Trevor Bivens, Author at Driven Far Off

David Melillo – Talk Is Cheap

April 19, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: David Melillo
Album: Talk Is Cheap EP
Label: Drive-Thru Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 18, 2006

Overall: 8.8
Music: 8.5
Lyrics: 8.9
Production: 8.6

The long awaited debut from Florida’s David Melillo is finally out via an online relase through Drive Thru Records and mtvU. “Talk Is Cheap” is a completely free, downloadable EP(the hard-copy store release will have an extra song.) Drive Thru did this twice before with hit(Hellogoodbye) and miss(Jenoah) results. I’ll just say that if you do not download this EP, you’re going to be missing out.

“Sam’s Song” opens the album. This tune has been available on purevolume and myspace for a while, and is my favorite song on here. It’s Dave and a guitar. That’s really all you need. Seeing this song performed live is an experience. This kid’s voice is spectaular.

“Vatican Roulette” starts off with a funky drum beat to be followed up by a full band onslaught of guitar and synth. The lyrics stand out here with a coming of age tale and a chorus so catchy that Fall Out Boy would be jealous. The song is reminiscent of old Starting Line without the pop-punkiness.

I’m putting “Knights of the Island Counter” up there with “It Was a Summer…(Baby Steps)” by October Fall in the category of songs I’ll be listening to this summer with my windows down. It’s nice to hear a song about drinking that’s not totally depressing(Don’t get me wrong. Some lyrics here are completely honest and full of regret.), even if the singer is still underage.

“This Is 2005” slows things down a lot, and while it’s still a great song, it’s the only one I don’t thoroughly enjoy listening to. It just drags the momentum of the EP down. Dave’s voice still sticks out here, and like I said, it’s still a great song.

“Morris County Blues” picks things back up and closes the album out with an insanely fast chorus that totally shows off Dave’s lyrical abilities. The song is explosive and everything you could want from a release like this.

David Melillo may only be 17, but most songwriters that are double his age wish they could write songs this good. I can’t wait for a full length. It’s no wonder Drive-Thru signed him. If this is a shape of more solid releases to come from Drive-Thru this year, I think Fueled By Ramen might have some competition.

Track Listing
1. Sam’s Song
2. Vatican Roulette
3. Knights of the Island Counter
4. This Is 2005
5. Morris County Blues
6. For the Sake of Remembering

Punchline – 37 Everywhere

April 11, 2006 By Trevor Bivens 2 Comments

Artist: Punchline
Album: 37 Everywhere
Label: Fueled By Ramen
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 11, 2006

Overall: 8.2
Music: 8.9
Lyrics: 8.3
Production: 8.1

I’m that kid. What kid? The Chattanooga kid. You might not know what that means if you don’t keep up with Punchline. This band only sold 3 CDs in Chattanooga, TN. Two of those CDs were bought by me. I went on a promotional campaign, holding a sign on the side of the road with the words “Buy A Punchline CD!” scribbled on it. I even converted teachers to Punchkids. That’s how much I love this band.

“Rewind” was a pop-punk EP that was so different than anything of that style I had ever heard. The songs were long, raw, catchy, and had a different tone to them than say, New Found Glory. “Action” was even better. Punchline had refined their sound, shortened their songs, and if they could “shine” in my ears, they would.

So how excited was I for “37 Everywhere?” Very.

Punchline’s sound has matured, but it’s still fun. With the addition of input from new guitarist Greg Wood, the songwriting has only been added to. I was worried about how Greg would do in Paul’s stead, but I’m worried no more.

The arena ready guitar opening of “Flashlight” sounds like tough guy punk rock, but when complemented by the voice of Steve Soboslai, we’re reminded that these guys have melody in mind when writing their music. The song also features Anthony of Bayside who just adds to the charm of this song.

“Don’t Try This At Home” keeps things going with lyrics about growing up and an upbeat chorus. The song includes a guitar solo, that while short and sweet, makes you wonder if that was a Punchline song you just listened to.

“The Getaway” hops around the field, going from slow, to rocking, back to slow, etc.

“Green Light” is Punchline playing fast, fun, and thoughtful.

“Caller 10” has lyrics that play out like a movie with an unhappy ending, but isn’t that essentially life? Relating to this song is something I can do best.

Slowing the album down is “For the Second Time.” It’s a song about loss, and a Punchline song has never really made me relatively sad, but this one has the ability to do that. Then again, I’m a pretty cheesey dude.

Ah, “The Fake, The Snake, And The Birthday Cake.” This is my favorite song on the album. The lyrics really shine here. “You’re only hip as in hypocrite, and critically unacclaimed.” I love Steve’s voice on songs like this. He gets a little angry and it adds a lot of flare to the song. There’s also classic Punchline harmonies involved.

“How Could You” and “Wars Will Always Happen” are two fast, driving songs that keep the momentum up.

The bassline in “They Are Strong Hands” is sick. Eat your heart out “Dance, Dance.”

“Exactly” closes the album out with Greg and Steve trading vocal duty back and forth for a round. The song sounds like an upbeat, more rocking version of something your parents could enjoy.

