LMP No.5 (May/June 2010)

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

LEXINGTON MUSIC PRESS May/June

2010 No.5

Intro : LOOKING BACK AT THE BEGINNING

By Nathaniel Lay (President/Founder) I've never been one to keep very good records, but I started the whole online press thing some sixteen months ago.

That wasn't necessarily the start for me, however. In high school, I did a little online promotion here and there. It wasn't anything big, but it got me a little more involved in the music scene. While briefly living in California, I tried starting a record label at the beginning of 2009. This went for a couple months, but like the digital magazine I ran at the same time, it failed. However, it made me feel like making a bigger turn into music journalism. At some point during the spring, I began contributing to AMP Magazine and its sister publication, Hails And Horns (though I recently added Outburn to that list). That summer, I created Lexington Music Press and began to run that site on the side. Since then, LMP has gained fans and higher hit counts. We have publicists, managers, and labels that know me by name and contact me on a weekly basis for press possibilities. However, we are still a very small “company�, if you can even call us that. We receive several thousand hits a month, but that's nothing really (trust me). Also, there are only three of us as of this moment.

I've had a handful of people ask me how I got to this point, and it was actually quite easy. While LMP has been very stressful and difficult to run, jumping into music journalism is simple as long as you can write and have the passion to do so on a constant basis. It's not easy, but if you love the big picture, it's worth it. Trust me, you will get burnt out from time to time. Writing review after review will leave you sprawled out on the bed wanting a break. I try to save my best stuff for the magazines; in all honesty, LMP gets a lot of my shitty work.

Any how, if you want to get into this business, just send some samples around. Try some magazines, websites...that sort of thing. Don't worry about starting small; you'll work your way up the ladder if you got what it takes. In fact, we need some more writers, so e-mail me some time if you want me to take a look at your work.

Looking back, it's hard to believe I've been doing journalism for over a year now. I think the official anniversary for LMP would have to be August, but I'm not positive. I think that's the month the site really launched in the kind of format it is today. Yes, the layout has changed many, many times, but the set up was more or less the same. Features have come and gone, focuses have changed, but that's all part of the game. Sometimes you just feel a need to change

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com or reinvent.

I've always wanted to keep the unsigned scene a big part of LMP, but I'll admit our spotlights on those kind of bands have really faded over the recent months. We will post an unsigned review here and there, but not as often as we did at the beginning. Trust me, it is something I want to get back in the rotation of things. The problem is it has become so HECTIC over here at the office. I have some twenty albums sent over on a weekly basis for review, and that piles up fast. That doesn't even include the interviews publicists and managers will contact me about setting up. A lot of these things end up falling through due to my busy schedule. After all, I do balance LMP on my free time. That means I work on this site when I'm actually at home, which isn't very often these days. As you can imagine, it is very easy to fall behind on things you want to get done. If I had more time and more contributors, LMP would be much bigger than it is right now.

I feel like I'm starting to ramble, so I'll wrap things up. Bottom line, it's been quite an interesting sixteen months and things are always getting better. Here's to what the next sixteen months hold for us. I can't wait to see what happens!

Enjoy this issue (though it looks more like a newsletter) and I will talk to you in our forum sometime!

Information / Contact PRESIDENT/FOUNDER Nathaniel Lay WRITERS Mario Trevizo (www.fans4bands.org) Ryan Williford (www.audiopinions.net) Looking to advertise with us or contact us for press purposes? nathaniellay@live.com MAIN OFFICE 37930 Chaptico Road Mechanicsville, MD 20659 MAILING LIST Join from our Home page to be informed on the latest news, postings, and more.

LINKS www.lexingtonmusicpress.com (Main Site) www.lmpmagazine.com www.myspace.com/lexingtonmusicpress www.twitter.com/lexingtonmp ATTENTION! We are looking for more contributing writers and a graphic designer who can take over the magazine layouts and art.

If you think you want us to give you a shot, then send over some samples of your work.

Writers – Sample review and/or sample article Designers – Sample magazine cover and/or sample article page *Lexington Music Press (2009-2010) runs mainly online, but also release these digi-issues every so often. We try for monthly, but things don't always go according to plan.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com AO: During the summer, you guys will be touring with Otep and The Birthday Massacre. Is there a reason why are there no tour dates posted before the end of June? If so, would you mind sharing?

Joey: Yes, there is a reason for that. Most of us still work at our day jobs, and some of us are not willing to lose them!

(Haha). We got to pay the bills somehow, right?

AO: Are there any other touring plans that you may or may not be able to talk about yet?

Joey: We have some touring plans, but nothing confirmed yet. We hope to tour as much as possible in support of this new album. We want this album to reach out to everyone that enjoys this style of music and we hope wherever we are, that people will come out and have a great time with us... because that’s what we’re all about.

AO: A lot has probably been said and written about your short break-up. Do you guys feel that you guys would still be on good terms if the breakup had never happened? Why?

BENEATH THE SKY >> Interview with Joey Nelson (Vocals) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net Audiopinions: You guys have just released “In Loving Memory,” what are you able to tell us about this album?

Joey: "In Loving Memory" is the album that DEFINES us. This is the album we've been wanting to create for some time now. This is considered our third album when really it feels like our first. (Haha). The guys in the band really busted their asses creating the music for this album. I think they came up with all of the music within a few weeks. Honestly, I was hardly ever there for creative support because I had better things to do. (Haha). To be honest, I started to get involved with this album when it was time for me to record vocals. I had to come up with lyrics for the songs in less than a week, so that was an interesting experience. It was a lot different, but worked out better.

We got to work with Josh Schroeder on this album. He is based out in Bay City, Michigan, I believe. He was just as excited to do this album as we were. Josh actually came down to our hometown to track the drums and guitars. We tracked the vocals up in his studio in Michigan. We feel that Josh did a really amazing job. He was very fun to work with and we would love nothing more than to be able to work with him again.

AO: What has the early reaction been like from the fans and critics?

Joey: It has been really good. Before the album was even released, we were receiving excellent reviews whether they were in magazines or online. I think we were getting more positive feedback on this album than we have received on our previous albums. That made us feel as though we finally did something right. (Haha). The fans have been great… I feel we are gaining more and more each day. Granted though, we still have our haters. I don't know what we would be without them. We have heard from displeased fans as well, telling us we need to write songs more like those on the first or second album. It’s good to have them still be appreciative of the past albums, but we can only hope that they at least take a listen to "In Loving Memory" while keeping an open mind.

Joey: Who knows really? There is always a reason for when certain things happen. I would like to think we would have been better off if we didn't have that 'break-up'. Typically, I would be wrong imagining so.

AO: Who did the art for the album? Was the final product what you had expected it to be or was it different?

Joey: The artwork was done by Glenn Thomas (For We Are Synapse). It did come out different from what I was expecting it to be. But nonetheless, the band and I are satisfied with the final product. I think the artwork blends very well with the whole idea that we had for this particular album.

AO: How have you guys changed personally and as a band from the recording of “What Demons Do To Saints” to present day?

Joey: Other than having a couple of lineup changes? We now have Kevin Stafford (Guitars/Vocals), Bryan Cash (Drums), and Randy Barnes (Bassist). They are great additions to this band. I think we would not have created the songs we have now if we would of kept the original line up. We all collaborate very well together. We just keep on aiming for being the best that we can be while having fun doing so.

From creating "What Demons Do To Saints", "The Day The Music Died", and now "In Loving Memory." With each album we like to put more into it. Have some similarities, but add more variety to our sound. We love all kinds of genres of music. We are fans of it… I mean, when it comes to making a new album, it’s like being an artist who paints.

After you paint one picture and want to create a new one, do you honestly think you’d paint the same picture over and over again? I think not… and that’s what we can only hope for our fans to understand. Each album we have made reflects who we are at that time. So, as we move on to the next idea, you got to know when it’s coming from us, it’s not going to be like an album we have already done. Our main focus with creating our music is to be as REAL as possible. Oh, and heavier of course! Haha.

AO: Five years down the road, where do you see yourself and the band?

Joey: Hopefully, we will live to see the day when we release "The Best of Beneath The Sky"! (Haha).

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com AO: What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

Joey: Just like everything else, it has its pros and cons. But, speaking on behalf of all bands/artists‌ it fucking sucks!!!

But hey... we are all guilty for doing this.

AO: Thanks you for your time, any final thoughts?

Joey: Thank you for your time as well. To everyone who reads this‌ PLEASE BUY OUR SHIT!!!

THE FALL OF TROY >> Interview with Andrew Forsman (Drums) by Mario Trevizo Mario: So this could be the last interview ever for The Fall Of Troy.

Andrew: Yeah, and it's good dude. I'm not going to try and hide things. Secrets give people power.

Mario: (Haha) Did you used to keep secrets from other interviewers?

Andrew: Oh no, in general. Everyone keeps secrets. But I'm trying not to these days so..yeah.

Mario: Ok so, did you guys have any other names before you settled with The Fall Of Troy?

Andrew: Thirty Years War. We had another guitar player named Mike Monroe.

Mario: How old were you all when you started this?

Andrew: I had just got my drivers license, so I was 16. So that was about October/November of 2001. We started, were The Thirty Years War, had another guitar player and he was two years ahead of me, a year ahead of Thomas in school. So when he went to college, he was really focused on his education and he quit. Like right in the middle of us recording an EP titled "Martyrs Among The Casualties?".

Mario: So how many years did you keep that name before you changed it?

Andrew: It was about a year and a half to two years.

Mario: What was the reason for your name switch to The Fall Of Troy? Did it have some sort of meaning to you or did it just sound cool?

Andrew: There was another band called The Thirty Years War, and they were all like super hardcore. They were all in their 20's, and we were like...you know, 17/18. So they were like brutal hardcore, and we got all freaked out that

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com maybe they wouldn't like that we had the same name. So when we signed our first record deal we were like "Screw it, now's the time to change our name." So we just changed it to The Fall Of Troy, because you know, they are both historic events. Then we got an email from the other Thirty Years War maybe a year later? And they were like "Dude it would have been awesome if we played a show together. We could have called it the sixty years war show." They were totally nice, like we totally could have kept the name but..

with the crowd that you didn't expect would get as popular as it did?

Mario: ...they didn't care at all?

Andrew: I knew it was catchy, I didn't think it was THAT catchy. And then of course “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.”.

Andrew: No not at all, they were super cool.

Mario: What made you guys want to make a video out of that one vs. the original?

Mario: Did you guys have a pretty strong fan base getting your first record deal?

Andrew: Oh well, that's just the one that everyone always says is "The song".

Andrew: Yeah. Well, no. I mean I guess we did well. I mean our biggest show at the time had been about 200 to 300 people. After we had been putting out music for a little bit longer, we really started getting bigger and stuff. But see, Seattle is weird. As soon as you start touring, everyone there is like "You suck. You are too big for us now." It's such a weird concept, it's like only love to locals. We were at this time period where we'd play Seattle once every three months. Whereas before we were playing twice a weekend. So it was like a huge drop off for everyone who liked us there. They were like "Screw these guys, they got big." But in reality, we were really just touring.

Mario: So did it become automatic that you would start to end your set with that song?

Mario: Yeah, so did your parents give a shit that you guys were touring before you even graduated high school?

Andrew: Oh it's definitely done. We were just like, let's let it run it's course and when it's done it's done.

Andrew: Umm, my parents didn't really get it until we played this festival in Seattle called "Bumbershoot" and there was like 3,000 kids going crazy for us. Then they were like "Ok." But see I dropped out of college to do this. I was going to the University Of Washington. And they were like "you are making a really bad decision." But when they saw us playing to 3,000 kids who were all going CRAZY, they were like "Okay, you're not doing soo bad. You actually made an ok choice."

Mario: What exactly gave you that sense of "We're complete, we're at where we needed to be."?

Mario: From that point on were you guys getting progressively bigger through ALL of the states?

Andrew: After our first tour, there were already a ton of kids who had heard of us and were super stoked to see us. So I feel like the first time we left Washington state and went nationwide, that is when we like really noticed "Wow there are actually kids out here that care about us." We didn't even know that. Then we went over to Europe and there were people over THERE who cared about it. I dunno, that was always weird for me, but great. That's when you know at least SOMEBODY is listening.

Mario: Yeah. When you had started out, did you always want to capture that technical-as-shit, super crazy sound?

Or did it just come along the way and you just fell in love with your sound?

Andrew: When we had started it, we were going to be instrumental and soft. So at the time I had been in a band and Thomas had been in a band. So we were like "Cool. This could be our side project" which was The Thirty Years War. Yeah so, we had weird intentions and they just never came to flourish. So we just had to do what we were going to do.

Mario: So what was the actual leading factor that led to your style? With the screaming, the craziness..it almost sounds psychotic.

Andrew: (Haha) Yeah. Well Thomas was in pretty heavy bands, forever. Well we met in drumline, and the time that we met was at a field show which was in crazy time signatures. Like it would be 5, two bars of 7, a bar of 10, a bar of 4, 5, a bar of 6. So like, our relationship was forged playing drums together in a really weird piece of music. So I dunno. It was like innate in us to be like "We got to make some weird ass shit."

Mario: Ok so you guys get this crazy sound, kids are falling in love with it. Was there any song that really caught on

Andrew: Yeah, our song “F.C.P.S.I.T.S.G.E.P.G.E.P.”. People always really loved that song.

Mario: Did you expect them to?

Andrew: Like if we are doing an encore, we are typically doing that one.

Mario: Right now you guys are at your 9th year together. Did you ever think to just go on and make it to your 10th year together, or is it just done?

Andrew: Well we finished our contracts with Equal Visions and we put out 5 albums. Personally, I want to see what it's like to be a normal person. Like work a 9 to 5 and not be in a band. We've all been doing this since High School. So we've never known the normal post-high school life. And I'm sure it won't be normal anyways but at least I'll see how the 90% of other people live.

Mario: So there's really no hard feelings or anything. It's more of the idea that you have done what you could do together and now it is time to move to the next thing?

Andrew: Oh yeah, for sure! We all had a great time. We are all going to keep on making music. My only thing is, I don't want to do it for money anymore. I've done it as a job, and it's cool, but..I've had way more fun when we were just farting around in the basement. You know, not caring if people listened to us or not. I've always wanted to do this because we hadn't done it...

Mario: But now that you know...

Andrew: Right. Yeah, so now I just want to see what else is out there for me. I'll always have to keep making music, but I want to see what else is out there.

Mario: You just want to jam out and make music because you want to.

Andrew: Exactly. I just don't want it to be a job anymore, that's all.

Mario: Is there any chance that we would see a Fall Of Troy reunion show or tour?

Andrew: I would say...never. We're not on hiatus, we're broken up. I don't know when our last show really really is going to be? But, when we're done we're done. This isn't like some plan where in 5 years we'll reunite (haha). We're done.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Mario: Within the last 9 years of playing together, which year was the best overall?

Andrew: The first or the second year. It was just so fresh and new. We were making music that I had never even heard before. I had never heard anything sound like what we were making. And I wanted to hear stuff that sounded like that.

So writing songs that I wanted to hear, because they didn't exist at all was great. So yeah, that was really interesting and fun.

Mario: Do you have any ONE favorite moment out of your whole career? Should it have been the perfect show, or anything like that?

Andrew: Tentacles coming out of its face. Fucking...it's skin would be green with black splotches. But the black splotches would move. And it would be shaped kind of like a lizard that walks on two feet...but like a human lizard walking on two feet with tentacles coming out of its face and black splotches moving under its green skin. yeah. That would be it.

Mario: And why would people be scared of this, what attitude does this monster have?

Andrew: It just destroys everything and you can't hurt it.

Andrew: Probably our first U.S. tour. It was with Fear Before The March Of Flames headlining, Bear Vs Shark, Mainsport, Since My Man Was, and we opened. It was my first time touring around the U.S. with a bunch of bands.

Kids came out every night and got there early just to see us. So I was like "Damn. People like us!" So that was really nice. And everyone on that tour was so awesome, and almost set the tone for every other tour. I think there may have only been one or two where people didn't really hang out. Usually when we do a tour, like everybody hangs out. Like with Deftones it happened.

Mario: Alright and that's the Fall Of Troy monster. Is there any name that you would call it?

Mario: You guys toured with Deftones that's right. That's insane.

Andrew: Or maybe even something like "Slogith" or something like that. Yeah (haha).

Andrew: Yeah yeah yeah, but they were some of the nicest people ever. Like they came to our van and were like "Hey guys, you got beer?" and we're like "Dudes! You've guys got like cases of beer" and they''re like "yeah but we just want to hang out and have a beer with you." Like ok, we'll give you a Corona haha.

Mario: Well that is The Fall Of Troy, that is how they would kill everyone as a monster, and that was their career for you.

Mario: So what about inconveniences. Was there any time that stands out as the most inconvenient moment?

Andrew: Just like van problems. Like breaking down in Nebraska sucked. Eh, you know, mostly mechanical stuff. Like this tour, our back tire just completely came off. In the middle of the mountain cross in Colorado it just broke off. Then it rolled probably about 200 yards down the road. And Larry (Tour Manager) is like chasing it down the road on this two lane really crazy highway. That was crazy (haha). But yeah, it's always just mechanical stuff.

Mario: On a positive note, what has been your favorite venue in your career?

Andrew: The Norva.

Mario: The Norva in Virginia?

Andrew: Yeaaah, that place is amazing. I lived in Virginia Beach for a year, so going back there is always fun.

Mario: So what was The Fall Of Troy food? What was always in the van? Was it Goldfish, was it Doritos?

Andrew: Sour..patch..kids. ALWAYS Sour patch kids. Or Nerds.

Mario: And what about your favorite stop?

Andrew: I like Wawa. But we go to Panera a lot. Panera or Jimmy John's. Those are pretty standard. Or McDonalds breakfast. I'm not a huge McDonalds fan, but their breakfast is amazing. And if they served it the whole day, I'd probably go there like 10 times more than I already do, so yeah. It's disgusting (haha).

Mario: (Haha) Alright, last question. Say your band.. this is your last tour, finally playing your last show. And right at the end of your last show, Fall Of Troy transforms into this crazy ass monster that just scares the shit out of everyone. But what would be the three features that just make it the monster it is?

Andrew: Uhhh yeah.. But I don't think..I could pronounce it in English. No no no (haha), I'm just kidding. It would be like a love craft type name like "Chooloo" or something.

Mario: (Haha) The world's most destructive monster named "Chooloo".

Andrew: Spread the love. Download it, get it for free, no more paying.

Mario: There is no contest, but if you draw a picture of that monster and send it in to The Fall Of Troy...

