GREENWHEEL

Dave's Take:Today you get the pleasure of finding out about one of my all time favorite modern rock bands: Greenwheel. The CD entitled Soma Holiday starts off with the track "Strong" which sounds like a comination of Fuel and three doors down. On this first track you immediately feel the intensity of the lead singer. I saw this band at a small venue in San Francisco and the lead singer somehow had even more emotion live than on the CD which didn't seem possible. It was simply amazing. One of the great things about this CD is that there is not a weak track on the entire album. No filler as they would say. In fact, the track "Breathe", which got some modern rock airplay, was covered quite well by Melissa Ethridge. On that track, lead singer Ryan Jordan proclaims "It only hurts when I breathe" The album has a good mixture of energetic rock-out tracks like the album’s opener “Shelter”,which was on the spiderman soundtrack, "Strong" and “Faces” as well as softer, beautiully melodic more acoustic driven songs such as “Breathe” , “Disappear,” "Dim Halo" which are performed with the same passion as the harder rock tracks, yet with more of an emotional passion than one of musical intensity. If I had to pick one weak track, it might be Radiance, however its still solid for being the worst track on the album. The lyrics are very realatable and use an expansive vocabulary so as not to sound too formulaic. According to the band, all 12 tracks—plus 13 additional songs not on Soma Holiday—were written in a storage shed in Tennessee. It's too bad these guys were never discovered by mainstream America as this CD is a true modern rock gem from beginning to end.

RATING: 9/10

SOUNDS LIKE: Fuel, Three Doors Down, Matchbox 20

BAND BIO:"Greenwheel is an American pop/rock band formed by friends Ryan Jordan, Brandon Armstrong, Andrew Dwiggins and Mark Wanninger in 1999. The band was formed in St. Charles, Missouri in a local record shop. This group of high school bandmates were originally called Hindsight before changing their name to Soma Holiday. They released a self titled album that same year which garnered them local attention. After this brief period, they went underground, performing only occasionally. In 2000, the group renamed themselves Greenwheel and released a four song demo and began performing at various venues in New York City before they were signed by Island Records.

Greenwheel worked with producer Jim Wirt in early 2004 on 16 new songs for a second full-length release on Island Records. The tentative name of the record was Electric Blanket, but it never came out since the band parted ways with the label in 2004. The band made the unreleased tracks available through a media player on their official website. The band has expressed interest at their shows that fans distribute the CD amongst themselves if they don't have a copy, and the band provides burned copies of the disc for free at their shows.

After parting ways with Island, the band remixed and remastered their first independent self-titled release, and they re-releaseed it to the public in 2005. While it shared the same name as their first major-label release, it actually consisted of a completely different track lineup with the exception of "Drowning Man" and "Louder Than Words," which appear on both releases.

In addition to parting ways with Island, the band also parted ways with long-time drummer Doug Randall, and Drew Bailey joined the band to fill the vacant spot behind the drum kit. Long-time guitarist Marc Wanninger also departed the band, resulting the current four-member lineup.

On March 28, 2006, the band released a brand new five song EP entitled Bridges For Burning. The new release was accompanied by Greenwheel's five month long "Bridges for Burning Tour."

BEST SONGS: SHELTER, STRONG, SUSTAIN YOU,BREATHE, DROWNING MAN, DIM HALO, THE END, LONELY AFTERGLOW (from their new EP), I DON'T BELIEVE (From their Indy EP)

SONG SAMPLES/VIDEOS:
Click HERE for greenwheel MP3 player (Full length songs of everything but their latest EP)




Click on Standalone player tab to open myspace player.

"BREATHE" VIDEO



"DIM HALO" Acoustic VIDEO



BAND MEMBERS:
Ryan Jordan - vocals
Andy Dwiggins - guitars
Brandon Armstrong - bass
Drew Bailey - drums

LINKS:
www.myspace.com/greenwheel
http://greenwheel.net/index.php
http://www.amazon.com/Soma-Holiday-Greenwheel/dp/B000066S32

OFF BY ONE

DAVE'S TAKE:

Today I bring you yet another defunct band by the name of Off by One who released only one album, their self titled debut, in 2002. Lyrically you get about what you would expect from a band whose members were still in high school at the time. However that doesn't take away from their interesting yet derivative pop-punk sound. The songs are very fast tempoed including the awesome cover of Natalie Imbrulgia's "Torn." The CD is almost worth purchasing just for that song. Again, nothing too deep lyrically from this San Diego bnd but they have some very cool guitar work if you just sit back and enjoy the songs. No cheesy emo ballads on this record just very fast melodic power chord pop-punk rock in the vein of another Sand Diego punk band Blink 182. Think Blink182's Chesire Cat meets Sum 41's Half Hour of Power and the mixture would be about what you get on this album with the longest song clocking in at 3:39.

