Phantom Planet – Raise the Dead

Phantom Planet is a rock band from Southern California. They started off their careers by playing shows at venues that most of their friends couldn’t even get in to, seeing as they were still in high school and couldn’t get into the 21+ venues. Since then, the band has been on three labels, most notably their 2007 move from Epic to Fueled By Ramen, allowing the band to gainaccess to a whole new fan base. Signing to FBR landed them a spot on the Honda Civic Tour with label mates The Hush Sound and Panic! at the Disco, as well as Motion City Soundtack.

In addition to a label change, Phantom Planet has gone through some line-up switches as well. Most notably, Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Marie Antoinette, I Heart Huckabees) left the band during the recording of their third album to pursue his acting career. Schwartzman was replaced by Jeff Conrad. After the release of the band’s self titled album, Jacques Brautbar left the band to pursue his photography.

The band seems to be a fan of change, as long as it’s good change. Lead singer Alex Greenwald has made it crystal clear that one of Phantom Planet’s biggest goals is to make sure that their sound changes with every record, following in the steps of other bands such as the Beatles, who made the practice an art. They do this so that music making stays fun and new. Greenwald says, “They discover you’re bored and you’re boring.”

Despite being around for so long and having a decent cult following, Phantom Planet only had one mainstream hit with the song “California,” which was used as the theme song for the hit show “The O.C.” This may have been the cause of band being dropped by Epic during their recording of their latest album Raise the Dead, leaving the band scrambling to find a new label. Luckily, Fueled By Ramen came through.

This year is off to a great start for the well-seasoned band: they put out a fourth album, signed to a new label (ok that was late, 2007 but close enough!), landed themselves on a major tour, and put out an awesome video for single “Do The Panic.” I’d say things are shaping up pretty nicely for the band, to say the least.

Phantom Planet’s CD is return to the bands earlier sound, back to their rock roots from the more pop-ish sounds of songs like “California.” It’s a real return to basic rock, simple and not heavy at all, but certainly sure to keep your foot tapping the whole time you’re listening to it. That doesn’t mean the CD is completely upbeat, no. While you have songs that are sure to keep your head bopping, like single “Do The Panic,” there are also songs with a much more mellow and laid back feel to them, like “Quarantine.” You’re sure to enjoy them just as much, though! I think almost everyone can find something to enjoy about Raise The Dead.

Phantom Planet: website | myspace | watch “Do The Panic”

*Hanna Marie

Panic! at the Disco – Pretty. Odd.

Panic! at the Disco (P!atD) started out as an idea to finally put together a band composed of childhood friends Spencer Smith and Ryan Ross who had been playing music for fun together since they were pre-teens. The bad was first made up of Ross on vocals and guitar, Smith on drums, and Brent Wilson on bass before the addition of Brendon Urie after he met Wilson in a guitar class in high school.

Originally, Ross sang but after the rest of the band heard Urie sing backups during one of their early practice sessions, they made a unanimous decision to make him lead vocalist, pushing Ross back to just playing guitar. Urie also plays piano and guitar. The band promoted itself heavily on the internet, eventually leaving a link to their Purevolume on Pete Wentz‘s (Fall Out Boy) livejournal, causing Wentz to fly out to Las Vegas to see the band practice. Wentz asked P!atD to sign to his Fueled By Ramen imprint label Decaydance on the spot. The band hadn’t yet played a single show.

P!atD’s first record A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out was released in September 2005. It produced five singles and was certified Double Platinum, having sold 2.2 million copies. The band spent almost all of 2006 touring and promoting their album along with its singles, including the well known hit “I Write Songs, Not Tragedies.” During May 2006, after the release of their second single “But It’s Better If You Do,” then bassist Wilson left the band and Jon Walker, former The Academy Is… tech and friend of the band, was brought in as a replacement. The band became notorious for their stage antics, including Victorian costumes, the Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque, and their covers of several very well known songs, including Queen‘s “Killer Queen,” Radiohead‘s “Karma Police,” and The Beatles‘ “Eleanor Rigby,” though they’ve since dropped the antics for a much simpler stage show.

The band started recording in early 2007 but ended up scrapping the whole thing in July of that year, opting to start fresh. They started playing two new songs over the summer at various festivals, “When the Day Met the Night” and their first single off the new record “Nine in the Afternoon.” P!atD recorded the album in their hometown of Vegas and the album name, Pretty. Odd., was released along with plans to headline the 2008 Honda Civic Tour. The CD was finished up at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, England and was released on March 25th, 2008. It debuted at #2 on the charts. The CD has already produced three singles, two of which have videos (“Nine in the Afternoon” and “That Green Gentleman”) and the other which was an iTunes digital single (“Mad as Rabbits”).