Andrew: Something COOL will happen.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com respect for the bands that do it off their own backs, like Enter Shikari.

Nate: How did you come to working with Ambient Management?

We applied to loads of festivals a couple of months ago, and Dave was one of the judges. He really liked what we were doing and he asked if he could help us out. At that point, we needed any help we could get and he seemed a real asset to our cause.

Nate: Your band is still young. You began in 2009, right? Tell us the history of We Start Partys and why that name.

WE START PARTYS >> Interview with We Start Partys by Nathaniel Lay Nate: You guys have an interesting cover for “It’s not the Winning”. Tell us about how it came along, who did the art, and why that picture?

We formed in the summer, and started playing our first shows in August. After some initial line-up changes, we become the band you know today. The name ‘We Start Partys’ came from wanting to stand out and be noticed from the crowds of middle-of-the-road bands about. We wanted our intentions to be clear, and they really couldn’t be much clearer could they?!

Nate: You guys list Blink-182 as one of your major influences. What other artists do you guys listen to a lot of?

We all have different artists/bands we like from every type of music. Individually, we all bring something new to the table, but what connects us is our sense of good pop songs. Matt likes his rock, Dave his pop punk, Elys loves his dance-crossover bands, I love my pop and Ross loves anything dance, but within all those areas lie good pop songs waiting to be brought out. We’re all really liking “Kids In Glass Houses” new album, and a lot of stuff in the charts actually!

We choose a local graffiti artist called ‘SPZero’ for the design. We’re both friends and fans of his, and really liked his style and his attention to detail. As an E.P cover it had to grab your attention, and we were playing with the idea of having a picture that speaks out, and paints a story. The girl represents the ‘two-sides-to-every-story’ concept, as they turn to face away from each other. It was designed to show a situation that represents the title, and generally the ‘feel’ of the E.P, both of helplessness and yet optimism!

Nate: Do you have a specific sound you are trying for, or does it just kind of happen?

Nate: On your MySpace, you guys have been saying you're eagerly waiting for tour time. What do you guys have planned for this summer?

Nate: Your music is pretty catchy and fun. How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn't heard your band yet?

Well it’s the first tour for all of us, and we want to make sure we do it right! We’re promoting, flyering, and playing impromptu acoustic shows in every city to spread the word… hopefully the fan-base too! We have a new set we’ve all been working really hard on, and we’re block-booked into our rehearsal studios at the moment. We really just want to get out there and get started! We have a homecoming gig to look forward to in Bristol on June 10th, and have much planned for that night! We’re hosting the night with the superb ‘On/Off Switch’, who are really good friends of ours.

You do NOT want to miss that one, that’s all we’re saying! Apart from that, we have a video shoot in the pipeline, as well as some new material we’re really looking forward to everyone hearing. Once the new E.P is on track, we head to LONGWAVE studios to record in London, and we are really excited about that. All in all, a pretty hectic few months for us in the W.S.P’s camp!

We never really take ourselves that seriously. Musically, we take it very seriously, but we like to be tongue-in-cheek with lyrics and that’s where our attitudes and personalities come out.

We always try and have fun with ideas as well, and write music that people want to hear and can relate to.

Nate: You guys are currently unsigned. How do you like being a DIY band? Does having a label back you sound like something you'd be interested in having?

Nate: "Frontin'" sounds like a cross between Cobra Starship and some skate punk music. Tell us about that track.

Definitely! But getting signed in the music industry doesn’t mean anything as much as it did years ago. As a band, we feel privileged to play what we want, how we want, and when. We have no-one telling us how to do it, and if it’s got us this far why change now? The only reason we would sign to a label is for the opportunities to record albums and play shows around the world. We always put as much money as we do time in our band, on top of uni/college work, exams, jobs, etc. and it would be quite nice to have someone take the load off, and leave you to focus on the music.

With that said, we’re not letting that distract us from why we’re doing this in the first place, and we always have

We love catchy melodies and hooks. We normally song write acoustically, then add elements bit-by-bit, and build it up to the songs you recognize today. As long as it’s catchy that’s all we aim for! We have only one proper rule: if you can’t remember it the next day, it wasn’t good enough! Back to the drawing board.

Nate: What is your favorite song on the EP and why? Which song seems to be the fan favorite?

If we all had to vote, and had to agree…we would say “Frontin’”. It’s definitely the most fun and energetic song on the E.P. We felt it’s a little stroll out of the comfort zone for us as well, which is always good to do. Live, we mix it with ‘Slam’ by Pendulum, and the crowd always go crazy for it!

“Frontin’” was written about when you can see that people aren’t being honest in the way they’re acting, and your fed-up of putting on an act yourself for whatever reason around them. It’s about not letting how other people act make you feel less worthy, and showing them that the only way to get what you want is to be honest.

Nate: What's next for the band and can we expect a full length later this year?

After the summer tour, we will be returning to the studios to work on the next E.P.. It might be a full-length, but we

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com don’t know this early unfortunately. But we have some really big plans we’d love to get started on, as well as movingin with each other. We will definitely be looking forward to bringing you new songs, new sets, and more shows after summer!

UNDERDOG >> Interview with Richie (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay Nate: So you guys took quite the long break. How long was it?

Richie: Underdog initially broke up in '89, then reunited for a short tour in '98. From 2005 'til present-day we've been steadily playing shows.

Nate: Tell us about the upcoming reunion tour.

Richie: Well, it's more a growing list of sporadic shows than a constant tour. In the immediate future, we're playing all over the east coast. The future holds a couple of weeks in Europe and an eventual return to Japan.

Nate: What are your goals with this tour and this year in general?

Richie: To play whenever we can and hopefully to introduce a new generation to us while thanking those who've stuck by us for 25 years.

Nate: What exactly is 'Matchless'?

Richie: It's to be interpreted individually. Aside from meaning incomparable (Underdog were always a bit different from our peers), there's the allegory of the Matchless vs. Triumph. Today, everyone knows of Triumph motorcycles, while fewer know of Matchless, despite their proud and storied past and their place in history.

Nate: How has the scene changed since the 80's when you guys were at your top game?

Richie: It's a different world altogether. It is impossible today for the same dynamics to exist, so hardcore is much

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com bigger and much more difficult to define these days.

Nate: How did Bridge Nine come to being the label to release 'Matchless'?

Richie: We just clicked with them on a personal level. It's as simple as that. We talked to various labels, and they just felt instantly "right".

Nate: How do you feel about the album and its release?

Richie: We love the fact that there is an all-in-one volume of our work and that newer fans don't have to scour eBay or get tenth-generation duplicates to hear us.

Nate: What are your top 5 tracks and why?

"Not Like You": Our first recording and, essentially, our "mission statement".

"True Blue": A song that champions individuality.

"Over the Edge": A cathartic release of rage.

"Without Fear": A song about devotion, love, friendship.

"The Vanishing Point": A tragic song about one person losing another.

Nate: Which songs are you most looking forward to playing again?

WE ARE DEFIANCE!

Richie: Personally, I love screaming out "Over the Edge" and "The Vanishing Point".

>> Interview with Brian Calzini (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay

Nate: How do you think/hope Underdog will be received by today's scene?

Nate: You guys recently announced you've signed with our friends Tragic Hero. How did that come to be?

Richie: Well, we've been playing out sporadically since 2005 and it's been nothing but great.

Brian: Well we had been talking to labels for quite some time, shopping our demos around and seeing what our options were. Our manager Gabe told us Tommy at Tragic Hero really liked our new stuff and wanted to hear more so we sent him some newer tracks and boom a deal was laid out for us. We feel we picked the perfect label for our band.

Tommy and Tragic Hero have been amazing to us so far and we're really looking forward to our future with the label.

Nate: How do you feel about the digital age taking over music?

Richie: I miss the time when it wasn't as easy as reading Wikipedia or downloading music to learn about something.

One had to live through it, to experience it. I remember having to travel downtown, to a tiny record store on MacDougal Street to buy the latest Misfits 7" records. Those days are impossible to re-create. Of course, there are good things about bands being able to instantly be heard globally.

Nate: What are the band's plans for this year and further?

Richie: To play whenever we can in the States, Europe, Asia... Wherever they'll have us.

Nate: What made you guys go on hiatus in the past? What made you guys decide to reunite? What have you guys been up to all these years in between?

Richie: We broke up, as most bands do, at a time when we were just collectively spent and needed to move on for the indefinite future. What brought us back together in 2005 was the imminent closing of CBGB, a loss I still mourn. Over the years, we've all gotten married and started families.

Nate: You are currently in the studio, correct? What can you tell us about the experience and album thus far?

Brian: Yeah, we're in and out of the studio working on our full length right now. We had plans to record an EP and put it out on our own, but now we have the label we're back in the studio tracking the rest of the record starting next week. Tom had to set aside more time for us considering its now an LP. Nate: You have a new song streaming on MySpace, "To The Moon". Tell us about the song (lyrical messages, how it was written, etc) Well the song is about the ups and downs the band has had in the short amount of time we've been together. Lots of Internet trash talk and local band trash talk towards us. When Jason (singer) and I sat down to write this song we wanted to get the point across that there's no stopping or slowing us down. This band is our life, we are one big family.

Nate: How is it working with Tom Denney?

Brian: In (A Day To Remember) videos and studio updates, he's always made out to be the drunk, funny and goofing around guy, but when it comes down to being a producer and engineer he's one of the best I've worked with. He knows when to have fun and when to get down to business. Its also awesome working with someone who has been down this road before. He always has a lot of great advice for us and things to improve our band as a whole.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Nate: When are you and the label aiming to have the album released?

Brian: No release date is set in stone yet, but we're aiming for sometime in August. More details will be announced on our MySpace in the next few weeks.

Nate: Do you have any tours coming up already planned?

Brian: Yeah, we actually have two separate tours lined up and we're announcing those also in the next few weeks. We have a lot of crazy and exciting things happening soon. We're trying to slowly let things happen instead of hitting everyone at once with too much info.

Nate: Which Tragic Hero band is your favorite and why?

Brian: I'm a big fan of a lot of the TH bands. A lot of great music has come out of there so its hard to pick a favorite. I can say as of lately I've been jamming hard to Confide and very excited for their release. I'll definitely be purchasing their CD. Nate: The new Confide album is great if you haven't heard it yet. Ask TH for it. Are there any songs on the new album you can tell us about? Have any been played live yet?

US, FROM OUTSIDE

Brian: I'm really excited to release "I'm gonna bury you underground Eli" to the public. We have awesome guest vocals on the track but are unable to reveal who it is yet. So far its my favorite track to play live and its also cool to me because the song name is from one of my favorite movies "There Will Be Blood". Soon as I heard that line in the movie I instantly thought to myself "I gotta name a song that!"

>> Interview w/ Michael (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay

Nate: Any other info you'd like included/noted

Nate: Where does the name Us From Outside come from?

Brian: We have a lot of news coming up soon and we don't plan on slowing down at all. Keep checking our MySpace page and Twitter account for any new updates. www.twitter.com/WeAreDefiance

Michael: The name Us, From Outside has a few meanings. It basically represents how all of us kind of strayed from the path that everyone else that we knew took. As individuals, we're different from most of our other friends. Some of us tried the college thing, some of us tried the 9 to 5 thing (haha), definitely not for us. We were meant to play music.

We were meant to play music together. We like to think of ourselves as different from the rest, outsiders even.

Nate: How did you guys come about choosing the title of your album?

Michael: This is exactly where our album title "Inspired By The Threat Of Failure" came from.... "if we don't get our acts together, we're fucked!". Most of the members of this band had to overcome some serious personal issues to get to where we are today, so basically without each other and music, our lives would be terrible!

Nate: How did you guys come to signing with Tragic Hero Records? How's it going?

Michael: Well I am in another band called WeAreGiant that was signed to Tragic Hero; it's a much more mellow, chill sound. And basically Tommy (the owner of Tragic Hero) really liked my voice, and thought it would be a good idea for me to maybe dabble with more of a heavier sound. So he told me that he would either find me a band or I could start one of my own... and it just so happened that I was best friends with some amazing musicians, so we started a new band. We've been together for a little over a year now.

Nate: Is their any meaning behind the cover art?

Michael: I had the image of our cover art the day I thought of the band name. It basically means that everyone needs to be a part of something, everyone needs someone or something to look up to... sometimes you can't help but to be

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com drawn in by certain things, and that's hopefully our music does that for some people.

Morale and Memphis May Fire. I cannot wait for the new Lydia record!

Nate: What is your favorite track off the album?

Nate: What's coming next?

Michael: My favorite track from our album has to be “Smile Princess, You're Perfect”. That was the first song we wrote as Us, From Outside and that was the first song we demoed out to Tragic Hero. So that'll always have a place in all of our hearts!

Michael: Next for UFO, like I said, is to just tour our faces off! We want to travel, play shows and establish ourselves as one of the most hard-working, fun and talented bands out there.

Nate: Which songs seem to be fan favorites?

Nate: You have an acoustic show at Hot Topic coming up. How do your songs sound in that fashion? Do you slow things down, edit parts, what?

Michael: “I Will Smash Your Face In”, “Where's My Chippy” and “I Thought I'd Be Dead By Now” seem to be getting the most hype from our fans as of right now.

Michael: We still have yet to really play our songs acoustically. It's going to be interesting for sure, but most of our first loves is playing acoustic songs, so we're totally looking forward to taking it on.

Nate: How has the album been received thus far from fans and critics?

Nate: You have several unsigned bands on your MySpace top friends list. Are you a big supporter of the unsigned scene?

Michael: To be completely honest, we haven't really heard anything too negative about the album. If someone had something negative to say, it was quickly followed up by something that they loved about the album. We couldn't be happier with the feedback and reviews about our album thus far.

Nate: Are there any lyrical themes or stories on this album?

Michael: Tommy (screamer/keys) wrote the bulk of the lyrics for this album. That boy can tell a story (haha). Our lyrics for this album all come from real life experiences. In our song “No Ash, No Phoenix”, Tommy is telling a story about my struggle with addiction. Ongoing lyrical themes for this album deal with past regret and redemption, defeating "demons" and smashing faces in.

Nate: You have quite a voice. Did you take lessons?

Michael: I took one vocal lesson, and I hated it. It was super awkward! It made me second guess everything that came naturally to me. I'm friends with quite a few people that swear by vocal lessons and their vocal coach, and it's for sure worth a shot for some people... it just wasn't for me.

Nate: How would you describe your sound?

Michael: We are a six piece melodic post-hardcore band I guess, right? We're melodic as shit (haha). Our instrumentals are heavy, but at the same time poppy. Ambient yet powerful. Our clean vocals are catchy and pretty with an R&B feel, and our screams are vicious, distinctive and versatile. Our live show is super energetic and you can just tell that we're having so much fun on stage.

Nate: What tours do you have on the way?

Michael: Our management is working on a June/July nationwide tour and also an August/September nationwide tour for us. Lots and lots of touring is in our very near future. We will have dates and locations posted soon.

Nate: What are you looking forward to from 2010?

Michael: We are just looking forward to playing shows, shows and more shows. We don't want off!

Nate: What music is on replay for you?

Michael: Stevie Wonder is always in steady rotation and I've been listening to a lot of Sleeping With Sirens, The Color

We definitely support the unsigned scene. We're friends with a lot of super talented, unsigned bands... so whenever we can help get them some exposure, we're more than happy to help.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com push the new record, but we're also playing some old ones. Just to remind people about the band because especially these days when you take a lot of time off, you're just bombarded with new things all of the time. It's pretty easy to forget. We've had kids every night being like "Dude I kind of forgot about you guys, you are so sick, I'm totally back into you again". And blah blah blah so. We're doing exactly what we want to do.

Mario: That's good. I remember back in 05/06 area, you guys were taking over Warped Tour going crazy. Then I noticed Sonny departed and all that. What was that like by the way? Was that a big upset or were you guys like ready to get him out of the band? How did that whole thing work out?

Matt: It was just one of those things where you have to sit back and re-evaluate what you are going to do from here.

Because everything was just on a steady course, and you know, we obviously had to make decisions all the time. But I mean it was like "we're this and we're doing this." But when he left it became "Ok, well now we're something else." So we kind of had to figure out what we were going to be. It took a long time for us I guess to find our identity of who we are now, you know? A lot of the was making the last record and touring off of it. Playing those songs live and how they felt. Stuff like that. It all kind of basically led up to where we are now with the new record. I feel like we're all very confident and comfortable with where we are now because of the lessons that we learned along the way. We feel very good about the band right now.

Mario: At first, were you more bummed about the situation, or were you in experiment mode like "alright let's see how we're going to make this work."? Obviously you didn't want to give up on the band.

>> Interview with Matt Good by Mario Trevizo

Matt: Yeah. Well I mean, we had been a band for 4 or 5 years when he left you know? And we were a band for a couple of years before he joined. We had all put our whole lives into making the band the thing that we did. You know, it was our career and our lives. So him leaving was just like.. well it's not really fair that one person should get to basically crush the dreams of 4 other people, you know? So we just decided that we would keep going. Like him leaving was totally cool with me. I mean in my logical brain it was totally cool with me. He seemed like he just wanted to pursue other things, I'm not going to force him to stay in the band. It would have been nice if he stayed in the band, it would have made life easier. Then again, the best things come out of the hard work and the pain and suffering so to say.

Mario: Once again, my name is Mario.

Mario: Do you guys get a lot of trash talk on the band after you came out with the first record without Sonny?

Matt: Cool, Matt.

Matt: Yeah. Yeah I mean, it's been like...ever since he left I feel like, no matter what it has to do with, as long as our band name is involved, it's like a battle between people arguing over who's better. Me or him. Literally, any video of us playing live on YouTube, any new song we put out, even if I post on MySpace where we're playing tonight; like all this tour I post where we're playing that night and its like "I miss Sonny" "Fuck Sonny Matt is so much better now" "But Sonny was the best, blah blah blah". And it's like, I am so over seeing that. You know what I mean? It's been 4 years.

And I love the dude, and he's still my friend, but he doesn't really want to have anything to do with this music scene.

The fact that we're held back by kids who won't let go of the idea of him being in the band when he doesn't even care about doing anything..It's just really kind of frustrating. It's like, you need to understand that he is doing something that is totally different, and he's extremely happy with it. And we're doing what we're doing, and we're extremely happy with it. So you should really just support both of us, or one of us. But bringing either one of us down because we're not together, isn't going to produce any results.

FROM FIRST TO LAST Mario: I'm actually really excited to meet because you guys were actually the first band I've ever seen live.

