ALBUM REVIEW for A ROCKET TO THE MOON’S NEWEST RELEASE, “ON YOUR SIDE”, by Becca Kang

On Your Side is the newest album out by the alternative group called A Rocket to the Moon. This band is quite talented and are able to write some  ”stuck in your head”  lyrics that complement their upbeat melodies.  From the first listen, I felt engaged in these catchy melodies that assured me that life would be good – no matter what.  Many of the songs might sound similar to their first released single, Mr. Right, however it’s no mystery to see why fans love Mr. Right. It’s catchy melody is compelling and I think most people will truly relate to these songs. Most of the songs center around the universal subject of love, an obvious crowd-pleaser, however, every song has a specific message that never feels overdone or trite – either musically or emotionally.

I especially enjoyed the song Annabelle, a moving song that  confirms the feeling  that this is a band of ‘real guys’ - not superficial guys searching solely for good looks or a good time.  The song portrays a rather sincere guy hoping to find a genuine girl.  A Rocket to the Moon’s personality seems on display and resonates throughout their CD.  The lyrics – lyrics which are jointly written by the band – reflect thought and emotion.  In each song, I was drawn into and believed lead singer and guitarist Nick Santino’s emotion while he pours out his heart. I was impressed by his passion revealed by each of his heart-felt lyrics.

A Rocket to the Moon produces their own, very unique sound, which is not something many bands these days can claim. They are definitely not a band that has to rely on sound effects or gimmicks.  Instead, ARTTM puts forth genuine talent, hard work, honest lyrics, enjoyable melodies – all backed up with deeply- felt passion. And, to add to the enjoyment of this new release, after having had the real pleasure of experiencing their live show in Chicago at the House of Blues, I can vouch for the fact that A Rocket to the Moon is a  band that backs up their record with a beautifully performed and rocked-out live show.  I would highly suggest you give their new release a listen and by all means, catch them live if you can.

Concert Review: We The Kings, Mayday Parade & A Rocket to the Moon, by Becca Kang

CONCERT REVIEW FOR A ROCKET TO THE MOON, MAYDAY PARADE, AND WE THE KINGS at the House of Blues, Chicago Feb.07 – by: Becca Kang

A Rocket to the Moon, an alternative band, wedged right in the middle of the concert lineup, delivered a great time of hype and rocking out at the House of Blues Chicago. Simply phenomenal, with catchy lyrics and beats, the entire crowd at theHouse of Blues was filled with smiling faces and dancing feet. Lead singer, Nick Santino wore a genuine smile upon his face as he sung his heart out and as his entire band never failed to rock out with the grateful crowd. Fans enjoyed the happiness that emanated from the music, tapping their feet, clapping their hands and roaring their approval . I couldn’t help but smile constantly. A Rocket to the Moon delivered the kind of show that gives any unfamiliar audience members a reason to go home and search ARTTM songs on the web and really give the songs a listen. They are obviously “the band to know.”

Next up, Mayday Parade stuck true to its rock out persona and had the entire house off their feet from the first note. The energy was incredible as Mayday Parade blasted song after song with barely a break in between. There was a continuous flow of rocking. Bassist Jeremy Lenzo and electric guitarist Brooks Betts continuously criss-crossed the stage, punctuated by leaping up onto their equipment to play wildly to the crowd. Lead singer, Alex Garcia, sung beyond the point of exhaustion. Even when it seemed as though he could not go another note longer, he shouted out his melodies and kept the evening’s energy sky-high. Exhaustion was just not an option; no one wanted to stop the party. Jumping and rocking out to Mayday Parade was incredibly exhausting — but of course, that’s what we spend our good money for!

Finally, Florida’s We the Kings blasted onstage and was obviously a real crowd favorite. Almost immediately, the crowd escalated excitedly from moshing to crowd surfing. Travis Clark, lead singer, made sure to connect and bond with the audience by telling stories about the songs before belting into them. He had the audience singing and vibrating with every song, especially the old favorites. The band delivered a great show for the audience from start to finish.
At one point, Clark told the story of the “gang sign” of We the Kings which conveyed a personal connection to everyone in the crowd. It was as if We the Kings’ personality was evident on stage in every move — which makes for a more interesting and compelling experience. Feeling like “old friends”, we fans felt more in tune with the vibe of the band as they continued to rock out feverishly with us. Even the soulful, slower-tempo songs were sung with great emotion. Travis sings with complete honesty while his melodies were presented as if offering his heart on his sleeve to the crowd. The progression of the playlist was beautifully thought out and quite effective. As the show roared on, the crowd escalated into a frenzy and couldn’t help but beg for more. By the last song, the pit was overcome with bouncers who peeled screaming and sweaty fans off the crowd’s hands before delivering them back to the floor. When Travis Clark leaned into the crowd singing, the crowd went in a crazed frenzy, hoping just for a touch of Clark’s signature long, red locks. Finally, the concert ended with a cry for more as absolutely no one wanted to leave.

