Sometimes you just have to go back to where it all started. For me, it was the Backstreet Boys. I was obsessed with them as a kid. And by obsessed, I mean I was convinced I was going to marry a Backstreet Boy (Brian Littrell if you must know). As ridiculous as that sounds, I know my love for their music was one of the reasons I became a music journalist.
Growing up, I always wondered who their songs were about, if they actually wrote them, what really went on backstage and what they really were like as people. These burning questions haven’t changed much over the years and this curiously is what sparked my passion for journalism in the first place.
This week, BSB announced that they’ll be hitting the road in celebration of their 20th anniversary as a band. Additionally, new music is on the way and the guys have written most of the tracks for their upcoming July 30th release In A World Like This.
Confession: I spent an entire day this week revisiting all their old hits and am amazed that I still know all the words to many of their songs. Like this one especially, “As Long As You Love Me.” Say what you will about the Backstreet Boys, but you can’t deny that their songs are incredibly catchy.
I’ve had this song on repeat all last week after I learned that Reeve Carney of the band Carney would be starring as the love interest in Taylor Swift’s new music video “I New You Were Trouble.”
Last winter while getting food with friends in town Reeve joined us for dinner. All I knew about him was that he was an actor and just came from rehearsal but as the night went on my friends and I learned that he was the lead role in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. We were eating dinner with Spider-Man!
He told us that the music producer of the play happened to catch a show his band, Carney, was playing and wanted to cast him as the lead. He was incredibly humble considering he was also tapped to open for U2 and was working directly with Bono and The Edge.
Days after that dinner I saw his name everywhere — a feature in Rolling Stone, billboards, etc. I must admit I’m pretty thankful I didn’t know who he was during most of dinner because I might have interrogated him and turned dinner into an interview segment. Anyway, once learning he would be in Taylor Swift’s new video I decided to listen to his music and was reminded how much I love “Think of You.” A simple sentiment, Reeve’s raspy vocals and delicate yet powerful strums of the guitar showcase the song’s beauty.
It’s officially December and with that a little bit closer to Christmas. Out of all the holiday music videos I’ve seen over the years this one just might be my favorite. Listen to Lady Antebellum put their own spin on the classic and see how one boy’s mistletoe scheme pans out below.
The first time I heard “National Anthem” I loved it. In fact, it’s become one of my favorite tracks by Gaslight Anthem. The last song on their latest album Handwritten, it was the perfect close to the LP. The stripped down track is made up of delicate strums of the acoustic guitar alongside Brian Fallon’s raspy vocals which initially struck a chord.
Earlier this week the band released a music video to the song which included haunting images of the destruction Hurricane Sandy made to New Jersey, specifically those living by the Jersey Shore. Their home state, the band has been doing what they can to raise money for those who have lost everything including creating posters and T-shirts where all the proceeds will be donated to those in need.
Gaslight Anthem will play three sold-out concerts next week at Terminal 5 in New York. You’ll be able to watch their show live Thursday, November 15 at 9:15 p.m. EST on AXS TV.
I’ve been so into the pop and country world lately I haven’t been discovering as many indie bands as I’d like to. Always open to new music recommendations a co-worker sent me a list of bands I should check out asking, “Do you know Lucero? If you don’t you should!”
I must have enjoyed them because I wound up listening to a few of their albums throughout the entire day. With raspy vocals from frontman Ben Nichols that brings to mind Bruce Springsteen and Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon I was pretty much sold. SXSW’s description of the band only makes sense to why I like them. “Lucero’s punk rock roots flavor their now “country-ish” music, while their Southern roots give them the twang that they have come to be known by,” they write.
This week I went to a cafe in Brooklyn to get some writing done and was taken by one of the band’s they were playing over the speakers. “I know this band!” I thought to myself but couldn’t place who it was. So, I wrote down the lyrics (naturally) to check when I got home. And guess who it was? Lucero. The female vocals provided by Amy Lavere on “I Want Your Love” threw me off a bit but the bluesy horn features and percussion reminded me just why I like Lucero so much.
I can’t stop listening to this band (when I’m not listening to Justin Bieber for work or country while freelancing). I think you’ll dig them too.
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of interviewing OneRepublic. The first single off their upcoming album was released on Monday and a portion of the proceeds of the song go to Save the Children. Frontman Ryan Tedder told me how the idea came about and how important it was for the band to do something bigger than they are.
“Initially we just had the beginning of a song. Save the Children came along and it coincided with another thought that we had as a band which was on this album to really focus on doing stuff that actually served a greater purpose other than just putting out another song,” he said. “The process of trying to get hits or constantly keep up with the Joneses, after a certain point it’s like, ‘Wait. Why are we doing this?’”
It’s hard to believe I’ve been living in Brooklyn for two years now. I still remember the first time I came to Park Slope as if it was yesterday. I was celebrating a friend’s birthday and as we were walking to our cars to head back to Jersey two guys walked out of a local restaurant on Fifth Avenue and I did a double take. Dressed all in black with tattoos on their arms I turned to my friend (and now roommate Monica) and said, “Those guys are definitely in a band.” As I got a closer look I realized they were two of the guys from Gaslight Anthem! Naturally, I blogged about it (see below).
