Going Back: Mayday Parade

Mayday Parade has been awhile, and I’ve always known that they were pretty good. They are alot like All Time Low and The Maine, good with fast vocals and guitar riffs or slow melodies with sweet pianos.

Today there’s a little bit of both in the song that’s been stuck in my head all week so far.

“Oh Well, Oh Well,” Is amazing. Check it out. ❤

Xoxo Radium

This Week

So this week isn’t a busy week musically, but I’ve been listening to a lot of music!

I will be reviewing the new Halloween Sleeping With Sirens song “Dead Walker Texas Ranger”, and OfViceAndVirtue92’s cover of it, also the new tune “Magic” from Never Shout Never’s upcoming album, Indigo.

Some of my favorite songs by Fall Out Boy, Mayday Parade, The Maine, and A Rocket To The Moon will be featured this week 🙂 So stay tuned and listen to awesome music ❤

Xoxo Radium

Band To Watch: Paradise Fears

I’m an avid music fan; I write articles about music for no profit just so I can share great bands and songs with the world. However, with my growing library of music, it takes a lot for a band to stand out; and even surprise me. Paradise Fears has happened to have done both, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

I found them through an issue of Alternative Press; there were one of the 100 bands to watch out for in 2012. I had stumbled past them the first time I read the magazine, but recently I dug it up to find more music. The first song I heard on YouTube was “Sanctuary”. The sound was sweet and beautiful, and I enjoyed the music. It was surprising to hear the change in vocals in the middle of the song. The keyword describes why it was so good: it was surprising.

It sparked my interest, so I pressed on to listen to their cover of “Payphone” by Maroon 5. Usually, I digress; I skip the song after it hits Wiz Khalifa’s part because I just don’t like it. But that part was lost to me when I was listening to Paradise Fears’ cover. The rapping hit me as a total shocker when he started saying a different- in my opinion, improved- version that reminded me of Paint (a YouTube personality whom I might do an article on day). It was good musically and vocally and the improvisation was amazing. I listen to it often now.

All in all, this band has a sense of music, surprise, and soul that it takes to be a great band. They’ve got a bunch of likes on Facebook; you should go be one of them!

❤

http://www.paradisefears.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/paradisefears?fref=ts

Xoxo Radium Rollercoaster

Look Out For: We Are Forever

Watch out boys and girls, if you like pop –rock bands, there’s a name that’s going to show up very soon. That name is We Are Forever, and this dedicated band is making great music. In fact, I got a Facebook message about checking them out! They are self-proclaimed pop-rock, but pop-punk fans will fall deeply in love with them; they are similar to All Time Low, We the Kings, and Mayday Parade. They actually draw influence from Go Radio, Mayday Parade, All Time Low, and Marianas Trench!! [So I’m getting better at guessing!]

This rock quintet is from Indianapolis, and their debut album “Seasons” is a must –hear.  The tune “Take My Hand” is a song that: if you can’t dance to it, then I am not sure what you CAN dance to. From slow lullabies to sweet guitar riffs and pulsing drums, they’ve got every element of a band that has the potential to get very, very big. Keep an ear out, because you’ll hear them!

I hope they start touring soon so I can get an interview for you guys (:

For now, here is “Take My Hand” and a link to their Facebook ;D

http://www.facebook.com/weareforeverband

Xoxo Radium

Don’t Panic: It’s The New All Time Low Record

Recently [like yesterday recently] All Time Low released their new album, Don’t Panic. This album is released through Hopeless- their original record label- and not Interscope like Dirty Work. While I enjoyed Dirty Work thoroughly, I did prefer their older songs and if you thought anything was missing from that album, Don’t Panic will wash all those desires away, because this is an amazing album instrumentally and very powerful lyrically.

Starting with the power-pop anthem “Reckless and the Brave”, Don’t Panic is a diverse yet impressive album. “Reckless and the Brave” is a call to arms for All Time Low fans, and the following “Backseat Serenade” is a melodic tune that can be listened to anytime anywhere, an automatic favorite for me.  “If These Sheets Were States” is one of the more metaphorical songs I’ve heard from All Time Low, and it’s definitely a relatable song if you’ve ever had a relationship that was farther away than you’d like.

“Somewhere in Neverland” is a last minute plea for a happy life, with the familiar powerful guitar of Nothing Personal. I feel like “So Long Soldier” is almost too busy: with the constant drums fast words and guitar it just gets overwhelming throughout most of the song.  “The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver” this song jumps into an angry (about as angry as All Time Low can get) with sarcasm and frustration. It’s got a running beat and will probably make you want to dance, and singing along because life [and sometimes a specific person] pisses us all of like this one day or another. “To Live and Let Go” has a more rock feel, like a cover of a Perfect Circle song, with some lyrics that require some translation, it’s not a simple hit and run tune, but great because of it.