Matisyahu, Cage The Elephant Added!

Interviews with Matisyahu, and Cage The Elephant have been added to the Loonatic Tv network! You can catch any of these interviews any time you want in the rock star stories on-demand section!

Album Review: Allison Iraheta “Just Like You”

by Sami Ponoroff

Allison Iraheta’s debut album, Just Like You, is a disappointment. Although her vocals sound great, as they did on the last season of American Idol (she placed 4th), her songs are lackluster and without meaning. Many of the songs are based on the ideas of relationships and love, as most are, but are only so in a shallow way. One of the worst songs, entitled Robot Love, spends a good part of the song discussing how her boyfriend prefers texting to her. The many technological references are childish and meaningless. This album does not really appeal to anyone over the age of 11, and, let’s be honest, all little kids are looking for is a fun beat. All in all, Iraheta’s debut album is a bust. There is only hope that on her next album her killer voice will be accompanied by killer songs.

New Music Videos Added!

We added The Ting Tings “Great DJ”, Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” and Hey Monday’s “How You Love Me Now”.  Check them out!

Twilight: New Moon Review

by Vanessa Paredes
It’s here. The highly anticipated, overly hyped, oh so talked about film: New Moon. The second installment of the Twilight Saga hit the big screen this November and you can bet your life savings that the lines were outrageous and theaters were sold out all over the nation. Fully equipped with a new director (Chris Weitz), New Moon definitely out staged the production of Twilight, but not by a long shot. If one thing is for certain though, it’s that Edward Cullen is about to blend into the shadows and a new obsession will arise; his name is Jacob Black.

In New Moon, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) couldn’t be more awkward with each other, and there is a reason behind it. Edward plans to leave forks and Bella behind. He does so early into the film, and the “break up” shakes up the story line, bringing forward Jacob black (Taylor Lautner) to our attention. Once Bella really starts warming up to her new “friend” another fantastical secret is unraveled. Vampires are not the only non-humans roaming around Forks; Jacob and his “clan” take the form of wolves in order to “protect” the town from vampires, or at least the evil kind. Naturally, Jacob falls in love with Bella while Edward is absent, and this creates a chaotic love triangle that will be a major theme in the movies to come. Just when it seems like Bella is finally warming up to the idea of liking Jacob back, Edward is forcefully engrained back on to her feeble mind when he makes a phone call to the Swan residence for the first time after his disappearance.

Bella gets on a plane to Italy faster than you can say vampires are not real, in attempts to save her soul mate from killing himself. Edward had been mal-informed that Bella had passed away, and finds only one solution: plead the Volturi (Organized coven of vampires) to take his life, which is no easy task, being a vampire and all. The Volturi consisted of the best actors in the film, including big shots such as Dakota fanning playing Jane, and Michael Sheen as Aro. How the movie ends can be yours to figure out.

New Moon shouldn’t break a sweat impressing the teenage female population. Weitz incorporates all the right elements, and some of the scenes are beautifully done. Although the movie does lack decent actors, because let’s face it, Robert Pattinson can’t act to save his life, the movie-goers will still sink their teeth into this vampire fantasy flick. In addition the film was successful in staying true to the book, which will hopefully keep the Twi-hard’s complaints to a minimum. So get those movie tickets and enjoy the era’s newest craze.

New Moon Interview Added!

Hey all you Loonatics out there! Guess what! Zac got a chance to sit down with two of the stars from the new movie Twilight: New Moon. The interview has been added to the Loonatic Tv playlist, as well as the On-Demand section on the Rock Star Stories page!

Jason Castro Added

The interview with Jason Castro as been added to Loonatic Tv playlist, as well as on demand at the Rock Star Stories Player!

