In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Gym Class Heroes
Released Last Week (date)
Released Today
Album Review: The Incurable Tragedy
Tour Spotlight


Band of the Week: Gym Class Heroes

Gym Class Heroes is a Fueled By Ramen quartet from New York. Travis McCoy (vocals), Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitar), Eric Roberts (bass), and Matt McGinley (drums) make up Gym Class Heroes, who have released two EPs and three albums since 2001. Gym Class Heroes is an "alternative hip hop" group, which means that Travis raps/sings, but there's also a full band. Gym Class Heroes has played the entire Warped Tour and just released their third full-length album, The Quilt. They are also heading out on tour, so check the tour spotlight below to see if they're coming to your town!

gymclassheroes.com
myspace.com/gymclassheroes
purevolume.com/gymclassheroes

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Today:

All In - Team U.S.A. (Blood & Ink)
Astronautalis - Pomegranate (Eyeball)
Blitzen Trapper - Furr (Sub Pop)
Brightblack Morning Light - Motion To Rejoin (Matador)
Cold War Kids - Loyalty To Loyalty (Downtown)
Cycle Of Pain - Cycle Of Pain (Reform/Rock Ridge)
Girl Talk - Feed The Animals (Illegal Art)
High Places - High Places (Thrill Jockey)
IfIHadAHiFi - Fame By Proxy (Latest Flame)
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up 'Til It Was Light (Nettwerk)
Koufax - Strugglers (Doghouse)
Lenka - Lenka (Epic)
Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling (Matador)
Nihil - Krach (Hydra Head)
Oxbow - Fuckfest [reissue] (Hydra Head)
Pink Spiders - Sweat It Out (Mean Buzz)
Plain White T's - Big Bad World (Hollywood)
Sing It Loud - Come Around (Epitaph)
Ten Kens - Ten Kens (FatCat)
The Action Design - Never Say (Popsmear)
The Age Of Rockets - Hannah (Desolation Yes, Hesitation No/BMI)
The Gay Blades - Ghosts (Triple Crown)
The Standard - Swimmer (Partisan)
Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation (ESL)

[Release list from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: The Incurable Tragedy

The Incurable Tragedy - Into Eternity (Century Media)
[Released September 2nd, 2008]


If you've heard of Into Eternity, you know they are a band that plays "progressive death metal". Their previous album, The Scattering of Ashes showed a lot of potential, but not all of it has translated to The Incurable Tragedy. The album is a concept album about a man suffering an incurable illness (cancer, specifically) and the emotion shows through the music.

There are quite a few awesome intros, and unlike the last album, the songs do not all sound alike which is great. If you're into death metal or screamo, you should give it a listen, but this album is not an essential one to own or listen to.

[Written by Brit.]


Tour Spotlight

Gym Class Heroes and The Roots are doing a short co-headlining tour together with special guest Estelle. The tour kicks off in early October and ends in November.

10/03 Baltimore, MD @ Ram's Head Live!
10/04 Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
10/05 Myrtle Beach, SC @ The House of Blues
10/06 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
10/07 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ The House of Blues
10/08 Miami, Fl @ The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theatre
10/10 Houston, TX @ Meridian (Estelle only)
10/11 Dallas, TX @ The Palladium
10/12 Austin, TX @ The Backyard
10/14 Phoenix, AZ @ The Marquee
10/19 Las Vegas, NV @ The House of Blues
10/21 Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
10/23 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
10/24 Chicago, IL @ The Congress Theatre
10/25 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
10/26 Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
10/28 New York, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
10/30 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
10/31 Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Park Convention Hall
11/1 Albany, NY @ Washington Avenue Armory

[Written by Taylor.]

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Mayday Parade
Released Last Week (September 9th, 2008)
Released Today
Album Review: Swan Songs
News from Taylor
Tour Spotlight


Band of the Week: Mayday Parade

This week's band, Mayday Parade, is also featured in the tour spotlight. Mayday Parade is a quintet out of Tallahassee, Florida who have released one album, A Lesson In Romantics, and one EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends. Band members include Derek Sanders (vocals), Jeremy Lenzo (bass quitar), Alex Garcia (guitar), Brooks Betts (guitar), and Jake Bundrick (drums). Mayday Parade is best described as rock or punk with a truly unique sound that anyone's sure to love. Mayday Parade played Warped Tour all of this summer and will be heading out with All Time Low in the fall.

maydayparaderocks.com
myspace.com/maydayparade
purevolume.com/maydayparade

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (September 9th, 2008):

A Static Lullaby - Rattlesnake! (Fearless)
Bart Davenport - Palaces (Antenna Farms Music)
Boston Spaceships - Brown Submarine (Guided By Voices Inc.)
Brian "Head" Welch - Save Me From Myself (Driven)
Calexico - Carried To Dust (Quarterstick)
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane (Sub Pop)
Civet - Hell Hath No Fury (Hellcat)
Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees (Jagjaguwar)
Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt (Fueled By Ramen)
Innerpartysystem - This Is Entertainment (Island)
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue (Warner Bros.)
Kraak & Smaak - Plastic People (Ultra)
Locksley - Don't Make Me Wait [reissue] (Fontana)
Man Without Wax - Anchor (Eyeball)
Mock Orange - Captain Love (Wednesday)
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
Parenthetical Girls/aka (((GRRLS))) - Entaglements (Tomlab)
People In Planes - Beyond The Horizon (Wind-Up)
Rahim - Laughter (Pretty Activity)
Ray Lamontagne - Gossip In The Grain (RCA)
Scream Hello - Everything Is Always Still Happening (Red Leader)
Shitdisco - Kingdom Of Fear (Dim Mak)
Static Thought - The Motive For Movement (Hellcat)
The Action Design - Never Say (Popsmear)
The Alternate Routes - The Watershed EP (Vanguard)
The Dead Science - Villionaire (Constellation)
The Forward - Nothing But Teeth (Self-released)
The New Year - The New Year (Touch And Go)
The Sound Of Animals Fighting - The Ocean And The Sun (Epitaph)
United Nations - United Nations (Eyeball)
Various Artists - Of Great And Mortal Men: 43 Songs For 43 Presidencies (Standard)
Young Widows - Old Wounds (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

Released Today:

Adventure - Adventure (Carpark)
Alexander Tucker - Portal (ATP)
All That Remains - Overcome (Razor & Tie)
Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer (Roadrunner)
Breathe Carolina - It's Classy, Not Classic (Rise)
Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse)
Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball (Razor & Tie)
Gary Louris and Mark Olson - Ready For The Flood (Hacktone)
Jonezetta - Cruel To Be Young (Tooth & Nail)
Kimya Dawson - Alphabutt (K)
Light Yourself On Fire - Intimacy (Seventh Rule)
Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors (Equal Vision)
Punchline - Just Say Yes (Modern Short Stories)
The Star Fucking Hipsters - Until We're Dead (Fat Wreck Chords)
This Or The Apocalypse - Monuments (Lifeforce)
Unwritten Law - Live & Lawless CD/DVD (Suburban Noize)

[Release lists from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: Swan Songs

Swan Songs - Hollywood Undead (A&M/Octone Records)
[Released September 2nd, 2008]


With their debut album, Swan Songs, California's Hollywood Undead show exactly what they're made of. Combining elements of rap, rock and metal, Hollywood Undead bring a unique sound to the industry. Swan Songs is an explosion of sarcastic and catchy raps that jab at the pop culture of today. Already a massive hit online thanks to website such as MySpace and Imeem, Hollywood Undead bring something a little new to their already loyal fan base while also having massive appeal to new listeners.

Swan Songs is a combination of all that makes music good. The sarcastic "Everywhere I Go" and the hit that brought them Internet fame, "No. 5", appeal to the rap side of Hollywood Undead, while other songs, such as "Young" and opener "Undead" bring a more rock- and metal-based beat and song-style. Swan Songs is catchy and not a single track fails to impress and is sure to appeal to music fans of all genres. This debut is sure to only be a peek at things to expect out of this six man group from California.

[Written by Amber.]


News from Taylor

All Time Low will be recording a new album this winter! Boys Like Girls will be doing a small college tour with Cute Is What We Aim For and Lights, so head to their MySpace for tour dates. Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls will be releasing a solo album called "Who Killed Amanda Palmer", which is now on presale. Check their MySpace blog for more. A mixtape of sorts can be found on Fall Out Boy's FriendsorEnemies Page which includes tracks from Cobra Starship, The Cab, Fall Out Boy, Hey Monday, and many more.

If you want to stream Gym Class Heroes' new ablum, hear a track not on their album, and read more news about them, click here. There's too much to fit here! I am Ghost's new single, "Bone Garden", can be purchased here. The Matches have released their new video, "Yankee in a Chip Shop" and can be seen here. Motion City Soundtrack just recorded a new video, but no news on which song. In MCR news, Gerard Way dyed his hair red (or pink) and Mikey Way will be writing his own comic book. More details are on the way.

For all you Rock Band fans, a Rock Band Tour pack will be available soon, featuring all of the bands on the Rock Band Tour. MTV recently interviewed Paramore about their new album, and the article can be read here. Say Anything will be heading into the studio in January to start work on their new record, and you can watch performances of two new songs here. You can pre-order Senses Fail's new album here. Sherwood is heading out on tour with The Pink Spiders and The Reign of Kindo. Here are more details. A tour announcement from The Spill Canvas can be read here. Taking Back Sunday's album is still untitled, and it is NOT When All Is Said And Done More Is Said Than Done.

[Written by Taylor.]


Tour Spotlight

This week's tour is the "Compromising of Integrity, Morality, and Principles in Exchange for Money" tour with All Time Low, Mayday Parade, The Maine, and Every Avenue. The tour begins October 9th and ends November 29th. Don't miss out! Tour dates can be found below.