SOUNDS LIKE: Blink 182, Sum 41, Sugarcult, Fall out Boy

RATING: 7/10

BAND BIO/REVIEW: "After countless nights of little sleep and constant analysis, I have come to only one rational conclusion about today’s punk scene. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but I have decided that there must be something in the water of San Diego, California that causes awesome punk-powered rockers to catapult their way into the spotlight. Don’t believe me? Well, if you’re skeptical, research a bit on bands like Blink-182, Unwritten Law, or Nothing to Lose. They all hail from this city of catchy hooks and intricate power chords. One of the summer’s latest pop-punk albums comes from a band named Off By One, who also are (yes, you guessed it) San Diego natives. With a very talented Mark Gould (Guitar/Lead Vocals) as their frontman, Jon Bishop on lead guitar, Jordan Brownwood on bass, and Trevor Easter on drums, one will learn very quickly that this band has a lot to offer, especially in putting together a great show. I recently had the opportunity to see this band play live in Virginia Beach, VA on the Warped Tour, and I was so impressed by not only the band’s performance, but just the guys themselves. They all seemed very genuine, and you could tell they were all about having a good time. The crowd was happy, rocking out to what turned out to be a hugely successful set.

Their self-titled debut, which just came out August 6, 2002, is quite possibly one of my favorites this summer. Tracks like “On My Way,” “Been Alone,” and “Déjà vu” all are instantly worthy of humming at work and in the car. In “Déjà vu,” (a song that also has a promotional video) my favorite element is how the song goes from steady rock into a scattered rap solo where Mark just lets loose on the microphone. We all know rap/rock is not a new concept, but the way the band put this track together is pretty ingenious. Besides having great melodies, catchy guitar riffs, and awesome drumming, Off By One’s self-titled album also presents the listener with a new and re-vamped punk version of “Torn,” a huge radio hit by Natalie Imbruglia back in 1998. Mark Gould has said, “My parents had me playing music by age three.” Well, this helps explain why Off By One succeeded in creating a great debut record that hits stores just in time for all that back to school…studying. Off By One is finishing up Warped Tour this year on the Drive-Thru Records stage with their fellow punk friends. If you have the chance, check them out! -John Murnane"

BEST SONGS: Cinderalla, Been Alone, Untouchable, Deja Vu, Punk Rock Girl, Mr. Universe, Torn

SONG SAMPLES: (CLICK ON STANDALONE PLAYER TO LAUNCH MYSPACE PLAYER WHEN LINKS BECOME INACTIVE) TWO DIFFERENT MYSPACE LINKS FOR OFF BY ONE.

1.

[Untitled Hidden Track]


Purchase




2.

Cinderella


Preview
Purchase




3.

Been Alone


Preview
Purchase




4.

On My Way


Preview
Purchase




5.

Untouchable


Preview
Purchase




6.

Change


Preview
Purchase




7.

Déjà Vu


Preview
Purchase


8.
Try

Preview
Purchase




9.

Need


Preview
Purchase




10.

Punk Rock Girl


Preview
Purchase




11.

Mr. Universe


Preview
Purchase




12.High School


Preview
Purchase




13.
Torn

Preview
Purchase

14.Finish Line

Preview
Purchase

LINKS:

www.myspace.com/offbyone888

http://music.aol.com/artist/off-by-one/533321/main

http://www.amazon.com/Off-One/dp/B00006DTZA

NEEDTOBREATHE

DAVE's TAKE: As a general rule, I've never been much into Christian bands as I felt the lyrics were a little too "preachy" for my taste. But recently there have been a number of Chrisitan rock bands that blur the lyrical content enough to remove the preachy quality while still having very obvious Christian themes. Today's band NEEDTOBREATHE with their debut album Daylight on Atlantic Records is one such band.
I can't remember quite where I discovered this band but the first song I heard was the extremely catchy "You Are Here" which is one of if not the best song on the album. This mid tempoed pop-rock song has guitars in the chorus that sound like something plucked from an 80's U2 song like "I will Follow" with John Mayer like vocals. Another track that shows the beauty of NEEDTOBREATHES music is the slow acoustic ballad"Haley", a song about unrequited love. "Don't Leave Just Yet" makes good use of piano and has strong Christian themes as he talks about "sins" and "forgiveness" although the lryics are ambigous enough to make it sound like he could be talking about a lost lover. All of the songs on the album are very inspirational,relatable, and melodic. I'd say they are closer to pop/adult contemporary than rock but a number of the songs like "Quit" and "Knew it ALL" rock pretty well which I like since I tend to like some varation within a CD usually. This CD provides good balance between mid tempo songs, ballads and rockers. I really enjoyed this badna dn I hope you do to.

RATING: 6/10

BEST SONGS: You are Here, Haley, Shine On, Quit, Knew it All, Over Now

SIMILAR SOUNDING BANDS: Coldplay, Keane, U2, The Fray, Toad the Wet Sprocket

BAND BIO: Led by brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart, NEEDTOBREATHE has already earned a fervent following throughout the Southeast. The widescreen melodic rock of their Lava/Atlantic debut, 'DAYLIGHT,' should see the South Carolina-based quartet spreading their majestic noise even further. Songs like 'Shine On' and the powerful first single, 'You Are Here,' are rich with sweeping sonics and heartfelt emotions that are both deeply individual and wholly universal. With its expressive sound and confident worldview, DAYLIGHT marks the coming of NEEDTOBREATHE as a genuinely moving, often inspiring new band.

The Rineharts grew up in the small town of Possum Kingdom, South Carolina, where their pastor dad ran a local church camp. Both parents instilled a love of music in their boys – mom taught piano, while dad's younger years were spent touring as a trumpet player with such country legends as Roy Clark and Glen Campbell. In addition, the constant influx of new campers exposed the Rineharts to a wide variety of musical styles.

'Even though we were out in the boonies,' Bear says, 'every kind of kid from around the state would come to the camp, so we were exposed to a lot of music – rap, country, rock.'

As the brothers approached their teens, the Rineharts moved to the slightly larger South Carolina town of Seneca. While growing up, they were first introduced to Christian rock bands like DC Talk and early Switchfoot. They soon discovered the wider musical landscape of bands like Pearl Jam, Travis, and the Black Crowes.
Having learned the rudiments of guitar and piano at an early age, Bear began seriously playing guitar at 16 and almost immediately started writing original songs. It wasn't long before Bo also took up the instrument and began writing.
'Bo's incredibly artistic and creative,' Bear recalls. 'When he first started to play guitar, his attitude was like, 'I don't want to learn the rules. I'd rather just see what happens.' He was already thinking out of the box, trying to make his own way.'

In addition to their musical pursuits, both brothers excelled at high school football. Bear went on to nearby Furman University, where he was a gridiron standout at wide-receiver, earning several all-time school records and winning the 2002 Banks McFadden trophy, awarded to South Carolina's best collegiate football player by the Greenville Touchdown Club.
But football alone wasn't enough for Bear. In his freshman year, he and his longtime friend, drummer Joe Stillwell, started NEEDTOBREATHE, playing acoustic shows around the campus community. Before long, the band amplified their sound and quickly began booking frequent gigs around South Carolina. Bear found himself leading a double life, dividing his time between playing ball and making music.
'
It was crazy,' he laughs. 'In my senior year, I would literally leave a game, drive three hours and play a show that night.'

Meanwhile, brother Bo was following his own path at Clemson University. Though he'd decided to skip sports to study architecture, his athleticism led to roles in the 2003 film, 'Radio', serving as double for the lead actor, as well as appearing as a high school football player. Bo later returned to Seneca to rejoin his brother in NEEDTOBREATHE. The band – now including another longtime friend Seth Bolt on bass – began to truly find its voice, with Bo's distinctive style helping to define the trademark NEEDTOBREATHE sound.
'Because Bo learned to play in such a completely different way,' Bear explains, 'he does some weird things on the guitar. He picks up rather than down, which is really bizarre. That's a big part of our sound – two guitars, doing things differently, but working together the whole time.'

