Sami's World of Music

Panic! At The Disco have definitely proven that less IS more. With the departure of two members, leaving the band half the size it was, Vices & Virtues is the newest album from this amazing duo. 

Brendon & Spencer have taken Panic! to a new level with this album. You get the genius songwriting that made A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out the gem that it is & the outstanding variety of musical styles that you loved in Pretty. Odd. & it’s all done in ways that you never would have imagined P!ATD would pull out of their sleeves. 

While there are still lyrics that make you sit back and say “Ok, what?”, it is more grown up. No talk of whores on this album.

You can see that a lot of work was put into Vices & Virtues. With only 10 songs, it goes by very quickly, but each song captivates you. The songs are very distinct and differ from each other. You get a taste of everything! A little rock, a little acoustic, a little 20’s. Everything Panic! is known for delivering. 

Vices & Virtues is veryyyyyy heartfelt. After listening to the album it’s in entirety (and trust me, it’s not a difficult feat. you’ll want to see how it’s possible that the songs keep getting better the more you listen), I came out with a new found respect for Panic! At The Disco. I LOVE this album & I highly recommend listening to it. It far from disappoints. 

These guys are definitely one of my favorite bands ever! I’ll admit that I wasn’t a fan at first. I felt that if I liked this band, it would kind of a kick in the face to my all time favorite band, Mayday Parade. But when I see Jason, Go Radio’s lead singer, & Derek, Mayday’s lead singer, getting along & touring together, I felt it would be alright for me to actually give Go Radio a chance. 

I instantly fell in love. This band has so much dynamic & power it’s hard not to pay attention to them. The lyrics are genuine & pure, the music is beautiful & well thought out, & then you add the amazing voice of Jason Effing Lancaster. All these elements combined, undoubtedly, give you a recipe for success. With two EP’s under their belts, they are set to release their first full length in March of this year. Their first EP, “Welcome To Life” shows the boys’s softer, fun side. Many of the tracks speak of love, both present & lost, & the passion those situations can bring about in people. “Dear Lucian, Dance Forever” is more of the fun love song. It’s shows the innocence of young love. While the track “I Miss You” speaks of love lost. The narrator of the song is madly in love with a girl who seems to be unsure of the relationship. He proclaims that he can’t see how the two of them not being together “could possibly make any sense”. The line “all you need is just some time to mend” points to something happening in their relationship that caused her lots of pain. But he tells her to take all the time she may need & you can tell that he is so deeply in love with her by saying that his “sanity is forever riding” on the amount of time she takes. A few of the tracks show struggles that one must get through. While the hard times are not necessarily specified, you get the sense of triumph. The title track “Welcome To Life” is definitely a  spirit lifter. The message I get is that you should just take life day by day. There’s nothing you can do to change it, so why not go with the flow. My favorite line is “Welcome to hurt, welcome to fear, it’s better now that everybody’s here.” Yeah, you’re gonna feel pain and heartache in life, but you’re not gonna be the only person who has gone through it. You always will have someone to help you. 

Their second EP, “Do Overs & Second Chances,” is nothing short of amazing. This one seems to be more rock than the first, but the same beauty is in this EP. One main theme in this album is, inevitably, love. One song that really stands out is “Thanks For Nothing.” This song is about hurt & cheating, but he’s surprisingly not mad at the girl, it’s the guy she cheated with that he’s angry with. This guy was obviously a close friend & he ruined everything. There’s also a song about accepting love again titled “Letters & Love Notes.” The opening line states that he is ‘tearing down the walls” he built to keep girls like a certain one out. But the most beautiful songs, lyrically, on the album is called “Goodnight Moon”. This song shows how love can be so overwhelmingly wonderful & how even at 4 in the morning it’s still too early to say goodbye. I love that he claims he had no idea how he’s lived without a goodnight kiss from a certain girl. But my favorite song on the entire EP is “You Hold Your Breath, I’ll Hold My Liquor.” It definitely reminds of me old Mayday material, but that’s not an issue. It shows the excitement of love & how magical it can be. Jason really shows off his vocal abilities in this tune, & I’ve yet to listen to it without getting chills every time. My favorite line is “It’s just like California summers with better warmer Florida nights.” & anyone who has ever experienced both, you know exactly what he means. This EP is the epitome of phenomenal. And to go along with that, the album cover is beautiful. It’s genuinely breathtaking in my opinion.