Matt: Oh yea? Awesome.

Mario: Yeah, back in '05, and since then..I've probably seen about 400 bands live, just gone crazy with it.

Matt: That's sick!

Mario: (Haha) Yeah, so now it's all just coming around full circle. Anyways, how's the tour going? Has it been going on for a long time already?

Mario: For this tour (Confide, BVB, Sleeping W/ Sirens) is it mainly just a push on the new record? Or are you guys just playing whatever you want to play?

Mario: I remember when your last record (#4 record - Self Titled) came out featuring the songs "Two As One" or "We All Turn To Dust". Those were two really good songs. However, when you grew up listening to the first three records previous to that, the album didn't seem as powerful as expected, yet it was still very interesting to hear without Sonny. The most recent album seems to be 10x more heavy with songs that are more noticeable. Have you been getting very positive results from this release? (Throne To The Wolves)

Matt: This tour is kind of like the "Hey remember us? We've been away for a while." We're playing some new songs to

Matt: Yeah, I mean basically this record is the reason why we're still together. Cuz obviously people will be like "I can't

Matt: Umm , actually we're already on the 3rd to last show right now.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com believe they haven't gave up yet" and blah blah blah. But I mean, we all have a passion for this band, especially me. I feel like if we had written a mediocre record or something again...because I feel like the last record was mediocre. I've talked about this with AP pretty recently. A lot of the things that had to do with the record being mediocre or whatever, were kind of out of our hands. We were basically be guided along by people at our label and our management that were like "take our advice and we'll make this work." And we were just kind of like, "shit, I don't know what to do. Everyone's bummed because Sonny left and all's saying our band is over, so we'll just take your word for it I guess.." We realize now that that was the biggest mistake we could have made. But also, if we had never done that, we wouldn't be in the spot we are now. We probably wouldn't have made the record we just made. We all really like the new record, and we all like it enough to where we are willing to do this for as long as it takes to make it work.

Mario: Yeah, I remember the first time I listened to the new album. I liked the beginning tracks more than the end.

Nothing really caught on right away. Then the next few times I listened to it, and I started reading to lyrics to everything...you guys are geniuses. Especially with songs like "Cashing Out". It seems like everything is such a trend now, like kids don't listen to music that is just good music. They're just going along with whatever is going to make them look popular. You guys are just like "Buy up all you can" its not going to last.

Matt: Yeah, exactly!

Mario: Finally a band isn't talking about love, shit, whatever. Being depressed, getting fucked over. It's like look, you guys are in this trend and its retarded. It's not going to last.

Matt: I feel like that song is definitely just saying that we're all pretty much a victim, as artists, of whatever the next passing trend is. Because people value the legitimacy of music so little now. That's why in the chorus it's like "you sure as hell won't stay" but then it says "we sure as hell won't stay". It's saying that it's the same for everybody. Whatever is popular now, won't be next year because someone else that is a younger/cooler version of them will be there. Then they'll get replaced by someone else, and then they'll get replaced, and it will just keep happening. It will probably start happening quicker and quicker as time starts running on.

Mario: Yeah, my favorite line in that whole song is "now that Christians bought up hardcore, and Disney owns the punk scene?" To me, that was one of the biggest, most direct hits.

Matt: Yeah, I mean, a lot of people get kind of mad about that line I've noticed. Not a lot of people, but I've definitely had people bring it up. But the thing is, it's not like making fun of anybody, it's just observation. It's just 9 out of 10 hardcore bands are Christian. Considering that hardcore was a genre that was built on the idea of Christianity being ridiculous, it's kind of just a weird flip. I don't even care, like Confide is on this tour and they are a christian metal band. I think those guys are great, they are good musicians, they're really awesome people. I don't have the same religious views as them, but that doesn't mean that I can't connect with them on a personal level on other things. You know, I definitely have no problem stating our opinion about anything in our songs. I'm not going to preach to people but, I see it as "hey this is something I noticed, maybe you did too?"

Mario: For the song "Chyeaaa", it's just a minute of the riff and screaming. Was that supposed to be a mockery of anything, was it supposed to be fun to put in, or what's behind that?

overall message?

Matt: The direct message is to just think outside of the box. I feel like a lot of the songs, if you do read the lyrics and take the time to try and understand what we're saying--I feel like it's going to force you to think differently than you may on a normal basis. You know, trying to understand why we are saying some of the things we are. Especially the song "I'll Inoculate The World". There's a lot of lyrics in there that are just like social criticisms and observations. If anything, with this band, my whole goal is just to try and make people more aware of certain things about life that will make them better as people in the long run. Our band's been a big band amongst high schoolers and a trendy cool thing and all that stuff. I mean that was fun and that was awesome. But if we could get people to come up to us and say that "those new songs, they really made me change the way I thought about this and that. It challenged me to become better as a person. To help me discover this or look into that." Whatever it may be, the gratification I would feel out of that would be 100x more than hearing someone say "Oh you're so awesome, you're so hot." I mean that's cool and flattering but, I really wanna change something.

Mario: I feel you for sure. I've followed all of the albums and this one was like--if there was ever to be a crazy comeback album in the music scene, this album just really hit it for me.

Matt: That's awesome, dude.

Mario: The other album I really like from you guys was "Teen Angst". But then again, I'm sure everyone likes that album.

Matt: Yeah, that's the weirdest shit too. It blows my mind how many people like that record.

Mario: Did you guys not really like it?

Matt: NO! I mean, I think it's cool. But like when we made it we were like "Oh my God, no one is going to like this."

Mario: Really??

Matt: Yeah, because like at the time it was pretty fucking weird. Just all of these weird different songs. There was a weird electronic song, a fucking love song, an acoustic ballad thing.

Mario: It was all over the place.

Matt: Yeah, it's all over the place. It's fucking weird, it has no direction whatsoever. And it sounds like we just wrote a bunch of songs that we didn't know what the fuck we were doing. But I guess sometimes accidents can create art.

Mario: You made your most memorable tracks on that whole album. Everyone was doing "Emily" when it came out.

Everyone was covering that song. "Ride The Wings Of Pestilence" you have that crazy video. "Note To Self" has that memorable sing-along part that everyone just loves to do. The whole thing was just pretty crazy and who the hell did the rap part on the last song?

Matt: It's more just like a transitional interlude kind of song. I just wanted to have the first song come out high on energy and lead into the next song that was even more over the top. I actually got the idea from that band Muse. Like when they play live, they have all these gnarly-ass, crazy, heavy, fuckin' things at the end of their songs--that they just throw in live, that they make up, you know? I was like "That's sick! I want to do something like that" So we just did it.

And it ended up sounding like a Lamb Of God part or something, but I'm totally cool with that.

Matt: It was some guy from Veldaso where we recorded, and he was in the Navy. He was "Major League Playa".

Mario: With the whole look of the album, are you guys stating your opinion on everything and your observations, like you were saying for "Cashing Out"? Or is it a mockery of everything going on trends and lifestyles? What is the

Mario: I didn't understand it at all. Like I always tried to figure out "who the hell is this guy?"

Mario: Oh really?

Matt: Yeah.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Matt: He's just some crazy guy. He came into the studio and we were like "yeah, this song's about tricks and hoes."

And he's like alright, and in 15 minutes he wrote down the lyrics, went into the studio, did it, and left. And that was the end of him.

Mario: Really?!? (haha) Matt: YEAH. Mario: Have you guys kept in touch with him?

Matt: NO (haha). I don't think he even knows that record sold anything. But I dunno. It's cool. I'm glad so many people like it (Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Body Count). It may have been and accident or whatever, but I mean that record was just us being ourselves for sure. It was nothing but that, so if that's the case (selling so many records) than that's really cool, you know?

Mario: Which record have you sold the most of so far?

Matt: Oh, that one.

Mario: What was second place?

Matt: Heroine. So far it goes "Dear Diary" - "Heroine" but there's not much of a difference. I think that they're both over 200,000. Then self titled did about 60 or 70,000 I believe. Then this one just came out.

Mario: So it's still on its way.

Matt: Yeah.

Mario: Did you guys get a better response with this album than you thought you would get?

Matt: Ahh, I mean yeah I guess because I had no expectations. But I mean, I've seen a lot of positive feedback. Way more than I've seen since we put out "Dear Diary". Like when we put out "Heroine" I saw positive feedback, but it was also coupled with a lot of negative feedback.

Mario: But you took the sound to a different direction though too. You made it darker and changed things, and people weren't really viable for a change back then. I remember Senses Fail getting bashed for the same thing.

Matt: Yeah, people were just not happy over the fact that we change so much. It's weird because when you're in the band, I don't think you really realize that you're changing as much. It's kind of like if you are by yourself for three months and your hair grows longer, you kind of notice it. Then you see someone who is like "Holy shit! Your hair got so long." Then you're like "Oh yea, I guess it did". You just don't really realize stuff because you are with yourself everyday. I don't think people really necessarily understand that. Because they hear something you did and then two years later you put out something else and they are like "Holy shit you changed so much". But we're just like "Yeah, I guess we did, but I didn't really notice because I'm with myself everyday."

Matt: Well that year would definitely be 2006. That was the best and worst year of my life (haha). We put out Heroine.

We recorded Heroine at the end of 2005. I guess from the end of 2005 to the middle of 2006 (best time period). We got to record Heroine with Ross Robinson, he's one of my favorite producers, and Andy Wallace who is one of my favorite mixers ever. That was also the last record he ever mixed before he retired. Then we went on tour with Fall Out Boy and played sold out arenas.

Mario: Oh, I know which one you are talking about. It also had Hawthorne Heights?

Matt: Yup. Mario: And who was the other one?

Matt: The All American Rejects. Yeah, so that tour was the most amazing thing in my whole life. Literally, arenas sold out every month for two months, I was on top of the world just feeling like nothing could stop me--I mean all of us were like that. And then Heroine came out and sold almost 40,000 copies in its first week. Everything was just awesome. That was definitely the highlight for this bands whole career, for me personally. But I mean, it's funny because as bad ass as it was, I still enjoy everything we do so much. It's not like a look around everyday and am just like man...you know, I could sit around and be like "ohh, I wish things were like that again.." But I think having that attitude would do nothing but hold us back.

Mario: So you guys are definitely still strong and here to stay?

Matt: Yeah.

Mario: That's awesome Matt: I mean I'm not quitting this anytime soon. I'm actually probably going to start another band too.

Mario: Really? Kind of like a side project, like what the guy from Underoath did, Aaron?

Matt: Yeah, just something to do in the off time, something like that. Cuz these guys like taking time off, but i don't really like taking time off. So while they take time off, I'll go work on that other stuff, you know?

Mario: Yeah and that's really cool to hear. Anyone who thinks of FFTL probably thinks of "oh yea they were so much better in the past". I mean if you look at the whole thing it's like: Well the worst thing happened where they were going crazy, everyone knew them, they lost their singer, everyone trash talked them, then they had to restart, that record didn't do really hot, and now they come out with a new record and it's like everything is coming back together. That's a fucking story.

Matt: I know. It definitely feels like if it all works out and we become somewhat successful again or whatever you want to call it--it would definitely be a cool story to tell. I feel like the odds were stacked against us for a while. If we can come out on top I think it will probably be the thing that I am most proud of in my life. We definitely worked harder than I've ever worked on anything to make this happen. It's all up to people giving us a fair chance at this point.

Mario: Yea, it's like "we're just making new tracks."

Mario: What's your favorite song to play live from the new record?

Matt: Exactly.

Matt: “Cashing Out�.

Mario: Well obviously your band has been around for a while. What time period would you consider your "best" year, or favorite time period in this band?

Mario: What about in general, out of every album?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Matt: I mean, right now it's “Cashing Out”, but it always changes. New songs are just fun to play because they're new.

New is more exciting.

Mario: It's harder for people to realize that. Newer music will be more technical compared to the old stuff, but that's not what people want to hear.

Matt: Not only that, but I've played "Cashing Out" on three tours now, and it's still a fresh feeling, and it's still really exciting to play. You know "Note To Self" and "Ride The Wings Of Pestilence"? I love those songs, but we have literally played those songs live thousands of times. It's like I love those songs, but to get the same feeling out of those songs after 6 years of playing them at every tour you ever do. You know it's just different, and I guess it's something you can't really understand unless you are a musician yourself or something. Anyhow, it is definitely more exciting to play new stuff no matter who you are I'm pretty sure. Most bands I know feel the same way.

Mario: I mean, that is definitely understandable. You guys want change, that's why you make new music.

Matt: Well yeah. When you are the person playing it, new is more fun.

Mario: Are their any songs people request that just don't like playing at all live?

Matt: We have no problem playing any songs. We play all of our new songs that people want to hear except for “Emily". That is the only song I refuse to play. It's not even because I don't like it, it's just because right now I want to do the most I can to separate the band that it was with the band that it is now. I feel like that song out of all of them is the most Sonny, you know? By playing that, it would just enable people to draw comparisons to when he was in the band more than they already do. I just feel like the best thing we can do is to focus on new material. Like on this tour (Confide, BVB, Sleeping With Sirens) we're playing old favorite songs and stuff like that. But this is probably the last tour we will be doing that for a while.

Mario: Really?

Matt: The next tour we are doing, we are playing all new songs from "Throne To The Wolves" then "Ride The Wings Of Pestilence".

Mario: Yeah, I'll be at that tour, the one with Asking Alexandria?

Matt: Mhmm.

Mario: Is it refreshing being the supporting act now rather than the headliner? You've been the headliner for quite a while now.

Matt: Yeah. I like headlining. It's cool and all, but unless you are a band that people are dying to see, it's hard to get people to stick around late on a weeknight. Especially since they are so young. I don't mind playing last, but by the time we are on stage there are at least 20-30 kids who have had to go home because their parents picked them up or something. Then there's always about two locals, so by the end of the night they have already seen about 6-7 bands, which is a lot. I wouldn't even want to sit through that many bands. It's cool, but next tour we're playing smack dab in the middle. Everyone will still be pumped and no one would have gone home yet. I feel like it will definitely be more fun, and you don't have to play as long. I know kids like when you play a long time. But when you're in the band you have to pace yourself. And I like just going crazy the whole time, which I can do for about 5 or 6 songs but not for 11 (haha).

Mario: (Haha) So what have been some of your favorite bands to tour with throughout your whole career?

Matt: Umm, He Is Legend is one of them. I love those guys. Alesana, those guys are like our best friends probably. Like if I had to pick one band that I would say was our "best friend" I'd have to say...Asking Alexandria are another bunch of guys we really really really get along with. I'm really stoked to tour with them again. That's actually the reason why we are on that next tour with them, because we made such good friends with them on the Alesana tour. Umm..I'm trying to think because we've toured with so many fucking bands. I love Finch a lot.

Mario: So are you happy that they are back in the business?

Matt: Yeah, yeah I am. Hmm, I don't know. Protest The Hero dudes are really fucking cool too.

Mario: What about favorite venue? In terms of A. best response and B. It's just well run.

Matt: The best response venue is probably The Chain Reaction located in southern California. I feel like no matter when we play there it's just the most crazy off the walls show. Last time we played there was on this tour. It was sold out in advance and there were just kids crowd surfing, singing and moshing the whole time nonstop. It didn't matter that they had already sat through 5 other bands. They were like "Fuck it we're going nuts". It was bad ass. My favorite venue as far as it's run? Well there's a lot of really nice venues, it's kind of hard to pick just one. I know the Norva in Virginia is really fucking bad ass. They have like a ping pong table and an arcade machine. There's a pool and a hot tub, and they feed you amazingly good food. That place rules and there's a lot of venues like that. They're just bigger places.

Mario: Well thank you so much, that is everything I had for you. Just looking for the 360 cover on From First To Last.

Matt: (Haha) Thank you, it was good meeting you.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Nick: We recorded with Tim Patalan at The Loft in Saline, Michigan. The experience was awesome. A lot of work, a lot of fun. We also practice out there so it is very much home base these days.

Nate: What are some of the bands that influence Taproot?

Nick: Well the big ones that we have in common are Korn, the Deftones, Pantera. I think we all got our start in the rock world listening to bands like that but now we all come from way different places as far as what we are listening to.

Nate: What is your favorite track off the album and why?

Nick: Probably "Stolage". Its definitely a different type of song for us and I think that Steve's lyrics sum up a lot of what has been going on around us.

Nate: How do you feel about the new album and how it came out?

Nick: I love the new album. I think that its a good representation of where we are at right now. I'm just thrilled its out and we can go out and play some of it every night.

Nate: What tour are you currently on?

TAPROOT

Nick: Right now we are on a headlining run with some really cool bands. Ice Nine Kills, Destrophy, Divide the Day, Anew Revolution. It has been a lot of fun.

Nate: What do you have planned next?

Nick: Not sure, but things are being discussed. Definitely hitting the road the rest of the year.

Originally, we did an interview with vocalist Stephen Richards. Unfortunately, the audio recording was corrupted and therefore couldn't be transcribed for the website. Luckily, drummist Nick Fredell was nice enough to answer some questions via e-mail for LMP. Thanks Nick for covering our asses, and thanks Stephen for the phone interview (even though it will never be read)!

Nate: Are there any lyrical themes on this album?

>> Interview with Nick Fredell by Nathaniel Lay

Nate: How does this disc compare to your others?

Nate: How did you come to signing with Victory?

Plead the Fifth draws from all of the older albums for sure. In typical fashion it includes a couple of little curve balls.

It's a little more aggressive at times but while making it we focused on melody and structured everything around that.

Nick: Actually, we had hooked up with some fraudulent management and the only thing he actually did for us was hook us up with Tony and everyone at Victory.

Nate: What was the experience like for making the "Fractured" video?

Nick: Cold. And fun. It was shot in Gary, Indiana so it was cool to wake up early shoot a video and drive home at the end of the day.

Nate: Where does the new album title come from? How about the cover?

Nick: There are a few different ideas behind the title, but most literally its us "pleading" our case. As for the picture we knew we wanted some dark imagery and we got it. And no its not Phil and its not Scooter from Cold.

Nate: How was the studio experience? Where and with whom did you record?

Nick: If there was a theme it would be Steve reflecting on the economic times that we are all facing and how that has effected us and everyone else.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Mario: Were you guys doing pretty well as soon as you guys got out of high school, or how did that go? When did you start seeing significant progress?

Alexia: We started doing really good locally when we started, which was my junior year of high school. Then we started touring right after I graduated. And my sister was a year younger than me and she had to start doing online school because she hadn't graduated yet. So we just started touring and I guess everything just started really good. I mean we still had to work really hard to get a lot of fans, but sites like MySpace really helped us a lot with that.

