Fitz and The Tantrums- "More Than Just A Dream"

Tracklist:

1. Out Of My League
2. Break The Walls
3. The Walker
4. Spark
5. 6AM
6. Fools Gold
7. Keepin' Our Eyes Out
8. Last Raindrop
9. House On Fire
10. The End 
11. Get Away
12. MerryGoRound

So while driving home from work the other day, I heard a song on the radio called, 'Out Of My League'. Not knowing what band it was drove me crazy the entire way home. I had to look it up! Sure enough it's by a band called Fitz and The Tantrums. I've heard of them, but not their actual music. After hearing a couple of their songs on YouTube, I noticed that they have a dance, pop, soul thing going on. Which was a different change of pace then whats on the radio today. While doing my investigating, I discovered that they are based in Los Angeles and are currently signed to Elektra Records. If this band rings a bell, you might recognize them by their hit single 'Moneygrabber' and off their new album, 'More Than Just Just A Dream', and 'Out Of My League'.

The album itself is really catchy. It has claps, whistling, dancey beats, and the melodies are sung playfully. The vocals, I noticed, by Michael Fitzpatrick are some what similar to Brandon Flowers of The Killers. Noelle Scaggs though, just amazing. Of course she has her chorus lines and backing vocals, but her voice definitely stands out in their tracks.

However, their songs didn't stick out to me as much as their two most popular ones right now, which are "Out Of My League" and "The Walker". The other songs were very danceable and had the synthesizer play a good role in each song. Some tracks where more soulful than the others, and well as how poppy it was. Maybe it's just me, but they didn't really hook me into their music as other artists/bands usually do. I still think they are a pretty good band. Just not my style.

Twenty One Pilots Show Review 11/7

The Independent in San Francisco


It was a beautiful day in SF when I arrived. Although I ended up getting at the venue 2 hours early, there was already people hanging out in line for the Sold Out 21 and over show. So I figured I might as well do the same if the line has already started forming.

Waiting in line that long wasn't so bad, I had my boyfriend to keep me company and plus there was a lot of interesting people in line and passing by. But the last half hour was the longest because the sun was going down and it started to get cold.

When we finally got in I noticed that the venue has a really long hallway with portraits of bands and artists that had performed in the past. Then, it opens up to the floor with the stage to your left and a bar behind you and benches are lined up on the right, not really leaving enough room for people to sit down. It's really small but its a good venue.

The first band or artist, I should say, was Sirah. If you are a Skrillex fan, you might know her form the song "Bangarang featuring Sirah." Other than that though, I have not heard any of her songs. She wasn't what I expected, which could be good or bad. Her genre is kind of a pop, hip-hop vibe. She puts on a good show and has some good stage presence, but I bet her recordings are better than the live version. Not sure if I really liked it or not.

Robert Delong was next up. Now, this was my second time seeing him live.The first time was at Sasquatch Music Festival in May of  2013. After that I became a fan and bought his album. He's got a wide range of different gadgets and instruments that he uses in his music. It like dance, techno, but one you see him perform, you can see how talented he really is. I think knowing his songs the second time definitely helped my Robert Delong experience.

Now for the headliner! Twenty One Pilots! They used a variety of different masks for their set. But my god, what a great show! Not only do they have great stage presence but they performed their instruments so greatly. Tyler and Josh are some talented mo'fos. The entire shoe was filled with the guys jumping off their instruments, "acting like 6 year olds", according to Tyler as he instructed the crowd to dance like. But every song, they got the crowd moving. My favorite part though and what amazed me the most, was that on their last song, they both stood on top of the crowd and they each played a bass drum! It was pretty freaking awesome.

I would love to see these dudes again, I have a feeling their going to be big,

Twenty One Pilots "Vessel"

Tracklist:

1. Ode To Sleep
2. Holding On To You
3. Migraine
4. House Of Gold
5. Car Radio
6. Semi-Automatic
7. Screen
8. The Run and Go
9. Fake You Out
10. Guns For Hands
11. Trees
12. Truce

 

So, I have been hearing talk about a band named Twenty One Pilots. I didn't have the slightest idea of what genre they were or what they sound like. After looking up their music videos on Youtube, I decided, I HAVE to buy and review this album!

