Minus the Bear concert Review

Hey!

Sorry for not posting last night, but I absolutely knew I could not pass up the Minus the Bear concert. Even though I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather recently, I went and I am so glad I did. I found them a few years ago when I was listening to our public radio station which mostly plays classical music during the day and alternative/indie music at night that sounds closer to wailing than music. Somehow, a gem like Minus the Bear’s “My Time” made it on there and then I ended up finding the song for free on a Dangerbird Records (their old record label) sampler a few days later. Ever since, I’ve been hooked on their music.

Minus the Bear’s sound is kind of like Mutemath and Fall Out Boy and Arcade Fire all mixed up together, yet with an unexpected twist. It’s polished, dissonant, intricate, harmonious, pure and raw all at the same time. And bottom line: it’s fantastic.

They came on right at 10:00 (I arrived at 9:58…perfect timing on my part) and opened right up with Steel and Blood, an explosion of guitar riffs and hard percussion. Seamlessly, they transitioned into an oldie “The Fix,” which got the dedicated fans in the crowd going crazy. Jake’s voice soared over the instrumentation nicely and the chorus was completely perfect: hard and rough yet not too over-the-top. Genius. They went into “Diamond Lightning,” mellowing it out a bit, but cranking it back up with “Toska” and “Secret Country.” Then, they went into the crowd favorite: “My Time,” where every single person was moving, most cradling their drinks,  (except for underage me…I think I was the only one under 18 in that whole place, even though it was an all-ages show), rocking back and forth and some guy was even fist-bumping (who fist-bumps in Iowa? Well, props to him, I guess).  The band seemed to feed off the energy, going hard and furious on this song. They cooled it down a bit with “Absinthe Party At the Fly Honey Warehouse” and “Knights,” though neither song dragged. By this time, I was beginning to feel pretty tired so I hung around for “Let’s Play Guitar in a Five Guitar Band,” “Throwin’ Shapes,” and “I’m Not Totally Down with Rob’s Alien,” and heard the full-bodied glory of “Double Vision Quest” as I walked to my car.

Overall, the concert was amazing. All of the guys are incredible musicians who give it their all, no matter if they’re playing the newer stuff from “Infinity Overhead” and "OMNI" or their earlier songs off of “Highly Refined Pirates," "Planet Ice" or "Menos El Oso." They put on an incredible show and based on the crowd, I’d say all who came had a great time. Including the couple who danced to nearly every song, an impressing feat considering Minus the Bear’s music isn’t exactly perfect“ dancing” music.  haha it was fun to see the crowd so involved.

If Minus the Bear is coming to your town, I would highly suggest you go! If not, at least check out their music which is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.

Next week, I’ll do another “What is Bella Listening To” installment, which may or may not feature a ton of Minus the Bear songs.

Until then,

Bella

No Blog Post Tonight

Hey,

So, tonight I'm going to see Minus the Bear in concert. Therefore, my blog post/review will be up tomorrow, Saturday, March 1st.

Here's to hoping we don't have another Panic! At the Disco experience, I guess. :)

Until then,
Bella

MuteMath Never Lets Me Down

Hey,
Before I dive into my review on the MuteMath concert I attended on Tuesday, I just wanted to mention how incredible it is that, at 6:30 Central Time, I am 2 views away from having 800 views on this blog. While that doesn't seem like much, it means the world to me. I created this blog with the intention of writing music reviews, rants, and raves, hoping someone else might stumble upon it. I most certainly did not expect 800 views within the first year. In the past, I had another blog, but I shut it down after two years, and it definitely never reached 800 views. Thank you so much for reading this blog. It means everything to me. Really.