Mario: So I understand that you got signed early. Did you put out any releases before your official debut album?

That came out in '08 didn't it?

Alexia: Yeah. We had an EP out that we never released with the label, but it had our old singer on it.

Mario: Oh, alright.

Alexia: Our first album that we put out, we actually started writing for it when our old singer was in the band. What happened was we recorded most of it in '08, and we didn't like how it turned out. And unfortunately right before we were about to re-record it, the singer quit. And so I just took over and everything because originally I wrote all of the lyrics and everything. So it's pretty better for me to sing my own words than watching another person do it (haha).

EYES SET TO KILL >> Interview with Alexia Rodriguez (Vocals) by Mario Trevizo Mario: Hello, is this Alexia?

Alexia: Yes, this is.

Mario: Ok, cool so, you're the front woman from Eyes Set To Kill right?

Alexia: Yup. Mario: How did you guys come up with your name exactly? Did it just sound cool or is there a meaning behind it?

Alexia: When we started the band, it was in High School. So I really didn't want to do what you said, which is just a name that sounds cool. So I wrote a poem, and one of the lines from the poem was "When eyes set to kill". I don't remember the whole thing anymore, just because its been like four years. But yeah, it was from a poem that I wrote.

Mario: Straight up. So does that mean you graduated high school about 4 years ago or something?

Alexia: No. I had graduated in...actually, yeah 4 years. JESUS! Mario: Yea, so you're an '06 person?

Alexia: Yup.

Mario: Yeah, that's pretty cool. So you are the main lyricist in the band right?

Alexia: Yeah.

Mario: Does anyone else really participate or do you write pretty much the majority of everything?

Alexia: No, there's a couple of songs where our screamer would write some of the stuff. Like when we write we try to-like if I have a situation or an idea that I'm writing about, I'll tell whoever is screaming for us. I'll tell him what the situation is, and then he'll write his own part. But if he can't figure it out, then I'll write it. I'm like..a workaholic, and I like to write.

Mario: Your manager sent me a promo pic of the band, but I only saw four members. Is the screamer you had a couple years ago still in the band?

Alexia: No, he quit over the winter. So we have a new guy screaming.

Mario: And what's his name?

Alexia: His name is Cisko Miranda.

Mario: Is he the permanent screamer, or is he just a fill in for touring?

Alexia: At first it started off with him just doing the touring thing. What happened is at the time we had another screamer after Brandon, but he didn't work out because he wasn't really that good as a frontman, like performancewise.

Mario: Yeah.

Alexia: So Cisko was tour managing another band that was on a tour that we were doing. And we remembered him from another show we had played with him in Orlando. So we were like "hey can you help us out with screaming for some of our songs?" Cuz we dropped of the screamer that was going to scream for us at home because he didn't work

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com out, you know? So we were playing a few acoustic sets for the beginning of the tour, the From First To Last Tour. Then after Cisko was in one of the songs, we started playing with him. Then we just started hanging out a lot, and we realized that he should just be a part of the band because we get along so well and he's a great screamer.

Alexia: Umm, it was in L.A. at the Nokia Amphitheater.

Mario: So you guys are really happy with the new guy?

Alexia: No, we didn't perform. We were just nominated for the award of "Hottest Chicks in Metal". They only had like a couple of bands play.

Alexia: Yeah. We've been through a lot of members over the years and we've just had some nightmares of people. We had one guy who was just like never ending talking. He always had something to talk about, you couldn't stop him.

When you are on tour you don't want to deal with that all of the time. You need your space sometimes. It would be like a 6 hour drive and he would talk the whole time.

Mario: It's like you just want to relax after the show.

Alexia: Yeah. You know the movie Heartbreak Kid? Mario: Yeah.

Alexia: Remember the girl when they were on the trip and she was singing the whole time? At first it seems cool, and then it is like "OH MY GOD!" We've had that before. They would be singing every word to whatever was playing on the iPod. I mean we would even try to pick songs that he wouldn't know and he still knew them. It was like having a karaoke session for 8 hours (haha).

Mario: Dang! I can't even imagine that, I'd need to sleep or something. Did you guys buy yourselves ear muffs or anything?

Mario: Did you guys perform at all while you were over there?

Mario: Oh okay, who else was nominate for the same award?

Alexia: Umm, Maria from In This Moment, Izzy Hale from Halestorm, the girl from Flyleaf? I forgot her name, and then there was one other person that I had never heard of.

Mario: So who ended up winning the award?

Alexia: Maria from In This Moment won.

Mario: Did it feel pretty cool that you were nominated for that?

Alexia: Yeah, it was really cool. It was really weird being up against all of these bigger bands, because we definitely knew Maria. That was weird, I dunno. It is kind of funny to think of myself as one of the "hottest" chicks in metal.

Mario: Yeah, are you guys even going for a metal feel with your music?

Alexia: Umm, yeah. We had the little ear buds.

Alexia: Well we've always written some pretty fast paced material. For some reason it always get categorized as metal or screamo. We've never really tried to be a specific certain genre. But of course with the screaming, we are going to pick up fans who follow that type of music.

Mario: It's pretty funny that you guys had to actually resort to that with your own member.

Mario: Quick question about the Awards Ceremony. What was that whole site like?

Alexia: Yeah, it was bad.

Alexia: It was crazy because we got to walk on the black carpet with tons of bigger bands. They had a specific order that they had everyone in. It was crazy because in front of us was As I Lay Dying and Zack Wylde. It was just really crazy being surrounded by so many bigger bands all around us. I can't really explain it other than it was really crazy.

Mario: So touring with all dudes, it's got to get kind of smelly. Being a girl I can imagine you have your needs. What is it like mixing girls and guys on tour?

Alexia: I think it's easier with boys for some reason. We've had merch girls come with us, and it always seems like they are always expecting everyone to do everything for them. Like play the music they want to play, or have the air conditioning all the time. Honestly, guys are just more easy to be in a van with. They are easy going and girls are just very high maintenance.

Mario: So I take it that you aren't very high maintenance?

Alexia: No, I wouldn't say we are. I am only high maintenance 1 hour before a show. I just need my space to get ready and warm up. So I ask everyone to leave me alone, but that's about it.

Mario: So recently you were on tour with From First To Last, but you dropped off a week early. That was to go to the Golden Gods Awards, correct?

Alexia: Yeah, we were there.

Mario: Where exactly was it held this year, or I guess every year maybe?

Mario: Wow, I can imagine. I bet it was very rewarding to have the opportunity to be there that night. Speaking of opportunities, have you guys made your ways overseas yet?

Alexia: No, not yet. We are actually doing our first European tour in May. We've done Brazil, I think last summer? That was really cool.

Mario: Well congratulations. As of right now, are you guys trying to take over festivals next? If you think about it, it's the big worldly festivals that you get the most people at one time.

Alexia: Yeah, that would be really fun to do. The closest thing we've done to that is a radio festival with bands like Rise Against, Flyleaf, and The Used. That was really really cool. To be in front of that many people and to play to them.

We've also done one in Bakersfield, and of course Warped Tour. If that counts as a big festival.

Mario: What have been one of your favorite tours so far, in terms of just the lineup?

Alexia: I think Warped Tour. This is the first year that we are actually playing the whole thing. The last couple of years we've played just a few weeks of it. It's been so fun, it's where we've had the biggest crowds on the Ernie Ball Stage.

So we're really excited to play on it this year because we've never been able to play on the whole thing.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Mario: In terms of "friends", which band would you say that you guys are the closest to?

Mario: Which venue have you seen your biggest response at?

Alexia: Umm, I would probably say Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Alexia: We do the best in L.A. and El Paso for some reason. Those are two of our biggest crowds for any tour.

Mario: Oh really? And why is that?

Mario: Is it a pain driving to El Paso since it is just desert for so long?

Alexia: Yeah. Anissa is actually dating the bassist too. Our bassist. They are the bassist couple (haha). They always fly over to Arizona to see each other and hang out. So we always end up hanging out. We also recently toured with Black Veil Brides, and became really close with their drummer.

Alexia: Yeah. I know that when Greg drives, he always says that he doesn't want anyone to turn the lights on in the van or anything. Just because the roads down there are pretty freaky I guess on the highway.

Mario: What was it like touring with From First To Last considering they've been around for so long now?

Alexia: They were really cool. They a fun guys that are great to hang around with. They also weren't stuck up, so that was really refreshing.

Mario: Have you toured with other bands who have been very stuck up before?

Alexia: Yeah. But the ones that are stuck up are usually the ones that aren't really going anywhere. They just think they are.

Mario: Yeah, that's understandable. I guess it's worth it though since you get a good crowd.

Alexia: Yeah, it definitely is. I guess that's what keeps us motivated to keep driving, is knowing that we are about to have a great show. It sucks when you get a really bad crowd response though. Just because you already don't want to be driving, and when you don't have a good crowd it just makes everything a little worse.

Mario: It almost seems as though you drove for nothing. One of my last questions for you is: If your band were to be an animal, what would it be?

Alexia: Hmmm, probably an owl.

Mario: So you guys have been writing a new album, or is it already finished?

Mario: Probably an owl?

Alexia: Yeah, we finished it recently. It's going to be in stores June 8.

Alexia: Yeah. I dunno. For a while, Anissa had this obsession with owls for some reason, and she keeps seeing them now. She also got a tattoo of an owl, but besides that we just keep seeing owls recently. I don't know if it's because of her obsession with owls or if we are being followed. But we've been seeing them online, outside, my mom recently sent me a picture of an owl. They are everywhere. The owl is haunting us. So I would say we'd be an owl.

Mario: Do you plan on releasing any singles on your MySpace prior to the release?

Alexia: Yeah, we've actually put up a track already that we thought our fans would like. It is called "All You Ever Knew".

Then our first single is going to be "Broken Frames" and we will probably put that out right before the release.

Mario: Oh wow, you might want to watch out. Well that's all I really have for you. Thank you so much for you time.

Mario: Are you guys planning on shooting a music video for it or anything?

Alexia: Thank you so much for the interview.

Alexia: Yeah, we are actually going to shoot on in about a week. We are going to be touring in Europe for about a month, so we need to get our stuff done before we go out for that.

Mario: Good luck with your music video and European Tour.

Mario: Besides the Europe tour and Warped Tour, do you have anything else planned out? Or is that as far as your plans go at the moment?

Alexia: We don't really have anything final yet. But we might be doing a headliner tour at the end of the year like we did last year.

Mario: You have only done about 2 headliners so far correct?

Alexia: Yeah. We did one a really long time ago, about two years ago. Then we did our most recent one last winter.

Mario: Well that is going to be exciting to finally be the main act.

Alexia: Yeah, and it's exciting being able to play as many songs as you want too. I mean if you are playing not as the headliner, you normally only get to play about 20 to 25 minute sets. It's hard picking out the set list. You need to pick songs that you know your fans want to hear, but then you also want to play songs that you want to play. It's hard to cram it in with short sets. Especially if you want to introduce people to the new songs.

Alexia: Thank you, have a nice day, bye.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

I DECLARE WAR >> Interview with Evan Hughes (Guitar) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net Audiopinions: The biggest news this year for you guys has to be signing with Artery Recordings. How does it feel being on a brand new label?

Evan: It's really great. Since there are only five bands on the label, it makes it so much more personal and it doesn't feel like we're lost in a huge sea of bands that might have priority over us. Everyone there has been in the industry for years doing various things so they really know what works and what doesn't. They've got a great vision for the label and plenty of experience to back it up. They're all great people to just be friends with too, so it's a lot of fun getting to know everyone there.

AO: What was the process like?

Evan: We first started talking with them about it last August when we were approached by Alex Wade of Whitechapel, who also co-manages us. We met up with Shawn, our manager, in California while we were on a tour and after he explained everything we instantly knew it was a great fit for us. He put us in the studio, got us hooked up with some endorsements, and things have just been flying since then. Like I said before, everyone is super cool to work with and easy to talk to so that has made the whole thing easier and more fun too.

AO: What is it like being the newest band on the label?

Evan: Well, considering how new the label is and how long we've been working with them I don't feel like we're the newbies at all. We're all relatively young bands and all of our releases have been out a month apart so we're all pretty new. It's great that bands like Chelsea Grin and Attila have put stuff out before us to get the label's name out there

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com and really give it a solid foundation from the get-go.

possible Purevolume resurgence in the future?

AO: In June, you guys head out on the Chug Life Tour. What can you tell us about this tour?

Evan: Purevolume was the first website I used to find music before MySpace became huge. I found bands like It Dies Today and All That Remains long before their debut albums came out and they got popular. The one thing that a new site needs in order to try to overtake MySpace is to allow as much customization as they do. Bands don't need to pay for websites anymore because MySpace is so versatile that way, they can just pay for killer MySpace layouts and they're set. If Facebook or Purevolume would give control over having fully-customizable band pages I think they'd have a shot, but until then MySpace still kind of has the upper hand.

Evan: We're really excited for this tour. We have been fans of Molotov Solution for quite some time and more recently friends with them, so being out with some good people is going to be a lot of fun. It's our first really legit tour so we can't wait to get to some bigger places we've never been before. We haven't played in Canada before and there are a couple of dates up there, so we're really looking forward to just getting out and playing to people who have never heard of us or have been waiting for us to get to their area.

AO: What are your expectations of the bands you have not played/toured with yet?

Evan: We're just really stoked to start meeting people and making more contacts. The Dr. Acula guys seem like great dudes and everyone who has ever toured with them talks great things about them, and Monsters is ridiculously heavy, so I can't wait to see them every night. I think one of the best parts about being in music like this is that everyone is so genuine and down to earth. There are no egos and people are just real.

AO: Are there any touring plans after this that you may or may not be able to talk about yet?

Evan: We've got a good idea of how the rest of our year is going for tours. Right now we are looking at about three more tours after the Chug Lyfe tour. Nothing we can talk about yet, but there are some really awesome line-ups in store that will make for some killer tours. We're all REALLY excited for what we've got for the fall, so be on the lookout for it!

AO: You guys are about to release “Malevolence,” what can you tell us about this album?

Evan: This is definitely a new level for us. We've gone through some line-up changes over the past three years so needless to say, things have changed. We still have some elements of what we did with our last album, but this album just much more focused and has a more mature sound to it. The lyrics stray from what Jonathan used to write about; now he's writing more of what really concerns him and the rest of the world. The album has topics of religion, government, and how humanity is becoming the downfall of itself.

AO: Is there any significance to the cover art of “Malevolence”? If so, what is it?

Evan: Colin Marks, who also did art for Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Impending Doom, did the artwork and he did an amazing job. We gave him our ideas and he nailed it. The art is basically a near-future view of what the world could become if we don't change our ways. It's an idea of the end of the world caused by nothing but man's own lack of care and destructiveness. The title "Malevolence" is kind of a descriptor for our view on all of the lyrical topics in one word.

The album art gives the perfect visual representation for that.

AO: As a band, which social networking site other than MySpace has been the most helpful in getting your name out?

Evan: MySpace has definitely helped us out the most along the way, but now that music on Facebook is gaining more popularity we have been seeing a lot from that. I definitely notice a lot more real-time feedback and I find it a lot easier to interact with fans directly with Facebook. I've got a Tumblr blog ( http://evanidw.tumblr.com ) that I write about what we're doing. Fans can send in questions that I answer and that is a lot of fun to be one-on-one that way.

MySpace has definitely been declining a bit lately, so I'm pretty curious to find out what's next and how bands will get their stuff out once it dies out completely.

AO: I feel like Facebook has made its case to be the next MySpace for bands, but how do you guys feel about a

AO: What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

Evan: It's definitely a catch-22. It's a good thing for people to get your album and to help create a buzz, but it makes it even harder for bands to make money. It was hard enough before, but now that anyone can click a couple of links and have pretty much any music they want almost instantly makes it much harder to convince people to spend money on it. It's also sad that all of the time and money put into the art is gone unseen a lot of the time. At the same time, you'll get more people coming out to shows and buying shirts so it's kind of beneficial as well. As of today ours hasn't leaked yet, but I will keep checking every day. I'm definitely ready for people to hear it, I just hope anyone who ends up downloading it will support us and pay for it. We put a ton of hard work into it and the artwork is incredible, so it's definitely worth the cost.

AO: Thanks you for your time, any final thoughts?

Evan: Thanks for the interview! Be on the lookout for us pretty much everywhere around the US this year. We've got some great tours lined up this year, so if we don't hit your area with Molotov we'll probably be there at some point.

Be sure to check out the new tracks from the album at our MySpace and check out the album on June 8!

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com was written with long breaks. For example, “Alva” was first written like a year ago, but the not actually finished until shortly before we entered the studio.

Nate: In general, how does the band create a song?

Nick: It was different for both albums. The EP was written mainly by Judcody and Mike on acoustic guitar. When a song was done, it was brought to the rest of us and we just finished it by adding our own thing. This time around we had a new a bassist and second guitarist which made things interesting. We wrote a majority of the album together in one room with ideas we all had. It made for a much different album. I can tell you it was much harder this time around but what we gained from it was well worth it.

Nate: How does Retreat compare to your debut EP? Nick: It is a completely different record. Everything about “Retreat” is much stronger and focused than the EP. All of us have changed and grown in the last three years and it really shows. It will still appeal to fans of the EP but it will also gain a lot of new ones.

Nate: What was the studio experience like for this album?

Nick: It was amazing. We went back to the same studio where we recorded the EP and we had the same engineer as before. We were just all so relaxed and knew exactly what we wanted to do this time around. We experimented so much more and had so much more at our fingertips. Being in a room with endless possibilities with your best friends is one of the best feelings in the world.

THE MOTEL LIFE >> Interview with The Motel Life (multiple members) by Nathaniel Lay Nate: You guys were named one of absolutepunk's top 100 to watch. Tell us about that.

Nate: Do you have any tours coming up?

Nick: Yeah, we actually have a west coast tour this summer which will be two weeks long. Our friends, Science Fiction Theater, will be with us on a couple of dates. This is our first tour since we took time off to write and record “Retreat” and we couldn’t be more excited.

Nate: What are you guys hoping to do with summer?

Nick: It was pretty insane. I don’t think any of us expected that. With only an eight song album under our belts, it definitely made us feel like we were doing something right but it was also a huge worry cause we didn’t want “Retreat” to disappoint fans and so far it looks like people and critics are enjoying it more than our last effort.