I was pretty beyond excited for this album release this year, probably more than any other album that had put up a release date at that point. I was a huge fan of Panic back when Fever was released and it’s stayed one of my most played albums on iTunes ever since I first bought it. Pretty. Odd. is the only CD I’ve ever pre-ordered in my life. I’ve had this CD for a good long while now and I still don’t know whether I honestly find it good or not.

I knew this album was going to be a far cry from the uppity techno beats of Fever, and it is exactly that. Pretty. Odd. is far more folk-based (think very Beatles-esque); I know I’m not the first to say it and I won’t be the last. I’ve gone through several stages of hating the CD at first to liking a few songs to being unable to take it out of my car stereo, to refusing to listen to it, to listening to just a few songs again.

I probably would have continued being unable to take it out of my car stereo had I not went to Honda Civic Tour and seen them live. Ross’ voice was a complete let down live compared to on the CD, where I actually found it a lot better than expected. They no longer play their old songs as they were originally recorded and have added more guitar and taken out the techno of the live versions (essentially making them less like Fever songs and more like they were on Pretty. Odd.). It was a complete and utter let down.

I originally liked the two CDs for very different reasons and the live mixing of the two into one was completely unnecessary and really ruined the second CD for me. While I won’t say it’s a bad CD, I can’t call it good either. While the lyrics are good and the melodies are good, the whole set up just rubs me the wrong way, and that may be blamed completely on the new image they’re putting out that looks far too forced a good deal of the time.

I would recommend listening to the CD, or what of it you can find, online first to see if it’s for you, because it might upset you if you’re a big fan of Fever. On the other hand, you may love it. But most likely you’ll find yourself in some weird middle ground like many people seem to have themselves stuck in with this CD.

Panic! at the Disco: website | myspace | “Nine in the Afternoon” video | “That Green Gentleman” video

*Hanna Marie

The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues

The Hush Sound was founded by pianist/vocalist Greta Salpeter and guitarist/vocalist Bob Morris. The two had been friends since their early teens and in 2004 they formed the group which started out as an acoustic duo but later grew to include drummer Darren Wilson and bassist Chris Faller as well after Salpeter and Morris agreed that it was necessary for the goals and sound they wanted to achieve. The band wrote their first CD and originally released it before even being signed to a record label!

A joint effort of Ryan Ross of Panic! At The Disco fame and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy got the band signed to Decaydance Records, an imprint label on Fueled By Ramen, owned by Wentz. The Hush Sound’s first album, So Sudden, was re-released by Decaydance after they were signed. They didn’t take much time to release a second record; Like Vines was released in June of 2006, just under eight months after their first CD. The band spent most of 2006 and 2007 touring and promoting themselves, gaining a steady fan base that they both share with
many of their label mates as well as having a good fan base out side of the stereotypical fan.

Goodbye Blues is the third studio release from the Chicago based band. It was featured on Alternative Press‘ list of “Most Anticipated Albums of 2008.” The band spent their time off in the fall of 2007 working on the album with Kevin Augunas. A bit before their CD release it was announced they’d be going with Decaydance label mates Panic! At The Disco on the 2008 Honda Civic Tour. The tour sold out on several dates and is sure to do nothing but help the bands fan base grow.

I had to agree with AP: Goodbye Blues was most definitely on my list for albums I was anticipating the most for 2008 and I was anything but disappointed! The band stuck with their soulful piano and guitar roots, though the new CD showed more of a push of Salpeter to the front, a major majority of the songs being mainly sung by her with the rest of the band, including Morris, doing back up. Though while this is a little disappointing because I do think Morris has
always done an excellent job on his part when he sang, I won’t be complaining because Salpeter’s voice is nothing short of amazing and the songs are definitely some of the catchiest I’ve heard in a good while.

Their first single off of the new CD is “Honey,”a piano heavy melody that they’ve been playing live for a good while now, and at least in my case has quickly replaced “Momentum” as my favorite song by the band thus far. But to say “Honey” is the only song I adore on the
record would be a far stretch of the truth! I’ve come across a habit of keeping “Medicine Man” and “Molasses” on repeat on my iTunes for longer amounts of time that is probably normal for just two songs!

As with their two previous records, Goodbye Blues matches a heartfelt blues sound of nicely blended piano chords and guitar rifts with emotional and straight from the soul lyrics. This is the first CD this year that I’d recommend everyone go out and buy, almost anyone could find something to like about this CD. Whether it be the classic sound of Salpeter’s voice, the melodies, or just the fact that when listening to it it’s hard to do anything but smile and think, “Well, everything is going to be OK.”

