2010 might just be a month old, but you’d be hard pressed to find a band with more promise this year than Paper Tongues.  Fusing rock melodies with fiery hip-hop beats their sound is as refreshing as it is unique, a sound that lead singer Aswan North says the band refers to as ‘club rock’.

“It’s definitely an alternative sound, but we didn’t want to miss out on all the influences that each of the members of the band have,” North told Alternative Addiction in a recent interview.  “When we got in the studio and started cramming all that in, the best name we came up with was club rock.”

Playing together for less than 3 years, the members of Paper Tongues have managed to meld their music influences from previous projects into one explosive sound, but bringing the band together wasn’t easy according to North.

“It took a lot of compelling and trying to convince,” said North of recruiting the members of the band. “We all went to LA [but] we hadn’t yet committed as a band, we just wanted to get together and see what was going to happen in the studio.”

The first song the band recorded together was the song “Trinity,” a song that’s inspiring lyrics driving chorus is a signature example of the band’s unique sound.  Not only did it set the tone for the band’s musical style, it proved to the band that they had created something too exceptional to walk away from.

“We knew we had created something special,” North said of the song following its recording.  “I don’t know if we would have taken it this far had the magic not occur on that song.”

First Listen: Trinity by Paper Tongues

Rather than rush out of the studio to road test their new material, North said the band kept working on new material after they’d completed a handful of songs.

“We kind of became like lab rats, we never left the studio,” explained North.  “We ditched everything and went for this one thing.”

The band’s hard work paid off in 2009 when they scored a major label deal with A&M/Octone.  With their major label debut due this summer, the band is already building a strong fan base with “Trinity” holding the top spot on the Alternative Addiction Top 20 for the second week in a row.

Ultimately, North says the band just wants their music to be heard and move people.

"We want fans to walk away from our music with that good feeling,” says North.  “We think our music can bring healing for a group of people, a society, bad politics and artists that feel hopeless. Paper Tongues' music should heal you and make you take a chance again." 

 

Today is Tuesday (I swear, check your calendars) and that means I will be diving into the topic of new music on Radio 929. Today we have the latest from one of the grunge originators, a band that been on top of the charts for three decades, and a collaboration that will leave you feeling dirty.

Pearl Jam – The Fixer: With the opening cords sounding like the opening of Rescue Me theme song (The Von Bondies “C’mon C’mon, that reminds me that’s on tonight, sweet!) you know the song is going to keep you bouncing  and bobbing your head. Although I cant make out 90% of what Eddie Vedder is spiting out (its been that way since I first heard Pearl Jam), the catchy riffs, melody, and short length (2:58ish) makes this a perfect jam pun intended. I don’t know what they are trying to fix, but this easily goes to the top of my Pearl Jam “listen-to-able” tracks.

U2 – I’ll Go Crazy, If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight; now is this U2’s latest great rock ballad? By definition of lastest… YES but the answer is NO by execution. Crazy does have that U2 vibe with the Edges patented sound, but as that Fall Out Boy Esq title (ex: “I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me”) What with the Egyptian sounding sitar in the middle and the end of the song? I am a big U2 fan but this is just another average song off an overall average album. Also the video is well…. Equally average.

Also I would love to know what Bono says in the beginning of the chorus my guess is “It’s not here it’s a mountain” and don’t go looking up the lyrics.

Lastly check out Jet with Iggy Pop (how gross is this guy?) covering Wild One, this totally rocks!

311- Its Alright: 311 must be taking some serious uppers, because they continue to give us upbeat friendly songs off “Uplifter”. This like “Hey You” is a great summer time track and as a positive theme. 311 has always had that laid back attitude but now they just have more of a smile on their faces. Just remember it’s all right wherever you are.

The Fray- Heartless: Yes Kanye West was covered by The Fray and the song is was turned from a hip hop crapshow to a singer song writer ballad. I don’t have much to ay about the song itself but the fact that you can hear three different versions of it… ooo yes 3 you have Kanye’s, the Fray’s, & your American Idol Kris Allen has one too.  It’s not like we are talking about one of the best songs of all time, we are listening to a mediocre song at best.
So here are all three versions let me know what you think 

 

 

 

For years now, Tuesdays have traditionally been the release date for new CDs/Albums.  On that note, I think that every Tuesday I will write about new music whether it be new tunes on Radio 929, a new CD that I think is a must-listen to, or something completely out of left field …but still new.

Today I will talk about three new(ish) songs we are playing on Radio 929

Metric – “Help I’m Alive”: I’m not going to be shy this song is downright terrifying, listen to this tune when the sun goes down and tell me you don’t have to look behind you just to make sure no one is there. Aside from being the scariest song in radio history I dig how the momentum of the song changes several times, the way it’s the heavy drum beating jam until the lyrics sing “Help I’m Alive” then it turns into an early 90’s style acoustic rock ballad(again ish). The lyrics “Come Take My Pulse, The Pace of A Runaway Train” sums up the song quite well.

Dave Matthews Band - “Funny The Way It Is”: I am not a Dave fan in the least; I like about 2 songs, and this is one of them.  I’m about to over use the word “funny”, so prepare yourself. The Funny thing about this song is how terrible MOST of his clichés are. Examples:

“Somebody’s going hungry
And someone else is eating out"

& my favorite

“One kid walks ten miles to school
Another’s dropping out”

Throughout these “funny” lyrics there is one absolute gem; honestly, this could be one of the best lyrics I have heard in a long time:
“Somebody’s heart is broken
and it becomes your favorite song”
Honestly, are their truer lyrics ever written? How many sad tales of the broken hearts have we heard in the past week? At least 35..think about it.

The real “funny” part is how most Dave fans I have chatted with about this song don’t like it, but I consider it one of my Dave Favs (go ahead use it).  Also, it’s the heaviest song I have ever heard from this middle age stoner- well what can I really compare it to,  “The Space Between”?

Silversun Pickups – “Panic Switch”: This is another band I am not crazy about.. ya ya “Lazy Eye” was a cool song.  However, “Panic Switch” totally rocks from start to end, it’s like a great bag of chips (ok now I am reaching, and sounding like Dave Matthews). The song is so rocking you don’t even realize just how whiney the vocals are. It’s just right for driving (the tempo alone will get you through the traffic on 93) and it’s also perfect for a joyride. 

Now here is something fresh off the presses it's Werid Al's latest effort to say popular its called "Craiglist"

 

 

Best things in life are free things right? well if you agree do we have a deal for you head over to our myTunes iTunes store anmd grab a free download of Band of Skulls songs "I Know What I Am". let me know what you think...after all its free! 

http://www.itunes.myradio929.com/

 

 

This subject is hot - again!  Studies apparently show the brain is less engaged when we talk on our phones while driving, even if hands free. We knew that. Texting;even more dangerous.  We knew that. Now, lawmakers are threatening to outlaw/ban use while driving. I see a few issues with the law in my future! 

Not advocating use of phones/email/texting while driving, but I do it.  Equally as distracting?  Eating, drinking hot coffee, changing CDs, reading mapquest directions, listening to the hot voice on GPS, putting on makeup, looking at a gaggle of geese flying by.....well, you get the idea.  Do you think the guy in the semi who’s checking out the babe in the Honda on route 1 is not distracted?  Yea, lawmakers and scientists have their hands full.