Locally Grown: The Silver Comet

While it seems most of the small bands I love are out of New England, I'm trying to get better about that. Which means looking for local artists here in Atlanta. It's not exactly easy because I don't even have one band I'm that interested in (which usually leads to finding a million other small bands in the same region), but I'm looking! And just by nothing but pure luck I came across this one. Meet The Silver Comet. I know, it's kind of surprising, but that's what I like about them. Take a listen. There's a rock line under each song that has you bobbing your head and tapping your feet, but it's the vocals that hooked me. They're just that good. I can't even begin to guess what they're like live. I'm actually kind of pissed I didn't know about these guys prior to now. I might have been...

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Music For Monday: Bonaventure

My good friend Kat came home from seeing Cartel the other night and when we met up to debrief about concerts she handed me a CD to check out. "You'll love them." Oh man she was so right. Meet Bonaventure, you're new favorite band. I went through one listen and I adore them. It was almost easy to be honest. Their music is beautiful, great lyrics combined with talent, which is always a killer combination. In five haunting songs they had me in their grasp (actually it was more like two songs, but you get the idea). Don't believe me? Check out "I Dare You" off their Come Hell or High Water EP. See what I mean? And I will honestly tell you, that's not my favorite song on the EP. This is the music for those of us growing up on our own terms, not someone else's. Add it to the playlist of...

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Q&A: Jocelyn

As I mentioned before I had a chance to meet the guys from Jocelyn, and score this great little Q & A with Alex from Jocelyn. Such a charmer. Enjoy! Q: Every band has a story, how they went from playing in garages, marching bands, and just trying to impress girls, to being what they are now. What's yours? Alex: We all had bands through college and, since we've recently graduated, this is our final big push at music. We're one of the only bands you'll find that all has their 4 year degree and we're very proud of that, but we wanted to give music one concerted effort before "growing up" if you will. Q: What are your biggest inspirations music-wise? Alex: Anberlin and Mayday Parade are extremely influential bands on us all.  Q:...

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Concert: Boys Like Girls, All American Rejects and The Ready Set

It finally happened. Boys Like Girls finally hit the road again, and I was finally agreeing to going, making a plan and getting tickets and all that. I went with my good friend Casey and we figured, what they hey, let's splurge for Meet and Greet passes with Boys Like Girls because really...Why not? (Don't actually answer that.) I was pretty geared up and so was Case, so we wound up getting as close to the front as possible, lined up on Paul's side of the stage, right in front of the microphone set up for The Ready Set. I'm not sure I'd ever heard a song by The Ready Set, minus "Love Like Woe" and a cover of "Give Me Your Hand" that I didn't realize I knew (as part of the promotion for it The Endless Summer covered it). I was pleased though...

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Music for Monday: Jocelyn

Happy Columbus Day! Though I am guessing most of you are still at work. That's how it usually works right? That's okay though, I've got something to help shake up your Monday, bring a little light to the gloomy day we're having around here. (What is with fall striking with a vengeance?) I know stop talking about other stuff and get to the music. That said, your Music for Monday is one of my favorite small groups of the the Midwest (Iowa specifically), Jocelyn. And trust me, these guys don't disappoint. Their EP, To You And Yours, is fantastic; something that reminds me of the likes of Cartel and Yellowcard, though all the while sounding like themselves. "Only The Best" is my favorite song on the EP, probably because it's such an anthem of sorts and it has this fantastic piano line...

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Album Review - "Good Love" EP by The Maine

I do love getting new music from bands I love, and I was more than pleased to hear that The Maine had put out a few new songs on an EP they just released. I got my hands on it as quickly as I could, far too excited to hear it, but can you blame me? Pioneer was fantastic and the Good Love EP does not disappoint. Lead singer John's sound has grown up so much and in "Take Me Dancing" it's so mature, just like the rest of the EP, but this track almost sounds like it was written and sung by someone with far more years under his belt than John has. It feels like such an insight into what the group has seen, and as it picks up it almost feels bittersweet, rejoicing in a life that's well lived, though not necessarily easily lived. It's almost haunting, and so worth riding through the entire rise...

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New Tune From Brighthouse!

With the bummer of news that The Endless Summer is no more (I had another conversation about this this past week with the guys from Jocelyn), there's new things on the horizon. Tyler, guitarist and vocalist is working on his new solo project BrightHouse and he just posted his first solo song on his soundcloud site, and I gotta tell you, it's pretty darn good. It's not hard to guess that it would be, we know he has the chops to put something together (both vocally and behind the scenes), but there's something pretty darn adorable that the little twang his voice has and the little bit of country meets rock and roll is a great sound. Don't believe me? Hit play. Trust me, you'll dig it. Keep up with BrightHouse and everything else via twitt...

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