10.9.08 - Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
10/10 Cheswick, PA @ Gravity Nightclub
10/11 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Café
10/12 New York, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
10/15 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
10/16 Jacksonville Beach, FL @ Free Bird Live
10/17 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
10/18 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
10/19 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing
10/20 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
10/22 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
10/23 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
10/24 McAllen, TX @ El Rey Theatre
10/25 Austin, TX @ La Zona Rose
10/27 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
10/28 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
10/29 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
11/22 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
11/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory


Note: We apologize for not getting Highlights out last week! We're still getting the hang of things with posting every week again.

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Reggie & the Full Effect
Released Today
Album Review: Lost in the Sound of Separation
Tour Spotlight


Band of the Week: Reggie & the Full Effect

James Dewees is a man of many talents. You may know him as the touring guitarist for My Chemical Romance and New Found Glory, or you may even know him for his own band - Reggie and the Full Effect. This is James' solo project, meaning he does all of the recording himself. He does, however, have a touring band with an ever-changing line-up. He has released five albums as Reggie, the first being released in 1998. Reggie and the Full Effect is often described as punk, pop punk or pop. Currently, you can catch Reggie & the Full Effect on tour with Leathermouth, Warship, and MC Chris on what is Reggie's supposed last tour.

vagrant.com/artist/index/21
myspace.com/reggieandthefulleffect
purevolume.com/reggieandthefulleffect

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Today:

Alias - Resurgam (Anticon)
Anima - The Daily Grind (Metal Blade)
Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon (Headless Heroes)
Blessed By A Broken Heart - Pedal To The Metal (Century Media)
Falconer - Among Beggars And Thieves (Metal Blade)
Hatebreed - Live Dominance DVD (Koch)
Into Eternity - The Incurable Tragedy (Century Media)
Locksley - Don't Make Me Wait (Feature)
Matt Bauer - The Island Moved In The Storm (La Société Expéditionnaire)
Norther - N (Century Media)
Talkdemonic - Eyes At Half Mast (Arena Rock)
The Classic Struggle - Bring Back The Glory Days (Metal Blade)
The Years Gone By - Forever Comes Too Soon (Rise)
Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose of Death... (Relapse)
Underoath - Lost In The Sound Of Separation (Solid State/Tooth & Nail)

[Release list from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: Lost in the Sound of Separation

Lost in the Sound of Separation - Underoath (Solid State/Tooth & Nail)
[Released September 2nd, 2008]


Out today is the latest album from Underoath, titled Lost in the Sound of Separation. Following up the metalcore band's 2006 album, Define the Great Line, this album reaches for new highs and succeeds. This time around is much heavier, while still maintaining the melodic undertones they are known for.

From the melodically bridged "We Are the Involuntary" to heavier "Breathing in a New Mentality", there's something for everyone to love. As hard as it is to believe, Lost in the Sound of Separation transcends everything else the band has ever created. Just right drums matched with amazing guitar riffs put together with vocalists Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie working together in perfect harmony has created an amazing record.

After hearing this album, I have fallen in love all over again with this band and their music. I would strongly recommend picking up this amazing record. It appeases old fans while still having significant appeal to those new to the band or even genre. It does not fail to impress and is more than worth the buy.

[Written by Amber.]


Tour Spotlight

This week's tour spotlight features the Rock Band Live tour with Panic at the Disco, Dashboard Confessional, Plain White Ts, and The Cab. A cool feature of this tour is that selected fans (maybe even bands, as well) will be invited on stage to play the popular game Rock Band in between sets. Tour dates can be found below. Don't miss out!

10/5 San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
10/8 Phoenix, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
10/9 Las Vegas, NV @ Paradise Stage at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
10/10 Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
10/11 San Jose, CA @ San Jose Events Center
10/12 Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
10/14 Seattle, WA @ Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center
10/16 Salt Lake City, UT @ The E Center
10/17 Denver, CO @ Broomfield Events Center
10/18 Lincoln, NE @ Pershing Center
10/19 St. Louis, MO @ Scott Trade Center
10/21 Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
10/22 Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
10/23 Detroit, MI @ EMU Convocation Center
10/24 Toronto, Canada @ Arrow Hall
10/28 Bridgeport, CT @ Harbor Yard
10/29 Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena
10/31 Washington, DC @ Patriot Center
11/1 Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Spectrum
11/2 Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
11/4 Atlanta, GA @ Gwinnett Center
11/6 Tampa, FL @ USF Sundome
11/7 Miami, FL @ Bank United Center
11/8 Gainesville, FL @ O'Connel Center
11/9 Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena
11/11 Bossier City, LA @ CenturyTel Arena
11/12 Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie
11/13 Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
11/14 Houston, TX @ Reliant Arena

[Written by Taylor.]

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: We The Kings
Released Last Week (August 19th, 2008)
Released Today
Album Review: Fast Times at Barrington High
News from Taylor
Tour Spotlight
Bandictionary News


Band of the Week: We The Kings

One of my favorite local bands, We The Kings, got their start in middle school in 2003 in Bradenton, Florida. We The Kings is consisted of Travis Clark (vocals and guitar), Hunter Thomsen (guitar), Drew Thomsen (bass), and Danny Duncan (drums). The band independently released 3 albums, Ivy, Friendship is a Touchy Subject, and Between the Ink and Paper. After signing to S-Curve Records, We The Kings released a self-titled album in 2007. Since then, they have toured with popular bands such as Cobra Starship, Metro Station, All Time Low, and many more. They have also gotten quite a lot of mainstream popularity, appearing on MTV and airing on radio stations across the US. We The Kings just got done playing the Wapred Tour and will be heading out with The Academy Is... this fall.

myspace.com/wethekings
purevolume.com/wethekings

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (August 19th, 2008):

31Knots - Worried Well (Polyvinyl)
Agraceful - The Great I Am (Sumerian)
Anima - TBA (Metal Blade)
Apse - Spirit (ATO)
Blackmore's Night - Secret Voyage (SPV)
Canon - Alive (One Eleven)
David Vandervelde - Waiting For The Sunrise (Secretly Canadian)
Death Vessel - Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us (Sub Pop)
Don Caballero - Punkgasm (Relapse)
Falconer - Among Beggars And Thieves (Metal Blade)
Family Force Five - Dance Or Die (Tooth & Nail)
Heavy Heavy Low Low - Turtle Nipple And The Toxic Shock (Ferrett)
Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle (Suicide Squeeze)
Ill Bill - The Hour Of Reprisal (Uncle Howie/Strange)
Jaguar Love - Take Me To The Sea (Matador)
Jeff Hanson - Madam Owl (Kill Rock Stars)
Jesu - Why Are We Not Perfect (Hydra Head)
Kids Like Us - The Mongoloids (Double Or Nothing)
Know The Score - All Guts, Still No Glory [reissue] (Eulogy)
Know The Score - All Or Nothing (Eulogy)
Kristoffer Ragnstam - Wrong Side Of The Room (Bluhammock)
Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim (Astralwerks)
Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez - Why Is Bear Billowing (Carpark)
Lykke Li - Youth Novels (LL)
Mondo Primo - 2FN Hot (Hwinoua)
One For The Team - Build It Up (The Militia Group)
Overcast - Reborn To Kill Again (Metal Blade)
Perhapst - Perhapst (In Music We Trust)
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line (Barsuk)
sBACH - sBACH (Suicide Squeeze)
Shock Of Pleasure - It's About Time (UMG/Fontana)
Stereolab - Chemical Chords (Beggars Banquet)
The Acacia Strain - Continent (Prosthetic)
The Academy Is... - Fast Times At Barrington High (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)
The American Dollar - A Memory Stream (Yesh)
The Classic Struggle - TBA (Ironclad)
The Dandy Warhols - Earth To The Dandy Warhols (Beat The World)
The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (SideOneDummy)
The Human Abstract - Midheaven (Hopeless)
The Showdown - Back Breaker (Solid State)
The Summer Set - ...In Color EP (The Militia Group)
The Uglysuit - The Uglysuit (Quarterstick)
The Windupdeads - The Windupdeads (One Eleven)
Uh Huh Her - Common Reaction (Nettwerk)
Various Artists - Summer Slaughter:The Most Extreme Tour Of The Year DVD (Sumerian)

Released Today:

Acusis - Dancefloors & Cocktails (Freedumb)
Alias - Resurgam (Anticon)
Cordero - De Donde Eres (Bloodshot)
Datarock - Computer Camp Love [EP] (Nettwerk)
DragonForce - Ultra Beatdown (Roadrunner)
Giants - Old Stories (Cavity)
Goldcure - Portuguese Prince (Team Clermont)
Good
Jupiter One - Jupiter One (Cordless)
Marykate O'Neil - mk-ULTRA (Nettwerk)
Reign Of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord & Melody (One Eleven)
Rookie Of The Year - Sweet Attention (One Eleven)
Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone (Roadrunner)
SteveSongs - The Marvelous Musical Video Adventures of SteveSongs DVD (Rounder)
The Silent Years - The Globe (YTBD)
The Swear - Hotel Rooms And Heart Attacks (Self-released)
Valencia - We All Need A Reason To Believe (Columbia)

[Release lists from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review:

Fast Times at Barrington High - The Academy Is... (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)
[Released August 19th, 2008]


The Academy Is... have finally released their third album "Fast Times at Barrington High". I have to say, it's pretty damn amazing. However, if you are one of the fans that didn't like "About A Girl" or the first single, "Summer Hair=Forever Young", you probably won't love the album as much as the rest of us.

