We Are! The New Year

It's been about a month since I gave you guys some fresh blood, and I thank all you guys out there for being patient with me. I was so unbelievably burned out and needed to recharge so badly, so I've just been taking the last few weeks to recoup and look for some new bands for you guys. But like I promised before, I'm sure that this new crop of groups will have been well worth the wait. I have about ten or so new groups, all different, all amazing, that I want to introduce at the forefront of this new wave of New Rock News 43, and I'm gonna start the swell with these guys.
We Are! The New Year is a five-piece pop-punk band out of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and with a sound like this, I'd bet anything that these guys will be on Warped Tour next year, most definitely. Composed in the ever pop-punkish sense of Chad Childers (lead vocals), DJ McAuley (guitar and vocals), Pat Shively (guitar and vocals), Marc Kubushefki (bass), and Clay Stauffer (drums), We Are! The New Year blast out a sound that's closer to All Time Low and We the Kings than I've heard in a very long time. In a world where pop-punk is a term that can be applied to bands with a sound like Sum 41 or Forever the Sickest Kids, there are so many groups that just seem to copy the sound of someone else, and call themselves a new pop-punk band. This, I'm happy to say, is not the case here. WA!TNY's rhythms are diving and filled with enough hooks to fill an entire album, and this is just from listening to a few of their songs.
I am immediately impressed by the sound of their track "Stuttering" from their release An Amazing Situation. From the first chords of the song, I am delivered a driving rhythm by the team of Kubushefki on bass and Stauffer on drums. One of the best things about this rhythm section is the way that Kubushefki's bass lines seem to take off in a different direction from Stauffer's drums at times, only to land back in time and sync, creating a chaotic yet altogether well structured song. Stauffer, meanwhile, impresses me with tricks all his own as his fills and rolls pulse the song to new heights. Shively and McAuley, too, deliver a hardcore performance, as they're able to balance brilliantly between commendable technique and hard-rock spontaneity. The stop-start chords they rip from their guitars are only furthered by the driving sing-along chorus which is completed with a perfect bow and card by Childers' high-pitched yet oh-so-catchy vocals. The great mini-solo, and xylophone tones thrown in by Stauffer just after the bridge don't hurt either. This is clearly a five-star track, and if the question would be could I see this song vamping up a crowd at a Warped Tour show, the answer is most definitely yes.
If the musical career doesn't work out for these guys, they can certainly make a living coming up with odd, though albeit interesting names for songs. In a tradition that seemed to be perpetuated by Fall Out Boy, I embark on WA!TNY's second track, "Confessions of a Spider." A weird title? Perhaps, but the concept is something that intrigues me, and at the end of this track, I'm a little jealous I didn't come up with the idea myself. Childers is on top of his game and the world in this one, his voice blending in brilliant ways with the guitar notes and riffs of Shively and McAuley to create a shining tapestry of musical tact and melodic heart. If nothing else, this track will make you get up out of your seat and pump your hand in the air as Stauffer and Kubushefki pull the song through a pulse-heightening bridge and solo. A song with a great, original idea that's creatively written, I give this one two thumbs up easily.
As I'm about to close up shop on WA!TNY's Myspace page to come and write this article, I'm pulled back for one last song, and in my opinion, I hope this is the last track on their album, because it leaves you wanting more, and waiting longingly for their next release. "From Now Till Never" is simple in its structure, but that seems to be what makes it so great. Some songs do well because they're very complicated and boast a guitar of bass virtuoso like Clapton or Bruce, but others are great simply because their well-written and don't need that complex component to become a staple at live shows. I'm sure this song is one of those, because I know if I were going to see these guys live, this is one I'd definitely love to hear. With a driving rhythm and guitar chords that are crisp and clear, I am left at the end wanting more from these guys.
We Are! The New Year is most certainly the best way to make my comeback. These guys convey power and passion with no sign of stopping, and that is precisely the feeling I wanted to convey with New Rock News 43. Sometimes I need a break, and sometimes I feel disillusioned, but in the end I wake up, and after hearing bands like this one and the others I will soon reveal, I know I could never stop doing this. There is just too much talent out there, and it's just too much fun showing you guys new groups to rock out to.
I will be back soon with a new band for you guys, and until then it would certainly behoove you to check these guys out. We Are! The New Year promises to be a band that will soon grace the cover of Alternative Press, though I'm gunning to have them interview here first haha. Peace guys, new blood soon. It's great to be back!!

