Best Albums of 2011

It was a good year for music and shockingly enough there was more good than bad. Though it's also the year that I swore off the radio and most mainstream music, so to me it seemed like a great year. I don't think Taylor Swift came out with a new album, unless she had some sort of live thing or we count wherever that horrid rendition of "White Christmas" came from. (I can not stand her as an artist. I think she is way over hyped and if I really get into it we'll lose track of what I'm trying to write about.) It took me a bit to come up with a list, but here's some of my favorite albums of the year, in no real order. Early Morning Blues - Newest Versions EP - I'm not fully remembering when Bryan put this out, but I lean towards early early in the new year and it's been my favorite go-to music...

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Album Review: "American Kids" by My Girl Friday

I've been pestered for a while to listen to My Girl Friday, and hadn't actually gotten around to it, but the new EP, American Kids just dropped this week and I figured now was as good a time as any to start listening to them. Part of me wants to send the whole EP to country music execs and remind them how it's possible to toe the line of country and rock without a fake drumbeat backing a song. (That could yield a rant though on my current levels of disappointment in the country music scene in general, so I'll spare you.) The title track, "American Kids", calls out Springsteen, and it has that feel to it, the old Boss songs from the 90s / 80s that were happy, easy to listen to and about growing up or just living. Probably a result of listening to too much of the Boss and Mellencamp, but when...

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H.E.L.L. Compilation: Pre-Order

Had a great thing blow up my twitter feed yesterday. H.E.L.L. (Helping Everyone Live Longer) is a non-profit group in Boston that works with bike safety awareness and they have gotten together with the punk and alternative scene in Boston to put together a compilation album that proceeds from will go directly to helping H.E.L.L. There's tons of music, some never heard before, some additions from local groups. Some of my favorites, Early Morning Blues, Ghost Thrower, and The Tower and The Fool, have all joined up to add their music. Use your Christmas monies for something good and for a huge collection of great music from great talent. More information on where you can pre-order the LP, a digital copy, or the casette (Seriously casette)...

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What's Playing For Christmas

The Christmas holiday is around the corner, quite literally and of course I'm not done with shopping but that shouldn't surprise you really. Still, while you're rushing about trying to enjoy the holiday while doing too much at once, check out some Christmasy and winter type tunes. First up is the Christmas-type release from This Century and their single "Kiss Me Like It's Christmas." It's adorable and catchy and though not entirely Christmasy and a little sad, you'll still be singing it for hours on end. Pick it up here. What would Christmas be without one of my favorite punk rock bands releasing a Holiday EP? I know it sounds ridiculous , but here you go, Ghost Thrower put out a Holiday EP and I have to admit that I love it. Of course it's a little dark, because it's Ghost Thrower, but...

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Album Review: Self-Titled from Young Statues

The full length, self-titled release from Philadelphia based group, Young Statues has been out for a bit but I finally got my hands on it. I really enjoyed their set when I saw them live in October and really did want access to more of their music, but it wasn't until just recently that I was able to order it online. The album has a great sound, sort of a mellow feel overall. I can't help but wonder if it would have been part of The O.C. soundtrack if that show was still on the air. It definitely has that feel to it. Maybe it's the similarity to Death Cab for Cutie in front man Carmen's voice. Or maybe it's that the songs seem to have a similar beat to the same indie rock back. Either way, I'm voting for this album to be the cornerstone for the show if it ever makes a come back (If they...

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Concert: $2 VIP Platinum Holiday Show

Another trip to Boston (again, it's my thing) and another show. There was a joke that Bryan didn't have a show that weekend until about four days before it and then suddenly he was playing at the big show that weekend. I had to laugh just a little, but I did scrounge and manage to get my hands on a ticket at the last minute. The show was call the $2 VIP Platinum Holiday Show, a play on a local band that was charging $40 to get VIP passes into a show in their hometown. Thinking it was a ridiculous idea, this one was much cheaper to get into and every ticket was VIP. A collection of local bands were each playing a cover set of a more well known band. The afternoon started with One Step Away a local group out of Andover, MA covering Boys Like Girls. Just a little awkward yes with Bryan there,...

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Album Review: "Pioneer" by The Maine

If an album can be a statement, then the newest release from The Maine is a loud statement of the fact that they are no longer the boys dressed in neon from the Can't Stop, Won't Stop days. Those days are long gone and while they got the now young men where they are now, they aren't going back any time soon. To call the albume a "deviation" from their previous sound seems like a weak explanation, but it is nothing short. There was a deviation from the poppy sound of Can't Stop, Won't Stop with Black and White as that album had more of a folk feel, soft songs without a kicked up drum beat and deeper lyrics. Pioneer goes down a completely different road, as the name implies. Gone are the cute lyrics about growing up and girls breaking their...