Either way, the band has retained all the positive elements from Santi & Almost Here and built upon those. The album has catchy lyrics and great instrumental parts. Every song evokes emotion and even sitting and reading the CD booklet is great. The songs even sound great live! So listen to "About A Girl", watch the video "Summer Hair=Forever Young" and buy the album. I doubt you'll have difficulty finding quite a few tracks that you love!

[Written by Brit.]


News from Taylor

Don't forget that The Academy Is... released their third album, Fast Times At Barrington High, last week and have also released tour dates. (The dates can be found in Tour Spotlight, below.) Coheed and Cambria have announced a few new Neverender dates. For more info on those, click here. Fall Out Boy has been messing with our heads all week, finally announcing that they will be releasing a new album called "Folie a Deux". For a recap of all of the things they put us through, clck here.

Gym Class Heroes released their new video for "Cookie Jar", and posted "Guilty as Charged" on their MySpace. Disashi from Gym Class Heroes also announced that he and his girlfriend are expecting a baby. Congrats! I Am Ghost will be releasing Those We Leave Behind on October 7th. They have also posted a few new songs. I Hate Kate has a few new tour dates up, as well.

Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance posted a pretty lengthy new blog on the 24th. Paramore will be releasing a DVD from the Final Riot! Tour, and will also be performing at this year's VMA's. Say Anything is offering drums lessons. Senses Fail have posted a few new songs on their MySpace, and have released their new EP on iTunes, so go check it out!

You can watch Sherwood perform a few new songs here. Sonny Moore announced that his album is almost finished and is in the post-production process. The Denny's resteraunt chain is adding some new items to their menu, including Plain White Shakes and Taking Back Bacon Burger Fries. And lastly, Thursday is currently recording a new album with Dave Fridmann.

[Written by Taylor.]


Tour Spotlight

This week's tour spotlight features the Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour featuring The Academy Is..., We The Kings, Carolina Liar, and Hey Monday. The special Santi's Little Helpers pre-sale started on the 19th and normal tickets went on sale on August 23rd. Tour dates can be found below.

10.01 Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend
10.02 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
10.03 Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues
10.04 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
10.05 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing
10.07 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
10.08 Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
10.09 Austin, TX @ Emo's
10.11 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
10.14 Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
10.15 Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues
10.17 San Diego, CA @ Soma
10.18 Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
10.19 San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Center
10.21 Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Centre
10.22 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
10.23 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
10.25 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
10.26 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10.28 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium
10.29 Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
10.30 Sauget, IL @ Pop's
10.31 Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
11.01 Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Club
11.02 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
11.04 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's
11.05 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
11.06 Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
11.09 Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargo's
11.11 Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
11.12 Boston, MA @ The Roxy
11.13 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11.14 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
11.15 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11.17 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11.18 Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
11.19 New York, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
11.21 Montreal, QC @ Medley
11.22 Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment
11.23 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom

[Written by Taylor.]


Bandictionary News

Not too much has been posted lately, but there's plenty coming up! Coming soon is an interview with Justin Mauriello from a couple months back, an interview with Jeffree Star, and a few new photo sets. Expect photos from the Reggie and the Full Effect show in San Luis Obispo, CA on 8/27, plus a few more!

New biographies are on the way, as well, so stay tuned for those. We hope to add new bands soon, including New Tomorrow, Reggie and the Full Effect, Leathermouth, Men, Women & Children, Limbeck, and more.

As you can see, Highlights has two new articles, with at least one more coming soon. You'll see the next issue on September 2nd with a new issue posted every Tuesday after that. We look forward to going back to the old once-a-week postings and we hope you're looking forward to that, too!

[Written by Emilee.]

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: The Academy Is...
Released Last Week (August 5th, 2008)
Released Today
News from Taylor
Tour Spotlight
Bandictionary News


Band of the Week: The Academy Is...

The Academy Is..., previously just "The Academy", formed in 2002 after singer William Beckett and guitarist Mike Carden's former bands broke up. Now with an official line up consisting of Beckett, Carden, Andy "The Butcher" Mrotek on drums, Adam T. Siska on bass, and Michael Guy Chislett as the second guitarist, the band has released 2 EPs and 2 full-length albums. Their first EP, The Academy, is what caught Pete Wentz's attention and the following events eventually got the band signed to Fueled By Ramen. They recorded their first full-length, Almost Here, and the From The Carpet EP before releasing their second full-length, Santi in 2007. The band is about to release their 3rd full-length album, Fast Times at Barrington High (a play off of the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High) next week. Their general sound is very pop-punk and rock. William Beckett's vocals really give something new to the whole world of music, as his voice is truly incredible and unique. Currently, The Academy Is... is on the Vans Warped Tour and gearing up for a supposed fall co-headlining tour with We The Kings.

theacademyis.com
myspace.com/theacademyis
purevolume.com/theacademyis

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (August 5th, 2008):

Amy Ray - Didn't It Feel Kinder (Daemon Records)
Anthony Green - Avalon (Photo Finish)
Barricade - Digital EP (Hand Of Hope)
Before Their Eyes - The Dawn Of My Death (Rise)
Birdmonster - From The Mountain To The Sea (Fader)
Black Light Burns - Cover Your Heart And The Anvil Pants Odyssey (YMA)
Ceremony - Still, Nothing Moves You (Bridge Nine)
Darker My Love - 2 (Dangerbird)
Everlea - Everlea (Glassnote)
Fall From Grace - Sifting Through The Wreckage (Bodog/HRM)
Hawthorne Heights - Fragile Future (Victory)
Helms Alee - Night Terror (Hydra Head)
Ida - My Fair, My Dark EP (Polyvinyl)
Jim Boggia - Misadventures In Stereo (Bluhammock)
Jimmy Sturr - Let the Whole World Sing (Rounder)
Kids Like Us - 80's Are Dead [reissue] (Eulogy)
Mandi Perkins - Alice In No Mans Land (Victory/SonyBMG)
Marching Band - Spark Large (U&L)
Meantime - Meantime (Double Or Nothing)
Mike Gordon - The Green Sparrow (Rounder)
Mike Mangione - Tenebrae (Oarfin Distribution)
Norma Jean - The Anti Mother (Solid State)
Oxford Collapse - Bits (Sub Pop)
Reflected - Paradise Found (World Records)
Suicide Note - Empty Room (Hawthorne Street)
The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event (Majordomo)
The Faint - Fasiinatiion (Blank.wav)
The Lord Dog Bird - The Lord Dog Bird (Jagjaguwar)
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - The Whole Fam Damnily (SideOneDummy)
There For Tommorow There - For Tommorow EP (Hopeless)
Tony Rice - The Likes of Me: The Singer Songwriter Collection (Rounder)
Wrench In The Works - Lost Art Of Heaping Coals (Facedown)

Released Today:

Aughra - Proof Of Dark Matter/Light The Lights (Magic Bullet)
Barely Blind - From Groves To You (TDR)
Blind Pilot - Three Rounds And A Sound (Expunged)
The Clips - Matterhorn (Unfamiliar) [Released August 8th, 2008]
Fightstar - Alternate Endings (B-Sides And Rarities) (Institute) [Released August 11th, 2008]
Irma Thomas - Simply Grand (Rounder)
Michael Deam Damron & Thee Loyal Bastards - Bad Days Ahead (In Music We Trust)
Shock Of Pleasure - It's About Time (UMG/Fontana)
Sick Of Sarah - Sick Of Sarah (Adamant)
The Pack AD - Funeral Mixtape (Mint)
Willoughby - I Know What You're Up To (Sargent)
Zach Hill - Astrological Straits (Ipecac)

[Release lists from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


News from Taylor

The Academy Is... will be releasing their third studio album, Fast Times at Barrington High, next week, and the band is releasing tons of new things in preparation for the release. William Beckett has been releasing a ton of lyrics on his blog, and "Rumored Nights" is also now available on absolutepunk.net. Three new tracks can also be heard on their MySpace.

All Time Low finally premiered their new video for "Poppin' Champagne". It has been announced that Boys Like Girls will be supporting Fall Out Boy on their UK Tour dates. Brand New has announced 3 new tour dates for September. Despite much controversy, Gabe Saporta is NOT dead, people.

Farewell announced some new tour dates in the UK and the U.S., so check out their MySpace for tour dates. Gym Class Heroes made a trailer for their new album, The Quilt, coming out September 9th. Don't forget about I Am Ghost's new album coming out on October 7th, Those We Leave Behind, and some new tour dates.

The Matches officially have a new bassist, Dylan Rowe. Are you a fan of Motion City Soundtrack and vinyl LPs? Check out MCS's webstore, they may just have Even If It Kills Me in Limited Edition Vinyl. Panic at the Disco and Paramore have both been working on new material as they both gear up for their upcoming tours, the Rock Band Live Tour and the Final Riot! Tour, respectively.

Say Anything's Max Bemis is working on a new project for his fans, and details can be seen here. Senses Fail will be heading out on tour this fall with Sky Eats Airplane. Finally, be sure to vote for your favorite music videos over at The VMA's online.

[Written by Taylor.]


Tour Spotlight

Get information about upcoming tours here! Find a new tour featured in each issue, complete with who's playing, when, and where!

Cobra Starship is going out on another headlining tour, the SassyBack Tour, with Forever The Sickest Kids, Hit The Lights and Sing It Loud. This will be Cobra's second headlining tour and they will be playing noticeably larger venues this time around. Tour dates can be found below and tickets are on sale now!

