Music Box Pete

UPDATE: Whitney Houston Died Of Prescription Overdose!

2012-02-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

An update on the death of Whitney Houston. According to TMZ, Whitney's family has been told by the LA County Coroner that she died of an overdose of Xanax mixed in with other prescription drugs and alcohol, not drowning as what was initially believed. There was not enough water in her lungs to make her drown and authorities said that Whitney was already dead before her body was submerged in the bathtub. Her body was found by her aunt, Mary Jones and she began administering CPR when she didn't come out of the bathroom.

BREAKING NEWS!! Whitney Houston Has Died!

2012-02-11T23:23:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

As some of you may already know, singer Whitney Houston died earlier this evening at her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. She was 48 years old. Police found her in her hotel room at 3:55pm PST and paramedics immediately performed CPR, but it was already too late. No cause of death has been revealed yet, but police don't suspect that foul play was involved. According to TMZ, various prescription pill bottles were found in her hotel room. She was found in her bathtub, but police don't know if she drowned or OD'd at this point. The singer had battled drug addiction for a number of years.

Whitney burst onto the scene with her self-titled debut album in 1985, producing a string of hits including "Saving All My Love For You" which was her first of 7 consecutive #1 hits (a record which still stands to this date). Her sophomore album "Whitney" came in 1987 and became the first female artist in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Her most famous song came in 1992 with "I Will Always Love You" from the movie The Bodyguard, which was a cover of a Dolly Parton song that hit #1 all across the world. Her life spiraled out of control after marrying Bobby Brown that same year and started dabbling in marijuana and cocaine use that caused her music career to greatly suffer after that. She was an amazing talent who inspired countless entertainers today and left an indelible mark on the music industry.

2012 Grammy Predictions!

2012-02-09T15:43:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

It's that time of year again, The Grammys! The awards show where anything can happen, including have ODB jump on stage after Shawn Colvin won an award back in 1998, Eminem and Elton John performing together in 2001 amid a firestorm of controversy, and Esperanza Spalding shocking everyone by taking home Best New Artist at last year's ceremony. This year's Grammys promises to be an exciting one, as we'll see if Adele will be crowned the queen of the night after receiving 6 Grammy nominations this year. Today, I'm going to run down the major fields and give you my take as to who will take home the Gramophone come Sunday night. And without further ado, here are my predictions:

Album of The Year

Adele - 21
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Bruno Mars - Doo Wops and Hooligans
Rihanna - Loud

This one's a no brainer, It's going to be Adele. No other artist on this list has had a better year than Adele. "21" has sold 6.4 million copies to date, 17 million sold worldwide, three #1 hits on the Hot 100 chart, sold out concerts across the globe, no other artist on this list has much of a commercial and crossover appeal than Adele has. This one's all on Adele. Foo Fighters I don't see being much of a threat, but they'll clean up nicely in the Rock categories, Lady Gaga might take home one or two in the Pop categories, but the album's discount to 99 cents on the Amazon MP3 store hurt this album's chances significantly of taking home the award. Bruno Mars and Rihanna will be contenders in the other categories, just not in this one.

Record of The Year

Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Bon Iver - Holocene
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Katy Perry - Firework

Do you even need to ask? Adele takes this award in a landslide. "Rolling In The Deep" was a huge smash this year, spending 7 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart and becoming her huge, defining hit. Bon Iver is the major surprise in his category, but I don't see him taking home the award for this category, but is definitely a contender for Best New Artist, Bruno Mars made a terrific song with "Grenade", but it's not worthy to take home the gold in this category, but might pose a challenge in some of the other categories it's nominated in. Mumford & Sons is really the only thing standing in Adele's way here, with a marvelous song in "The Cave", and Katy Perry doing a fantastic job as well with "Firework", but Adele has this thing locked away.

Song of The Year

Kanye West - All of The Lights
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Bon Iver - Holocene
Adele - Rolling In The Deep

Adele will perform a three category sweep of the major categories culminating with this one. "Rolling In The Deep" was one of those songs that only comes around once in awhile and totally defined what was on commercial radio the past year. Kanye West had a great song in "All of The Lights" that should do well in the Rap categories, but doesn't have enough oomph to get the award here. Mumford, Bruno, and Bon will give it their best shot, but ultimately it's Adele's award to win here.

Best New Artist

Bon Iver
Nicki Minaj
J. Cole
The Band Perry
Skrillex

This one's a tricky one to predict here. Bon Iver seems to be the clear favorite here, but I'm going to take a gamble and go with Nicki Minaj on this one. Out of all the nominees, she seems to be the one that was the most visible and most commercially successful of the 5 nominees this year. J. Cole had a great first year, but I don't see him taking the award in this category. The Band Perry had a terrific debut last year, but I don't seem them fairing too well in this one. Skrillex I see being as sort of a dark horse in this one, sort of like last year with Esperanza Spalding, so I would keep an eye on him.

Best Rock Song

Mumford & Sons - The Cave
The Decemberists - Down By The Water
Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Foo Fighters - Walk

Another tough category to pin down here. However, I strongly feel that Foo Fighters will be able to pull away with the award here. Traditionally in the past, almost every award that Foo Fighters have been nominated in, they go on to win and this one is not that different here. Mumford & Sons could pose a challenge with "The Cave", and The Decemberists "Down By The Water" was a great song, but not enough merit to draw them a Grammy here. Coldplay could have a chance with "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall", but it will ultimately fall short. Radiohead will do well in the Alternative categories, but it won't pull away with the Grammy on this one.

