, Christofer took the ballsy risk of covering "Bohemian Rhapsody." I'll be totally honest, I expected the worst. I imagined Never Shout Never doing the worst cover possible. The truth is, yes, it sounds like he's trying WAY too hard at some points to make it epically dramatic, but it could've been worse. The Maine's cover of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" is another song I don't have much to say about, but want to give a shout out to. It's humorous compared to their typical music, not as hysterical as their cover of "I Wanna Love You" (from Punk Goes Crunk), but not a disappointment either. Last but not least, I want to mention Forever The Sickest Kids' Ozzy Osbourne cover of "Crazy Train." They've added their own FTSK style to it and whether you're a fan of the original or not, the new FTSK/Ozzy intro is simply orgasmic with their guitar riffs and synth. I have nothing bad to say about the rest of the song, it's just that the intro is the kind of EPIC Never Shout Never was striving for.

1. Hit The Lights "More Than A Feeling" (originally recorded by Boston)
2. VersaEmerge "Paint It Black" (originally recorded by The Rolling Stones)
3. The Almost "Free Fallin'" (originally recorded by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
4. Mayday Parade "We Are The Champions" (originally recorded by Queen)
5. The Summer Set "Rock 'n Roll All Nite" (originally recorded by KISS)
6. We The Kings "Caught Up In You" (originally recorded by .38 Special)
7. A Skylit Drive "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" (originally recorded by Journey)
8. I See Stars "Your Love" (originally recorded by The Outfield)
9. Pierce The Veil "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (originally recorded by Blue Oyster Cult)
10. Forever The Sickest Kids "Crazy Train" (originally recorded by Ozzy Osbourne)
11. The Maine "Pour Some Sugar On Me" (originally recorded by Def Leppard)
12. Envy On The Coast "All Along The Watchtower" (originally recorded by Bob Dylan as covered by Jimi Hendrix)
13. Every Avenue "Take Me Home Tonight" (originally recorded by Eddie Money)
14. Never Shout Never "Bohemian Rhapsody" (originally recorded by Queen)
15. blessthefall "Dream On" (originally recorded by Aerosmith)

<3becca

All Time Low-MTV Unplugged

This is just a super quick write up for All Time Low's MTV Unplugged performance. I'm writing this partly because, I was a bit disgusted by the lack of attention this performance got (the CD/DVD was released in January) and also in anticipation for Straight To DVD to be released May 25th. Their 6 song set is nicely divided by 2 songs from each Put Up Or Shut Up, So Wrong, It's Right, and Nothing Personal. It's not that this recording went completely ignored, but for a band of their status (or any status for that matter), MTV Unplugged is a pretty big deal. I didn't expect their MTV Unplugged recording to get the same amount of attention as Katy Perry's, but still. As all All Time Low fans know, there's nothing better than an All Time Low interview, so yes, the DVD includes an interview. Though this is a recommendation for people to check this performance out, I have one complaint (sorry!). I'm sure most would say I'm overreacting, but in my opinion Kate Voegele's performance as the guest vocalist on "Remembering Sunday" was unbearably boring and dull. Of course, she's disappointing compared to Juliet Simms (Automatic Loveletter), but couldn't Alex have helped her a little? When they perform that song live, Alex changes the part stylistically so that it's not so dull when sung down an octave. I don't know, but Kate Voegele managed to make that one really epic part... simply boring. To end this on a better note, I highly recommend this CD/DVD and though it's more entertaining when watching the DVD, the tracks don't feel incomplete without the visual.

myspace.com/alltimelow
purevolume.com/alltimelow

<3Becca

Envy on the Coast- Lowcountry

This may just be the best band for me to write about after such a long hiatus, because as you can tell they're my favorite and Lowcountry was just released recently. Besides the obvious as to why I'm excited to write this post, there's something else. That something else would be describing the genre and title. Even without Brian Byrne's writeup on the definition of "lowcountry", what it means to him, and how it became their album title, I'd still take the time to mention how it fits so well with this record. It's not often I hear the word "lowcountry" used in everyday language, but it already has a significant importance to me. Lowcountry may just be a whole new genre of music entirely. It's most certainly not country, but more of alternative rock with a hint of country influence. When the boys first announced their title, I believe the first thing that came out of my mouth was "Wow. A bunch of Long Island boys are gonna pretend they're from the south?", but it was done well. Ryan's not bullshitting us with a country twang, it's still the same wonderfully aggressive rock vocals I love, but now with a slight country influence in the guitar riffs, percussion, and bass lines. Even if other bands don't follow suit and the genre "lowcountry" doesn't start an entire movement, there are plenty of other bands and songs that touch on this similar rock genre, and Envy on the Coast fit well in this alternative rock scene anyway.