Alright, now that you understand exactly how much I appreciate y'all, we'll get right to it. On Tuesday night, I went to the MuteMath concert at Wooly's in Downtown Des Moines. It's the same venue where I saw Graffiti6/Eric Hutchinson last spring; it also happens to be my favorite venue. (People's Court isn't bad...just not a favorite, Val Air Ballroom has limited visibility, and Vaudeville Mews is cramped and it is ridiculously difficult to see anything unless you're at least 6 foot {However, at VM last year, when I saw MuteMath, I got to stand next to the sound board dude--who happens to be Nathaniel Motte's twin--which was really cool...the fact that I got to see exactly what he did, not who he looked like...though it did throw me off at first.}so I prefer Wooly's) The venue was packed, but not as bad as the last time I saw them when I was elbow to elbow with a complete stranger; that's always awkward.
Civil Twilight was the opening act. I had listened to their stuff before, but wasn't "wowed." The concert was no exception. They are what I like to call a hit-and-miss band. Some of their songs are great, some of their songs are just awful. If they would keep their songs in the "hit" territory, I could see myself listening to these guys. The hits of the night were: Fire Escape, Letters From the Sky, and Holy Weather.  The misses of the night were everything else they played. It's kind of disheartening to see a band that so much potential becoming so repetitious, boring, and honestly, painful to listen to.
After a half hour break--in which I played a successful game of Solitare on my iPod...I've finally learned how to kill time at concerts--MuteMath started. In order to get to the stage, the band walked through the middle of the crowd and all of the members were just a couple of feet away from me. It was so cool to see them up-close like that. I was so deep in shock that I completely forgot to pull out my iPod and take pictures, but I had another opportunity later in the concert. (I'll talk about that later). They opened up with "Odd Soul" and transitioned beautifully into my personal favorite from their newest album "Prytania." They went down the list, playing all of their best songs, including two of their instrumental songs, which I thought was kind a cool touch. "Sun Ray" is one of the only instrumental songs I actually enjoy as much as a "regular" song, with vocals. I love how they played songs from their newest album, but also played songs from "Armistice" and their first album. It's amazing to hear how very different each album is, but when played back-to-back they all flow very nicely. They ended the concert with their best-known song "Typical," which was a very good choice, as it's high energy right to the end, just like their show. I had a fairly good view of the band, considering it was standing room only and I'm only 5'3. As always, I got stuck behind some guy with at least 6 inches on me, but thankfully, he was swaying quite a bit, so I had a fairly decent view. I got to see Darren go nuts on his drums, Roy look ridiculously awesome on bass, Paul pouring his heart into each song, and Todd doing a fantastic job on guitar, making me wonder "Greg, who?" The guys always put on a good show, with their musicianship and energy.
The best thing about the concert was Paul Meany--the lead singer--and his interactions with the crowd. Perhaps it was the cramped venue from last time, or the fact that the other concert was just an introductory tour--they hadn't released Odd Soul yet--but Paul did not really interact with the crowd very much, which was okay, considering the other venue was split on two levels and I was on the top, so it wouldn't have mattered. :) But, this time, Paul really got out there. During the "Armistice Outro" and "Equals," he was pushed out on a cart of some sort and sang. he was right in front of me!!! It was incredible. I realize I sound like a Belieber, but, I mean, come on! It was so cool. I got a ton of amazing pictures of him, and I will cherish them forever. Truly. :) Then, during Quarantine, he crowd-surfed on a mattress (here's a video, even though it's not the exact concert I was at) and he came close to me, but not close enough. It was okay with me, though, because I already had my pictures. And that's the best memento ever. Absolutely amazing show!

Next week, I will be talking about a new band I found.
Much love,
Bella

Beacon Is a Solid Follow-Up Album

Hey,

This week Two door Cinema Club dropped their new album “Beacon.” Much like last week’s post, I am picking my top three songs. I realize I did five last week, but I’m doing three this week only because these three really stand out. Speaking of last week’s post, I was really excited to see that Imagine Dragons’ album is in the Top Ten on iTunes. I am so excited for that band. They are very talented and it’s great to see them get the recognition they deserve.

                Anyways, here are the top three songs from Beacon:

 

3. Sleep Alone. I realize I highlighted this song a couple of weeks ago, but it truly is one of the standout songs on the album. The distinct vocals, complex, poetic lyrics, and that guitar line I can’t erase from my mind all contribute to the track’s reappearance on my blog. J “He needs no army/ where he’s going/ cuz he knows” is such a great line. Their songwriting skills have truly improved—not that their debut album’s lyrics were poor—and it is always exciting to see an artist/artists mature.