Best Rock Album

Jeff Beck - Rock N Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Wilco - The Whole Love

This category is a very diverse one, but the only one that stands out here is Foo Fighters yet again. "Wasting Light" was one of the only rock albums in the past year that was most popular in regards of album sales and critical acclaim, something which doesn't matter to Grammy voters as they are looking for "artistic merit" when placing their votes. Kings of Leon made a terrific album with "Come Around Sundown", but it doesn't have enough thunderpower to take it home. Red Hot Chili Peppers returned big last year with "I'm With You", but it was released with too short of a window to make it into consideration for a win here. Wilco made a great effort with "The Whole Love", but it doesn't have enough to make an impression on the Grammy voters here.

Best Alternative Music Album

Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
Foster The People - Torches
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Radiohead - The King of Limbs

An extremely diverse and talented group of folks here vying for the Best Alternative Music Album category. Looking at this list, the strongest nominee who I think has a chance to win is Foster The People. I'm shocked that they didn't get a nod for Best New Artist (If they were nominated in that category, they would definitely win), but they had an amazing year with "Pumped Up Kicks" dominating both pop and alternative radio and becoming a strong act to watch out for in the years to come. Bon Iver and Death Cab For Cutie both have an equal shot with their albums, and pose the greatest threat to Foster The People. My Morning Jacket has the littlest chance of winning among all the nominees here with "Circuital", but Radiohead could be the dark horse here with their "The King of Limbs" album.

And there you have it, my list of predictions for this year's Grammy Awards ceremony! Feel free to leave your comments here on the blog with your predictions as to who you might think will take home the hardware! The Grammys will be held this Sunday at 8PM on CBS and don't forget to 'Like' me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter as I'll be doing my annual wire-to-wire coverage so that you don't miss a single beat of Grammy coverage!

Interview w/ The Fates!

2012-02-09T13:08:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone!

Returning once again with my ongoing series of interviews with local artists that have received initial exposure here on the blog. Today, we have an interview with Boston's own The Fates! The Fates were an Artist Spotlight feature here on the blog back in October and have quickly become one of my favorite local acts in the scene today. Recently, Beau and the boys took some time out of their hectic schedules to do a brief interview that allows us to get to know them a little bit more personally. And now, here we go!:

- Give your names and what you do in the band?
Beau Cassidy (Vocals), Jon Greene (Guitar), Josh Friedman (Keys), Dan Alport (Bass), and Tyler LeVander (Drums)

- How did you guys meet and when did the band form?
That's a complicated answer... Jon and Beau have known each other growing up in Ft. Lauderdale, and Jon met Tyler and Josh at the Berklee 5 Week Summer Performance Program in 2007, Tyler and Josh met Beau in the fall of 2010, as well as Dan. The band formation happened over the fall of 2010, starting with Beau, Tyler, Jon and I and our ex-bassist David playing cover gigs in Allston basement parties in the fall of 2010 and then recording "Drama Dropout" in January.

- How did you come up with the name "The Fates" for your group?

Haha ok. So we had a bunch of names we were throwing around for several months, and "The Fates" just seemed to work the best. It's kind of a projective test for a band name, it's so broad, which allows people to take alot out of it individually, that's something we really liked about it. Objectively, "The Fates" evokes this kind of epic quality which is something we haven't gotten with any of the other tentative names, and "epic" is what we always strive to deliver in our music.

- How would you describe the sound of The Fates?

Pop/Rock, all the way. As individuals we all come from a pretty solid rock background (Tyler and I played in prog/rock bands in high school, Dan is obsessed with My Chemical Romance). Beau's got a pop voice and writes poppy shit, and as songwriters we definitely try and gear our songs to hook-centered melodic ideas. We're always trying to strike a balance between bringing the energy and technicality of a rock band with the polished catchiness of pop music.

- What themes and/or subject matter does your music cover?

A lot of "Drama Dropout" is kind of slices-of-life of Beau Cassidy. You have energetic, live in-the-moment Beau Cassidy ("Jump"), relationship Beau Cassidy ("Miss America", "Photographs"), introspective Beau Cassidy ("Grave", "Atmosphere"). Overall, we like to think that the personal anecdotes resonate with our fans... I like the idea of having these intimate stories that you feel like you've experienced as well. Makes you feel like you're a part of something big (epic, again).

- For people who have seen you in concert, many have noticed that your keyboardist Josh wears an eye patch, do you feel like that makes you stand out from all the other bands out there?

As of right now, I do not believe there is another keyboardist who wears an eye patch, so we definitely feel like that makes us stand out a bit haha.

- What has been the response to your music so far from the general public?

We've had amazing feedback, our Fans on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have been immensely supportive of us and when we see posts like ""Photographs" by The Fates played on my iPod today and it really helped me get through the day." or "Wow does Beau have nice teeth." It's quite heartwarming. We have incredible fans.

- How do you guys spend your free time when you're not making music?

Honestly, we hang out with each other non-stop. We're all actually best friends, so usually it's getting food with each other, watching Dan eat gratuitous amounts of cupcakes, or driving to the only 24-hour donut shop in Boston at 2am (I just realized how fat we are. We also go to the gym. Sometimes.) Individually, we're all either students or working part-time ... Jon's actually a pilot, for real.

- If you could describe your band in one word, what word would you choose?

FunLovingRockPartyBeau'sTeeth

- Lastly, what does the future hold for The Fates? Will you be playing any shows or releasing an album later on this year?