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The Endless Summer Releases New Single

I'm not entirely sure how I came across a band out of Missouri (I blame twitter), but I'm sort of in love with these guys. Their sound has a refreshing feel to it, strong vocals and great music. It's a talented group of musicians backing The Endless Summer and I can't get enough of it. Their newest single "Satellites" just dropped and after loving the Fairweather EP as much as I did, I had to get my hands on it as soon as I could. Just like the EP the single doesn't disappoint and I can't help but admit that more than once I've hit repeat just to hear it again. Definitely worth the test drive, trust me. And their singer Nick has a cute dog (if that helps sway your decision in any way). And apparently the dog follows me on twitter. Can't help but love that at least a little. Pick up...

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Apologies and What's in Store

I owe updates from the last show I went to as well as at least two album reviews (hopefully I'll get my copy of Pioneer soon and I can review that as well!) but I've been pretty sick with the flu or a cold or something, and haven't been up for writing anything coherent. I'm feeling better today though! Which means I should be getting back to writing as soon as possible. Upcoming posts: - The $2 VIP Plantium Holiday Show in Boston MA (yup I went back) - Review of the Young Statues - Who from Run For Cover Records is getting replayed on my iTunes - Review of the EP From Vultures - Some holiday music suggestions and hopefully that Pioneer review as well. Hopefully everyone else is healthy and happy. Talk to you so...

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New Beginnings

I've been trying to post about this for a while, but it's been a little hard for me to do that. When Boys Like Girls announced their return and posted their video update, they also announced they were short a bassist, one who seems to frequent my blog, Bryan Donahue. Bryan took to twitter a few hours later and said that he'd been kicked out of the band and that it wasn't his decision to leave. (Yes. Whatever you are guessing in the way of my reaction is accurate.) So the announcement of the new album from Boys Like Girls does come with mixed feelings, but Bryan's pointed out that he's still playing with The Tower and The Fool as well as Early Morning Blues. Early Morning Blues (Bryan) has also announced that their new EP is in work and that they'll tour as soon as they get booked and...

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Thankful For...

Spending Thanksgiving with Champ's family, which is always nice, but it makes me miss my family, obviously. Still, it was a nice day, even with a few mishaps here and there, including a nice bumping of cars in the driveway (Not a good moment). I like his grandparents, probably because I've never had any, and I like his aunt and uncle quite a bit. It was a nice chance for a big meal with family. Of course the idea of eating again seems miserable. That said, I figure it's a good idea to make a list of what I'm thankful for, what's good, and maybe give something to focus on in the harder colder days ahead. So without further ramblings, here's my list. I'm thankful for: - Family and Friends I love my family, as strange as they've gotten over the years (it's hard to explain that I have...

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Turn Up the Radio

I love this video. You don't have to like 30 Seconds to Mars to like this video they made about touring, about playing for a crowd about what music means to people. Yes, it's crazy that Jared Leto might look younger now than he did in My So Called Life, but this video explains it all. Towards the end, there's a girl, adorable scene kid with a lip ring and sad smile who says this: "Some people believe in God, I believe in music. Some people pray, I turn up the radio." I've seen people be offend by that line, but in this generation, in this world, where religion has meant so many bad things, I can't blame her. I know I feel the same way. I was reminded of it again when I was at Yellowcard last week. I saw them for the first time in college when they were touring for the Ocean Avenue...

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New Boys Like Girls album!

After much speculation from Bryan Donahue's hints at 'news' and 'announcements' everyone's favorite drummer let the cat out of the bag today. Leave it to Beef to announce the return of Boys Like Girls to the studio with his own bit of flair. There's chatter that his other band, Empire Kids, are also busy demoing (in the same place?) which means more music on the front for all of us. The last puzzle piece is a missing blond bassist, but he's also got an EP in the works for Early Morning Blues. Here's hoping for good things all around. I'll take winter if it brings a spring and summer of new mus...