Sounds Like: All Time Low, Forever the Sickest Kids, We the Kings, Fall Out Boy

Key Tracks from An Amazing Situation: "Stuttering," "Confessions of a Spider," "From Now Till Never"

Check out We Are! The New Year more at: http://www.myspace.com/wearethenewyear and http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Are-The-New-Year/363498937146?v=wall&ref=search

A Night Out with a Bill That Rocked Out

So it's been a while since I posted anything here, and though I'm still not quite ready to unveil a new group in full detail, I went to an amazing show this past Friday which most certainly deserves my attention. Up at Swayze's Venue here in Marietta, I saw an amazing lineup comprising NRN43 veterans Have You Seen My Ghost and Fit For Rivals, as well as a couple new groups who impressed me so much that you guys can definitely expect some more literature on them real soon. In the way that only small venues can, Swayze's atmosphere brings with it the from-the-street-grit and musical originality that is oh-so-lacking in big arenas and concert halls. Granted bands like Van Halen or Alice in Chains are much too popular to play small venues anymore, but the point stands, small venues are where the passion can really be felt by us out in the crowd.
Though I missed the first act, number two on the bill was a band from here in Marietta called Valbanera. Now I'll be the first to say that screamo-punk is a very acquired taste, and especially for me, it takes time to really be able to appreciate that kind of sound. What really impressed me, however, was Valbanera's stage presence, and the way they really worked the crowd. It didn't matter if they were playing to 25 people or 2,500 people, the effect was the same: when they were up there doing there thing, there was nothing this side of the Milky Way that was gonna stop them. Holding the microphone over the crowd like he was playing Madison Square Garden, lead singer Gavin Caffrey brought all the emotion and artistic integrity right to the forefront of the blistering set. Valbanera's guitarists too, Peyton Foley and Brian Caffrey, shredded away blurring the lines between emo-punk and straight metal. But Tyler Seaman (bass and vocals) and Anthony Founds (drums) were not to be outdone either, and the rhythm section was as dynamic as could be asked. A powerful performance augmented by technical musicianship, Valbanera will most certainly find their way to my pages again. Keep your eyes open for them.
As if Valbanera's performance wasn't enough, the next act was LOVELOUD, an alternative-hard-rock quartet from Florida. I'd heard these guys on their Myspace and they were most certainly one of the bands that drew me out that night. I can say with concrete certainty that they will most certainly be featured here again, and very soon. A powerful performance that was pushed over the top by songs with amazing melodies that stick in your head, LOVELOUD's sound was so refined and brilliant, I could close my eyes and swear I was listening to a professionally-produced album. These guys sound amazing live, and after the show I caught up with Steven (guitar and vocals) and Jason (guitar) to talk about their sound and plans. These guys are down to earth, and with a set that blows fire and static in every direction, they're not going away any time soon. Keep your eyes open, LOVELOUD will arrive on New Rock News 43 in all their hard-rocking glory very, very soon.
The third band on the bill was also one of my main draws that evening: Fit For Rivals. I'd last seen FFR a few months ago when they played with Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and just as they rocked that show, this one was insane too. FFR have finagled their way onto Warped Tour for a few dates, and I'm stoked to report that one of those dates is here in Atlanta. These guys, for those of you who didn't read the last article I wrote on them (and shame on you for that), are amazing, and last night was no exception. Renee Phoenix's vocals were sharp and serrated, and the guitar interplay between Thomas Amason and Jesse Carroll was fantastic. I could go on and on about these guys, but I'm sure they'll be back here soon, so why take away from from a great article that's sure to grace us sometime soon? Point stands though: Fit For Rivals are definitely one of the up and coming acts from the Florida panhandle and nothing is gonna stop this gritty five-piece.
My last group that night was Have You Seen My Ghost. Once again, HYSMG's music is a bit of an acquired taste for me, but their shows are nonetheless incredible. Blasting off with the simple power-trio formula, HYSMG rides along pulse-pounding bass lines delivered by Lee Jennings and guitar fretwork that bounces back and forth between emo-punk and alternative-rock by Grayson Blanchette. These guys, whether or not you like their music, just give one undeniably amazing show. To detail just how different and incredible it is, for their encore last song (and yes, people were calling for an encore, so that should tell you something), HYSMG pulled everyone in the crowd up on the stage to provide crowd vocals. That is an amazing thing to see. The whole of everyone in the venue up their rocking out with the band...unheard of, and still so fucking cool. These guys definitely outdid themselves, and it was a night well spent.
If you're wondering if there's anymore to come from these guys, there most certainly is. A night spent with Valbanera, Fit For Rivals, LOVELOUD, and Have You Seen My Ghost: who could ask for more? Definitely the best concert I've been to in a long time.