We are currently working on a buttload of new material, so a new album this year is looking reeeeally likely.

Thanks once again to Beau, Jon, Josh, Dan, and Tyler from The Fates for being so gracious with their time in doing this interview. If you want to check out their music, visit their website at www.thefatesmusic.com and 'Like' them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thefatesmusic and follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thefatesmusic Just a quick reminder for Boston area readers, they'll be playing at the Middle East Upstairs tomorrow night at around 11:15pm, so be sure to get your tickets now and arrive there early to catch the other acts in action!

The City Calls Release Music Video For "Meet In The Middle"!

2012-02-09T10:38:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Southampton, U.K. band The City Calls have just released their brand new music video for their single "Meet In The Middle". The song was produced by Josh Partridge, who has also worked with fellow U.K. band Sell Your Sky. The band is going to be heading out on tour in the coming days with Forever August and Malokai in tow to deliver their blend of pop-punk to the masses! Below is their latest tour itinerary along with their music video for "Meet In The Middle":

2/15/2012 London - The Good Ship
2/16/2012 Nottingham - The Maze
2/17/2012 Yeovil - Tabernacle Junction
2/19/2012 Winchester - The Railway Inn

For more information on The City Calls, head on over to their official website at http://www.thecitycalls.co.uk Check out the band's Facebook page to stay on touch with them at www.facebook.com/thecitycalls You can also catch up with the band via Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/thecitycalls If you want to purchase the band's EP "A Spark To Ignite" via iTunes, you can do so here: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/a-spark-to-ignite/id456015129

Low-Fi - What We Are Is Secret

2012-02-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

Fresh out of Naples, Italy Low-Fi have arrived on the scene with their debut release, What We Are Is Secret. The electro-pop rockers first arrived on the scene in late 2010 with their self titled EP that gave music listeners something a little different and a little less predictable than all the other music out there. And on this, their first full length, the band shows its listeners that they are ready for the big leagues with a well rounded effort that shows off their fantastic musical skills in one, cohesive effort.

The disc opens up big with my favorite track off the album, "Something" a fuzzy, electro tinged blast that shows off lead singer Alessandro's melodic and distorted vocals that blend in together perfectly with the type of music that they're normally accustomed to playing. "Daylight" is a basic, simple format rock tune that features much less electro enhanced rhythms that the prior song contained, and moves as more of a bare bones alt-rock tune that allows the band to be more diverse in their musical influences. "Speed Control" finds a perfect balance between simple guitar arrangements and electro stylized beats that gives listeners appreciative of both genres to find a common ground and enjoy this track equally. The album's title track is a creepy, ominous sounding tune that finds Alessandro and Adriano's vocals adding the perfect amount of dynamic energy to a surprisingly diverse album heard so far.

We're entering the disc's second half with "The Evidence of a Missing Link", a electro rock delight complete with synths, distorted vocals, and slight guitar riff undertones that gives the album a little nudge towards the finish line. "On The Scene" starts to settle towards the end of the disc with a downtempo number that brings the overall energy on the album down as a whole and gives the listener a perfect balance between the tempos of the various songs. "Steinhaus" features much of the same distinct musical characteristics that the previous song displayed, and segways perfectly into the disc's finale, "Piano Metal" a dazzling, electro infused track that wraps up the entire album and allows the listener to look at each track one after another in succession and see how the album started off in the first place and how it ended. You may remember Low-Fi as an Artist Spotlight featured artist here on the blog back in November of 2010, and I was amazed at how different they were in terms of the musicians that I normally cover here on the blog and how they didn't conform to any of the musical stereotypes associated with bands developed by major labels. These guys have a clear and definite sense of style and enthusiasm that is is clearly expressed through their music and will definitely be around for some time to come.

All in all, a seasoned and well executed effort from Low-Fi, who give listeners who may not be too familiar with them the chance to see what they have to offer them and what they bring to the musical table in the process.

Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

Something
Daylight
Dead Disco Syndrome
Speed Control
What We Are Is Secret
Private Revolution (f/NO MORE)
The Evidence of a Missing Link
On the Scene
Steinhaus
Piano Metal

The Demon Beat To Release Split 7" With Elephant Child!

2012-02-08T11:04:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Sheperdstown, West Virginia natives The Demon Beat are getting set to release their split 7" with Elephant Child! The set is complete with 3 songs, 2 from The Demon Beat and the other one from Elephant Child, and this set also marks The Demon Beat's debut on the Funny/ Not Funny Records label. Elephant Child have never been featured on a vinyl release before and the two have also never been featured together on any release, so this makes for a number of notable firsts for both groups. If you're a fan of heavy hitting, distortion filled garage rock, then this effort is just perfect for you!

If you would like to preview The Demon Beat/Elephant Child Split 7" and pre-order it, head on over to Funny/ Not Funny Records website at http://funnynotfunnyrecords.com/post/17223115130/pre-order-the-demon-beat-elephant-child-split-7 To check out even more music from The Demon Beat, head on over to their BandCamp page at http://thedemonbeat.bandcamp.com

Artist Spotlight: Skrillex

2012-02-07T12:42:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone!

