Artist Spotlight: Between the Buried and Me

Branching off from Raleigh, North Carolina, Between the Buried and Me (often abbreviated as BTBAM) have played a huge role in having a different sound, ever since when they were formed back in 2000. The progressive-metal quintet have been known for having songs that are quite long; many of them are above the 8-minute mark. These long songs have many different sounds and melodies throughout. The odd time-signatures and sudden beat changes are another thing that makes this band so significant. They'll go from playing a metal riff, to follow a jazz-style guitar solo, back to the metal riff, and then a calming piano melody (just as an example).

BTBAM with their current lineup

They've released 5 studio albums, a cover album, a live CD/DVD, and an EP (extended play) all within the 11 years they've been active. The lead singer and keyboardist, Tommy Rogers, and lead guitarist, Paul Waggoner, are the only two founding members in the band. The rest of the band were inducted in 2004, and have stuck there ever since. All of their albums have garnered very positive reviews.

BTBAM live in April 2010

I've had the opportunity to see the band play live, back in April 2010 (which was in Greensburg, PA, of all places) and most recently, April 18, 2011. Both of the shows were phenomenal; they really know how to put on a live performance. With so many lights and awesome effects, their performance is hard to compare with any other bands. Of course, they didn't play too many songs, since their songs are so long. April 2010 they only played 4 songs; April 2011 they played 7. They play every part exactly how it is recorded on the album. They all memorize the ridiculously long songs that they've written, note-by-note, which plays a big role in their impressive live performances.

The Bassline

This is my favorite band, plain and simple. They show that not all heavy music sounds the same whatsoever by having such complexly-written songs that always impress their fans. Their live performances are so energetic and awesome (for lack of other adjectives). To find out more about them, check here, since they haven't updated their official website in a long long time.

Tom Corbett's Education and Budget Plan: A Student's Perspective

EDIT: Her name is Kim Ward, Pennsylvania State Senator of the Republican party. I totally forgot her name for some reason as I was typing this.



Before I begin, I'm not one to pay particular attention to politics, government plans/ordeals, or anything of that nature. It's nothing that particularly interests me. I always say, "As long as I'm free do what I want, I don't care."

However, there has been a new budget plan that was introduced a month ago (or so) that affects me, as a college student, and the goals and aspirations I hope to accomplish after I graduate. Governor of PA, Tom Corbett, has proposed a budget cut for many schools in the state. My university in particular is affected by this, from the $160.5 million it gets in state funds to $80.2 million if/when this proposal goes through.

For me, that just means more money, A LOT more money for that matter, out of my pocket for the same education I have been getting for almost two years now. Why, in my current financial struggles as the typical poor college student, should I scrounge up more pennies, take out more loans, and suffer in more debt in the long run for this education?

Last Wednesday, my blogging class and I attended Greensburg's town hall meeting, which was held in my schools chapel. I arrived a little late to it, which is when I'm assuming the lady speaking (who was also a government official who came to talk about this budget ordeal, but I completely forgot her name). Not that her name really matters though, when she barely answered the uproaring questions from the audience. I mean really, she would make a broad statement pertaining to maybe one point of what the person asked, and then just move on to another person and do the same exact thing. In other words, she was a typical government official. (I can't get in trouble for these words... right?)

After the town hall meeting, my classmates and I then went to our classroom, and had our class as scheduled. During the class, we watched a video made from Pitt students with what will happen to them if this budget plan goes through. Things like not able to complete medical school, having to move to a different state, not being able to accomplish lifelong dreams, and having to drop out completely came up on that video from many students. Many terrible things will happen to students if this budget plan gets passed.

In all honesty, there is NOTHING good that can come from this plan. There will be many more people hurt than blessed by this. The poor will keep getting more poor, and the rich will keep getting richer. Like I said before, I don't follow politics or state ordeals or whatever, but, come on, really? You're going to just put more struggles in the in the already-struggling learning college student's back? I know I don't want to pay more for the same education I've been receiving for two years now. What say you, readers? Did I mess anything up in this article that I should immediately get rid of or correct? How do you feel about the whole thing in general?