Say Anything Review of Self Titled

By: Stephanie Figueroa

The time has come for Indie, Pop, and Punk listeners alike to unite because this latest Say Anything release might just officially create a whole new era of composing music for this amiable group.

If the first thing that comes to mind when one mentions the name Say Anything are quirky, sarcastic, smart mouthed lyrics, alongside infectious instrumentals, then you have a pretty accurately formed definition of this one of a kind band. If the second thing that comes to mind is the name Max Bemis, then you’re probably well informed of the musical impact of this symbolic frontman. It’s rare to find voices or written music that sounds even remotely similar to Max Bemis or Say Anything. It would be no surprise if his heartfelt and contemptuous lyrics have taken a hold of the lyric lover in everyone. Yes, he certainly has that power. Since formed back in 2000, Say Anything has transformed miraculously. After overcoming several public meltdowns and being hospitalized for bipolar disorder, Bemis never failed in feeding fans exactly what they craved.

Two official releases later, Say Anythings third self-titled album was released on Nov 3. As with any of their work, it is clear that Bemis used this album as a form of getting what bothers him most off of his chest. What separates this album from the rest however, is the obvious sense of self-assurance, rather than continuous self-loathing. In fact, as Bemis told AP magazine, “This isn’t pacifist music, necessarily. The anger is more directed at things you can change and do in your life, instead of hating people because they are a certain way. These people will always be like that. Let’s do something to actually change your own life, or lives around you.”

But of course, a Say Anything album wouldn’t be completed without some kind of angry number. That is precisely why the single “Hate Everyone” seems like it should have been placed in the bands previous, more raging albums. Still, one can’t help but find Max’s juvenile rant at how much he just simply hates society as heartwarming.

Moving on to one of the albums incredibly raved about melodies,  “Eloise” begins with a simple acoustic guitar progressing into slow pounding drum beats as Bemis starts to sing. Of course, only Say Anything would start a heartbreak song with the lines “Laid out, puking in the back of a fancy bar.” Nonetheless, this piece delivers Bemis’s infamous constant passionate wails we all know and love all draped over a delicate chorus.

Finalizing the album, “Ahh…Men” is as mushy and affectionate as Say Anything can get. During an interval in which most bands nowadays would typically choose to insert a breakdown, the song has a notable shift into a quieter, more melodic acoustic strumming followed by Max’s romantic plead to “lie with you in your grave.”

Genres seem to pour out of every tune, line, and pluck of an acoustic guitar here and there as tracks unfold. If anyone ever said blending genres was a mistake, they’re  the ones mistaken. Say Anything can be held accountable for much musical evolvement yet still maintain their same foundation that listeners first fell in love with. Max’s newfound yet still somewhat hazy outlook on life is evident throughout the album. It’s thoughtful and unpredictable: the definition of Say Anything. Certainly, the entire album gives off that sparkle true fans know is exclusive to Say Anything.

Ghostland Observatory Interview

By Brittany Reeber University of Texas Austin

The Monday after Austin City Limits Music Festival was a day of recovery from a weekend with little sleep and lots of noise. I had my doubts about the interview scheduled with Ghostland Observatory for that Monday night. If I was dead tired, I could only imagine how the Austin duo felt after two days of shows, blowing up both Zilker Park at the ACL Fest Saturday night and then downtown at Stubbs’s BBQ the next day. But sure enough, Thomas Ross Turner, exactly one half of the spacey ensemble and master of multi-tasking (managing synthesizer, keyboard, drums, and backing vocals), showed up on my friend’s front porch around ten o’clock.

This weekend has been crazy for you!

-Yeah a pretty intense weekend, a lot of preparation.

How did you feel about your show at ACL?

-That was really good, really large crowd, and everything went really well. The crowd response was really good and we had a good time up there.

Do you prefer playing a festival or a club show?

-They’re all pretty surprising because say you have your mind set on how a certain show is gonna be or a certain city…in the beginning when we were touring, it’d be like ‘Oh this is gonna be the best ever… it’s this city or its this festival,’ and then you’re kind of let down. Or sometimes it’s the opposite, you go in to some town you’ve never been to before and you’re like ‘Oh I wonder how this is gonna go,’ and it end up being insane. So you never know what you’re gonna get, they can both be fun.

Have you always had the whole light show?