10/7 Buffalo, NY @ Club Infinity
10/8 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
10/9 Philadephia, PA @ Trocadero
10/10 Hampton Beach, NH @ Casino Ballroom
10/11 New York, NY @ Nokia Theatre
10/12 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
10/14 Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
10/18 Sauget, IL @ Pop's
10/19 Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
10/20 Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
10/21 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon Theater
10/23 Vancouer, BC @ Croatian Centre
10/31 Las Vegas, NV @ Jillian's
11/1 Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
11/4 Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
11/5 El Paso, TX @ Club 101
11/6 Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom
11/7 Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
11/8 San Antonio, TX @ Scout Bar
11/9 Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
11/11 St Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing
11/12 Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/13 Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues
11/14 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
11/15 Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
11/16 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
11/18 Richmond, VA @ The National
11/19 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
11/20 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11/23 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
11/25 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
11/26 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
11/28 Providence, RI @ Lupo's
11/29 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
11/30 Albany, NY @ Northern Lights

[Written by Taylor.]


Bandictionary News

Stay updated on the latest happenings on the site! Any new articles or site-related news will be reported here.

Recently posted were four new photo sets from 106.1 KRAB Radio's Free 4 All show in Bakersfield, CA. Check them out! You can see photos from the sets of Thriving Ivory, National Product, I Hate Kate, or just pictures from the event. Click here.

Remember when Cobra Starship and Say Anything were just "Band of the Week" features? Well, no more! They now have full Bandictionary features, complete with biographies and discographies. See them here: Cobra Starship, Say Anything.

Bandictionary will be at the Warped Tour in Mountain View on Friday, handing out stickers, conducting interviews, and taking lots of photos! Look forward to seeing all the interviews and photos from the show soon!

Highlights will most likely be returning to its weekly issues in a month or so, and we're planning on doing Highlights as a video sometime. Have any ideas for those? Let us know!

We could always use your suggestions and your help. If you have something you'd like to see on the site (a band, a new feature, etc.), you want to help promote us, or you would like to be a part of the crew, send an e-mail to bandictionary@bandictionary.net to tell us and we'll get back to you. As always, check the site often for new updates and tell your friends if you like what you see!

[Written by Emilee.]

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Cobra Starship
Released Last Week (July 22nd, 2008)
Released Today
Album Review: Underdog Alma Mater
News from Taylor


Band of the Week: Cobra Starship

Gabe Saporta, formerly of Midtown, only created Cobra Starship 3 years ago - but they're already one of the most popular pop-punk bands in the U.S. right now. Cobra is consisted of Victoria "Vicky-T" Asher (keytar), Ryland Blackinton (guitar), Alex Suarez (bass), and Nate Novarro (drums) in addition to Gabe Saporta, who is the lead singer. Cobra got their start after the band collaborated with William Beckett (The Academy Is...), Travis McCoy (Gym Class Heroes), Maja Ivarsson (The Sounds), and Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects to create "Bring It", a song that was included on the Snakes On A Plane soundtrack. The song was included on their first album, While the City Sleeps, We Rule The Streets, which came out in August of 2006. After building quite the fan base, Cobra Starship recorded their second album, ¡Viva La Cobra!, which was produced by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump.

Cobra Starship is closely associated with their label-mates Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is..., and so on, but they're definitely a unique band. They would probably be best described as a "pop-punk" band. They definitely have a punk vibe, but Victoria's keytar and the general sound is very uplifting, pop-like and fun. Right now, Cobra is on the Vans Warped Tour and will be headlining the "Sassy Back" tour with Forever the Sickest Kids, Hit the Lights, and Sing it Loud this fall.

cobrastarship.com
myspace.com/cobrastarship
purevolume.com/cobrastarship

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (June 22nd, 2008):

A Breath Before Surfacing - Death Is Swallowed In Victory (Mediaskare)
After The Burial - Rareform (Sumerian)
Austrian Death Machine - Total Brutal (Metal Blade)
Bayside - The Walking Wounded: Gold Edition (Victory)
Black Kids - Partie Traumatic (Columbia)
Bodies Of Water - A Certain Feeling (Secretly Canadian)
Candlebox - Into The Sun (ILG/SMG)
CSS - Donkey (Sub Pop)
Daft Punk - Electroma DVD (Vice)
Falcon - Falcon (No Office)
iForward Russia! - Life Processes (Mute)
Juie Doiron - Loneliest In The Morning (Jagjaguwar)
Lackthereof - Your Anchor (Barsuk)
Left To Vanish - Versus The Throne (Lifeforce)
Misery Signals - Controller (Ferret)
One Day As A Lion - One Day As A Lion (Anti-)
Samantha Crain - Confiscation (Ramseur)
The Classic Crime - The Silver Cord (Tooth & Nail)
The Dirty Hearts - Pigs (Socyermom)
The Hard Lessons - B & G Sides (Quack)
Timmy Curran - Word Of Mouth (Adeline)

Released Today:

James Jackson Toth - Waiting In Vain (Rykodisc)
Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper - Leavin' Town (Rounder)
Taylor Hollingsworth - Bad Little Kitty (Team Clermont)
The Great Northwest - The Widespread Reign Of The Great Northwest (The Kora)
The Great Northwest - The Wonderful Widespread Reign Of The Great Northwest (The Kora)
The Wayward - Overexposure (Magic Bullet)

[Release list from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: Underdog Alma Mater - Forever The Sickest Kids (Universal/Motown)
[Released April 29th, 2008]


Forever The Sickest Kids is a fairly new, but simply amazing little band from Dallas, Texas. After seeing and meeting them at the 2008 AP Tour, I bought their album once it came out, and I was hooked immediately. This band is one of the most fun, enthralling bands out there right now - and their first album, Underdog Alma Mater, definitely proves that.

From the first song, Whoa Oh (Me vs. Everyone), the band takes you by the collar of your shirt and makes you dance along. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Throughout the 12 songs, there's a mix of upbeat and slightly more mellow songs, and the acoustic song "Coffee Break". As you can probably imagine, this makes for one heck of a live show, but if you want to have a solo dance party in your bedroom, this album is perfect for that, as well.

In addition to having crazy fun beats, the album also provides great vocals from lead singer Jonathon Cook, guitarist Caleb Turman, and bassist Austin Bello. Mixed in are really great lyrics, which are rarely found in "pop" music today. A majority of them are very easy to relate to, which adds a certain appreciation for the band from fans and curious listeners.

Underdog Alma Mater is noticeably more mature than the band's previous EP's, and side by side comparisons are made available by new versions of older songs off of the EP's. The vocals are much stronger, and the whole band's sound is slightly more defined - but they didn't lose the slightly raw effect all of their songs give off despite their "pop-ish" sound.

All in all, Forever The Sickest Kids did an amazing job with this album. It's fun, it's meaningful, and it's slowly gaining them a huge fan base. AP Magazine dubbed them one of the 22 Best Underground Bands (That Likely Won't Stay Underground for Long), and I don't think their entire fan base could agree more. Give these guys a listen, it's well worth it.

[Written by Taylor.]


News from Taylor

The Academy Is... is getting ready for their new album, Fast Times At Barrington High to release, so there is a TON of news from them. You can listen to "About A Girl" and "Summer Hair = Forever Young" on their MySpace, and you can listen to "His Girl Friday" here. William Beckett started a blog, and the official tracklisting for the new album was released as well.

Alkaline Trio released a video for "Help Me". All Time Low announced that they will be headlining the "Compromising of Integrity, Morality, & Principles in Exchange for Money" tour with Every Avenue, Mayday Parade, and The Maine this fall. Keep checking their MySpace for tour dates. Boys Like Girls posted a new video blog.

Daphne Loves Derby posted a new demo of "Envy" on their MySpace. Keyboardist Chris Lee has left Farewell. Details can be seen here. Gym Class Heroes' new video for "Peace Sign/Index Down" can be seen here.

Motion City Soundtrack will be heading out on the road with Dear and the Headlights and Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, then Hit The Lights and Person L. Check their MySpace to see if they're coming to your town. If you're a fan of Gerard Way's (My Chemical Romance) comic book, The Umbrella Academy, there is a new interview up. Also, My Chemical Romance will be covering Bob Dylan for the upcoming Watchmen movie.

Panic at the Disco, Plain White T's, and Dashboard Confessional will be touring together this fall. Stay tuned for tour dates. Paramore's second album, Riot!, has officially gone platinum. Senses Fail's tracklisting for their new album, Life Is Not A Waiting Room (coming out October 7), was also released.

Sherwood has officially begun working on their new album as of 7/23. Sonny Moore has finally began working on his debut album with producer Noah Shain, and he is about half-way through the recording process. Thursday recently played a new song live.

[Written by Taylor.]


Note from Taylor: I apologize for the inconsistent posts these past few weeks, guys! I was actually away in Denver and Canada for 2 of the posts with no reliable internet connection, so I couldn't exactly get the news and BOTW together in time. But I think it's safe to say I definitely tried my hardest - and my $400 phone bill says so, too! Darn those international charges, man. Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this week's issue and hopefully things will run a tad bit smoother in the future. Thanks, guys!

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Jeffree Star
Released Today
Album Review: Rotation
News from Taylor
Artist Spotlight: Eliza Cuts


Band of the Week: Jeffree Star

Many of you know the famous, or even infamous, Jeffree Star. He is this week's featured artist because he's certainly unique, he stands up for his beliefs, and makes great music along the way. Jeffree grew up knowing he was gay, and he started experimenting with his mother's make-up at an early age. He started working as a make-up artist when he was 15, and eventually started to model after posting pcitures of himself on MySpace. He earned quite the fanbase in a short amount of time, and after his friend encouraged him to make music, he took off in mini-stardom.