Vans Warped Tour 2011

After having the absolute WORST writer's block for the past month or so, I've finally come across a topic that's worth blogging about that I can actually go into a good bit of detail about. It's not that I'm the one slacking; it's my creativity and topic-starting muscles (if that makes sense).

Anyways, Vans Warped Tour. What is it?

Most people would probably think that it's the big concert over the summer where all the little kids who THINK they know a thing or two about music go to. However, that's not what it is at all. The whole thing started in 1995 by a guy named Kevin Lyman, who started various other rock tours such as Mayhem Fest and Taste of Chaos. Warped Tour is Lyman's oldest and most successful tour that he's created.

The show usually starts around 11 A.M. and ends around 9 P.M. There are many, many bands there, the amount ranging from anywhere between 60 and 100. And yes, every band plays every show. There are multiple stages, usually between 6 and 8 (last year there were 6). The main genres of the bands there are rather broad: a lot of rock, metal, etc, but also indie, dubstep, hip-hop, and almost any genre you can think of (except country, thank God). They have something for (just about) everyone.

As for the people who go there, that too is rather broad. Of course, you have the above mentioned kids who have no idea what's going on with the music being played; they're just there because they heard of a band or two. There are also the actual musicians who go there to enjoy a good all-day music festival (such as myself). Many of those people are more laid-back than most, as the majority of them stand towards the back, away from the usual madness that happens in the middle of the audience watching the same band. Another generic kind of person that goes to Warped Tour are the people who are just there to watch whatever comes their way. Like the musicians who go there to enjoy it, these people also tend to stay away from the madness surrounding the middle of the audience. And the last example of people that go to this show are the typical "moshers" who want to throw down and go crazy. Their knowledge of the music varies; some actually know a good deal about it, while others, well, don't.

This kid seems to be having fun, from what he remembers seeing with his left eye.

This is a concert where the bands make themselves available to the fans. Every band usually plays half-hour long sets throughout every show. Every bands' merchandise tents are scattered around each venue; sometimes it's like a scavenger hunt trying to find one single band's tent. Before and/or after the band plays, they usually go to their merch tent to hang out and meet some fans. Pictures are taken, autographs are signed, and memories are made.

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With thousands of people attending each show every single year, it's hard to say that this tour is overrated and underestimated by many other people. It's an all-around fun day for all who attend, with so many bands to choose from to see (and hopefully meet).

For more information regarding Warped Tour, such as bands playing this year, tour dates, and who played where for every past date, you can check out the official website here.

Artist Spotlight: A Day to Remember

With their roots from Ocala, Florida, A Day to Remember has risen to a very successful band ever since they began in 2003. They are known by having their pop-punk style mixed with a little heavier guitar riffs and double-bass blasting drums. In other words, for those of you who don't know them, they sound like a mix of two extremes: catchy, poppy choruses with heavy guitar riffs and the occasional screaming.

Like all bands, ADTR (as I'll call them throughout this post) started out very small, playing local shows around their area to try to get their name out there. They eventually got their name out there to record labels and signed to an independent one, called Indianola Records, which they recorded their first album from, called And Their Name Was Treason. They eventually signed to Victory Records a couple years after that and released For Those Who Have Heart, my personal favorite album of theirs, in 2006. This release gave them more worldwide acclaim, giving them opportunities to go on tour throughout the world, such as in Europe and Australia.

ADTR playing live in 2009

Courtesy of Google Images

In 2009, ADTR released Homesick, which was their first album to make it on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 21 overall. This album made the worldwide acclaim that they received quadruple, having tours and shows in so many places that it was ridiculous. Every one of ADTR's albums has a slower, more acoustic-styled song on each of their albums. The one on Homesick, called "If It Means A Lot To You" was one of the songs that garnered their success from this album.