-No, because in the beginning, like right after the Paparazzi Lightening record, we’d go on tour and play a show in Los Angeles for like ten people. After we got home, I was like, ‘yeah this may not work, we may have to think of something else.’ Because you know we’d go up to Seattle and there’d be like eight or nine people there. We played some coffee shop in Bellingham, Washington and people were trying to study and we were trying to rock out. And then we’d have to drive all the way home from Bellingham and have to think about that. Like, ‘okay we just did a string of shows that maybe equaled up to fifty people total and things are not looking to good.’ We did a lot of shows like that in the beginning but we just kept going and eventually it worked.

How did you find the motivation? That seems pretty deterring.

-Well we’d come back to Austin and get rejuvenated. We’d play a crazy show at Emo’s or something and there’d be a thousand sweaty, hot people and a lot of energy. It would be so fun and we’d be like ‘Oh alright let’s try it again.’ We’d go back out and more people would be at the shows and it just started to grow like that.

It all seems to very be connected, the music and the lasers, do you guys work it out a lot beforehand?

-Yeah I mean that’s part of our partnership, being together for three years. It’s like a whole unit now: the sound, the lights, the performance, and the lasers. It’s all the show, the whole thing, so everything works together. I guess it’s sort of choreographed in a way to where it’s like nothing should be out of place.

Do you feel like it really enhances everything?

-I think so…with the lighting and the lasers and the different feelings and climaxes and parts of the set. I think it enhances everything because not only are you hearing it and feeling it, you’re seeing things happen. If there’s an exciting point in the set and the lights are going nuts, you see the crowd reacting and it helps.

Your whole setup on stage, you’ve got your keyboards and everything, what’s going on over there? It just looks like you’re doing so much all at once!

-Yeah I’ve got my synthesizers and my sequencer and my mixer and the drums. I’ve kind of got tunnel vision, I don’t really look out too much to the crowd cuz I try to make sure everything keeps moving along and everything is right. I get to groove out back there, but I can’t move around. That’s why I sport the cape, so I can just be back in my little control station.

I read online that your wife made your cape.

-Yeah and she made me a new one for ACL fest and it had lights on it so that’s pretty cool.

That’s a big deal! You never change from the other cape, right?

-I had the original and I wear the original still, and then she made me another one for ACL fest two years ago, but I threw that one in to the crowd.

Was she mad?

-No, she was alright with it, but she made this one and she was like, ‘no throwing this one.’ She spent a lot of time on this last one so I wasn’t gonna do it.

What’s it made out of?

-Hmm, I don’t know materials and things, but it’s some kind of material and she hand sewed it. Then got these lights and got this engineer to help her get all the lights connected to this thing in the back that has a switch and it runs off batteries.

Do you think you’re gonna catch on fire?

-No I don’t think its got enough juice to light me on fire, but it does get hot in there.

Aaron is your other half and he’s out front singing, do you ever get jealous and want to stretch around ?

-He does what he does and I do what I do. He’s more like live and loose and entertaining and I’m just like: ‘Okay, we need to be here at this time. Alright, what are the lights doing? Okay perfect.’ So he’s perfect for what he does and I kind of stay back in my little area.

The sound that Ghostland Observatory has is really unique, in Austin and in general. How did you guys come to find that sound together? Did you have something in mind or did it just happen?

-I think what we were trying to do when we first started creating was just push it out there, you know, be different. We really wanted to make music that was either loved or hated and not just kind of middle of the road. Same thing with our live show, we either want people to be like, ‘oh yeah I love those guys,’ or they show up and are like, ‘I can’t stand them, I would never go to see that ever again.’ It’s either or, you know, and that’s just all we try to do.

Do you believe in life on other planets?

-I’m sure, I mean, you can’t even chart how large the universe is, right? It’s like ever expanding, so how would you even know? You’d be taking a guess either way. There’s no telling what’s out there.

Well because your music is so spacey, how do you think aliens would receive your show if they saw it?

- Haha, hopefully they’d want to groove out. Especially the light set up we had at ACL fest; it was designed to look like a mother ship.

That’s how I felt when I saw it! I could see the show all the way from the other side of the festival.

-Yeah so hopefully they’d be like ‘these guys know what’s going on.’

What are you plans for the future? What do you hope to happen with the band?

-Just first get through these forty shows from now until January, take a little breather, and then start creating again and try to push it even further.

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