Chasing Jones - Stay Tonight

Chasing Jones - Stay Tonight
2010, Chasing Jones

Chasing Jones is a Canadian quartet with a propensity for pop-inflected rock songs that get inside your grille and stay there. Coming together in 2007 as a brother duo, Nick and Adam DiLullo didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Luring hometown boy Blair Brown (drums) to return home from Los Angeles, the twosome became a threesome and went on to record their first EP, The Lie. Soon thereafter Chasing Jones happened upon bassist Dwayne Ulliac and the circle was complete. Earlier this year Chasing Jones released their second EP, Stay Tonight, a collection of five irrevocably catchy rock songs destined for your ears.

Stay Tonight opens with "Anniversary", a snappy, hook-laden pop rocker that's likely to have radio program directors salivating. "Anniversary" has the sort of energy and momentum that sends people to their web browsers to find out just who Chasing Jones are; a perfect lead off to the EP. "Anniversary" also carries with a dark tale of love lost inside that happy, peppy rock arrangement, a nod to bands like The Cure that won't go unnoticed. "Say You Were Right" is a desperate plea for company that gets a bit caught up in repetition but is sonically pleasing. "Amelia" is something of a rock n roll tragedy. The song is written from the perspective of someone who is in love with someone who has all the wrong ideas about love. He yearns for her and lets her know he's there, but she's so stuck in bad patterns she can't even see him. All of this is delivered in poetic terms in a highly compact, hook-laden rock arrangement that could be a pop/rock hit in its own right.

"Twenty-Third Avenue" is a dark, disputed love song about realizing what you want once it's too late. Vocalist Nick DiLullo sings a comfortable melody while invoking the appropriate amount of hopeless hopefulness in a gentle swaying tune that gathers the momentum of inevitability before resolving to where it began. Stay Tonight closes with the turbulently pensive "Piece By Piece", which grows slowly and steadily into the sort of infectious arrangement that seems to be the trademark of Chasing Jones. Once again the catchy melody and big hooks complement lyrics of melancholy and heartbreak, an intriguing juxtaposition of musical setting and ideas that adds spark to Chasing Jones' musical milieu.

Chasing Jones creates a bit of magic on Stay Tonight, crafting five songs with solid rock radio credentials without making it obvious they're trying to do so. The melodies and arrangements on Stay Tonight have the sort of snappy feel that gets inside your skull, and Chasing Jones’ lyrics explore the sullen side of human relationships with an ardor that will peak your interest. Based on current tastes it would not be at all surprising to hear Chasing Jones all over the radio dial this summer and fall, as well as finding some of these songs on the soundtracks of some of your favorite network television shows. With the right break, Chasing Jones could be very, very big.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learm more about Chasing Jones at http://www.chasingjones.com/ or www.myspace.com/chasingjones.  Stay Tonight is available digitally from Amazon.com.  If you prefer to own the CD you can get it directly from Chasing Jones.

Ross Riskin - Keep Moving

Ross Riskin - Keep Moving
2010, Ross Riskin

Ross Riskin is a 19-year old singer/songwriter from Orange, Connecticut with perfectionist tendencies and an ear for melody. Influenced by artists ranging from Third Eye Blind, Weezer and Death Cab For Cutie to Radiohead and Coldplay, Riskin's style is a melting pot of late 90's and early-oughts alternative rock as interpreted through a singer-songwriter motif. Riskin recently released his sophomore EP, Keep Moving, and is currently burning up the I-95 corridor promoting the EP and spreading his sound.

Keep Moving is a thematically complicated but musically simple breakup album. Riskin features a pleasantly imperfect voice in a nearly talk-sing style in unadorned arrangements throughout the album. Riskin starts off with a musical treatise on grief, with a musical prologue "In The Future" featuring the moment of separation and followed quickly by denial; "Get You Back" and justification "Something Better Than Me". Riskin promises his return on "With The Sound", although it’s unclear if his intended is listening; there's still a disconnect running through the narrative here that suggests that the narrator isn't dealing with the reality of moment.

"In Motion" is a declarative of the tendency to over-compensate after a loss, moving too fast or too far in order to simply not think "I'm in motion / I can't stop now / I don't know how to slow my speed down". The song is lyrically awkward but honest, showing more heart than art. "For You And Me" keeps things simple, and is the best pure songwriting on the album. Up until now Riskin has written in a young voice, whether intentional or not. Here there is an economy and sharpness to his songwriting that is a significant advance. "The Ghost" makes use of significant reverb to color the song in haunting ambience, but Riskin reverts to his young writing voice in a bout of over-simplification that simply goes on too long.

Riskin turns to hope on "Could You Be Mine", a song less of destiny than opportunity that is a mix of love and mild obsession. The song sounds well-intentioned, but there's a thread of inevitability that runs through Keep Moving that seems manufactured. "Shine" is a more mature outlook on a relationship that is as doomed as it was in the opening song; it's a negotiation with fate and human emotion that Riskin isn't about to win that expresses distinct hope but is colored in the same reverb of "The Ghost". Riskin closes with "In The Past", finally putting everything behind him, but still trying to justify the path he's walked.

