All posts by the rock star stories
Dan Black “Symphonies”
Dan Black “Symphonies”
by: Dina-Marie Kolman
From the choir-like bellows and trip through a captivating starry night sky, to the stroke of the first drum beat, Dan Black has us hooked. He compels his audience to spin wildly through the song and accompanying video of humor, passion, and addicting melodies. Black presents his track “Symphonies.” Please sit back, and enjoy the show.
The song “Symphonies,” alone, is absolutely addicting. With its meaningful lyrics, “Gimme more than the life I see,” Dan Black yearns for more, hunting for deeper meaning in life and the desire to broaden his experiences. “Symphonies” is a blended fruit drink. It consists of fresh, funky rhythms, catchy chants, and a groovy, flowing style. Its accompanying drum beats and sounds of an orchestra are the drink’s rich base and driving pulse. As if garnished by a miniature umbrella, Dan’s quirky, clever lyrics, like “hocus pocus,” sit amongst the harmonies, appeasing the listener’s ears. Like the large chunks of ice that aren’t entirely blended, this songs has some flaws; It has a repetitive chorus and a very minimal voice range. Just some minor icy chunks, yet nevertheless, refreshing and enjoyable.
The music video assists the lyrics and song in coming to life. Each word of the song is
transformed into a movie scene, including the lyrics as the movie credits. The creativity here is simply remarkable. Black’s video takes us on a ride through time and across continents. This shows his desire to explore and find the entertainment, beauty, and meaning in the world.
How ingenious it is to connect prospective and retrospective styles! From a 1940s romance film, to an action-packed Godzilla movie, to Western films and Asian too, this video sends us on a journey. Oh, did I mention horror pictures, cartoons, and futuristic scenes too?
In a well-designed music video, Dan Black’s song “Symphonies” shines. The video’s
morpheus quality allows unique, artistic scenes transform into each other. Just a dazzling bonus to an already tremendous track. Hope you enjoyed the show!
Neon Trees create buzz in the music scene
By Alison Sikes NYU
Utah. A state known for its outdoor activities and scenic views, not for flash and bright colors. Alternative band Neon Trees hopes to electrify their home state’s reputation. Self-described as post-pop punk, Neon Trees’ sound is infectious, entertaining, and dance-worthy. Lead singer Tyler Glenn accredits bands like Passion Pit and The Big Pink as well as French DJs to their enthralling music. These influences are apparent in their first single “Animal.” The catchy song is a solid debut about comparing the start of a relationship to…well, to an animal. The upcoming video for “Animal” also takes from an interesting source of influence—Batman. As a teenager, Glenn loved superheroes like X-Men and of course, The Dark Knight. The band drew from their love of the Tim-Burton-directed Batman and paid homage to the Joker scene in which he and his cronies wreak havoc in an art gallery. Whether inspired by caped-crusaders or by electronic tastemakers, prepare for Neon Trees’ forthcoming album, Habits, to be filled with seductive vocals and hard-edged tracks about the habits of a relationship. Be sure to give Habits a listen when it is released on March 16th!
CD Review, “On Your Side”, A Rocket To The Moon and Concert Review for “TAKE ACTION” Tour with We the Kings, A Rocket To The Moon and Mayday Parade
CONCERT REVIEW for A ROCKET TO THE MOON, MAYDAY PARADE, AND WE THE KINGS at the House of Blues, Chicago
A Rocket to the Moon, an alternative band, wedged right in the middle of the concert lineup, delivered a time of hype and rocking out. They were simply phenomenal. With catchy lyrics and beats, the House of Blues was full of smiling faces and bouncing feet. Lead singer, Nick Santino had a genuine smile upon his face as he sung his heart out and as the entire band never failed to rock out completely. The crowd enjoyed the happiness that emanated from the music, tapping their feet and clapping their hands. I couldn’t help but smile constantly. A Rocket to the Moon delivered the kind of show that gives the unfamiliar audience a reason to go home and search their songs on the web and really give the songs a listen. They are obviously a band to know.
Mayday Parade stuck true to its rock out rage and had the House up off their feet. The energy was incredible as Mayday Parade shot out song after song with barely any breaks in between. It was a continuous flow of rocking. Bassist Jeremy Lenzo and electric guitarist Brooks Betts never failed to run across the stage, stepping up onto equipment to play to the crowd. Lead singer, Alex Garcia, sung to the point of exhaustion. Even when it seemed as though he could not go any longer, he shouted out his lyrics and kept the energy flowing. Exhaustion was not an issue; no one wanted to stop. Jumping and rocking out to Mayday Parade was incredibly exhausting — but of course, that’s what we spend our good money for!