Check out Valbanera more at: http://www.myspace.com/valbanera
Check out LOVELOUD more at: http://www.myspace.com/weareloveloud
Check out Fit For Rivals more at: http://www.myspace.com/fitforrivals
Check out Have You Seen My Ghost more at: http://www.myspace.com/haveyouseenmyghost

I'll Be Back Soon

It's been like two weeks since I last had some fresh blood for you guys, and for that I do apologize. I might be taking a short break after this article for a few weeks so that I can recharge my batteries and continue writing articles that are top-notch and in-depth. I hope you all understand and don't hold it against me. I wish I could be able to write non-stop for you guys all the tie and get bands for you every week without fail, but sometimes we just need a break to keep everything intact.
I assure you all that this is not in any way the end of New Rock News 43, it's just a short break for a while. When I get back, I will have a whole new crop of groups and artists that will blow your minds and totally melt your speakers. I have already started collecting the new cream of the crop, and rather than write a shoddy article about a group who would clearly deserve better, I think it would be better for me, for the groups, and or course for you guys for me to wait just a little bit and craft some really great write-ups so that these groups are done the justice they deserve.
I can honestly say that so far of the groups I've started collecting and researching, I have ones that will appeal to those of you out there who love hard-rock, alternative, pop-rock, pop-punk, and even some really eclectic stuff.
These new articles are gonna be great, so just be patient for a little bit longer. You guys will most certainly not be disappointed, I guarantee that. I promise that they will all be well worth the wait. Peace guys, I'll be back soon. Until then, keep your fists up and keep rockin'.

Seven Story Fall Poised for the Silver Screen

This is gonna be a short post, guys. I don't have a new band for you just yet, but I have exciting news anyway. Seven Story Fall, an amazing pop-punk band from here in Atlanta, and a New Rock News veteran group, just finished shooting their first ever music video today, and I WAS THERE!!! I can honestly say that these guys made an awesome video, and aside from looking for my face in the front row of the crowd haha, just let yourselves give in to the amazing performance these guys put on for you.
SSF is now a four-piece, as former lead-vocalist Mike Hart is pursuing other opportunities (and for those of you who haven't checked out his Myspace page, he's got some really great stuff up on there). From here, bassist-backing vocalist Ryan McManus has assumed responsibilities of lead-vocalist and bassist, and his rhythms coupled with those thrown out by drummer Wesley Moore make for an incredible base for guitarists Justin Calalay and T.J. Routon. Just watching the way these guys flow in and out during a video shoot shows just how talented they are. Routon's and Calalay's guitar parts were as serrated and melodic as ever, and McManus's vocals and frontmanship made this simple video shoot feel like a real concert. Behind it all, it was just a pleasure to hear Wesley Moore driving the rhythms into these songs with the force and grace of any born-to-be rock drummer. Every beat is timed and calculated, and falls brilliantly with McManus's bass notes.
I'm not gonna say what track the video was for. That's not for me to reveal. But what I can say is that I saw the video in all its raw parts up close and personal, and I can't wait to see it put together. Directed by visionary Chris Grieder, who's directed videos for music giants such as There For Tomorrow and Mute Math, this video is gonna be something special; I can tell. I can honestly say that from what I saw, Grieder's effort will yield an impressive video, and for the first single off a new album, this video is gonna rock.
Seven Story Fall will be releasing their new album this summer. Recorded with music wizard James Paul Wisner (Paramore, Underoath, Dashboard Confessional), the new album, from what little snippets I heard today, promises to be an amazing collection of songs that will prove to be the must-hear track-listing for the summer. I can't wait until this video and album come out. And when they do, Seven Story Fall will be unstoppable.
Don't forget to look for me in the front row next to the huge speaker. I'm the one rockin' out to the incredible music. You can't miss me, ha!