He started posting demos of his music in 2006, including the songs "Straight Boys" and "We Want C**t". His "cult" of followers continued to support Jeffree, and he has since released an EP entitled "Plastic Surgery Slumber Party". He currently isn't signed to a record label, but is doing great on his own. He is set to release his first full-length album, Beauty Killer, sometime this year. His music would be best described as techno or electro, as it has tons of unique beats and synthesizer parts. Jeffree just finished playing his week-long stint on the Warped Tour and is currently working on his music.

jeffreecuntstar.com
myspace.com/jeffreestar
jeffreestar.buzznet.com

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Today:

Note: There have been so many new releases in the past few weeks! This list covers everything released this week and last week, but check out the link at the bottom for past releases.

Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony (Epic)
The Anniversary - Devil On Our Side: B-Sides & Rarities (Vagrant)
Asra - The Way Of All Flesh (Black Box)
Blackmarket - Blackmarket (No Office)
Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer (Black Market)
Carnifex - The Diseased And The Poisoned (Victory)
Cute Is What We Aim For - Rotation (Fueled By Ramen)
Damiera - Quiet Mouth, Loud Hands (Equal Vision)
Destiny - The Inside (Lifeforce)
The Feelings Mutual - The Feelings Mutual EP (Ares)
The Freeze - 27 Years Of Defiance CD/DVD (Beer City)
Heart Set Self Destruct - Victims Like Me (Masquerade)
I Am The Heat - The Future Doesn't Need Us EP (TBD)
I Hate Kate - Embrace The Curse (Glassnote)
Jason Webley - The Cost Of Living (Eleven)
Jon Sonnenberg - Acoustic Selections (Old Man)
Lamb Of God - Walk With Me In Hell DVD (Epic)
Led To Sea - Led To Sea (Eleven)
Less Than Jake - GNV FLA (Sleep It Off)
Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville [reissue] (ATO)
Lords - Fuck All Ya'll Motherfuckers (Black Market Activities)
Love As Laughter - Glacial Pace (Epic)
The Loyal - The Science Of Self Exploration (Masquerade)
Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - Party Intellectuals (Pi)
Mark Lind - The Truth Can Be Brutal (Sailor's Grave)
Martyr - Havoc In Quebec City DVD (Galy)
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade Is Dead! CD/DVD (Reprise)
My Revenge - Strength Through Nonviolence (Thorp)
People In Planes - Beyond The Horizon (Wind-Up)
Recon - Welcome To Viper City (Rise)
Relient K - The Bird And The Bee Sides (Gotee)
The Revisionists - The Revisionists (Loveless)
Rise Of Because - Punishment Room (Desolation House/Relapse)
The Saint Alvia Cartel - The Saint Alvia Cartel (Stomp)
Shot Baker - Take Control (Riot Fest)
SJ Esau - Small Vessel (Anticon)
Subterranean Source - Relic (Desolation House/Relapse)
Sweet Cobra - Forever (Black Market Activities)
Take It Back! - Can't Fight Robots (Facedown)
Thriving Ivory - Thriving Ivory (Wind-Up)
Throw The Fight - In Pursuit Of Tomorrow (Cordless)
Tickle Me Pink - Madeline (Wind-Up)
Toxic Reasons - Essential Independence CD/DVD (Beer City)
Weezer - Weezer (DGC/Interscope)
The Wombats - A Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation (Roadrunner)

[Release lists from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: Rotation

Rotation - Cute is What We Aim For (Fueled By Ramen)
[Released June 24th, 2008]


I know lots of people have heard of Cute Is What We Aim For, but from the people I've spoken to about the band, they just hear they're bad and accept they're bad without listening to the band. I'm one of the people who liked their previous album The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch, mostly because of the catchy lyrics.

One of the changes that is obvious between that album and Rotation is that Rotation isn't as focused on the vocals. When listening to their first album, the main sound is Shaant's vocals with the other instruments amounting to pretty much just background noise. In Rotation, however, the other instruments are so much more obvious, with instrumental intros and good beats in the background - they make it clear that it's a band and not just a solo project and it's so much easier to get that foot tapping. Even the vocals on the latest album are much better developed and Shaant's vocals change throughout the album.

I have to say, though, there are several times in the album that I felt like I was listening to other bands - particularly in the introductions. (Like Motion City Soundtrack and The Used - listen for the intros and you'll probably pick up on it, too). As much as I hate to compare them to Fueled By Ramen bands it reminds me a bit of Panic At The Disco, mostly the change between the two albums, but there are times when the vocals sound like the combination of Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross.

The best thing about Rotation is that they've managed to develop their sound and improve so much without losing the catchy lyrics and vocals that attracted me to the first album. Everyone should definitely give the album a listen, or at least listen to the single, "Practice Makes Perfect" and base their opinion of Cute Is What We Aim For off of that, rather than just basing it off hearsay.

[Written by Brit.]


News from Taylor

Due to some technical difficulties, we weren't able to get the news today. We should be able to get this week's news posted within a few days, so be sure to check back!


Artist Spotlight: Eliza Cuts

What are things that people deserve to be known for? The list is so long. There's talents, knowledge, discoveries... and you can't forget careers! Some people have careers that they deserve to be known for, and Eliza Cuts just happens to be one of those people.

Though Eliza may be widely known over the Internet as someone who had a relationship with the frontman of a certain popular band, not everyone knows about what she does for a living. But when someone's last name is Cuts, don't you start to wonder? Okay, so Cuts may not be what's printed on Eliza's birth certificate, but it should still trigger a few questions. Just like it may be a little confusing when a photographer tells someone that he shoots people for a living, it's probably somewhat strange to hear that Eliza cuts people for a living. But don't worry, we're talking about hair!

Even musicians need hairstylists, and that's what Eliza has been set out to do. She first started cutting hair after visiting a lower-priced salon when she was in her late teens. Not liking how it was going, she stopped the stylist mid-cut and left the salon. Eliza stopped at a drug store on the way home to pick up a cheap pair of shears, then finished the cut herself. She quickly realized that she wasn't half bad with a pair of scissors and started cutting hair for free, mostly for her friends. It wasn't until she moved back home at 22 that she made the decision to go to cosmetology school.

Enrolled at La' James International College in Davenport, Iowa with her goals firmly planted in her mind, Eliza worked hard to complete her 2100 hours to rid herself of old habits and learn everything she could about hair. She had been laughed at when she first mentioned that she wanted to cut hair for bands, but her dream started coming true a few months into cosmetology school. She kept the prices to a minimum, but started cutting hair for lesser-known bands outside of The Picador, a small venue in Iowa City. Things began to grow and even before graduating from school, Eliza was set with a full sponsorship to cut hair for bands and fans on the Vans Warped Tour that year. With her new friendships and connections after the tour, she has continued to live out her dream of doing hair, finding a place she loves in the music industry.

Nowadays, you can find Eliza on the radio, which is something that, as a hairstylist, she never thought she'd be doing. She was a guest a while back on This Deliberate Life, a radio show on Fearless Radio hosted by Christopher Gutierrez, better known as deadxstop or Hey Chris. When Chris left for his book tour a few weeks ago, Eliza agreed to take over his show while he's gone. You can hear her hosting This Deliberate Life on Tuesdays from 7-10 P.M. Central Time. After these last few weeks of taking over Chris' show, Eliza will have her own show focused mainly on hair and style called Fearless Cuts. The show will be on Fearless Radio every Friday from 7-10 P.M. Central Time.

With Eliza's radio debut, her audience has been able to get to know her better as a person and quite a few misconceptions have been pushed aside. The first half of 2007 brought a lot of attention to Eliza and the relationship she was in at the time, and not all of it was positive. The fact that the relationship was with a member of a popular band led to lots of fans (of the band, of course) making snap decisions to hate Eliza with hardly any reasons as to why. Many of those who claimed to hate her used the excuse that she was supposedly a racist after finding a YouTube video where she used a term that was interpreted to be derogatory. Most of the band's fans who fell into this category still have no idea how wrong they were.

Brought up by two loving parents, Eliza is someone who was raised with some great values. She was taught from the start to treat everyone with respect and is one of the few people who is able to actually practice what she preaches. Even people who don't have her full support still have all of her respect. She has always been encouraged to make her own decisions about issues and not just make decisions based off of what everyone else is saying, which has left her very open-minded and accepting of everyone. Eliza's radio opportunities are being used as a way to help open the minds of others. She encourages her audience to make informed decisions and is "always going to encourage people to stand up for what they believe."

So, who is Eliza Cuts? Well, Eliza is a hairstylist in the music industry. But more importantly, Eliza is a people person who wants to hear your story, regardless of who you are.

[Written by Emilee.]

This week's issue of Highlights isn't what you're used to seeing here. This week, we have a special guide to the Vans Warped Tour 2008, complete with bands to see, things to do, and how to stay cool. If you're going to any dates this year, this guide will help you make the best of your Warped 2008 experience!

The Warped Tour was founded in 1994 by Kevin Lyman, who got the idea through working at skate shows which often coupled music with skateboarding contests. Much like the the skate shows it was built off of, Warped Tour features booths and plenty to do for music fans in between the dozens of bands that play throughout the day. Since its inception in '94, the tour has come to venues around the world and become the staple tour of summer. With so much to do, no one should have any problem at all finding something to keep themselves busy during a day at Warped! ◊

Bands to See

Here are a few bands you absolutely cannot miss at the Warped Tour this year. Don't worry about checking to see if they're playing your date or not - all these bands are playing the whole tour this year.

