Jason Anderson

I came across Jason Anderson's music three years ago. My best music friend made me a mix tape of his favorite indie and pop songs for that year. I was driving from NYC to New England, and it started snowing along the NYS Thruway. On this January day, I was listening to the CD, track by track, when suddenly the opening riffs of Jason Anderson's, July 4, 2004 (From The Hopeful and The Unafraid) came on. The song's direct guitar work, descriptive imagery in the lyrics, and real to life story evolution was nothing like I'd ever heard. I kept replaying the song, bellowing loudly to "Oh Ja-son are you still wai-ting..." and "WHOA-Oh-Oh!" Three listens via repeat and I was skidding toward the guardrail ...

 

My first listen to this band was live, when they opened for the Spin Doctors at Pearl Street in Northampton, MA this May (2012). This group of musicians were loud, proud and dynamic. Bigger than life, they made the small club stage flash into arena rock. I knew nothing about them when I first caught their show, but after I saw them, I started asking my music friends and colleagues, 'Do You Know Doug Ratner?' Their performance energy was the height of AC/DC. The tradition of nuance and originality, spiced with a rebellious spirit, was that of the Who. And the impact of their show was definitely quality classic rock.
 
Hearing Lessons Well Learned, and watching them on video however, brings to mind a more punk style and influence. On researching this band, their sense of social justice and willingness to get into some trouble to get people to stop and pay attention to their points, brings their work to a whole different level. They are not just singing about teenage love and heartache, they are speaking to the lives of youth on a broader, yet deeper, scale. Taking on topics such as bullying, rage and societal destruction, their music message is positioned to be startling.
 
 
Do You Know Doug Ratner?

From Frank Palangi's Biography: frankpalangialbumcover

"A solo artist, bringing new music that is a creative sonic blend of rock, that remolds his sound and, thought-provoking lyrics, while offering great melodies and arrangements for the modern audience with a positive outlook."

Influences:

Frank Palangi's influences include Metallica, Megadeth, Godsmack, Def Leppard, Creed, Day of Fire, Three Days Grace, and Johnny Cash.

From Austin Texas, Kent "Omar" Dykes grew up in McComb, Mississippi, which is local to Bo Didley. "The Essential Collection," includes two CD's, with thirty songs total, for a blues education and in depth reflection.  The first of which is a "best of" set of tracks from Omar's discography of songs. The second CD is "Omar's picks," which is the collection of Omar's favorite songs, played with a select group of musicians. There are no fillers here, folks. With multiple talents and tributes to blues legends, each song brings with it a story, that was either told, is being told, or should be told. Spend some quality time with this record, pay it a visit. And be sure to take a good long drink of Omar's "Alligator Wine." You'll never be the same again.

May 19, 2012

thecultpromoweb

The Cult: CHOICE OF WEAPON

It's Raw...It Rocks...It Rolls...

It's a cataclysmic blast!

"My wild Indian
heart was pounding, I was running so fast..."

From lyrics: "Honey from a Knife"

 Choice of Weapon is the Cult's ninth studio album. Released on Cooking Vinyl, produced by Chris Gross and Bob Rock, Choice of Weapon is a multi-faceted, musical journey that jams on every level.

The Bigfoot Legend Rocks On: bigfootwildman1

From their Biography ~

"Bigfoot is described in reports as a large, ape-like, and legendary creature, determined to change the face of music. With the help of singer/guitarist Benjamin Douglas Butt, lead guitarist Darren Michael Butt, bassist Mikey Lee, and drummer Jeremy Burton, this Toronto based band is dedicated to continue spreading the enduring legacy of Bigfoot. By combining elements of punk, hard rock and alternative metal into a sludgy, aggressive sound, Bigfoot will be heard. Bigfoot will be seen."

Dreamy, ethereal, Bon Iver-esque vocals with thoughtful lyrics are the first impressions of The Radioactive Grandma trio works.  As the tracks keep streaming from their self titled LP, it turns into intense contemporary acoustic rock music that parallels the popular work of Mumford and Sons. Jamming guitars press lyrics into urgency without apology. Yet, there are echos and riffs that keep the sound in the popular rock category of what resembles early REM. Global influences seem to interject themselves as well.

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Remember to support your favorite artists through buying their products.
A good place to start is searching BestBuy.com and Amazon.com.