NEEDTOBREAHE toured constantly, playing dozens of gigs around the Southeast, from Alabama to Virginia, both as headliners as well as with such artists as Switchfoot, Graham Colton, Edwin McCain, and Collective Soul. Their hard work saw the rise of an ardent fan following, known as 'the Breathers' who act as an independent street team spreading the word about their favorite band.
'People were always saying to us, 'If you ever need anything...?'' Bear says.' We thought, 'Well, we do need something,' it's really about kids telling other kids about us.'

Along with the non-stop road work, NEEDTOBREATHE also laid down a series of recordings at Plantation Studios, the studio Bolt – who has a degree in record engineering – opened when he was just 16. The band recorded three self-released EPs at Plantation, ultimately selling more than 15,000 copies.

When time came to make the album proper, they opted to record in England with producer Andy Green (Keane, KT Tunstall) at the controls. The choice to work overseas might seem surprising for an American rock outfit, but NEEDTOBREATHE – who espouse a passion for European bands ranging from U2 and Coldplay to the great Icelandic ambient-rock group Sigur Rós – were determined to bring something different to the table.

'I think in American music right now it's such a trend to have these in-your-face guitars,' Bear says. 'We're interested in doing something that's a little more open, that has a really big sound but also has some spaciousness to it.'

In summer 2005, NEEDTOBREATHE lit out for the English countryside, recording what would become DAYLIGHT at Heliocentric, the renowned studio co-owned by Elvis Costello and Squeeze's Chris Difford.

The songs of DAYLIGHT reveal a sanguine philosophy that sets NEEDTOBREATHE apart from many of the 'angry at the world' bands they see around them. With their chiming hooks and straightforward lyrics, tracks such as 'More Than' and 'Don't Wait For Daylight' convey an optimistic, encouraging message that suggests that life is what you make it.
'
We feel like you can change your life in a day,' Bear explains, 'at any time, at any point. Basic decisions that you make can affect your life completely. I think in many ways, that is the theme of the record. Regardless of where you are in your situation, every passing moment is a chance to turn it all around.

With DAYLIGHT ready to rise, NEEDTOBREATHE have already gotten back to their first love – playing live. 'We're really excited about going out there and just hitting it as hard as we can,' Bear says. 'We get a lot of validation from playing to new crowds, from playing to people who have no idea who we are. We just go out there and all of a sudden, these people that never heard our music before are being moved and hopefully inspired by what we do. We all think there's a great reward in that.'

SONG SAMPLES:






CLICK ON STANDALONE PLAYER TO PLAY SONGS




WEBSITES:
www.myspace.com/needtobreathe
www.needtobreathe.net
www.purevolume.com/needtobreathe
www.alanticrecords.com/needtobreathe

OLD AGOURA

Well since I went o see the Bridge school benefit concert this past weekend, I thought this would be an appropriate band to put up. This is a shameless plug for a friend of mine from the neighborhood back in Agoura Hills which forms part of the name of the band, Old Agoura. I had the pleasure of seeing them play up in San Francisco and they sounded even better than the sound samples they have on thier myspace page. Just some good blues/ folk music that is good to chill to. "Trial by Fire Live" is my favorite song that they have on their myspace page.








BAND BIO: In 1995, David moved to San Francisco to persue a career in Audio Production at San Francisco State University. While at SFSU, David took an internship producing the House of Blues Radio Hour hosted by Elwood Blues a.k.a. Dan Aykroyd. When his internship was up he was hired as a full time producer for the show. Among the highlights of his job was the opportunity to interview many of the living legends of blues and rock including John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy. "The common thread among these interviews was the notion that the ability to play this music was a gift, something that was passed down from generation to generation. I was really intrigued by that and wanted to be a part of it," explains David. On his twenty second birthday, David dove in head first.

Adam Bowers on the other hand has been playing guitar since elementary school. In his younger years, he was known throughout Agoura as one of the more gifted players. In 2000, he too chose to attend San Francisco State University.

David Jorgensen and Adam Bowers met originally via David's younger brother Brian who was in the same class as Adam at Agoura High School. "I remember hanging with my brother, Adam, and the rest of the Hillrise crew at Robbie's Park. Adam and Robbie (Purcell) would always have guitars with them. I remember being so envious of how well these guys played." Knowing that his older brother had started playing guitar, Brian suggested to Adam that he contact his brother when Brian heard Adam was moving to the Bay Area for college. The two finally connected.

