Chaser Eight: Naked

It's not everyday that one of the greatest rock n roll bands on the planet turns off the amps and strips themselves down for our listening pleasure. But when they do, damn it's something special.

New Haven, Connecticut's own Chaser Eight is at it again. This time, they've managed to one up themselves with their latest EP release, Chaser Eight: Naked. When I first heard of their plans to release an acoustic EP, I wondered how in the world one of the most energetic stage bands could possible turn it down quite a few notches and pull off an unplugged set. For starters, how could they possibly pick just a few songs from their impressive repertoire to re-record for an acoustic album? Having seen them live twice, I couldn't wait to see how they where going to pull this off (of course, I had no doubt that they could and would). Well, this my friends, is as close to musical nirvana as you're likely to get.



Hearing a reserved *AUDRA* does wonders for your soul. On the standout track, To Find Him, you can hear a vulnerability in her voice that's a surprising change from the power we've become accustomed to. Don't worry though, her vocals are on full display in Moving On, mixed with just the right amount of restraint to draw you in to her world as she says goodbye to a love as she moves on.

If I have one complaint about the EP, it's that Major and Minor didn't make the cut. But then, that's just me be greedy :) At least I got to hear a stripped down version in their recent StageIt show.

Make sure you visit the official Chaser Eight website. Follow the band on Twitter and like them on Facebook. Then head over to iTunes to download your copy of Chaser Eight: Naked as well as all of their previous releases. Trust me, your earholes will thank you!

And as always, follow along right here on MY Indie Music Blog for all things Chaser Eight as they happen!

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Alisa Sharp- Say What You Want

Yes, I'm back at it again! I don't know about you, but I'm glad this bout of writer's block is finally gone!

Something that I'm going to attempt in the coming days, weeks and months is to broaden my musical horizons, so to speak, and begin to bring you a more eclectic mix of music here on MY Indie Music Blog. I'll never turn my back on the rock and roll, don't get me wrong, but there is so much more out there that deserves to be heard. I can't tell you how excited I am for what's coming up!

Case in point, tonight's feature artist.

Los Angeles, California based indie pop singer Alisa Sharp released her latest single Say What You Want back in July. A social media firestorm erupted as she Tweeted and posted to everyone and anyone who would give her song a listen. I happened to have been one of the lucky recipients of said Tweets. Admittedly, I wasn't immediately a fan of the song itself. Don't get me wrong, I've been a fan of Alisa's for some time now, but her particular style of music isn't necessarily what I prefer these days. She is what you might expect to hear on your local Top 40 radio station. This particular blog is the exact opposite of that, and for good reason. In no way, shape or form do I slight Alisa for her style of music. As I've stated before, I force myself to listen to my local Top 40 station for at least 15 minutes a day. It gives me a different perspective for what I hope to accomplish with this blog. But sometimes, I am my own worst enemy because I often find that I've overlooked someone who is the perfect fit for this blog. That's what I've found in Alisa Sharp and Say What You Want.


What Alisa does, she does extremely well. She has a huge voice that's full of emotion. Her visible scars, which she wears proudly, do not define who she is. It's that voice, which makes Say What You Want the type of song that reaches down into your soul and grabs a hold of it and refuses to let go. No words that I type here can do this song or this artist the justice that they deserve. I've told Alisa this and I'll repeat it here: SHE made me a fan of this song. "...I'll be your haven just say what you want, so say what you want...". Alisa Sharp, thank YOU for having the voice to say what you want. I can not wait for the album to come out!

Make sure you check out the official Alisa Sharp website. Follow her on Twitter and like her on Facebook. Head over to Bandcamp, Reverbnation and Soundcloud to download Say What You Want. And as always, follow along here on MY Indie Music Blog for everything Alisa Sharp as it happens.

Support independent artists. Give indie music a chance.

FEATURETTE

Welcome back to MY Indie Music Blog!

I know we celebrated our third anniversary some time ago, but then a funny thing called life got in the way of all the music I had planned to share with you. Good thing life had a way of working things out so that we could happily co-exist. Now I can get back to what matters to us here at MY Indie Music Blog- the music!

The journey of an independent music blogger is filled with wide open highways as well as winding back roads that take us all over the musical spectrum. Fortunately for me, that means that I'm exposed to so much more music than your average mainstream radio listener. Sure, this blog has often been accused of favoritism with one style of music over another. While it's never been my intention to alienate certain types of music, this blog is more or less dependent on whatever my musical taste happens to be at any given time. It just so happens that my indie music loving soul tends to favor my rock n roll side more than most others! That is until now. This certain electro-pop duo from Canada reached out to me to take a listen to their upcoming EP and I was instantly blown away. So let's see what we've got in store for you as we officially kick off our third year of bringing you the very best in independent music from all over the world!