Check out Seven Story Fall at: http://www.myspace.com/wearesocontagious

Megan & Liz Striking My 6th Sense

In the week that's gone by since my last post, so many things have happened. Among them, the great Ronnie James Dio, singer for Black Sabbath (in their later years after Ozzy), Heaven and Hell and Dio, sadly died of stomach cancer. Let there be a moment of silence, for the world has lost one of the most amazing artists to ever come forth from metal. Dio will be sorely missed, and his devil horns will live forever in rock tradition.
But let's move to something more positive; something that will lift us up from sadness to amazed acknowledgment of brilliant talent. In the same way that Meg & Dia blew my mind just a couple of years ago when I saw them open for Bowling for Soup, so too this duo is poised to break out onto the acoustic-pop scene with grace and gusto.
Megan & Liz are two talented-beyond-belief twins from Michigan, who for one irrational reason or another are not yet signed to any major label. Listening to the music these girls have up on their Myspace, though, there is a big part of me that wonders if it's even because a label hasn't taken notice. With the raw talent that clearly pours from these sisters, the artist in me says, 'well why do they even need a record label?' They're garnering thousands of hits all on their own, and I'd be amazed if some of their songs didn't go viral.
While Megan provides the majority of the instrumental structure with her skills on the piano and guitar, both she and Liz share songwriting responsibilities and credit, as well as both contributing vocals to the flawless pop arrangements. The talent these girls have is only further exemplified by the intertwining of their individual talents to create a tapestry of color and sound. In fact, their song title "Images Acoustic" seems more like an adjective describing their song-structure and melody than a title for a particular song.
With that, though, let's dive in, so I can show you precisely why these girls got my nod of amazed approval this week.
The first track that's on their Myspace setlist, and the first one I listen to, is "Maybe, Possibly." The song rests seamlessly on a soft acoustic chord progression provided by Megan as she and Liz wrap me in their twin, yet not-merely-interchangeable, voices. As one girl goes up, the other harmonizes and the result is a pop-song that would make Brittany Spears cry because it kicks "...Baby One More Time" in every sense, from style and structure, to performance and execution. As Megan (or Liz, lol, because I can't tell them apart just by their voices) fades in, Liz (or maybe Megan) fades out just slightly; just enough to give the song a surround-sound feeling. This is a simple song. And that's most certainly a compliment. Megan and Liz have taken the simple pop song and simplified it further: just a guitar and two girls who can sing their hearts out. Most definitely the best song I could start with.
The second song I listen to is "6th Sense." One of the things that I love about this song right from the beginning is the driving guitar rhythm that Megan delivers as she and Liz chime in and out, and the voices move so quickly that it's impossible to keep track. That, however, is the beauty in it. I'm so unable to keep up that I get lost in the music, and as the melody bleeds from the speakers, is seeps into and sticks in my ears as clever lyrics rest on the syrupy voices of the twins. One of the other things that makes Megan & Liz different from so many other pop acts out there, and one thing this song certainly benefits from, is a recurring set of lucid, intelligible lyrics. So many pop songs are filled with lyrics about someone's ass, or a fast car, but these make me think deeper, and the wordplay is something that makes the song all that more enjoyable. Absolutely a five-star track if there ever was one. Brilliant.
The last couple songs I'll spoil you guys with here are "Images Acoustic" and "The End." Images Acoustic" is for all intents and purposes the perfect pop song. So rarely have I seen a pop or acoustic act able to make use of the Pixies' loud-quiet-loud dynamic with just a guitar and vocals, but here Megan and Liz do it without even thinking about it. The guitar is a little quite during the verses, but blasts off in melody and feeling as it climbs into the chorus. The change is just sent further into the stratosphere by the crescendo of crashing voices from both Megan and Liz, building on each other to deliver a song that is unforgettable. This will definitely be the song that you can't shake for the next week, and certainly the song you won't want to. The minor bridge in the middle gives the song a twinge of philosophical feeling, before wrapping with the voices of both girls lying perfectly with the guitar notes. One of my new favorite songs.
The latter of the last two, "The End," is the first one I hear where Megan has opted for a piano over a guitar, and after listening to it, I'm glad she did. With ivory notes that serenade as her voice mixes with Liz's, Megan delivers an instrumental track that is short, sweet, and the no-brainer pick for any romance movie soundtrack. There is absolutely nothing I could think of to make this song any better: if you listen to this and can't see why it's raw talent personified, then there's just nothing you can be taught about music.
At first glance, these girls might seem the typical rip-off of an act like Miley Cyrus or Aly & AJ, but after listening to any one of their songs, that thought should be banished from your head. Now I'm not so much a fan of Miley Cyrus or Aly & AJ, though I'm sure they are all quite talented. But what I see here in Megan & Liz is a raw talent that has not been refined by a major record company: this is pure talent and emotion, and the bottom line is, if these girls can do this with no help at all, then it seems to me that the idea of the major record company is obsolete. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I'm just running my mouth at this point. That's a definite possibility. But my point stands firm: Megan & Liz are the next pop-rock act poised for a viral takeover of the acoustic underground. Mark my words, these girls are gonna be huge.