Recently, Adam has started focusing primarily on the Lapslide Guitar. Although he can play a variety of instruments, playing the Lapslide Guitar has allowed his talent to shine to new heights. The two first began playing publicly at The Sacred Grounds Cafe Open Mic. You can now find them playing all over the Bay Area.


SONG SAMPLES



CLICK ON STANDALONE PLAYER TO HEAR SONGS

WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/oldagoura

BAND MEMBERS:
David Jorgensen: Guitar and Vocals
Adam Bowers: Lapslide Guitar

HINDER

80's butt-rock, hair metal fans or whatever you want to call it well you are in for a treat today as Hinder is a throwback to the musical stylings of LA Guns, Guns and Roses, Whitesnake, Warrant. On this first release entitled Extreme Behaviour you get a good mix of down tuned modern rockers in the vain of Sinch and Nickelback, straight ahead rock like something from a Motley Crue Album and cheesy ballad type songs like Lips of Angel. That song has received a lot of radio airplay, where you might have heard lead singer Austin Winkler crooning:

"Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay? I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud. Well, my girl's in the next room. Sometimes I wish she was you. I guess we never really moved on. It's really good to hear your voice saying my name.It sounds so sweet. Coming from the lips of an angel. Hearing those words it makes me weak"

On the straight ahead rockers like Homecoming Queen, Room, Get Stoned he tells us: "Let's go home and get stoned. We could end up making love instead of misery. Go home and get stoned. Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me"

Then you get songs like Better than Me, By the Way, and Shoulda which sound like a combination of a Whitesnake ballad combined with a Sinch modern rock song when he sings "When you said those three words. I kinda freaked out. When you said them first my jaw hit the ground I shoulda woulda coulda said it back to you. And this can't be saved if you can't be found. You hung up and left me for dead on the ground"

Definitely nothing groundbreaking lyrically on this album but definitely good rock that you can indulge in as a guilty pleasure.

RATING: 6/10 Worth a spot in your rock collection

SOUNDS LIKE: Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Sinch, The Darkness, Nickelback

BAND BIO: "In the liner notes to their major label debut, Oklahoma City's Hinder endorse tequila, Belvedere, Crown Royal, Jägermeister, and Mr. Watson 540. In "Get Stoned," photogenic Austin Winkler (who sounds tougher than he looks) rasps, "Let's go home and get stoned." Later, he adds, "The break-up is worth the make-up sex you're givin' me." In "Bliss (I Don't Wanna Know)," the lead singer laments, "The vodka's running on empty." This is a problem because, "I can't stay sober/if it's over." But things pick up in "Room 21" where he meets a "b*tch" with "red lipstick and pale pink boots," who shows him a good time (yes, he said boots). And he doesn't even know her name! The days of big hair-and-spandex metal may be long gone, but in songwriting terms, Hinder's music is a throwback to the politically incorrect Sunset Strip days of Guns N' Roses, LA Guns, and Faster Pussycat. For some hard-rock aficionados, they will surely come as a breath of fresh air. For those with more refined tastes--a blast of stale cigarette smoke. That said, "Homecoming Queen" is surprisingly tender ("She never walked on water/'cause no one really saw her"), proving that way down deep inside, the frisky fivesome does have a teeny, tiny, little beating heart. Overall though, if the platinum long-player, which was cowritten with producer Brian Howes, has a message, it's this: Girl, you broke my heart and I hate you for it. Oh, and alcohol is good." From: Amazon.com

SONG and VIDEO Samples (Click on feeds and scroll to here additional samples from the tunefeed player)

Click Here to Share Your Music

BAND MEMBERS:

Austin Winkler (Vocals)
Mark King (Guitar)
Blower (Guitar)
Mike Rodden (Bass)
Cody Hanson (Drums)

WEBSITES:

www.myspace.com/hindermusic
www.hinderonline.com
Youtube Hinder clips

BLUE OCTOBER

Well I don't think this band has that many great songs but they have had a couple catchy radio singles and I got a request to put them on today so here goes. The two singles that have gotten a lot of airplay are "Calling Me" off of their 2003 History for Sale Album and "Hate Me" from their new album Foiled. Hate me is definitely the more cathartic song of the two as they sing "Hate me today. Hate me tomorrow. Hate me for all the things I didn't for you. Hate me in ways. Ya ways hard to swallow. Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you. "Calling Me" is the more upbeat song proclaiming happiness as " There is something I can't quite explain...do I try too hard to make you smile...to make us smile. I will keep calling you to see if you're sleeping, are you dreaming, if you're dreaming are you dreaming of me. I can't believe you actually picked me" There are some other decent tunes on Foiled but nothing that does too much for me.