People hate change. Even if the change is for the good, no matter what, people will throw a fit about how they miss "the good old days". I'm extremely happy to report, that though I can't speak for everyone, envy fans seem to be pleased with this album. I highly recommend everyone checks out their four bonus tracks (on iTunes), "Bad News," "Spinal Cords," "Clergy,"and "Company of Men." I'm honestly still confused as to why "Bad News" isn't on the album though... I really can't choose favorites, but "The Great American T-Shirt Racket" and "Made of Stone" have special places in my heart. I'm just plugging random facts now, but their 'hidden' track after "Clean of You" is called "Just South of Heaven," though the title is not in the name anywhere. Their first single is "Head First In The River," but I'm hoping either "Southern Comfort" or "Numb" will be singles in the future :).

It's been absolutely wonderful to watch this band grow and evolve over the past years and I truly hope the best for them, but for now... I can't fucking wait to see them April 24th at Irving Plaza.

myspace.com/envyonthecoast
purevolume.com/envyonthecoast

<3becca

Is this a comeback?

I try to keep my blog about myself as little as possible. I want it to be music recommendations with my opinions, but that's it. As you can tell, I took a year's hiatus. That was never my intention, but I soon found it harder and harder to brainstorm and to find the time to write. I wish I could jump right into this and have an album to review off the top of my head, but unfortunately, I still don't know where to begin. Trying to give as little away as possible, I was extremely busy for a while with auditions. Auditions are over and I'm happy to report there was a good outcome from it all, so now I'll try to give this site more of my attention. Just today someone told me they visited my site recently, downloaded two albums I recommended, and fell absolutely in love. Oh. Right. That's why I do this.

Let's try this again.

<3Becca

Forgive Durden- Razia's Shadow: A Musical

I don't think I've ever been this excited to write a review on an album. I've been listening to it non-stop, and the only reason why I didn't write about it sooner, is because I really wanted to take the time to study it and appreciate it. I'm aware that many people will listen to it and think to themselves 'What kinda fucking musical is this?' I'm not sure if Razia's Shadow can still be considered a rock opera considering it has a narrator (Aaron Weiss from mewithoutYou), but it's still close to one. I admit, following the storyline can be insanely confusing, but it's entertaining and creative no matter how much you're able to comprehend. I'd hate to give the story away, so I'm just going to write about the basics of the album. I find myself falling in love with bands/albums/songs with multiple singers, so Razia's Shadow is pure heaven for me. Danny Stevens (lead singer of The Audition) makes me shake and gives me goosebumps in the beginning of The Oracle. Who knew his falsetto could kill? Any Max Bemis (Say Anything) fanatic will love The Spider and the Lamps. Brendon Urie (Panic At The Disco) is excellent and simply made me scream at the dramatic ending of The End and the Beginning. Meet the King is far from rock, but very entertaining. And who's a better princess than Greta Salpeter (The Hush Sound)?! Greta's simply perfect. Thomas Dutton (Forgive Durden) has created an album unlike any other, but if you have difficulty appreciating such a theatrical album, I recommend listening to Forgive Durden's debut album Wonderland. Wonderland is very very different, but incredible none the less. Thomas Dutton WINS my heart in The Exit (and other songs) when he comes in with such inspiring lyrics. No matter what your favorite part of Razia's Shadow is, the inspiration of it all is greater than anything. "Don't you ever feel like you've been destined for something bigger than your skin?"

O the Scientist- Casey Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter)

Ahrima- Thomas Dutton (Forgive Durden)

Nidria- Lizzie Huffman (Man In The Blue Van)

Barayas the Spider- Max Bemis (Say Anything)

Toba the Tura- Chris Conley (Saves The Day)

Gargul the Oracle- Danny Stevens (The Audition)

Adakias- Thomas Dutton (Forgive Durden)

Sangara- Dan Young (This Providence)

Pallis- Brendon Urie (Panic At The Disco)

Princess Anhura- Greta Salpeter (The Hush Sound)

King Malka- Nic Newsham (Gatsbys American Dream)

Baruka and Baba, The Bawaba Brothers- Kris Anaya (An Angle) and John Gourley (Portugal. The Man)

Doctor Dumaya- Shawn Harris (The Matches)