2.  Sun- When a band opens a track with “Ocean blue/what have I done to you/cut so deep/yet growing through and through,” I think it’s fairly easy to see why it earns a special place on my playlist. J My other favorite line is 'Over and over many setting suns/ I have run, I have waited for the rain to come/ When through that mist I see the shape of you/ And I know, and I know that I'm in love with you.” Factor in that steady, bumping drum line and that bluesy riff, and I’m in love. Solid effort.

1. Pyramid- It was a difficult decision to decide who should get the top spot, between “Sun” and “Pyramid,” but the slightly darker lyrics, that guitar riff in the background, the percussion that refuses to settle into mediocrity, and the somber verses switching into the manic chorus. This song brings back beautiful memories of MuteMath. That is as high of a compliment as I can offer, truly.

So,  I am seeing MuteMath on Tuesday, September 18^th, so that means I will be giving a nice little summary of the concert, like I’ve done in the past. The week after that, I will do a post (like I have done for the last two weeks) about my favorite tracks from Minus the Bear’s new album.

                Thank you for reading!

                ~Bellla

Bubblegum Pop

Hey,
It's been 3 weeks since I gave a Top 5 PLaylist, so here's another installment. No theme here, just random, like always. :)

In no particular order--because I'm too much of a softy to rate these songs--my weekly playlist...

5. Heart Skips A Beat by Olly Murs
I realize this guy is hardly indie/unknown, given the fact that he tried on the X-Factor in England and toured with One Direction, but, this guy has pipes. The original version is mediocre, but check out this acoustic performance. He has a great voice and I would love to see Olly push his vocals and explore other types of music besides bubblegum pop.

4. Bronte by Gotye
I love the soft, Bon Iver-esque instrumentation. Wally's (AKA Gotye's) vocals just lightly waft over the instruments, complenting never dominating, serving as another mechanism in this beautiful machine. The poetic lyrics remind me ever so slightly of a lullaby, coupled with the graceful, lilting tempo. I respect you, Wally. I do. I really wish this song would make it on the Top 40, but that's just a silly thought. The majority of people who listen to the radio want one catchy line they can post on Facebook with an immature emoticon and some club jam. Not beautiful simplicity.

3. Treading Water by Alex Clare
Alex Clare has gained significant notority for his song "Too Close," but I am willing to argue that "Treading Water" is a much better track off his album Lateness of the Hour. "Too Close" is good; I'm not saying that it's bad, but I like TW better. I'll explain. :) Reasons: the romantic, bittersweet lyrics detailing a failing relationship, the gentle beginning leading up to a gorgeous Dubstep-style climax, the way Alex blends several musical styles (which one could point out he did the same thin on TC), the way he transitions from a roaring chorus to a soulful second verse, and how the song just goes full force right to the very last second.

2. Get Higher by Paper Tongues
I found these guys a few years ago and remembered them the other day when I was listening to another band (Imagine Dragons) whose voice reminds me of the Paper Tongue's lead singer. I love the rock influences, the lead singer's unrelenting powerhouse vocals, the religious-without-being-righteous lyrics, and the guitar lines. I'm so glad I rediscovered this song as it brings back some great memories from JUnior High.

1. Sleep Alone by Two Door Cinema Club
These guys are one of the best alternative bands right now, up with MuteMath, Panic! At the Disco, and Young the Giant. I honestly cannot find anything to complain about with this song; all I hear is a fantastic, complex song that represents exactly what I love about alternative music.
A. The guitar lines that carry the song
B. Tempo changes
C. Volume changes
D. Confusing, poetic lyrics
E. A dinstinctive vocalist
F. A talented drummer
G. An infectious chorus
H. An original sound
I. Utilizes various instruments besides guitar, base and drums
J. Makes me smile

Alright, that about wraps it up for this week. :)
In a couple of weeks, I'll be seeing MuteMath in concert (2nd time!!!!!) so as soon as that happens, you'll get a new review of this tour. :D

Until next week,
Bella

Graffiti6/ Eric Hutchinson Concert Review

Hey,

So, last night I went to the Graffiti6 and Eric Hutchinson concert at Wooly's, in downtown Des Moines.