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We'll Forever Be The Young

I’ve been thinking about this song by Yellowcard “Be The Young”. I’ve been playing it over and over again since the concert and I can’t get enough of it. It’s a beautiful song and it so well describes what it’s like to be at the age group that myself and my friends are in. We’re starting to grow up, a lot of us are in serious relationships or are starting to look for them. Thos of us in our later twenties are starting to talk about families (some are farther ahead of us than others), or at least consider if that’s what we want. So many of the twenty-somethings are out of college, trying to sort out what our careers will be, discovering how much things have changed from what we learned in college and what we’re facing in the real world. I’ve posted before about our generation being the...

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Concerts: Yellowcard, Every Avenue and Go Radio

I have to say, the weirdest thing about being at the Yellowcard show was the size of it. I think the last 'big' show I went to this year was The Maine, which was a while ago. It seems like since then it was all small bands in small bars or houses and the idea of being in a real venue was a bit odd. And to not see the same fifteen people. Still, going to Yellowcard, Every Avenue and Go Radio had been a goal all summer, I just hadn't gotten around to buying tickets until the last minute. Work's been up in the air lately and there wasn't an guarantee that I'd be around plus every time I thought of it, I didn't have the cash for two tickets. (Got to bring Champ to this one since it was in town.) I really love Yellowcard, saw them once in college with All American Rejects (yes that long ago I...

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NaNoWriMo Start!

After a little bit of cajoling from my friend Molly I decided to do National Novel Writing Month. We will see how this pans out, but as i figure it's either going to help me get a jump start on my novel or I'm going to blog a ton in attempts to be 'writing', but not actually working on the book. I've always wanted to write a book. I've started writing about six since I've graduated from high school (and that doesn't include the ones I started while I was in high school). I never really have the drive for such extended writing though it seems. Online role playing (writing based not WoW based), has helped with on going character development, but in those cases I'm working with someone else so I'm always building off something. I might just drag someone else in to help me with this book as...

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Links for Your Thursday

Struggling through that Thursday lull? Turn on some tunes and surf the internet for a bit. Start with my friend Meag's blog. She's just start to get settled in California after being a big time lawyer in NYC (yes I realize that the brief overview sounds an awful lot like the plot for a tv series or a movie, but I swear it's her real life). Read up on going against the grain and doing something for yourself if no one else will on Travis of Ghost Thrower fame's blog for Guitar World on desinging and making his own guitars. (Points if you can guess the owner of the bass he mentions.) Catch up with John Keefe on twitter. He's traveling with his band Empire Kids and taking photos of small town rural America. It's stunning to see what the rockstar cowboy takes in. Enjoy your more morbid sense...

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Ghost Thrower Presale

As we've been reminded via every social media website I'm on, there's only 6 more days to pre-order your copy of the new Ghost Thrower album! I picked mine up a few days ago and can't wait to get it in the mail. Super excited. You can check it out at their online store! Go support these guys, they are doing awesome work, really awesome work. While your at it, grab the new release from The Tower and The Fool and Young Statues. Another collection of great guys doing great work. I just need a record player. Someone have a suggestion? Or want to give me o...

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The Tower and The Fool

The Tower and the Fool Bryan Donahue said it best as he was cleaning up after the show. "You're starting to make a thing of this aren't you? Coming up every couple months to Boston for a show." It really has become a thing. I hated that it had been almost two months since the last time I'd been to Boston to see my friends or see any of the local bands. When Bryan informed us that he was going to be playing The Tower and the Fool, I was excited because I'd seen them before when I went to my first Early Morning Blues show and I really love their music. It's very different from Early Morning Blues, but with the wide array of music I like, it still strikes home. As Rana and i started talking about the show, she knew one of the openers, Daybreaker and Travis of Ghost Thrower told us about Born...

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Q&A: Anchors

I got a chance to do a quick Q&A with the guys from Anchors (I reviewed their EP here). I've said it before, but they are a really great trio of guys on top of being very talented. Every band has a story, how they got to be a band, how they went from playing in marching band or basements to being who they are now. What's your story? Brian - Rob and I took a class together at Northeastern University in the summer of 2010, and we immediately got along and talked about playing music together. We met Zach through some mutual friends pretty soon afterward, and the three of us started collaborating. It took a little while for us to find our footing with our musical style; we spent about seven months writing before releasing any music with...

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What's Playing?

Starting a new Thursday post with what's been playing for me music wise lately. Maybe you'll find something new. I'm always taking suggestions as well. IN THE CAR Symphony Soldier by The Cab The physical album finally came in the mail and I quickly popped it into the car stereo and have been pumping that for the drive to and from work. It's a great album, which I thought when I first gave it a listen through, but now with continued listens, I'm still in love with it. It's a poppy album and a sound that reminds me of Maroon 5 without actually being Maroon 5 (not that there's anything wrong with Maroon 5). It has that same sort of unique bright sound that they have and the flow of "Bad" into "Endlessly" then "Animal" is possibly my favorite part of the cd. If you haven't checked them...

