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We All Want to Get Better

2 Nov

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Jack Antonoff is no stranger to catchy music. Not many realize that the creator of 2014’s hands-down alt/rock summer anthem “Rollercoaster” is the same bespectacled musician stage-left to Nate Reuss in Fun’s 280 million views mega-hit “We Are Young.” He was also the lead singer-songwriter of the Indie staple Steel Train and has helped pen some recent tunes like “Brave” by Sara Bareilles and “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift. It is really no surprise that his less than a year old project Bleachers released its first album Strange Desire to immediate chart success in the summer. Now, as the weather grows colder (at least in the northeast), Bleachers is kicking butt on a nation-wide tour, and I still cannot get “I Wanna Get Better” out of my head.

Released back in February as the band’s first single, “I Wanna Get Better” is a jaunty ode to the innate human desire to get better. The song is carried by a sputtered piano riff over persistent percussion. Antonoff’s desperate whine carries verses of jumbled and creative lyrics to theatrical chorus’ where musicians literally stand on the “overpass screaming at the cars” and sing “I wanna get better.” The best part of the song is the “screaming” bridge that leads into a buzzy guitar solo that distorts on top of a whirlwind of sound. The song is brought back to reality by Green Day-like power chords and then swings right back to the catchy-as-hell chorus. Hey, we all want to get better, but this song does not have much room to grow.

Personally, I know I have to get better about posting more consistently. Life as a first-year teacher has been time consuming to say the least, and I want to take the opportunity to thank Zoe, who has done a magical job keeping the blog afloat. Stay tuned for more tunes as always!

Check out more of Bleachers at the website, Facebook, or Twitter

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A Welcome and a Note

27 Aug

Writer

 

Please help me introduce new Music Court writer Zoë Brown! Zoë will cover new bands and other music-related topics. Here is a brief biography. For those who have already seen the blog this morning, you will notice that Zoë has already released her first post, which you can view by scrolling down on the main page.

Zoë is a south Florida native, but relocated to LA to follow her passion: being employed. Her love for indie music blossomed when she became a teenager. She attended the University of Miami, where she found her true calling: WVUM 90.5fm the Voice, UM’s very own college radio station. Named “Best College Station in the Nation” by mtvU, WVUM became her second home. Zoë spent more hours sifting through new music than studying for exams, and eventually served as Music Director, then General Manager, of the station. Her other hobbies include bowling, checking out new underground films, and watching Arrested Development re-runs.

Bowling, obscure films, and Arrested Development. She will fit right in!

 

IN OTHER NEWS:

 

You may have noticed the dearth of posts this summer. I apologize for that. I am embarking on a new stage in my occupation journey, and I am excited to report that I will begin as a 10th grade English teacher in a few days. I spent most of this summer preparing for the school year, and once the school year hits I will continue to be swarmed. I cannot wait. I’m fulfilling a dream. That being said, I will make sure to keep the Music Court updated with new music and engaging content. Other writers like Zoë will be a HUGE help. So, in celebration of school returning, here is a little Beach Boys for your Wednesday.

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Be Impressive with The Griswolds

22 Aug

The Griswolds

The Indie music world is abuzz with Griswold fever in anticipation of monday’s U.S. release of the four-piece Australian band’s debut album Be Impressive. The album, which was released today in Australia and New Zealand, has already received rave reviews from those who have had an opportunity to listen to the 11-track LP, and I can confirm that the jaunty, alternative/pop sounds of The Griswolds is not only infectious but also packs a major sing-along punch that finds a nice-sized one-bedroom apartment in that little sector of your brain where songs live.

The Griswolds, for those who have not heard of the band before, have been on the music radar since singer/guitarist Christopher Whitehall and lead guitarist Daniel Duque-Perez founded the band in 2012. Quickly, the band was picked up by several blogs on the heels of the band’s debut EP Heart of a Lion, which features four excellent tracks (one of which I am including below). The band  became Australia’s Triple J “Unearthed” feature artist, won a slot on the 2012 Parklife Festival lineup, and toured with Indie staples St Lucia, San Cisco, and Django Django. The Griswolds represent a strong “media” band, in that the band has garnered so much attention through online music pundits (myself included), and this is mainly because the band is so downright exciting.

In advance of monday’s U.S. release let’s take a listen to the song from the album that has been receiving the most airplay thus far, “Beware the Dog.”

The song starts with a cheerful solo riff followed immediately by the riff behind a felicitous rhythm fit with claps and creative percussion. The mid-verse harmony tease is concise and melodious. The chorus is classic Indie dance, a hint of dominican island mixed with fun pop harmonies. It’s the audio version of a good time, and it’s tough shaking the drive to get up and dance along. The track combines the pop synth of Vampire Weekend with the dance rhythms of Grouplove and Passion Pit, but, in a sense, The Griswolds are a bit edgier than these bands, and that is one reason why I like the tunes.

