Fifth Discovery - The Static Jacks

Bridges and Tunnels is the second EP from the Jersey locals, "The Static Jacks." Yet another great success of a collection of raw musical talent from this group of eighteen year olds. 

Includes:

Henry Kaye - Guitar

Ian Devaney - Vocals

Spencer Kimmins - Bass

Will Eisenberg - Guitar

Nick Brennan - Drums

It opens with a soft guitar line in "Resistance / Self-control" that almost fakes you out on where this record is about to take you. It quickly  builds it's energy sending you into a dancing frenzy while towards the end pulling you back to where it began. 

The record continues casually pulling you in to "Fire On The Bridge and Tunnel Below." A wonderful track that really showcases all the instruments of the group. Within the verses it is as if the vocals are singing a duet with the lead guitar line. The song closes with a change in pace. A funky duel between the bass and the guitars with the drums holding them back from attacking each other. Finally closing out the song with a quick switch smashing it all back together to the usual pace of the song ending it with a sudden unexpected end. 

This of course leaves very little room to take a breather before slamming you right back into the high energy mode of "Stay A Lover." This song to me really shows off how together this band is. From drums, to bass, to guitars, vocals, to even clapping included. This song screams "let go and have a good time." All the elements of "The Static Jacks" mold together even showing that their vocals aren't something just laid on top of the music, but an instrument blending into the mix as well. 

The album closes with a very maturely structured "Wine Cellar." As with "Fire On The Bridge And Tunnel Below," this track casually pulls you in; depicting a story through the words and music. This song has a wonderfully driven ending through complete instrumental for the last minute or so and leaves you with a sound ringing out releasing you from their hold leaving you wanting more. 

The Static Jacks hold a great performance feel on stage and in the studio. I highly recommend this release and their previous EP Sonny Halliday. I also highly recommend their just released christmas single. It's very enjoyable and fun. All of these releases are available on iTunes. 

Be sure to check out their site www.myspace.com/thestaticjacks to check out some tunes, some video footage, and watch for a show to come near you. If you love a good time where you can just let loose, "The Static Jacks" can help you do just that. 

Photo from www.myspace.com/thestaticjacks

April Fools Day 07 - Photo Credit Alex Chaves

Forth Discovery - In This Day & Age...

The Killers have returned with their third full length LP entitled Day & Age. 

The record opens Losing Touch. A soft yet enticing opening pulls you in preparing you for the journey you are about to take. The rest of the song punches with guitars and saxophones, and pulls you back making you feel like your coasting along in a new land yet feeling as though you are on a mission, and at some points, even feeling lost, searching for some hope. 

This is perfect to be followed by a very dreamy, "Human." This songs with it's soaring synth and abstract lyrics can hit your soul in any possible way. A song that lends itself to your heart and it's own interpretation. It definitely makes you feel as though you could do just about anything. 

After the launch out of this earth with "Human" we find ourselves wrapped into a narrative of being abducted by aliens and the life lived after the fact in the fist pumping feet moving mind flying "Spaceman." This song paints a series of beautiful pictures in your brain of a man struggling with what he experienced and that no one around him understands except the ones from far above. 

Suddenly we are pulled away from the far distances of the unknown and pulled into the funky night life of "Joyride." A dangerous journey of risk and high life. Pumping the excitement in your shoes with the lines "When your chips are down, when your highs are low, joyride!"

From there the partying dies out, and we turn to a beautiful ballad known as "A Dustland Fairytale." This song begins with piano and a melody that shouts into the sunset. It slowly adds more instruments into the mix until it fully takes off into a whirlwind of emotions. 

We drift into "This Is Your Life" that is perfect for any stroll out into the world. It has a steady yet determined rhythm. This is where the album really pulls away from The Killers we've known before now, but it is no mistake. It is a relaxed and chill feeling song. 

Followed by the summer dreamland of "I Can't Stay with it's driving acoustic riff, easily able to be connected to a camp fire party on the beach at the close of the summer. A very different sound for The Killers, but again they continue to define themselves in any form they see fit, which only demands respect. 

We blast into a Killers sound from the past with "Neon Tiger." This song flows over hills so smoothly, with a sudden change in a bridge that lends the title of the album within it leading us into a power battle of Brandon shouting "Come on girls and boys! Everyone make some noise!" flowing with the full backing of the group including strings, this part just makes you want to get up, jump around and yes, make some noise. 

"The World We Live In" is a fun classic rock tune mixed with a bit of 80's pop flair. An enjoyable grooving song that leads very nicely into the final song of the record. 

"Goodnight Travel Well" is a very different turn from the rest of the record. It is a very dark and gloomy, yet a very touching and beautiful epic feel attached to it. It reflects wonderfully the moments of a tragedy when everything just feels like its all over. The final end of the song has a sense of hope, all of the instruments and voices just trucking along with a feeling of when you got caught going up the mountain, that you take your last bit of strength and climb over the top to the other side. A song overpowered by emotion with leave you with a silent pause before you get up to continue on with your day. 