Sounds Like: Meg & Dia, Vanessa Carlton,, Tegan and Sarah, Michelle Branch, Aly & AJ

Key Tracks: "Images Acoustic," "6th Sense," "Maybe, Possibly," "The End"

Check out Megan & Liz more at: http://www.myspace.com/meganandliz and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Megan-and-Liz/110825535603587?ref=ts#!/pages/Megan-and-Liz/71493558675?ref=ts

Feelin' Cheap and Deadly with The Biters

Hey all. It's been a crazy week: my brother's birthday, a graduation party for some close friends, band practice, and other assorted stuff that would just bore you. Negotiations are moving ahead with Platform One: we're still trying to figure out the best way to help each other, but I'm sure whatever arrangement we come to, it'll be good for everyone.

Anyway, like I say every week, enough of this stuff that you guys don't really come here for: let's get on to it and let me unveil my new, awesome discovery. Today that unveiling is in honor of The Biters, a garage-rock foursome right out of here in Atlanta. I first came across these guys a couple months ago when they were featured on Comcast's Bands on Demand for local bands right here in the ATL. I thought they were great then, but as with so much music, it took a few weeks for them to really sink in, and I dare say now they have. In fact, I've been listening to these guys all week long, and with melodies and sing-along lyrics like the ones that populate all their songs, these guys are most certainly poised for an underground takeover the likes of which we haven't seen the garage-rock explosion of the early 2000's with bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes and JET. 

Composed in brilliant simplicity of Tuk (lead vocals and guitar), Matt Gabs (guitar and vocals), Travis (bass and vocals), and Joey (drums and percussion), The Biters deliver a blistering punch through the speakers that I haven't felt since the first time I listened to "Ride" and "Get Free" by The Vines. These guys know their instruments back and forth, up and down, and all the freakin' way around: there's no filler track anywhere on their playlist, and every song you hear, you walk away air-guitaring to until your arms are sore.

Case in point: "Hang Around." A classic garage-punk track that just drills through my ears, tearing up every concept I had of garage-rock along the way, "Hang Around" is clearly the choice lead-off single for The Biters' self-titled debut EP, and that's a choice I whole-heartedly support. Tuk's and Gabs' guitar licks are brilliant Vines' style: serrated, melodic, and hardcore until the end. The ear-splitting solo that's followed by a head-banging bridge only serves to further the "hard-rock" grit of this song. Travis's bass, meanwhile, hits me in the stomach again and again, knocking whatever air was left in my lungs out without a break. I like a bass-line that will absolutely destroy and break my bones, and with it tied to a gut-busting set of drum fills by Joey, "Hang Around" boasts all the choice aspects of a song that could easily stay on the charts for a year, if not more. What pushes it over the top, though? Tuk's vocals, backed by Gabs' and Travis's, scream Vines and White Stripes influence, peppered with The Strokes and JET. I fucking love it, and at a crisp, clear 3:00 long, "Hang Around" is the "no frickin' duh" record label choice for any promotional use. "Hang Around" is simply an incredible song that's a complete experience in and of itself. 