It was awesome!!!!! I usually geek out a little after I go to concerts, but I am freaking out even more today. Incredible!

So, the doors opened at 6:00, and my friends and I got there around 6:10--we were a little late because my sister was eating a sandwich, in case someone out there cares about those little details that do nothing to enhance stories--and we got right in. The venue, Wooly's is quite a bit smaller than People's Court and Vaudeville Mews, where I saw Panic! At the Disco/Patrick Stump/Grouplove/Young the Giant and MuteMath, respectively. And so even though maybe a little over a hundred people attended the concert, it looked like it was a full house. My friends and I squeezed our way up to about the 5th row where we stood for Graffiti6.

I expected Graffiti6 to be terrible. I had listened to a few of their tracks and kind of though "this is nothing special." Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. They were epic. I have a feeling they're one of those bands that take a little bit to grow on you and sound even better live. It's true; I went back and listened to their music again and I loved it. That's talent, right there, if you ask me.  Graffiti 6 is talented and I love the bluesy-pop sound; it's a mix of Gnarles Barkely meets The Civil Wars meets Arcade Fire meets Alex Clare. Testimonial time:  even my friends, who hate anything that's not mainstream loved him last night. Success!

My favorite songs that he played were: "Annie You Save Me," "Stone In My Heart," and "Stare Into the Sun." If you've heard of them before, you probably heard "Free," which is a good song, just not their best. But, they are great musicians, nonetheless and you need to buy their music and go see them live...they have a separate tour coming up soon. One of the coolest moments of the night was when they started people were still talking but two songs into the set, everyone shut up and listened to them. People were swaying, clapping, screaming, and singing instead of talking. So cool. I love the power of music.

Then, we had a thirty minute break between Graffiti6 and Eric, and Wooly's. the venue,  played Fun. to pass the time. I love Some Nights, their new album, as evidenced by my ridiculously affectionate ) review that I did a while back. My friends and I, the dorks that we are, sang and danced around to "Carry On," "It Gets Better," and the now mainstream-which-means-all-hipsters-cringe-when-it-comes-on "We Are Young." I think we scared some people. Oh, well. If you can't relax, then don't come. Just sayin'.

After our mini break, Eric came on.  He had a big single a few years ago, "Rock and Roll." Unless you were living under a rock or you didn't own a radio/iPod, you probably heard it. It was everywhere and I mean that in a good way, believe me. (Or, You Don't Have To Believe Me...I guess.) But, he has a new album, "Moving Up, Living Down," that just came out on Tuesday. It is awesome. Ugh, such an overused word, especially in my blog posts, but I think that if you looked up "Awesome" in the dictionary you'd find a picture of Eric Hutchinson. So, he played some songs from his old album "Sounds Like This," a musical masterpiece, and some songs from "Moving Up, Living Down," also right up with SLT.

My friends and I began the night somewhere around the fifth row but during Eric's set, about 1/4-1/2 of the way through, this very nice man in front of us literally pushed the four of us (my three friends and me) into the third row. We were so close we could see the sweat flying off of Eric and see his equally sweaty back, caused by the lights and his super smooth dance moves. Gross details, I know, but I have NEVER been that close at a concert before. In case that man happens to be reading this, a long shot, THANK YOU SO MUCH! We really appreciated it, considering we are all, save for one of my friends, under 5'4.

Eric was so entertaining to watch because he looked like he was having just as much fun as the audience was. I've been to several concerts now and there's some performers who are like feeling the music so much that they look pained, almost (which is MuteMath. I love them, and appreciate their musicianship and the care and detail that goes into their music, but sometimes Paul, the lead singer, looks like he's going to pop a blood vessel. I love them though, so don't assume I'm putting them down). Then there's groups who just kind of seem to like playing music but kind of just want the show to be over with (Young the Giant/ Owl City. Again, I'm not "hating," as those stupid teenage boys who sit behind me at lunch say nearly every single day, but I just see the difference between the bands) And finally, there's bands like Panic! At the Disco who are, um, too comfortable with the crowd, spilling all their secrets. Eric was just right. He had some witty banter with the crowd and then shut up and played his music. Refreshing, very refreshing. I would see him again, so he has to come back to Iowa. :)