Ross Riskin delivers a series of tunes as personal as journey entries done up in minimal instrumentation on "Keep Moving". The song is full of human emotion, frailty and self-delusion, but it's an honest sort of self-delusion that we all engage in from time-to-time. Riskin sticks to bare-bones instrumentation, letting the lyrics speak for themselves in a brave and measured relaying of the sort of mistakes we all make while learning the ropes of relationships. Musically, Riskin may benefit from collaboration, as several of the songs here would flourish with a slightly broader musical canvas, but the stark arrangements on Keep Moving work well in their own right and in their context. This album will leave you curious about what else Riskin has to offer.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ross Riskin at http://www.rossriskin.com/ or www.myspace.com/rossriskin. Keep Moving is available as a digital EP from Amazon and iTunes.

Review: Sexstone - The Painful Side Of Truth

Sexstone - The Painful Side Of True
2009, Sexstone

Madisonville, Kentucky isn't the first place that might occur to you as home of a vibrant Indie rock band, but Sexstone hasn't come this far by being typical. Without a wealth of known clubs to play, Sexstone has created their own, renting out Elks Clubs, VFW lodges and whatever other space they can find while putting a lot of time performing for benefit concerts for various charities. Sexstone has quickly built a rabidly loyal following and is looking to expand their fan base outside of their home territory. Led by singer Steve Bauer, Sexstone has recorded and released their full-length debut album, The Painful Side Of The True.

Sexstone gets off to a great start with Thank You, a sardonic rocker about the end of a relationship. The theme here is universal and should speak to most, while the tune has a catchy beat and strong melody. Theme sounds like a soundtrack piece from a teen comedy, sung by the poor lost soul who never, ever gets the girl. Things trend progressively downhill from there, with Sexstone relying on repetition and emotional weight to drive the music. This combination tends to way it down instead. One highlight awaits those who dig deep into the album however. Wait For Me (Soldier's Song) is a lament and prayer about a life that will pass him by back home. Written from the perspective of a deploying soldier whose wife is pregnant, it’s an acknowledgement that he's going to miss out on a lot and a plea for it all to slow down and wait until he gets home. Wait For Me is an amazing tune. From the high to the low, Sexstone falls to You Know. The writer's depressed; the songs depressed; I was depressed before the song was over. Even when the big guitars kick in the energy just isn't there. Sexstone closes out with two average, easy to overlook tracks: Screaming Daylight and Lift. The former is flat and the latter simply fails to stand out in any remarkable fashion.

Sexstone possesses some real talent, but you have to work through a lot of average material on The Painful Side Of True to get to the gold music nuggets therein. Wait For Me (Soldier's Song) is special, and Thank You is decent, but the rest of the album is mired in mediocrity. Bauer's got an intriguing voice that wends its way through the songs presented here, and the musicianship is strong. Take some time to check out Sexstone. I don't know if they have it 100% together yet sound-wise, but they're definitely on the way to somewhere.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sexstone at http://www.sexstoneband.com/ or www.myspace.com/sexstonerocks. You can purchase The Painful Side Of True as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com. You can also download the album from iTunes.

Review: Honor By August - Found

Honor By August - Found
2009, Honor By August

Based out of Washington, D.C., Honor By August has culled a reputation as one of the last bastions of mainstream Rock N Roll. In a day and age when most bands are looking to enhance their genre hyphenation by incorporating disparate sounds into songs, Honor By August offers a refreshingly classic pop/rock sound based on melody, harmony and great hooks. These efforts have already garnered Honor By August significant attention, winning the Billboard World Song Contest, gaining exposure on ESPN and sharing the stage with artists such as Bon Jovi, Hootie & The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, Peter Frampton and Third Eye Blind. Honor By August's sophomore album, Found hits the streets today. Honor By August might really be the next big thing.

There's a certain knack to songwriting in an ensemble; some groups never have it, some develop it over time, and some just click. Honor By August seems to have a magical connection wrapped up in their creative process that turns hooks into phrases, phrases into songs and songs into gold. Similar to bands like Matchbox 20, Semisonic, Hootie & The Blowfish and Third Eye Blind, there is a distinct pop sense that runs through everything they touch. Listen to the soaring choruses, bright melodies, gorgeous harmonies, intelligent and heartfelt lyrics, or any other quality you want to choose and there's a bit of magic there. Opening with the title track, Found is pure pop rock right from the start. Even amid the high quality songwriting and performances on Found there are distinct high points. Johnny (Pass Me Another) explores barstool camaraderie in an intelligent and emotional story song that is miles above the usual pop fodder. There You Were is the sort of love song that melts hearts. It's not a sappy ballad, but a mid-tempo Pop/Rock tune with a soaring chorus that is bound to be on most every mix tape made in 2009.