With two amazing EP’s, I can only imagine the greatness that is to come from their full length. I can promise you that I will be getting this album at midnight the day it comes out. 

• Question: whats the meaning of life? - Anonymous
• Answer:

  42. read or watch the hitchhikers guide to galaxy. it explains it all there.

I’ve written about a bunch of bands so far, but I haven’t written about someone who is totally deserving to have a tumblr post dedicated to him. This person is my best buddy in the world, and his name is TREY HARTLEY!!

He’s a local artist and one of the greatest musicians I have come across. For only being 18 years old, he definitely possesses the talent of that of a seasoned veteran.

In the time that I’ve known him, he’s been in a few bands, and each one has been slightly different than the one before. But the thing that has remained the same throughout is his the amazing ability to make great music. Just the instrumentals he creates can stand on their own, but he combines them with astounding vocals and brilliant lyrics that you know he’s put his entire self into writing. And what I love the most is that he writes what he knows. You’re not gonna get anything fake from him. The lyrics he writes are unique and they come from his heart. The greatest thing is the lyrics get stuck in your head instantly. You’re going to find yourself playing his songs on repeat. He’s honest, and he’s bold, and he’s passionate about what he does. You can tell he’s paid attention to every single detail in the music creates.

Now he’s strongly pursuing his solo career. And if what he’s put out is any indication of what’s to come, the world better watch out. At the moment you can hear his newest song called ‘Scream Goodbye’ on his Facebook page (which i will post the link for at the end). This is totally a new side of him than what I am used to. It’s dark and his voice is gritty and raspy. It’s brilliancy in it’s rawest and greatest form.

Trey definitely can play ball with the heavy hitters in the league today. And I know one day, hopefully soon, he’s gonna get his chance to prove that to everyone. I just know he’s going to be selling out shows and having millions of fans. And I can’t think of anyone who would be more deserving of that. He’s the epitome of eating, sleeping, and breathing music. And one day he’s gonna be living the dream ;)

So take a listen to him and tell all your friends about him. And when he gets überly famous, you can say you listened to him before everyone else did.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trey-Hartley/154971297859121?ref=ts

If you haven’t heard this band, you need to. Their newest cd is titled “Favorite Fix” and that’s exactly what it is for me. I’ve been listening to that album on repeat for a few days now. There’s a little something for everyone on this disc. I love how passionate these guys are about their music. There is sooooo much beauty in Tarcy’s vocals that it’s not even funny.

Stand out tracks on “Favorite Fix” are ‘Damn Rough Night’, ‘Miserably Loving You’, & ‘Alive’. ‘Damn Rough Night’ tells of the night you turn 21 & the consequences you face the next morning. While I have not experienced that night, AVP have definitely prepared me for it. The thing that really stands out about this song for me is how responsible the message is. Tarcy mentions a designated driver & not possessing his phone so he doesn’t drunk dial/text. Very responsible song, well, minus waking up with a girl whose name he doesn’t know.

While ‘Damn Rough Night’ is very upbeat, ‘Alive’ & ‘Miserably Loving You’ are slower and two of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard in life. ‘Miserably…” is more or less cute in it’s approach. The guy is in love with a girl named Emily and, from what I get, they had a relationship but Emily ended it. And he’s now trying to get her back. My favorite thing is him telling her that there’s nothing wrong with him lighting up when she walks into a room. I haver fingers crossed for the couple in this song.

‘Alive’ seriously gives me chills every time I listen to it and I find myself playing this song over and over again because Tarcy sings with such honesty and passion and beauty. This song is about something that I have always believed in and that’s how the love of one person can ultimately save someone. And in this song, that person is the same person who hurt you the worst. From the first word sung, you’re captivated. There’s so much pain and heartache in this song, but every now and then, you catch glimpses of hope in his voice. Towards the end of the song there is a breakdown and Tarcy sings “and everything will be just fine.” Those 6 words have so much power and so much pain and so much hope. I’ve never really had a song that stopped me in my tracks while listening to it, but this song did that and so much more.

Like I said, if you’ve never heard Artist vs Poet, you need to. Like as soon as possible. This isn’t just some poppy punk band. They are WAY beyond that. This band is going places and deserve all the recognition in the world.

Music is known as a universal language. No matter where you go, you can recognize music. You may not understand what is being said or who the artist is, but you know what you are hearing.