One thing that’s always made Punchline stand out among the other 439274 million pop punk bands in the world is their music. They seem to pay more attention to their song arrangements and think out their instruments capabilities a lot more than most bands. By not following the same three chord structures in every song and changing up the tempo and styles in their songs, the band keeps things fresh.

I love Steve’s voice. I wish there were way more harmonies on this disc, though. That’s one thing that got me hooked on this band.

The album art is so much fun to look at, too. I want posters of it.

Overall, Punchline have made an album to be proud of. They’ve always stood above the crowd, and to be as underrated as they are, it’s not fair. Please check this album out, as well as their other work. Also check out their blogs if you get a chance. These guys always have fun stuff to read.

Tracklisting
1. Flashlight
2. Don’t Try This At Home
3. The Getaway
4. Green Light
5. Caller 10
6. For The Second Time
7. The Fake, The Snake, And The Birthday Cake
8. How Could You
9. Wars Will Always Happen
10. They Are Strong Hands
11. Exactly

Men, Women, and Children – Men, Women, and Children

April 7, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: Men, Women, and Children
Album: Men, Women, and Children
Label: Warner Brothers Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: March 21, 2006

Overall: 8.8
Music: 8.7
Lyrics: 8.5
Production: 9.0

Who woulda thought that Glassjaw members would produce Head Automatica? It’s a total 180 in sound. Even more insane is that former Glassjaw guitarist Todd Weinstock would help to form Men, Women, and Children, an even dancier, more ambitious group than HA. Known for an insane live show with an even more insane light setup, Men, Women, and Children make you want to buy a disco ball, pop your collar, and have the party of a lifetime…in your car. Yeah, I like to blast this album with my windows down. I’m sure it’d be even more fun in a room full of drunk people, too.

“Dance In My Blood” starts off with guitars that fool you right before the funk kicks in. “You don’t need a reason to get out on the dance floor!” sings vocalist TJ Penzone. Well, too bad that I’ve been given one. What a way to open an album.

The chorus of “Lightning Strikes Twice In New York” is simple, but insanely catchy. It’s definitely worthy of a sing-a-long.

“Photosynthesis” slows things down with a funk beat only to be followed up by “Who Found Mr. Fabulous?”, another fast, ubeat track that will have you trying to impress the ladies(or gents) with your dance moves.

“Messy” and “At Night I Like To Fight” are two more funk-driven tracks, the latter of which makes me think of the movie “The Warriors.”

The album is more of the same dance/funk/disco influenced songs that I could go over track by track, but I’ll just say they’re all so much fun to listen to.

Described as “sexy” by Lostprophets’ mouthpiece Ian Watkins, Men, Women, and Children’s debut is just that. Throw a party, spin this record, and enjoy the night.

Tracklisting
1. Dance In My Blood
2. Lightning Strikes Twice In New York
3. Photosynthesis
4. Who Found Mr. Fabulous?
5. Messy
6. At Night I Like To Fight
7. Monkey Monkee Men
8. Time For The Future (Bang Bang)
9. The Name Of The Train Is The Hurricane
10. Celebration!
11. Sell Your Money
12. Vowels

From First To Last – Heroine

April 7, 2006 By Trevor Bivens 2 Comments

Artist: From First To Last
Album: Heroine
Label: Epitaph
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: March 21, 2006

Overall: 8.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 7.6
Production: 8.7

From First to Last. So much can be said about this band with only one EP, and as of now, two LPs under their belt. Each disc’s sound has changed drastically. Most of the change from 2003’s “Aesthetic” to 2004’s “Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount” can be attributed to the change in vocalists between the albums. Originally auditioning for a role as the band’s new guitarist, sixteen year old Sonny Moore turned out to be what the band was looking for in a frontman. Not quite a man yet, Sonny has endured brutal criticism from the scene police, and praise from the kids that love this band. You’ve got to hand it to him, though. A joke and parody of itself, “Dear Diary…” featured vocals comparable to The Used’s Bert McCracken, and lyrics so full of cliches that Hollywood could have enough material for a new teen-aimed drama. The band knew what they were doing in writing that album, and they’re back to give a big middle finger to the naysayers.

Just as “Dear Diary…” was released to mixed reviews, “Heroine” has been receiving several different opinions. This band could have very easily written “Dear Diary… Pt. II”, but instead took a different approach. Some of this could be attributed to producer Ross Robinson, who is known for helping to put Korn on the map. Actually, this album isn’t too far from the nu-metal sound that Robinson helped perfect in the mid to late nineties. Ironically enough, Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland provides the bass lines on this album.

“Mothersound” opens the album with a shitton of vibrato in Sonny’s voice. This is my biggest complaint on this whole disc. When it’s not present, Sonny’s vocals have been honed so much. I loved this kid’s voice on “Dear Diary…” and it’s still strong here. The song takes a stab at everyone that wrote this band off as another “screamo” trend band, with lyrics like, “I have done this for the sound. Have done this for the sake of you. The sake of me; And you can mark my fucking words: “We aren’t a mock-supposed to be” We’re here to rouse the rabble,” in the chorus.