Ready to go with another edition of Artist Spotlight this week! Today for you guys, we have an artist who is nominated for a Best New Artist award at this Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony, Skrillex! Skrillex is the brainchild of Sonny Moore, whom you may remember as the former lead singer of From First To Last several years back. Now, Sonny is ready to step into the electronic realm with an amazing transformation that shows you the depth and creativity that he is capable of as a musician. I had heard alot about this artist fairly recently, and I had no idea that Sonny was behind this project and was absolutely amazed at how groundbreaking this project was. Complete with dubstep heavy grooves, grinding electro rhythms, and little spurts of post hardcore energy, Skrillex has the melodic thunder power to bring electronic music to the forefront and make it more user accessible to the listening audience at the same time. A superb talent with a whole wealth of potential for greater success in the years to come! Some recommended tracks for you to check out from him include "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" and "Bangarang" from the recently released EP of the same name.

For more information on Skrillex and to check out his music, head on over to his official website at www.skrillex.com You can 'Like' him on Facebook by going over to www.facebook.com/skrillex and you can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/skrillex Don't forget to check out the Grammy Awards this Sunday at 8PM on CBS where Skrillex can hopefully take home some hardware!

Call Me Anything Reveal Track Listing For Debut EP!

2012-02-07T11:55:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Boston-based band Call Me Anything have revealed the title and track listing for their debut EP! The EP titled "Celebrity" will drop on March 13th, and features 4 tracks from the band. The band have been working feverishly on this effort for the past year, and now all the fruits of their labor will finally be revealed for the world to see! Below is the cover art and track listing for the new effort:

Celebrity (f/Dylan Owen)
#OverIt
Unforgivable
Holiday

Check out my review of the EP the day after it comes out right here on the blog!

Vacationer - Gone EP

2012-02-01T12:44:00.000-05:00

Fresh out of Philadelphia, PA Kenny Vasoli (of The Starting Line and Person L fame) has a brand new side project called Vacationer and has released their debut EP titled "Gone". Much like his other side project Person L, this is a highly experimental effort that brings together elements of dream-pop and indie-rock rhythms to create something truly extraordinary and groundbreaking and one that has never been heard before.

The EP opens up with my favorite track off the disc "Trip", a hypnotic, mystical track that immediately transports you to a world of paradise and earthy, wondrous dream pop rhythms similar to that of Beach House, but taken to a whole new level never before thought possible. Kenny's vocals coo and weave in and out of the insatiable rhythms to create something that is totally out of this world. "No Rules" is another stellar and amazing track that takes a different trajectory of the prior track and continues its ascent into greatness with more toned down dreamy rhythms heard this time around, giving the listener a little bit of a different flavor. Kenny's vocals are heard at his best on this particular track and instantly makes the listener feel relaxed and right at home on this one. The EP's title track takes a journey through some light synth arrangements and Kenny's spectacular and breathtaking vocals aiming directly for the skies with genuine, heartfelt emotion tugging at you instantly upon the time you hit 'Play'. Ever since I first heard his work with The Starting Line almost 10 years ago, I'm absolutely amazed at the career path that he's chosen and the different genres of music that he's dabbled in since his pop-punk heyday. First with the experimental/indie music he created with Person L, now taking a huge leap into dream-pop territory with this amazing and groundbreaking effort that clicks on all cylinders.

Overall, a spectacular and groundbreaking here from Mr. Kenneth Vasoli, who continues his undying musical quest to bring his diverse musical influences to the forefront here and create something that has never been heard by human ears before.

EP Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

Trip
No Rules
Gone

Note: Vacationer's debut album will be released on March 20th! For more information on the band, visit their website at www.vacationermusic.com and 'Like' them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vacationermusic and follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nuhula

Artist Spotlight: Bud Carroll

2012-01-31T11:55:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

Closing out the month of January with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today for all of you, we have an emerging singer-songwriter based out of Huntington, West Virginia named Bud Carroll. Bud has a soulful, gravely feel to his voice that features some soul/R&B rhythms mixed in that create something wholly unique and organic at the same time. It's rare nowadays to find singer-songwriters who are willing to take that extra push and experiment with genres that not many solo artists are able to accomplish these days to a great degree and fervor that Bud is able to do right here. A lot of solo artists these days experiment with genres that they wouldn't dare to come in contact with and others take that creative leap forward and sometimes it doesn't always pan out. However, Bud has that unique vocal ability that makes you feel the emotion pouring out of each and every song he performs with an excellent degree of passion and authenticity that shows everything that he has to offer in one fell swoop. Some recommended tracks for you to check out from him include: "I'm No Stranger" and "Thinking Only of You".

To check out more music from Bud Carroll, head on over to his BandCamp page at budcarroll.bandcamp.com From there, you can download his latest album, "At Least I Can Still Smoke In My Car". You can also name your own price when you buy the album, so you can pay as little or as much as you want! His music is also available on his ReverbNation page at www.reverbnation.com/budcarroll You can also get the latest updates on him via Twitter at www.twitter.com/budcarroll

The Ocean's Eyes Release Debut Music Video For "Room of Red"!