Nick: Well besides the tour, we just want to promote as much as possible. We have been pretty fortunate to get a jump start on that with the help from Purevolume and other huge websites. We just need to continue doing what we have been doing and that is work hard to get heard by as many people as possible and hopefully meet people who can help get us to that next step.

Nate: You have a unique sound to you. What bands do you take influence from?

Nate: What are your goals for 2010?

Nick: It’s a huge mixture for us because all of us are so different musically. It ranges from The Arcade Fire, At the DriveIn, Brand New, Classical, Death Cab for Cutie, The Get Up Kids, Cap’n Jazz, Tera Melos, etc. I think that’s why we can never be categorized as one thing and we really like that.

Nick: If you would have asked us a year ago, it would have been to get signed. After really understanding the line of work we are in, all I wish is that we continue to grow, meet the right people, take the right steps and hopefully make some choices that will do nothing but benefit us as a band. If the right label comes along and we have the same goals then it would be something of interest. We just have to keep on pushing the new record, write, tour and continue what we have been doing for almost three years.

Nate: One of the highlights of Retreat are the brutally honest lyrics, like those found on "Writing A Book". Tell us about the lyrical writing process.

Michael: When Judcody and I began writing the album, we drew up a large concept album, but then later scraped the idea for something less constraining. I later took the themes that I wanted to use on the concept, like ideas of failure, loss, and rebuilding and constructed a much looser concept that was more personal and based on my own experiences. I took a lot of influences from the writers from the Lost Generation in 1920’s, which is where I got the title “Retreat.” Hemmingway and Fitzgerald were major influences on the writing of this album. Much of the album

Nate: What is your favorite track on the new album and why? Why is the fan favorite thus far?

Nick: For me personally, it is “Retreat”. It’s such a different song compared to anything we have done before. As the last track, it just makes sense. I’m not saying that the sound is where we are heading but it definitely shows that no one should think they know what to expect from us.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Michael: I think my favorite track would have to be “Alva.” This song changed so much in its meaning towards my own issues on relationships that it basically became the most personal song I’ve ever written.

Nate: What's coming next from the Motel Life?

Nick: We have a new music video coming out for “No One Belongs Here More Than You” which we recently shot in Los Angeles by director, Cord McConnel. Other than that, we have some ideas on where we want to take the next record.

We will probably be writing after the tour this summer for a little bit but we don’t want to rush it. Like I said before, we are going to keep doing what we have been doing. With the help of our manager, publishing team and countless others, this is going to be a big year for us.

Nate: Final words/announcements/shout outs/etc Nick: We would like to thank everyone who continues to support us. We couldn’t have made this album and do what we are doing right now without the help of you all. You can pick our new album on iTunes or in physical form on our merch site which is located on our website. You can also stream the new album on Purevolume and of course, thanks so much to Lexington Music Press!

MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE >> Interview with Robert Bloomfield (Guitar) and Matthew Hasting (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay Nate: Your new album is nearing release. How are you feeling?

Matthew: Probably most of all relieved; we want people to hear "Lost Boy" so bad!

Robert: Completely filled with excitement. It's been over 2 years since we've released an album so we are just so pumped to get new music out there.

Nate: Your last release received a lot of praise. What measures did you take in making sure this new one lived up to its hype?

Robert: I don't think anyone had the mindset of trying to one-up our last record. It was a new experience writing with everyone as a group and it was also the fastest writing we've ever done. I think we wrote it all in about a month. But when we finally sat down to start writing, Lost Boy, we just went in with this thought of "we are going to be playing these songs A LOT on tour", so naturally we wanted them to be as fun as possible. For us and the fans.

Matthew- Unbreakable was just the beginning! We thought it was a great first album, but were ready to push our limits in every direction... and I feel with Lost Boy we made a good start in doing so.

Nate: Your first single was "Terra Firma". How has it been received by fans?

Matthew: It's one of our favorites out of the new songs, so we wanted to get it out to our fans first!

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Robert: So far we have gotten nothing but positive feedback. We have great fans that continue to show their love and support regardless of member changes or canceled shows. And we love our fans for that. We are so undeserving.

Matthew: I really cant wait to see how our fans kill each other live for this song either... should be a good time!

Nate: Some of your pre-orders come with a fragrance. What's that all about?

Robert: Well a ways back a guy by the name of Mitchell Davis posted a YouTube video kind of making fun of Usher for having a cologne. And in the mix of that he popped a question "Can you imagine if a band like MCMB had cologne?, it'd probably be something like this!" and it played our song "On Wings Of Integrity". Long story short, we decided to do a video for that song and, naturally, we wanted it to be about us REALLY having cologne and to have Mitchell be a cameo in it.

Matthew: So after the music video played with the idea of there REALLY being a MCMB fragrance we thought what better of a pre-order item. I thought it was cool... what bands have done that? (Haha!)

Robert: I hope we can sell it to Macy's one of these days. (Haha!)

a group. So you can imagine it being rough at times. You throw five dudes in a room and tell them to create something and soon after starting, heads will but.

Matthew: As far as lyrical themes go, I just wrote from my heart. I wrote about tough times I've gone through, and stuff that I felt our fans could relate to.

Nate: Bloomfield said that the band will be touring the world over this year. Explain.

Robert: By that statement, I meant this album cycle will be a little different. We plan on touring in as many countries as possible. Hitting all the places that we neglected during the cycle of Unbreakable. Europe, Australia and Canada are big priorities.

Matthew: No offense America, but I can't wait to get out of this place! (Haha!)

Nate: How does this album compare to previous recordings?

Nate: You're heading on tour in June with Haste the Day and Upon A Burning Body. Tell us about that.

Robert: It's more in the moment. I don't want to say "mature". But compared to all our recordings every one gets better, whether musically or sound wise. So I feel it's definitely a step forward. What's the point of being a musician if you are just going to run in place, creatively.

Matthew: It's going to be terrible! Tour flip/van flip! (Hahaha!!) I'm just kidding.

Nate: Final words, announcements, etc.

Robert: Well we decided for our summer touring plans that we would support our awesome friends in Haste The Day. We have also been friends with the UABB for some time now too. It will be about a month long. Hitting some festivals.

It's pretty much a guaranteed good time.

Robert- We just recently shot a video for "Terra Firma". We also have a few more "video" surprises that will be announced very soon. But make sure to come out and support our summer tour with Haste The Day and help make it a great time!

Matthew: I really can't wait!

Nate: You also recently added "Crimson Grim". How has that gone with fans?

Robert: Kids have excepted it pretty good. It's a little different then our typical style but it just flowed right out of us.

Actually, the very first time we all got into one room to start writing, for Lost Boy, that song came out the first day.

Matthew: We actually just filmed a music video for this song in LA! Needless to say it's one of the songs we love, and from the looks of it so do our fans!

Nate: Where did you record and with who? How was the studio experience?

Robert: We recorded with Matt Goldman at Glow In The Dark studios in Atlanta, GA. It was the most comfortable recording experience I've ever had. Goldman is such a great dude to be around. From day one we clicked with him. He was a big part in actually making this record work. We went into his studio with like 8 raw songs, no gear and no drummer and somehow, in 45 days, we made a record. I hope to work with him in the future.

Matthew: Yeah Goldman was a genius behind the soundboard! Lost Boy is bigger, better, and way heavier then Unbreakable. Definitely a step forward!

Nate: What was the writing like for this album? Any lyrical themes?

Robert: Well, musically, it was frustrating at times. Like I previously said, this is the first time we sat down and wrote as

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

Genres Hardcore/Metalcore/Metal, but I don't mind branching out into Classic Rock/Southern Rock Bio Sights Set North is here for three reasons.

1) To help move the scene forward.

2) To help locals achieve their dreams.

3) To have the utmost fun possible. Basically, we are here for the great locals to be heard, and for their fans to have the chances to see them live with the best bands. We don't take on bands that we wouldn't like to actually hang out with and become friends with. Friendship means much more than money.

Whats coming up A Death Among Heroes/Serianna 30 day tour in August.

Group Therapy/It Lies Within 20 day tour in August.

ADAH featured in June AMP unsigned band section.

July 12th - Becoming The Archetype [Solid State] & Before There Was Rosalyn [Victory] @ The Hayloft - Mt. Clemons, MI August 11th - To Speak Of Wolves [Solid State], Becoming The Archetype [Solid State], Onward To Olympus [Facedown] @ The Token - Westland, MI What we do for bands Help book tours, book shows with locals and nationals, deal with any managerial issues, and overall be a friend.

Detroit, MI Started June '09 officially Bands represented and Info A Death Among Heroes - Detroit, MI - http://www.myspace.com/adeathamongheroes Kills The Moment - Buffalo, NY - http://www.myspace.com/killsthemoment Serianna - Chicago, IL - http://www.myspace.com/seriannarocks The City Circles - Toledo, OH - http://www.myspace.com/thecitycircles Group Therapy - Detroit, MI - http://www.myspace.com/grouptherapy313 Seven Story Fall - Detroit, MI - http://www.myspace.com/sevenstoryfall Number of Employees 2 Contact Info Chris Salyers Owner chris.sightssetnorth@gmail.com

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

UNSIGNED SPOTLIGHTS Each month, we hand pick a handful of unsigned artists that really show potential. Want to make a future spot? Then send some songs and information to nathaniellay@live.com for consideration.

AHIMSA SUNRISE HQ : Du Bois, PA Sounds Good With : A Skylit Drive, Us From Outside, We Are Giant www.myspace.com/ahimsasunrise Why Should You Know Them? : Their third album, Save It, recently released online and in Hot Topic stores around the nation. The title track alone makes this EP a worth while buy; the others songs are just gravy.

MACHREE HQ : Saint Louis, MO Sounds Good With : Harvard, Rise Against, The Sleeping www.myspace.com/wearemachree Why Should You Know Them? : People cannot get enough of Machree, and for good reason. Their brand of progressive post-hardcore is honest and addictive, making for a worthy opponent in today's scene.

THE HERE AND NOW HQ : Hudson Valley, NY Sounds Good With : Boys Like Girls, The Morning Of, Sing It Loud www.myspace.com/thehereandnowrock Why Should You Know Them? : This DIY band play infectious pop rock and are already booked through July on the East Coast. Check out their song “We'll Do It Live” and you'll feel it too. Best yet, the band has new material on the way.

OUTGROWN HQ : Troy, IL Sounds Good With : All That Remains, Dead To Fall, Nodes Of Ranvier www.myspace.com/outgrown Why Should You Know Them? : Outgrown recently released their new album, Chasing Your Ghost, and are currently touring the new songs. However, being on the road is nothing new for these guys; the list of great bands they've shared the stage with is ever growing.

EYES LIKE DIAMONDS HQ: Las Vegas, NV

Sounds Good With: A Skylit Drive, I See Stars, Pierce The Veil www.myspace.com/eyeslikediamondslv Why You Should Know Them: Their latest release, Frequencies, is a powerhouse of screamo and metal. The band is currently working on the follow up with Kris Crummett, so keep your eyes on these guys and gal.

ON MY HONOR HQ: Knoxville, TM Sounds Good With: The Running List, All Time Low, Veara www.myspace.com/onmyhonorpop Why You Should Know Them: 2009 was an eventful year for On My Honor. The band played at Warped Tour and released the catchy The Good, The Bad, And The Getting By. Personally, we're very interested to see what 2010 brings from these guys.

TAKE IT TO EIGHTY EIGHT HQ: Colorado Springs, CO Sounds Good With: Hit The Lights, Call The Cops, Amber Pacific www.myspace.com/takeitto88 Why You Should Know Them: Their 2009 EP Call More Dudes! was an energetic and catchy collection. The band went back in the studio late February this year to record once again. So even though they may not be on the road much currently, they have a good excuse.

THE SKYLINE SURRENDER HQ: Denver, CO Sounds Good With: MyChildren MyBride, Waterdown, Legend www.myspace.com/theskylinesurrender Why You Should Know Them: Most recently, The Skyline Surrender released their music video for “We're Going To Winchesta” online. The band play furious metalcore that takes influence from Darkest Hour and Underoath, so you can expect something epic.

A DEATH AMONG HEROES HQ: Detroit, MI Sounds Good With: Parkway Drive, A Day To Remember, Attack Attack! www.myspace.com/adeathamongheroes Why You Should Know Them: A Death Among Heroes have played with a handful of national acts including Miss May I, Suicide Silence, I See Stars, and more. The band also released an entertaining EP in 2009, and are currently preparing for its follow up. Catch the band on tour this August!

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ICARUS THE OWL

Icarus The Owl bridge the gap between technical musicianship and catchiness. While writing in mostly odd time signatures, the average music listener would assume it's their new favorite pop/rock sing-a-long. Icarus The Owl's music appeals to many demographics, because it's musically mature, yet accessible to people who listen for the hooks. Icarus The Owl builds upon an innovative method of guitar tapping that was made famous by Don Caballero and Minus The Bear, and these smooth and wandering guitar lines can be heard throughout their songs.

Any achievements (opening slots, awards like battle of the bands, magazine press, etc) We are opening for Cute Is What We Aim For on June 7th. We have acquired different endorsements, and a distribution deal from Hot Topic all on our own. We have just surpassed 75,000 friends on MySpace and we have 1,315,800 plays to date.

Any other useful/interesting info on the band We are going to start doing instructional videos on how to play some of our songs. We love breaking down our music to our fans- I think it's the right music to teach people some technical aspects of music such as time signatures.

www.myspace.com/icarustheowl What is the history of your band?

Icarus The Owl started in January 2009, and carefully spent six months writing and recording their 14 song debut album "The Spotless Mind". The album was released just in time for the band to follow the 2009 Vans Warped Tour, where the original 5,000 CD pressing sold out in only five weeks. Icarus The Owl hit the road in February of 2010 and will spend the remainder of the year on tour. The band was formed from the ashes of other bands. Icarus The Owl is the social networking band, as singer Joey Rubenstein found all of Icarus The Owl's members through Facebook, Craig's List, and YouTube.

What are your major influences?

Each member has different influences, but we all can agree on Thrice. We all secretly listen to Miley Cyrus.

Latest release info (title, year, where it was recorded, etc) The Spotless Mind (14 song full length) came out in June of 2009. It was recorded with producer Stephan Hawkes at Interlace Audio in Portland,OR. Any upcoming tours?

Icarus The Owl will be on tour from July 8th- August 5th on their "Big Buck HunTOUR" and will head out again in October. The dates can be found on their MySpace.

Any upcoming releases?

We have a new EP all recorded and we are very proud of it. We have a song from it called "Mythomaniac" currently streaming on our MySpace page. We are waiting for the right time to release it, and whether we want it to be a label release or not is still up in the air.

How would you describe your sound?

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REVIEWS RATING SCALE 10 – Perfection 9 – Excellent 8 – Very Good 7 – Good 6 – Decent 5 – Mediocre 4 And Below – Bad *Want your album reviewed by LMP? Send a digital stream or download to nathaniellay@live.com for consideration.

Make sure to include release information and album art.

Writers: Nathaniel Lay (NL), Mario Trevizo (MT), Ryan Williford (RW)

EYES SET TO KILL Broken Frames [BreakSilence Records] Score: 9.5/10 Stream: “All You Ever Know”

With two releases behind them, Eyes Set To Kill have made quite a name for themselves. Both albums that they put out were pretty well rounded. Although the sound didn’t change too much between Reach and The World Outside, they still managed to capitalize and really expand their fan base. Even with that being said, forget what you thought you knew about the band. Broken Frames is taking Eyes Set To Kill to a much higher level than anyone could imagine. After going through the album just one time, the reaction was a mix between being amazed and absolutely dumbfounded. Every

aspect about this album is constructed so well. There is much more power, emotion, and perfect collaboration between the melodic singing and screaming we have grown to love. Alexia has really stepped it up. With such raw passion and intensity, her singing soars beautifully.

Their new screamer Cisko has put a new emphasis on their screams. All around he is much more grueling with ferocity. It’s hard to pick any song that absolutely stands out above another. It all depends on what you are looking for. The first three songs “All You Ever Knew”, “Broken Frames”, and “The Listening” are probably the heaviest songs the band has released. Whereas, a song like “Ticking Bombs” or “Ryan” expose only Alexia’s singing without any back up screams. All in all, it is hard not to appreciate Broken Frames for all it is worth.

Lyrically moving, beautifully sang, and powerfully screamed, the only appropriate word is “perfect”. (MT)

music? This is one of those albums. Starting out is the ever so catchy “Heart Song”. With its rhythmic verses and upbeat chorus, its near impossible to not move during this track. It's the perfect song to snag your attention towards the rest of the album. The following tracks take a step back from the explosive introduction by lowering the tempo and raising some focus on Juliet’s beautiful voice. Straight forward this album focuses mainly on love. The lyrics may not seem the most original, but the performance and passion make up for it. Throughout the album it feels as though you are watching a ballad. There are so many dimensions that you can’t describe everything in one word. The way each song is sang holds so much honest emotion that it creates a unique personality for every track. If you are looking for a dancy fun filled album you may be disappointed. However, if you want something relaxing that will sing to you from start to finish, this album is a perfect choice. With tracks like “Heart Song”, “Day They Saved Us”, and “Butterflies” you can’t go wrong. (MT) “Juliet has quite an interesting voice. It may not be beautiful, but it is perfect for rock n’ roll. Even though she keeps it more rough on this album, she does showcase some wider vocal range from time to time.

While “Heart Song” is quite entertaining, the most memorable track on this album is the “To Die For” cover.

Fans of female punk rockers should really look this one out. It’s not as hard hitting as some albums of the genre, but Truth Or Dare does impress again and again.” (NL) – (7/10)

I CALL FIVES Bad Advice [No Sleep Records] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Take The Fall”

“Broken Frames improves upon the band’s earlier material in every way. The instruments are all sharper, the writing is more personal, and the atmosphere is palpable.” (NL) – (8/10)

AUTOMATIC LOVELETTER Truth Or Dare [Sony Records] Score: 8.5/10 Stream: “Heart Song” Ever hear an album that just made you really appreciate

If someone advised you spend your money on some bad advice, you might be a little bit hesitant. Under the right

circumstances, that just might be a great idea. Here are some reasons why I Call Fives Bad Advice might be good for you. Although the opening track isn’t very powerful and a bit bland, it certainly doesn’t define the rest of the EP. All tracks following have extremely catchy riffs and feel good choruses. Just like many pop punk bands, the sound is very fun and will certainly keep a smile on your face. Unfortunately the formula to this genre doesn’t quite create a unique distinguished sound for most artists. That seems to be the case here. The songs are fun and catchy, but it sounds like something we’ve all heard before. If you are looking for a new band with that fun filled sound, do not let this steer you away. You will get everything you expect, just not really anything extra.