SOUNDS LIKE: Cure, Five For Fighting, Collective Soul

SONG SAMPLES:

Click Here to Share Your Music

BAND BIO:

"Blue October released their first album, The Answers, in 1998. The group was signed to Universal for their August 2000 major label debut, Consent to Treatment, but with Rock radio non-responsive, they were soon dropped. The band then signed with Brando Records and released History for Sale in July 2003. When Calling You, which was also included on the American Wedding soundtrack, began picking up airplay in Dallas and other Texas cities, Universal offered to re-sign the group. After considering several other major label offers, Blue October decided to return to the very label that dropped them.

We're not an easy band to understand, says Justin about the decision to return to their major label home. I just felt at Universal, we had a team of people who understood us, and who loved us for all the right reasons. I wasnt about to walk through life with people who didnt really know me.

That Blue October hasnt followed the ordinary path to success is clear from the first single from Foiled, Hate Me, a song that recalls such aching rock anthems as Joy Divisions Love Will Tear Us Apart or Janes Addictions Jane Says for songwriter Justin Furstenfelds unflinching look at himself. Its a song portraying a mans selfishness in a relationship, then coming to terms with it, and admitting the mistakes.

I have to block out thoughts of you/So I dont lose my head/They crawl in like a cockroach/Leaving babies in my bed, he sings, the images underlined by the matter-of-fact sing-song way in which theyre delivered. Its like, let me just kind of clue you in on what it feels like in my own brain, he offers.

That brand of intensity is welded to wide screen sound that evokes an array of eclectic influences such as prog-rockers Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Flaming Lips, U2 and Coldplay, attracting a hardcore following who not only relate, but ardently sing along with the bands songs.

Our fans really make us what we are, says Justins older (by 14 months) brother, drummer Jeremy. We have a tight bond with them. Many have become our friends through the years. To see them sing these songs right back at us as we play them is amazing. It blows me away every time."

BAND MEMBERS:

Justin Furstenfeld vocals.guitar.piano.

Ryan Delahoussaye violin.mandolin.keys.

Jeremy Furstenfeld drums.

CB Hudson III guitar.

Matt Noveskey bass.

Julian Mandrake covering justins guitarparts while injured

WEBSITES:

www.myspace.com/blueoctober

bluoctoberfan.com

MISER

If the vocals in today's band sound similar to yesterday's band, well it's because its the same lead singer. The difference is Coach's new band, Miser, has a harder rock sound to them. I think this band may be even destined for greater things than Forty Percent as the guitar work is now on par with the awesome vocals of Coach. The album isn't due out for another month or so but the 6 song EP is available on I-tunes right now. All 4 tracks available on their myspace page are awesome but my favorites by far are "Turn Around", which I could easily see being a hit at modern rock radio with its hard rock sound, and "Stars" which has a bit more crossover potential as it ventures more towards the pop spectrum of sound but with cool guitar solo music interspersed. Stars definitely sounds like a track Forty Percent would have done. Zen is another hard charging rock with great guitar work."Free me, leave me, to unwind. So far away. So far away Without you we cannot stay the same" As Coach says in Stars"Call me out again, make me everything you've been hoping for"...I hope their CD is everything I'm hoping it can be.

SOUNDS LIKE: Story of the Year, Forty Percent, Vanished


CLICK STANDALONE PLAYER TO PLAY

BAND BIO: "They say the key to evolution is the survival of the fittest; where the weak will fall and only the strong will remain. The result is a more powerful entity, better equipped to conquer its surroundings and more capable of a longer and greater existence. Miser themselves are a part of an evolution; a Rock evolution.

Miser formed in December of 2005. Each member of Miser is a product of a previously successful and great talent within the Dallas music scene, from which they have gained immense growth and experience in the music industry. Members of Miser have had the honor of sharing the stage with several great acts such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Jimmy Eat World, 311, Weezer, Hoobastank, Seether, Bowling for Soup, Slow Roosevelt, Edgewater, and numerous others. With previous projects reaching their final chapters, members of Miser found themselves at a crossroad. Where for most the crossroads mark the end; for Miser it is only the beginning.