2012-01-26T16:08:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

Upstart UK band The Ocean's Eyes have just released their debut music video for "Room of Red". The video features the band belting out a melodic, furious blast that will have you up and jumping out of your seat as soon as you watch it! I've embdedded the video below for your viewing pleasure:

The band is also headed out on the road in March with Room 94! These dates will take the band around the greater London area and will increase the band's visibility in the UK area music scene as well. Here is the band's full itinerary for their upcoming tour:

3/15/2012 OXFORD O2 Academy2
3/16/2012 SOUTHAMPTON Guava Bar
3/17/2012BRIGHTON Hydrant
3/18/2012 NORWICH B2
3/19/2012 BRISTOL Thekla
3/20/2012 CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
3/22/2012 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
3/23/2012 BIRMINGHAM HMV Institute
3/24/2012MANCHESTER Roadhouse
3/25/2012 SHEFFIELD Corporation
3/26/2012 LIVERPOOL O2 Academy2
3/27/2012 GLASGOW Cathouse
3/28/2012 NEWCASTLE Riverside
3/29/2012 LEEDS Cockpit
3/31/2012 LONDON King's College (KCLSU)

If you live in England and would like to attend one of these shows, you can buy tickets from http://toetickets.bigcartel.com For more info on this new and exciting British band, head on over to the band's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/theoceanseyes You can also follow the band on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/theoceanseyes

Jack Jeffery - The Constant That Remains

2012-01-25T17:45:00.000-05:00

Hailing from Bealeton, VA Jack Jeffery has returned with his brand new studio effort titled "The Constant That Remains". The follow up to 2010's "Passage to Agadir" finds the singer-songwriter picking up right where his first one left off with strong prog-rock patterns that present an artist just in the midst of discovering his true sound.

The disc opens up with "We Need It Back (The Modern Dreamer)", which has a consistent, melodic flow to it that is representative of the type of music he normally plays and his voice has a distorted quality to it that gives it a dash of authenticity and makes you want to continue listening to the rest of the album as well. "Rearranged" starts off on a more acoustic scale, before branching out into some groovy wavelengths that hearken back to the late 60's psychedelic heyday era with fervent rhythms that take you back in time a little bit. "Gavotte For African String Guitar" features many of the same musical characteristics that the other one did, and features the absence of Jack's vocals to place all attention squarely on the sound of the guitar and let the guitar do all the talking for you. My favorite song from the disc is "Fade Away", which echoes the musicality of Pink Floyd mixed in with a modern sensibility that continues to transport the listener further into the musical realm of otherworldly sounds not heard in quite some time. "The Sirius Wall" is a purely instrumental track that is another escapist delight and continues the album's musical quest right into the unknown.

The disc's second half gets into gear with "Everything Changes", and begins its quest into prog-rock rhythms, this time bringing in some influence from The Who to craft an orchestral jam that will definitely have you hitting repeat by the time the song is over, a truly remarkable track. "Valencian Cosmos" amps up the mysteriousness factor a bit and begins to factor in an ominous, mystical quality that gives the listener a bit of a chill when first listening, but then quickly adapts to the fervor presented here. "Ascendancy" starts off with a neat drum pattern before setting into a dazzling, electronic keyboard aided riff that sounds like something from a mid 80's Nintendo video game that is quite a entertaining listen. The disc closes out with "Carry On", a perfect track to close out the album with that familiar acoustic melody kicking in again and giving the disc a well deserved sendoff with Jack's distorted vocals presenting a quick overview of a disc that breaks the genre's boundaries and is an experimental opus of musical concepts that haven't been drawn up in quite some time. When I first discovered and reviewed Jack's debut album last Fall, I was impressed with his ability and musical candor to transcend musical boundaries and experiment with instrumentation that doesn't fall into any particular classification whatsoever, it's just calm and relaxing music that you can easily enjoy and fall in love with.

In retrospect, a terrific and well executed second effort from Jack Jeffery, who has once again gone above and beyond and delivered to us musical sounds that offer us an escape and gives us an opportunity to break away for awhile and experience what's outside the musical boundaries.

Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

We Need It Back (A Modern Dreamer)
Rearranged
A Plea to A Dreamer
Gavotte for African Steel Guitar
Fade Away
The Sirius Wall
Everything Changes
Trust the Dial!
Valencian Cosmos
Ascendancy
The Constant in the Chaos
Carry On

Artist Spotlight: Kingston 530

2012-01-24T12:26:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Bringing to you today another all new edition of Artist Spotlight! This week for you, we're presenting to you some local flavor directly from Boston called Kingston 530! The band consists of Chris Ferrara on lead vocals, Ben Caccia on lead guitar and backup vocals, Kevin Sullivan on acoustic guitar and backup vocals, Shaun O'Loughlin on bass, harmonica, and backup vocals, and Mike Dawley on drums. The band has a eclectic, straightforward sound that sounds like a cross between Pearl Jam and matchbox twenty with a melodic twist to them that puts them on a whole different pedestal than their counterparts in the music scene today. This band has a definite grasp on what their songs should sound like and present themselves as a band with an enormous wealth of potential to make it big in the music scene. I'm an avid supporter of all the local bands looking to get noticed in the local scene, but this band definitely has the "it" factor that sets them apart from everybody else out there today and have made an indelible impression on countless listeners from all over the Boston area and beyond. An incredible local band with an undying passion for what they do and have a direct link with their fans that enables them to keep in constant contact with them as well.

To check out the band's latest single "Long Time Coming", head on over to the band's official website at http://www.kingston530.com/ You can also download the song free of charge from the website and spread word of mouth about the band as well! The band is on Facebook and you can 'Like' them by going over to www.facebook.com/kingston530 where you can also find the latest tour dates scheduled for the band. The band can also be followed on Twitter by going over to www.twitter.com/kingston530 where you can get all the latest updates directly from the band!

Note: For Boston area residents, the band will be performing this Friday night at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston for their album release benefit show. The band are official ambassadors to Ernie Boch Jr's "Music Drives Us" campaign, an organization that promotes awareness of music education in public schools and raises funds to purchase instruments for children aspiring to play a musical instrument. For more information on this organization, head on over to http://www.musicdrivesus.org/ and to RSVP for the album release via Facebook, click here to purchase tickets for the event that will feature raffles, silent auctions, and all sorts of entertaining activities that you'll enjoy!

