Second Chances

It was only recently that I began broadening my horizons in music. I was confined under the notion of following in the roots in grew up with, country. Yet, now, I’ll give anyone a chance, for the music industry has been becoming less dependent of natural talent and more reliant on electronic fixes. That is not to say I do not like electronic music by any means. I just don’t prefer the musician to have their voice fabricated with the new technology.

But there was one band I swept off my radar before I even tasted their vast style of music. For whatever reason I decided that Sleeping With Sirens did not fit my personality or taste. A choice I made in a split second, and one I came to regret.

The first songs that were presented screamed. It was not coherent, or a least by my standards. The sound rebounded in my head, crashing with loud drums and ridiculously hard resonance of guitar.

However after the first encounter, I did not remember the name of the band. It was only by luck that I was searching for a cover of “Iris” (a song originally written by The Goo Goo Dolls).
 

 

The soft melodic piano begins coaxing in Kellin Quinn’s voice (pictured center). An acoustic guitar enters. The arrangement intrigued me. His voice fit perfectly into the melody. Yet, it was not the exact same as the original version. Subtle differences could be heard.

With Quinn’s vocal range being a high tenor, when he reaches the upper range of pitches it is often thought he may be singing falsetto. In reality though, this is still his voice. The correct term for Quinn’s voice is leggiero Tenor, allowing him to also have a “strong and colorful chest register, often extending quite low” (Jones). That explains the low screams that are scattered through out Sleeping With Sirens’ albums.

Beginning as an independent band in 2009, Sleeping With Sirens is now signed to Rise Records. Their latest album was released on June 4th, just before they began traveling the country with the Vans Warped Tour Music Festival. This is a summer long event stopping in major cities across the United States.

With the tour ending mid-August, Sleeping With Sirens is now headlining their own tour “Feel This” promoting the album of Feel.

Yet it wasn’t only by chance that I stumbled upon this band again. My cousin, Kali, is a die-heart fan of Quinn, convincing me to explore the variety of songs which have been produced with the band. It was the fact that she requested “Rodger Rabbit” at a wedding reception we both attended. Although the song was not played that night, I remembered the title, looking up the track later.

It was the moment I absolutely knew I made the wrong decision. Music is not an idea. It touches an aspect of everything, which is why judgment should not be placed upon a tune, a band, or music in general. Give the world a chance. And music is always worth a second chance.

To find more about a leggiero Tenor:

http://www.voiceteacher.com/leggiero_tenor.html

To listen to Sleeping with Sirens’ cover of “Iris”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOqIKGbYkg

First Impressions

“No album is complete without a title,” a quote from Highlight Magazine’s September Issue. “Album titles give a glimpse into what the album’s theme will be and what the songs will focus on.”

But in all honestly, a title is the first impression. If the title does not provoke a thought or a feeling in the reader, listener or the audience in general, what do you have?

Nothing. They won’t continue on. 

Yet for Australian band Tonight Alive, they already made their first impression around the world with their debut album What Are You So Scared Of?

For lead singer, Jenna McDougall (pictured center), the inspiration came from everyday life. It was a question she asked herself every day, because as a high school student she was afraid of judgment. However, when she became a counterpart to Tonight Alive, she put her past behind her.

The title track is my anthem. I live by the words:

What are you so scared of?

Judgment’s not unfair.

It's what we've learned to see.

These have helped me to open my eyes and be comfortable in my own skin. I don’t act differently around friends or strangers. Although, I might begin quiet, I’m just becoming used to my surroundings. I’ve accepted the fact that other’s make judgments. It’s not at my expense if someone decides to categorize me. They just don’t get to know me since I am now “labeled”.

Yet, that is not the only reason for my love with the song. There is an acoustic version too. It’s not often you can find a punk-rock band having a soft side. Yes, in all the original compositions there are the drums and electric guitar, but sometimes it’s nice to relax and take life a little slower.

What is even more surprising, they rerecorded What Are You So Scared Of? into a full acoustic album. Start to finish. That is what made me fall in love with them.