A few months ago, back in November, ADTR released their most recent album, What Separates Me From You. This peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200, and was the first to chart in other countries such as Australia and England. On January 11, they performed the first single released from the album, "All I Want", on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which was their first national TV appearance.

The Bassline

I actually heard "All I Want" on the radio a few months ago. As I sighed and said "Oh God, there goes another band that I love going mainstream," I forgot about the impact that they have served in the music scene in their many years in it. This is probably the only mainstream band that hasn't sold themselves out. They have stuck to their original sound for the most part throughout many years of experience. These guys are staying true to themselves and their fans by doing so.

Grammy Awards 2011: Who Won, Who Should Have Won, and More.

This year's Grammy awards was one that struck musician fans and critics alike as one of the most shocking ones in it's 54-year history. Some of the winners were as many people expected; some made the mainstream music population raise an eyebrow and say "who is that?" when some of the winners were announced.  One of these particular winners are Arcade Fire, a Montreal-based indie rock band who won the Album of the Year award for The Suburbs, which was released last August. The 16-track album received positive reviews from many professional sources. The Suburbs won over Eminem's Recovery, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now, Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster, and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

Lady Antebellum, however, won awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for the song the same title as the album, "Need You Now". Bruno Mars beat out John Mayer in Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, which I wasn't too happy about. Sure, John Mayer may not exactly be the nicest celebrity in the world, but many people don't know Mayer's real talent because they let his personality mask it. Oh well, their loss.

Anyways, Justin Bieber won nothing, which I suppose makes up for John Mayer not winning that last award. This made me extremely happy, almost as happy as I was when I found out Muse won the Best Rock Album award for their work The Resistance. Muse is an English band that has influenced me for many years. I'm so glad they won a Grammy, even if they won it on their worst album. You probably hear so many times, "that band's old stuff is so much better", and in this case, it's very true. Absolution by them was one of the best albums of the past decade; but because they weren't in the mainstream rock music scene in America, it was not recognized by those who made the nominees. Once again, their loss.

But those are my most interesting winners from this year's Grammy Awards. Who did you want to win? Which winners did you find interesting or shocking? Who didn't win that you wanted to see?

Pete Wentz & Ashlee Simpson Split!?!

In almost every blog, there is room for some sort of celebrity gossip. This time, it's my turn.

Ashlee Simpson, pop artist and actress, had filed for divorce from Pete Wentz, musician who was a bass player in Fall Out Boy, on Wednesday, February 9. They were together for 3 years when they announced the divorce.

Simpson claims that she and Wentz remain friends and that raising their 2-year old son, Bronx Mowgli, will still be their top priority. Simpson also states that she wants joint legal custody for Bronx, so that he can spend a good amount of time with each parent.

MTV provided some details "behind the divorce", as the article's title says. The two are on speaking terms, yet claiming that they have just merely "grown apart" from each other as of recently. Wentz's constant touring and new musical project, called Black Cards, has played a role in the split as well. "After Bronx was born, Ashlee made a conscious decision to get out of the business, but Pete's heart was in music so he kept touring and that became a big issue in their relationship,"says an unnamed source who knows Simpson and Wentz personally.

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This, thankfully, isn't the typical Hollywood break-up that you see on magazines and front pages of internet news sources. Though there are people who thrive on the downfall of certain celebrities, it's good to see that they are still on talking terms and good friends.

The White Stripes Break-Up

That's right, one of alternative rock's best duo's have separated. The White Stripes, from Detroit, MI, consisted of Jack and Meg White, and began their success in the music industry in 1999, with the release of their self-titled album. The two were married at one point in time, but divorced in 2000 before they achieved mainstream success. They claim to be brother and sister to the public to have the media focus on the music rather than their relationship.