Best parts: "Rock and Roll," {It's a classic}, the song he sang to the 12 guys in the back + Melissa and Samantha, "Watching You Watch Him," and "Not There Yet." Ahhhhh, he was soooooooo good! I know, I sound like your stereotypical, crazy teenager, but hey, it's the truth. I really wanted to meet him/get him to sign a tee-shirt or something, but they said anyone under 21 had to leave, so we shimmied our way out into the cold and waited for our ride. Between acts, some lady in the crowd was handing out Graffiti6 stickers and I got one; it's looking pretty darn cool on my calculator case now.

In conclusion, Graffiti6 caught me by surprise; they were much more talented than I expected and I am now a huge fan. Eric was fantastic, like I thought he would be ,and his personality made for a memorable evening. Best part: I turned all of my friends into huge Graffiti6/Eric Hutchinson fans.

Here are some videos for you to enjoy.
Eric: Not There Yet
Graffiti6: Stare Into the Sun
Eric: Watching You Watch Him
Graffiti 6: Annie You Save Me

Until next week,
Bella

Grouplove/Young the Giant Concert Review

Hey,
So, last night I went to the Grouplove/YTG concert. This concert was at the same venue as the Panic! at The Disco fiasco, but it's not jinxed. Rather, YTG was the polar opposite of PATD. Sameer, the lead singer, did not talk in between songs, he just went from song to song. We were out of the venue in an hour or so from when Young The Giant began performing. Loved it! :)

Grouplove, on the other hand, sucked. They were just awful. Awful, awful, awful. The best part of their set: it ended. Eventually. We came 20 minutes late, mostly because I hate them, and for a good reason. Why exactly? Their harmonies were big fails. Epic fails. They tried so hard, but failed with the same intensity. They were out of key. Ugh, big pet peeve of mine. They danced around like they were drunk idiots--which they probably were--whipping their respective heads like they were taking part in a re-shoot for Willow Smith's "Whip my Hair" music video. I think, if they would stop moving and dancing, they might (emphasis on might) be good. They're showboats, frankly, and until they loose that attitude, I won't see them again.

The best part of the night: YTG! They were amazing! I love bands that sound the exact same from the studio to the CD to the stage. Francois (the drummer) provided feverish, memorable beats that carried the songs. The 2 guitarists and the bassist complemented each other. While Sameer's wide vocal range was awe-inspiring. Their songs are infectious. The entire crowd was moving (or taping their feet, like me!) the whole duration of the set. You could tell the crowd was having as much fun as the band. They began the concert with "I Got," into "Guns Out" (Gotta love Sameer's falsetto), then "Shake my Hand" (which was a song they wrote back when they were The Jakes. Super addictive song. Check it out on YouTube), "What You Get" (a new track. It's supposed to be on the new album which will be coming out next Spring. Such a long wait! Good song, though. If the album sounds like that, I'll buy it the day it comes out), " 12 Fingers" (Sameer explained, during his one talk break, that this song is about having 12 Fingers. "I Wanna" (Another track. Beautiful! The title reminds me of the All American Rejects song of the same name, though YTG's is better) "Strings" (one of my favorite tracks by them; I think it was one of the first I bought. Catchy, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Download it!) "Camera" (another new track. I liked this one a lot; it gave me goosebumps, which essentially means I love it) "St. Walker" (haha Saint Walker. Oh, my stupidity! Anyways, fantastic way to end the main part of the concert. Best song. I love the minor key, the building guitar part, and the rhythms supplied by Francois). After that, the encore! First, "Apartment" (so many memories with this one. I remember dancing around my kitchen, singing into a wooden spoon, butchering the lyrics, but having fun. haha I'm a dorky teenager, remember? I love the accidentals), "Islands" (eh, not my fav song by them; it's too slow for their typically infectious bass lines), and finally "My Body" (For one, I love this song! It's fast, it's catchy, it's infectious. Very YTG. Now, I love it even more because of the crowd. Everyone, except for me, cuz I'm a buzz-killer, was jumping up and down, blocking my view of the adorable Sameer, which was funny. Energetic crowd. I loved it."
The crowd was passionate, but not super immature; I appreciated that. :) I am short, though, and found myself having to sway a bit to get a decent view of the band and I always wish I'm about 3 inches taller than i am. Oh, well, it was still a fantastic concert, and I can't believe I got to see them!