FEATURETTE is an electro-pop duo from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Made up of Lexie Jay (vocals) and Jon Fedorsen (drums/production). I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I agreed to take a listen to their upcoming release Crave. I haven't been into the electro sound since the new wave days of the 80's (yes, I just dated myself) and the alternative sounds of the late 80's and early 90's. Admittedly, my musical preference leans towards rock and metal. It's amazing what happens to you when you break down some of your own barriers and just let the music take over your soul, which is exactly what happened when I pressed play on Crave.

Playing in two distinct volumes, Crave is best described by Lexie as "(a) ‘featurette’ - like a mini movie - so we’ve written the songs to express that story and really help the listener feel what the girl is going through. The first vol. is rather dark (craving passion, lust, destruction - the wild side), and then the second is the resolution (craving love, respect, resolution, self acceptance)..."

I found that it's nearly impossible to get the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Lexie Jay out of my head. I've found myself, on more than one occasion in the past few weeks, getting lost in the album for hours at a time, just listening to it on repeat. I've gotten tangled up in the web that they've weaved in this girls journey for love. I can feel her passion unfolding as she slips down that slippery slope of self-destruction before ultimately finding that self acceptance she craved from the beginning. A standout track on the album is Sticks and Stones, where she begs her love over and over "...I love you, I love you, don't leave me on my own." My heart literally ached the first time I heard this track. The passion and emotion in the vocals are about as real as they come. It's as if Lexie Jay has experienced this emotion in her real life (and how do we know that she hasn't?). What FEATURETTE has done is trumped any artist on mainstream radio. They've written a cohesively perfect album that brings back storytelling. There's depth and meaning to every word being sung. It flows perfectly from track to track to tell the story from the dark beginnings of Broken to the resolute finisher Procession "... somebody's gonna take over the world tonight. Somebody's gonna fall. Somebody stands tall... and that could be, I could be that girl. And she could be me..."

Well played FEATURETTE, well played. I'm hooked.

Mark October 15th on your calendar now. That's the official release date for Crave. I've heard it in its entirety. I'm obsessed. You'll find out why for yourself. And you'll thank Lexie and Jon as I am now. 

Follow FEATURETTE on Twitter. Like them on Facebook. And heard over to their official website now to pre-order Crave.

And as always, follow along right here on MY Indie Music Blog for all things FEATURETTE as they happen.

Support independent artists. Give indie music a chance.

Dos Ringos - KY Women

Dos Ringos is back on MY Indie Music Blog with my pick for song of the summer, KY Women.

To say that I was a little excited when the guys sent this song to me would be an understatement. Having become such a fan of this band, I'm always on the lookout for new material by them. Each time, I'm left wanting more, and in advance of their upcoming double EP, KY Women is exactly what I needed to get my Dos Ringos fix!

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KY Women is just a good old fashioned southern rock song done right. Picture yourself cruising down your favorite back road on your way to nowhere in particular. Roll the windows down and crank this tune as loud as you can. Then hit repeat. I've done this on more than one occasion and it does wonders for your country music loving soul. At the same time, it makes up for the rash of "bro country" that's hitting the airwaves over on your local FM dial. Country music purists can rest assured that the genre is indeed safe in the hands of Dos Ringos!

Follow Dos Ringos on Twitter and like them on Facebook. Make sure you check out the official Dos Ringos website and don't forget to download your copy of KY Women while you're there!

And as always, make sure you check back here with me at MY Indie Music Blog for all things Dos Ringos as they happen!

Support unsigned artists... give indie music a chance.

When Particles Collide - This Town

During the course of the last four and a half years (or so), the most gratifying aspect of my love and support for independent artists has been their accessibility. No cattle call VIP experience from any major record label act will ever top sitting in a bar on a Friday night before a gig and just talking with two of my favorite people in the entire universe. Which is exactly what I had the chance to do this past weekend in Dover, New Hampshire with Sasha Alcott and Chris Viner, who make up rock n roll duo When Particles Collide. I was reminded that I have been a fan and supporter of WPC for roughly four years of their four and a half year existence. In this time, I have had a front row seat for their evolution from a pop/punk power duo (Making Enemies and Pop! Pop! Bang! Bang!) to full fledged rock n roll icons for the indie scene with Ego, Photoelectric and their latest EP, This Town.

This Town is a 6 song EP that pays homage to their hometown of Bangor, Maine and was born out of the tragic loss of a couple of their friends from Bangor in a car accident last summer. Having listened to this EP almost non-stop since its pre-release to pledge backers and having heard the songs live, I can honestly say that I have never heard a body of art as personal and full of raw emotion as This Town.




For those who were there and lived these songs, This Town is a fitting tribute to lost lives and a more fitting tribute to the town that shaped all of their lives. The independent music community is a tight knit group. To be a part of it is indeed something special. And for When Particles Collide, I will forever be grateful.

Head over to the When Particles Collide Bandcamp page to download This Town. For those local to Maine and New Hampshire, you can head to your local Bull Moose Records store to buy the cd. Follow the band on Twitter and like them on Facebook. But most importantly, check them out at one of their two album release shows on May 29th and the Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub in Boston (event info is here) and on May 30th at the Asylum in Portland, Maine (event info is here) and check back here with MY Indie Music Blog for info on their upcoming summer tour dates.