Miser blends heavy-hitting rock and textured melodies with memorable hooks and a moving message. The solid foundation is created by the thunderous drums of Moonshine and the quaking bass sound of Nick Holmes. This foundation is complimented by the tone and fury provided by guitarist Mark Sims and the timeless melody of guitarist Shannon Nedved. Completing this unit is the rich and beautiful vocal message offered by Miser singer and frontman, Coach.

Miser wasted no time in writing and recording music for their upcoming and highly anticipated EP, Everything But Your Name, scheduled for release in the Spring of 2006. Miser have been working diligently with Producer Zac Maloy (current Sony songwriter and former singer for The Nixons), at Rosewater Studios in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group has now returned home and are beginning preparations for their first tour to support the new EP.

For anybody who does not believe in second chances, let this be a testament to you; Rock is backand none will be the Miser"

BAND WEBSITES:
www.myspace.com/miserband
www.miserland.com

PURCHASE SONGS:

FORTY PERCENT

Well I had this update typed out but then I stupidly forgot to save it and thus you aren't getting the update until today. This now defunct band, Forty Percent, is one of my all time luck diamond in the rough finds. I just happened to hear a couple of their MP3's on the Internet because I'm pretty sure they never got any airplay in California and probably only from their home state of Texas if at all. I decided to buy the entire CD on a whim on the strength of "Here's to October", "Nothing Changes" and "St Louis" some of the stronger tracks on the album. Well to say I was pleasantly surprised was an understatement. The soaring vocals really make this CD and the guitar work is good enough to complement the vocals. It's a great CD for a beach drive. Words just don't do this band justice. Be that as it may I will try to give a brief breakdown of the songs with some lyrical highlights that mix highs and lows in a very interesting way. The next post will be the lead singer's new even more awesome band.

SOUNDS LIKE: They are pretty unique sounding but I would say they sound similar to some of the mellower songs by Third Eye Blind.

TRACKS:

1. Outerspace- Good mid tempo crunchy rocker to start off the CD and lyrically one of hope. "Did I tell you I appreciate this fragile consequence, Did I tell you I appreciate your from of self defense.... Everything is possible is possible in outerspace"

2. Nothing Changes- One of my favorite songs musically on the album mostly due to the cool chorus. " You have flown away, turned you back on familiar voices, with your long hair and your tan skin and these unfamiliar choices....Chorus: Nothing changes. Nothing changes. We all need to lose our heads rather than change our minds"

3.Here's to October- Great atmosphere in this slower ballad type song which seems to be about reflecting on the past. "Turn around. I'll wish you away. You taste like rain and you look like someone I once knew. Here's to October"

4. Beautiful Ride- A great uptempo song about the joy of falling in love with someone and the "beautiful ride" you want to embark upon with them. "Wasted a breath. I could be proud you wore that dress. And jade from this I should be proud you made this mess. I feel like asking what we're waiting for. Between you and me this could be a beautiful ride."

5. This Time- Another one of the ballad type songs. Not one of my favorites but beautfiful vocals in the chorus. " I think about the world and how it used to be. Waking up to your voice in my head. When did I decide I couldn't hear you anymore. This Time I'm not the one to tell you but I'll make it all work out this time"

6. St Louis- Great modern rock song with a great crunchy high pitched strumming during the verses, that seems like it was plucked straight from a radio stations playlist. " I'm out of focus. I start to fade away....Chorus I'm always thinking of you only when I think of what's gone wrong...Don't let your better days fade away"

7. I'll Wait- Again not one of my favorites verse wise but the cool vocals in the chorus make up for it somewhat. " I won't forget to love you and I'll memorize your face. But I'll wait for the last cuz for the first time I found you"

8. Fall Away- One of the more melancholy sounding songs on the album about drifting apart from someone. " Some words are better said when left soft spoken. The world's a skeptic now and I don't blame it. My life's a jigsaw now rearrange it. Don't forget me now as I fall away."

