Starting The Album Project back in 2007, I thought that if I was able to have an impact on a band in some kind of meaningful way that then this site would have been a success and worth it. The thing I hated the most was discovering some small independent bands that I loved, only to lose them based on the lack of exposure. I wanted to somehow give bands, that I loved, a way to be heard.

I’m not so naïve as to believe that getting signed to a label is the end all be all. Today though, announcing Brandon Clark & The American Standard have signed to the P Is For Panda record label and knowing The Album Project had a hand in that really does make the site feel like a success, even if just a little bit.

To celebrate the album’s release we’re giving 500 digital copies of the new EP away for FREE.

Your help in spreading the word about this giveaway and band are absolutely essential. Please post links, send emails and tell all your friends [reference, of course, intended].

thealbumproject.net/honestly

The guys in LightParade are only just getting started—they posted their first songs on their MySpace on March 10th—but already they’ve found a niche and a defined style.  By no means newcomers to the industry (vocalist Jeremiah Wood used to play for Leeland), the band’s alternative rock sound is well crafted with excellent guitars and layered vocals.  They don’t exactly reinvent the wheel and sound similar to The Myriad with some BritPop influences, but what they do, they do well.

This is a guest rec from Brandon Clark.

Recently, I was searching my daily internet sites and happened upon a gem of a band. Leslie and The Badgers, is a charming alt-country band based out of Los Angeles, California.Their song “Old Timers” was featured on the FX show “The Riches”, which might coincidentally be the only reason you may or may not have heard of them. Check out their latest album “Room Full of Smoke” on iTunes — I recommend starting with the songs “Los Angeles” and “Ball Park Lights”.

If you’d like to catch some of their real charm, check out these videos of them that initially caught my attention.

Hear music from Alberta Cross, Paper Route, Pet Lions, Alcoholic Faith Mission, fun. and Seqouyah Prep School. Though a tiny bit shorter than past episodes, this is a solid collection of songs which play off each other nicely. Be sure to check out Pet Lions.

iTunes Link
Zune Link
Direct MP3

Track Listing

1. Fun. – All The Pretty Girls
2. Pet Lions – Propeller Plane
3. Alcoholic Faith Mission – Nut In Your Eye
4. Alberta Cross – Old Man Chicago
5. Paper Route – Good Intentions
6. Sequoyah Prep School – Old #4

I happened upon Red Shepherd yesterday and the song “Blue Skies” specifically stuck out. The song begins simple enough with a likable melody, but then transforms and gains a passion you were secretly hoping for when the song first began. Give it and the band a listen, you’ll be glad you did.

I started writing a full review for this album, but what I really want to do is just talk about how much I love it. On my first sheepish listened to “Fall Hard” the song was just good enough to get me to listen again. The second and third time however, the songs subtitles, which are never forced upon the listener, begin to show up and become bright and visible.

I love the way the songs start off slow (hook wise) and over the course of 4 minutes, sink (deep) in to your skin. Among the strongest songs are “Fall Hard,” “Candle Burned Out,” “Four By Four,” and “Show Me Something”, which is probably my favorite. The second of “Show Me Something New” jumps out of the speakers with so much flavor, yet in such a simple way. After listening to so much music, the way I can tell I really like something is that after each listen, I have a new favorite song that I think won’t change, but always does.

This is a record I have become so enamored with, yet I didn’t mean to. I actually don’t even know why I love these songs so much, but I do.

Shout Out Louds on MySpace

You can download a remix of “Fall Hard” by Passion Pit on the band’s site for free right now.

Though a very much straight forward singer/songwriter style, Tyrone Wells has seemed to find a pretty big following. His new record ‘Metal & Wood’ just got released and so this is a good time to check out his music if you haven’t yet.

Music out today worth buying

* Four Year Strong – Enemy Of The World
* Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
* Sanctus Real – Pieces Of A Real Heart
* The Morning Benders – Big Echo
* Brandon Clark & The American Standard – Honestly EP [Free Download]

Other music out today

* Demon Hunter – The World Is A Thorn
* Ted Leo And The Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks

Frightened Rabbit - Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Having ended his solo songwriter/singer career, Brandon Clark joined forces with guitarist Paul Lynch, drummer Paul Hedges, and bassist Chris Zeigler in January of 2009 to form what is now Brandon Clark & The American Standard. The band have recently signed up with the P Is For Panda label to distribute their music, and Honestly is their first release. If this EP is of any indication of what kind of band chemistry these Atlanta guys have while playing together, then we can expect  to see some great things from this band in the future.

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We’ve got some stickers and we’re giving them away. If you’d like one or two please email Tyler [at] thealbumproject [dot] net, with your address and “Sticker” as the subject. There are only a limited number so this is a first come first serve offer.

