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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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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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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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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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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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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Frightened Rabbit’s sophomore release was one that extended an eerie fastening to listeners with the pleading, depressive lyrics of Scottish-voice Scotch Hutchison layered on top of the Selkirk band’s warm yet initially abrasive indie rock style of music. As a whole, critics were left enthralled and surprised with the release, never even having had an initial clue that the competent but easily passable talent first heard on debut Sing The Greys would sprout and produce a near cult-classic album just two years later. As is the case with bands that release phenomenal, out-of-nowhere releases, anticipation for Frighten Rabbits next release has been quite high. Even more on the minds of fans and critics, however, is the issue of where exactly the Scottish quintet will go from here, and what exactly the product will sound like.

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New Jersey’s It’s A King Thing sound like they have spent a lot of their time held up in one of their apartments with a lot of 90s indie rock playing in the background, while retelling funny stories of their ex’s to each other. In fact, one could say that that practically summarizes the band’s attitude, sound, and purpose for their new sophomore release, Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

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The pop injected rock that The Rocket Summer articulated and crafted so well was always a breathe of fresh air and was always being improved by leaps and bounds with each release. Maybe that’s why, overall, this album is disappointing.

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Usually carrying on much longer than is necessary, Angels & Airwaves have built their sound and persona on appearing to create something that’s bigger than a traditional, easy to dissect 3 minute song. In an interesting turn of events, you don’t even have to be a fan to find out how the band’s 3rd release turned out. Due to a “corporate underwriting”, that can only be assumed to have something to do with the movie with the same title, ‘LOVE’ was freely released to everyone.

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It can still be considered a bit unconventional when the main focus of, what is essentially, an indie/pop/rock album, is not the lyrics. The ability for the music to hold a listener’s attention with the same veracity as someone singing a story can only be accomplished when the music is as colorful and imaginative as it is on Fang Island’s debut album.

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When you board an airplane they provide you with an instruction sheet for what to do incase of a crash landing. It’s only fair then that this debut from Two Door Cinema Club come with some kind of warning because this album is a juggernaut of rhythm and melodies, and you are absolutely going to drown in it.

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Musically speaking, Useless Education aims to fall somewhere between A Rocket To The Moon with “To My Girl” and Cinematic Sunrise with “Journey Into The Unknown”. Occasionally encountering detours, the band still manages to hit their target and in the process comes up with a respectable 6 song EP.

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Humbly understated, Peasant spends 10 tracks trying to bring you into his world where you’ll need to slow down in order to appreciate the beauty. Of course the songs, and stories that they tell may seem a bit more dramatic than they actually are, but that’s usually what you get with the singer/songwriter genre.

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Motion City Soundtrack has been trying to perfect their style of slick rock with both punk and pop influences for awhile now, but instead of advancing it, latest release finds the band stalling out more often.

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Even though you probably don’t recognize the name ‘The Enemy Lovers’, the band’s self titled EP is absolutely worth checking out. I realize that I’m not supposed to give away too much in the opening paragraph, but seriously were you going to read on if I didn’t?

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Even though “Disappearing World” begins humbly, it starts the album that many have been waiting years for off with a bang. Fair is the pop/rock band from long time producer and recording engineer Aaron Sprinkle. With almost 4 years between the debut and the sophomore albums, you might expect the anticipation and expectations to fall beneath the weight, but that is about the exact opposite of what actually happens.

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“Perro” opens the record in the same way a slowly opening door would. On one side, you have your thoughts and feelings, but as the door swings open you become exposed to another reality, another world of sounds that speak just as vibrantly as words do. “Blank Pages” is the result of the door being opened and the first real glimpse of what this new world looks like. The song creates a foundation of airy piano backed by soft electronic rhythm that, on its own, isn’t anything special, but combined with the rest of the tracks is fantastic.

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I’ll try not to be too cliche, but ‘To The Secrets And Knowledge’ is both a familiar and a fresh take on the almost 8 year old band, all at the same time. Familiar in the sense that existing fans won’t really be surprised by anything on the record, but new in that it feels like Jeff Schneeweis is really embracing being the sole member for the recording of these songs.

