Turn Yourself On

This might be the end

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:46:00 +0000

I'm abandoning this blog in hopes of successfully starting an online music magazine. I will post the link to the new site as soon as I get everything set up. I should have a website starting early October with the first issue to be available at the end of October.

Thank you to every person who read this blog and supported it in any way. It was great to know that people were reading and interested. If any of you are interested in contributing to the new magazine or help out at all please send me an e-mail at turnyourselfon@gmail.com, it's a big project and I can use whatever help I can get. If you know of any bands that would like to be featured in the magazine or anyone you would like to see in it please send that information to me as well.

Rec: Ben Rector

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:28:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Unsigned artist Ben Rector creates a unique and catchy brand of piano rock. Rector is talented both instrumentally and vocally.

Rec: Green River Ordinance

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:21:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Virgin Record's Green River Ordinance delivers a blend of acoustic-driven power-pop rock that is unique. GRO is finishing up their tour with Goo Goo Dolls and Switchfoot.

Rec: The Fastest Kid Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:14:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

The Fastest Kid Alive is a four-piece band from Chicago. Their "Dear Summer EP" was just released on iTunes yesterday. This pop band is working on new music and is still unsigned.

Rec: Call the Cops

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:02:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

MySpace/Interscope Record's Call the Cops are from Long, Beach California and . The band played several shows on Van's Warped Tour and just finished up the rest of their summer tour. Check out new dates. This great pop punk band has a fresh sound you'll want to hear.

Rec: Stacy Clark

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:17:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Stacy Clark has a unique voice that is soothing. Her melodies have a darker sound, but her lyrics are beautiful.

Rec: Runner Runner

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:12:00 +0000

MySpac e|iTunes|Amazon

California's Runner Runner is a great band recorded and live. They have great pop melodies and lyrics of their own, but also have an EP of covers that include their own renditions of bands like Third Eye Blind and Maroon 5.

Rec: The Young Veins

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:09:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

The Young Veins features Panic at the Disco's Ryan Ross and Jon Walker. They released their debut record in June.

Rec: Phone Calls From Home

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:07:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

It's hard to listen to Phone Calls From Home without tapping your foot to the beat of the music. Their sound is upbeat and lightens the mood. The lyrics are thoughtful and great to sing along with.

Rec: Nathan Angelo

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:35:00 +0000

Myspace | iTunes | Amazon

Atlanta's Nathan Angelo is an extremely talented singer. His piano rock has hints of gospel through his songs. If you like Gavin DeGraw or similar artists you would definitely be into Nathan Angelo.

Rec: Fight Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Fight Fair's music makes you want to get up and dance. The pop sounds of their music shine and while the vocals are deep, the melodies are poppy and fun to listen to.

Rec: We Shot the Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:01:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

We Shot the Moon has a very mellow and easy listening sound. Their music is great for relaxing or listening to if you're not up for music that too much pop/rock/punk. The vocals are strong and the lyrics are honest.

Rec: TV/TV

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:57:00 +0000

MySpace

TV/TV is four-piece band with unique vocals and melodies that will make everybody want to dance. Their live shows are fun and interactive. Check their MySpace for tour dates.

Rec: This Century

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

This Century was recently signed to Action Theory. Lead singer Joel Kanitz has a soft voice that stands out over their music. They are touring this summer with The Maine.

Rec: Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:43:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers formed in 2003. Kellogg has an amazing voice and a great band.

Rec: Disco Curtis

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Disco Curtis has a fun pop-punk sound. The lyrics are creative and the melodies are unique.

Rec: We Are The In Crowd

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

It's unusual to see a female-fronted band. Lead singer Tay Jardine is truly unique and talented. The band is currently playing all of Van's Warped Tour.

Rec: Steve Moakler

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:38:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Steve Moakler has released 2 EPs and one full-length album. He is an amazing singer and song-writer who has a way with his acoustic guitar.

Rec: Action Item

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Action Item has a fun sound that's a little louder than what I would usually listen to. But the pop shines through their harder rock sound and captures fans of all genres.

Fan Us On Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Like Turn Yourself On's Facebook page.

Rec: The Scenic

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:04:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes |Amazon

The first time I heard The Scenic was live with another band that I loved and I fell in love with their rock sound. It's simple music and their lyrics are beautiful.

Donations

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:55:00 +0000

I've added a donations button to the right side of the page. I am finally working on getting serious with this blog. From now on you can expect 2-3 recommendations a week, one review each week and occasional news and hopefully some interviews here and there. I would love to be able to buy a domain name and put this site on a real web host instead of blogger. You are absolutely under no obligation to donate anything, but any little bit will help make this blog bigger and better. If you leave any contact information when you donate I would be happy to send you updates with what I've done with your money so you know exactly what you contributed to.

Before I upgrade I have a ton of business cards with the blogger address that I can't get rid of on my own. If you'd like to spread the word about Turn Yourself On send your name, address and a few places you plan on distributing them to turnyourselfon@gmail.com and I'll give you as many as you want/need.

Rec: Safetysuit

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:49:00 +0000

MySpace|iTunes|Amazon

Safetysuit is full of talent. The video for their song "Stay" was featured on VH1's Top 20 Countdown.

Review: Mission Hill "Save Me From Me"

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:18:00 +0000

With an alternative rock sound comparable to more popular acts like 3 Doors Down, Mission Hill is still highly underrated. Their upcoming album, "Save Me From Me" to be released at the end of the month, is a great find. The entire album is catchy and easy to sing along with. This band has a lot of talent from instrumentals to lead singer Adam Jensen's vocals.

The songs have a way of sounding familiar and comforting. Each song's lyrics are meaningful and relatable to people of all ages. Every track has a slightly different sound from the last, making their album one with smooth transitions but unique. This album really shows off the band's talent.

Every moment of this album shines in its own way and it's a joy to listen to. This album will bring popularity to Mission Hill. It is an easy album to keep stuck on repeat for days at a time.

Highlights: Crazy, Forever Anyway

Review: Jim Irvins Band EP

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Townsend) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:18:00 +0000

Jim Irvins Band’s self-titled EP starts off strong with “Back to Reality.” The melodies are rich and unique. The song features a simple though pleasant guitar solo. The lyrics lack originality with the chorus line “Don't want to go back reality// And leave this place called fantasy,” but the melodies still make the song pleasant to listen to.

“The Chance” is the EP’s catchiest track. It immediately induces foot tapping. This track’s lyrics are heartfelt and more original than the previous track’s. The EP slows back down after "The Chance" and while the rest of EP is still catchy in an acoustic-pop kind of way, it never picks back up to the same energy level. This EP is great for the summer months and great for driving as it allows for mindless listening and enjoyment.

As much as I enjoyed Jim Irvins Band's EP, they lack uniqueness. Almost every song on the EP resembled another one closely enough that I thought of that song instead of the Jim Irvins Band's song. Most of the lyrics have been heard before in another shape or form and the vocals aren't quite loud or strong enough on the EP. While this is a band with great potential and this EP is great to listen to, they do not yet have the uniqueness and originality that will make them stand apart from any other band.