 If they're coming to your city, go see them! They are fantastic. They really do know how to put on a live show. Oh, it's safe to take a parent with you. ;)
For the next two weeks I'll have a normal reviews, but on April 19th, I'm going to see Eric Hutchinson with Graffiti6. I'm hoping to get pictures this time. *cross fingers* It should be good, I hope. No more PATD-like experiences. :)

Unil next week,
Bella

Odd Soul Review

Here is finally is! haha I know the album came out a loooong time ago (like 4 months...) but here is my track by track review of MuteMath's new album "Odd Soul."

1. Odd Soul- very bluesy, wailing-like vocals, and pain behind the lyrics. It rubbed me the wrong way at first. I was like, "Ugh, this isn't MuteMath!" Then, I heard it in concert and it's now one of my fav songs. It pushes Paul (the lead singer) and that's always good. Don't get too comfy!

2. Prytania- my jam-out song. haha Kicking bass-line and Darren (drummer) just goes kind of manic here! I have no idea what "Prytania" is, but it's a darn good song.

3. Blood Pressure- 2nd single from the album (Odd Soul was the first) this one also was on my I-Hate-This-Song list, but, thank God for the concert. ;) I love this song. I interpret it to be talking about the pressure that is put on Christians to do more, be more, etc.

4. Tell Your Heart Heads Up- Number one, super tongue-in-cheek title. Number two, this song will get you on your feet in like 2 seconds. Paul is just pouring his soul into this track

5. All or Nothing- a nice slower track, more like Armistice than their first album. Paul explores his vocal range, producing a haunting falsetto set to a gentle, but memorable drum line

6. Sun Ray- Instrumental Track. Very cool. It's reminds me of P!ATD doing the "Introduction" on their first album.

7. Allies- "Somehow this world is out of control, we gotta found our enemies." Good lyrics and good instrumentation

8. Cavalries- similar to All or Nothing with plenty of reverb and a nice minor key tonality

9. Walking Paranoia- So totally on my running playlist. This one, I heard, is about being worried about Jesus coming back, like He could show up any minute. I can relate, and it's nice to know that Darren/Paul are worried too. ;)

10. One More. O. M. G. Falsetto!!! The first time I heard this song I was walking my dog and had to stop. I actually got goosebumps; it was so beautiful. The way Paul just manipulates his voice from one octave to the next; he makes it seem totally seamless and easy. Ke$ha needs to take voice lessons from him.

11. Equals- kick-butt song. Very motivating song, nice harmony and key changes. Exactly what you would expect from MM

12. With a total run time of 7:02, it's the longest on the CD, but without a doubt, the best. The minor key! The tempo change! The harmony! Ugh, it's just too good to be true. A band should not be this good.

13. In No Time- very ballad-like. Slower tempo, more harmony, less drum, so that's good and bad. It's not really MM without Darren, ya know? It's like Oreo with the filling; it just doesn't work. So, not my fav track

14. Amendment- cool harmony, reverb, very choir-like, but in a positive way. It works.

15. Cold Sparks- I love to listen to this song before I go to sleep. It puts me in a relaxed sttae, between the drum kit, the mellow tone, and guitar line

16. Sun Ray part 2- another instrumental, a la P!ATD, but even cooler, less theatrical, more mature/composed. It works, it works just fine.

Download the album, y'all. And go see them in concert! They're on tour!