The White Stripes have had their slew of singles in their 12 years of success. I remember hearing Seven Nation Army all the time on the radio when I was in 6th grade, in 2003, when it was released. That catchy bass line was one of the first I've ever learned when I began playing. Then in 2005, Blue Orchid and My Doorbell were released, which both climbed the music charts all over the world. One of their most recent singles, Icky Thump, released in 2007, reached the number one spot on the U.S. Alternative Songs list that same year.

                                                                                             Courtesy of Google Images

The Third Man Records website states that the break-up "is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues as both Meg and Jack are feeling fine and in good health. It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way."In other words, they were satisfied in what they have accomplished in their many years of success and want to leave it at that. The band also stated that The White Stripes belong to the fans now, saying that they "can do with it whatever [they] want. The beauty of art and music is that it can last forever if people want it to."

The Bassline 

The White Stripes have been a huge influence on alternative, indie, and most rock music throughout the world. Their legacy on music as a whole will always live on due to their mainstream success and chart-topping albums and singles. The Detroit duo will continue to influence rock bands for many, many years to come.

Architects- The Here And Now: Album Review

For a few decades now, the U.K. has had many world-renowned rock bands that have released records that top the charts in almost every major country. Architects, a lesser-known metalcore band from Brighton, England, may not be at the top of the charts, but their most recent album The Here And Now, gives critics of the scene a run for their money.

I had the opportunity to meet Architects' vocalist Sam Carter at a show they played back in November 2010. One key thing he told me as we were talking was to "get excited" for the new album because "it's some of the best stuff [they've] written". Needless to say, Carter's little words of advise (since I don't know what else it could be considered) gave me a good idea of what to expect from the album: the album that this band has been working towards since their origination.

The album starts off with "Day In Day Out", which is a track any metalcore fan can enjoy: a heavy main riff with a powerful chorus that Carter's vocals shine in. The third track, "Delete, Rewind", which they actually played at the show back in November, has a breakdown that makes those avid rock show-goers want to dance, headbang, or whatever you may want to do to jam to this song.

There are two main differences between this album and previous Architects albums. One of these is that there are two slower-paced, mellow songs on this album, which is two more than they have on any other album. "An Open Letter to Myself" is like this, until the last minute, until the pace picks up and Carter screams in the song a couple times. "Heartburn" gives us a calming melody on the acoustic guitar, then the drums explode, yet keep that calm melody given by the acoustic guitar. These songs are two main highlights on the album, for those looking for something different from this band.

The other main difference on this album is Sam Carter's vocals. His singing and screaming on this are what I'd consider less aggressive than previous albums, such as Hollow Crown or Ruin. I'm not one for changing one's singing style, but this may be my only exception. He does very well on The Here And Now regardless of his newer vocal style.

The Bassline:
This album is very good, despite the changes in vocal style. Any metalcore fan could enjoy this album. 4 out of 5 stars. If I ever meet Sam Carter again, I'll have to show him this. He'll definitely enjoy it, or at least I hope he will.

Jonny Craig Taking a Hiatus

After days of searching what to write about on here, I finally realized that the thing I've been searching for is right in front of my eyes, something I've been thinking about every day since it was announced. Why did it take me until now to consider writing about it? I'm still trying to figure that out.

Jonny Craig is a 24 year-old Canadian singer with the voice of a angel (which has been compared to Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera). He sings for two bands, Emarosa and Dance Gavin Dance, and has written one solo album, with another one in the works. On Sunday, Craig announced on his Twitter account that he would be taking a hiatus from his music writing. He originally said that he would be canceling all upcoming tours and albums; that was changed the day after, as he said he would still be touring with Emarosa in February and Dance Gavin Dance in April. On Wednesday, Dance Gavin Dance announced that their next album, with Craig on it, will still be released as planned.

Craig, in white, performing with Emarosa at Warped Tour this past summer, Pittsburgh, PA.

Personally, I, along with other fans and musicians, are very distraught and surprised about this decision. Craig is one of my favorite singers and an idol of mine. I had the opportunity to meet him briefly this summer when I saw him and Emarosa at Warped Tour (hence the picture above that I took).

