The Diemakers

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Our latest set of XXQs comes to us from a band that puts on the kind of live performance PEV can certainly get behind – Chicago’s own (by way of Detroit) The Diemakers (Dominic and Sharon Harris, Jay Harnish) says “We won’t just be playing exact arrangements of our recordings at our shows —the songs live and breathe on stage. Dom’s gonna wail on guitar, Jay is going to hit you with a gigantic wall of fuzz bass groove, and Sharon will get you moving with her punk rock, cool drum beats.” These Diemakers first brought us their unique brand of gritty, soulful, energetic rock n’ roll on their debut collection, Assault All Your Senses…but we’re here to talk about their latest record, Detroit Recordings.

They told us “We basically recorded live with all three of us in the same room facing each other laying down complete takes to 2-inch tape—the old-fashioned method of making analog recordings…We feel the album does an excellent job of representing our influences, yet retains that original gritty sound that is The Diemakers. You can expect to hear Garage Rock bite, sixties psychedelia, bluesy soaring guitar, and cool pounding rhythms. While the title of the EP reflects the fact that we recorded in Detroit, Detroit means more to us than just a location. Dominic was born and raised in Detroit and the sounds of the city are in his DNA…We hope the title brings some attention to one of the greatest Rock and Roll cities in the world.” The trio will be busy on the road supporting Detroit Recordings, so click to http://thediemakers.com to stay up to date on their tour schedule and sample some tunes. There’s still much to learn, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: The Diemakers

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound?

The Diemakers (TD): Real Rock and Roll. Gritty, soulful, energetic music.

PEV: Calling Chicago your home, what kind of music were you all into growing up?

TD: We have some common influences; everyone in the band of course digs The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Dominic has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and his favorites include Link Wray, Clapton, T-Rex, Television, Blues, Motown, and even jazz like Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman. Jay is a big fan of David Bowie and has been influenced by Continue reading →

Dan Godlin

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Mr. Dan Godlin has jumped between several amazing music scenes in his lifetime – born in Houston, raised in Boston and currently living in New York, Godlin is making music that borrows from several genres, and appeals to just about anyone…anyone who appreciates good music anyway. The former All-League, MVP linebacker and captain of his high school football team is still relatively new to the scene, but has already put out two releases including his first album, Loving on Empty, and his latest EP, In Between.

Godlin got into the collection in great detail with us – he said, “Overall, I think it hits a lot harder than my last record. The writing process was amazing and very natural…The concept for this EP came from me feeling stuck in a quarter-life crisis. This EP speaks to a generation of people in their twenties who have graduated from the first chapter of their lives and are thrown into the ‘Real World’ with high hopes but no clear direction. It’s this point in our lives where we are stuck in between the ‘Real World’ and the world we’ve grown to know so well. It’s a nerve-racking time, but also a time for us to learn about who we are and what we want out of life. The In Between is a scary, yet empowering place to be.”

Click to http://dangodlin.com to sample In Between and check out Dan’s tour schedule while you’re at it. He actually just appeared in the film, “G.B.F.” (premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival) so if you don’t catch Godlin on the stage soon, you may catch him on the big screen. Keep reading – there’s still much, much more to get into in all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Dan Godlin

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Dan Godlin (DG): The music I write can most easily be described as modern Pop/rock with 90s Pop/rock influence. I try to write heartfelt lyrics and very sing-able melodies that anyone can catch onto. What makes me different is that I’m a mix between a competitive athlete and also a sensitive singer-songwriter. After high school, I was faced with a very tough decision: to follow music or football. I ultimately chose music because that’s what I was most passionate about. I’m very glad I went with my gut on that one…who know where I’d be now had I gone down the other road.

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Richard Tyler Epperson

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Richie Frieman

To say that Utah native Richard Tyler Epperson was excited to follow in his family’s musical footsteps would certainly be an understatement; after all, when he was 12 years old, he sold all of his old toys to a pawn shop in order to save enough money to buy a used bass guitar…and he didn’t stop there. After learning the intricacies of the bass, he moved on to the 6-string, and has been making some fantastic music ever since.