BREAKING NEWS! Etta James Has Died!

2012-01-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

Some sad news just coming into the music world this afternoon. Blues legend Etta James has lost her battle with chronic leukemia at her home in Riverside, California. She was 73 years old. She was one of the first women inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and began her career in 1954 at the young age of 15. Her vivacious and powerful vocal delivery put her in a class all by herself and was widely regarded as one of the best modern blues singers ever. Her most well known song was the classic "At Last" that was used at the inauguration of President Obama and pushed her back into the limelight.

Etta retired from recording just last year, soon after releasing her final studio album called "The Dreamer", featuring covers of tunes from Otis Redding and even a take on Guns N' Roses "Welcome to the Jungle". She was an incredible talent that contributed a great deal to the world of music and will be sorely missed by all her close friends and admirers.

Kingston 530 To Headline Benefit Release Show!

2012-01-20T11:55:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Boston based band Kingston 530 is slated to take part in an album release benefit concert in support of Ernie Boch Jr's "Music Drives Us" campaign. This show will give fans a taste of the band's latest album, "Long Time Coming" and will be emceed by Kennedy, DJ of local radio station Mix 104.1. The concert will feature awesome raffles, exciting giveaways, interacting with other fans, and a silent auction with your chance to bid on some high end items! Other artists slated to perform at this concert include Nikolas Metaxas, In Like Lions, Massachusetts Delta, and Your Sisters Canary.

If you would like to purchase tickets to this show for a great cause, head on over to www.showkicker.ticketleap.com/kingston530 Premium admission costs $20 and that gets you a copy of "Long Time Coming", with general admission tickets also available starting at $10. To RSVP for this concert via Facebook, just click here.

25,000 Page Views!

2012-01-19T13:22:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone!

MusicBoxPete hit another monumental milestone this morning as it officially cracked 25,000 page hits! I'm so thankful to everyone for their continued support of the blog, it means the world to me to have so many people compliment me on the blog, whether it's in person, by e-mail, or commenting on the blog posts really makes me work that much harder for you guys. And for that, I'm deeply thankful for all your support, thank you so much!

As you've visited the blog recently, you might have noticed a few changes. I've added a menubar at the top of the page so that you can navigate around the blog much easier than ever before. Scroll through all past Artist Spotlight features and peruse the latest news from around the music world by clicking on the respective buttons. You'll be seeing more substantial changes to the blog coming up fairly soon where the blog will undergo a complete transformation and will be moving to a new website as well. I'll provide more details on this as soon as it happens. Once again, thanks to all my readers for their incredible support to the blog!

Death Cab For Cutie Announce Spring Tour Dates!

2012-01-18T21:47:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

With the influx of shows happening this Spring, Death Cab For Cutie have announced dates for their Spring tour in support of their latest effort, "Codes and Keys" released last Spring. Joining them on tour will be Youth Lagoon and members of San Francisco's Magik*Magik Orchestra. Pre-sale tickets for the tour will be available on January 20th from Death Cab's fan club site at www.dcfcunion.com General admission tickets will be on sale to the general public a week later on January 27th. Here is the full itinerary of dates for the tour:

4/10/2012 Ellie Caulkins Opera House; Denver, CO
4/11/2012 Omaha Music Hall; Omaha, NE
4/13/2012 Louisville Palace; Louisville, KY
4/14/2012 Covenant Fine Arts Center; Grand Rapids, MI
4/15/2012 Riverside Theatre; Milwaukee, WI
4/16/2012 Chicago Theatre; Chicago, IL
4/19/2012 Massey Hall; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4/20/2012 St. Jean Baptiste Church; Montreal, Quebec, Canada
4/21/2012 Citi Performing Arts Center; Boston, MA
4/23/2012 Veterans Memorial Auditorium; Providence, RI
4/24/2012 Kleinhans Music Hall; Buffalo, NY
4/25/2012 Tower Theatre; Upper Darby, PA
4/27/2012 Beacon Theatre; New York, NY
4/30/2012 Strathmore; Bethesda, MD
5/1/2012 Tennesee Theatre; Knoxville, TN
5/3/2012 Mcfarlin Memorial Auditorium; Dallas, TX
5/4/2012 ACL Live At The Memorial Auditorium; Austin, TX
5/6/2012 Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theater; Mesa, AZ
5/7/2012 Walt Disney Concert Hall; Los Angeles, CA
5/8/2012 Fox Theater; Oakland, CA
5/11/2012 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall; Portland, OR
5/13/2012 The Paramount Theatre; Seattle, WA

Anthony Green - Beautiful Things

2012-01-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

Direct from Holland, PA Anthony Green is back with his highly anticipated sophomore album, Beautiful Things. The follow up to 2007's "Avalon" finds the singer-songwriter bringing his own unique, organic musical sensibility into an amazingly diverse and well rounded studio effort.

The disc gets into gear with "If I Don't Sing" a melodic, bombastic tune that is filled with Anthony's upbeat vocal presence fueling the song with vivacious rhythms and giving the song that little extra spark to make it stand out. "Moon Song" is an acoustic driven number that takes a bare bones approach and solely relies upon that and Anthony's divine vocal abilities giving the song an earthy, homey feel that makes you feel relaxed and right at home. My favorite song off the disc is "Get Yours While You Can" a full fledged, melodic delight that brings together a humongous amount of energy and charisma that it's almost impossible to ignore and makes you fully appreciate all the unique talents that he has put on display here. "Can't Have It All At Once" is one of the more intense rockers found on this disc with a faster degree of tempo to show off Anthony's versatility as a musician and also shows that he is more than capable of handling anything that is thrown his way.