The first single, “The Latest Plague” is a faster track that once again takes a stab at everyone that shit-talks this band.

“…And We All Have A Hell” is the creepy, erotic older brother of Clay Aiken’s “Invisible.” Stalkerish, perverse lyrics..yeah. I can see it.(/Joke) Oddly enough, I love this song. I don’t know if I should feel weird about that.

We finally get a taste of the above average screaming of guitarist Travis Richter in “Afterbirth.” Lyrically and melody-wise, I really don’t like the song too much. The music is top-notch, though.

The chorus of “World War Me” has me to believe that Sonny’s been blasting Fall Out Boy’s “Of All the Gin Joints In the World” too much. The song’s still pretty solid, though.

“Shame Shame”, which is set to be the second single from the album(although I don’t know why) is like “Afterbirth.” I just don’t really dig the lyrics and vocal melody. The music is still great, though.

I hope “The Crows Are Coming For Us” never comes up on my shuffle in the middle of the night. The second verse is just downright creepy sounding.

“The Levy” is a strong track that has that vibrato in it again. It’s not going to ruin it for me, though. The song blazes along and then cuts off to a quiet whisper, only to pick back up again.

“Waves Goodbye” has Matt Good and Sonny going back and forth with repeated lines, slow, soft, and actually pretty. The song has an electronic part from middle to end that makes this slow jam an enjoyable change of pace for the album.

“Waltz Moore” has Sonny addressing his problems with himself and the people who feel so bad about themselves that they like to hide behind screen names and take stabs at him. Keep shit talking this kid, because he’s probably having way more fun than you are.

“Heroine,” the album’s title track, closes the disc off and makes you wonder if that was really From First To Last you just listened to for the past 40+ minutes.

Lyrically, this album is way better than “Dear Diary…” Although it’s nothing too deep, it stands apart from most of the crap we’re being fed these days.

I can’t say enough about the musical progression of this band. Derek Bloom once again proves why he’s one of the best drummers in this scene. Matt and Travis have constructed guitar parts that range from intricate to heavy to “What the Hell was that noise?” If Alt. Press doesn’t put them in their guitar special for their work on this album, something is wrong.

One last thing I’d like to address is the band’s image. They get so much shit for the way they dress, their makeup, whatever people complain about. Honestly, though. Could you see this band live, playing this music in polo shirts and Hollister jeans? I really don’t think so. Get over it. It’s marketing.

From First To Last have delivered a dark, heavy album that’s light years away from their previous effort. They’re still going to get shit talk, but it’s probably from people whose band can’t make music that’s anywhere near the league these boys are in. It’s only going to get better with time.

Tracklisting
1. Mothersound
2. The Latest Plague
3. …And We All Have A Hell
4. Afterbirth
5. World War Me
6. Shame Shame
7. The Crows Are Coming For Us
8. The Levy
9. Waves Goodbye
10. Waltz Moore
11. Heroine

Atreyu – A Deathgrip on Yesterday

March 29, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: Atreyu
Album: A Deathgrip on Yesterday
Label: Victory Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: March 28, 2006

Overall: 7.4
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 6.0
Production: 8.3

Atreyu are back, and to the dismay of many fans, “A Deathgrip On Yesterday” is not “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses Pt. II” that they have been waiting for. It is, however, reminiscent of it. It has all the pissed off lines of “Suicide Notes..” while keeping the musical style of “The Curse.” Clocking in at a little over 30 minutes and having nine tracks is bound to upset some people. Don’t ask me what they were thinking, because I don’t know.

“Creature” opens the album with the signature Atreyu sound; Metal tinged guitars that evolve into jock rock chord progressions, and the dueling vocals of Alex Varkatzas and drummer Brandon Saller. Lyrically, this song is closer to “Suicide Notes..” as there are no Vampire references flooding your ears.

“Shameful” starts off showcasing Saller’s melodic presence as Alex serves as backup this time. Brandon’s voice has only gotten better over the past three records. If there was no screaming, this would be a straight up rock song as opposed to the “metalcore/hardcore/post-hardcore/whatever” label people have tagged this band with.

“Our Sick Story” is more of the classic Atreyu formula. Screamed verses with explosive melodic/scream-tinged choruses. Plus, there’s a guitar solo to boot!(Doesn’t compare to “Lipgloss and Black’s”, though.)

“The Theft” is a real oddity. You’ve never heard a song like this from Atreyu before. It’s a fucking ballad! I’m sorry, but that was my initial reaction to the song. You’re honestly going to be like, “What the Hell?” when you hear this. Don’t get me wrong, though. The song isn’t bad. Alex actually sings here. I don’t know why this dude hates his melodic voice. It’s pretty good on here. It definitely sounds like he’s worked with it, though.

“We Stand Up” will help you remember that you’re listening to Atreyu. It’s fast, heavy, and one of my favorite tracks on the album.

“Ex’s and Oh’s” is the “Drink Your Problems Away” anthem. I could easily get drunk to this song and have a ton of fun with it, even though it’s not a happy song by any means. Hell, it sounds like the band may have been drunk when they wrote it.

