Thank God it's Friday the 13th

Thank God it's finally Friday right? Of course it would be a Friday the 13th, but that doesn't have to mean a bad thing right? We've had some strange weather here in Atlanta (that's what we get for complaining about how hot it was) and I think everyone spent the week recovering from the holiday weekend. The new weekend is on the horizon though and just to get you through those last few hours, here's some treats.

Travis Alexander of Ghost Thrower tossed this gem up on his tumblr earlier this week and honestly this guy + a guitar might be all I need. (Okay not all, but I love it). I feel horrible sometimes because I do love when he's screaming in a mic and the whole place is burning with energy, but the fact that just him and the acoustic covering "Small Skeletal" by Crime In Stereo is this good? I can't help it. The more acoustic the better.



Cara Salimando put out her June EP this week as well and you can grab it for free here on her facebook page. These two tracks are peppier than I expected, but my first influence to Cara was her and a piano. I'm always expecting just that and a full band is a pleasant surprise. What is expected though, is that both tracks will be fantastic, which they are. I really love "Never Come Home" and have since I saw it love. This girl is beyond talented and if you aren't listening to her yet you're missing out.

Last, and it feels odd to add it to the same post, but it can't go ignored, the new and long awaited single from Boys Like Girls is out and comes with a pretty fancy looking lyric video.



We've heard teasers of this song since last summer when Martin showed up at a festival as just "Martin Johnson" (and we were sure the band was doomed) and now it's finally a studio thing, which I'm not sure I love as much as I did when it was just the boy and the guitar. I guess I'm spoiled from too many acoustic versions that all the extras seem like too much. I love the way his voice has grown up, and I feel like it doesn't need all that.

That said though, the song is pretty damn beautiful. So here's hoping the new leaf they've turned over won't disappoint. Seems like there's potential for it, but I'm still hedging my bets. Their EP is due out next week with four songs from the upcoming album on it, which is due out in the fall.

Stay safe, watch out for black cats and don't break any mirrors and we should get through this one. Well unless you've got a friend with a mask. Then you might need to be worried.

Read more »

Album Review - Cara Salimando May EP

I think I'm developing a quick and fast girl crush on Cara Salimando. She's got a voice that just seems to cut to my core. And I don't usually like female vocalists. But man, I love this girl. Seriously.

I finally got around to listening to her May EP (one a month apparently), and it's perfect.

Both songs are beautiful, full of great feelings and while "Deceiver" is just that, deceiving in how heartbreaking it is, "Anthem" is tried and true. Cara's voice is impeccable, strong no matter what direction she takes it in (which is starting to become less and less necessary for singers these days, shame yes?).

"Deceiver" is that song for the girl who's in that relationship she's lost faith in. While her partner might be dreaming, thinking it's perfect, but she's pulling away. "I'll pull out the stitches." I love it. Such an interesting direction for a song to come at a relationship from, interesting and rare.

I think I heard both of these tracks live, and they were amazing, just a girl and the piano. She can back up the voice on the studio version. That's not help from a studio, that's all her. The full band version only adds to it, giving it a great feel over all, the kind of two track EP you listen to over and over again, No getting over it.

Check out the EP here, then pick it up on iTunes or TopSpin. You won't regret it.

Read more »

Concert: An Evening With William Beckett

The first concert of the summer (officially given that it's Memorial Day weekend) and what looks like the last show of the summer at The Masquerade (I've been through their line up for the summer and nothing is jumping out at me) was the wisest choice I've made so far. It's going to be hard for anything to live up to this show.

Things were running late due to crews and band running into some car issues on the way out of Florida, and that plus the fact that it's the Masquerade meant that there was plenty of loitering outside waiting to buy Champ a ticket (since he decided at the last minute to tag along) and waiting to get in. I didn't really mind since we were running late a little and wound up getting in early enough to get a great spot for the show (not that there is a bad space in Purgatory or that it was that huge of a show).