The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... is a band out of Chicago, lllinois. William Beckett (vocals), Michael Carden (guitar), Adam T. Siska (bass), Andy "The Butcher" Mrotek (drums) and Michael Guy Chislett (guitar) make up the group. Since 2003, the band has released 2 EPs (The Academy Is... and From Under The Carpet) and 2 albums (Almost Here and Santi). The band just got done recording their third studio album with Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records. Their sound falls into the rock, punk, and sometimes even pop categories. One thing is for certain, and that is that The Academy Is... puts on one heck of a live show. William is an astounding frontman with nearly flawless live vocals. The rest of the band loves what they do and it shows during live performances. Anyone thinking of skipping out on The Academy Is... this summer on the Warped Tour is a bit insane. Go listen to amazing music and watch their live show. Heck, it might even make you forget about the 100 degree weather and the killer sunburn you're forming. ◊

Say Anything
Over the years, Say Anything has become a well-recognized and and well-respected band within the alternative music scene. A product of Los Angeles, Say Anything is comprised of six members: frontman Max Bemis, drummer Coby Linder, guitarists Jake Turner and Jeff Turner, bassist Alex Kent, and keyboardist Parker Case. As of late, the band has been touring in support of their recent album In Defense of the Genre. Be sure to catch them this summer at Warped - you never know when Mr. Bemis will run off to work on his side project with Chris Conely! ◊

Cobra Starship
Ex-Midtown bassist and vocalist Gabe Saporta formed Cobra Starship in 2005 while living in New York City. After recruiting Alex Suarez (bass), Ryland Blackington (guitar), VIctoria Asher (keytar), and Nate Navarro (drums), the band released While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets and ¡Viva La Cobra! on Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen records. Cobra Starship is an incredibly fun to listen to rock/pop group, which, when matched with Gabe Saporta's awesome skills as a frontman, makes for an amazing live show. The band has a ton of fun playing and the constant energy running through the crowd just makes you want to jump around and dance. There's a keyboard on a guitar, brightly colored clothing, GABE SAPORTA, and amazing music. What more can you ask for? ◊

Mayday Parade
The Tallahassee, Florida band Mayday Parade is back on Warped Tour this year. Yes, in the sense that they will be preforming onstage, not just following the tour. The pop-rock band comprised of Derek Sanders (vocals/keyboard), Jeremy Lenzo (bass/vocals), Alex Garcia (guitar), Brooks Betts (guitar), and Jake Bundrick (drums) released their debut full-length album, A Lesson in Romantics, last July on Fearless Records. Since the release, they have been touring in support of the album, and will continue to do so through the summer on Warped. ◊

Broadway Calls
Broadway Calls is a punk-rock band out of Rainier, Oregon. Ty Vaughn (guitar and vocals), Matt Koenig (bass), and Josh Baird (drums) make up the 3-year-old band. So far, they have released two albums on State Of Mind Records, one self-titled and the other entitled Call The Medic. They have also released a split with The Riot Before. The band is now signed to Adeline Records, and are going to re-release their self-titled album on that label soon. Their sound could easily be compared to that of Rise Against or Bad Religion. Their infectious vibe and their energetic stage presence easily make for an incredible live show. ◊

The Color Fred
After sitting on Fred Mascherino's backburner for quite some time, The Color Fred is finally going at it in full swing. With their debut album, Bend to Break, released in late 2007 on Equal Vision Records, the band wasted no time making a name for themselves. Fred Mascherino (vocals/guitar), Matthew Fleischman (guitar), Chris Poulsen (bass), and Steven Curtiss (drums), will be on Warped Tour all summer - be sure to catch their show. ◊

Family Force 5
Family Force 5 is a "crunk-rock" band from Georgia. Solomon Olds (vocals and guitar), Jacob Olds (drums and vocals), and Joshua Olds (bass and vocals) are brothers who recruited their good friends Nathan Currin (keytar, percussion) and Derek Mount (guitar) to form Family Force 5. They have released 3 EPs, The Phamily, Family Force 5, and Dance or Die, and an album titled Business Up Front/Party In The Back. They have an incredibly unique sound, often described by the band as "crunk-rock". It's a mix of rock, punk, pop, rap and techno. All of these mix together to make an insane, awesome sound. Their dance-ish vibe and rock elements make for a fun, intense, and unique live show. ◊

HorrorPops
Formed in Denmark in 1996, the HorrorPops spent time crafting their interesting blend of pop punk and psychobilly before finally making an apperance stateside. After two full-length albums, they released their third effort, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill in Febuary and set off on tour in support of the album. This summer, Patricia Day (vocals/bass), Kim Nekroman (guitar), and Henrik Niedermeier (drums) will be gracing the stages of Warped Tour. Be sure to check them out, and take in their unique stage preformance. ◊

From First to Last
From First To Last is a four-man "post-hardcore" band from Orlando, Florida (now based out of Los Angeles, California). They released an EP entitled Aesthetic with Philip Reardon in 2003, then released Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Body Count with new vocalist Sonny Moore. After the release of Heroine, Sonny Moore left the band in 2007. The band bounced back, however, and recently released a self-titled album. While their older material has a more raw, hardcore sound, their new album has a more pop-punk and rock feel to it. Matt Good, taking on the vocals of both old and new material while still playing guitar, Travis Richter (guitar), Derek Bloom (drums), and Matt Manning (bass) make the current From First to Last line-up. Although there are mixed reviews about the new album and new live show, someone who hasn't seen it yet wouldn't know exactly what it's like. From First To Last has been through a lot these past nine years and continue to fight the odds against them. Old and new fans should definitely give their live show a chance, as well as curious passers-by. ◊

With these bands to check out, your day may be full already, but the list doesn't end there! Here are a few more bands you need to see at Warped Tour. Most of them aren't playing the entire tour, so pay close attention to which shows they'll be playing!

Be Your Own Pet (July 9-18, July 23-August 2)
Bouncing Souls (July 16-25)
Farewell (June 20-July 23)
Jack's Mannequin (July 1-20)
Motion City Soundtrack (July 29-August 9, August 13)
Paramore (July 1-6)
Rise Against (August 6-17)
Street Drum Corps Presents BANG! (Whole tour)
The Vandals (August 16-17)

Warped Tour Tips

A lot of us have been to the tour before and know what it's like, but a lot of other people haven't and are very unaware of what to expect. This is where Bandictionary comes in. Here are some tips, tricks, and what not to do at the Warped Tour.

First of all - it's summer. Don't be stupid and dress up in your all-black outfit with Tripp extra baggy pants. Wear shorts and a light colored shirt. Girls, you know alternatives to that, which would include short shorts or skirts (as long as you don't plan on crowd surfing) and a bikini top. If you don't like showing skin, wear gym shorts that have mesh material and wear medium length sleeves. It's not a fashion contest at Warped. Also, wear something with pockets, if possible, for extra storage. Everyone usually ends up looking like crap by the end of the day no matter what and no one cares after the first hour. Also, wear your hair up if you have long hair! It's torture for yourself and those around you. Oh, and whatever you do, DO NOT forget sunscreen... and deodorant!

Next, DON'T bring a lot with you. There's never a place to put your bags, no cool lockers like at amusement parks, anything. There's just not room for all of your favorite bands' CDs you hope to get signed, extra T-shirts, stuff like that. It gets heavy! Instead of a huge bag filled to the top, bring a purse, over-the-shoulder bag, or very light backpack, preferably a stringed one. This way, you can keep your money in a safe place, hold your phone and camera to stay in touch and capture memories, store Sharpies just in case you meet someone, get an extra T-shirt, and still leave room for some paper to get signed. Also, people are going to hand you random things all day, from fliers to demo CDs. You WILL need storage for these! Lastly, you're going to get dirty throughout the day, so it's a good idea to bring a small container of hand sanitizer and wet wipes. It will make you feel less gross throughout the day, which is an awesome thing.

The money bit leads us in to our next tip, which is to bring a ton of money for water, food and merchandise! It gets incredibly hot out there, so you NEED to keep yourself hydrated and well nourished. Water and Gatorade cost almost $5 a bottle, and trust me, it runs out pretty quickly. If you're lucky, $15 can get you through the day for water, but it's a good idea to bring extra cash, just in case. Don't forget about food, either! It's very important to eat throughout the day. Also, there are hundreds of tents at the Warped Tour for all of the bands, sponsors, organizations, and miscellaneous vendors. So, if you can, bring some money for a T-shirt or accessories! There's such a variety of things to buy. You'll probably kick yourself later if you don't spend a few bucks somewhere.

Also, check out what kind of VIP passes may be available. Cobra Starship took the time to post this awesome "VIP Inside Guide", which includes tons of information on most, if not all, of the VIP opportunities offered for Warped.

The next tip is to get to the venue early, and know where you're headed! There's more than likely going to be a huge line even at the beginning of the day, and no one wants to wait out in the heat just to get in the venue. So make sure you know where the venue is, find a close parking spot (bring money for that, too, just in case), and get in line early! Doors open at different times of the day from venue to venue, but it's usually between 10 A.M. and noon. Be sure to check your tickets so you know what time it starts at your show. 8 to 8:30 A.M. is a really good time to get there. Sure, you have to wait a while, but it's worth it in the end. Also, it helps to know which bands you want to see ahead of time. So, if you didn't know them already, the time spent waiting in line is the perfect time to think about what bands you want to see and ask people about what bands you may have missed or what they recommend.

Once you're in the venue, take note of where the bathrooms, possible shade areas, and some of the tents are, then make your way to the huge sign that says what stage and time your favorite bands are playing. Basically, follow the herd of people and take out your nifty piece of paper. Jot down what bands are playing at what times and on what stage. If you have a camera, save some time and take a picture! Just make sure it's clear and you can zoom in on times and stages. Also, try to find out where those stages are. This will save you SO much time in the long run, because otherwise, you'd have to keep coming back and/or run around to find stages all day. Keep in mind that THERE ARE NO MAPS and not very many people will know where the stages are. Maps do not exist because the tour has a new venue every day. You will have to walk around and find the stages for yourself, and chances are, most of them are insanely far apart. If you have time before your first band, check out some of the tents! There's more than likely special meet and greet opportunities going on throughout the day as well as contests and other cool things. If you can't fit it in before the first band, don't worry. There will be plenty of time between bands for you to look around and do things.