Say That It's Over is a catchy plea to put an end to war, complete with a chorus reminiscent of Toad The Wet Sprocket on steroids. Hometown Heroes takes the pop sensibility to a new level on a song that will be new to listeners but is instantly recognizable nonetheless. It details one of the dreams of any performer: coming home a star. Awake & Alive, the closer, is a poignant and quiet moment of reflection on origins and identity before Honor By August says goodnight. Other highlights include Half A Day Away, See This Through and Love Lies Awake.

Honor By August has a distinct polish to them that belies their Indy status. Found is the sort of album that makes major labels come calling. With the right exposure and a lucky break or two Honor By August could be one of the most popular bands of 2009. Found leaves me very excited for the future of Honor By August, and wanting to track down their first release. Don't pass this one by.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Honor By August at www.myspace.com/honorbyaugust or http://www.honorbyaugust.com/. You can purchase Found at www.cdbaby.com/cd/honorbyaugust2.

Review: One Step Away - One Decision

One Step Away – One Decision
2008, One Step Away

Andover, Massachussets quartet One Step Away has taken the Boston music scene by storm, winning the Boston Music Festival’s Alternative Rock genre in 2008. Led by the lyric rock lead vocals of Adam Carrington, One Step Away blasts away with a heavy rock sound that borders on Prog and 80’s hair-metal sounds with big guitar solos, big choruses and an arena-ready sound. Their debut release, One Decision, debuted in December of 2008, just seventeen months after the bands inception.

One Step Away opens up with In This Moment, a wonderfully musical and melodic hard rocker that contrasts the melodic musical chaos of Terrence Healy’s guitar work and the lyric nature of Adam Carrington’s voice. This is an incredibly dynamic rock song that will grab you by the shirt and won’t let you go until its done. Over The Edge is a big, bruising guitar rocker that sounds like Metallica with Slash sitting in. Run Away is a driving rock song that’s perfectly positioned for Modern Rock and Hard Rock radio formats. It’s the most blandly commercial song on the EP but still a pleasant listen. The Space Within is amazing introspective and reserved in comparison to the first three tracks, and displays some of the range One Step Away possesses.

One Step Away is a rising dynamic force in Boston. It’s easy to see how they could be the next big thing from the Boston scene to rise to national prominence. Time and sales will tell, but One Step Away looks to have a very bright future. One Decision is a great intro.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about One Step Away at www.myspace.com/1stepawayband or http://www.onestepawayband.com/, where you can purchase a copy of One Decision.

Review: Green River Ordinance - Out Of My Hands

Green River Ordinance – Out Of My Hands
2008, Capitol Music Group

Green River Ordinance hails from Fort Worth, Texas with a sound that is meant to be on the radio. Lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Jenkins is joined by brothers Geoff (bass) and Jamey Ice (guitar), Josh Wilkerson (guitar) and Denton Hunker (drums). Green River Ordinance is about to release their major label debut, with Out Of My Hands hitting shelves on February 24, 2009. Influenced by bands such as The Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Coldplay and Lifehouse, Green River Ordinance is set to make a big impact. Believe me, you’ll want to check this one out.

Green River Ordinance opens with Outside, a wonderfully infectious rock anthem fueled by jangly guitar and a catchy melody. Lead vocalist Josh Jenkins sounds quite a bit like John Mayer as might sound fronting a band like The Goo Goo Dolls. Outside is the sort of song that could have significant potential on pop and modern rock radio as well as licensing for television/movies. Come On has similar potential. It’s amped down slightly from the opener but has a strong pop sensibility that is likely to make it a fan favorite. On Your Own shows the softer side of Green River Ordinance in a poignant ballad. In this moment you can hear the vast commercial potential of the band come together like a thousand angels dancing on the proverbial pin.

Different (Anything At All) continues in the catchy guitar-rock vein where Green River Ordinance seems to thrive. This is yet another song with real commercial potential. Last October offers up another dose of poignant balladry that blows up into what may be the strongest pop/rock hybrid on the album. You’ll also want to check out Sleep It Off, Getting Older and the heart-on-your-sleeve ballad Endlessly. Green River Ordinance closes out with a ballad this absolute mix-tape material; the sort of song you expect hundreds of little John Cusack clones to be playing on boom boxes outside the bedroom windows of little Ione Skyes everywhere. This is the song most likely to get them on the map.

Green River Ordinance creates some pop-rock magic on their debut without sounding contrived or constrained. Strong songwriter, great melodic sense and the ability to string together lyrics that are well thought and well-sung seems to be the specialty of Green River Ordinance. Out Of My Hands is a dazzling debut that will likely be the harbinger of many more to come from Green River Ordinance. Get this one.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Green River Ordinance at http://www.greenriverordinance.com/. You can pre-order Out Of My Hands, due out on February 24, 2009, on Amazon.com.