Last Friday, Monica, Wendy and I headed into Brooklyn to celebrate friend and fellow music journalist Emily’s birthday. After an artery clogging meal at Chip Shop, frozen hot chocolate to die for, an impromptu stop at Southpaw and a few packed vintage stores later, we headed back to the car. Coming out of a restaurant with takeout bags in their hands were two guys that HAD to be in a band. After getting a closer look I realized they were from Gaslight Anthem, Jersey’s very own up-and-coming rock stars, and a group I’ve been trying to interview for nearly two years now.
I wish I could say I didn’t act like a stalker and casually continued to the car, but I HAD to say hi! I approached the guys and asked rather eagerly if they were Gaslight Anthem to which they said yes and we chatted for a few minutes. Monica and I told lead singer Brian Fallon that we used to work with drummer Benny Horowitz in college at Rutgers’ newspaper, The Daily Targum. He told us about moving to Brooklyn, missing Jersey and their current tour schedule. Meanwhile, I tried to maintain my composure without sounding like a crazy fan because they’re all I listen to at full blast while driving around Jersey. Apparently, I’m the first person that’s recognized them on the street, although bassist Alex Levine told me they’ve been mistaken for Depeche Mode.
As we were saying our goodbyes, they told me to reach out to their publicist about setting up an interview. Hopefully, this time around it’ll actually happen. I’ll keep you posted!
Over two years later I’m glad to report I finally did get that interview! Sometimes being patient is everything.
For the past two years I’ve lived with Farrah and Monica and it’s hard to imagine living with anyone else. The Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” was our soundtrack to the summer two years ago when the three of us were apartment shopping all over Brooklyn. An exhausting job, we came across some great places (way out of our budget) and some awful spots.
Next week at this time Farrah will be headed to Israel and although I don’t think it’s hit either of us yet the apartment will be a lot quieter without her. Over the years she’s introduced me to so many bands which I’ve featured on this blog (one of our favorites Whale Belly who’s playing Mercury Lounge next Tuesday!) and I hope I’ve done the same for her. Farrah, this ones for you.
I’m not quite sure why, but I keep running into famous artists in the bathroom at work. I guess it’s not a huge surprise since we have musicians come in almost every day at CBS but it remains to catch me off guard.
A few months ago my boss had Neon Trees in for an interview and since she was playing their music all morning I had one of their songs, “Animal” stuck in my head. Walking into the bathroom I was definitely humming it when I realized the drummer was at the sink washing her hands. I was pretty mortified and couldn’t think quick enough to say anything witty so I simply said nothing at all.
Yesterday, I walked into the bathroom at work and there was a line (there’s never a line in the girl’s room — at least at work). Out of the stall comes Melissa Etheridge. THE Grammy Award Winning Melissa Etheridge. She was joking of how the toilet wouldn’t flush as if she was one of our co-workers and we all just stared, most likely thinking the same thing: Melissa Etheridge is in the bathroom and she’s talking to us!
When I went into the stall I noticed a pair of glasses and immediately told my friend, “I think these are Melissa Etheridge’s glasses!”
“Well, go give them to her,” she said.
For some reason all common sense just escaped from me. On my way out to find her she came back in looking for her glasses and thanked me. All I could think was, “I just met Melissa Etheridge in the bathroom and held her glasses in my hand!”
I don’t have too many starstruck moments but this was definitely one of them.
I have to be completely honest: I never knew what a pontoon was before I saw Little Big Town’s music video. Growing up in Jersey with a pool in the backyard, we never went to the lake. I never even heard the word pontoon in context until their song.
Earlier this week, I interviewed the band for Billboard and I surveyed my co-workers to find out if they were familiar with this mode of transportation. Turns out everyone knew what a pontoon was except me. Not quite sure if I should admit this to Little Big Town, (my sister said no) I decided I might as well– but waited until the very end of our interview.
The band were good sports and didn’t seem too alarmed. In fact, when preparing for their CMT performance earlier this summer in Las Vegas they said most of the people they talked to there never heard the term either.
So, boat makers everywhere have Little Big Town to thank for teaching us all what a pontoon really is. Their fastest selling single to date, the group is providing pontoon awareness all the way up the country charts.
Join Little Big Town in the water below and stay tuned for my interview with them!
I’ve had this song stuck in my head for days. It has the classic country storyline of yearning for that crush in the eyes of both the guy and the girl and the video brings the tale to life for the listener.
The lead single off Gloriana’s sophomore release, A Thousand Miles Left Behind due in stores Tuesday, is a personal and relatable track and was inspired by real life for one of the band members.
“A lot of the songs on the album are written from the point of view of the person I would like to be,” Tom Gossin said. “’Like on ‘(Kissed You) Good Night,’ my alter ego comes in and does what I’m afraid to do in real life. It’s ultimately a song about not ending up with regrets because the worst thing is to look back on something and think, ‘I wish I had done things differently.’”
The trio’s latest hit recalls another three member country act — Lady Antebellum. With their alternating male/female lead vocals and memorable harmonies the single continues to climb it’s way up the charts. If “(Kissed You) Good Night” is any indication of the band’s upcoming album, it will no doubt be a solid release. I’ll be interviewing Gloriana next week so be sure to let me know if you have any questions and leave them in the comments!
I’ll be interviewing Gloriana next week so be sure to let me know if you have any questions and leave them in the comments!