Narration- Aaron Weiss (mewithoutYou)

myspace.com/forgivedurden

purevolume.com/forgivedurden

<3Becca

The Curtana Veil- The Curtana Veil EP

I first saw this band December 2007 at their CD release and was quite impressed. It wasn't till this past Sunday that I was able to see them again and was reminded how great they were. Their music is pretty mellow and nothing hardcore (it's still rock though). But it's not just their great music and performances, they're super nice guys too! I'm glad they've been doing shows in the city, but it's about time to show LI some love! I'm gonna make use of the set list they gave me and say that they played Know By Now, A Scenic View, Where Ocean Meets Sky, a new untitled song, and You Sleep When You're Dead. The new stuff sounds great, it's just too bad that I don't know the words ;). You Sleep When You're Dead might be my favorite song of theirs, but honestly, it's so hard to choose. Can't wait to see 'em again!

myspace.com/thecurtanaveil
purevolume.com/thecurtanaveil

<3Becca

Sing It Loud- Come Around

In my opinion, Sing It Loud is truly an underrated band (and while we're on the topic, Mayday Parade is insanely underrated). They were on the Sassyback Tour with Cobra Starship, Forever the Sickest Kids and Hit the Lights and their next tour will be with Ludo, This Providence, and The Morning Light. Say what? You can't catch them on their next tour? No worries. They'll be playing Warped '09! Thank god. Their album, which was released 9/23/08, was produced by Motion City Soundtrack guitarist Josh Cain. One of my favorite songs off the album is Come Around, which also sounds amazing acoustic, so I suggest everyone checks out both versions. And not that they need an incredible guest vocalist to make No One Can Touch Us super catchy, but it doesn't hurt to have Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low). I always try to convince people to buy CDs when possible rather then downloading, so let me just say, that the album art is so much cuter in person. So, if you're looking for a great pop-punk band to dance to (maybe a lil bit of moshing) that your friends might not know of, I suggest getting this album.

myspace.com/singitloud
purevolume.com/singitloud

<3Becca

Doug- Does Decaydance

Sorry this post is so late, but I figured it's better late then never. Even though this isn't a holiday album, it's my favorite to listen to on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Doug is a jazz singer who attended Berklee College of Music. But before you turn down listening to a jazz singer, give it a chance! Doug works for Crush Management and incase you couldn't tell by the title of the album, Doug covers only Decaydance bands. I'm aware that a lot of fans believe Doug 'ruined great songs,' but you have to understand that not only are these his friends he's covering, but just because it's a genre you're not used to, doesn't mean it's bad. Come on, sip some sparkling apple cider and pretend to be classy while listening to jazz.

1. Dance, Dance
2. But It's Better If We Do
3. Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)
4. I Only Have Two Chances to Name My Own Tracks Here, I Hope I Don't Mess Them Up!
5. Viva La White Girl
6. Neighbors
7. Did I Just Mess Up Naming My First Track?
8. Time to Dance
9. The Kids Are All Fucked Up
10. On My Own Time (Write On!)
11. Slow Down
12. Sweet Tangerine
13. I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears and None on My Fingers
14. We Intertwined

myspace.com/dougdoes

<3Becca

Life Between Sleep

I'm still in shock how popular this band has grown so quickly. They're a local LI band that won the Ernie Ball Contest this year (which means they played the Nassau Coliseum warped date). Yea, it was AWESOME. And just to add to that, they even won the Taste of Chaos Contest. I def suggest that everyone listens to their newest song, Surgery In Canada produced by the one and only Dan Gluszak!!! My favorite song of theirs though has to be Ghost Of My Design. Right now it's just demos, but there's more to come (I'm frickin excited)! AND most importantly, I really want to thank Life Between Sleep for performing at my sweet 16 last week! It was without a doubt the highlight of my birthday. Even friends of mine who don't care to listen to this style of music fell in love. Thank you again!!! As weird as this sounds, I love you boys.

myspace.com/lifebetweensleep
purevolume.com/lifebetweensleep

<3Becca

Stereo Skyline- Stereo Skyline EP

I mentioned this local LI band in my post on Scenes and Sirens (Brian from S&S is now a part of the Stereo Skyline family!) and I said that I was so excited to get my hands on their EP. Well, I finally did and it's everything I hoped for! I saw this pop, pop-punk, powerpop, rock band live over a year ago. I was very impressed, but unfortunately the crowd didn't seem too energetic. But I know for a fact that their fan base and energy level at shows has grown during the year. Stereo Skyline played at Bamboozle 2007, and CROSS YOUR FINGERS cause I wanna see them at Warped 2009! They've had a few lineup changes, but their hardwork is shown on this EP. Be sure to listen to their single Heartbeat and Uptown, Get Around (my fav). Their song's are sooo catchy, I promise you'll be singing along! And good news if you can't get their EP at their show... it's on iTunes!