We the Kings was obviously a crowd favorite, as people escalated from moshing to crowd surfing by the second. Travis Clark made sure to connect with the audience by telling stories about the songs before rocking out to them. He really had the audience connecting with every song, especially the old favorites. The band delivered beautifully for the audience. At one point, Clark told the story of the “gang sign” of We the Kings which really displayed a connection to everyone out there. It was as if We the Kings‘ personality was evident on stage which is always so much more interesting. It also made the crowd become more in tune with the vibe of the band as they continued to rock out endlessly. Even the soulful, slower-tempo song was sung with complete honesty and shown on heart-wearing sleeves. The progression of the playlist was very well thought out and effective. The crowd escalated into a frenzy and could not stop begging for more. By the last song, the pit had to be filled with bouncers who carried screaming and sweating fans off the crowd’s hands and back to the floor. When Travis Clark leaned into the crowd, the crowd went in a frenzy, trying and hoping to reach and rub Clark’s signature long, red locks. The concert ended in a cry for more; absolutely no one wanted to leave.
REVIEW FOR ALBUM A ROCKET TO THE MOON’S NEWEST RELEASE, “ON YOUR SIDE” by Rebecca Kay
On Your Side is the newest album out by the alternative group called A Rocket to the Moon. This band is quite talented in with creating, stuck in your head lyrics that match upbeat melodies. From the first listen, I felt upbeat and songs that assured me that life would be good – no matter what. Many of the songs might sound similar to the first released single, Mr. Right, however it’s no mystery to see why fans love Mr. Right. It’s catchy and I think most people will relate to these songs. Most of the songs center around subjects of love. However, every song has a specific message that never feels overdone.
I especially enjoyed the song Annabelle, because it shows that this is a band of ‘real guys’ – not superficial guys searching solely for good looks or a good time, but rather sincere guys hoping to find a genuine girl. A Rocket to the Moon’s personality seems to resonate throughout their music and lyrics – lyrics which are written by the band. In each song, I could feel lead singer and guitarist, Nick Santino, pouring out his heart. I was drawn in by the passion within each of his heart-felt lyrics.
A Rocket to the Moon produces their own, very unique sound, which is not something many bands these days can claim. They are definitely not a band that has to rely on sound effects or gimmicks. Instead, ARTTM puts forth genuine talent, hard work, honest lyrics, enjoyable melodies – all backed up with deeply- felt passion. Also, since having the real pleasure of experiencing their live show in Chicago at the House of Blues, I can vouch for the fact that A Rocket to the Moon is a band that backs up their album with a beautifully performed and rocked-out live show. I would highly suggest you give their new release a listen and by all means, catch them live if you can.
Reviews from Sami
By Samantha Ponoroff
LMFAO’s ‘Party Rock’ Review
I have to admit that when I listened to LMFAO’s newest album, I did so with a pompous attitude. I expected their usual, tacky and sell-out-ish style, similar to Weird-Al. And although the first few songs were lackluster, I overall did like ‘Party Rock.’ Yes, their lyrics were womanizing and meaningless, but they are also fun and catchy. ‘Party Rock’ is PERFECT for a workout or party. And although ‘Party Rock’ does not have much staying power, its short lived reign should be fun-filled.
‘Party Rock’ is PERFECT for a night out, and carefree dancing…but, it does not have potential to be talked about in 5 or 10 years time.
Celeste Starchild “The Witch is Dead” Review
Celeste Starchild’s song “The Witch is Dead” is strange, playing like a laundry list of Starchild’s conquests. And as one watches the video that goes with it, it’s almost hard not to laugh. The style of animation mixed with the immature lyrics gives one a feeling of accomplishment, because you were not the one who created that “art.”
As the video begins there is a cute moment as the first boy makes Starchild “loose her heart” (Starchild is actually carrying the heart in a suitcase for usexplained reasons). But, Starchild sooner dumps her first boy-toy and moves on. As the video progresses, Starchild goes through a slew of boys, all the while repeating their names and listing their memorable qualities.
The only thing that can be concluded from this video is that Starchild is attracted to criminals, liars, and other types of felons. Not only did Starchild write an impressively horrid song, but she managed to find a directer (Brian Bear) to accompany it with a just-as-horrid video.
You can check the music video and song out here.
Yeasayer’s “Ambling Alp” Video Review
As Yeasayer’s video for “Ambling Alp” begins one gets a visual of what appears to be bubbling lard. Confused, the viewer watches the video, searching for any explanation. This is where Yeasayer got it right: they managed to hook their audience in the first few seconds of their four mintue video.
As the video continues the viewer is shown flashes of different visuals, in true hipster-music nature, and has to wait some time for sort of resolution concerning the yellow bubbly liquid.
As the bubbly liquid finally reappears one sees the band covered in a hardened version of it. At this point, the video begins to get a little weird. The next frames consist of naked looking individuals removing the hardened yellow material, and what seems to be a massive orgy.
Although the video seems to be pointless, it is definitely interesting, and the music is great.
You can check the video out here