“Your Private War” is weak, basic Atreyu filler. Skip it.

“My Fork In the Road” is lyrically weak, but the music more than makes up for it. Despite the basic lyrics, the song is enjoyable.

“Untitled (Finale)” is another strong track musically, but the lyrics leave a lot to be desired. This is also not the best way to end this album.

With an even balance of high and low points, Atreyu still haven’t found the right spot. They seem to still be toying around with their sound, but this album seemed rushed, writing wise. Lyrically, I’m not impressed. Another, more focused, concept album could be what this band needs.

Track Listing
1. Creature
2. Shameful
3. Our Sick Story (Thus Far)
4. The Theft
5. We Stand Up
6. Ex’s and Oh’s
7. Your Private War
8. My Fork In the Road
9. Untitled (Finale)

Hit the Lights – This Is A Stick Up… Don’t Make It A Murder

March 26, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: Hit The Lights
Album: This Is A Stick Up… Don’t Make It A Murder
Label: Maverick
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 11, 2006

Overall: 9.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 8.3
Production: 10

I’m a pretty nostalgic person. I long for my early high school years at times. Pop-punk was the dominant musical choice for me back then. Every time I find a really good pop-punk band, I get a warm feeling inside. I’ll open the windows, (be it indoors or in a car) blast the music, and proceed to rock out.

In the case of Lima, Ohio’s Hit the Lights, I turn the volume up even more than before. “This Is A Stick Up…Don’t Make It A Murder” is reminiscent of old New Found Glory, but also brings to mind current day pop-punk powerhouses from Chicago and Atlanta respectively.

The album opens with a voicemail sample that leads into “The Call Out (You Are the Dishes.)” The song is a statement. This band knows what they want, and their attack plan is to use songs like this to get you to sing along. “We won’t back down,” is their battle cry and you might as well accept the fact that it’s true.

“These Backs Were Made for Stabbing” has a bridge so infectious that you won’t realize the words are coming out of your mouth, too. Colin changes the dynamics of his voice so much in this song, allowing his range to shine through.

The chorus of “309” is begging to be sung along to. Halfway through the song, a line sticks out to me so much. “Like the way that your eyes travel to the floor when you tell a lie.” The way Colin sings this lyric just hits home. I love this song.

“Bodybag” is one of the catchiest tracks on here. It would be an ideal single. The group vocals in the middle of the song are properly placed and while being short, are easy to clap along to.

“Talk Us Down” opens up sounding like Cartel at their finest. Even the lyrical content is similar, such as “Cities never sleep when we’re gone.” While the similarities are there, I can’t help but enjoy this song more than Cartel. Sorry guys.

“Save Your Breath” has all the spiteful lyrics that made Fall Out Boy’s “Take This To Your Grave” a gem. I dare you to try not to play this song on repeat.

“Sincerely Yours” and “100 Times” are right at home on that mix tape you’re thinking about giving to the girl that just broke up with you.

“It’s All the Rage” makes a bold statement with the line “We are exactly what you want to be. Where you’ve been and what you’ve done mean nothing.” Where that may seem cocky from an outsider’s perspective, this band wants people to know that it’s still cool to like FUN music. You don’t just have to like artsy stuff to be cool.

“Speakers Blown” would be another great single. It’s got one of those choruses that sticks with you for a couple of weeks.

After seeing the band perform “Until We Get Caught” live, I realized this song has the ability to rally people together to rock out. Colin demands, “Hands in the air!” and up they go, accompanied by shouts. The song is great on the disc, but you really need to hear it live and see the crowd to get the full effect of its potential.

“Make A Run For It” closes the album with group vocal chants of “We’ve got this down to a science baby.” That they do.

The production on this album is flawless. Anything Matt Squire touches is gold.

While not breaking any new ground musically, Hit the Lights have delivered a debut LP full of everything that made me love this style of music. I haven’t spun an album this much since theAudition’s “Controversy Loves Company” was released.

If for some reason, Cartel don’t become the next pop-punk kings, Hit the Lights are poised to take the throne. The potential of this band is insane. Listen to them, love them, support them, and just have fun listening to them. Thank you Hit the Lights for making an album that I’ll be blasting in my car this summer.

Track Listing
1. The Call Out (You Are the Dishes)
2. These Backs Were Made for Stabbing
3. 309
4. Bodybag
5. Talk Us Down
6. Save Your Breath
7. Sincerely Yours
8. 100 Times
9. It’s All the Rage
10. Speakers Blown
11. Until We Get Caught
12. Make a Run For It

Paramore Interview (2) February 17th 2006

February 19, 2006 By Trevor Bivens 6 Comments

Since finishing their run on the Warped Tour this past summer and releasing their stellar debut album, Paramore have constantly been on the road. I caught up with them at home in Nashville, TN to see how things are going.

Trevor: First off, let’s get the obvious out of the way. You’ve had two member changes since the last time I talked to you. How is that working out for you?

Josh: It’s amazing.