The disc shifts over into the second half with "Big Mistake", a country tinged number that shifts gear a little bit and offers the listener something that they weren't prepared for, but is sure to enjoy anyways. "How It Goes" is an amazing acoustic based tune that continually leaves you in awe with Anthony's amazing talents bringing everything home in this outstanding tune. "Just To Feel Alive" picks up the melodic pace a bit and gives the listener more of Anthony's superb vocal abilities fueling the songcraft of this and all of the songs featured on the album. We begin to close out this effort with "Blood Song", a mid tempo number that continues to piece together melodic guitar riffs with Anthony's masterful vocal presence making sure you leave feeling satisfied with your purchase. The disc closes out with "Lullaby" a simple, lightly tuned arrangement that closes everything out on a quiet note with Anthony's voice drifting down into a whisper on a great way to close out the disc. Anthony Green has quickly grown on me ever since I started listening to his music with Circa Survive. I didn't start listening to his solo material until just last year and he has left me completely in amazement and in awe with his outstanding musical abilities. And being that he's from Pennsylvania makes me appreciate him even more as most of my favorite musicians reside from there (including his best friend and my musical hero Kenny Vasoli). Definitely well worth the purchase price.

All in all, a terrific second effort from Anthony Green, who continues to increase his presence as one of the most intriguing and fascinating singer-songwriters out there who brings it each time both on record and on stage and continually leaves you in wonder each and every time.

Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

If I Don't Sing
Do It Right
Moon Song
Get Yours While You Can
When I'm On Pills
Can't Have It All At Once
Big Mistake
Love You No Matter What
How it Goes
Just to Feel Alive
James' Song
Blood Song
Lullaby

Bamboozle 2012 Lineup Announced!

2012-01-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

The lineup for this year's Bamboozle festival is starting to take shape! The festival just announced more headliners to this year's star-studded festival, that recently just added Jimmy Eat World and The-All American Rejects to its list of 60 acts that have been included on this years roster. Other notable performers include: Skrillex, Incubus, Mac Miller, We Came As Romans, and The Receiving End of Sirens performing on May 18. Performing on May 19 is: Foo Fighters, blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, The All-American Rejects, Never Shout Never, The Maine, Motion City Soundtrack, The Dear Hunter, and Hot Water Music. Rounding out the lineup on May 20 we have Bon Jovi, The Bouncing Souls, Boys Like Girls, and Bayside.

This year's Bamboozle festival will be held from May 18-20 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. 3 day passes are available now from the festival's website at http://2012.thebamboozle.com where you can also get the full list of performers that will be taking the stage during the festival.

The Mars Volta To Release "Noctourniquet" on March 27th!!

2012-01-17T13:51:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

With the news I brought to you last week of At the Drive-In's reunion performance at Coachella this Spring, fans of Cedric and Omar's side project The Mars Volta will be happy to know that the band are planning to release their brand new album "Noctourniquet" on March 27th! The disc was recorded over the span of the last 2 years and sees the band returning to their original prog rock roots originally displayed on 2003's "De-Loused in the Comatorium" and 2005's "Frances the Mute". According to Rolling Stone magazine's website, this album will be another concept based effort, telling the story of a character that drew inspiration from the Superman villain Solomon Grundy and the Greek myth of Hyacinthus. As with their previous efforts, this album is produced by frontman Cedric Bixler Zavala and guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez. This will be another groundbreaking effort for the group, who have been one of my favorite bands for a number of years now. Below is the track listing for "Noctourniquet":

The Whip Hand
Aegis
Dyslexicon
Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound
The Malkin Jewel
Lapochka
In Absentia
Imago
Molochwalker
Trinkets Pale of Moon
Vedamalady
Noctourniquet
Zed and Two Naughts

Artist Spotlight: Cory Pesaturo

2012-01-17T11:51:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

Kicking off your Tuesday with another edition of Artist Spotlight! This week for you guys, we're checking out a different kind of flavor as I present to you today an accordion player based out of Cumberland, Rhode Island named Cory Pesaturo. Normally, I don't typically cover this genre of music too often here on the blog, but I thought I'd give his music a try after hearing him make a guest appearance on the radio last week, and something inside of me made me want to hear more of his music. His music evokes a feel of smooth jazz with his rhythms conjuring up melodic undertones that make you feel like you're in a gondola cruising the canals of Italy with warm sounds greeting you as you glide on the waterfront. Now, some people might not think of the accordion as a hip, cool instrument to play, but Cory adds a dynamic element that makes you want to continue listening and feel inspired by all the talents that he has to offer you. In just a short amount of time, Cory has captured the attention of music lovers from all over the world, and just recently won the 2011 Primus Ikaalinen World Championship and the Coupe Mondiale World Digital Accordion Championship in Auckland, New Zealand and became the first American champion in that category in over 25 years. Cory has an amazing, unique talent to share with everyone and he exudes confidence and charisma that will carry him a long way in the music business. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Under Paris Skies" and 'What is This Thing Called Love".