Be sure to pick up a copy of Goodbye Blues, in stores now!

The Hush Sound: website | myspace | watch “Honey”

*Hanna Marie

This Is Ivy League self-titled debut full-length

This Is Ivy League is a project made up of Cobra Starship bassist Alex Suarez and guitarist Ryland Blackington, also of TAI TV fame with his infamous character Guy Ripley. These two go back much further than when they both got caught up in the whirlwind of their fame with the other band.

Suarez and Blackington met back in high school in Boca Raton, Fl. after Blackington moved down from his home in Wilmington, Ma. Suarez , originally from Connecticut, and Blackington hit it off almost immediately. They never formed a band together in the early years of their friendship but that would change later down the line after they refound each other in an ironic twist of events.

When Suarez went to culinary school and Blackington to college to pursue his degree in acting, the two fell apart. They were later reunited when they found out that, through an internet site, they had both moved to New York City to pursue their careers and were now living mere blocks from each other once again! After their rekindled their friendship they decided it was time to buckle down and finally try their hands at starting a band together, and I must say the end product isn’t too shabby.

I didn’t know what to expect while I was waiting for my CD load into iTunes. I hadn’t ever listened to their music before, despite having known they were in a side project besides Cobra Starship together. Out of stubbornness I decided to not lurk their MySpace and just listen to those songs, instead listening to the whole CD front to back as soon as I was able to. I wasn’t expecting anything like the other efforts they’re involved in, and my guess was certainly right on that. While Cobra has an upbeat funky feel to it, This Is Ivy League has a sound that takes you straight back to the days when The Beach Boys were blasted on the radio in every teenage girl’s bedroom.

All of the songs have the same melodic, down-to-earth, just back-to-basics sound that you’d expect to hear at a beach party in the 1950′s. A very raw and wholesome sound even the strictest of parents couldn’t say no to. While a few of the tracks are slower and likely to help you lull yourself off into a nice nap, the rest would be much better enjoyed sitting pool side with a cool drink in one hand, flip-flopped foot tapping against the concrete along to the beat. The sound definitely isn’t for everyone and in my opinion would be better taken in by an older audience in comparison to the average age of the people who probably know of the band. That certainly doesn’t mean that the younger crowd can’t like it as well, especially since the more classic rock sounds of folk music and ‘parent approved’ tunes seems to be making a come back as of late.

Overall I can’t say anything bad about the CD, the melodies are too smooth and the lyrics too catchy for that, but I won’t be singing it’s praises from mountain tops, either. The CD left me somewhere in between liking it and just feeling sort of eh about it, though that may easily be blamed on the relaxing sound reverberating out of my Macbook at the moment, courtesy of This Is Ivy League themselves. So to sum it up as best as possible, if you like The Beach Boys you will most likely absolutely fall in love with This Is Ivy League.

This Is Ivy League: myspace

*Hanna Marie

Sun Kil Moon – April

Sun Kil Moon is one of Mark Kozelek‘s many projects. It was formed after the dissolution of the well-known Red House Painters. The band is made of of Kozelek, former Red House Painter bandmate Anthony Koutsos, along with new members Tim Mooney and Geoff Stanfield completing the line up. The band’s name is a westernization of Korean bantamweight boxer Sung-Kil Moon‘s name, which helps to explain the otherwise odd spelling of the word Kil.

April is the band’s third album. The two prior albums were both concept albums; Ghosts of the Great Highway was an homage to the true-life stories of now deceased boxers and Tiny Cities, their second studio release, is a CD compromised of Modest Mouse covers! April is a little bit of a departure from their previous records since it’s not really as much of a concept album as the other two. The CD includes bonus tracks as well as two songs originally done solo by Kozelek on his live album, Little Drummer Boy Live, released back in 2006.

April is a soft record, perfect for listening to in the mild spring weather, so it comes out just in time. Despite the irony of being released on April 1st, I assure you it’s no jest when I say that if you like indie music, and you like to be able to drift off into a nice spring breeze, or at least feel like it, you won’t regret picking this CD up. Mark Kozelek’s voice, perfect for indie rock tunes like those on the album, will drift you off into a world of smooth melodies and is the perfect cure for a headache on a stressful day. So if you’re having a stressful day or even if you’re having a wonderfully mischievous April Fool’s Day, go out and pick up the record to end the
day on a nice, soft note.