Hayley: It’s…terrible.

(Laughter)

Jeremy: It’s so good!

(Laughter)

Hunter: It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Paramore.

Hayley: Jeremy was actually at the last show you interviewed us, watching.

Josh: He was there wishing he was back in.

Jeremy: I was the original bass player, and then I left and..yeah.

Zac: He does a lot of smart things like that.

(Laughter)

Josh: It’s been awesome, amazing, and incredible, so yeah.

Trevor: You’ve done a lot more touring since the summer. Now be honest. How much fun are you guys having on tour?

All: A lot.

Josh: We’re so blessed to be able to show up at a venue every day and do what we love doing.

Zac: It never gets old.

Josh: It never does, but it gets cold.

(Laughter)

Trevor: What are some of the new friends you’ve made while you’ve been touring?

Zac: The Lashes.

All: The Lashes.

Hayley: Forever Changed.

Josh: We didn’t tour with them, but we met up with them and got pretty close.

Hunter: Amber Pacific. My American Heart and Halifax.

Josh: Every band we’ve been on tour with.

Jeremy: Yeah, we’ve become close with pretty much everyone.

Trevor: How did you guys hook up with Shane C. Drake for the “Pressure” video?

Hayley: That was sort of John Janick’s idea. He knew him because he had done some stuff with Fall Out Boy and Fall Out Boy was with Fueled By Ramen. So he was like, “I’d really like to see what Shane could do with you guys,” and it worked out perfectly. We’re hoping if we do a new video, he’d be interested in doing it with us, because he’s incredible.

Zac: Yeah, now that he did us, it’s just going up from here. He’s doing Panic! now and we started him off on his career!

(Laughter)

Trevor: Who came up with the concept for the video?

Josh: We all kind of did. We sitting in the van and it was all kind of sprung up on us. It was kind of rushed, so we didn’t have much time to think about it. We love the video and how it turned out, but we’re just going to make our next one a whole lot better.

Trevor: I go into my school’s university center all the time, and they’ve always got MTVu playing. Almost every time I walk in there, the video is on.

Hayley: Oh weird!

Trevor:So how does it feel to know that your exposure is steadily growing away from the internet crowd and is slowly getting more mainstream?

Hayley: It’s really evident at shows. We’ve been able to tell the difference from the Warped Tour crowd last year, and even before that, the Bamboozle crowd. You can tell a lot by the way the kids we used to play for never would scream that much. Then the new kids, I don’t know; after we did the Simple Plan tour and on the Simple Plan tour, you could just walk on stage and everyone would start screaming.

Jeremy: It was like their eyes were going to pop out. They were like, “AAAAH!”

Hunter: Everyone’s just so much more enthusiastic. It’s a good feeling.

Trevor:Are you planning on releasing a new single any time soon?

Josh: We’re hoping to. We don’t know which song, but we’re hoping to some time soon.

Trevor: I heard you were demoing some new material.

Hayley: Yeah.

Trevor: Do you have a target date to actually go in and start recording a new full length?

Hayley: No, not really. I think we wanted to be able to record new stuff, but after we came back out on tour this year, we saw how much different the response was, and how much better it was. So we want to keep this record a chance to keep growing, because I think it’s only going to get better from here. We’re actually going to play two new songs tonight.

Zac: Yeah, we play the new stuff, because there’s no set thing for it. Maybe after Warped Tour, though, we’ll play a whole new set.

Trevor: Since the summer, a bunch of fan sites have popped up and they’ve got really, really rabid readers that contriubte something every day; whether it be pictures, videos, or whatever. Did you guys ever think that would happen to you?

All: No way!

Josh: They’re crazy man. They bring us stuff to shows. They brought Jeremy a pinata for his birthday and filmed us breaking it. The brought him cake.

Hayley: Oh! What about the girl that brought us gingerbread cookies that looked like us?

Zac: Oh man, those were good!

Hunter: There’s so much candy and everything.

Zac: For some reason, I guess we’ve done interviews like, “What’s your favorite food?” and I say, “Candy I guess,” so they read it. Then they’re like, “I heard you guys like these!” and we’re like, “Thank you!” They bring the candy you like and you’re like, “Oh gosh!”

Josh: I guess it’s just hard to fathom that someone you don’t know will buy you your favorite candy just because they like your music. It’s awesome, but at the same time you’re like, “Why are you doing this? I don’t deserve this.”

Jeremy: It’s cool, though, because I love it.

(Laughter)

Zac: I swear, they’re going to put poison in it one time and I won’t care, because I love to snack!

(Laughter)

Trevor: How often do you catch yourselves wishing you were home?

Hayley: Uuuh…(laughs) I think..I think..ah..too often.

Josh: I think towards the end of a tour, everyone’s anxious to get home, but then when you’re off for a week, you’re itching to get back out on the road again.

Jeremy: Yeah, it was like today. We got here at 6:30 in the morning, we all went to sleep, and then like, we all met up for lunch. We all hugged eachother and were like, “I miss you!”

(Laughter)

Jeremy: I mean, seriously, we were hugging eachother and were like, “I saw you like what, five hours ago!” I’m not even kidding, it was the weirdest thing ever and we’re all like, “Aaah!”

Hunter: You hang out for every second of every day and then you’re gone for two hours and you’re like, “I’m so happy to see you!”

(Laughter)

Trevor: What have you been taking out on tour that keeps you sane and occupied on the road?

Hayley: Pillows.

Zac: Scooters.

(Laughter)

Josh: Movies and stuff.

Hunter: Steroids.

Josh: Haha, yeah, our daily vitamins. Hayley’s trying to get a little swollen.

Hayley: (Laughing) No! They make fun of me, because I take vitamins a lot.

Zac: Steroids.

Hayley: (Laughing even harder.) No! I just take vitamins a lot because I’m extremely paranoid about being sick.

Josh: She’s a health freak.

Trevor: I heard earlier in the week, there were a couple of rude guys at a show. So I guess I’m directing this at Hayley. How often do you have to deal with that, and when you do, how do you deal with it?

Hayley: Every night. Lately the way I’ve been dealing with it is just through our music. At the end of “Here We Go Again” we have this, I don’t want to call it a breakdown because we’re not a hardcore band, but I guess this musical outtro, and it’s pretty heavy. I just make up lyrics that kind of pertain to what’s happening. The other night, that’s kind of what happened. I just got super fed up with it. The only thing I can do is sing about it, because that’s the platform that I have at the time. I mean, I’ll say things back to them every once in a while. Like, that one night, I was like, “Why are you here?”

Josh: Yeah, she was like, “Do you even like our band?” and they were just like, “You’re hot!” and they don’t give up. So they kept on yelling and I was like, “SHH!” and they stopped.

(Laughter)

Zac: It’s cool sometimes, because like the other night we were somewhere like, Tucan, Washington or something..

Hayley: Tucan?

(Laughter)

Hayley: Tucoma.

Zac: Tucoma, Tucan, who cares?

(Laughter)

Hayley: Go on.

Zac: Somewhere in this world, we were playing, and this dude was like, “Hey play Skater Boi!” and Hayley just totally like killed him, dude. She was like, “Hey, no. We played that on our last tour.” Then the guy was like, Oh,” and at the end of “Here We Go Again” she just starts, “He was a boy, and she was a girl!” and we were on stage playing and we were like, “What is she doing?” I was like, “I’ve heard that before. Oh wait! That’s Skater Boi!”

Jeremy: You could tell that everyone was laughing at those dudes because she was like, “You should have been on that tour! It was awesome!” Then she’s like, “This song’s called Complicated!” and I was like, “What’s she doing?”

Josh: I’ve got one more story. That one night in Detroit, that was probably the worst night we’ve ever had, but they were like, “Let me touch your hand! Give me a high five!” and Hayley’s like, “You know what? No.” and everyone’s like, (All the guys) “Ooooooh!”

(Laughter)

Hunter: It was like 8-Mile.

(Laughter)

Hunter: We were there. The venue in 8-Mile.

(Laughter)

Hayley: I’m sorry, we’re definitely not sane right now.

Zac: We’re having a good time in Nashkill!

Hayley: For real, though. We’re just excited to be home, and you’re an old friend, so it’s just fun.

Trevor: (Laughing) So what are your plans for the summer?

Josh: We have Warped Tour. We’re actually going to Japan in about a week, then in April, we’re going to the UK. But yeah, after that it’s Warped Tour.

Trevor: Are you playing the full Warped Tour or are you just playing select dates?

Zac: I think a month.

Hayley: We’re playing South by Southwest also, next month in Austin Texas. That’s going to be cool.

Zac: Which isn’t the summer at all.

Hayley: Yeah, but it’s up and coming. I’m excited because Thursday is on that bill and I like Thursday.

Trevor: You’re going to get starstruck. You know you are.

Hayley: Oh, totally. (Laughter) No, see the thing is, we saw Geoff Rickley at CBGB’s when we played there last time. I don’t know, it was in New York, but he was there. We know people from labels that know him and I wanted to be like, “Hey, my friend says she knows you,” but I was so scared.

Zac: He’s a cool person, and he smells like cigarettes.

(Laughter)

Hayley: Yeah, but after that, we don’t know.

Paramore

I’d also like to give a shout out to:

Paramore.org

And to:

Paramorefans.com

These kids work hard on these sites and feature the content from Driven Far Off, so I’d just like to thank them for that and tell them to keep up the good work.

October Fall – A Season In Hell

February 15, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: October Fall
Album: Albatross
Label: Decaydance / Fueled By Ramen
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: February 21, 2006

Overall: 8.5
Lyrics: 8.0
Music: 8.9
Production: 9.4

It surely has been a season in Hell for October Fall. This Chicago band has had quite an amount of drama over the past few months. With the unexpected dismissal of their bass player and questionable tourmates, there’s been a backlash from their old fan base. However, their past few tours have been gaining them more and more fans, and with a stint on Fall Out Boy’s upcoming arena tour, the kids are gonna eat this up.

All situations aside, it’s easy for me to say that this is a well written pop album. That’s right. It’s a straight up pop album. If you try to classify this as anything else, you’re just trying to nitpick at it. Try to picture if you will, a harmony-heavy, adolescent Something Corporate and you’ll have a feel for October Fall’s sound.

“Second Chances” opens the album with a spacey synth part that is joined by the bands’ normal instruments of choice. The tame verse builds up into an explosive chorus and the song proceeds to burst through your speakers and grab your attention. Then out of nowhere, there’s a country part in the middle of the song. I don’t know what prompted the band to put it there, but it seems like it fits.

“Caught In the Rain” has a melody that makes me think of an older song that I can’t remember the name or lyrics for, but I know it sounds similar to something. The beat of this song actually kind of makes me want to dance. It’s not a dance song by any means, but it’s danceable. I know that sounds contradictory, but listen to the song and you’ll probably want to grab someone and start spinning around.

The third track, which happened to be the original title of this album, “Keep Dreaming Upside Down,” is my favorite track here. During the bridge, we can hear female vocals come out of nowhere. They’re from none other than Paramore’s Hayley Williams. We all know I’m a sucker for this girl’s voice. It mixes with Pat’s for an amazing harmony, and that helps this song stick out. The drums for this song pound away and are another point you’ll probably focus on when listening.

“Walking,” which was made available on Purevolume and Myspace last year, tones things down a bit and gets serious lyrically. It’s another strong track that if you didn’t hear it before, you’ll enjoy more and more with every listen.

“It Was Summer…(Baby Steps)” would be an ideal single if the chorus was as energetic as the previous songs’. This is radio-ready material right here. These guys can craft a damn good pop song. I really like this track and my only complaint is the lack of the explosive chorus it deserves.

A SoCo-song-worthy piano part leads off “Tounge Tied.” It’s slower than the other songs, but it’s not a skippable track. I absolutely love Pat’s voice on this song. He hits some great notes all throughout it. The chorus starts off whispered and builds up, and it’s a great display of Pat’s range.

For a long time, “Hey Hey” was the only song anyone had to listen to on Purevolume and Myspace. The album version has been slightly modified, but if you’re familiar with the song, you’ll notice some of the notes in the instrumentation have been changed. The lyrics and vocals are pretty much the same. The piano sticks out way more in this version than the demo.

“Here We Go From the Top” is more of the same. It’s another song with a strong vocal display.

“Keep It Comin’ ” hops around from traditional rock to electronic. It’s complete with the spiteful lyrics that the “Taking Shape” EP had.

The last two songs on the album were the only ones I didn’t enjoy listening to as much as the others.

Like them or hate them, October Fall have delivered a debut full of songs that showcase the band’s pop-sensibilities. Anyone can write a pop song. It’s hard to write ENJOYABLE pop-songs. That’s what these are. I enjoyed listening to this album. Couple the enjoyable melodies with the synth lines that are sprinkled throughout the songs, and the different instrumentation here and there, and you’ve got a nice departure from normal piano-rock. Pat has a knack for writing catchy, hook-filled songs. I’m a sucker for them. I’m a sucker for this album. It’s my new guilty pleasure. This band isn’t here for “scene cred.” They’re here to make something of themselves, and if marketed correctly, this album should get into the right hands to make these guys relatively big.

Track Listing
1. Second Chances
2. Caught in the Rain
3. Keep Dreaming Upside Down
4. Walking
5. It Was Summer…(Baby Steps)
6. Tounge Tied
7. Hey Hey
8. Here We Go From the Top
9. Keep It Comin’
10. A Part of Me
11. If We’re All Alone, Aren’t We In This Together

The Radio Fix – Of Hyacinth and Jasmine

February 7, 2006 By Trevor Bivens Leave a Comment

Artist: The Radio Fix
Album: Of Hyacinth and Jasmine
Label: None
Purchase: Interpunk
Released: December 10, 2005

Overall: 9.0
Lyrics: 8.5
Music: 8.9
Production: 9.2

The Radio Fix are a five piece rock outfit from Dayton, TN. You’d never know it. I love finding bands that break the Tennessee stereotype. You know..country artists? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I love hearing good rock music from Tennessee. It goes to show that we’re all not a bunch of hicks obsessed with our tractors, how sexy they are, and a sunny day on the farm ending with a dip in the mudhole. With that being said, let’s hop to it.

The Radio Fix play emo tinged rock much in the vein of Anberlin. It’s got “that sound” but isn’t cliche “oh baby baby, you broke my heart, I want you back” stuff. The opening track on this EP, “Curse Me When You Leave” is a pretty good way to start things off. The song showcases vocalist Craig Biddy’s varied range. I would love to hear this guy live and will probably make the effort to do so within the next month.

“Put You Out to Sea” sounds like a radio ready song that should be kicking crap like Crossfade off the airwaves.

“Sun and Sea Become An End” is an upbeat tune that again capitalizes on the superb vocals. The drums will keep your head bobbing around, and once you learn the words to this song, you will be singing along.