The meet and greet opportunity tip listed above is the next topic. There are meet and greets going on all throughout the day. There should be times for each band doing one posted everywhere, so make sure you know when and where to go if you plan on doing it. Also, get there early for that if you can. The line ends up getting pretty long, as you can imagine. If you're nervous about meeting a band, here is a "guide" to meeting bands.

As for the crowds and actual concert experience, the crowds are rough. Don't go to the middle of the pit and think you're brave, because it can be pretty brutal. There are crazy drunks and stupid teenagers thrashing about. It's much more worth it to be near the back of the crowd or off to the sides, because there IS a good place for you to stand and not get killed at the same time. Just do some scavenging while you're waiting for the band to start. Also, if you need to get out of the pit or feel faint, TELL SOMEONE. Don't feel bad about crowd surfing if it's for your safety. Otherwise, don't do it, it's just really annoying. If someone around you needs help, help them, please. We're all there to have a good time and you really should be kind to your fellow concert-goers. It will make everyone's experience that much better. If you can manage it, don't push. No one wants to feel your sweaty body if they don't have to. Need more tips? Here is a nifty guide to Pit Etiquette for anyone who wants it. Just remember to enjoy yourself!

In the end, don't stress too much about what to do and not do, and what to bring and not bring. Just remember that this is the ultimate summer festival tour, and that there's tons of fun to be had. Enjoy the bands, stay out of the heat, keep yourself well nourished and hydrated, buy yourself something nice, and have tons of fun! ◊

Dates

You can head on over to warpedtour.com to get all this information (and more), but we have it all for you here, as well! You can catch the Warped Tour on these dates:

June 20 - Pomona, CA
June 21 - San Francisco, CA
June 22 - Ventura, CA
June 25 - Phoenix, AZ
June 26 - Las Cruces, NM
June 28 - Salt Lake City, UT
June 29 - Denver, CO
July 1 - Maryland Heights, MO
July 2 - Bonner Springs, KS
July 3 - Dallas, TX
July 5 - Selma, TX
July 6 - Houston, TX
July 9 - Atlanta, GA
July 10 - Orlando, FL
July 11 - Petersburg, FL
July 12 - Miami, FL
July 13 - Elkton, FL
July 14 - Charlotte, NC
July 15 - Virginia Beach, VA
July 16 - Columbia, MD
July 17 - Cleveland, OH
July 18 - Detroit, MI
July 19 - Toronto, ON
July 20 - Montreal, QC
July 23 - Mansfield, MA
July 24 - Darien Center, NY
July 25 - Camden, NJ
July 26 - Uniondale, NY
July 27 - Scranton, PA
July 28 - Englishtown, NJ
July 29 - Pittsburg, PA
July 30 - Cincinnati, OH
July 31 - Noblesville, IN
August 1 - Milwaukee, WI
August 2 - Tinley Park, IL
August 3 - Shakopee, MN
August 5 - Saskatoon, SK
August 6 - Calgary, AB
August 8 - Nampa, ID
August 9 - George, WA
August 10 - St. Helens, OR
August 13 - Fresno, CA
August 14 - Chula Vista, CA
August 15 - Mountain View, CA
August 16 - Marysville, CA
August 17 - Carson, CA

If you'd like to know what bands will be playing at your date, click here. We would post all the bands here, but the list is just too long! So head on over there if you haven't taken a look already and start planning out who you want to see this year.

One thing you won't be able to find on the Warped Tour website, however, are the dates we'll be going to! Someone from the Bandictionary Crew will be at each of the following dates, promoting the site, so be sure to keep an eye open for them. And if you manage to spot them, feel free to offer to help out. We could always use the extra help when it comes to promotion! See us at these dates:

June 21 - San Francisco, CA
June 22 - Ventura, CA
July 10 - Orlando, FL
July 11 - St. Petersburg, FL
August 8 - Nampa, ID
August 13 - Fresno, CA
August 14 - Chula Vista, CA
August 15 - Mountain View, CA
August 17 - Carson, CA

And there you have it! That's all you need to know about this year's Vans Warped Tour. If you need any more tour-related information, go to warpedtour.com. If you're lucky enough to have FUSE, check your local listings so you'll know when to catch Warped Wednesdays, a show with all sorts of cool Warped stuff. Be sure to watch it if you can!

Hopefully we gave you enough tips to enjoy the Vans Warped Tour 2008 to the fullest. Highlights will be back to its regular self with the next issue, so check back on July 1st!

◊ Written by Alyse.
◊ Written by Taylor.

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Say Anything
Released Last Week (May 20th, 2008)
Released Today
Album Review: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
News from Taylor


Band of the Week: Say Anything

Founded in 2000, this 6-piece band from Los Angeles have released 3 albums and 3 EPs and have come a very long way. This band, Say Anything, started out when the members were just in high school. They self-released an EP entitled "Junior Varsity" in 2000, followed by a self-released LP called "Baseball" in 2001. They went on to self-release another EP (an online only EP) called "Menorah..Majora" in 2002 before releasing "...Is a Real Boy" in 2004 through Doghouse Records. "...Is a Real Boy" was the start of their somewhat "mainstream" career, and built quite a fan base around it. They quickly followed "...Is A Real Boy" with another EP, "For Sale..." After signing to J records, they released the two-disc album "In Defense of the Genre" in 2007, which included numerous guest vocal appearances from singers such as Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance) and Hayley Williams (Paramore).

Max Bemis' vocals are definitely unique and add a genuine, raw sound to the band's overall sound. Say Anything can be best described as punk or pop-punk, as they have a raw but fun sound. Right now, they are gearing up for a summer tour over in the UK, followed by playing the entire Warped Tour this summer.

sayanythingmusic.com
myspace.com/sayanything
purevolume.com/sayanything

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (May 20th, 2008):

2*Sweet - Sleep Without Dreams (Self-released)
A Skylit Drive - Wires (Tragic Hero)
E For Explosion - Reinventing The Heartbeat (Eyeball)
French Kicks - Swimming (Vagrant)
Ghosty - Answers (Oxblood)
Grace Gale - Stronger Faster Science (Creep)
Gray Lines Of Perfection - Reaching The Ends Of The Earth (Harvest Earth)
Islands - Arm's Way (Anti-)
Joan Of Arc - Boo Human (Polyvinyl)
Mates Of State - Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk)
Mudhoney - The Lucky Ones (Sub Pop)
Mudhoney - Superfuzz Bigmuff [reissue] (Sub Pop)
My Hero Is Me - Cry Wolf Broadcast (Tragic Hero)
Omni - Ghosts (Faux Pas)
Oxbow - Fuckfest (Hydra Head)
The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia... (Roadrunner)
Tim Lee 3 - Good2b3 (The Paisley Pop)
Your Highness Electric - The Grand Hooded Phantom (Longhair Illuminati)

Released Today:

36 Crazy Fists - The Tide And Its Takers (Ferret)
Between The Buried And Me - Colors Live (Victory)
DRI - Corssover 1987 DVD (Beer City)
Fallen From The Sky - Tonight We Radiate (Eulogy)
Faster Faster - Hopes And Dreams (Oort)
From A Second Story Window - Conversations (Black Market Activities)
Gregor Samsa - Rest (The Kora)
H2O - Nothing To Prove (Bridge Nine)
Hatchet - Awaiting Evil (Metal Blade)
Head On Collision - Ritual Sacrifice (Beer City)
I Love Math - Getting To The Point Is Beside It (Glurp/Summer Break)
Jon Foreman - Spring/Summer EP (Credential/EMI)
Means - To Keep Me From Sinking (Facedown)
Men Without Pants - Men Without Pants (Expansion Team)
Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia (Astralwerks)
Shai Hulud - Misanthropy Pure (Metal Blade)
Styrofoam - A Thousand Words (Nettwerk)
The Shake - Well, Oh Well (Self-released)
Turmoil - The International Language Of... (Eulogy)

[Release list from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things - Jason Mraz (Atlantic)
[Released May 13th, 2008]


After listening to Jason Mraz for the first time, I think I would try to compare him to Jason Castro from the 7th season of American Idol. After listening to his latest album, "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things", I don't think there is much I can actually compare it to. Jason's music is truly one of a kind, with a mix of rock, pop, jazz and a nice dash of reggae. His soothing, seemingly flawless voice and beautiful guitar pieces truly take you on a relaxing, uplifting journey.

From tracks like "The Dynamo Of Volition", a fast-paced pop-jazz (does that even exist?) song, to "A Beautiful Mess", a beautiful, heart-felt ballad, the album has a wide range of influences that would appeal to a vast majority of music fans everywhere. Through his nine-year career, it's obvious that Mraz has stayed true to himself. Although he has definitely grown as an artist from his debut, platinum-selling album "Waiting for My Rocket to Come" and his follow-up album, "Mr. A-Z", the songs on "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" have a familiar ring to it that is very comforting, especially in the ever-changing music business.

One thing to love about Jason Mraz is that his lyrics are original, honest, meaningful, quirky, and sometimes dirty all put into one. None of the mainstream, repetitive stuff written by someone the artist doesn't even know. He writes from his heart and sings from his heart, the way music was meant to be. It's very hard to find artists like him in the mainstream pop world these days.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this album. It's fun, it's soothing, and it's something very unique and new. I can almost guarantee that if you love jazz, pop, or pop-rock, you'll love Jason Mraz. If you already loved Jason and haven't given this album a listen, do so right now. It's different from his older material, but very familiar at the same time.

