New Music and Some Updates

Hello. It has been a while. I've been recharging and trying to find some quality music to discuss. Lucky for me, a couple of my favorite bands recently released some news, so here it goes...

Anthony Green: I talk about it him way too much on this blog. However, now, as opposed to previously just telling you what bands he has been in and how awesome he is, you can check him out for yourself. His new album, Avalon, is coming out August 5th and he has posted a couple songs to check out (Dear Child and Devil's Song). The songs are available in the player to your left. I'm very excited for this album, and to see him live w/ Good Old War and Person L in September.

The Sound of Animals Fighting just updated their MySpace page with some information about their upcoming release, The Ocean and The Sun. It'll be released on Sept. 9th. The album art is in this post. I need them to post a new song already.

A couple bands I'm listening to right now are Homesick for Space, The Receiving End of Sirens, The Fall of Troy, A Northern Chorus, and obviously Anthony Green. There are some songs in the player to the left.

JMMP.

Bamboozle Preview

Normally I cringe when a read about an upcoming music festival...waiting for the one or two bands you want to see come on, drunken youngsters, drunken oldsters (which are actually hilarious) and shitty just about everything.  Most of you have probably been to one in your life: Warped Tour, SXSW, Bonnaroo, etc.  The list goes on.

Now, I find myself going to my second festival in the last year.  The first was the Reading/Leeds Festival in the UK last August.  God bless Brand New, Sparta and Jimmy Eat World for being there because the "popular" bands in Britain at the time, Kings of Leon and the Klaxons were abysmal (see my previous post "Listen with Conviction", the part about good indie bands).  

The second will be the Bamboozle Festival in NJ this weekend.  Holy crap.  Whoever put this bill together deserves a high five.  Allow me to run down the bands I'll be checking out (w/ set times and stages!):

Saturday

4:15 - 4:45 As Tall As Lions (Bamboozle TV Studio)

4:45 - 5:15 Dr. Manhattan (The Aquarian)

7:25 - 8:00 The Bravery (Nowwhat.com)

8:45 - 9:30 Jimmy Eat World (Nowwhat.com)

Sunday

2:40 - 3:10 Circa Survive (Asbury Park)

2:45 - 3:15 The Dear Hunter (MLB)

5:00 - 5:30 The Fall of Troy (Rebel Youth Records)

5:10 - 5:45 Anthony Green (Bamboozle TV Studio)

6:15 - 6:50 Thrice (Nowwhat.com)

6:30 - 7:00 The Receiving End of Sirens (Nokia Ticket Rush)

7:30 - 8:00 Good Old War (The Aquarian)

8:40 - 9:30 Coheed and Cambria (Nowwhat.com)

9:30 - 10:30 Panic at the Disco (Asbury Park)

A quick overview:

The Bamboozle has brought together who I consider to be some of the most talented progressive rock bands out there right now:  Circa Survive, The Dear Hunter, The Fall of Troy and The Receiving End of Sirens.  Not to mention, those that side with the indie/straight rock persuasion: Dr. Manhattan, Good Old War, Jimmy Eat World and Coheed and Cambria.

There are a couple artists/bands that deserve special attention:

1. Thrice.  If you haven't heard The Alchemy Index Vol. I & II Fire & Water, do yourself a favor and download it.  The Water section of the CD (the last 6 songs) is a truly beautiful piece of song writing.  Pretty slow, partially electronic.

2. Anthony Green/Good Old War. You may know Anthony Green from Saosin (ex-lead singer), The Sound of Animals Fighting (part-time lead singer) and Circa Survive (current lead singer).  He's decided to record a solo album with the help of a couple friends in the band Good Old War (ex-Days Away, Unlikely Cowboy members).  GOW is also writing their own album.  Be sure to check those guys out.  They are writing some awesome stuff right now.

3. The Receiving End of Sirens.  Sadly, the Bamboozle show will be their last.  Tear drops. 

Now if I can only avoid the scenester army that I'm assured will be in attendance.

JMMP.