9. Not For Me- Another melancholy song lyrically that builds into a hopeful chorus. I think this

song is easy to identify with lyrically about the fear of change. " I'm so afraid. I'm so afraid. I'm still the same. I'm still a name. Everything is fading so wipe away my tears. Your Is your mes this is not for me but I still believe in miracles"

10. Sore- A song about jilted love. "Your smile feeds my sorrow. A smile I can't replay. Now I'm afraid of nothing something we can't deny...I can't feel myself and it makes me sore"

11. Humble- Back to more fast straight ahead rock sounds on this track about introspection.

"I must confess I never felt so obsessed by my own contradictions. And now we're here. We live in a brand new year. I think I'm having a breakdown. I never felt so comfortable"

12. My Runaway- The CD ends on this great songs that starts with a sorrowful feel to it that builds into a great chorus where Coach, the lead singer, really shows his vocal range especially at around 3:10 of this track "And I'm making my way away. I'm so tired of this town. I can't seem to get around"

SONG SAMPLES

TRACKS

lo-fi: dial-up hi-fi: broadband 1. Outerspace 2. Nothing Changes 3. To October 4. Beautiful Ride 5. This Time 6. St. Louis 7. Untitled (I'll Wait) 8. Fall Away 9. Not For Me 10. Sore 11. Humble 12. My Runaway (Click a song name to hear it in lo-fi MP3. Need help?.)

BAND BIO: What does FortyPercent mean? Well, FortyPercent really does not mean anything. It is simply a name conceived from the confluence of four distinct personalities in pursuit of one indiscriminate passion. Not fame, not fortune, but the opportunity to inspire others as they have been inspired themselves. One can look at it as a sort of beg, steal and borrow concept, with the intent to give back, of course. FortyPercent's inspiration can be traced throughout several generations of brilliance: from classical movement, to romantic melody, to the opus of intricate, yet simple guitar structure, and back again. Beg for simply an ounce of genius from a mind like Beethoven, steal a handful of heart and soul from 'Ol Blue Eyes' himself and borrow as much artistic adeptness from the likes of a modern talent such as U2 as possible, and one (or four) would have enough musical inspiration to go anywhere and everywhere. Where exactly do they want to go? Into the passionate hearts and creative minds of those aspiring musicians to follow in their footsteps. To have the opportunity to give back what they begged for, perhaps stolen, and borrowed from those who inspire them.

BAND MEMBERS:

Coach -- Vocals
Joey -- Guitars, vocals
Chad -- Bass
Moe -- Drums

WEBSITES:

http://www.myspace.com/fortypercent (Check out for full song samples)

Buy at Amazon

PLUS 44

As you may or may not know, Blink 182 split up over a year ago now, not amicably apparently according to this MTV article, but the result of that is we have two good groups instead of one now. Whether or not these separate groups will be as successful as Blink-182 remains to be seen. Tom Delonge went off and formed "Angels and Airwaves" Meanwhile Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker formed today's featured band: "PLUS-44" Apparently the Def Leppard drummer may not have the sole claim to the title of "one-armed drummer" as Travis may have to play that way for at least the near future. The new album is not yet out but is due in stores Nov 12. The first two songs available for preview definitely have some of that Blink sound although it sounds more like the some of the faster more experimental angst filled songs like "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Violence" that Blink did on their last album before their breakup. If the first two songs are any indication, this should be a solid effort from the two former blink boys.

SOUNDS LIKE: Blink 182 (obviously),Boxcar Racer (again obviously)


SONG SAMPLES:





CLICK STANDALONE PLAYER to hear songs


WEBSITES:
http://www.myspace.com/plus44

http://www.plusfortyfour.com/

Kicking off my band a day blog...SUGARCULT

BAND BIO: A pop-punk band originally from Santa Barbara, California now have three albums out as they just released a new album recently. There is no let up for this band as this latest album is another notch on the bedpost for Sugarcult.

SONG SAMPLES











Most similar to: Eve 6, Over It

ALBUMS

"Lights Out"

Best songs: Do It Alone, Los Angeles, Out of Phase, Hiatus.

Sugarcult has evolved even further musically on their new album with better sonic textures while still retaining the hard driving guitars that keep them edgy.


"Palm Trees & Power Lines"

Best Songs: She's the Blade, Champagne, Memory, Over

These songs had much better hooks and were much catchier than their intial album
including my favorite song off of the album "She's the blade" as played in the video
below.



"Start Static"

"Pretty Girl" one of the best songs off the their first album has a beautiful guitar intro while having somewhat dark sounding verses and choruses. That song showed the potential that Sugarcult would achieve on their next two albums. Most of the rest of the album had a fairly raw sound to it but it would produce two other two radio hits including: "Bouncing off the walls" whose sounds was as bouncy and upbeat as the title of the song as well as "Stuck in America."

BAND WEBSITES:
http://www.myspace.com/sugarcult
http://www.sugarcult.com/