I discovered that there's only 2 members of Twenty One Pilots, Tyler Joseph (vocals, synths, piano, and ukulele) and Josh Dun (drums). They are pretty different than anything I've heard. Considering now-a days, you can't just label one specific genre to a band or artist. But man are these guys creative. They managed to mix pop-rock, hip-hop, and dance music together. They transition so well to pop-rock to hip-hop and back again. So much so that they were signed to Fueled By Ramen in 2012. The same label that has the bands, Fun., Paramore, and Panic! At The Disco. Then this wondrous album I have listened to was created in early 2013, they call it "Vessel".

I've come to realize that Tyler has a great voice and it's very melodic and there's also meaning behind his lyrics. Each track is different in it's own way. The tracks with the great dance beats make you want to jump up and down, especially when there is a build up leading to it. Not every track on the album has some crazy raps in them, some songs are dance songs with rap in the middle, and others are pop-rock songs with rap in the beginning and end, and the other OTHER songs are just melodic vocals with piano, ukulele, and drums. But my favorite tracks were however, Holding On To You, Car Radio, Semi-Automatic, and Guns For Hands.

Listening to every part of this album makes me have some mad respect for the duo. The way the songs are put together and Tyler's lyrics make me think that this just isn't a band, that it's more than that. This album is different than anything I've listened to. Okay, so some of the pop-rock parts in the songs remind me of some other pop bands, but the band itself, as a whole is original. I think I found an album and a band that I'm going to be listening to for a while.

Arctic Monkeys- "AM"

Tracklist:

1. Do I Wanna Know?
2. R U Mine?
3. One For The Road
4. Arabella
5. I Want It All
6. No.1 Party Anthem
7. Mad Sounds
8. Fireside
9. Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
10. Snap Out Of It
11. Knee Socks
12. I Wanna Be Yours

It's here! It's here! I've been patiently waiting for the new album, "AM", from the brilliant UK band, Arctic Monkeys. Can you tell I am a fan? If you haven't heard at least a little of these dudes, you are music deprived. I'm sorry, but someone had to tell you. But really, the music that these guys create is more alternative rock. Although, this album has got some funk bass lines and some rock and roll guitar. I've also noticed that, "AM", has some melodic backing vocals in every song. I found out, Josh Homme, from Queens Of The Stone Age did in fact help with some vocals and a bit of the album as well.  It's a nice touch and different way to go from their previous albums. The backing vocals kind of remind me of the band, The Black Keys. From the vocals, guitar solos, to the way the songs are set up.

"Do I Wanna Know?" is the first track, and I like that this is the song they chose for the introduction to the album. It's got a hard steady beat throughout the song. But it's slow paced, like one of those 80's rock and roll bands when the guitar and drums are in sync with the same beat and rhythm.

"R U Mine?" is their second track and also one of my favorites. It's faster, and give you the chance to rock out. I love how vocalist/songwriter, Alex Turner, sing the lyrics so they are set up to fit in the song. For example, he will sing each word in the song, and they in the chorus it will jumble them all together, which makes the lyrics bounce. If that makes any sense? Haha. The guitar riff and solos in this song also remind me of, again, The Black Keys and Wolfmother for some reason. I think it's the tone of the guitar.

"One For The Road" and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" are one of the funky songs that I liked. These songs also have the bouncy lyrics, with the funky bass lines and drum beats. "One For The Road" did in fact have a tambourine in the chorus, I have no idea why that's so cool to me. As I listen to the lyrics to this album, I noticed that the melodic words that are sung by Alex, are words of heart break. Poor Alex, you'll be okay buddy! "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" is a good heart break song, but it all ended with a crash! ....Symbol.