I believe music is also a universal medium for hope. You listen to music when you do your homework, when you are falling asleep, when you’re driving, or just when you have nothing else to do with your time. We all have our reasons for why we listen to music. But one thing I am sure of is most listen to music to find that little glimmer of hope that they have been searching for. They look for that chorus or hook that shows them life isn’t that bad. They listen for that bridge that makes them rethink everything. They search for the melody that is will keep their good mood going for days. Whether they realize it or not, musicians have the ability to make their listeners believe there is still hope in this world. Their fans hang on their every word for that moment of hope they were waiting for.

Don’t believe me? Go to ANY venue tonight and look at the faces in the crowd. You’re going to see that hope that the band they are watching at that moment is going make everything better. You’re gonna see faces that are waiting for that moment of greatness that changes everything. You’re going to be looking at the faces of people who have stood in line for that chance to believe in something again. Yeah, most people think the concert goers are there to listen to their favorite bands, take pictures, and possibly snag an autograph or two. And I’m tempted to agree with that. But take a closer look at the people waiting in line. You’re gonna see the calm wallflowers, the overly excited super fans with custom made t-shirts, the group who have seen this particular band over 50 times, and the ones just there because their friend had an extra ticket and they’ve never been to a concert before, so let’s make it a free one. But in the hearts of those patiently waiting concert attendees is the hope that they are gonna walk away from this show with something they didn’t have before that night.

We all have that one band who we turn to when we need that little pick-me-up or we just know that we enjoy their music. There’s always going to be that one band that shows us there is still hope and things worth believing in. For me, that band will always be Boys Like Girls. I’ve always said they were the reason I listen to music and that statement holds true to this day. They may not be my favorite band in the world or a band I listen to constantly, but when I do hear their music, I’m instantly happy. I can see that hope in the world. They have a way of getting under my skin with their words and it hits the core of me. And that’s something worth believing in and searching for. So take my challenge, and the next show you attend, take a second and look at the people surrounding you. And take a really good look at their faces. You’re gonna see that hope.

1. Every Avenue - Picture Perfect

I really don’t think this band gets enough credit. Their lyrics are insanely good & David Strauchman’s vocals are a thing to be reckoned with. I have seen this band live & I will admit that I didn’t stick around to watch their set, & after listening to this album again, I regret not staying. And since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out for the next time they are in my neck of the woods.

2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack

Ok, honestly, who didn’t love this movie? Not only were the viewers able to nerd out the entire time, but the music ROCKED! A majority of the songs sound pretty gritty when you listen to it, but it takes you back to one of the greatest movies of the year (or dare I say of all time?)

3. You, Me & Everyone We Know - Some Things Don’t Wash Out

After listening to this album, I know one thing is for sure: DO NOT PISS OFF YM&EWK! They will call you out, BY NAME, if you do. Their lyrics are catchy as all get out & you will want to listen to this album on repeat for days.

4. Between The Trees - Spain

Talk about music that saves lives. This music will inspire you on so many levels. Lead singer, Ryan Kirkland, has such a unique voice & delivery that you will be astounded by every word. For that little pick me up, listen to this album.

5. All Time Low - Nothing Personal

You always have to have that fun album in your collection, & this one definitely qualifies as fun. You can tell that these boys know how to have a good time, it’s very evident in this album. The say what they want to & hopefully you won’t take it personal.

So, I have had the chance to listen to all the songs on the latest edition of the Punk Goes… series. And to be honest, I’m a tad underwhelmed. It’s not at all what I expected. I’m not saying it’s horrible, just not as good as it could be.

But here’s my break down on each song.