To check out more of his music, head on over to his official website at www.corypesaturo.com While you're there, you can check out his biography detailing some of his great accomplishments and also check out a list of some of his future upcoming performances, and you'll also find links to purchase his music off iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/cory-pesaturo/id251055896 and at CDBaby by going to: http://cdbaby.com/cd/corypesaturo

Thursday - No Devolución

2012-01-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

Fresh out of New Brunswick, New Jersey hardcore rockers Thursday are back with their latest release, No Devolución. The follow up to 2009's Common Existence is also the very last Thursday album we'll be hearing and is also a testament to their devoted and adoring fanbase, who has stuck by the band all these years and have had a deep respect and admiration for what the band does and how much they've inspired their fans with their amazing songs.

The album kicks off with "Fast to the End", a no frills, straight to the point rocker that gives lead singer Geoff Rickly the chance to show his familiar vocal refrain among the bevy of guitars breaking out intermittently throughout. "A Darker Forest" is a dark, mysterious tune with ominous sounds generated throughout that makes you look off in wonder and hear the band's meticulous craft hard at work. My favorite song off the disc is "Sparks Against the Sun", an emotionally resonating, climatic track that best encapsulates this album and the career of Thursday as a whole with drummer Tucker Rule making sure his drum beats have a loud and explosive texture to them that really is the heartbeat of the song as a whole, a truly magnificent track. "Open Quotes" is one of the more melodic, intense tracks you'll find on the album with the song moving at an incredible pace right out of the gate, and really never lets up right until the very end.

We start off the disc's second half with "Magnets Caught in a Metal Heart" a nostalgic, throwback track that features elements of "Signals From The Air" from their 2003 disc War All The Time, with the midtempo breakdowns giving it that extra spark to get it to the finish line in time. "A Gun in the First Act" begins to set in the sense that the record is almost done and that it's Thursday's final album with Geoff's vocals melding in together beautifully with the dark and brooding guitar riffs and Tucker's masterful drum work once again put on display here. We start to get ready to end it all here with "Turnpike Divides" a heavy, fast paced track that features an assortment of midtempo guitar riffs and Geoff's vocals provide for the emotional sparkplug that sets this whole song ablaze with greatness. It all comes to an end on "Stay True" an amazing, almost 8 minute opus that encapsulates everything about Thursday in one fell swoop and is also a synopsis of their career up until this point, a point that none of them wanted to come to but as they say, all good things must come to an end. Thursday have always held a special place close to my heart, and always have been one of those bands who were never afraid to experiment in their songs, and absolutely loved and adored their fans and treated them like family at their shows. I managed to catch their final Boston show just before New Years Eve at Royale, and I was so glad that I finally got the chance to see them before they went their separate ways. I will continue to support the guys in whatever musical endeavor they embark upon.

All in all, a gritty and consistent effort from Thursday, who put a cap on their 14 year career with a highlight reel of all the elements that made them a terrific band, and sees them setting off into the sunset with the world at their fingertips.

Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

Fast to the End
No Answers
A Darker Forest
Sparks Against the Sun
Open Quotes
Past and Future Reins
Magnets Caught In A Metal Heart
Empty Glass
A Gun in the First Act
Millimeter
Turnpike Divides
Stay True

Artist Spotlight: Brian Medlin

2012-01-10T12:09:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

Back with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight for this week! Today, we're showcasing an artist from Ardmore, PA just outside of Philadelphia named Brian Medlin. If the name rings a bell for you, Brian is also the drummer of Person L, an artist we featured as an Artist Spotlight here on the blog a couple of years back. Brian has a solo project he's been working on the side, and the music that he's been working on is totally different than what he's been experimenting with in Person L, with influences of Bob Dylan and Radiohead mixed in to create something totally unique and groundbreaking. Brian has a very smooth and mellow voice that melds in together beautifully with the ambient instrumentation and smooth melodies that are omnipresent throughout his music. I had known about his side project for awhile now, but I didn't get the chance to check out his music until a short time ago, and I'm so glad that I did because it's truly different and is just as groundbreaking as his other side project is and also shows off his versatility as a musician and his ability to branch out into more of a performing role. Definitely an artist worth checking out! Some recommended tracks for you to check out from him include: "Nightmares (Nightness)" and "When Madness Strikes (Haunting)".

To check out the music of Brian Medlin and for more information on him, head on over to his Facebook music page at www.facebook.com/medlinmusic His music is also available free of charge on his website at www.brianmedlinmusic.com where you can download his latest EP "Nightmares" and his debut EP "In Bedlam" that he released just last year.

The Black Keys, Radiohead & At The Drive In Performing At Coachella!

2012-01-09T19:47:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

While all that warm weather is still months away, we're already thinking about the upcoming concert season that is looming upon us! Just a short time ago, the full lineup for this year's Coachella music festival was revealed, and alot of established acts have been added to the bill, plus the reuniting of a band back after a 10 year hiatus! Leading the list of headliners for the shows taking place on April 13th & 20th will be: The Black Keys, the return of Refused, Arctic Monkeys, Cat Power, M. Ward, and Dear Hunter. Headlining the shows on April 14th & 21st are: Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Shins, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Feist, St. Vincent, AWOLNation, and Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. And rounding out the star studded lineup on April 15th and 22nd will be: Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, the much anticipated return of At the Drive In, Justice, La Roux, Girl Talk, Santigold, and Sleeper Agent.

For the full lineup of all the acts performing at this year's Coachella Music & Arts Festival, check out the poster below and head on over to their website at www.coachella.com to get more information on how to purchase tickets! The festival will begin on April 13th in warm and sunny Indio, California!