Support unsigned artists... give indie music a chance.

Twelve Years Driven is back at it again...

Growing up in Dallas in the late 80's and early 90's, I was exposed to quite an eclectic variety of music. The state of today's mainstream radio is what made me realize how good we really had it back in the day in Big D. At the time, we were all over the place three or four nights a week, from Greenville Avenue to Deep Ellum to Dallas Alley. We'd hop from bar to bar listening to everything from rock to blues to country to Tejano to house music to rap to piano bars... you get the idea. There was one place in particular, Dallas City Limits, where I first cut my teeth on the metal sound that would shape my younger years. Twelve Years Driven has brought me back to that time and now everything has come full circle.

Houston, TX, metal quintet Twelve Years Driven is back again with another stellar EP, the self-titled Twelve Years Driven. Proving that it's never good enough to rest on your own laurels, the guys have taken the old adage of "stepping up their game" to an entirely new level. If I weren't already a huge mark for this band, this EP would be the one that turned me. From the second that you hit play, the band is already at full throttle with Devil's Way and you just know you're in for something special. Guitarist Larry Gilstrap told me that they think this is the best work that they've done so far. Who am I to argue? My response to him was that I listen to a lot of Sirius XM Octane. This four song EP is the best thing going on in the world of metal music right now. Period. There isn't a single artist played on Octane that I'd take over Twelve Years Driven, and there are some really good bands on there that are in the prime of their careers. I'd STILL take Twelve Years Driven over every one of them. Every single time.

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Robert Rice's vocals are something special. He's a breed apart. The hottest percussion section ever assembled with Kris Wood on bass and Mark Sebren on drums punch you right in the eardrums from the get-go, and with Adam Simmons and Larry Gilstrap shredding guitars like nobody's business, Twelve Years Driven remind me so much of Pantera in their early days that it's uncanny. Remember my mention of Dallas City Limits back in the day? Yes, I was there when Pantera was cutting their teeth in the Dallas music scene before they blew up worldwide. Yes, I remember how hungry they were and how that set them apart from every other act at the time. Guess what I see and hear in Twelve Years Driven? Exactly. There's a torch that needs to be lit again. When it is, I want to see these guys standing tall over all of us leading the way for indie artists the world over to finally have their time to shine.

Check out the official Twelve Years Driven website and their Reverbnation page. Follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook. Most importantly, request the hell out of them on your local radio stations and on the many internet stations already on the bandwagon. It's time to take back the airwaves!

And as always, follow along here on MY Indie Music Blog for all things Twelve Years Driven as they happen!

Give indie music a chance.

Chaser Eight by Chaser Eight

Regular readers of MY Indie Music blog, as well as those of you who follow me on Twitter, know that I unashamedly show favoritism towards certain indie artists. There's a good reason why I do this. When you find a singer/band that exceeds your own passion with the music that they create, they deserve every ounce of support that you can muster. This is why Chaser Eight is back on MY Indie Music Blog with their new, self-titled album, Chaser Eight.

I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity of enjoying Chaser Eight for several weeks now as I was forwarded an advanced copy of the album by the band. I have taken a more personal interest in this particular project because I was also given the chance by the band to hear the music in its most honest form: the demos. I was invited in to the recording process by Chaser Eight and asked for my input on the demos and what I would like to hear on the new album. I had never been asked to give my opinion of an artists music up to this point in this manner. For this opportunity, I will always hold this band in the highest of regards, both as artists and as friends.

Now, let's get down to the business of the music. The first single, Lead Me Down, gives you an immediate indication of what your in store for... one helluva rocking good time!



I've also had the pleasure of witnessing the spectacle that is Chaser Eight live and in living color. There aren't many acts out there, mainstream or indie, that transfer their energy from the studio to the stage as flawlessly as Chaser Eight does. Their artistry is pure and genuine and you never feel put off by the disappointment that what you listened to at home isn't what you heard when you saw them live. I'd even be willing to go out on a limb to say that the live product is a step above the recorded product. And THAT is saying a lot.

 The official release date for Chaser Eight is 02/17/2015, which is just a few hours from now. There is a HUGE release party scheduled for a few days later on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at The Ballroom at The Outer Space in Hamden, Connecticut. If you are within relative driving distance, I highly suggest that you do not miss out on the opportunity to see one of the hottest bands in the world of not just indie music, but the world period. There's a reason why I consider myself to be one of the biggest Crazy 8's around. It's your turn to find out why.



Make sure that you're following Chaser Eight on Twitter, like them on Facebook and sign up for their newsletter on the official website for all news related to the official release of Chaser Eight.

And as always, stay tuned here at MY Indie Music Blog for all things Chaser Eight!

Support unsigned artists... give indie music a chance.