 

McDougall’s voice is raw and I always feel her emotional connection. Especially now with their newest release as of September 10^th, 2013 for the United Sates (and September 6^th for those who live in Australia), The Other Side has made an impact.

So what does The Other Side mean?

“The Other Side refers to the realization that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel,” McDougall said. “We originally had the idea of Black and White, or polar opposites, but after all the songs had been written this idea jumped out the most. There is always a light; you just need to find it.”

Life will always be full of struggles. Struggles we face every day. Some people will hide behind a mask. Others will be silent. Yet breaking away from how society has painted the “perfect picture”, McDougall changed. She allowed her experiences to shape her and in the twelve tracked list, not only has her life been exposed, but so has the other four members of Tonight Alive.

“Being able to step out and show the world your scars shows bravery and growth as a person. It’s truly honorable and commendable.”

Tonight Alive conveys a positive message, encouraging all of us.  However, it is up to you, as an individual, to decide how a first impression strikes you and your judgment to continue forward. It may only be by chance that you find a pillar of light in your life, but you have to give a chance for the light to break through the surrounding opaque clouds.

 To read the full article from Highlight Magazine:

http://highlightmagazine.net/2013/09/01/issue19/ 

Catching Your Attention

One liners and lyrics. What an interesting approach to beginning an article.

Mark Motz, a local sports journalist from Cincinnati, brought this to the attention of the Mason High School Chronicle staff.

The statement was an answer to the question of "How do you creatively begin a sports article?"

Motz said he's not an expert at anything, except asking questions. Yet he was pouring out ideas to the Chronicle staff today. He suggested connecting your information to lyrics of a well-known song, history, literature, or biblical references.

For Motz, it’s a different catchy technique that grabs the reader immediately.

And according to Chronicle staff Advisor, Dale Conner, when he reads Motz’s articles, either the lead intrigues him to continue or the lead itself is all that needs to be read because honestly that part is all that needs to be said.

Even now, Motz said, after years of being in the field of journalism field, most of his time invested in writing the lead, for in today’s society people have such a short attention span.

“It may take me an hour or two to write an article,” Motz said, “half the time is spent on the lead, even if it is two words.”

They may not read the full article, but if the lead is strong, and as Conner like to say “Sharp as a knife” that’s your key to keeping the readers’ interest.

Face Value

At first listen, you’ve already made a judgment. It’s true. Don’t deny it. You have, and it’s not exactly your fault. It’s because of our judgmental society.

It could be based upon the looks of a band, the sound of the music, or stereotypes that have been placed upon someone. But I ask of you to look past that for once.

 

Forget about people’s judement and the world’s idea of “cool” or “perfect” and just read the lyrics. Break them down.

In every song there is a message. A personal story. A savior. A burden. But if you are not aware, you brush past songs. Put it aside with the rest of society—like my parents. They criticize me for my change in music choice. To them, it’s like I have become a totally different person because over time I have let go of my country roots. In no way am I denying the fact. Because it’s true, I have changed. But I’d say I’ve changed for the better.

I was only looking for new music. Is it my mistake that I stumbled across a gothic looking band with the dream of becoming rock and roll band? Is it wrong that my friends introduced me to them? Am I at fault for becoming attached to the messages?

The answer is no.

 

It’s something I wanted to give a chance to; something new to explore, connect and create with; something that altered my perspective on, well… everything.



(From left to right: Christian "CC" Coma, Jinxx Ferguson, Andy Biersack, Jake Pitts, Ashley Purdy)

The lyrics from Black Veil Brides (pictured above) touched me. It wasn’t only words though;it was the personal life it exposed.

 

"In the end

As we fade into the night,

Who will tell the story of your life?

And who will remember your last goodbye?

Cause it's the end and I'm not afraid,

I'm not afraid to die.”

Reading these lyrics, what’s your first thought? Death? Am I right? You took it at face value. You read the words and nothing more. You didn’t look past the connotation of death.  But honestly, reflect on these lyrics. For someone who may, or may not, listen to Black Veil Brides, what does this verse mean? Is that what the Andy Biersack, the lead singer, intended for you to think?