“Red Tuxedo” is my favorite track off the EP because it is so simple. The song, therefore, is different from most Griswolds tracks. The listener is greeted to a delicate guitar riff, dulcet vocal, and harmonies. It is an easy listen and I cannot shake the beauty in its structure. Great stuff.

 

Check out more from The Griswolds on the Website, Facebook, or Twitter

 

 

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Young Rising Sons are Kings of the World

19 Jul

Young Rising Sons

 

From the first few harmonized notes of “King of the World,” the second released song off of New Jersey quartet Young Rising Sons’ first EP (to be released on July 22), one can quickly hear why Young Rising Sons are shooting stars in the music world. The band has already been featured on the NHL Awards, the MLB Network, and NBC’s summer television campaign, and it will not be long before both “King of the World” and the more widespread track “High” are staples on mainstream radio. Why? How do I know? The band has all the makings of success. Both tracks off of the soon-to-be-released EP are infectious pop/rock hits with neat harmonies, sprawling lead vocals, and effervescent instrumentation. The band combines the upbeat rhythm of Phillip Phillips with the bubbly jollification of American Authors. In short, the band creates fun music, and who does not like the sing along to fun music?

To celebrate their self-titled debut EP, the members of Young Rising Sons are taking off on an American tour in August with Little Daylight, and soon, as I predict now, the band will be in even higher demand. So, do you want to hear what I am talking about? The band’s music will certainly do a far better job than my words. Let’s first take a listen to “King of the World.”

Drums, guitar, and harmony. A little upbeat Vampire Weekend mixed with Imagine Dragons. The difference? Young Rising Sons seems happier. The music is carried by clicking rhythms, quick keys, and sing-along harmonies. Even the short, intra-verse vocal proclamations are tremendous. The song is rich in sound and excitement, and one is tempted to put the song on repeat and listen to it all day. My favorite part? The short bridge breaks the song down and combines all of its elements in a tasteful and skillful combination of influences. It’s a killer piece!

“High,” which you may have heard before (it’s been making its rounds), begins with a sweet whistle followed by lead vocalist Andy Tongren’s effortless vocal. What makes this song? Did you get to the Mika-like chorus yet? Tongren’s falsetto is sweet and uplifting. The whistle is a bit Noah and the Whale-esque. The song is just a testament to the band’s efficacy. I can’t stop listening to it.

Tell all your friends about Young Rising Sons because when the band hits the big time you can say you heard them first!

Check out the band’s website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Runaway Dorothy in the Blue Kentucky Rain

15 Jul

Runaway Dorothy

Dorothy has run away with a Brooklyn-based four-piece into the blue Kentucky rain. It sounds like a mix between a pastoral film about America’s heartland and a horror movie. But don’t worry, there is nothing horrible about Runaway Dorothy; on the contrary, this band, which has already been featured on a variety of TV, Internet, and Print outlets, successfully melds a bucolic snapshot of America with Northeastern edginess. Runaway Dorothy tugs at the heartstrings of Americana, and much like The Avett Brothers, connects southern folk and country together effortlessly.

Runaway Dorothy is the pet project of Dave Parnell, who, after playing guitar for a showcasing rock band, chose to pursue his own tunes. After moving to Brooklyn, Parnell enlisted the permanent support of his brother Brett “Bert” Parnell (electric guitar), Sam “The Reverend” Gallo (bass), and Evan Mitchell (drums), who aided in the release of the band’s first album, The Wait, in February of this year. The album, a skillful take on classic folk harmonies and subdued country, plays like a potent combination of The Head and the Heart and The Everybodyfields. All of the flowery language and comparisons aside, the album is worth a listen … or two or three.

How can we best showcase the band? Well, let’s take a look at two of its hits – one more country and one more folk. First up, a trip into the “Blue Kentucky Rain” for a little slow-dance Country/Americana; more simply put, a ballad.

A melancholy acoustic guitar strums in the background of Dave Parnell’s smooth, clean croon. There are no rough edges to his voice; he draws out notes effortlessly and with the precision of a professional (which he is). The dulcet harmonies in the chorus help carry out a lugubrious guitar riff of the song’s primary melody. The song is a bit of a lamentation and/or an entreaty. Parnell plays the part exceptionally well; his vocal a testament to desperation mixed with some hope. And the Springsteen-esque harmonica is spot on.

“Sing With Me” has more hop to its step. I love the rhythm of this song. It fulfills all one wants in a song. There is neat harmony when there should be neat harmony. The acoustic guitar is apt, and the lyric falls off the tongue of Dave Parnell with tenderness and ease. The song is just a joy to listen to.

Make sure to check out more about Runaway Dorothy on the band’s website, Facebook, and Twitter.

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