Sun Kil Moon: website | myspace

*Hanna Marie

The Apples In Stereo – Electronic Projects for Musicians

“We are The Apples In Stereo you hear our records on the radio / We are The Apples In Stereo you hear up rockin’ out the rock and roll show.”

What you hear coming out of your speakers isn’t what you’d expect from The Apples In Stereo if you saw them walking down the street. No, if you saw this group of men walking down the street you’d be more likely to think they were in town for a teacher’s convention or maybe even a science fair! Instead, you get almost the opposite side of the spectrum: you get a band of guys making indie-pop music that many other bands in the genre should be quite jealous of. With catchy beats and even catchier lyrics they are definitely a band that is going to take you by surprise if you’ve never heard of them before, or most certainly not let you down with their newest venture Electronic Projects For Musicians if you’re a long-time fan.

A little back-story for you new fans, because I’m sure even if you weren’t one before, you’re going to be after listening to their latest album. The band has been around in two forms for the better part of sixteen years now, forming in 1992 in it’s first incarnation as simply The Apples. Around this time Robert Schneider, vocalist and guitarist of the band also helped to form The Elephant 6 Recording Copmany. In June 1993, The Apples had their first release, the EP Tidal Wave. Since their original forming as The Apples they’ve gone through some line-up changes. Co-founder Christ Parfitt left after Tidal Wave, and later, original drummer and now ex-wife of Schneider, Hilarie Sidney left to focus on family and her other music projects.

This in no way hindered the bands efforts. They eventually settled into the the name The Apples In Stereo. Jim McIntyre, the band’s sometimes bassist during 1992-1994, was quoted as saying “It’s cool the name changed cause The Apples and The Apples in Stereo were really two different entities.” The bands sixth studio release, New Magnetic Wonder, finished off their deal they’d signed with the now defunct spinART records and the LP was the primary release on Elijah Wood‘s record label Simian Records.

The lyrics are just as catchy as ever, including their own theme song and a little
snippet of a reference to Schneider’s show off with Chris Funk of The Decemberists. It’s an easy to listen to collection of music that ranges from upbeat songs you can laugh and have a good time with or just sit back and relax and enjoy listening to. The group of songs they choose to release is definitely not something to pass up listening to! “On Your Own” would make anyone want to dance around their living room, whether alone or with a best friend. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the aptly-titled “Dreams,” a slow-paced song that’ll make you feel like you’re simply floating through life, just like you’re in a dream.

Electronic Projects For Musicians is a collection of rarities and b-sides set to be released by The Apples In Stereo on April 1st, 2008 and I am 100% behind doing whatever you have to to acquire this record.

The Apples In Stereo: website | myspace

-Hanna Marie

Yip-Yip: Kings of the Same Kingdom

Yip-Yip definitely picked an accurate word when they classified themselves as ‘experimental.’ Their techno beats are definitely not something you’d hear every day, let alone expect to ever hear outside of the fun house at your local carnival. Their concept features unmasked and not overdone sounds mashed together in order to make trippy music that’s as likely to cause a seizure at some moments as their flashy MySpace page. I assure you however, that even with the risk that looking at for more than 5 minutes you may cause you to go into a coma, is definitely something unique and not to be over looked!

Though that’s not to say the duo, made up of friends Brian Esser and Jason Temple, are newcomers to the music scene. For that matter neither is Yip-Yip! Far from it, actually. Despite this being their most put together effort to date, the group has already released two singles, two
self-released albums, and an EP! That’s quite a load to have under their belt. Their newest effort
was their fourth CD of sorts, recorded at the pairs house in Orlando, Florida during the summer of 2007. It’s their farthest reach into new sounds, including many of their previous instruments as well as a fair share of new ones, including a real saxophone. The group not only incorporated plenty of new sounds into this newest release, they also delved into the video aspect of the music scene by recording, however cheaply, do-it-yourself footage for each of the twelve tracks on the record.

While I personally am not a real fan of listening to techno on a daily basis, or really outside of a club atmosphere, this album personally won’t be changing my view on that. While I certainly won’t knock that the two men that make up this group have talent for their craft, I just
think that if my music is going to be giving me a seizure it’s best left to being used by a DJ mixing it with some funky beats or vocals from another song than listened to by itself. However, if you’re into making yourself shake and spasm and ending your night with a headache to rival
all headaches, I definitely would recommend Yip-Yips music to you. If not I recommend staying away from it like you would a little Yorkie making those nasty little yip-yip noises no one likes to hear for more than a few seconds.

You can pick up Yip-Yip’s album, Kings of the Same Kingdom in stores now.

Yip-Yip: website | myspace

By Hanna