Those who find creative places to stick them, which promote the site, and aren’t illegal, may also win something. You can submit a picture of the sticker in action to the same email address.

Looking for a hip indie rock band you haven’t heard of before? Check out Pet Lions. Songs like “Roman History” and “Propeller Plane” definitely hold up the band’s latest EP (‘Soft Right’), but whether or not the other songs do it for you, the two mentioned tracks are worth your time.

Billed as a dance album, Queens Club’s debut album Young Giant not only fails to make me want to move, but fails to entertain me with its anchor-less and occasionally wince-inducing collection of tracks. The band spends most of the album attempting to figure out exactly what kind of music they want to make, managing to sound like everyone from Euro-pop rockers Franz Ferdinand to label-mates Jonezetta in the process, but never making it clear to either the audience or themselves what exactly they have to offer.

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Bands, do you want to hear your music on our podcast? Let me rephrase that, bands, do you want other people to hear your music on our podcast? We’d love to premiere new music as well. Contact me.

This album is more mainstream in its pop/rock appeal, but just a little less dynamic in its approach. On first listen, it seems like the album is nearly perfect. On second and third listen however, the flaws are a bit more glaring and though nothing major, it turns out ‘Pieces Of A Real Heart’ is only a sliver better than the impressive ‘We Need Each Other’.

Listen to Sanctus Real
Release Date: 3/9/10

Often associated with a glob of metal sub-genres—alternative metal, metal-core, nu metal, and just plain Christian metal, more specifically—Seattle’s Demon Hunter have spent the whole of their career acuminating their sound to the finest, inoffensive, yet brutally asperous level, never-failing to wholly disappoint, yet never truly reaching the level of classic status. 2005’s ‘The Triptych’ saw the band asserting instrumental finesse and progression for what was arguably their finest hour—the guitar leads and solos from Don Clark and Ethan Luck were more intricate; their drumming, by way of Timothy Watts, was seemingly more eager to step up the number of –tuplets in each musical bar. Two years later, ‘Storm The Gates Of Hell’ spent the majority of its playing time showcasing the melodic tendencies of the band that they had seemingly taken to the next level, while at the same, remaining relevant and true to their original fans; this year’s ‘The World Is A Thorn’, however, marks the first time that Demon Hunter sound half-hearted and far too comfortable with their current, production-refined sound, giving us a soporific album with hooks that hit too dry and bare and guest vocals that do little to diversify and keep our attention.

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Miniature Tigers, a band that this is both in the business of indie rock and indie pop, have a song available for free download on Spinner.com called “Cannibal Queen”. Anyone else ready for a new record from this band?

This episode of the podcast features new music from Brandon Clark & The American Standard and Tyler James as well as from lesser known, but equally as good, Nina Yasmineh. Maybe this is a bit of a broken record, but if you do have a minute to write a quick review, or star rating, on iTunes that would really help.

iTunes Link
Zune Link
Direct MP3

Track Listing

1. Hockey – Song Away
2. Bright Young Things – Good Times
3. Gold Motel – Perfect In My Mind
4. Tyler James – Soapbox Shakedown
5. Nina Yasmineh – Something More
6. Brandon Clark & The American Standard – The Rain
7. Cedar Avenue – Nobody Has To Know

Massachusetts’ Four Year Strong are a band that many-a-pop punk/melodic hardcore outfit should probably look up to. 2007’s ‘Rise Or Die Trying’ was a descent, albeit unrefined exercise in the  Descendants’ crafted sub-genre, giving a nod to their influences—Lifetime and New Found Glory—while simultaneously fighting leaders Set Your Goals for the top of the pack. This year, in efforts to increase fan cravings and entice a new set of Boys Likes Girls-wearied, bored onlookers, Four Year Strong now offer us ‘Enemy Of The World’, sporting a redefined production, stronger hooks, and those lovely gang vocals that make raising a fist for the everyday man and his miniscule problems seems so worthwhile.

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“Song Of Hope” was an anthem like none that the band had come up with before, and an example of the gigantic lead forward Robbie Seay and the band put forth on their previous break out album, ‘Give Yourself Away’. Much like that last record, ‘Miracle’ moves the band forward still, and like all progress, it doesn’t trek back over a path beaten down and worn out.

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Man Overboard just released their new record ‘Before We Met…’, and truth be told, this collection of otherwise punk/pop songs are pretty good. Take “Love Your Friends, Die Laughing” for example, the acoustic based track with group vocals is unbelievably catchy the first time through.

Championing the theme of love on Miracle, Robbie Seay Band have built upon their previous album’s success and continue to follow other leaders, like David Crowder, in the Worship/rock genre. Standout tracks like “Let Our Faith Not Be Alone” and “Crazy Love” show the musical growth, while the cover of Jon Foreman’s “Your Love Is Strong” is a completely new creature with a backing band and Robbie Seay’s scratchy vocals.