One track that really stands out is the ending song “Take The Fall”. It is the only track on the EP that starts out acoustic and transitions with some electricity right towards the end. Unfortunately that exciting burst of energy is over before it begins. It does make for a great ending though. My best advice is to check out their music for yourself before you make a final decision. If you like what you hear, then you will be very satisfied with this release. (MT) “Recorded by Paul Leavitt in the nearby city of Baltimore, MD, Bad Advice is six tracks of energetic pop/punk. “Elevator Music” will likely become a favorite for fans, and while this EP does feel very familiar instrumentally, the upbeat approach to every song makes up for the unoriginality. Bad Advice makes for an enjoyable and catchy addition to your collection.” (NL) – (8/10)

THE MOTEL LIFE Retreat [Unsigned] Score: 8/10 Stream : “Writing A Book” For the most part, The Motel Life play sweet sounding, relaxed rock. Their music will likely remind you of the 90′s alternative scene, so chances are you’ll like this one if you grew up during that time period. Retreat swims from track to track, and while it rarely gets energetic, these songs still manage to lift you up instead of putting you to sleep. The opening track, “Wooden Hands”, is quiet introduction that builds ever so slightly throughout, and “Falling Asleep” is backed by a memorable chorus in which vocalist Michael Escanuelas raises his voice some. “How Things Go” has a low profiled dance feel to it, “Second Place” creates a balance between the soft and more lively, and “Writing

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com A Book” instantly goes down as the favorite due to its lyrical content (it’s hard not to love an innocent sounding song that sings “You’re an asshole, plain and simple, and I’m just as gullible as well as you can see”).

Retreat will probably appeal more to the older crowds than the teenagers these days, but that works for us.

This kind of music is like a stroll down memory lane when music still had heart. The Motel Life are part of dying breed. (NL)

JUNIOR BATTLES 7” [Square Up Records] Score: 10/10 Stream : “Roads? Where We’re Going, We Definitely Need Roads”

As soon as this EP begins, Junior Battles is a fucking hit.

Track after track is pure gold, so anyone who skips this release deserves a good kick in the ass. “Basements” is an underground anthem, “Major Label Bidding War” is fueled by some catchy gang participation and duel vocals, and “Update Your Resume” has a folk/punk sound to it that is instantly enjoyable and bouncy. The final track, “Roads? Where We’re Going, We Definitely Need Roads”, is the best of the bunch here – its chorus will be in stuck in your head for days to come. This is an extremely satisfying record that will make a fan of anyone who hears it. Fucking buy this one already! (NL)

I CALL FIVES Gives Bad Advice (Acoustic) [No Sleep Records] Score: 8/10 Stream : “More Than I Can Handle” Having just released the EP Bad Advice, I Call Fives decided to follow it up immediately with the free download of Gives Bad Advice. Rather than just recording acoustic versions of the songs found on Bad

Advice, the band wrote up four new songs. While a pleasant surprise, these songs don’t hit home as well as their full band material. That being said, “For The Best” is an energetic and enjoyable song, “More Than I Can Handle” has a very melodic backbone to it that stands out, and “Down” is fueled by some very upbeat writing.

The instrumental aspect of this album is also very well done, so don’t expect boring guitar work like some acoustic releases. The opening track (“This Town”) might lag behind, but the other three songs here are definitely worth playing. Full band is preferred, but this is still a great download for fans. (NL)

EVERYONE EVERYWHERE Everyone Everywhere [Tiny Engines] Score: 7/10 Stream : “Tiny Planet”

Stream : “Billboards” “New York” really sounds like a William Shatner rip-off in the beginning. This spoken-word / sung delivery of songs may work for some, but not with me. While the vocals are more personable as a result, they also come in either too hard or too soft. The instrumentation is often beautiful and interesting, but Campol’s voice is constantly throwing things off. Personally, I cannot stand this type of music. If this is your kind of thing though, Bow And Quiver may just be what you’ve been looking for. (NL)

MAKER I-91 [Either/OR Records] Score: 7/10 Stream : “Anything” These four tracks equal to only 10 minutes in length, but that’s to be expect from a band that is the definition of “punk power”. Raw, loud, and fast, Maker are part of the underground scene you won’t read much about in magazines. I-91 may be a small collection, but it’s full of heart and energy. Maker may not be doing anything revolutionary, but their music is surely enjoyable and fun to play from time to time. (NL)

characterized by some powerfully strained vocals, “Burden” is an instrumental masterpiece, and “Rope” mixes all the best elements the band has to offer. When it comes to the TJ tracks, “Lodging” kicks things off with some catchy riffs and drum work. “Dent” is the favorite here, as it is a little faster and more vocal. All in all, Tigers Jaw are definitely more focused on the instrumental aspects of their songs, so newcomers shouldn’t have too much difficulty telling these two bands apart. BaC combine rock and bleeding punk to create something unique, while TJ play with more melodic tones and easy going sounds. This is a good split by two bands you should really have your eyes on. (NL)

WE ARE THE IN CROWD Guaranteed To Disagree [Hopeless Records] Score: 6/10 Stream: “Never Be What You Want”

BALANCE AND COMPOSURE / TIGERS JAW Relying heavily on instrumentation at times, Everyone Everywhere play some melodic rock that borders on the punk side of things. While I would have personally preferred some more vocalization, this self titled release is soothing and enjoyable to hear. Songs like “Tiny Planet” and “Tiny Boat” leave more of an impression because of their inclusion of words, and it’s because the band doesn’t do this enough that they fall behind in the long run. While every track does feature something worth hearing, a good majority of these songs won’t actually stick with you. All in all, this is a solid album that is entertaining enough, though probably not worth physical purchase. (NL)

IMADETHISMISTAKE Bow And Quiver [Bermuda Mohawk Productions] Score: 4/10

Split EP [No Sleep Records] Score: 7/10 Stream : BaC “Kaleidoscope”, TJ “Dent”

Both rising fast from No Sleep Records, Balance And Composure and Tigers Jaw have decided to join forces to release a split EP of raw power and heart. From the BaC side of things, these songs are quite enjoyable and angry, despite not being quite as good as those found on the Only Boundaries release. “Kaleidoscope” is

Who? One of the newest signings of Hopeless Records, We Are The In Crowd, are set to take the music world by storm with their female lead vocals and pop sound. How is it? The EP starts off with “Carry Me Home” and Tay’s voice comes out full-force and is excellent. Then the male vocals come in and they seem a bit off and out of sync with Tay’s vocals. This seems to just be the case for that song as the next song “Never Be What You Want” has both vocals being great and in sync. The instrumentation is on par with what you would expect from a pop/pop-rock band. Nothing groundbreaking or pulling your attention away from the vocals. The best part of this is the drums on the album being a sleeper hit. We Are The In Crowd are and will be compared to Paramore. Luckily for We Are The In Crowd, they have gained my attention and me as a fan. Paramore has failed at that aspect. Regardless, this is a good start for We Are The In Crowd and they should continue along this path. (RW)

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com out more like “The Pain Of Parting”. (NL)

WE START PARTYS We Start Partys [Unsigned] Score: 9/10 Stream: “Lost It”

This three track EP packs more of an energetic punch than most full lengths. “Lost It” is immediately memorable and fun to replay, “No Time For Tears” has a more punk/alternative sensibility to it you’ll fall in love with, and “Frontin’ It” is an experimental dance track of sorts that stands out as being really unique and interesting. This collection may only be around 10 minutes in length, but it’s very entertaining and addictive. Don’t be surprised if you turn this EP on quite frequently. (NL)

LEGEND Valediction [Rise Records] Score: 5/10 Stream: “Harlot” Vocalist Chad Ruhlig created Legend after leaving fellow Rise band For The Fallen Dreams. As a result, Valediction feels a lot like his last band. It also resembles early Bury Your Dead work, so if that kind of thrash/hardcore is your deal, then chances are you’ll love this record. The problem is this that this album most likely won’t appeal to too many others. Unless you’re the type of person who goes to shows to do spin kicks and moshpits as a band breakdowns over and over again, then Legend probably won’t impress you. After all, each track feels pretty much the same (with the exception of a couple tracks, like “Harlot”), so don’t expect a lot of variety here. This is pretty standard stuff. Yes, it’s heavy. Yes, it’s brutal. But how far can that really get a band these days? People want to hear something more unique and interesting. Valediction is a sad disappointment that could have been so much more if it had only branched

BREATHING BLUE Breathing Blue [ES Music] Score: 9/10 Stream: “From Athens To Alcatraz” This six track EP is a joy to hear right from start to finish.

Justin Sanford’s raw and strained vocals sound perfect for this kind of music, and each song manages to keep a personality all its own. No two songs sound alike, making for an even more enjoyable album. “Chase The World” has a sad beauty to it, “Roads” feels like a sleazy dance song of sorts, and “From Athens To Alcatraz” has a chorus that soars and sticks with you. Chances are you are going to love this record and want to hear it again and again. (NL)

SCARLET GREY Fancy Blood Score: 8/10 Stream: “No Boys In The Ballroom” “No Boys In The Ballroom” wastes no time in getting this album off to catchy start. In fact, that’s the best way to characterize Fancy Blood; this EP is groove after memorable chorus after groove. The title track is more reserved, but still funky, and “Naomi” has a unique ska/electronica grasp to it that sounds great. Each song offers up something fun and enjoyable, so don’t expect to hear this one without bobbing your head at the very least. Scarlet Grey play smooth, lighthearted rock you’ll easily fall in love with. (NL)

ALL TIME LOW Straight To DVD [Hopeless Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “Coffee Shop Soundtrack”

This live album really shows a side of All Time Low I didn’t really care for. While, yes, the music is just as catchy and enjoyable as ever, their “rock star” attitudes between songs is just obnoxious and annoying. Frankly, bands that act like this on stage give the scene a bad name. Don’t get me wrong – I love the music of All Time Low, but they need to tone down their cocky antics when in front of so many people. As far as the songs go, Straight To DVD features a good number of their hits.

You have the latest ones (“Lost In Stereo”, “Break Your Heart”, “Weightless”) and some of the older numbers (“Coffee Shop Soundtrack”, “Jasey Rae”, “Dear Maria, Count Me In”), so fans are going to eat this shit up no doubt. Not too many live albums impress me, but these guys really do have the talent to put on a good show.

They just need to stop cursing and talking sexual so much in between songs. (NL)

introduction; we hope to hear more from these guys soon. (NL)

STEPHEN EGERTON The Seven Degrees Of Stephen Egerton [Paper + Plastick Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “South For The Winter”

LEIANA Lucky #3 [F.O.F./EMI] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Nothing=You” “Nothing=You”, the opening track, might be the most energetic and addictive song on the album, but Lucky #3 is comprised of some really enjoyable punk/rock anthems (“Down To You”, “Suffer”, “Happy Now”). A good majority of these tracks are backed by catchy choruses that will get your fist in the air, so fans of The Distillers or Joan Jett should really check this one out.

Like those bands, Leiana knows how to write an uplifting hit while also keeping her edgy attitude. This disc may not turn heads necessarily, but Leiana is part of a dying breed – take notice. (NL)

THE RUNNING LIST It’s Alright, We’re OK [Kick Off Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “We Were Heroes” This is looking like a good year for The Running List.

Other than signing with Kick Off Records, the band also released a highly addictive EP for the masses. It’s Alright, We’re OK has an edgy punk/rock feel to it that works really well, and there isn’t a shit song in the bunch. “We Were Heroes” gives off a great Averman vibe, “Mischief Managed” is a perfect song to hype up a crowd, and “City Slumber” is personalized by some well written lyrics and a memorable chorus. This is quite the

For those not in the know, Stephen Egerton is the guitarist from The Descendents. The Seven Degrees is his debut solo album featuring a great list of guest vocalists for each track on the album. While some don’t really make an impact, there is some definite gems here.

“Abundance Of Fluff (Featuring John Moreland)” is the first track to really stand out, “Funny Face (Featuring Chad Price)” has a soaring folk/punk quality to it, and “Never Again (Featuring Bill McShane)” has an addictive beat behind it. However, the real focus track here is “South For The Winter”. Tim McIlrath of Rise Against does an extraordinary job, making this song fucking gold. If you don’t buy this album, at the very least you HAVE to download this song dammit. The Seven Degrees is like punk/rock hall of fame, so it’s definitely worth your attention. Not every track is a hit, but a good amount of them are. (NL)

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS Skeletons [Wind-Up Records] Score: 9/10 Stream: “Bring You Back” Wow, what a return. While the band’s last effort (2008's Fragile Future) was enjoyable enough, it didn’t do anything really extraordinary. Skeletons, on the other hand, is instantly catchy and memorable. For those of you who haven’t listened to the band recently, Hawthorne Heights lost key member Casey Calvert a

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com couple years back and ditched their emo/screamo sound for the most part. This latest outing is pretty much a complete different direction than anything from their past. Now the band is mostly pop/punk rock (though there are some similarities to old material from time to time). Also, this is the first album to feature Micah Carli providing clean vocals, which all came out extremely well. “Bring You Back”, the opening track, is a soaring number that will instantly get you moving (despite the fact it’s about Calvert’s death). “Nervous Breakdown”, the album’s single, feels a bit more like the band’s first album, minus the screams and darker instrumentals.

“End Of The Underground” is a healthy balance of the two styles, “Gravestones” has an early-years My Chemical Romance vibe, “Broken Man” is strangely reminiscent instrumentally of From Autumn To Ashes, and “Picket Fences” is an acoustic masterpiece. There’s even a track here that feels like a hardcore anthem of sorts (“Abandoned Driveways”) which came out surprisingly well. Skeletons has its soft moments, fast moments, and all in between, so there’s no need to worry about the pacing – this album flows with ease and offers up enough variety to keep ever interesting. Best yet, Hawthorne Heights have made a new name for themselves with this album. Skeletons is a joy to hear, and will likely become a new favorite for many. (NL)

this record, so if that’s not your thing, Revival is going to likely bug the shit out of you. As Hell Retreats are at their best when they are more rapidly changing up vocal styles (“Messengers”) and accompanying them with solo-quality guitar work (“Poor God”). The most unique track to be found here is the title song, “Revival”. This instrumental has a sad sensibility to it that truly shines; if only the band visited these talents some more, they could be onto something much more than this. Like previously mentioned, there isn’t a lot of variety to be found with Revival. Nevertheless, this is an entertainingly heavy record that is worth a download at least. (NL)

AS HELL RETREATS

GOOD OLD WAR

Revival [Strike First Records] Score: 7/10 Stream: “The Holy Thief”

As Hell Retreats are brutal, furious, energetic…basically everything you’d expect from a metal band of this kind.

While not original or ground breaking, Revival is well done and worth head banging to. “The Holy Thief” is the first track to really stick out; its speed and breakdowns make for the go-to song of the album. It is then followed by “Raze”, a track that opens with a simple, but effective series of guitar build ups. The ‘chug’ feel is bountiful on

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS In Desolation [Epitaph Records] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Their Own Medicine” In Desolation is a leap forward from the generic sound of From The Bottom. While still necessarily unique, this album is more energetic and approachable. There are a number of great tracks here – like the catchy “Their Own Medicine” and the honest “My Episodes” – that help make this a worthy album for your attention. (NL)

none of them really stand out as national hits.

“WarZone” could certainly do well on the radio waves, and “Back To Go Again” seems to soar as it plays, but there aren’t enough of these songs to put this disc on replay in your stereo. However, with some more work and expansion, these guys could very well hit their stride the next time around. (NL)

BLACK SUNSHINE Black Sunshine [Break Silence Recordings] Score: 6/10 Stream: “Cannonball” Black Sunshine really don’t fit with the rest of Break Silence’s roster, and that might be part of the problem with this album. Other than the fact we’ve heard this all before, Black Sunshine lacks to power and emotion to really separate themselves from the crowd. They do have a cool Seether vibe to them, and they manage some pretty beautiful sounding melodies, but this is becoming a tiring genre. (NL)

THIS IS HELL Weight Of The World [Rise Records] Score: 9/10 Stream: “The Night The Line Was Crossed”

Good Old War [Sargent House] Score: 8/10 Stream: “My Own Sinking Ship” Easily relaxing and soothing, Good Old War are kings at creating such atmospheres for the listener to fall in love.

“My Own Sinking Ship” will make its way onto your next mixed tape, and the acoustical folk sound of this album will warm even the coldest heart. There are 15 tracks begging to be played in your car with the windows down while driving through the country. (NL)

FRAMING HANLEY A Promise To Burn [Silent Majority Group] Score: 7/10 Stream: “WarZone” While it does feel like Framing Hanley are close to something, they just haven’t quite found it yet. A Promise To Burn is full of potentially good tracks, but

While the formula of their past releases is still well intact, Weight Of The World does expand the sound of This Is Hell more than once. This album is track after track of fist-pumping punk, but there’s a new beast showing itself this time around. “No One Leaves Unscathed” will instantly add fuel to the flames, “The Night The Line Was Crossed” is basically a series of great breakdowns, and “Bloodlines” has an even tempo throughout that helps add balance to the speed of this album. “Eagle Of Justice” serves as a unique

intermission, “Forever Discontent” comes out as a top track, and “Destroyer” feels like your classic hardcore anthem. You could skip around this album and always land on something worth hearing. Weight Of The World is one hell of release; it deserves your attention. (NL)

TRANSMIT NOW Downtown Merry-Go-Round [Silent Majority Group] Score : 8/10 Stream: “Issues” I literally stumbled over this one. While on MySpace checking out bands, I noticed Transmit Now on someone’s top friends list. I saw that their name said they had a new album releasing May 25th. Seeing that the date was so close, I decided to look them up for review. Luckily, their album was streaming at www.tunelab.com. People, this is a very pleasant surprise. When I randomly find a good band, it always puts a smile on my face. Transmit Now is such a band.

Downtown Merry-Go-Round is an energetic rock album that is catchy, honest, and immediately entertaining.

Hailing from Central Florida, Transmit Now play self describe “powerpop-rock”. The band got their start early on by gaining a Warped Tour slot in 2008, and these five individuals have not looked back since. Produced by Pete Thornton (Paramore, Shinedown) and Brooks Paschal (Sullivan), this eleven track collection is a hidden gem. Right from the start of “What You’re Thinking”, Transmit Now reel in the listener with a sound similar to All Time Low’s Nothing Personal. From there, it’s basically one catchy anthem after another. While a good deal of these songs are about the joys of life and letting loose, there are the more mature numbers like “Posterboys” that revolve around the industry and its flaws. Basically, don’t go into this one thinking you’re just going to hear about girls and shit like that – there’s more going on in these guys heads than that (luckily).