For “Outlines” all I can say is: dang, lyrics. This is one you have to know the words to or it won’t ever mean much to you. It’s amazing. “Thanks to You” This is a song you’ll want to dedicate to someone in your life, and it will be your friend during hard times. “For Baltimore” was their second single, and I personally didn’t feel much for it; different than most All Time Low songs and maybe that’s what it was going for.  “Paint Your Wings” is very satirical in lyrics, and sounds just like All Time Low. “So Long, and Thanks for All the Booze” is a very self-identifying ending to the album.

I think that this album has its ups and downs, but it’s a return to All Time Low’s genius and the original appeal that got them famous and made them heroes to their fans. I love the lyrical depth that was pulled through this album and I think it’s definitely a good listen. ❤

Xoxo Radium

Sleeping With Sirens: Roger Rabbit Music Video

Yesterday, MTVU released a new music video: specifically “Roger Rabbit” by Sleeping With Sirens, my favorite song from their newest EP If You Were A Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrack. Now, while the song may have many interpretations, the music video doesn’t give it a meaning; it gives it a feeling. All the video is composed of is a beach, the ocean, some grass, the band, and a dog. It seems boring but watching the interactions and simply enjoying the video gives the song more ambience without completely trying to steer your perception of the song away from YOUR perception. Simple, but it does the job. Enjoy!

Xoxo Radium

Punk Goes Pop 5: Hit Or Miss?

Last week, a video uploaded by Bryan Stars brought up the question: Why is Punk Goes Pop so popular? “I think it’s because, as music fans who genuinely love like punk music, we don’t understand why people like One Direction and Justin Bieber and all the other garbage we hear on the radio, and we love it when they take songs that everyone else like, and actually make them god. Because then we can actually understand ‘oh that’s why they like it.’”

This is almost the perfect explanation. Punk Goes Pop takes songs that we all know (even if not by choice) and gives them more personality and spice that we personally can relate to because we like these bands. We like to show that our favorite bands can take a Jason Derulo, Lady Gaga (although I am guilty of actually liking her), or even a Miley Cyrus song and give it a bass drop or make it faster, when most pop musicians just can’t take a Breathe Carolina or A Day to Remember song and cover it.

From the first to the fourth I have been in love with 95% of what comes out of Punk Goes Pop. Most of them turn out to be amazing. Reviewing the two released songs of Punk Goes Pop 5, I’m questioning whether or not the album will turn out to be a huge success, or will the masses of “punk” lovers turn away from it?

The first song I listened to was Upon This Dawning’s cover of “Call Me Maybe”. Being unfamiliar with the band, I took a minute to scan through a couple of songs. I have one word: Hardcore. It’s farther away from punk than most rock genres, but that perception was skewered a while ago, so I judge little on that. In a nutshell, this cover is also hardcore. I present this argument: the lyrics themselves were meant for little more than a colorful rock song. The constant screaming leaves little more for Punk Goes Pop fans than to smirk at how much ‘better’ this genre is than pop. Radium…is not impressed.

Memphis May Fire picks up the slack with Grenade. The verses and choruses are a rock-ified version of Bruno Mars’ original, with Matty’s vocals adding personality with vocal runs and the screaming during the bridge’s drop.  The lyrics fit with an angry-yet sensitive rock musician, and the instrumentals are great. I like this cover.

So, with two covers of different styles (and for me, different opinions), and songs from recent radio “Glad You Came” covered by We Came as Romans, “Boyfriend” covered by Issues, and “Payphone” covered by Crown the Empire, and older songs “Billie Jean” covered by Breathe Carolina and “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” covered by The Maine-  this new Punk Goes Pop could go any which direction. What do YOU think?

Xoxo Radium

My Chemical Romance: It’s ALIVE!

Everyone who knows me is aware that I love My Chemical Romance. That’s my band. And I’ve tried to keep them as alive as possible. But on the soundtrack of Tim Burton’s new movie “Frankenweenie” they did it themselves.

Frank Iero, the wonderfully energetic rhythm guitarist for My Chemical Romance (and singer for Leathermouth) is featured on the movies soundtrack with a new tune “This Song Is A Curse”. If you are familiar with Frank’s side project Leathermouth, then you know that his voice and singing voice is very different. For a kid’s movie, Frankenweenie is a little strange and Frank’s song pulls this off perfectly. It’s a great tune.

MCR5 IS IN THE MAKING. Gerard Way said that yes it is a bit dark and they will be dressing up ❤ Only MCR fans will truly understand why this is great news.

And finally, Conventional Weapons is the album MCR made before they decided to scrap it and go on to Danger Days. Frank Iero- a busy bee this fall- wrote a post on why they decided to bring this album back. This is not MCR5 but it is being released beforehand. 2 songs a month for 5 months starting Octoer 30th. Check out the article and pick yours up this 30th!

http://www.mychemicalromance.com/blog/frank/conventional-weapons

Xoxo Radium Rollercoaster