Read the full review
Listen to Robbie Seay Band
Release Date: 3/23/10

Strung together like a series of diary entries, Poema’s debut EP may come off as a bit ‘teenage’ in nature, but then again considering both members (sisters) Elle and Shealeen are teenagers, maybe it’s expected.

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Cool, Calm and collected, Tyler James takes a huge swing and absolutely knocks it out of the park in every way with ‘It Took The Fire’. The mellow rock led by the piano seems to channel Billy Joel, especially regarding “Soapbox Shakedown” and “Nothing Will Last”. Built on lyrics that reflect on how he got where he is, Tyler James lays it all on the line as to not let the album fall into mediocrity, but rather to make an impact.

Listen to Tyler James
Release Date: 3/2/10

Music out today worth buying

* Tyler James – It Took The Fire
* Peasant – Shady Retreat
* Fictionist – Last Echo

Other music out today

* Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors

Peasant - Shady Retreat

Chad Pearson worked for Tooth & Nail Records before starting The Militia Group and currently runs P Is For Panda. He will be contributing articles about his personal experiences in, and behind the scenes of, the music industry.

CHAPTER FOUR.

I honestly don’t know what part I should tell you next. I was in heaven! I had my DREAM job! I was getting free clothes and free CD’s! How crazy is it that my first job was my dream job?! How f’ing cool was that? Well, I slowly started making a name for myself. As one who never likes to leave a job undone, I worked hard everyday in the mail room. (And not because I was homeless…I had a place now.) Going above and beyond is what was expected of me. I tried to be two steps ahead of Bill, who was really my boss. I wanted to be able to tell Bill “Already done man!” when he asked me to do inventory, etc. I wanted to do such great work that everyone took notice. I wanted to make everyone else happy cause I didn’t want anyone to think that I didn’t belong there.

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On the band’s second release they have settled into a tempered rhythm that incorporates a southern sound merged with classic rock influence. “Human Wings” and “Blue-Eyed Universe” immediately show the album’s  attractiveness, while some of the other tracks take longer to get aquatinted with, though are just as good. Overall a record that sneaks up slowly, but ends up satisfying in every way.

Listen to Fictionist
Release Date: 3/2/10

Just like the band Search/Rescue came from members of Acceptance and Gatsby’s American Dream, there are now 2 new bands coming from Search/Rescue. Places And Numbers is Bobby’s solo effort [his new EP is available for pay-what-you] and Ryan has started singing with Ticktockman. The release from Places And Numbers seems much more interesting to me personally, but take your pick.

Press release below:

Follow Deep Elm Records on Twitter and Get 2 Free CDs

People Of Earth:

Deep Elm Records is giving away 2 Free CDs of your choice to everyone following the label on Twitter (www.twitter.com/deepelm). The label has set aside over $30,000 in Free CDs to give away to fans as a way of saying thanks for supporting this truly independent record label. Supplies are limited, so act fast!

Followers can select CDs from THE APPLESEED CAST (currently on the “Low Level Owl” Tour during which the band is performing all 26 songs from their critically-acclaimed double album just released as a Limited Silver Edition 3xLP: www.deepelm.com/396V/), SOUNDS LIKE VIOLENCE, TRACK A TIGER (who just released their third album, “I Felt The Bullet Hit My Heart”: www.deepelm.com/480/), SMALL ARMS DEALER, DARTZ!, RIDE YOUR BIKE, FREE DIAMONDS and many more.

So how do you get them?

1) If you have a Twitter account, follow www.twitter.com/deepelm
2) If you don’t have an account, get one…it will takes just a minute
3) After you are following, go here: www.deepelm.com/follower/

Your Twitter name is required to get your 2 Free CDs.

Here is just a little info to let you know some of the things happening/changing at The Album Project recently.

* The podcast is now available for both iTunes and Zune

* For the first time sense the site started, almost 3 years ago, there are now 2 regular contributors (in addition to myself). You can see what Jared and Kate have done by clicking on their name on the ‘About’ page.

* Soon we’ll have stickers to giveaway, plus another very exciting and secret thing to announce (giveaway) very shortly.

UPDATE: The podcast is now featured in the new releases section of iTunes [music podcasts]. Be sure to leave a review or at least leave a star rating.

Fed up with the industry, the scene, genres, and most of all the need to please others, The Classic Crime champions honesty as the driving and defining force behind their third career album Vagabonds. Both musically and lyrically, the band’s newest album is blatantly honest and hard-hitting with both a flair of rebellion and straightforward rock anthems.

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