Track two is "So Cheap, So Deadly," and with a title like that I'm already stoked to hear what the actual music can deliver. I'm not disappointed at all: reveling in a driving bass-line augmented by classic rock drums and a rhythm taken right of the '60's rock handbook, "So Cheap, So Deadly" sounds as crisp as "You Really Got Me" did when I first heard it years ago. With a vocal style and guitar licks that throwback to the Davies brothers and classic greats like The Kinks and The Who, The Biters hit gold again with this track. The guitar is brain-splitting, and pierces to crucify any sort of misgiving I might have had about good old garage-rock being dead and buried: it's not even close, and with groups like The Biters carrying the torch, it won't be any time soon. There's nothing left to say about this track other than it's simple audio bliss, and to listen to it would be to get your recommended daily dose of rock. A brilliant accomplishment and a seamless triumph: love it.

The last song I'll let myself reveal here (because let's face it, there's no way I can even hope to do these guys justice with just the words I have here, but I'll try) is "Dreamer." At first, as the waves of sound bleed out and into my room, I'm at a loss for what to write: there are no words for this one, but I'll do my best. This feels like what my dad tells me the summer of '68 felt like, everything I could possibly imagine: a melodic, sing-along chorus with lyrics that float you away and a message that makes you happy to live and even happier to rock. Tuk's vocals are raw and meaningful, and his guitar dances fantastically with Gabs' to produce a technicolor vision of rock. Travis's bass lies just on top of Joey's kicking drums to push me full-throttle into oblivion, and when Tuk and Gabs get to the guitar solo, I'm reminded of the way I felt when I heard The Beatles and Cream for the first time: pure audio utopia, and one I never want to stop.

It should seem a superfluous statement by now to say that these guys are amazing: that doesn't even begin to cover it. Bridging the small expanse between The Kinks and The Who, and The Vines and JET, The Biters are fanning the flames of the garage-rock revolution again. It isn't going to be long before these guys get their due, and when they do, their impact will be the same as when The Strokes and The White Stripes burst onto the scene. If you like anything classic rock, or anything garage-punk, it's like this group was custom tailored for you, and I don't see any way you could possibly be disappointed. The Biters' stuff makes me a dreamer again, and reminds me why I fell in love with rock in the first place, and if you ask me, that's the best thing a band could ever hope to do. Absolutely freakin' amazing. 

Sounds Like: The Kinks, JET, The Strokes, The Vines, The Who

Key Tracks from The Biters: "Hang Around," "Dreamer," "So Cheap, So Deadly"

Check out The Biters more at: http://wearethebiters.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/thebiters  

And It's Me Versus the Robot!

It's been a week since my last post (and this feels like a good time in between posts so I think this might become pretty common), and a lot's happened between the last time I posted an article for you guys and now. Among other things, my blog and my name (yes I know, my ego is gigantic lol) were featured in the press kit of a New Rock News 43 veteran group, Irreverents. The quote is also displayed prominently on their Myspace page, so get your butts over there and check it out.
The next thing, though, will totally blow your minds; every one of you. Yesterday on Monday, May 17th, I was contacted by a couple of event coordinators and music marketing managers at the small but prominent, Chicago-based entertainment company Platform One Entertainment. Apparently there are a couple New Rock News 43 fans over there, and they want to sit down on a phone call with me and talk about doing a collaboration between New Rock News 43 and Platform One Entertainment!! Just so you guys can understand what this means, they've worked with clients like Bon Jovi and Fall Out Boy, and brand name clients like Puma, Gibson and Yahoo. In fact, they've also done business with media giants like ABC, NBC, CBS, and others. Actually, they've have also done business with a couple of our own NRN43 veterans: The Flight Station and Holiday Parade. But these guys pride themselves on staying true to an artist's integrity and artistic flavor, so I am really excited to see what kind of things might be able to come out of this. Even if something doesn't materialize from this though, guys, the word seems to be getting out, and New Rock News 43 is on its way up. I will most definitely keep you guys posted, and let you know everything that happens with every step.
Okay, enough of me inflating my own ego, let's get right down to business, and what you all came here for. Today's story I've been listening to for a few weeks just thinking how I'm going to do these guys justice when I write about them. Brought to my attention by my good friend Andy Gruhin (another NRN43 veteran you might remember), Versus the Robot! are a brilliant pop-punk four-piece whose pop-laced ear-catching melodies perfectly exemplify the emotional high that I'm feeling right now.
Out of Columbia, South Carolina, Versus the Robot! is comprised of Charlie Jackson (lead vocals and guitar), JP Tepper (guitar), Jordan Spanske (bass), and Brandon Hollyday (drums).
Now many of you guys might remember VTR as the side-project of Charlie Jackson (at least that's what a blog post on their Myspace page says), but this is not the sound of a group that is just a side-project band for someone who only pays attention to them when he's bored; this is a full-fledged rock band. Their sound is complete and pure pop brilliance, and the demon (or angel) that will stick in your head all night long.