The best thing about Downtown is the fact it doesn’t repeat itself throughout. Instead, this album is composed of songs with separate identities to keep things fresh. “Let’s Go Out Tonight” has a hard rock feel to it at times (which works out interestingly enough), “Issues” is punk/rock gold, and “The Last Thing” is soothing and relaxed. There’s a mix of genres to be experienced here, so Transmit Now are in no sense a “one trick pony” like so many other artists of this genre.

These guys change it up enough to keep things thoroughly entertaining and memorable. Whether you choose to skip around this album or not, you’re going to

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com find a lot to love here. Transmit Now have recorded quite the addictive album with Downtown Merry-GoRound. Don’t miss out on this one like we almost did.

(NL)

THE GHOST INSIDE Returners [Mediaskare Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “The Conflict”

When a band is only four to five years old and are already releasing their second full length album on a well known label, they must be doing something right.

This happens to be the case for Mediaskare Records’ The Ghost Inside, who last released music in 2008 in the form of Fury And The Fallen Ones. Fast forward two years later and The Ghost Inside is set to release their highly anticipated sophomore effort Returners on June 8th. Will the listeners be pleased with what they hear though? The listeners will have to wait another ninety seconds for the proper album because of an intro track.

When the album officially starts you can hear that the vocals are on the hardcore side of the spectrum while the instrumentation has gotten more melodic over time.

Jonathan Vigil’s vocals are stronger than ever and are an instant highlight of the album. This was showcased on the very first song they released, “Between The Lines.”

While Vigil does not change his tone much, his vocals do not become tiresome or monotone throughout the album. Coming into this release, if you did not expect gang vocals you were kidding yourself. The gang vocals are, however, tastefully done throughout and add to the overall atmosphere of the album. The instrumentation on this album is top notch all-around. The production team uses effects on some of the drum and guitar parts that would have maybe gone unnoticed and made those

parts absolutely brilliant. A few examples of this can be found on “Chrono” and “The Conflict.” After Vivil’s vocals, the next biggest highlight has to be the drumming. It is very prominent and arranged very well in every song. The drums are never trying to do too much or simplifying it either. Finally, the breakdowns are nothing really special but the guitarists do have some impressive leads and sweeps scattered throughout. The two standout tracks on the album are “Between The Lines” and “Chrono.” “Between The Lines” features Brendan of Betrayal and is sure to incite the pit as soon as the song starts. On the other side of the coin, we have “Chrono” which features former Bury Your Dead vocalist Mat Bruso and is more in-your-face hardcore.

“Chrono” may not get as much attention as “Between The Lines,” but “Chrono” is a better overall song. The Ghost Inside has stepped their game up and everyone should take notice. The guys knew the fans were begging for this album, and they used their time wonderfully to create an album that almost every fan should love. Will Returners bring in new fans? Maybe the younger listeners who were not in the scene back in 2008, but otherwise probably not. In a June full of anticipated releases, The Ghost Inside has the month on the right track. (RW)

STICK TO YOUR GUNS The Hope Division [Sumerian Records] Score: 9/10 Stream : “Some Kind Of Hope”

that Stick To Your Guns are expanding their formula.

Still, that may not seem like a drastic change. However, play this album from start to finish and you will realize just how much experimentation went into writing this record (other than the occasional singing portions, which all sound great). Stick To Your Guns definitely had a vision when they sought out to create this album. To help make it more obvious, the band used several spoken “transmissions” and recordings between songs, including Harvey Milk’s speech on hope. While effective, some of them do feel a tad too long (which is one of the few problems I actually had with this disc). Tracks like “Some Kind Of Hope” and “Scarecrow” show just how well these guys have expanded upon their talents. Of course, you do still have your brutal, fast numbers like “What Goes Around”, so don’t worry – you won’t be missing out on the elements that first enticed you in this band. The Hope Division takes Stick To Your Guns from hardcore to something much more progressive and conceptual. This one deserves your attention big time, whether you knew this band already or not. (NL)

MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE Lost Boy [Solid State] Score: 7/10 Stream : “Redeemer”

The Hopeless” is one of the most original sounding tracks on the album. “Crimson Grim” is instantly satisfying with its whirling guitar work and speed, “Redeemer” is perfect for crowd interaction, and “Nuclear +” feels more intense than most of the other songs. When all is said and done, MyChildren MyBride have returned with an album that is certainly entertaining enough, despite not being anything special or ground breaking. Now the band just needs to find a new permanent drummer. (NL)

CALL TO PRESERVE Life Of Defiance [Facedown Records] Score: 6/10 Stream : “Functionary” This is pretty straightforward hardcore. The first half of this album could easily be skipped over, but by the time you reach “Functionary”, Life Of Defiance finally begins to pick itself up. “Desoto” begins calm, but soon blasts into a rage that can’t be denied. By this time on the record, the songs are becoming heavier, faster, and more crowd pleasing (with more breakdowns and gang vocals to keep things interesting). “The Skin” is fueled by a more strained and painful vocalization, “Across The Isle” is a quick assault on the beaches, and “Holding Embers” seemingly builds upon itself (making it one of the more well rounded tracks on the disc). So if you can get passed the first four efforts without turning away, you will be treated with something quite entertaining. We’ve heard it all before, but that chunk of tracks in the middle is well worth a download from listeners. (NL)

VEARA

It has seemed like a long wait, but The Hope Division was well worth it. Stick To Your Guns really brought their guns out with this one. Initially, one may assume this will continue the furious hardcore steps of previous releases, but there’s so much more here to be heard.

The opening “Where The Sun Never Sleeps” is fueled by a soaring chorus with clean vocals, helping to show fans

There’s a lot of hype around this band, and there has been for several years now, but I’ve never been a fan personally. That being said, Lost Boy is pretty enjoyable due to some of the instrumental sections on this album.

The vocals, on the other hand, are a bit too…generic.

We’ve heard this kind of voice so often before that I’ve become tired of it. Some singing or higher screams would’ve been nice, but MyChildren MyBride pretty much stick with the deep, hardcore growl the whole way through. “Hooligans” has some pretty cool breakdowns that are further helped by the drumming, and “King Of

What We Left Behind [Epitaph Records] Score: 6/10 Stream : “My B-Side Life” It’s the familiar sound of Veara that will bring fans to this sophomore release. These guys have some pretty obvious influences, whether it be the late 90's punk rock scene or the current leaders of the genre. In fact, the best track on this album (“My B-Side Life”) feels like something Four Year Strong may have written. While similar to New Found Glory and others, Veara’s use of gang vocals helps branch them out a little further into the grounds of such hardcore acts as Set Your Goals and Broadway Calls. Comparisons aside, What We Left Behind is very solid and enjoyable, albeit unoriginal.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Veara won’t win any marks for expanding their scene, but they certainly do it right. “Pull Your Own Weight” is one of those songs that feels like something great is underlying, despite never quite coming to surface – as do several other tracks feel from this album. The lyrics are definitely worth attention, as they do not necessarily delve into the typical lines. Instrumentally, it’s what you would expect from this kind of band (which is not a bad thing by any means). “Everything To Lose” has a more mature sound to it, which helps it stand out, and the closing “Getting Kicked In The Face Has Never Been So Much Fun” does a pretty good job in ending the album on a good note. To wrap up, this is an album we have all heard before, but it’s still worth playing from time to time. After all, punk rock is good for the soul. The energy of this genre is palpable. (NL)

CONFIDE Recover [Tragic Hero Records] Score: 8/10 Stream : “My Choice Of Words”

It’s been a seemingly long wait since Shout The Truth, but fans can finally release a breath in relief; Recover is here and it’s brilliant. Vocally, Confide is more reminiscent of Burden Of A Day this time around, leaving that more raw, punk feel behind them. “When Heaven Is Silent” kicks things off with an immediate mosh-worthy breakdown, and continues with the kind of soaring chorus Confide has really developed to be part of their formula. Even when things are heaviest (see “80B”), Recover has a melodic sense to it that rarely falters. This kind of balance has become quite popular in the scene lately, so it’s not necessarily the most original formula; nonetheless, it works beautifully. Tracks like “Tighten Up” and “Now Or Never” shatter and build back up throughout, making for a highly entertaining ride from the start to finish of Recover. There are many memorable choruses to be found here, and “The View

From My Eyes” is probably the most hauntingly beautiful. “Delete, Repeat” has a punk/rock feel to it at times, but it’s “My Choice Of Words” that really steals the show on this record. The song is well constructed and will become implanted in your head for hours after it has ended. Recover comes to an end with the brutal, yet catchy “Tell Me I’m Not Alone”, but the iTunes purchase comes with two bonus tracks you’ll want to get your hands on. “Burning Bridges” feels like something the band probably came up with during the time of Shout The Truth, and “Real Life” is fueled by a hardcore vibe that does more than a solid job in keeping your attention. Recover may not be breaking barriers into unique music, but it does great things for its scene.

This is a highly enjoyable album fans will eat up and new listeners will surely want to pick up for themselves. We definitely recommend this one. (NL)

GROWN UPS More Songs [Big Scary Monsters Records] Score: 7/10 Stream : “Six More Weeks Of Winter” Here’s a band that sounds unique. Grown Ups mix folk, punk, and hardcore to produce something that is lighthearted and raw at the same time. “Weed Science” immediately gets your attention, and tracks like “Three Day Weekend” and “Six More Weeks Of Winter” keep you in your seat wanting more. The vocals here are rough, but suitably fitting, giving Grown Ups an edge against their competition. “Pears” carries on like an anthem in the wind, “Open Sesame” features some of the most sweet sounding instrumentals on the album, and “Are You Shitten Me?” does a great job in bringing all the elements together in a closing track that will leave a smile on your face. While, yes, there are bands of a similar sound, there aren’t enough to make it really a problem for the listeners of Grown Ups. You won’t hear More Songs and think all the while “well they sound like this band or that band” – these guys do enough to keep themselves separate from the crowd.

While More Songs doesn’t do much as far as song expansion goes, the ride is enjoyable and moving nonetheless. We’d like to hear more from Grown Ups, and you should too. (NL)

SING IT LOUD Everything Collide [Epitaph Records]

Score: 9/10 Stream : “Addicted To When You’re Gone”

Sing It Loud have come a long way since Come Around.

Their sound has matured greatly with Everything Collide, and while they still use the pop elements from before, their album’s overall impression is that of alternative rock. A good majority of these tracks would do well on the radio, and the band even covered “Believe Me” (which came out amazing) to follow suit. The album beings with the single “Sugar Sweet”, a song that most closely resembles the band’s first album. It’s melodic, bouncy, and catchy, but even it has a new sense of adult personality to it. “Thunderstorms” has a Boys Like Girls quality to it, “Here With You” soars with ease, and “Only One” builds through each verse to a chorus that screams ‘party’. As Everything Collide plays through, it becomes quite evident just how much these guys have grown and improved their sound. Come Around was a catchy and entertaining album, but this new collection feels like something the band shouldn’t have come up with so early into their careers. “Addicted To When You’re Gone” feels like a culmination of everything the band practices (and it’s damn good as a result), and the quiet, sensitive approach of “Letting Go” showcases further writing expertise. Where ever you jump to in this album, you’re going to get something worth hearing. Sing It Loud have returned in a big way – Everything Collide may as well be their self titled ‘this is the sound we want to be known for’ album. (NL)

ATTILA Rage [Artery Recordings] Score: 8/10 Stream : “Rage” In the likes of Dr. Acula and See You Next Tuesday, Attila play intense, over-the-top party metal that just begs to be heard. Upfront and honest about their opinions, the band plays Rage to a ‘T’ with their lyrics. Take “Make It

Sick” into consideration – ‘We’ll do whatever we want / And we will never give a fuck whether you like it or not’.

This being said, you can get a pretty good idea of what to expect from this album: loud, screeching, frantic tunes that average under three minutes in length. The deeper growls surprisingly resemble Job For A Cowboy, so breakdowns like that found in “The Invitation” are more entertaining as a result. The more prominent screeching vocal also works well for this brand of metal, so there aren’t any real concerns in that department.

Musically, Attila keeps everything very fast while bringing in multiple genre influences (punk, hardcore, death metal, classic rock…). The album’s title track is probably the most memorable song on the record due to it’s great anthem like moments, and was justly chosen as the pentacle song to hear first from the band. This may be a short ride, but it’s highly enjoyable throughout. A lot of fans may call Attila a guilty pleasure, but I think that’s what the band was going for anyway.

Rage is great for online warfare and parties, so if you do either of those, look this one up immediately. (NL)

THE MORNING OF The Way I Fell In [Tragic Hero Records] Score: 9/10 Stream : “What You Can’t Control”

For those of you who don’t follow Tragic Hero Records, they are best known for the heavier, more chaotic stylings of such bands as LetLive and Greeley Estates.

However, The Morning Of is a much different experience. Melodic and beautiful, The Way I Fell In demonstrates a band that has matured greatly over the years. “Jennasea” is a perfect example of just how much their writing has grown; both sad and uplifting, the song smoothly rises from start to finish. What follows is the poppy nature the band is best known for. “What You

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Can’t Control” instantly feels like a radio hit, and it’s because of these kind of tracks that The Morning Of deserves to rise in the ranks. The Way I Fell In proves again and again that this band is not a one-trick pony.

Each track offers up something fresh – just take “The Ones That Fall Apart” for a spin if you need personal confirmation before purchasing this album. Not overly catchy or reserved, the track is perfectly balanced and entertaining (as is the collection as a whole). While the first half of this album is primarily more energetic, the second half is composed of some truly interesting, slower moments you won’t want to miss out on. “Like Yesterday” is teeming with personality, “Waiting” swims in through your ears and into your veins, and “I Know You Know” is built upon some simple, yet engrossing acoustics. The Way I Fell In won’t only appeal to the young and old, it will also find common musical ground for families trapped in the car together. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up if you’re a fan of feel-good music – it doesn’t get much better than this. (NL)

AUTHORITY ZERO Stories Of Survival [Suburban Noize Records] Score : 8/10 Stream : “Brick In The Wave”

This is a much more melodic and upbeat record than Authority Zero’s last release. The mixtures of punk and ska work better here than ever before. Stories Of Survival is often catchy and engrossing as the band manage to make an excellent balance between lighthearted instrumentals and honest lyrics (causing everything to flow surprisingly well). While there are many great tracks on here, there are (of course) several that stand out more than others. “Brick In The Wave” is such a song. The speed of the verses and memorable chorus make this one an instant favorite, but it does have competition – “Big Bad World” and “Movement”

will also gain a lot of attention. Stories Of Survival should really be experienced. (NL)

WE ARE SCIENTISTS Barbara [Masterswan Recordings] Score : 7/10 Stream : “Rules Don’t Stop Me” While this album starts off strong with some really addictive, catchy tracks like “Rules Don’t Stop Me” and “I Don’t Bite”, it does lose steam steadily throughout.

Barbara is an enjoyable ride from start to finish, but it also doesn’t keep the energy up enough. Nonetheless, We Are Scientists have put out a record better than anything previous to this one. This release is a step in the right direction for these guys. (NL)

put you to sleep). “Passenger” introduces Rowe in a seemingly vulnerable stage before opening into the memorable “Kate”, a track that features some catchy tempos and upbeat guitar work. Then you have your hon-aka (“Chasing Ghosts”), your country-like swoon (“Bastards Love”), your party-animal anthem (“Service Of Hardship”), and all in between. Jeff Rowe has put together quite an enjoyable record here. Despite your genre preference, you’ll probably find something to love about Barstool Conversations. Just don’t write it off before hearing it. (NL)

BRIGHT AND EARLY Louder Than Words [Unsigned] Score : 8/10 Stream : “The Good Things End”

CEREMONY Rohnert Park [Bridge Nine Records] Score : 6/10 Stream : “Open Head” Ceremony is the kind of underground punk band that has never really rose to the spot light. They keep away from the bigger tours and major labels to keep themselves legit. If this is your kind of music, then Rohnert Park is probably going to be gold for you. At times, this album even has a classic rock feel to it (“Into The Wayside Part II”), which is pretty cool, but for the most part these tracks are grunge punk. The vocals are rough, as to be expected, and the lyrics are often political and angry. Tracks like “Open Head” will get stuck in your head due to their repeated lines. While not as energetic as one might have hoped for, Rohnert Park is still an enjoyable punk record; it may not be amazing, but it is honest and true to its scene. (NL)

JEFF ROWE Barstool Conversations [Anchorless Records] Score : 9/10 Stream : “Kate” It’s so hard to find these kind of honest, acoustic albums these days. Barstool Conversations doesn’t fall into the flaws most artists of this genre do; the songs aren’t all slow or all fast. Jeff Rowe has created a balance on this collection, helping it to flow with ease (as well as never

thunderous to say at the least. This EP will definitely leave an impression for many, and the scene. These six tracks are brutal without venturing into the domain of death metal. The intensity is often broken up with some sung verses and choruses that sound great, so the band knows how to keep things diversified and interesting.

The Reckoning is just the beginning for these guys; Burning Twilight are going to rise fast with an album like this. (NL)

THE STORY SO FAR While You Were Sleeping [Pure Noise Records] Score : 7/10 Stream : “Ali” This EP is pretty standard fare punk/rock, but that’s not a bad thing. These songs may not leave big impacts on your memory, but they are thoroughly enjoyable to play nonetheless. (NL)

HAIL THE VILLAIN

This is a raw and entertaining punk/rock record, people.

Right from the start with “The Good Things End”, Louder Than Words keeps your attention and pumps you up.

While the first several tracks are the best, this whole EP is a very worthy album for purchase. This is surely an unsigned band to watch. (NL)

Population: Decreasing [Roadrunner Records] Score : 6/10 Stream : “Runaway” What starts off as a promising genre mold becomes tiresome more and more so as Population: Decreasing plays through. This is an energetic and fun enough record, but a good number of the songs feel too similar to warrant much attention. Tracks like “Take Back The Fear” and “Runaway” definitely deserve to be purchased, but this album as a whole isn’t anything revolutionary. However, this band does show potential to become something much more down the road. (NL)

BURNING TWILIGHT

CALL THE COPS

The Reckoning [BLK Heart Group] Score : 8.5/10 Stream : “Blood And Thunder” Burning Twilight play powerful metal that surprises with how melodic and catchy it can become. One second, the band is tearing shit apart, and then the next they’re singing like a pop/punk band. Luckily, none of it sounds messy or out of place; the combination not only works well, it also helps the band stand out more as a result.

