Song Of The Week: 2/24/19

Song: "Cash Cowbell"

Artist: A Static Lullaby

Album: "Faso Latido"

Year: 2005

Place Of Origin: Chino Hills, California

Years Active: 2001 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Cash Cowbell" appears to be a song about a band's life when signed to a major label. The benefit is that you have more money to put towards projects and the best studios with which to record your material. The downside is that you no longer control your band. This is especially true if you are a young, inexperienced band. You are just merchandise to the major labels and when they use up everything they can from you, they toss you aside and seek out the next big thing.

A STATIC LULLABY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2003 - And Don't Forget To Breathe (Ferret Records)
2005 - Faso Latido (Columbia Records)
2006 - A Static Lullaby (Fearless Records)
2008 - Rattlesnake! (Fearless Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF A STATIC LULLABY:

A Static Lullaby formed as a band back in 2001 when the band members were all in high school and mostly all in other bands. They all decided to come together and ditch their other bands. Early on they recorded two EP's, a self-titled EP and "Withered". The band signed on with Ferret Records to record their debut full length album, "And Don't Forget To Breathe". To support this album, A Static Lullaby opened for such bands as AFI, My Chemical Romance and Brand New. Columbia Records signed A Static Lullaby and in 2005, the band made their major label debut with "Faso Latido". This album was met with generally mixed reviews and Columbia wound up dropping the band soon after the release. A Static Lullaby hooked on with Fearless Records which proved to be a much better working relationship as they dropped what many feel was their best album, the self-titled "A Static Lullaby". This album saw the band go back to a heavier, more aggressive sound. In 2008, the band dropped "Rattlesnake!", also on Fearless Records. In 2011, the band released a stand alone single called "Cinematic Attractions". A Static Lullaby announced that they were breaking up in 2012 via their Facebook page. They played what was supposed to be their final show on July 7, 2012 in Indonesia but on Christmas eve 2015, they announced that they were reuniting to play four shows in California, including playing the Glasshouse in their hometown on February 27, 2016. Not much in the way of news about A Static Lullaby working on some new music but their Facebook page is still active so, perhaps there is something on the horizon. A Static Lullaby is a post-hardcore band that utilizes clean vocals and screaming vocals. The band has featured somewhat of a revolving door of musicians coming in and out of the band with the only two constants being Joe Brown and Dan Arnold. As for similar styles, if you enjoy the music from bands like From First To Last, Funeral For A Friend, Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids or Silverstein, then you would probably enjoy A Static Lullaby. I wouldn't say they stand out from the pack like a Silverstein or Funeral For A Friend does, but they are a pretty good band.

TEN A STATIC LULLABY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. The Art Of Sharing Lovers
2. Stand Up
3. Lipgloss and Letdown
4. Radio Flyer's Last Journey
5. Under Water Knife Fight
6. Hang 'em High
7. The Shooting Star That Destroyed Us
8. Let Go
9. Rattlesnake!
10. Toxic (Britney Spears cover)

Song Of The Week: 2/17/19

Song: "One Tree Hill"

Artist: U2

Album: "The Joshua Tree"

Year: 1987

Place Of Origin: Dublin, Ireland

Years Active: 1976 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

I can't say it any better what this song is about than a direct quote from the "One Tree Hill" Wikipedia page so here it is: "The track was written in memory of Greg Carroll, a Māori man the band first met in Auckland during the Unforgettable Fire Tour in 1984. He became very close friends with lead singer Bono and later served as a roadie for the group. Carroll was killed in July 1986 in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. Following the tangi funeral in New Zealand, Bono wrote the lyrics to "One Tree Hill" in Carroll's memory. The lyrics reflect Bono's thoughts at the tangi and during his first night in New Zealand when Carroll took him up Auckland's One Tree Hill."

U2 DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1980 - Boy (Island Records)
1981 - October (Island Records)
1983 - War (Island Records)
1983 - Under A Blood Red Sky (Island Records)
1984 - The Unforgettable Fire (Island Records)
1987 - The Joshua Tree (Island Records)
1988 - Rattle And Hum (Island Records)
1991 - Achtung Baby (Island Records)
1993 - Zooropa (Island Records)
1997 - Pop (Island Records)
2000 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (Island/Interscope Records)
2004 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (Island/Interscope Records)
2009 - No Line On The Horizon (Island/Interscope Records)
2014 - Songs Of Innocence (Island Records)
2017 - Songs Of Experience (Island Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF U2:

U2 formed as a band back in 1976. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Bono (vocals), The Edge (guitars), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums) could barely play their instruments but an inherent chemistry and a hard work ethic would eventually propel them to become one of the biggest musical artists of all time. The band quickly inked a record deal with Island Records, a partnership that exists to the current day. They released their debut album in 1980, entitled "Boy", but it was their third release, 1983's "War" that started to garner the band some international success. Thanks to the hit single "New Year's Day", "War" would reach #12 on the Billboard 200 charts in the U.S. The single "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" from the band's 1984 album, "The Unforgettable Fire" would be the band's first song to chart in the top 40 in the States. Then 1987 happened! "The Joshua Tree" would be the zenith for U2, selling over 25 million units worldwide and being certified diamond! With singles like "With Or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Where The Streets Have No Names", "The Joshua Tree" spent a whopping nine weeks in the #1 slot on the Billboard 200 charts! A definite defining moment in U2's musical career. When the follow up to "The Joshua Tree", "Rattle And Hum", failed to live up to the expectations of the band, they dropped another bombshell of an album in 1991, "Achtung Baby". This album would go on to be certified 8X platinum and featured the singles "Mysterious Ways" and possibly the band's biggest song ever, "One". This album also won the band a Grammy Award. The band's next two albums, 1993's "Zooropa" and 1997's "Pop" saw the band experiment with different sounds and influences but it almost felt like the band lost it's way a little bit. Then comes the third hammer to drop for U2, 2000's "All That You Can't Leave Behind". This marked a return to a sound more rooted in rock and roll and had the feel of a band getting back to basics. This album would be certified 4X platinum and contained mega worldwide hit singles like "Beautiful Day", "Walk On" and "Elevation". 2004's "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" continued with the success of their previous release and had a heavier feel to it. Thanks to hit singles such as "Vertigo", "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and "City Of Blinding Lights", this album would go on to win 5 Grammy Awards! U2 would go on to release three more full length albums, the most recent being 2017's "Songs Of Experience". 2009's "No Line On The Horizon" would be their last album to be certified platinum in the U.S. however. Though their last two albums were not as commercially successful as previous efforts, U2 still sells out massive worldwide tours. Whenver they embark on tours you can guarantee that theirs will be one of the highest grossing tours for that particular year. The band also is one of the most charitable and philanthropic bands out there, putting their name behind several causes all over the world. They are huge backers of human rights and they try to use their influence to shine a light on injustices that occur around the world. The band has sold over 170 millions worldwide, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and to this day, are one of the biggest acts in all of music, any genre. They were influenced by bands like Television, Joy Division, The Clash, The Who, Ramones, The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Patti Smith and they, in turn, have influenced thousands of bands that followed them. They are a band that is not afraid to experiment with different sounds from new wave, to roots rock, to electronic, to pop, to mainstream rock and they blend it all into a unique sound that is all their own. One of the greatest rock bands of all time, U2!

TEN U2 SONGS THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Where The Streets Have No Name
2. One
3. Beautiful Day
4. Elevation
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday
6. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
8. City Of Blinding Lights
9. Vertigo
10. Stuck In A Moment That You Can't Get Out Of

Song Of The Week: 2/10/19

Song: "Wake Up The Voiceless"

Artist: Story Of The Year

Album: "In The Wake Of Determination"

Year: 2005

Place Of Origin: St. Louis, Missouri

Years Active: 2000 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Wake Up The Voiceless" appears to be a song about not conforming to the status quo. The defiance could be towards things such as government, societal issues, or even organized religion. Basically, rising against anything that tries to mold who you are and especially something that would want you to alienate or segregate someone because of different beliefs. The vocalist is for unity of mankind and the rebellion against those who separate and discriminate.

STORY OF THE YEAR DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2003 - Page Avenue (Maverick Records)
2005 - Live In The Lou (Maverick Records)
2005 - In The Wake Of Determination (Maverick Records)
2008 - The Black Swan (Epitaph Records)
2010 - The Constant (Epitaph Records)
2013 - Page Avenue: 10 Years And Counting (self-released)
2017 - Wolves (self-released)

CURRENT STATUS OF STORY OF THE YEAR:

Story Of The Year formed as a band back in 2000. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, the band was originally called Big Blue Monkey and they did release some EP's and demos under that moniker. In 2002, the band changed their name to Story Of The Year, which was the title of their last EP as Big Blue Monkey. The band signed to Maverick Records and dropped their debut full length album in 2003 called "Page Avenue". Story Of The Year smashed through the gate with this album, featuring hit singles such as "Until The Day I Die", "Anthem Of Our Dying Day" and "Sidewalks". "Page Avenue" would go on to be certified gold and was Story Of The Year's most successful album to date. The band's sophomore effort, "In The Wake Of Determination", would debut at #19 on the Billboard 200 charts but failed to live up to it's predecessor. It also marked a heavier sound for the band. Story Of The Year signed on with legendary punk label Epitaph Records at this time and had a bit of a comeback with the 2008 album, "The Black Swan". The single "Wake Up" garnered the band some success and airplay on rock radio. In 2010, Story Of The Year finished up their deal with Epitaph and released the album "The Constant". After touring in support of "The Constant", Story Of The Year went on a brief hiatus from 2011 till 2013. During that time, all the band members focused their energies on side projects. In 2013, the band reunited for a tour in support of the 10 year anniversary of their debut album "Page Avenue". The band also put out an album called "Page Avenue: 10 Years And Counting" which featured all the songs on that debut album re-worked and re-recorded. Most recently, Story Of The Year self-released the album "Wolves" in 2017. This album was funded by the fans through PledgeMusic. Story Of The Year is one of those bands that incorporate post-hardcore, pop punk, emo and screamo elements. This style seemed very popular in the early and mid 2000's. I always found Story Of The Year to be one of the better bands of their genre. Commercially, they never got back to the success of their debut album, but I find that all of their albums are very good, in fact, I like their heavier stuff moreso than their radio friendly songs like "Sidewalks". If you enjoy the music of bands like Senses Fail, Funeral For A Friend, Silverstein, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus or The Used, then you would most likely enjoy Story Of The Year. Really solid band for sure.

TEN STORY OF THE YEAR SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. We Don't Care Anymore
2. Until The Day I Die
3. Wake Up
4. Anthem Of Our Dying Day
5. Bang Bang
6. The Ghost Of You And I
7. The Antidote
8. Take Me Back
9. Time Goes On
10. Miracle

Song Of The Week: 2/3/19

Song: "Consider This"

Artist: Stutterfly

Album: "Hollow" EP

Year: 2001

Place Of Origin: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Years Active: 1998 - 2007



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Consider This" is a song that appears to be about standing for what you believe in even if it means you have to go against the flow of where society wants to push you. Just a song about being true to yourself and creating your own path.

STUTTERFLY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2002 - Broken In Pieces (The Elysien Project)
2005 - And We Are Bled Of Color (Maverick Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF STUTTERFLY:

Stutterfly formed as a band back in 1998, hailing from British Columbia, Canada. Originally, and for a short time, the band was called Uncle Ed's Private Jet but soon changed their name to Stutterfly. In 1998, the band released a demo called "Descent". In 2000, the band dropped yet another EP called "Hollow". The band sold over 3000 copies of this EP at their shows alone. 2002 saw Stutterfly release their debut full length studio album, "Broken In Pieces". In 2003, Stutterfly was courted by major label Maverick Records, a label owned by Madonna, and the band made their major label debut with 2005's "And We Are Bled Of Color". The songs "Gun In Hand" and "Fire Whispers" were released as singles for this album. "Gun In Hand" is the band's most popular song. Stutterfly opened for fellow Maverick label mates Story Of The Year to support "And We Are Bled Of Color". By 2006, Stutterfly was dropped by Maverick and lead singer Chris Stickney decided to leave the band. Charles Furney of thebleedingalarm would replace Stickney but the band decided to end Stutterfly and become Secret And Whisper. Stutterfly officially called it quits in 2007. Stutterfly was an under the radar post-hardcore band that didn't garner a whole lot of success. For me personally, I thought Secret And Whisper was the superior band thanks to Furney's vocals. If you like bands like Secret And Whisper, A Static Lullaby, I Am Ghost, Scary Kids Scaring Kids or From First To Last then you might find some tunes by Stutterfly that you'd enjoy. This is the type of band that has some good songs but their are many more bands in the post-hardcore genre that are better. "Gun In Hand" is their pinnacle.

TEN STUTTERFLY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Gun In Hand
2. Fire Whispers
3. Where Angels Fell
4. Bury Me (The Scarlet Path)
5. Dead Eyes
6. Life's Disease
7. Flames Adorn The Silence
8. Hollow
9. Through Me
10. Frail