The bonus tracks are also a wonderful treat so I recommend those as well. These ten songs of the record are only ten of 30 songs that have been said will be released. 29 songs were recorded for this record and The Killers have said the rest will be released as b-sides in some way, the 30th song to the mix is the Christmas song including The Pet-Shop Boys and Sir Elton John which will no doubt be quite a gift. Keep an eye and ear out for the rest.

With each Killers record I have felt that one or two songs on it just weren't up to par with the rest of the record. This is true with this record as well, but overall I would say that Day & Age triumphs on new grounds and old. New experimental instrumentation and new beautiful lyrics of Brandon that only keep getting better. The Killers continue three for three with solid records leaving fans wondering, where will they go next? We can only wonder for now...

"The star maker says "it ain't so bad, the dream maker's gonna make you mad, the space man says, "everybody look down! it's all in your mind..."

Third Discovery - Friendship

We all know that friendship can be the strongest thing in the world, or the most fragile. Well at least that's something you learn leaving high school. People change and people grow apart. It sucks when it goes sour, but it happens. I have been lucky to at all times, no matter which friends I grew apart from or fought with, I always had two solid best friends that I never part with. They are one of the greatest parts of my life. Now I've had my share of life events that cause me to realize when you need to put away differences and come together for each other. 

Now one of my favorite bands of all time is Blink-182. I didn't know about the break-up till about two weeks after because my friends kept the news from me knowing how bummed I'd be. Don't ask me how they pulled it off because I really don't know haha. Anyway, I was definitely upset that there wouldn't be new music from my favorite band anymore, no more hilarious videos, but what bummed me out the most what the thought that these three best friends that I looked up too were breaking apart and not talking. 

There have been recent events that have bummed out, upset, and scared fans. But it especially was tough for these three men. I'm not going to say to much, you can read the article to get more details. What I will say though, is that sometimes terrible things happen for a reason, and even if you can't figure out that reason, or begin to understand it, it brings people together to be confused about it together. Mark Hoppus has spoken about these events and made a statement that would make any Blink-182 fan excited... 

"In the midst of everything else that has happened lately, Tom, Travis, and I have all spoken together. First through a number of phone calls, and then a couple weeks ago we all hung out for a few hours. They've all been great, very positive conversations. We're just reconnecting as friends after four years of not talking. It's a good thing. Obviously the first question for a lot of people will be, "does this mean a Blink-182 reunion?" The answer is none of us know. We haven't talked about it at all. Right now it's just good for the three of us to see one another, reconnect, and let the past be the past. The events of the past two months supersede everything that happened before. Life is too short."

I've attached the link to the rest of the article at the bottom of this blog. 

Now I was so happy to read that. I am not going to call for a reunion or anything, I mean of course I'd be happy if they made another record, or toured again together, but what I am most happy about is the fact that they are just reconnecting as friends. I'm happy for them and sorry for them for the events that brought them to this point. There is always good in all the bad. 

"Adopt a siege mentality, or embark upon a journey."

-Michael J. Fox

www.himynameismark.com

Second Discovery - Lost Pieces

So today I was preparing some film equipment for a concert I am shooting tomorrow. To start, I went to Delaware recently to stay with my brother because I really needed to get outta dodge. I had brought my camera and stuff to film some things because Delaware has some beautiful landscapes, highly recommend it. Not much to do there, but a wonderful place to relax. Anyway, I left a mic there and I needed it for this shoot tomorrow. So believe it or not, I went alllll the way there, picked it up, got some Sonic (AMAZING [but sadly not near my home]) and came right back. Lesson learned, make some checklists next time!!

Well, now that it's all solved, I am all ready to go, tomorrow will be a great day, I just hope it doesn't rain too bad. I am excited to make my return to New York City finally, the last time was sometime in September I think. Sucks when you don't have money haha. 

Moral of the story... do whatever you can to find any excuse to go to Sonic. 

First Discovery - Making Contact

Alright, awesome, my first blog, so I would certainly appreciate it if you allow me to get my feet wet a little here and understand that this may not be interesting or good by any means, but I think I'll get the hang of it... so, bear with me if you will haha. I'll cover a lot of different grounds using this blog. This may include movies, music, the paranormal, television shows, travel, books, I mean really, does it even matter what I choose to write about? I promise I will do my best to make it an interesting read... hopefully. So a little be about myself, I make music, I make movies, I love looking up at the stars and thinking about what's out there. I mean seriously, the universe... HUGE. We'll have lots to talk about together. 

So yeah, I consider myself to be a pretty kickass person and I will not permit you to disagree because you would just be lying to yourself, and really, that's a slippery slope my friends. 

So for now, I will leave you with your thoughts, and next I will return with my first blog of... something. Enjoy the world.