Songs like “Blood And Thunder” and “Peacemaker” really get the room shaking, but this album as a whole is

Call The Cops [MySpace Records] Score: 6/10 Stream : “Like It Like That” Call The Cops starts off upbeat and catchy with “Like It Like That”, but as the album plays through, more and more tracks pass that don’t leave any impression upon the listener. Some parts will draw your attention easily and become memorable, but as a whole this effort doesn’t flow well enough. There are some really fun tracks here, but nothing really builds (even though the

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com band does expand their sound with some dance/techno numbers like “White Dress”). A few tracks in and the album has already lost steam, though “Room 410” manages to pick things up again briefly. The band is at their best when their more pop/punk, but as soon as they start doing more electronics, this album loses its appeal. Think of the debuts from Breathe Carolina and Watchout! There’s Ghosts; they showed potential, but came out flat at the same time. That’s the kind of vibe you’ll likely get from this sugary pop record. (NL)

THE LAST FELONY Too Many Humans [Lifeforce Records] Score : 4/10 Stream : “Quandary”

another in a slow yet rapid sequence. It is very hard to understand what exactly is going on, causing the theme of the album as a whole to be lost. The first couple of tracks seem to be the most scattered. Without an open mind, it may be a little frustrating trying to follow along.

Luckily, the album starts to pick up the beat and become a little fun around track four, which happens to be their single “Wait Up (Boots Of Danger)”. Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot of variety to give this album a nice spark to light a fire. However, once I got into it, it was a very relaxing album to have on. If indie rock is your style, I’d say this album may add a little happiness to your life. If not, you will probably be pretty lost for the most part.

Either way, this album was definitely something new and unexpected lyrically and musically. Listen to a few track and see for yourself. (MT)

AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH Proprioception [Earache Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “The Night Is The Coroner’s”

experience for the listener. His delivery is excellent and will be missed while he is attending college. The guitarists are absolutely amazing on this album. Such great riffs and leads are found on this album, along with above average breakdowns. They also tend to showcase some technical riffing throughout the album, all this while the drummer is showcasing his skill behind the kit. There are some great drum arrangements, but some fall flat. The drummer also tends to add a lot of rapid fire double bass. One of And Hell Followed With’s downfalls from Domain was that the album started to get boring and dull near the middle and the end. That was with ten tracks; Proprioception has thirteen tracks.

This album is also ten minutes longer than Domain.

While it does get a bit bothersome near the middle to listen on, the guys have made it where all the songs bring some excitement. Even with some minor flaws, Proprioception has the possibility to be the sleeper album of the year. If this album is not on your radar, you should fix that right now. Nick leaves the band in glory with his vocal performance and the rest of the band should be proud with their additions to this album. This band is just getting started; they have the potential to be huge if they keep at it. Their next album may be “make it or break it” though as the new vocalist has big shoes to fill. (RW)

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Judging by the cover of this album, you can assume The Last Felony play fast, brutal death metal, and you’d be right. You have the screeches, your growls, your breakdowns, your dark atmosphere…it’s all here.

Unfortunately, this is a genre that so often feels the same. Too Many Humans fall into this category. This album feels pretty much the same from track to track, leaving much to be desired. There aren’t any real stand out tracks, and as a result there won’t be much reason to return to this disc. (NL)

TOKYO POLICE CLUB Champ [Mom & Pop Records] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Wait Up (Boots Of Danger)” With the new release of Champ, Tokyo Police Club put out what I consider a “mess”. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad mess but an interesting one. Lyrically there seems to be no consistency. Topics jump from one thing to

When we last heard from And Hell Followed With, they just released their debut album Domain on Statk Factory Records. Now they are set to release Proprioception on Earache Records. They have experienced Dance Gavin Dance syndrome thoughout. And Hell Followed With’s vocalist Nick Holland has left the band after the record was finished but before it was released. So did Nick go out with a bang or just a little whimper? Proprioception begins with “Mara” slowly building up and then the drums and guitars come in and you can already get a feel of how heavy the album is going to be. Rapid fire double bass and chugging guitars are to be found and the introduction leads us into “This Night Is The Coroner’s.” Holland does almost all the vocals found on the album, and they are beautiful in a metal sense. He can easily switch from one style to a completely different style in an instant and it makes for a powerful

American Slang [SideOneDummy] Score: 8/10 Stream: “American Slang” Having never heard the band’s most acclaimed outing, The ’59 Sound, you won’t read any comparisons between the two albums here. I will say, however, that if that record is supposed to be better than American Slang, then it must have been golden because this is a great release on its own. The opening track, which is also the title number, is immediately pleasing. You will become hooked on “American Slang” easily, as with several other tracks here. “Stay Lucky” is a little faster, but still reserved (or “classic”) punk rock. This formula works excellently with this album, as it’s one you don’t hear often these days. American Slang is song after song you’ll surely fall in love with. It’s hard not to play some of these lyrics over in your head (‘But you’re never going to find it / like when you were young / and everybody used to call you lucky’ – “Stay Lucky”) as they are just so damn memorable and well sung. The sometimes raspy vocals of Brian Fallon work perfectly for this sound; this

guy would’ve been famous in the Beatles era. Where ever you skip to in this album, you’re going to find something worthy of your attention. “The Diamond Church Street Choir” has an upbeat play to it that could get a room of old people swing dancing, “Old Haunts” has a traveler’s feel to it, and “We Did It When We Were Young” is a quite and soothing close. American Slang is a pretty damn good album, so look it up. (NL)

WILLIAM CONTROL Noir [Victory Records] Score: 5/10 Stream: “All Due Restraint”

While this is a better record than his first solo release, Noir is still mediocre. The biggest annoyance with this music is the fact that whenever something good comes on, something bad has to follow it. “All Due Restraint”, the first actual song, features some interesting instrumentals and a catchy chorus, but William relies too heavily on his deeper, brooding voice with this album (which sounds kind of ‘fake’ when compared to his vocals in Aiden). Tracks like “I’m Only Human Once” are haunting and feature some worthy moments, but never really get off their feet to impress. The cover of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” is well enough performed, but once again William’s lower voice just doesn’t fit in all that well. The chorus sounds better than the verses, however. “Why Dance With The Devil When You Have Me” is one of the more Gothic tracks that brings to mind the disgusting Jeffree Star (and the stupid lyrics about drug and sex don’t help). “My Lady Dominate” has its spooky moments (so that one does warrant some attention), and “Soliloquy” features some interesting acoustics. When all is said and done, most of this album could just be discarded. It’s definitely an acquired taste.

(NL)

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STRIKING BACK The Restless [Unsigned] Score: 9/10 Stream: “Restless”

For his first solo release, Jordan has recorded an EP that is well worth your attention. This acoustic, alternative work of art is often soothing and sweet sounding, but what matters most is the impact it leaves on the listener.

“Restless” is characterized by a heart felt and catchy chorus, “Dark Day Afternoon” is sadly beautiful, and “Falling” is grand in atmosphere and writing. These six songs have more personality than most bands do these days, so to say Striking Back will win you over easy is an understatement. This album brings to mind the 90 ′s rock scene, and for some of us that means ‘buy it’ without any further explanation. (NL)

JACK JOHNSON To The Sea [Universal Republic] Score: 7/10 Stream: “My Little Girl” Jack Johnson is pretty well known at this point, so you should know what you’re getting into when picking up To The Sea: soothing melodies, often acoustic tracks, well written lyrics, sometimes quiet and distant…you get the point. This album is more of the same, but that’s not a bad thing. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? If this kind of music is your thing, or if you’re already a fan, then chances are you’ll thoroughly enjoy To The Sea. (NL)

HOT HOT HEAT Future Breeds

[Dangerbird Records] Score: 9/10 Stream: “Times A Thousand”

“YVR” does a great job in kicking things off for Hot Hot Heat. With Future Breeds, you’ll get often abrasive sounding dance tracks that will more likely appeal to the younger crowd that find themselves in clubs on a Friday night. It is then followed by “21@12”, a track that features some entertaining instrumentals, and it’s this funky way of playing that makes the album so interesting to hear. Fans of Vampire Weekend of MGMT will probably be attracted to Hot Hot Heat, but don’t expect a similar experience. Future Breeds is a lot more in your face with what they’re doing, which definitely works in their favor. This attitude and style makes their music stand out more (as you would expect), and let’s face it: if it doesn’t grab you, why would you continue to listen to it? Future Breeds doesn’t have this problem.

This is peculiar album, and that’s one of its biggest attractions. You have your humorous grinds (“Buzinezz Az Uzual”), your anthems (“Times A Thousand”), your smashing beats (“Implosionatic”), and more with this album. Hot Hot Heat are going to leave an impact with this one, no doubt. (NL)

PIERCE THE VEIL Selfish Machines [Equal Vision Records] Score : 8/10 Stream : “Caraphernelia” It’s been a long wait (the band’s debut released back in ’07), but well worth it. Selfish Machines is quite the powerful, energetic, and impressive sophomore effort.

Right from the start, Pierce the Veil are splitting scalps with “Besitos”, a track that is basically about love needing more than just words. The song is then followed by a sweet sounding interlude that opens into “The Boy Who Could Fly”, an immediately fast and scream-filled

track. The focus number here, however, is “Caraphernelia” – its chorus will burrow itself into your head, causing you to replay the track again and again.

One of the few problems with this album is the occasional Auto-Tune vocals, which are first heard at the start of “Fast Times At Clairemont High”. The band would have been better off not using those sort of instruments, but they’re there whether we like it or not.

In reflection, this track falls to the side as undesirable.

After this point in the album, things do slow down slightly. The middle portion of Selfish Machines will likely be skipped through as a result. Luckily, the cute “Bulletproof Love” helps in picking things back up, bringing the album back around for the listener. “Stay Away From My Friends” is one of the more interesting tracks due to its acoustic/piano combination, and “Disasterology” brings back the more chaotic feel that is reminiscent to Alesana. “11 Million Dollar Houses (The Painter)” is a primarily electronic track that is executed extremely well, and the closing “The Sky Under The Sea” is a boost of energy and power. Pierce The Veil have successfully avoided the sophomore slump by following A Flair For The Dramatic with something much more memorable. Selfish Machines isn’t only damn entertaining, it’s doing its scene much justice. Bravo, gentlemen. (NL)

[Artery Foundation] Score: 4/10 Stream: “Confirmed To Fiction” This is death metal. Plain and simple. There aren’t any bells or whistles, nothing to really add variety. I Declare War are very straight forward. Malevolence is pretty much track after track of fast instrumental work and growling vocals. Sadly, there isn’t much else. Almost all the songs sound more or less the same, and the formula is just too common with this genre. Bands need to branch out these days if they want some attention, and these guys just aren’t doing it. (NL)

ATTACK ATTACK! Attack Attack!

[Rise Records] Score: 5/10 Stream: “Smokahontas”

THE YOUNG VEINS Take A Vacation!

[One Haven Music] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won’t” This is the debut from The Young Veins, a band featuring two ex-members of Panic! At the Disco. Take A Vacation! sounds nothing like their last band, and that includes their Pretty.Odd record. Instead, this collection is very much like the Beatles or Beach Boys. Needless to say, that means this will appeal to the older audiences more than with the youthful. That being said, this kind of music is very relaxing and good for playing when you’re out getting some sun or water. Each song is very laid back, simplistic, and enjoyable. None of them will get you dancing really, but at the same time your head will probably bob left and right. Take A Vacation! is the kind of album you play when you want to wind down. If that’s what you’re in need of, then look this disc up. (NL)

I DECLARE WAR Malevolence

This is nothing like their debut, so make sure you are aware of that when purchasing this album. For their sophomore release, Attack Attack! have decided to go for a self titled disc, which generally means this is the sound they want to define them. Sadly, it feels very mix matched. The vocals are on separate sides of the spectrum, causing an unbalance when switching from screaming to singing. Also, the electronics seem to come in overwhelming amounts when used. With Someday Came Suddenly, the music was pretty much ‘screamo’ with some exceptions. With this new release, however, ‘hardcore mix’ seems more appropriate. The screams are deeper (like that of Legend), and the sung portions feel much too high when they are put side by side. The reason why you’d add ‘mix’ to that label is for tracks like “Fumbles O’Brian”, which is a song that starts out with some kind of electronic rap before breaking down during the verses. Granted, the chorus is pretty well done, but the song as a whole feels…awkward, which is

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com a good word to describe this album. “Lonely” has its moments, as does “Renob Nevada”, but it’s the harder sections of this album that work best. “Shut Your Mouth” is an interesting dance number, but also feels a bit out of place. It’s when the band decides to mold the elements in one track that things get really messy. If Attack Attack! could just pick a sound to pursue, then maybe they could have had something here.

Unfortunately, this is a sophomore slump that could use a lot of re-tooling and tightening. (NL)

CAMPAIGN It Likes To Party [Unsigned] Score: 7/10 Stream: “Rock Bottom Summer” Campaign are quite busy at the moment. They just released this free EP and are already headed back into the studio to record some more. It Likes To Party is five tracks of entertaining punk/rock that will likely get fans moving in some sense. The album title is suiting in the sense that is tells the listener to expect some kind of energy; however, these songs wouldn’t do well at a party – physical activity seems more appropriate. No track really stands out as being the ‘best’, but the opening “Rock Bottom Summer” is certainly a good start for the EP. These songs fly by fairly fast, but that’s OK. Campaign aren’t going to necessarily turn heads with this one, but It Like To Party is a fun record nonetheless that will likely pump you up before a big game. (NL)

TRAVIE MCCOY Lazarus [Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen] Score: 9/10 Stream: “Billionaire”

While Quilts by Gym Class Heroes is a little more memorable, Travie’s solo debut is still a highly entertaining album deserving of physical purchase. “Dr. Feel Good (feat. Cee-Lo Green)” does an excellent job in getting the party started, while “Superbad (11:34)” is an electronic anthem of sorts. My personal favorite, however, is “Billionaire (feat. Bruno Mars)”. The track starts off in a folk/acoustic manner before opening up into something more reggae and catchy. “Need You” is characterized by an upbeat and fun chorus, “Akidagain” features a stand out kid chorus, and “We’ll Be Alright” is a highly enjoyable cover track worth hearing again and again. The only real problem with Lazarus is it ends too soon; 10 tracks just isn’t enough when the album is this enjoyable. Travie McCoy is a fucking lyrical genius, by the way (though you should have already known that).

You don’t need to like rap to get into this music; take it from someone who usually can’t stand the genre: Lazarus is well worth your time and cash. (NL)

THE MENZINGERS Chamberlain Waits [Red Scare Records] Score: 8/10 Stream: “Home Outgrown” What helps The Menzingers stand out so much from the other punk bands is their mix of clean vocals and strained screams. It may not sound original, but the product feels different from the majority of bands out there. Chamberlain Waits is twelve tracks and thirty minutes worth of energetic music that easily catches the attention of new listeners. The screams are somewhat reminiscent of The Unseen, while the clean vocals are in the same taste of Polar Bear Club. Instrumentally, The Menzingers could be compared to the likes of Flogging Molly and Broadway Calls. “Home Outgrown” has a very catchy chorus, “Deep Sleep” is most original sounding, and “Time Tables” has a ska sensibility at times. “TaskerMorris Station” is one of the more raw tracks, while “Rivalries” is the most diversified and balanced.

Chamberlain Waits is a very entertaining punk record, once again proving that The Menzingers have what it takes to leave a lasting impression. (NL)

WHITECHAPEL A New Era Of Corruption [Metal Blade Records] Score: 6/10 Stream: “Reprogrammed To Hate”

Despite not expanding on their formula, A New Era Of Corruption does come with some solid metal tracks.

“Breeding Violence” feels like an eruption, “The Darkest Day Of Man” has a strong middle section, and “Reprogrammed To Hate” has a diversified vocal selection that really helps in making everything heavier and more presentable. “End Of Flesh” features a little interlude of sorts that is random, but interesting. When stacked up against some of the other current metal releases, Whitechapel come out on close to the top.

That being said, this album still isn’t all that amazing. It certainly has its moments, but A New Era is still pretty traditional in the sense that it consists of growls, screeches, and constant double-bass slams. Whitechapel don’t really deviate from the genre, but they do perform it well enough. (NL)

SILVERSTEIN Decade: Live At The El Mocambo [Victory Records] Score: 10/10 Stream: “Smashed Into Pieces”

In celebration of their ten year anniversary, Silverstein have recorded a live set featuring songs from every one of their albums (played in order of release). Needless to say, the songs from When Broken Is Easily Fixed will probably be the favorites for long time fans. You’ll hear “Smashed Into Pieces”, “Bleed No More”, “Red Light

Pledge”, and more while on this ride. For the most part, you’ll find the best tracks from each album, all performed brilliantly. Silverstein are one of those bands who really know how to put on a show, unlike some people (who we will keep nameless). To bring everything to a close, Silverstein perform “My Heroine” acoustically, which is one of the songs they’ve actually released in acoustic form in the past. While we didn’t yet have a copy of the DVD, the CD portion of this collection was amazing. This is a must have for any fan. Even if you don’t usually enjoy live recordings, Decade will win you over surely. Happy ten years Silverstein. (NL)

WARPED TOUR 2010 [SideOneDummy] Score: 8/10 Stream: “Gypsy Woman”, “Delete Repeat”, “Bones”, “Unafraid To Burn” If you’re a heavy music listener, chances are you already own 90% of these songs. That’s the main problem with these Warped Tour compilations these days. They’re using less and less b-sides and rarities with every passing year. However, if you’re someone who is just growing up into the scene, these discs will be a great companion for you in discovering the bands you’ll soon fall in love with. Alesana, Four Year Strong, Mayday Parade, and 47 others make appearances, although most of these songs have been out for months already.

Luckily, there are a few singles here that are fairly new, like In Fear And Faith’s “Bones”. It’s sad that Emarosa didn’t contribute a new song, but instead they went with the old “Set It Off Like Napalm”. Probably strangest is the inclusion of Blink-182′s “Rock Show”. It’s not a live recording or a demo – no, it’s just the normal album version. Do they realize this has been around for years?

Oh well, at least this year’s compilation picked mainly good bands to promote. Like previously stated, if you’re new to the scene, this is a must have. If you’ve been here for a while, then you probably already know these songs.

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CLOSING WORDS Thanks for reading and/or downloading this issue! Please come by the Forum page at www.lexingtonmusicpress.com to talk to us about what you liked, didn't like, suggest, request, and whatever else you'd like us to know.

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