His latest album is titled Falling Between the Stars, and PEV had the opportunity to hear all the details – Epperson told us “I recorded all the instruments except for the drums on the album; about half of the songs I had an idea of what I wanted to do and how I wanted them to sound. The other half were just written during the recording process of the other songs. I would just lay down a guitar or piano track and just go from there…I would describe my sound as ‘acoustic with an electronic undertone’, but I really think it depends on the song and the day. I love all types of music and think that my songs reflect that. I never want to be able to be classified to one genre or one style…I just let the songs come out naturally instead of trying to force myself in a genre.” Richard will continue to support Falling Between the Stars on the road, so click to www.richardtylerepperson.com to stay up-to-date on his schedule. Keep an eye out for a new collection from Epperson later this year and keep reading – there’s much more to get into in the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Richard Tyler Epperson

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Richard Tyler Epperson (RE): I think I would describe my sound as “acoustic with an electronic undertone”, but I really think it depends on the song and the day. I love all types of music and think that my songs reflect that. I never want to be able to be classified to one genre or one style. I feel being a songwriter you need to be able to express your different emotions, which changes the sound and genre of your music. I don’t try to have a certain sound; I just let the songs come out naturally instead of trying to force myself in a genre. I wish more songwriters would do that and not feel like every songs has to be the same and cohesive with their other music.

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Aoede

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Aoede – a term that according to Greek mythology stands for “song” is also the brainchild of multi-talented artist Lisa Sniderman – a singer/songwriter that has been drawing high praise for her heartfelt pop music and attention-grabbing soprano voice. The San Francisco native has been able to do some incredible things while battling a rare auto-immune condition (Dermatomyositis) over the past five years; her music becoming a sort of lifeline, using her creative abilities to inspire others around here.

While this latest inspiration is more recent, Sniderman has been part of the industry for over a decade, starting out as a lead singer in a cover band in 2002. When the Aoede project kicked off in late 2005, it included both Lisa and her husband David Sands, on guitar and bass respectively. They recorded two albums (the Ear Candy EP and Push and Pull), but we’re here to talk about Aoede’s latest solo efforts, including Skeletons of the Muse (thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign) and her latest release, Is Love A Fairy Tale? – a collection aimed toward tweens and young adults.

She says that the new record “Plays like an audiobook, complete with narration. It tells the story of Aoede the Muse who goes searching for love in a magical kingdom called Wonderhaven and meets colorful characters along the way. It features songs from Skeletons of the Muse, along with four new original tracks, theatrical duets between Aoede and the characters. Love is an ongoing theme that permeates Aoede’s songs.” Aoede is already busy working on her next children’s album, What Are Dreams Made Of? and will be busy supporting all of her works on the road later this year. Check out http://www.aoedemuse.com for all the updates and keep reading – there’s much more to get into in all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Aoede

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Aoede: Quirky folky compelling pop for your heart. I’m Aoede: an award-winning singer-songwriter, recording artist and performer from San Francisco with an enchantingly quirky soprano voice. Aoede means “song” in Greek mythology, and she was the muse of song. I wanted affiliation with the muse for inspiration! If you like Ingrid Michaelson, Feist, Regina Spektor, Lily Allen, you hopefully will resonate with my music! I have been told my whimsical brand, my vocals and child-like songs make me standout from others; my vocals are quirky but also sound youthful, sweet, believable, honest and compelling, evocative, real and inspired. Also, I have been creating musical stories such as Is Love A Fairy Tale? for tweens and young Continue reading →

Natalie Gelman

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Richie Frieman

We’ve all seen and experienced it – the performers of Times Square; the players in the subways, the thespians on the streets of New York City. Some of these entertainers are funny, some are odd, some are charming and some are downright offensive (I’m looking at you pseudo-Elmo). But there are those like our latest feature, NYC busking veteran Natalie Gelman, who leave you with more than a few lyrics in your head. She leaves you with an impression; a morsel of inspiration. She doesn’t ask for much for what she provides freely, a sound that’s influenced by artists like Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Joni Mitchell. She says of her music, “It’s a folk-pop mix but really the songs balance between strength and vulnerability.”

Much like her past time spent in New York, Gelman is very proud of her latest album, Streetlamp Musician. She says “I hope it’s a record that lives with folks for a while and people keep finding something new inside the songs as they live with it. The songs all stuck with me while I was writing them and they continue to be really current to what I’m going through so I’m proud of the lyrics and the work I did on all of them.” Click to www.NatalieGelman.com to sample some of these new tunes, and get into Streetlamp Musician today – Gelman will be in the studio again soon producing fresh, new music. Check out her touring schedule while you’re at it. There’s still much, much more to learn, so read on for all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Natalie Gelman

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Natalie Gelman (NG): My sound is a mix of a lot of things. I’m influenced by a lot of other singer/songwriters and I get compared a lot to Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Joni Mitchell. It’s a folk-pop mix but really the songs balance between strength and vulnerability.