myspace.com/stereoskyline
purevolume.com/stereoskyline

<3Becca

Gym Class Heroes- The Quilt

I understand if this album doesn't appeal to everyone considering it's an album inspired by so many different genres, but I hope that doesn't prevent people from listening. Everyone's heard of Gym Class Heroes, but I promise that The Quilt is a different kind of hip-hop. It goes where no other band has gone before. Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo's guitar playing is all pop-punk and Travie is unlike any lead singer. Travie's been through... a really rough year, but The Quilt doesn't need to be listened to out of sympathy. I promise the vocals on Live A Little will blow you away and make you do a double take (and it's catchy!!!). But what's my favorite song to blast in the car? Peace Sign/Index Down. And the song that's been stuck in my head the most is... COOKIE JAR. :D. I think it would be impossible to list every genre I hear in this album, but all I can say is, 'The Quilt' is the perfect title for the the album . Gym Class Heroes has taken so many inspirations, and sewn them together to make something beautiful.

myspace.com/gymclassheroes
purevolume.com/gymclassheroes

<3Becca

Danger Radio- Used And Abused

One word. Addiction. I've seen Danger Radio have that affect on fans. Once you stop the album, you still hear it going in your head... This might be why Danger Radio was highly requested for me to write about. And well, also cause it's an incredible and catchy album. I heard them when they were first signed to Photo Finish Records, and I couldn't believe my ears. I didn't believe that such a new band could have songs that sounded like THAT. And yea, I kept playing it more and more and counted down the days till their debut album (Used and Abused) came out. I saw them live in June, and I swear to you, their fans were more energetic then the headliner's (Cute Is What We Aim For). I'm not sure if they had more fans or more dedicated or what. But I most certainly had to stop and ask myself who was headlining here. Join the addiction for this catchy pop-punk/dance band!

myspace.com/dangerradio
purevolume.com/dangerradio

<3Becca

The Rocket Summer- Do You Feel

Yea, this might just be a perfect album. The Rocket Summer, is all one person... Bryce Avary. And Bryce can do it all! With a huge range in vocals and just a huge range of instruments he plays! They were on the 2008 AP Tour with All Time Low, Sonny, The Matches, and Forever The Sickest Kids. TRS puts on an incredible live show that always keeps your attention! So many kids go to TRS shows skeptical and end up dancing their lil hearts out. Tust me, I've seen it before. I promise you will be singing along and dancing. Cause if youre not, there's something kinda wrong. This album does what Bryce meant for it to do, help listeners get through tough times and put them in better moods. Btw check out their awesome new video for Do You Feel. When you watch it, you might just see some surprise cameo appearances...

myspace.com/therocketsummer
purevolume.com/therocketsummer

<3Becca

The Maine- Can't Stop Won't Stop

I know this has nothing to do with their music, but... they have great hair (uhh. And they're awesome live). Anyway, the band formed in 2007 (most of the members were in high school at the time), so they're fresh out of high school! They have a pop-punk sound, but John's vocals aren't your typical pop-punk vocals. His voice isn't nasal or high-pitched. And yea, his voice can make any girl's... or guy's heart melt. The album's full of songs of love. So, sorry if you're not into that. CSWS isn't that pop album you can dance to, but it'll have you singing along to every song. And please be sure to check out their cover of I Wanna Love You (yea that Akon song) on Punk Goes Crunk. It'll have you puzzled and laughing. They've made a song about fucking a stripper... ALMOST pure and romantic. :D

myspace.com/themaine
purevolume.com/themaine

<3Becca

Mayday Parade- A Lesson In Romantics

A lil bit emo and a lot of pop-punk. Guaranteed to have you rocking out (but you can't really dance to it). Check out their newest single, Jamie All Over and one of my personal favorites When I Get Home, You're So Dead. They'll be on a lil kickass tour called The Compromising of Integrity, Morality & Principles in exchange for Money Tour. Fucking amazing lineup: All Time Low, Mayday Parade, The Maine, and Every Avenue. Basically it's the ultimate pop-punk tour. Oh and I almost forgot. Any album that has that amazing song that gets you through a tough time deserves recognition. Be sure to listen to Miserable At Best. I'm sure this song has helped tons of couples get through that rough patch.

myspace.com/maydayparade
purevolume.com/maydayparade

<3Becca