New Again

There are two huge news issues with music that I love that I would like to address. First: B.o.B's new song 'Airplanes' featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore. AMAZING! When I first heard that Hayley was in a rap song, I said, Are you *&@!ing kidding me. But I listened to it and I love it. I actually don't mind B.o.B to begin with, he is one of the few hip hop/rap artists I can stand to listen to. The fact that Hayley is in it makes me love it even more. I STILL can't stop listening to it, and it's been out for a month now. The song is decent, not really vulgar and it doesn't talk about a lot of crap, he talks about real issues for him. He does have a 'Airplanes Part 2' with Hayley still in it, but also Eminem. I personally think it's wicked effing stupid and a bunch of garbage and I think Eminem ruined the song, but I'm just going to pretend that song doesn't exist. The album came out at the end of April; I bought it (not downloaded, I know, shocker) and it's pretty good. Highly recommended. If you haven't heard the song yet I demand you listen to it RIGHT NOW; I have a youtube link on the side of my page now where you can watch it right here.

The other huge piece of news: Taking Back Sunday is going back on tour WITH THEIR ORIGINAL LINEUP!!! I cannot express my excitement. For those of you who don't know, the original TBS members were the best and none of their songs can compare to their first ones, they are amazing. Through the years they've gone through a few members, people leaving, new people coming. But the original band is back together and going on tour!! Tickets went on sale this past Saturday for their Boston date at the House of Blues on June 25 (which just happens to be my bffs 21st birthday) and clearly I was online at exactly 10:00 am buying 6 tickets. FYI: Sublime is also back on tour after 14 years. I know, you're thinking, whaaa? They have a new singer. His name is Rome, and they are now going by the name 'Sublime with Rome.' I believe they also have dates at House of Blues.

Favorites

Regardless of what I write about, which bands I like, the style of music, etc, I could never begin to cover everything. Also, there's a lot of random songs that don't even fit into my taste in music, but I love them anyway. Here's a list of some songs that I absolutely love:

Janis Joplin: Piece of My Heart
Anberlin: The Feel Good Drag
Blink 182: Going Away to College
Bryan Adams: Summer of 69
Chronic Future: Memories in f Minor
City & Colour: I'm Comin Home
Dave Matthews Band: You and Me
Flyleaf: Fully Alive
Four Year Strong: Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)
Incubus: Azwethinkweiz
Jimmy Eat World: Futures
John Mayer: Why Georgia
Ke$ha: (anything, ha)
Kellie Pickler: Best Days of Your Life
LMFAO: Shots
Madonna: Crazy for You, or anything from that era
Paradiso Girls: Patron Tequila
Paramore: Stop This Song (Lovesick Melody)
Rusted Root: Send Me On My Way
Savage: Swing
Say Anything: Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too
Shiny Toy Guns: Ghost Town
Marcy's Playground: Sex & Candy
Sonny & Cher: I Got You Babe
Sparks the Rescue: Autumn
Sublime: Date Rape
Sum 41: Fat Lip
Taking Back Sunday: Cute Without the E
Taylor Swift: Forever & Always
The Almost: Lonely Wheel
The Doors: Whiskey Bar
The Maine: Into Your Arms
The Pierces: Secret
The Script: Before The Worst
The Spill Canvas: All Hail the Heartbreaker
Valencia: From the Second I Wake Up
Weezer: Say It Ain't So
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Heads Will Roll

Festivals

If I had the time and money, I think I would hit up every music festival I could. My top favorite: Bonnaroo. I actually planned on going this year until my friends and I began planning a month long cross-country road trip instead. This festival is pretty famous-it takes place every June for three days in Tennessee bringing together the “best performers of rock and roll,” according to its website. While it has become a little mainstream, this is the one to go to if you're looking for a festival. Some of the artists this year are DMB, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Weezer, Regina Spektor, Rise Against, The Flaming Lips, Jay-Z, and a bunch more. Another good one to check out is Bamboozle. Their main festival takes place in New Jersey for two days in May, coming up in a few weeks actually, with another smaller one for a day in Chicago, and then they go on the road. The main festival is pretty awesome and I would LOVE to go if I had the chance. Performing: Paramore, Weezer, Kesha, Say Anything, Saves the Day, The Maine, Chiodos, Relient K, Attack Attack, Motion City Soundtrack, and a ton more. Their roadshow has a few different performers, and I'll be attending in Mansfield on June 27th(?): All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, Good Charlotte, Cartel, Simple Plan, LMFAO, etc etc etc. Bamboozle is more my taste, and Bonnaroo is more of an experience that everyone should have.

If you lived in the 90's...