"Arabella", "I Want It All", and "No.1 Party Anthem" all in order, weren't my absolute favorite tracks on the album. But they were still good songs. "Arabella" is a good rock song, it's got a slow start and loud 80's feel chorus, they back to slow paced for the 2nd verse. "I Want It All" had the same guitar chords throughout the song, so it didn't "wow" me. But the guitar solos were excellent. "No.1 Party Anthem" sounds  like a slow love ballad, its mainly drums and piano. Sadly, he's singing about broken love.

"Mad Sounds" and "Fireside" have different tones in each track. They each had piano but not just any ordinary piano, it's what I call, "church piano". That's pretty much the only way I can describe it. "Mad Sounds" is slower than "Fireside" but it's a good hangout song. "Fireside" has the heartbreak lyrics again, but has a fast drum beat and what sounds like patting in the background throughout the song.

"Snap Out Of It" is a good singalong with claps and drums with the same beat, and the piano has the same tempo as each of them. In the middle of the track, the drums, claps, and vocals are the only ones playing. I love it when bands do that. It builds my suspense and makes everything so epic.

"Knee Socks" is one of those songs that paints a picture in your head with the lyrics. The guitar bounces around as the lyrics are being sung. The steady drums of the song remind me of yet another band, The White Stripes. Sorry!

"I Wanna Be Yours" is a great song to end the album with. It's got a slow start with an echoing guitar. The lyrics are so lovely, it's a good love song. 

"I wanna be your vacuum cleaner

Breathing in your dust

I wanna be your Ford Cortina

I won't ever rust

If you like your coffee hot

Let me be your coffee pot

You call the shots babe

I just wanna be yours"

How cute is that? Maybe, it's just because I'm a romantic, and a girl haha.

Yes, I know. I name dropped a few bands here and there. But, that was only to get you to know what I'm talking about. When it comes down to it, Arctic Monkeys have a sound all their own. Even though I wasn't crazy about a few songs, I still think that this was a really good album. It's not because I'm a fan either! Go buy this album now! NOW I TELL YA!

Arctic Monkeys "Suck It And See"

Tracklist:

1. She's Thunderstorms
2. Black Treacle
3. Brick By Brick
4. The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
5. Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
6. Library Pictures
7. All My Own Stunts 
8. Reckless Serenade
9. Pile Driver Waltz
10. Lover Is A Lazerquest
11. Suck It  And See
12. That's Where Your Wrong

Okay so I know this isn't exactly a new album from the Arctic Monkeys, but it is their latest! They're new album "AM" is supposed to be released in September of this year, woot woot!

If  you haven't heard of this UK based band, you should check out a cou ple of their hit songs, "Flourescent Adolescent", "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor", and "R U Mine?" They are a good rock band , some alternative, and rock'n'roll mixed as well. They're signed to EMI, Warner Bros. Records, and Domino Recording Company. Anyways, on with the album.

The first track, "She's Thunderstorms", sounds like one of those cheesy high school bands that play that one slow songs at prom. It is slow, but it's also has a good rock beat to it. The second track, "Black Trecle", is a good hangout song. It doesn't have a fast paced, rocking out chorus, if that makes any sense. But it is a good alternative song. "Brick by Brick" is the third track and my favorite song. It has a really good rock vibe. You absolutely have to rock out to this song, bob your head and everything. Though I've noticed that this album has a handful of slower songs. As far as, a steady beat throughout the song and spoken lyrics. Only a few of the songs are jamming rock songs. Those ones were my favorite. "Library Pictures" was one of them, sadly, it was only 2 minutes and 22 seconds. =(  Don't get me wrong, I do like slow songs, but Arctic Monkeys are so good at jamming out, they make me want more. Every time I hear a slow song, I'm just waiting for a build up. "Reckless Serenade" and "Lover Is A Lazerquest" are one of the slow songs but they do have some good beats in there.

To be honest, as a fan, I wasn't amazed by this album, but it's alright. I had my share of jamming out and just sitting, moving side to side to the beat and lyrics of the songs. It's worth the listen. But don't expect any hardcore rock and roll like I did.