Let me tell you the difference between professional music journalists and us here at FreshScouts—they talk about music like it’s food, with all sorts of gorgeous, poetic ways of describing exactly how a song is beautiful (or equally negative poetic ways of describing the pungent stench of crappy music, like that of Ke$ha). We, on the other hand, steer clear of negative reviews by only choosing bands we legitimately like, and when featuring said band we normally skip the poetry and offer clever quips such as, “This album is really good” and “These guys rock out.”
Are we poets? No. But we also don’t flower things up and waste your time with groups that blow. Instead, our job is just to introduce hot artists and give you a few samples of their flavor. Today, we’re going to have a look at a pop-rock group called Parachute, who most recently toured with Kelly Clarkson.
Their album is really good. These guys rock out.
Those prosaic music journalists, specifically the ones at “Fly Magazine,” call Parachute’s music “Blue-eyed soul, adult pop, Maroon-5-Style faux-funk,” but we’d define them more as a bunch of guys that do cool stuff with melodies in a mellow, pop-rocky sort of way. Lead singer Will Anderson’s voice is relatively typical of the genre, but he throws in some unexpected minor notes in an otherwise major hook, and that’s part of what makes this group so interesting.
“She Is Love” is by far the best track these boys bring to the table, but their entire debut album, “Losing Sleep,” is very, very good. Other notable tracks include “The Mess I Made” and “Under Control,” but you could easily put this entire record on in the background while doing homework or making out with a hottie. Or, if you’re really talented, both of those things at the same time.
Put as simply as I can put it, Parachute is solid music. Good tunes, sweet lyrics, unique melodies. And you don’t need poetry to figure that out.
Check out “She Is Love” here:
So with it being new music Tuesday, I wanted to let you know about the new David Archuleta album. His angelic voice and boyish good looks make him the perfect treat for any 10-year-old girl wanting to take a break from their Tiger Beat magazine. But then I realized that you’re not a 10-year-old girl.
Then I wanted to let you know about the brand new WOW Hits 2011 which I imagine is like a NOW That’s What I Call Music! CD and, let’s be honest, we all have CD burners. For those of you that haven’t figured out that these albums are just burned CDs you are paying full price for, look it up on AOL or whatever old people use these days.
But then I caught wind of the brand new Guster album. I knew right then that I would have to let you know about Easy Wonderful. For those of you that already know about (and belong to) Guster’s cult following, humor me for a second. These guys became popular around 1999 for the release of their single “Fa Fa” which goes a little something like this:
Ah, it’s nice to remember. Their new album is a slight departure from their older sound, but they still keep the same light-hearted, melodic approach with perhaps a more fully-produced sound. Their music has matured like a fine red wine, and I have to say I was again pleasantly surprised with their latest release. If you’re a fan of Guster, you’ll love Easy Wonderful. If you’re not a fan of Guster, you’ll love Easy Wonderful. It’s a win-win situation.
Here’s the latest single “Do You Love Me” with a pretty seriously awesome video:
Buy Easy Wonderful:
We here at FreshScouts have always been a fan of The Killers. Granted, we say this under the realization that their music has definitely gone to a higher level (namely the top of the charts.) But we really loved this band when they were first gaining traction around 2004-ish with the release of Hot Fuss. Since then, they have come a long way and have had a successful career. But how do they make it even more successful? Well I’m sure your first guess wouldn’t be to split the band up. Ok, they aren’t splitting the band up for good, but Killers’ lead singer Brandon Flowers has decided to release his first ever compilation of solo tracks in his album Flamingo.
Perhaps you’ve heard the first single without even knowing it. Perhaps you already love his solo stuff subconsciously. Perhaps you even thought it was The Killers. If you’re anything like me, any or all of these deceived you. But be afraid not. I mean, afraid not be you. Or afraid be not to you. Just don’t fret, because this is a super solid side project that is only a minor detour from what is rumored to be yet another release from The Killers in 2012.
“Crossfire” is the first single from the album with other notable tracks like “Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts” and “Was It Something I Said?” following close behind. If you’re looking for a very Killers-esque sound from their front-man, this album is one to check out. Even if you are just mildly a Killers fan, you’ll find this album to be like a gateway drug to other Killers’ projects. The first one’s free.
Check out the video for the single “Crossfire”:
Buy the album:
So we haven’t posted anything super hardcore in a while. I’m talking about the type of stuff that makes you feel like you just got punched in the face by pure awesome. The kind of music that makes you run faster and jump higher. The stuff that was made by the business end of a kick-ass stick. Well guess what? You’ve just been served. 10 Years has that kick-ass stick.
Figure 1.1
Their new release Feeding the Wolves not only has a manly name, but a manly album cover (see Figure 1.1). Historically I’ve found that if an album has an awesome cover, an awesome name and an awesome artist behind it, you are destined to have something worth its weight in gold. Don’t believe me? Tell that to Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
The entire album is a hard-hitting mix of heavy guitar and steel-laden vocals to match. The tracks rarely miss a beat, taking breaks only to show their softer side with powerful ballads (that are not-so-much ballads, I just can’t think of another word to describe them.)
10 Years is currently on the tail-end of the Carnival of Madness tour with the likes of Shinedown, Chevelle, Sevendust, and Puddle of Mudd. But not to worry, they will be headed back out on the road with numerous upcoming tour dates to support the release of their new album.
Buy Feed the Wolves:
I had the privilege of interviewing this young blues legend at his recent show at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL. With his recent success at Eric Clapton’s 2010 Crossroads Festival (his second appearance in said festival) it was no wonder he played to a packed house. Even though I’ve followed all of his albums and read numerous articles on his musical accomplishments, I was still not prepared to meet Jonny Lang.
Anyone who is familiar with his music knows that this guy has soul – not only in his guitar playing but his deep down, guttural blues voice. If you were to take a listen to one of his albums knowing nothing about the guy, you would imagine him being some old bearded guy with tattered clothes and a worn Fender Stratocaster that maybe wasn’t new in the 70′s. But upon closer inspection you’ll realize that this is a guy that started his career at age 13 and has been rocking ever since is only at the ripe age of 29. I know, it blew my mind too. Check out the interview:
Buy Live at the Ryman:
