Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are really Satellite... 'cause you really needah know these guys (know these guys...knowtheseguys)

"But you're the only the only girl I've ever touched and baby you are the one I love."

Probably my favorite lyric this year.

So, Tuesday was the release of Satellite's brand spankin' new debut EP, called "Ring the Bells".

And believe me, the bells are ringing.

This is the kind of music I've been wanting from a new band. Deep, heartfelt lyrics and and well-arranged music. I knew it'd be good when I heard Mitch Allan was involved, but I tell ya, he isn't the only member with talent. All three (four?) of them are equally great with their instruments.

There's something to them, they have a sound that is reminiscent of something, but I can't put my finger on it. I've talked about it with Jeff, and we agreed it was Coldplay/Switchfoot-esque, but that still isn't what I'm thinking of. I seem to think of Marc Cohn when I listen to Steven's vocal, and there's definitely a little Coldplay (as if I seriously needed to link a Coldplay song but... ah... why not) in the instrumentals, but that's not it... Whatever it is, I like it.

I got the EP free through a website glitch (sorry guys, I'll DEFINITELY buy a CD copy when it's released though), but I definitely would've payed full price for this. It's really freaking amazing.

Steven's vocal is full of soul and heart. That's right kids. SOUL AND HEART. Not that Autotune crap, actual soul. Glad to know some people still know how to do that. Mitch's and Josh's guitars are nice and ambient, just the way I like it. Delay makes meh happeh =D Justin's drums may not be the most complicated thing in the world and my ex drummer would be all "LOL too simple" 'cause it isn't Travis Barker, but they compliment the other layers of sound perfectly. The production is amazing. The songs sound big and powerful, like, say, a U2 song.

Well, as if this didn't say it, I LIKE SATELLITE. A LOT. I'm pretty sure these guys are going somewhere. If they don't, well, they have one dedicated follower for sure.

Below is the video for their debut single, "Say the Words". They have a free 320kbps MP3 download of it on their website, I'll provide a link to that in the "Downloads" section.

Also, "Like" 'em on Facebook. Click here to go to their Facebook page. 

They have the full EP streaming on their website as well, check that out.

Well, that's about it for tuhday. Maybe Jeff'll write something today, he was too busy fapping to mainstream rock radio yesterday apparently.

-- Buddy

American football doesn't ALWAYS involve fratboys...

"My girlfriend had been in Dublin, Ireland visiting her family. One of the things she brought home for me was a flyer for a Chicago Bears exhibition game that said: "Come see American Football, featuring the most overpaid athletes in the world." Something about that statement made me think of rock bands, most of whom are the most overpaid musicians in the world. When I suggested it as a name, the other guys thought it was dumb. Still, for whatever reason, we kept it."

Lead vocalist/guitarist/bassist (at the same time, only not really) Mike Kinsella's explanation for the band name. I'll take it.

I freakin' love these guys. Jeff showed me them earlier this year (as my bio states). I fell in love. The ambiance. The freakin' AMBIANCE. That's what drew me in at first. The guitars were just so free and open sounding. The drums, they felt so LOOSE. In the best way possible. Mike's vocal was stunning. I mean, sure, Bono could beat 'im in a singing contest, but WHO CARES? It's like apples and oranges.

American Football is real emo. Not that crap you hear today. All this "I wanna die please kill me life's so hard I broke my pencil and to make matters worse I need to piss really bad" bullcrap. SCREW THAT. These guys didn't put on more makeup than your mother, or put on insane amounts of black. These guys were just THEM. They didn't try to be Nirvana like every other god-forsaken band of the era. The '90s is my favorite era of music, don't take that I hate it by ANY means please, but originality was somewhat lacking.

The guitars are absolutely gorgeous. Mike's guitar pieces, they're so simple, yet so INTRICATE. It's amazing. There isn't any insane Boss dist pedal, any wah here. Maybe the occasional delay or compression here or there, definitely reverb, and some light distortion, but overall, this is bare bones. And that's what makes it so amazing. These guys are naked. No pretty little effects to polish them up and make them radio friendly. A real band that loves what they do and CARES insanely for it. If you're lucky enough to stumble upon one of their VERY rare live vid- okay, screw it, I'll embed one right now.

Notice they take their time tuning, so that every note comes out crisp and beautiful, as intended. You don't see that kind of care every day. And sure, Mike's vocals might be off here and there, but you gotta understand this place does NOT appear to be built for music. Plus there is no monitoring. It is INSANELY difficult to sing in a live setting with no monitors and a full band playing over you. BELIEVE ME, IT IS.

I know I'm probably sounding like a raging fanboy here, and I suppose I might be. AF is one of those bands that, you either love them and worship them and wish your wife would sound like them in bed, or you hate them and you wish they never would've been formed. I really see no reason in the latter, but, if you should find sense in it, more power to you sir.

It's amazing that American Football more than likely didn't play much larger shows than the one above. If only those people knew what they were witnessing. You can hear AF a little bit in every emo band, really. The vocal melodies, if nothing else. Many bands try to emulate the sound, and though it'd be impossible to do so, a select few do a DAMN fine job at it.

Penpal

This Town Needs Guns

Algernon Cadwallader (written about last night, grab the free "Sailor Set Sail" mp3 in the downloads section if you want)

Midwest Pen Pals (my personal favorite on this list)

Be sure to check those guys out if you like AF. They have as much passion for it as Mike and the boys did.

So, that's about it for me today.

Below, you can listen to the AF track "Stay Home" from their eponymous LP. A beautiful example of what Mike and Steve can do with a guitar. You can also grab a download of it in the "Downloads" section if you'd like. I'll also put up a link to a free download of "Honestly" directly from their record label Polyvinyl.

Well, that's it. Stay tuned later for the mainstream fag's entry. Love y'all. That's right, both of you. I love you. AND you.

--Buddy

Marten's right...

Well it's 9:18 and I have no idea what to write about, so I think I'll just do a bit of copypasta here and let you guise read it. This is from Marten Reed's Yelling About Music blog, 'cause Marten Reed's totally a real person, and I found some real sense in it. I'll put it in these fancy quote things.

So I've been thinking about the seperation between an artist and their music a lot lately. I sorta have trouble making this distinction- If I know that [Artist X] is a real prick, it's difficult for me to really enjoy their music.

I know a friend back in California who hates Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse. Seems Mr. Brock was crashing at his place one night, and they were talking about music. My buddy asked him what he thought was a good way to improve one's musical composition skills. After an awkward silence, Isaac purportedly goes "...well maybe you should just accept the fact that you're not very good at it." Wow, asshole, right? Oh, he also totally hit on my friend's girlfriend, right in front of him.

But shit, man, Modest Mouse have released some of the best indie rock ever recorded! And as much as I love their stuff, every time "Trailer Trash" comes up on random shuffle, there's this little voice in the back of my head going "aaaaassssshooooollleeeee...

So I try to make the distinction, seperate the guy from the guy's music. But it's tough! I want people whose music I admire to be people I can admire, too. The thing is though, we put talented musicians up on this pedestal. They're somehow supposed to be *better* than the rest of us because they write these incredible songs that so many people respond to. But they're not better, or even different from us- they're regular dudes and ladies just tryin' to make a living by making good sounds. Rock stars poop just like the rest of us, you know?

And when you meet someone whose work you admire so much after a show, and you're all "Oh man that was the best show EVER! You guys rock so hard!" and they just go "uh...thanks..." and it's all awkward, it's (probably) not because they're jerks, or operating on a different plane of existence, or misanthropic geniuses or whatever. They're probably tired from playing a show and not sleeping the night before because they were stuck in a van that smelled like farts and a drummer. They're probably thinking about all the times they fucked up their songs and how the club didn't honor their rider (Heineken, not fuckin' Natty Ice!). They're drained and bummed out, and they WANT to be nice, but shit, man. They don't know what to say to someone who is freaking out a little because OMG THEY'RE TOTALLY TALKING TO THIS GUY IN THIS AWESOME BAND.

And you think "man, was that guy a prick or what? I was totally saying how awesome he was and he blew me off!" That's not how it is, man.

At least, I don't think that's how it is. Maybe the guy from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was a little weirded out when I hugged him.

Now that makes a whole lot of sense. I mean, I remember back when I played shows, I'd be so bummed over a screw up and tired that I didn't wanna talk to ANYBODY.

Sooo, sorry I didn't write any OC, that stuff'll return tomorrow but... here's the legit name of Cap'n Jazz's first/only record:

Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards In The Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over

'Dat album title.

-- Buddy

Some song about the Temperature

Welcome to Wednesdays Classic Rock flashback, today we're gonna take a look at one of the most influential and astounding bands ever to grace young rockers' ears. As sad as it is, even today's greatest rockers have never heard of the greats, the ones that influenced the influences of their influences.

For my 2nd blog, I'll be doing a long drawn out worshiping of the 70's-80's rock band, Foreigner.

        I love classic rock bands like you have no idea.
They embody everything I think should be Rock n' Roll.
The Rock n' Roll of today is tainted with metal - esque drug addicts and money hungry superstars who've forgot what they're really after in life, who have forgot what they started their bands for, forgot who they aspired to become and ended up in a life of total hell or total greed.


Its a terrible shame.

    However, I can pop in Foreigner's "4" and get lost in the simpler more powerful days of Rock n Roll. The times of pure unadulterated nostalgia and clear heads with pure goals of love and a life of music.

So maybe that's not 100% percent correct, but sometimes I want to think life was better at one point in time.

So lets get to talking to about Foreigner!

Foreigner formed around 1976 in New York, by front-man Mick Jones in another chill attempt at a band after his previous two broke up. The band eventually blossomed into a 6 piece ensemble before releasing their self - titled debut.

This record didn't cause the band to hit the rock scene ground running, but it grabbed attention in plenty of the right places.

 This debut features hits such as "Cold as Ice", and of course an all-time favorite "Feels Like The First Time".

Both singles off their self - titled earned a number 4 and number 6 on the charts, and another single off the record, "Long, Long Way From Home" peaked at 20, definitely a healthy start for New York's newest stadium rock future-phenomena.

Shortly after the success of their debut, Foreigner wasted no time in putting together their next project, and that project was "Double Vision".

Double Vision put the band on the map with their 3rd and 4th hits, "Hot Blooded"(peaking at number 2) and "Double Vision"(peaking at number 3).

Around this time a creative struggle was emerging with Mick Jones, co-founder Ian Mcdonald, and keyboardist Al Greenwood, causing them to be sacked shortly before the release of their next album.

Mick Jones faced heavy criticism and well - deserved ridicule for these harsh actions taken against his own co-founder and keyboardist.

Moreover, Mick Jones, with his 2nd quadruple platinum  record under his belt, dove headfirst into his 3rd project, hoping for his success to rain down every so easily once again.

 "Head Games" was released by the newly established quartet and didn't seem to quite find the success its two predecessors bathed in.

 "Head Games" was considered by their own Gramm as their graniest album, and that it was.

 It showcased dirty screamers like "Dirty Little White Boy", amplifying the band's dark side for Rock n' Roll.


 Mick Jones wasn't pleased by this album at all, and hit the studio again two years later in hopes for another "Double Vision".






 Foreigner's seemingly effortless crusade led them to more unimaginable success.

The band hit their absolute peak with what is considered one of the greatest stadium rock albums ever released. This cornerstone masterpiece featured Foreigners greatest hits.

"Urgent" features a screeching saxophone solo by Junior Walker, and peaked at number 1 on over 3 different mainstream pop and rock music boards. It also introduced a synthesizer sound, courtesy of session synth Thomas Dolby.

"Waiting for a Girl Like You" showcased killer synth work by Thomas, and the bands somewhat romantic take with this killer new album.

Finally, the household favorite "Juke Box Hero" ran this album home as the signature rock anthem for every aspiring rockstar for generations to come. Foreigner had made their mark in history with this final fourth masterpiece, and was sure to never be forgotten.

------------------
The band should be thankful for their monumental fourth album, because it kept them alive through their lifeless next few years, which was of course a choice by them. Mick Jones enjoyed experimenting with new song-writing techniques, headlinig enormous concerts and events, and traveling the world experiencing what his success had brought him. Foreigner was widely respected by all, always in style, years after "4".

This New York Arena rock act, formed in 1976, released their ninth album in 2009, with a mind-blowing new lineup, and a new lead- vocalist, Kelly Hensen.

"Cant Slow Down'" was proof old rockers could still show off their hard rock machismo and run with the best of them.


Props to these guys for influencing almost every Stadium Rock band of their time and future acts as well.


I strongly recommend you give this band an enthusiastic listen, they have an incredibly unique sound with mind blowing storytelling lyrics.



Check out Urgent here.
 And check out Juke Box Hero here.


 Tomorrow I plan to speculate on where I think one of my favorite bands will be heading.
That's all today though, see you guys tomorrow!


                                                                                                                                                       -- Jeff

Some Kind of Cadwallader...

al-jur-non kad-wall-uh-der. 

And thank God their Myspace headline tells how to pronounce it; I'd be doomed to being pointed and laughed at by all the megahipsters were I to discuss these guys with 'em and pronounce it "kad-wull-adder" as I did for the first month or so of knowing about these guys.

Accourse, a band name ain't everything. Algernon Cadwallader is the kind of band that, if you know 'em you love 'em and they're on your favorite bands lists, but if you don't know 'em, well, you don't know 'em.

I found these guys through American Football Radio on last.fm and, lemme tell you, I'm glad I did.

They have intricate guitars that Kinsella would be proud of, and the simple Blogspot website that any hipster would be happy with (everyone knows having an actual website with a decent design is soooo mainstream).

I guess that last bit there made me seem a bit negative of them, but honestly, I love them. They're one of my favorite emo bands, honestly. There's something about Peter's crazy, unkept voice, I love it. This kinda thing is characteristic of all emo bands, and Peter does a damn fine job of it. It's the kind of thing that's like, YEAH, I'm gonna get vocal nodules in a few years. I DON'T CARE.

Listening to these guys, you can definitely here the influence American Football has had on them, like you hear with most emo bands on the scene. They do a good job of carrying on the legacy that bands such as American Football and Cap'n Jazz started. I'd definitely buy their stuff, if I had a freakin' record player, but for now the mp3s'll have to do.

They have the chaotic songs that kill all negative emotions you have, then they have the chill songs that just make you feel good.

The T Shirt reads "Algernon Cadwallader".
Putting a band name on a band T
shirt is an EXCELLENT idea.

<---- And just a random fact: I'd proudly wear this thing.

Be sure to drop these guys an add request on their Myspace page. I'm sure they'll approve. If they don't Myspace will for them. :D

They said the music should be free anyway, so I figured it couldn't hurt to stick this up for download, just so ya can listen.

Here's a download of "Sailor Set Sail" from their debut 7" "Demo" EP. 

Click here to go to go to the download page.

See ya tomorrah.

-- Buddy

First blog! :D

Hey guys first blog goes up today, really excited about this cooperative dual music visionary thing me and Buddy have going on, seems like it will be really fun.

I plan to have themes for each day, I wont go into that now but today's theme is regular, 1 recommended band and 1 not recommended band.

To start this off, these guys were a great listen for me. Their lead vocalist had a powerful and spectacular contrast to their hard rock fast paced prerogative. It's not easy for a 5-piece band to make simple and beautiful music, it takes either a lot of patience or incredible talent, and taking a listen to songs like "I Miss You" and "Anna Molly", I heard two different sides of them, when credited their patience and talent.

However, their lyrics could be horribly cliche and uninteresting, making it hard for me to find a reason to keep paying attention, and even harder to do what I think is the universal goal with music, and that is to get lost in it.

Incubus is an above - par hard rock band with a unique sound an incredible talent musically, ignoring how terribly written the lyrics are will leave you with a great listen, and possibly some jamming music.
Talent - 8 out of 10
Lyrical Depth and Genius - 2 out of 10
Musical re-playability - 5 out of 10

Overall - 5 out of 10, Recommended by me.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next up was probably, the worst - best band I have ever listened to. And as much as I adore steeping on Hipster elitist toes, this review was more than easy, and I'll do it with a smile.

Oh yes, the fabled, the most known unknown, king of that which is a 23/ 6 time signature and a total of 100 tracks to record a single song.

This, Is Joan Of Arc.

And In my honest opinion, Mike / Tim Kinsella's blight on the face which is their glorious talent.

Lets start this off with my first impression. Of course since a Kinsella is present, the electric guitar hosted an intricate and beautiful riff, amazing in its own right, but exactly like almost every other one I heard. All props for being one of the view men alive with that talent, not to PLAY that music but to simply CREATE it is astounding to me. However, every single song I listened to, a total of 5 different songs, had what seemed like, the same friggin' riff.

Lets get going on the lyrics I heard, 9/11 2 had was an amazing song, even if it was 1:19 long...
But overall, this band wrote some of the most inane idiotic things I've ever heard spouted from a vocalists windpipe. And of course I'll hear that these lyrics had some deep incomprehensible meaning I'm to unintelligent to grasp. Take a listen to "A Tell Tale-Penis", see if you agree with me.

Indie rock bands are always destined to be the best weird worst thing you've ever heard. Joan of Arc apparently grab a lot of respect in the Indie scene, God knows why.
Talent - 10 out of 10
Lyrical depth and genius - 1 out of 10
Musical replayability - 0 out of 10

Total - 3 out of 10. Rounded down.

Not recommended, don't listen to them, at all, really.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well that's it from me today, tomorrow we'll take a look at a Classic flashback, to spark your nostalgia.
Remember by the way, that those rankings might not always reflect my opinion.

See ya guys tomorrow!                                                                                            -- Jeff

I like fish

Seriously though. There's nothing more kickass than a big ol' fish.

These guys seem tuh agree, which is why you should add 'em.

AAF's own Jeff is a member, actualleh.

Caution Circus

See, these guise like fish so much they made it an album cover.

Oh yeah, thisisatestpostlol.

First legit Ican Football post comes tomorrah.

BTW: Jaff's posts'll be under the "All Amer" tab, and mine under the "Ican Football" tab. We're clevar like that.

See yah tomorrow.

-- Buddy

All Amer

My First blog post, looks like its 4:19 A.M.

This is just a test post, expect a blog tomorrow.