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Not only is the future bright for Gold Motel, but based on the 5 brilliantly simple songs, I would highly suspect the majority of casual music listeners, or mainstreamers, could easily fit this indie offering into their collection without thinking twice. I have absolutely no problem comparing Greta Morgan, who fronts Gold Motel, to such prominet pop stars like Diane Birch, Ingrid Michaelson, or even Norah Jones because of the calibre her voice raises these songs to.

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More and more artists are finding themselves label-less for one reason or another and deciding to take the control into their own hands. Tyler Read who put out ‘Only Rock And Roll Can Save Us’ on Immortal Records in 2007 have now released ‘Hallelujiaville’ and are pushing it up the promotion hill completely on their own strength.

Much like the band’s debut, ‘Hallelujiavile’, takes a rock and roll formula and tears out the fat, replacing it with something shinier that sparkles in the ear. The biggest difference between albums does not appear in the music, but rather in the lyrical content which aims to give light to a band forced to grow up quick than they probably would have liked.

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We The Kings were at one time that up and coming band that acted as a secret handshake between those deep into the latest new music. That handshake quickly faded as songs like “Check Yes Juliet” took off in the mainstream and while that shouldn’t determine your relationship with their music, it has seemingly influenced the band’s musical direction.

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Everyone knows a band’s sophomore album is their most telling, and so for that reason, ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is a little bit disappointing. Continually throughout this album it feels as if the thought of mainstream success is what is dictating the choices, rather than the drive described on “Let Me Go On” from ”Til We See The Shore’.

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Like a superhero with the powers of a talented musician, I’m never quite sure if John Mayer is putting the powers to good or infamous use. While ‘Continuum’ was riddled with themes ranging from political to ones of belief and thoughts on the world, ‘Battle Studies’ seems to get stuck in rut of, to borrow a song title, heartbreak warfare.

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I always thought it was a bit odd that on The Starting Line’s debut album they had a song essentially about making it as a band, but now on a final live album after being on a major label “Given The Chance” seems fitting as the opening track.

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Switchfoot long ago hit that level, in which they reached a certain caliber of music, and have been free to move in a variety of musical directions without fear of sacrificing the quality. The songs on ‘Hello Hurricane’ rip through open fields with heavy instrumentation and a sophisticated chaos with the purpose of spreading understanding and expanding on optimistic ideals.

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This is not so much a review as it is a write up.

I don’t think I’m ruining anything by saying the film ends with the song “Swim” and after the credits rolled, the first thing I did was start the film again.

In the first five minutes of this documentary Andrew McMahon [Something Corporate & Jack's Mannequin] is sitting on a bed staring into a camera and says “I am now officially a leukemia patient”. Starting back in 2005, when the first Jack’s Mannequin record was completed, was when Andrew found out he had cancer. The movie follows him through the lens of his hand held video camera while he battles the disease and everything that comes with it.

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The line between utter disaster and utter brilliance is a fine one and one which the Freelance Whales walk carefully self unaware. ‘Weatehrvanes’ humbly puts vocal melodies and instrumental ones in the same time and place like they were always made to be one unit, able to combine the best of other bands such as One For The Team and Anathello into what you’ve always wanted.

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Needtobreathe w/ Serena Ryder & The Alternate Routes
Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA 10/22/09:

Karma was on my side tonight.
Throughout the past week I have managed to get friends and co-workers into shows I was working for San Francisco’s Live 105 (KITS) like the San Francisco debut of The Temper Trap, Brand New w/ Manchester orchestra in San Jose, Treasure Island Music Festival & Weezer’s secret Myspace show, now tonight, as I finally prepared to hand over my $15 for Needtobreathe’s first show in San Francisco in over 3 years, the man in line in front of me just happened to have a +1 he wasn’t going to use.
I got myself an unexpected free show, and it was a good one.

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