[Written by Taylor.]


News from Taylor

If you've been missing the weekly TAI TV segments from The Academy Is..., fear not. They will be airing a new episode (episode 45) on June 1st. You can also check out their website for funny trailers. Following the theme of video updates/tour diaries, here is a tour diary from All Time Low's trip to the UK. Finally, Farewell posted a new webisode on YouTube.

Don't forget to check out Boys Like Girls' "Soundtrack of Your Summer" tour with Good Charlotte, Metro Station and The Maine. You can see if they're coming to your town here. Tickets are now available through Ticketmaster. Jesse Lacey of Brand New has announced he will be doing a solo summer tour with Kevin Devine. Click here for tour dates. Motion City Soundtrack will be holding an online concert on June 11th, sponsored by Pepsi. For more information, check out their official website. They also have some new tour dates with the Spill Canvas and Sing It Loud.

Recently, there have been some ridiculous accusations made against My Chemical Romance, including speculations by the Daily Mail that they promote self-harm and suicide. A message directly from MCR was posted on their website to reassure everyone that that's just not true. Protests and rumors are popping up everywhere, so in the midst of it all, guys, just stand by the band if you're a fan. The band as well as the fans don't deserve to be treated like this.

Paramore just released some new tour dates with Jack's Mannequin, Phantom Planet and Paper Route. That's it for this week, guys!

[Written by Taylor.]


Note: As you can see, Taylor was all over Highlights this week. She put a ton of work into this issue, even more than previous issues, so give her a round of applause! She deserves it for all that hard work.

In this week's Highlights:

Band of the Week: Entice
Released Last Week (May 6th, 2008)
Released Today
Album Review: A Band In Hope
News from Taylor


Band of the Week: Entice

This week's band of the week is a four-year-old quartet out of Orange County, California. Already, they have released 3 EPs and traveled two summers on the Vans Warped Tour. This band would be Entice. Formed in 2004, they soon released an EP entitled "The Old EP". They released another EP in 2006, which was self-titled. On their PureVolume, however, they titled it "The Black EP." Finally, they released "Get A Hold Of Yourself" on iTunes in 2007, which includes 4 new tracks from the band. I would best describe their sound as rock or indie, with a dash of pop in there. Isaac's vocals are very unique, and they add an amazing effect to the band's overall sound. If you're a fan of The Fray, Angels and Airwaves, or even Muse, I suggest you check Entice out. Right now, Entice is in the studio recording their new album, which is due out in June '08.

enticetheband.com
myspace.com/enticetheband
purevolume.com/entice

[Written by Taylor.]


Released Last Week (May 6th, 2008):

Akissforjersey - Victims (Tragic Hero)
Animal Collective - Water Curses EP (Paw Tracks)
Changing Modes - Down And Out In Shangri-La (Plague Of Twins)
Charlotte Sometimes - Waves And The Both Of Us (Geffen)
Dosh - Wolves And Wishes (Anticon)
Dub Pistols - Speakers And Tweeters (Defend Music)
Extra Life - Secular Works (Planaria)
Firewater - The Golden Hour (Bloodshot)
Ghost Of The Russian Empire - The Mammoth (Self-released)
Greeley Estates - Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East (Science)
Hereafter An Odyssey - Human Is As Human Does (Tribunal)
IAMX - The Alternative (Metropolis)
Kayo Dot - Blue Lamency Downward (Hydra Head)
Maho Plaza - Maho Plaza (Better Looking/East West)
Millencolin - Machine 15 (Epitaph)
Mouth Of The Architect/Kenoma - Split EP (Gilead)
No Age - Nouns (Sub Pop)
Pattern Is Movement - All Together (Hometapes)
Russian Circles - Station (Suicide Squeeze)
Shy Child - Noise Won't Stop (Kill Rock Stars)
Socratic - Spread The Rumors (Drive-Thru)
The Dreamscapes Project - Pity In The Heartbeat (Figmental)
The Gossip - Live In Liverpool (Kill Rock Stars)
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of Understatement (Domino)
The Republic Tigers - Keep Color (Chop Shop)
The Ugly Truth - Survived Another Winter (Terrorbird)
Tim Fite - Fair Ain't Fair (Anti-)
Vayden - Children Of Our Mistakes (Silent Majority/East West)
Wolftron - Flesh And Fears (Eyeball)

Released Today:

Abysmal Dawn - Programmed To Consume (Relapse)
Aletheian - Dying Vine (Ironclad)
Burning Skies - Greed.Filth.Abuse.Corruption (Lifeforce)
Caamora - She DVD (MVD)
Cinematic Sunrise - A Coloring Storybook And Extended Play Record EP (Equal Vision)
Coalesce - 012:2 [reissue] (Relapse)
Coldworker - Rotting Paradise (Relapse)
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)
Emmure - The Respect Issue (Victory)
Fall Of Serenity - The Crossfire (Lifeforce)
Hail Of Bullets - Of Frost And War (Metal Blade)
Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things (Atlantic)
Local H - 12 Angry Months (Shout! Factory)
Los Straitjackets - Los Straitjackets In Concert DVD (Yep Roc)
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Have Another Ball (Fat Wreck Chords)
Nathan Moomaw - 26 (Gazebo)
Old 97's - Blame It On Gravity (New West)
Set Your Goals - Mutiny [reissue] (Eulogy)
Stick To Your Guns - Comes From The Heart (Century Media)
Stray From The Path - Villains (Sumerian)
Subtle - ExitingARM (Lex)
Take The Crown - Relapse React (Rise)
The Architects - Vice (Anodyne)
The Balustrade Ensemble - Capsules (Dynamophone)
The Bangkok Five - We Love What Kills Us (Love Live Crime)
The Furious Seasons - The Furious Seasons (Eskimo)
The Submarines - Honeysuckle Weeks (Nettwerk)
The T4 Project - Story-Based Concept Album (Mental)
Toy Gun Cowboy - Big Blue (Gutter Groove)
Until The End - Until The Beginning, Until The End (Eulogy)
Various Artists - Metalmania DVD (MVD)
Venemous Concept - Poisoned Apple (Century Media)
Warrel Dane - Praises To The War Machine (Century Media)
We Are Scientists - Brain Trust Mastery (Virgin)
Ween - The Friends EP (MVD)
Young And Sexy - The Arc (Mint)
Zodiak - Sermons (Translation Loss)

[Release lists from altpress.net - click here for more information.]


Album Review: A Band In Hope

A Band In Hope - The Matches (Epitaph)
[Released March 18th, 2008]


"Every dawn gets its day," according to "Wake The Sun", a track off The Matches' new album A Band in Hope - and so does every band. It's finally The Matches' day with their third full length album. The follow-up to their previous effort, Decomposer, is filled with catchy choruses, infectious riffs, and haunting vocals; the only word to describe A Band in Hope is addictive.

Even though A Band in Hope is noticeably more poppy and lighthearted than their prior, experimental, pop-punk releases, The Matches were able to maintain their quirky and eccentric style. After just one listen, the songs reel you in and refuse to release their grasp. Luckily, tracks like the upbeat "Wake the Sun" and the energetic "Point Me Towards the Morning" are songs you will be glad to have stuck in your head.

The captivating and crafty lyrics of Shawn Harris (lead vocals/guitar) only add to the beguiling nature of the album. From the straightforward and personable lyrics on "Clouds Crash", to the abstract but honest lines echoing through "To Build a Mountain", the words of Harris construct each song into its own story. The peculiar lines floating through the album serve as the perfect platform to showcase what The Matches are genuinely made of.

Throughout the album, the true versatility of The Matches is displayed through the variety of different vocal arrangements. One of the high points on the album is the track "Darkness Rising". The song flawlessly showcases guitarist Jon Devoto's first venture into lead vocals; accompanied by Harris on piano, and an eruptive chorus, it is easily one of the best songs The Matches have written. The vocals of Harris grace the remainder of the album, eerily whispering through "From 24C" and gladly leading the Queen-esque call-and-response choruses on "Between Halloweens", his vocals have only gotten better with each passing album.

The vocals of Harris, combined with the lively and innovative melodies pounded out by Justin San Souci (bass/vocals), Jon Devoto (guitar/vocals), and Matt Whalen (drums), create forty-four minutes of musical bliss. If you are expecting A Band in Hope to be just like Decomposer, then you will most likely be disappointed. But if you are ready for something brilliant and wonderful, then today is your lucky day, because The Matches are back and here to stay.

[Written by Alyse.]


News from Taylor

Alkaline Trio has released some new tour dates, so head on over to their MySpace to see if they're coming to your town. Boys Like Girls have announced a new summer tour, The Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour, with bands Good Charlotte, Metro Station, and The Maine. Pre-sale tickets are available as early as today on ticketmaster.com. If you're a fan of Motion City Soundtrack, go check out their new acoustic EP on iTunes, which includes incredible acoustic versions of some of the tracks off of "Even If It Kills Me".

My Chemical Romance played their last show of the Black Parade World Tour on May 9th at the Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, that was the last show for a long while. The guys are taking a well-deserved break and will be back with a new album before we know it. Actually, their CD/DVD, The Black Parade is Dead!", is releasing on June 24th. Check out their site to pre-order a copy!

If you haven't checked ou Panic at the Disco's new video "The Green Gentleman", fear not. Just click right here. Paramore, who just months ago canceled a tour in the UK to make sure the band was stable, is already talking about making a new album.

The Spill Canvas released their new EP, "Honestly, I'm Doing Okay", on iTunes today, so be sure to check it out. Taking Back Sunday has finally released information on their new guitarist, Matt Fazzi, and welcomed him though a video on their website.

[Written by Taylor.]