I didn’t like “Save Yourself” until I heard the “whoahs” during the chorus. I like pretty much any song with “whoahs” in it, and the ones here are awesome. Plus, the song picked up a bit after the first chorus.

“The Sweetest Air” closes the EP with a strong song that makes you want more. This is probably my favorite track on here. I hate to repeat myself, but the vocals here are just beautiful. To be cliche, they’re soaring.

Overall, this is an impressive debut from former members of Rifles at Recess and Across Five Aprils. Keep an eye on this band, because they should have labels chasing after them soon enough.

Track Listing
1. Curse Me When You Leave
2. Put You Out To Sea
3. The Sun and Sea Become An End
4. Save Yourself
5. The Sweetest Air

Armor For Sleep Interview February 2nd 2006

February 3, 2006 By Trevor Bivens 1 Comment

I got to sit down with Ben Jorgensen from Armor For Sleep in Nashville, TN.

Trevor: What’s the tour been like so far?

Ben: It’s been awesome, man. Every show has been sold out so far, so we can’t complain. It’s been really good.

Trevor: Are all the kids reacting well to every band on the tour?

Ben: Yeah, it’s like a package tour. We call it “The Invisible Sideshow” and not the “Armor For Sleep Headlining Tour” for a reason. We knew it’s about all the bands. Every band has their own thing going on and it’s more about the power of all the bands together than it is the power of just us.

Trevor: Are there any crazy stories from this tour yet? Has anything really random happened yet?

Ben: We played a show in New York City. It was the biggest show we ever headlined in New York before, and our management got us a stretch limo. We had an afterparty at this super hipster place. It’s strange. We got out of the limo at the club and everyone like, moved away and there was a red carpet for us to go on. I was like, “What the fuck?”

(Laughter)

Trevor: Speaking of crazy stories, there are plenty of them on the DVD that just came out. Now, why did you guys go ahead and decide to release a DVD?

Ben: Because, we’re kind of sick of bands being bands and there’s always a barrier between them and their fans. The fans think they know them based on their songs, but every band is full of five or six real people. We just wanted to show everyone who we really are. We’re just four normal dudes from New Jersey who just happen to be in a band that plays music. We wanted all our fans to know we’re real people, and we wanted to film ourselves being idiots.

Trevor: Do you prefer to play the old songs or the newer songs? Do you even have a preference?

Ben: There’s gratification in playing both. On this tour, we’re bringing back a couple of old songs that we haven’t really gotten to play, and that’s cool because I know people might want to hear those songs. At the same time, we’re playing a couple of new songs that we never got to play from this album that I know people are going to be stoked about. I’m excited for both. We’re never going to be one of those bands that justs forgets about our old songs.

Trevor: Why did you decide to do a more developed concept album this time around.

Ben: I think that’s just the way we write. I think an album, the albums that I like, kind of tell a story or a piece of history. They’re more than just a collection of songs. They’re a state of mind. I don’t think it was any different than the way we did “Dream to Make Believe.” Maybe it’s a little more story-oriented, but it just has common threads running through it. I think at the time, that’s the kind of album we wanted to make. I’m not saying we’re always going to make concept albums, but that’s what felt right.

Trevor: Even though it’s been out for almost a year, do you think the new album is still gaining momentum?

Ben: Yeah, I mean if anything, I know we’re selling more records now than we ever have on this record cycle. Shit’s kind of picking up for us on the more mainstream front, so it’s not dead by any means. Things kind of take a while for an album sometimes.

Trevor: Are you writing any new material yet?

Ben: We actually have our whole next album written. We’re going to go record it as soon as this tour is over.

Trevor: Well that takes care of the next question. (Laughter) Is there anything that you have to bring on tour. Is there anything that you HAVE to have while you’re on the road?

Ben: My iPod. Now that we have a bus, my X-Box. It’s my second life. We brought our recording studio out here with us. This is where we’re going to be making demos of our whole album. We’re a pretty high tech band. We all have Sidekicks and iPods. We keep up with the times and we try and utilize 2006 for whatever it can bring us. We all have laptops, and we update our Myspace pages. You know what I mean? Everything that a normal person has nowadays, we have.

Trevor: If you could set up a dream tour with any bands you could play with, who would it be?

Ben: Probably Nirvana and Radiohead..Say Anything.

Trevor: Oh man, yeah. If they ever get back on the road..

Ben: They will. Max is a good friend of mine. They’re going to kick ass this year.

Trevor: Yeah, they’ve got the re-release of the album coming out and with the right push, they could be huge.

Ben: They will be, man. They’re one of the few bands that we get to tour with that I think really change the landscape of music. Max is one of my good friends, and it’s really weird, because when I talk to him I’m a really huge fan of his songs; but at the same time I’m still his good friend, so it’s cool.

Trevor: Finally, what are your plans for the summer?

Ben: Warped Tour. Full Warped Tour.

Trevor: Are you guys playing Main Stage?

Ben: A little bit. We’ll dabble in the main stage and see how it feels.

(Laughter)

Trevor: All right. Thank you for sitting down with me.

Ben: Oh, no problem man.