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Cara Samantha

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Richie Frieman

If only all of us could master something as quickly as one Cara Samantha seemingly has – the NYC-based artist is crafting songs that sound like they’ve been produced by a veteran on an ultra-competitive scene – not a songstress who just began pursuing a singer/songwriter career last year! Sure, Cara studied music and theater in college, and the natural talent that shines from her has hardly gone unnoticed. Aside from being a top Hollywood Week finalist on the latest season of American Idol(season 12), her Kickstarter campaign needed just two weeks to exceed her financial goal, hitting $5,000 and providing us with the fantastic EP, Out the Door.

We couldn’t wait to ask Samantha about this “soulful pop” collection and she couldn’t wait to give us the details: “The album came into existence in the most organic of ways and truly everything happened at the right time. I believe that when things are aligned in your life the Universe conspires to help make them happen, and this album is proof of that truth. One of the songs, ‘What’s Going On?’, was actually never intended to be on the EP. One week before we went into the studio, we played a live show and that song got such an incredible response from people that we decided it should go on. It had only been written two weeks before we recorded it, so it was fate that it made its way onto the album.”

Without a doubt, much bigger and exciting prospects are on the horizon for Cara Samantha, so keep your ears and eyes open and sample Out the Door ASAP. Click to http://www.carasamantha.com/ for all the details on her upcoming shows and music, and keep reading; there’s still so much more to learn in all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Cara Samantha

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Cara Samantha (CS): I like to say that my music is soulful pop. I think you can really hear a mixture of jazz, pop and r&b which influences both my vocals and songwriting.

PEV: What kind of music were you into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

CS: Well, I grew up in a house where silence was never allowed. My mom always had the CD player set to either Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett or Phantom of the Opera. My brother, on the other hand, is a huge heavy metal fan and would practice his drums to the latest Metallica song. I was always drawn to R&B and emulated singers like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, but would belt out every word to Annie or harmonize with the Top 40 songs on the radio. My first concert ever was at Jones Beach. I was SO excited to see Color Me Badd and Paula Abdul that I memorized every word on my cassette tape!

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Casey Turner

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Let’s not waste any time – there are some fun facts you need to her about PEV’s latest laid back feature – Mr. Casey Turner:

Before his music took off, Turner graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology and was hired on at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the main propulsion systems group (he somehow focused on refining his musical craft in the evenings).
He lived in Japan for several years and studied Sumo wrestling, where his Sumo instructor was infatuated with Patrick Swayze and “Dirty Dancing”, so practice always included “She’s like the wind” on repeat (we’re still not quite convinced this is true…but who would make this up??).

If you’re into the X Games, you’ve heard Casey before; he’s been featured in dozens of surf, skate, snowboard, action sports videos and television.

Turner just wrapped up his 2012 Hawaiian Islands Tour (including a performance at the Liquid Aloha Music Festival), and has been busy playing his debut record, No Stress Express, for the masses. We asked him to tell us more about the release – he said, “its Acoustic Island Beach Rock…The album is upbeat but laid back. I wrote some songs sitting on the sea wall at the beach with my ukulele and others while on a surf trip through Indonesia and Hawaii. I can say that the tropics, beaches, sun, sand, and new places and people definitely influenced my writing of this CD.” Check out No Stress Express ASAP for Turner will be busy again soon recording fresh, new material. Click to http://www.caseyturnermusic.com/ for all the details. There’s still much to get into, so read on for all the answers to the XXQs below.

XXQs: Casey Turner

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what makes you stand out from others in your genre?

Casey Turner (CT): Great question, it took me a minute to figure out a label for my sound. Its not full reggae or rock, yet it has a sort of island kind of vibe and most tell me that the songs remind them of the beach. I eventually settled on “Acoustic Island Beach Rock”. I’m not sure if that genre is officially listed out there yet but what’s in a name anyway? ; )

PEV: What kind of music were you into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

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Dance for the Dying

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. During this last stop on PEV’s whirlwind SXSW tour, we bring you a band from our backyard: Washington, DC’s Dance for the Dying (M.C. Wolfe, Joshua T. Hunter, Christopher Link, Brad Cantor), a synth-driven dance-rock quartet that was born from a trip to India – a story founder Chris Link tells best:

“The concept for the band and its name were inspired by a story I heard on a trip to India. The story was a true account of some compassionate village children who, when hearing of a nearby place where the elderly and the ill were hopelessly waiting to expire, developed dances and performances to cheer them up while they were still alive. It seemed an analogy to the spirit of musical performance and how it can affect the nature of human existence.”

Since then, Link and the rest of his crew have embarked on a mission of celebrating life through music, finding mass exposure when most of their collection was featured on the Rock Band Network for Playstation and Xbox. If you haven’t heard the band through this medium, you need to check out their self-titled debut EP, as well as their latest effort, Puzzles for the Traveler. Wolfe says “The first few songs we released, we were still getting to know each other, and each others song styles. We have different influences that brought us together and we write everything collaboratively. So when we released the second album, we were getting more used to working together, more familiar with the recording process – it sounded more of what we were heading toward.”