So let me just launch right into it. The first track I listen to is "Waste of Time." Apart from a great melodic start, "Waste of Time" boasts the rhythm section of a song determined not to fall from the radar. As Tepper and Jackson try brilliantly to outdo each other's great guitar notes, Jackson's vocals float high above, as Hollyday's drums drive me further and further, and Spanske's bass raises my blood-pressure in the best, most intense way. "Waste of Time" is a simple pop-rock song that is simply perfect because of the clear, intelligible lyrics and the blasting, sing-along chorus. But this is not a song that can be waved off as some typical pop song from another wanna-be band; Jackson and gang keep me guessing at every turn with interesting bridge play and small riffs that signal the arrival of a whole new kind of pop song: one that is polished and clean without giving up any of the gritty punk-rock rhythms. I know that I'm going to be humming this chorus for the next five days, and that's the minimum on the inside. What I'd do to hear this song live. 

Track two is "The Science Between Us." This song, much like "Waste of Time," is one that finds its bragging rights in a completely catchy set of lyrics that will drill their way through your skull until you have to make a conscious effort not to sing them. I particularly love the overdubbed vocals here: it's like Jackson is everywhere at once, and laid lightly above his guitar, which dances fantastically with the notes hashed out by Tepper, the melody for this song is set and incredible. But that's only half the journey, because as Jackson and Tepper busy themselves with providing the melody and harmonies, Spankse's bass-lines are slight undertones that meld in the best way with Hollyday's run-through drums. What makes so many pop-rock songs sound so sickeningly similar is their lack of real personality behind the rhythm section; here though Spanske and Hollyday do away with the notion that pop-rock songs can't rock hard, and drive this one through the roof. At just a slight 2:45, "The Science Between Us" is the perfect radio single that will have you begging for more as it flies from the speakers. A brilliant effort on the part of the VTR boys.

The last track for me here is "Sick or Swim," a song that embodies deep, intent thought, at least to me. I don't really know why that's the reaction I get while listening to this song, but I don't object to it. The song's message of thinking that it's not "how you sink or swim," but "how you tread the water," is such a brilliant thought that I wish I had written a song on it. Aside from a way creative concept, the lyrical articulation in this song is nothing short of radiantly commendable: Versus the Robot! have certainly outdone themselves with this one. Most artists find it so hard to marry a great concept with music that does it justice, but here VTR do it seamlessly, and I'm impressed, amazed, and speaking as an artist myself, slightly jealous. These guys have way too much talent for anyone to ignore or deny.

I'm gonna shut up right now, because if I go on any more about these guys, I know that I won't do them justice, and the only thing I'm gonna accomplish is spoil the experience for you guys. If you guys want to see what a set of hands-down five-star tracks should sound like, Versus the Robot! is a pretty damn good place to start. Check these guys out now, or you'll only have yourself to blame when you miss out on an audio experience your ears would kill to hear. Absolutely brilliant. 

Sounds Like: Amber Pacific, Boys Like Girls, The All-American Rejects

Key Tracks: "Waste of Time," "The Science Between Us," "Sink or Swim"

Check out Verses the Robot! more at: http://www.myspace.com/versustherobot and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Versus-The-Robot/112757325429000