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Review: Anchors - 2011 EP

I think I find more bands that just happen upon me on twitter than anywhere else. I can't even begin to tell you how the guys from Anchors decided to add me to the people they follow, but they did (probably because I talk about a million other local Boston bands). It was one of those things where I went: "aww they follow me." Honestly I thought little else, but then bored I looked more into it. Last night I finally got around to downloading the EP (I know, crime). You know that feeling we've all been getting lately that alternative music is dead? Where everything sounds the same? Where sure, bands are coming out with new music, but it's still not any good or it sounds like the last album they released? Anchors might just be the break from that. It's green, but that comes with a demo. Demo's...

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Happy Engagement Anniversary!

Champ messaged me at work saying he felt terrible that he'd forgotten what day last Sunday was and I have to admit I was more than a little confused. I had to sit there, stare at the computer and try to sort out what day it could be. Not the anniversary, that's next week. Then it dawned on me. Champ remembers what day of the year he proposed on. And I don't. I'm not sure which is more shocking. Probably neither. There's some massive standard role reversal going on there. To celebrate, he brought home a treat from Cami Cakes. A delicious treat. We got strawberry shortcake, cinnamon swirl, red velvet and cotton candy (seriously this man loves me). Absolutely delicious. So here's to 3 years!! And cupcakes!! (I think all things should...

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Is Today Over Yet?

Meag re-posted my lost generation post on her blog. She liked it so much she decided it needed to a be a guest post for her blog. I was a little amused but pleased. I even offered to write something else but she liked it enough to re-post. Who am I to stop her? Find of the century last night: Yup. Giant Archiver's theme crop going on in the Mall of America. GIANT. I can't explain how thrilled I was to find that. Too bad I'm here for work and I couldn't participate. But they were having an 'outpost' sale which was full of cheap deals and I might have gone and splurged. Though I made out pretty good (like an inch thick stack of Basic Grey paper for $25?). Now to drag it home from Minneapolis. On the topic of that, I'm really, really needing...

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Being a Grown Up

Why did I agree to this again? I was on twitter a couple weeks ago and Travis, my favorite twitter person and of Ghost Thrower fame, posted the simple: "When did you begin to confuse stress with accomplishment?" (Go follow him he tosses out jewels like this all the time. And he's adorable.) I was all huffed up and then I went...shit. He's right. When did we do that? When did we decide that the more stressed out we were the more successful we were? Why does successful mean our jobs stress us out out to the point of being sick? Of working twenty-four hours a day seven days a week? I love technology, I really do. I love my IPhone and the constant access it gives me to my email, my online friends, etc. But at the same time, the work blackberry they gave me means my work has free reign to...

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The Lost Generation

I've started to find the generation divides very interesting though the more I look into it the less that I can actually find out about my own generation. The problem is, we kind of get lumped everywhere. Born in 1983, I and my peers, are too young to be part of Generation X though there are aspects of that generation that I'm sure we identify with. For a while we were referred to as Generation Y, but that terminology has died out and now is trying to lump our age group in with those who are identified as "Millenials" which doesn't seem accurate at all. The Gen Xers are the historical generation, old enough to remember so many major historical events of the late 70s and the 80s, while us Gen Ys are too young to remember even those early 80s details. (I'd be hard pressed to believe anyone...

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Remembering 9/11

I am struggling as I start to write this. Partially because 9/11 was such a tragic event in my life, one that has left an imprint on my mind, but also because it's hard for me to get caught up in the hype. I think for me, the wish had been that by the time we reached the ten year anniversary so many more of us would have moved on, that would have come out the other side a stronger, better country and at times I don't think we've done that. It makes me worry even more. We are afraid of everything and the older generations don't trust much of anyone. They've used the attack as a justification for their distrust and their hate and it makes me nervous to put so much attention into something that I've seen breed hate. It might be different in other parts of the country but I've seen people of...