• “Down” by Breathe Carolina- while this is one of my favorite songs & I believe Jay Sean has an amazing voice, it’s not too bad. they definitely do the song some justice. the chorus is where the band shines, & in some parts, it sounds A LOT like Jay Sean.
• “Hot ‘N Cold” by Woe Is Me- I never really imagined this song being done from the male perspective, but it’s wonderful! plus they add little funny touches throughout the song. and the vocals & screaming are exceptional!
• “Bad Romance” by Artist vs Poet- I will be honest, I cannot stand Lady GaGa, so I figured I would hate this cover. I was completely wrong. it’s one of my faves on the cd. it’s more rock than GaGa’s version. the vocals are raw & amazing. 
• “In My Head” by Mayday Parade- as stated in an earlier post, I am extremely biased when it comes to Mayday. this song, hands down, is my favorite out of the whole cd. this song just works. Mayday knows what they are doing when it comes to covers. they change it enough to make it Mayday, but not too much to where the listener can’t identify the original.
• “Right Now (Na Na Na) by Asking Alexandria- I can’t really find anything I like about this song. I don’t think this was the right choice for AA. usually adding some screaming to a song, in my book, always makes it better. But even that can’t help this song. I will admit, I prefer it over the original.
• “Paper Planes” by This Century- it’s not too different from the original, but that’s what makes it great. it’s hard to improve on something as great as the M.I.A. version, but they do an amazing job. they’ve kept all the aspects that made this song great in the first place. And it was kinda hard for me to believe this was This Century at first. I believe it now.
• “Heartless” by The Word Alive- I am honestly getting tired of hearing this song covered. Yes, we know that anyone who covers this song is going to do a better job than Kanye did. Stop proving it. I do appreciate, however, the rock aspect of it. That’s totally new. So kudos to The Word Alive for proving they are better than Kanye in such an awesome way.
• “Bulletproof” by Family Force 5- I love FF5, but I CANNOT listen to this song. it annoys me, and there’s no getting over that. I did tolerate 3 minutes & 26 secs of torture just so I could write honestly about this song. But I can’t find a thing I like about it. It’s different from the original, but not enough to make me like it. Sorry guys. I still love you.
• “Blame It” by Of Mice & Men- this has never been a song that I’ve enjoyed listening to, & that hasn’t changed after this cover. It’s good & works in this genre. And I can understand every single word, so I like that. But it’s not gonna be a song that I’ll be listening to on repeat any time soon.
• “Run This Town” by Miss May I- what can I say? I don’t hate it. I really didn’t think a song as hip hop as this one could sound good as a punk song, but it does. The screaming is top notch, and again, the vocals are amazing. I can’t say a bad thing about this one.
• “Airplanes” by The Ready Set- A+ for Jordan. He does both parts of this song exceptionally well. The only critiques I have, minor minor critiques, are it’s a little fast, it would have been nice if it was slowed down a bit, and instead of saying “Bobby Ray” he could’ve changed it to somehow include his name. but I understand, Witzigreuter would be difficult to fit into a song.
• “Dead And Gone” by Cute Is What We Aim For- First off, I could have sworn Cute wasn’t a band anymore. So believe me, I was shocked when I saw they were on the line up. All I have to say is Shaant, what the heck? I never thought I could say a bad thing about my beautiful Shaant, but here I am. This song is ridiculously horrible! I don’t like the way it was recorded, I don’t like the way Shaant’s voice sounds. Just listening, I can see his mouth moving in awkward ways. It just turns me off from the song. Bad!
• “Need You Now” by Sparks The Rescue- I thought I was going to really hate this song when I first started listening to it. But, surprise surprise, I like it. It sounds completely different from the original, and honestly, doesn’t sound like the Sparks The Rescue I love. If you had me listen to this song, without me knowing who it was, my first guess would not be Sparks. It’s good though. I like the new spin on the song.
• “My Love” by We Came As Romans- The only difference I can hear is they added screaming to the song. The music is exactly the same. And it sounds like JT to me. Usually that would be a compliment, but it’s not in this case. Gotta make it different if you wanna stand out. This song fades into the background.

So, there you go kiddos. That’s how I feel about the third volume in the Punk Goes Pop series. How do you feel?

This is a band made popular by doing cover songs. Yeah, I know, who doesn’t cover a song anymore? But these guys do it the right way. After hearing a majority of their songs on YouTube, I think it’s safe to say that if Boyce Avenue decides to cover one of your songs, you’re in trouble. They are more than likely going to out-do your version of your own song. These guys know what they are doing & how to make a song sound the way it should. 

My personal favorite cover is a more recent one. They covered Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.” I honestly didn’t think that song could get any better, but Boyce Avenue proved me wrong. The lyrics are changed a bit to make it come from a male’s perspective, but the feel of the song is just the same. It’s a great song made better.

As most know, the Punk Goes series is soon to release their latest volume, Punk Goes Pop 3, & I am soooooo excited for it. 

Well, this week, my favorite band released their cover which is “In My Head”, originally done by Jasonnnnnnn Deruloooooooo (that’s the proper way to say his name). Maybe I’m a bit biased considering my belief that Mayday Parade can do no wrong when it comes to music, but this cover is incredible! It’s available on iTunes, & your money will NOT be wasted if you purchase it.