When I was little, my all time favorite “band” was the Spice Girls. To this very day, I think I still know the words to every single song. For those of you out there who are familiar, you will understand when I say how very heartbroken my best friend and I were when Geri Halliwell, aka “Ginger” left the group, and shortly after when the rest of the girls split up all together. The 90's had some pretty ridiculous music, but it's the music I grew up with and it's what I will always be accustomed to. Anyone who had their childhood in the 90's will remember what it was like to be a fan of N*SYNC or Backstreet Boys. You had to choose one, you could never like both of them. I'm pretty sure this decade was the time of the boy bands. Thank GOD that time is over, as fun as it may have been. Wait, did I just jinx myself? Let's hope the Jonas Brothers (gag) don't get too popular... I could also never forget the boy/girl band Steps, which most people actually don't remember. Anyway, I suppose there were a few decent artists of the 90s, including Alanis Morissett, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, and I guess we could even throw Missy Elliot in there too (haha).

Classics

Now for the real classics and oldies. There are three factors that contribute to my taste in this kind of music: 1. My parents were semi-hippies and my father forced me to listen to classic rock every day of my childhood. 2. One of my best friends should have been born in the sixties, as should another of my friends. 3. This music is awesome and had an intense influence on what I still listen to now. First, one of the most all-time classic bands: The Beatles. I really don't think it is possible to pick a favorite Beatles song, because there are SO many, but one that I particularly love is “Eleanor Rigby.” Again, that song has a history behind it for me and my friend, but either way it's a great song. That same friend, the one that should have been born in the sixties, has forced me to listen to the White Album so many times it would be impossible for me to NOT know it. The Doors are also the ultimate classic band, as are Pink Floyd. Both of these bands, especially The Doors, hold many memories for me and have definitely been placed in my life by my dad and my friend. My friend can't get in the car without playing at least one of their songs, and I love her for it. One band I love is Dave Matthews Band. They're not exactly classic, but they've been around forever and everyone loves them. If you don't like Dave Matthews, there's a problem. I know a few people that my friend called “Dave groupies” when we first met them—they go to about 8 shows a year. I'll be going to one this year and that will be enough for me.

Rising Artists

There are a ton of rising bands out there trying to make it that I really like. There are a few that I just happen to love. The first one: The Swellers. I know I've talked a little about them in the past, but I think they're worth mentioning again. They're a band from Michigan, I first heard about them when the came to Boston with Paramore, and they are on tour right now until pretty much the end of the summer, doing a show almost every single day. They are playing at, what looks like, every Warped Tour show. I'd like to take a moment to add that they will probably be one of the only bands at Warped Tour this year worth seeing, which is pretty sad as their headliners used to be absolutely amazing. Another really incredible band is Gone By Daylight, out of western Mass., the Springfield area. I've actually met one of them before; a friend introduced me to him at a Blink show last summer. They're really cool guys, and their music, to me, is awesome. Interestingly, I showed one of their songs to my friend one day, and her first reaction was to tell me the lead singer's voice sounded exactly like Fall Out Boy. Could be an insult, but it wasn't in this case. Listen for yourself:

http://www.myspace.com/gonebydaylight

Acoustic Love

I am a HUGEEEE fan of acoustic music. When I say huge, I mean huge. I have many friends that play acoustic guitar, one of whom is trying to teach me to play. Not coming along that great, but oh well-haha. Anyway. I love acoustic versions of almost any song. Paramore's acoustics are incredible, as are Flyleaf's. The Scene Aesthetic, Spill Canvas and Starting Line do mostly acoustic stuff, which is why I love them too. There are a few artists that are particularly freaking awesome. First, John Mayer: many would say he is pretty much the modern-day king of acoustic guitar. I have an old friend that can't even get over himself whenever he goes to see him live. The man is extremely talented; I don't think anyone could forget, way back when, the first time they heard “Your Body is a Wonderland.” That song, to this day, is still one of my favorites. Anyway, enough about him. Colbie Caillat: yet again, another really really good artist that has been taken away by main-stream radio. I remember the days when Colbie was trying to reach number 1 on the unsigned artists list on MySpace. Now everybody knows her name and she's all over the radio. Well, she's not as bad as some other bands and artists that have sold out, but I still don't like it. Her music is still awesome-My favorite by her is “Realize.” Possibly my very favorite acoustic artist is Dallas Green, aka “City and Colour.” Like I've said before, this artist was introduced to me by an old friend, who I still think of every time I hear his music. Not only is his talent on guitar amazing, his voice is absolutely indescribable. There really is no way to describe this music unless you listen to it. You'll probably find more under the name City & Colour. I recommend “Hello, I'm in Delaware,” “I'm Comin' Home” and “The Girl.”