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Dragon*Con 2011

Labor Day weekend is typically a completely crazy weekend in Atlanta. There's plenty of sporting events (the Braves, the Falcons, the NASCAR race), not to mention all the normal Labor Day activities with sales and that last pull of summer being celebrated. Downtown Atlanta is something else entirely though. Labor Day weekend is host to Dragon*Con, the largest science fiction and fantasy convention in the Southeast. These type of cons are getting more attention with ComicCon drifting into the mainstream, but it pulls a bigger and different crowd than Dragon*Con. Unlike its counterpart, D-Con has a smaller, homey feel despite the large numbers it pulls in from all over the US. It doesn't have tracks sponsored by different networks or things...

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Massive Fail

She hasn't called me out on it, but I missed a day. What's worse is I wrote the whole thing up just needed to add photos last night and completely forgot. I'm sorry. You'll get three posts today then, something from yesterday, something for today and this massive apology for being scatter brain...

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Hello Minneapolis

I'm a drawing a blank on what to write about so I figured, since I'm sitting in a hotel room, I might as well talk about the adventure that is coming to Minnesota for work this time around. I've got an airplane in prototype (the first airplane to have the modification done) and all went well for the first part of the weekend. Of course, because it's a holiday, I didn't get to spend my holiday in a normal way but instead fly into Minneapolis Monday (Labor Day) afternoon to work all evening. Of course by all evening I mean I was on the airplane from about 8pm to 2am with only a break to go get pizzas for the guys working (which was the most productive thing I did while there.) I wound up crashing out cold and getting up the next morning to work a full day. Not my idea of a good time. After...

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Camp Kudzu 2011 - Part 4: Pride

There is something truly amazing that goes on at camp. It's so much more than sunshine and kids laughing and trying new things (though all of those things are wonderful). Camp creates this overwhelming sense of pride in just living. In being someone who's overcome their disease to make so much of themselves, to live with it longer than people in decades past. There's this sense that the kids can do anything, anything at all, and I think they really walk away from the week with that message. They are more than diabetes, they are more than the other things they think hold them back. And there's proof! There's living, breathing proof. Usually one day towards the end of the week at lunch or dinner we bring up all the staff with diabetes...

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Camp Kudzu 2011 - Part 3: Photography Dimensions

For the teens a camp we've started putting them in these "Dimensions" programs between dinner and their evening activities. The options vary from Arts and Crafts to High Ropes. Then we randomly assign counselors to the different activities and we get to watch the kids who aren't our normal campers have fun. I typically do the High Ropes course stuff because I love hanging out with the staff that runs it and it's such a cool thing for the kids. This year though they added a new Dimension, Photography and since I love that staffer too, I used my pull and got my name in that hat. It was really cool to see what he taught them and to hear them talk about the different things. I wound up with a bunch of girls from my cabin, which was fun, getting...

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Camp Kudzu 2011 - Part 2: The staff

(Me and AJ) There's always so much more to camp than the kids, which I know is admitting that in part it's not their journey, but coming back year after year to see the staff does make all the difference. They've become some of my best friends, my favorite people and more. Aly, my co-counselor was in my wedding two years ago even. Sometimes I only see them at camp, but it's worth it for the single week. (Aly and Megan) (AJ) They are inspiring people who either do great things or have come from so little to be so much. I'm so proud of all of them, not just because of what they are but who they are. There are few people in the world as awesome as these people. I feel honored to be in their presence let alone work with them and call them...

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Camp Kudzu 2011 - Part 1: My Cabin

Every summer for the past six summers, I've taken a week and spent it at my favorite place in the world, Camp Kudzu. Our camp is a camp for kids with Type 1 Diabetes (aka juvenile diabetes) where they get to spend a week doing fun camp things and learning about how best to live (and thrive) with diabetes. It's a fun environment because next to everyone has diabetes. Those of us who don't are definitely in the minority. It takes away that stigma and really let's the kids hang loose. So every year, I break all my rules about doing outdoorsy things (as in not doing them) and I counselor for the teen girls for the week. This year I had the best co-counselors a girl could ever ask for, one of my bridesmaids, Aly, and my favorite counselor at camp,...

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We Always Remember the Nights We Don't Sleep

I don't go "home" often and when I do I rarely go out. I've done it a few times and they've always been weird experiences. The first time I spent the entire time getting hit on by my next door neighbor (who's older and used to drive me to school in the mornings in high school) and an old friend (who's now a rockstar) tried to make out with me. Another time I saw about sixteen people I knew from high school all of whom pretended they didn't know me. The last time I was bombarded by people who claimed to remember me, but I'm not sure that was right. It's a weird place where my parents live. I only did high school there, not much else, but it's like any other small town. People stay there forever and do weird things. I just can't relate I guess....

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