Next week: Review of a certain concert. ;) Not a good review, either. Be ready for me to get mean and sad. :)

 Support your indie/alt artists!
Until next week,
Bella

I Think I'm In Love With Patrick Stump

Hey-O,
Here I am again, actually sticking to my goal of one blog post a week and I'll be writing about Patrick Stump. A couple of months ago, I was able to see him live in concert. He was the warm-up act for Panic! At The Disco (that review is coming next week). Before the concert, quite honestly, I knew who he was but I didn't really listen to his new music, citing the fact that I typically hate the music that comes out of solo ventures. Well, after hearing him perform live--the man has real talent!!--my mind was completely changed. His voice, ranging from a beautiful falsetto to a deep, almost growing sound, amazed me. The backing band complemented his singing style, varying from Fall Out Boy, which almost seemed to over-power his voice, not that I'm a FOB hater. :) At the end of his set, he performed a cool cover of Phil Collin's song "In the Air Tonight." I'm an 80's music buff, as you'll soon find out, and that song is one of my favs. What made it cooler, IMO, is that he sang it while playing the drums. Double cool. :) He deserves a place in my own EPIC Hall of Fame, where over-paid, over-hyped, stupid bands (a la Aerosmith, etc.) don't belong. Altnerative music is too good for some, I think. ;)
Anyways, after the concert, I checked him out online, and saw that he put out both an EP and a full CD. Truant Wave, the EP was sweet, and the CD was like, 5 times better, so that's pretty good. :) Soul Punk, the CD, oooooohhh, it's on my running play list, fo so. :) He has a super cool YouTube page where I found out that he wrote, produced, and played all of the instruments on the album. Can you say talented? AAH. :)
You may have already heard him, and just not realized it. His first single "This City" was a collab with Lupe Fiasco. Not so hot on rap breaks. Sorry, rap fans, I just usually think it ruins the song. Anyways, my opinion aside, the song is fantastic and the music video is worth checking out. very 80's. :)

Fav tracks
"Explode." "When I Made You Cry." "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)"
Check him out and support this dude! He's going places. I actually heard him on the radio a month or so ago; suffice to say, I screamed a little and cranked up the volume. SOoooooooo...that should convince you know. :D
Here is the music video for Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)

Until next week,
Bella

MuteMath Concert Review

Okay, after this post, I am all caught up. :)
Today, I will finish up with a little review of MuteMath.
I saw this incredible band in concert back in October, actually two days before the album came out, while they were on their Odd Soul Introduction Tour. And it was AMAZING! I still haven't totally gotten over how crazy it was. The show was completely sold out, so it was packed! The venue that I went to had the stage then the floor, then a set of stairs leading up to another platform that overlooked the floor. I was lucky (and short enough...only 5'3. :D) to be able to squeeze into the front of the pack that was upstairs, so that I had a nearly perfect view of the stage and I stood right next to the soundboard guy. Seriously, if you ever get the chance, stand next to one of those people. It is fascinating how much they control. He was busy the entire time and he danced a lot. :D
But the band itself...AAAHHH! :)  THey led off with "Prytania," my fav song off the record, actually walking through the crowd to get to the stage. How cool!Paul Meany, vocalist, has an incredible voice on the CD and an even better one in person. He has a fantastic vocal range which is something I admire in a lead singer. The drummer, Darren King, is a maniac. (And that's a compliment) He bangs on his drums so hard and with such ferocity that he has to wear gaffer tape just to keep his headphones on. He's just EPIC in human form...I think. :D
The bassist, Roy (I'm not going to type his last name because I know I would screw it up.) and the guitarist, Todd Gummerman, are most certiaintly important as well. THey carried the show with their skills too. :)
between the lights, the energy from the crowd, and their instrumental talent, MuteMath proved once and for all that they are a band who is going to stick around for quite some time. Another thing, Paul was great because, unlike a certain other band...expect that review in 3 weeks, I think, he just went from one song to the next, not stopping to talk in between. I hate it when artist do it.

Every single song from their new album "Odd Soul" is full of their usual manic talent. (Expect a review in 2 weeks, give or take)
Basically, my main point tonight is this: if you are even thinking about seeing them in concert...GO!!!! You will not regret it. They just played their music and didn't worry about what we were thinking, as long as we were having a good time.  So, go see 'em already!
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Before I forget...here is a link to a video of Mutemath performing at the concert that I was at. :) Click here