First up was Cara Salimando, whom I knew nothing about. When she walked out, honestly I sort of looked around to see what else we were getting with her because she was this tiny little thing that almost wandered out and stood behind a piano. Once she started speaking it was just precious, with a sweet little voice that you can't help but smile at. What really got me was the moment she started singing. My first thought was "how did that sound come out of that tiny person?"

I have a bias against female singers sometimes, often, but man I loved Cara. Her voice was so pure and true and paired with just piano it was amazing. It reminded me of Vanessa Carlton (seriously that is meant to be a compliment in the best of ways), of Michelle Branch, of any of those true female vocalists that were great before the too breathy Taylor Swifts that have me hating female vocalists. Her music was just so true, so solid, filling the room with just one girl and a piano. That doesn't happen often.

Her on-stage banter was fantastic, fun stories, sweet comments, proof that she is just an overall adorable human being. I did love that as she intro'ed a more upbeat song it came with the comment of "don't worry it's still full of girl feels" which just made it. And a perfect description of her music. Full of girl feels (without being annoying like TS).

"Commonwealth" broke my heart. Not only is it a great song, a beautiful song, but it's about being in Boston. Towards the end of the song there's a smattering street names, all streets I've been on and in a moment I missed my friends and the people there I love. Hopefully she didn't notice me getting all flustered halfway through a song I'd never heard before that moment. Her album comes with her and the full band, but if you get the chance to see the girl and the piano? Take it. Trust me.


Up next, obviously, was William Beckett. I was more than thrilled, more than excited. I saw him the first time with The Academy Is.. when they toured with All American Rejects and Rooney (which I brought up when we chatted and we both got excited about Rooney and he made the Princess Diaries reference), and I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. I was more than excited to see him again, since it really had been years since the last time and the moment he started singing I was hooked again. But then again, how can anyone not get hooked when he opened with Damien Rice's "Elephant"?

The set was beautiful, some old songs that he'd worked on for a while. Some unreleased things that have only been seen on youtube, and of course the new EP in it's entirety. I've said before that I love the EP, but it's better live. Really truly. We, singing along, messed up "Compromising Me" so William went back and went through it again so we wouldn't have that awkward moment again. It was adorable. "Oh Love" is still fantastic as well and I honestly couldn't help but move with it.

We were treated with some old TAI classics, and a special song for a local girl who William met a few years ago through Make A Wish, whose friends were there. Sadly, Gracie, lost her battle and the song was in memory of, but it was still beautiful and a special moment for the Atlanta crowd.

During a 'funny story' William told he mentioned watching "Baseball Tonight" and of course, our favorite guy, Champ whooped out loud (and was the only one). Lovingly enough, William was more than pleased by it, calling back to Champ, admitting it was one of his favorite shows. We had a good giggle at the fact that of anyone, it'd be Champ who'd win him over and later when we chatted with William, the boys talked baseball for a good few moments. There was also a small break to talk about the 'shipping' of him and Gabe from Cobra Starship that goes on online and we were chastised with a smile for shipping. Though he did seem amused by it, and it was obvious he sees what goes up on Tumblr more than some of us would like to know.


My favorite of all the covers that I've seen him do online though is his cover of Ryan Adams' "Come Pick Me Up" which comes with harmonica as well and back up vocals from Cara. I might have had tears in my eyes as well, so touched by that song, so moved by the beauty of it. Trust me I'm a bit of a loser.

There's no denying the talent that William has. There's no avoiding that he's better than most out there, a perfect voice and a deep love of music, real music, not just what the radio wants to hear. And he'll keep at it, if talk about future music is any indicator.


Afterward he was a complete doll, hanging around to chat up anyone who stayed to see him, signing things, taking photos and having real conversations with anyone who wanted to chat. There's a true appreciation of the fans, the response they have to the music and if people keep coming back from one show to another. Definitely a fantastic experience. It will be hard to top it, and if he finds his way back to Atlanta again? (Maybe with one of those 'bigger' acts that he hinted at possibly touring with.) I will likely find myself there again.

Want to see more photos? There are more up on my flickr page. Enjoy!

Read more »