“I went to the funeral for my grandfather, a person that I love very much,” Biersack said, during an interview with Loudwire, “and everyone is speaking about how he went to heaven and how he’s in heaven. I always fight with that because I would love nothing more to believe that my grandfather is in the clouds…but I can’t.

“Whether you believe or don’t believe in an actual physical afterlife, you can’t deny that there is a certain element of an afterlife in the legacy that someone leaves.”

That’s what Biersack meant. He was accepting the fact that an important figure in his life disappeared. He was coping. But not only that, this song is from Black Veil Brides’ concept album, Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones.

Biersack took the time to add commentary behind all the tracks. From the track New Year’s Day, “All the songs on the album are supposed to parallel with things that we experienced.  We are writing things that are thinly veiled representations of our own life.”

They are not disingenuous. Biersack and the rest of the band mates are people who had a dream. In short, they are no different than any of us. They made their dream a reality. And there’s no reason to cut them short. The only reason you would do that is because you take life for face value. But the only way to learn is to read between the lines.

 

To read more about Black Veil Brides and their album Wretched and Dive: The Story of the Wild Ones:

http://loudwire.com/black-veil-brides-singer-andy-biersack-everybody-is-wretched-and-divine/

Prevail

2001 (Established)

2013

Since their first album released in 2005, Tokio Hotel has had its impact on not only Germany but the globe as well.

Everyone tends to bash on the German language; how it sounds rough and unpleasing to the ear. The four members to this band—Bill Kaulitz, the lead singer; Tom Kaulitz, the lead guitarist; Georg Listing, the bassist; and Gustav Shäfer, the percussionist—break the stereotype.

Their music is sung in both English and German, (props to Bill who translated all his original work), which gives a unique taste to the German culture from an American’s point of view. And although I know only a few words in the German language, the music is still wonderful.

Each song performed by Tokio Hotel gains this personable connection. Emotion is tangible in their studio production as well as the live shows.

Now I haven’t been to one of their concerts yet, but that is because I was introduced to their music as of 2011. They are currently working on the release of a new album; however, in these two years all four boys took a break from publicity. They disappeared.

As a fan this concerned me, but at no point did I give up on them. Their sound is unique enough to have me hooked in an obsession for six months strait. I swear everyone in my household was annoyed that the same music continued to circulate on my playlist, switching from German to English to back again. And through this time I connected with a handful of songs. Some in English and some in German.

My personal favorite, after researching some meaning, was questionable at first. It was obvious that the words held weight against Bill. Sadness laced these words, “Spring Nicht”.

I found the English version, “Don’t Jump”. But why would a person at the mere age of 17 write a song holding such meaning and experience?

“We got many letters from fans who have written us that they were ready to give up. They say our music has helped them through,” Bill said, during an interview with Bulgaria’s BRAVO Magazine about the process of making the music video for Spring Nicht and Don’t Jump. “That’s why I think it was important to make this song.”

That’s when everything fell into place; the meaning, the emotion, the connection.

“When you know someone who wants to kill themselves, you have to do everything in your power to make (their life) worth living again,” Bill said.

After finding the true meaning, the lyrics of all the other songs began to pour out. They were never hidden messages, but as an audience member you have to be aware of the layers that create the song.

The majority of Tokio Hotel’s music is positive, but not always touching a dark subject. Give them a shot because when I first started listening, it took a while for their music to grow on me. Honestly, following my gut, I stuck with them. It was a choice I will never come to regret.

Their lyrics have opened my eyes and mind to many new perspectives, how to except someone for who they truly are, and becoming aware of the world around me.

And a quick shout out to Bill and Tom as they are turning 24 today. Happy Birthday!

To read the full interview of the making of the music videos for Spring Nicht & Don’t Jump: http://www.tokiohotelamerica.com/2007/03/11/tokio-hotel-bill-jumps-to-his-death-interview/