Anyways The Bassline (I can thank Prof. Jakiela for the idea of using this) of this blog is that Jonny Craig may be taking a shocking break from music, but in no way shape or form should any fans lose hope in him. He's still touring and spreading his beautiful voice around the world (as cliche as that may sound).

If you're not familiar with Jonny Craig, you should check out a few songs of his:
- "I Still Feel Her Pt. III"
- "7 AM, 2 Bottles, and the Wrong Road"
- "The Past Should Stay Dead" (with Emarosa)
- "Heads or Tails? Real or Not" (with Emarosa)
- "And I Told Them I Invented Times New Roman" (with Dance Gavin Dance)

EDIT:
It seems as if Craig is not going on a hiatus after all. He announced on his Twitter last weekend that he will not be quitting or anything of that nature. After 7 years of touring and recording, he's still going to push onward in his music career. And let me be the first to say, "thank God."

Kids Icarus EP Review

One day as I was roaming the news stories on Absolutepunk.net, I came across a story that this band, Kids Icarus, a band from the small town of Farmington, Connecticut, has a free EP for download on their Bandcamp website (kidsicarus.bandcamp.com). Of course, I couldn't pass up free music. And in this case. I'm very thankful I didn't.

The cover (which can be seen on the right)  can be a little decieving for listeners. It portrays a calm and peaceful landscape with, what looks like, no civilization around the area whatsoever. Therefore, one would think this EP is a more mellow, acoustic, or even a country-genred work. However, it is not any of those. For those people who like A Day to Remember, add a little more punk to them, and Kids Icarus is what you have from that.

The opening track, "It's On Me", shows many similarities to A Day to Remember. The singer, Brian Bellitto, can be easily compared to ADTR's Jeremy McKinnon; the only difference is that Bellitto doesn't scream in his songs, like McKinnon. Also, the main guitar riff definitely sounds like something you would hear from ADTR's Homesick album: a heavy melody with power chords and double strummed low notes, on top of an ear-thumping drumline (the ear-thumping can be seen towards the middle of the song).

The introduction on the third track, "Monster", shows great work by the drummer during that opening 14 seconds.  His work during this song, and every song for that matter, shows that he is definitely a talented drummer and can go far with his talents. You can also see another huge ADTR comparison in the middle of the song, as the chant "This is where it all goes wrong" is used to raise energy for the listeners and for a live audience, which may in fact be it's primary use.

All-in-all, this EP is very entertaining. I'm excited to see what else they can do, if (and when, hopefully) they get signed, that is. If I have to give this a rating, which I will probably do for my reviews, I'll give this EP a 3 out of 5. Individuality is a must in the music industry these days; though this is very entertaining, there are very many comparisons to ADTR in the EP. Nonetheless, give the EP a listen and see what you think.

An Introduction: Who I Am, What I'm Here For, etc.

My name is Dave Kocinski, 20-year old student at Pitt-Greensburg. I've changed my major 3 times already; the most current one, and one that I really plan on sticking with throughout the rest of my time in college, is English Writing. I plan on sticking with it because I actually enjoy writing many things: articles, poems, stories, etc.

Though I may be a Writing major, my biggest passion is music. It's always been a part of my life, ever since I was a little kid. I started learning drums when I was 10, and since then I've learned to play, aside from drums, the keyboard, some guitar, and bass guitar. Oh, and I try to sing too. Haha, that's a different topic for a different time.

I listen to a little bit of everything, for the most part. I mainly listen to rock, hardcore, progressive rock, and metal. Aside from those, I also enjoy indie rock, dubstep, and some hip-hop, among others that aren't coming to mind. I'm sorry, but I really don't like country music, just to toss out there.

This blog includes many things music-related; such as recent news (with my opinions about them), recent album reviews, bands I find cool that you might enjoy too, among many other subjects. Who knows, you may see a random, off-topic post from me here and there for good measure.

But that's all for now. Any questions or anything of that nature, comment on this. Thanks!