Keep an eye out for the next musical release from Dance for the Dying – the songs are already written. The band will be branching out west and south from their base in the northeast, so also check out www.danceforthedying.com for all their schedule updates. There’s still much, much more to get into, so read on for all the answers in this final installment of XXQs from PEV’s SXSW tour.

XXQs: Dance for the Dying

PEV: To get started – what was the first concert you ever attended?

Dance for the Dying (DD): When I was really young, I used to go to punk-rock and punk-hardcore shows in New York. So it’s hard to pinpoint who the first band was – the first big concert I went to was Metallica and Biohazard.

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The Material

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Our next stop on the PEV SXSW tour is with a band we’ve followed for some time – a band we’ve been lucky enough to watch grow into the rock heavy outfit they are today: the LA-based 5-piece, The Material (Colleen D’Agostino, Jon Moreaux, Roi Elam, Kevin Pintado, Jordan Meckley). We know you’ve heard this group before – they’ve been on Purevolume’s Top 20 Unsigned Bands List, and have headlined tours like the Motel 6 “Rock Yourself To Sleep Tour”. They’ve released four great records, including Tomorrow (2007), To Weather The Storm (2009), What We Are (2011) and their latest album, Everything I Want to Say. They’ve already had over 300,000 purchased downloads and a spot on the Rock Band video game, and we had a chance to gather even more intel on this latest Material effort.

The band says “With this new record in particular, we just stripped it down and really focused on production. Before, when we finished a song, we’d be in the studio and we’d add these synths and strings, stuff like that after the fact. This time, we really just wanted to hone in on the essence of rock. It’s very energetic and fun. Like I said – no frills – just straight up rock…We write songs in a way that we want people to relate to them no matter what situation they’re in. If the situation is really crappy, we want our music to show that there’s a positive light at the end. There’s hope. We try to present ourselves as a positive band, so we want to connect with fans and let them know that if they’re going through a rough time, they’re not alone.”

Check out http://www.wearethematerial.com to sample Everything I Want to Say and to get into the band’s touring schedule. With the sound and talent these guys bring to the table, it’s just a matter of time before they’re blasting venues around the world. Read on; there’s much, much more to get into in the answers to the XXQs below on this latest stop of the PEV SXSW tour.

XXQs: The Material

PEV: To get started – what was the first concert you ever attended?

The Material (TM): When I was a kid, my mom took me to a Temptations and Four Tops concert. She was friends with this guy, JJ Jackson who wrote this oldies song so we scored tickets to that. The first concert I actually bought a ticket for was for The Skatalites and The Toasters at The House of Blues. It was really awesome – I was really into ska, it was an awesome show, great musicianship.

Mine was a Linkin Park concert – my sister took me for Christmas. I was really into the band at the moment and it was incredible. My first really big show.

My first concert ever was Blink-182 – that was back before the Staples Center and it was at the Great Western Forum. Cool show.

I saw Aerosmith for my first concert – it was really cool. They were awesome.

Mine was Madonna. That was the first really big concert that I went to go see – still a really huge fan of hers.

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Alabaster

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Richie Frieman

Alabaster (Shaina Rae, Kate Orlowski, Joe Bosslet, Marlon Deppen, Dwayne Scott) is the next interview on PEV’s whirlwind run through SXSW – a band who has seen its share of transformations. Orlowski tells the story best: “It started out really acoustic, folk singer-songwriter. Like Tegan and Sara, Elliott Smith thing, then we brought Joe in the band and he brought his pop-punk influence: Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, New Found Glory. Then suddenly we were this punk band. Shaina wasn’t the lead singer to begin! I was the bass player!”

Kate continues, “Then we left Chicago and went to Seattle to focus on our music and we picked up Dwayne and Marlon. That’s when Alabaster really became Alabaster, with all the unique sounds being brought to the table.” You gotta get into this music for yourself – check out the band’s Unraveled album to start, and then dive into the latest EP, The Villain in Me. While Unraveled focused on finding the unique Alabaster sound, The Villain in Me has truly refined it. Alabaster’s latest single, “Scream It Out” is out now – click to www.alabasterband.com to sample it for yourself and even more from this up-and-coming rock outfit. There’s still much to get into, so read on for all the answers to the XXQs on this next stop of PEV’s SXSW tour.

XXQs: Alabaster

PEV: To get started – what was the first concert you ever attended?

(It should be noted; the entire band challenged one another with this question, as to who had the best answer. The argument was pretty funny).

Shaina Rae (SR): I can start – REM.

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