A memorable band name can go a long way in the music industry. Nowadays a catchy title can be just as essential as having a distinct sound. If it weren’t for the inclusion of the ultimate bad girl in the title, The Wanted’s new song, “Walks Like Rihanna”, might as well be tossed into the bin of lackluster boy band pop songs. So, what happens if a band has a solid name and an original sound? Well, that magical combination equates to an enduring career. Canadian outfit, Down With Webster, can attest to that theory. Certified platinum in Canada, Down With Webster has been nominated for Juno Awards, MuchMusic Video  [ Read More ]

It’s the middle of the week and I bet you Shockya readers need a pick me up to get you through the rest of hump day and the two work days ahead. I have got just the cure for your Wednesday blues thanks to the tunes from Citadel, which is the music project of Philadelphia-based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Justin Chapman. Chapman formed Citadel as a collaborative effort with several of Philadelphia’s most prominent singers and songwriters, such as Lucy Stone, Will Lindsay and Geoff Vanover. The creative “outfit” dropped their self-titled EP on May 7th and you can stream it in its entirety on Artist Direct. The four song EP  [ Read More ]

As of May 7th, I have been eagerly awaiting to feature the multi-faceted outfit, Fitz And The Tantrums, in Shockya’s “Artist Of The Week”. This past Tuesday, the sextet dropped their sophomore album, “More Than Just A Dream” via Elektra Records. Founded by Michael Fitzpatrick (vocals) in 2008, Fitz And The Tantrums, which consists of Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophonist), John Wicks (drums), Joseph Karnes (bassist) and Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboardist), released their debut EP, “Songs For A Breakup, Vol.1” in 2009 and the following year dropped their first full-length, “Pickin’ Up The Pieces”. Solidifying them as a breakout band, “Pickin’ Up The Pieces”, revamped classic Motown music by adding  [ Read More ]

Obtaining longevity in the music industry is an achievement that is severely underappreciated amongst listeners. Within those “break” years of an artist’s career, there most likely had been a slew of new “it” girls. These already established-singers need to persist passed that change, which is much more easily said than it is done. If it were that simple, garnering fame would be a mindless task. Further solidifying her title as the “Queen Of Christian Pop”, Singer/songwriter, Amy Grant, will be releasing her first studio album in 10 years on May 14th. She took a decade off, but Grant is still the best-selling contemporary Christian music singer ever, having sold over  [ Read More ]

Somehow during the indie rock influx, the tongue in cheek charm of Vans Warped Tour bands got ousted from the 21st Century rock genre. In case you’ve never been to the festival, Warped Tour is typically infiltrated by the self-deemed rebels of high school. Outfits, such as Paramore, AFI, The Academy Is…, Bayside, Bowling For Soup, Thrice, The Starting Line, Something Corporate, Jimmy Eat World, Jack’s Mannequin and Good Charlotte, have all donned the stage at least one time in their career. Lately, the punk rock sub-category has been on the bench and the trendy ways of hipster rock has been at the forefront of the music scene. Everyone loves  [ Read More ]

As the season turns, the need to update your playlists should be growing more urgent. It’s time to ditch those wallowing winter tunes and replace them with some “pump up” jams. Yes, I just used the Jersey Shore adjective, “pump up”, to describe summer tunes, but is there anything else more appropriate? So, start adding energetic hip-hop, rap and pop tracks because the summer solstice is right around the corner. My suggestion is to begin your newly improved playlists is with tunes from middle class rap hero, Spose, who will be releasing his new album, “The Peter Sparker Mixtape”, on June 10th via his own label, Preposterously Dank Entertainment. The  [ Read More ]

Welcome readers to a new feature, “Shockya’s Artist Of The Week”. Each week you will be introduced to a new artist or band whose music has garnered a closer look. “Artist Of The Week” is about the collective appeal of an outfit, not the promising nature of a single song. These selections were able to stop my unholy tendencies to quickly click from one new release to the next without “consciously” giving the track a shot. So, here it goes. The first of the batch of awesome bands coming your way is the California rock duo, Deap Vally. Comprised of Lindsey Troy (guitar, vocals) and Julie Edwards (drums), Deap Vally  [ Read More ]

The kick off of 90s pop occurred more than a decade ago, but the genre has only progressed since the domination days of Britney Spears. I thought the aftermath of “…. Baby One More Time” would be long gone by now, but I am thoroughly pleased with how pop music has gone on to include a wide variety of genres, such as rock, rhythm and blues and rap. Transformation is key to persisting in the music industry and pop music has done just that. While it is difficult to compare pop lyrics and vocals with those of more “introverted” genres, I do think the ability to make a commercial success  [ Read More ]

With indie rock currently typecast as the “cool” and “hip” genre nowadays, the aggressive side of rock isn’t garnering the appreciation it well-deserves. Hard rock has a taxing job of delivering songs that have just the right balance between vocal and instrumental liberty and restraint that they are not considered to be indie or too metal. So, don’t neglect the genre just because the artists aren’t donning the latest wayfarer and suspender trend or an all black get up. Hard rock has more to give and the New York City outfit, Eve To Adam, has solidified that with the lyric video for their current single, “Straitjacket Supermodel”. With its intriguing  [ Read More ]

Hard rock group Heaven & Earth have released their new album, “Dig” today, and ShockYa is here to celebrate! We have been given two signed copies of the group’s CD to give away; if you want to win a signed CD, here’s what you need to do: Follow us @Shockya. Tweet us the phrase, “@Shockya is giving away Dig, Heaven & Earth’s new CD! Follow and RT to enter!” You can tweet us every day until May 7. After that date, we’ll pick the winners at random and notify them through Twitter DM. Good luck to all who enter! Heaven & Earth has also released the music video to their  [ Read More ]

Not “deemed” as an electronic music fan, I have become more appreciative of the transcending genre largely due to the complexity of its instrumentals and the intensity of its visual effects. Yes, there are times I prefer to wallow away in melancholic melodies, but lately turning on dance anthems have become my mood booster. So, say goodbye to spring fever by channeling your energy into the music from alternative electro group, Five Knives. The Nashville-based outfit recently released the music video for the single, “Messin’ With My Mind“, which is off of their EP, “The Rising”. It is extremely refreshing to watch this positively chaotic music video, especially when MTV  [ Read More ]

With reality television shows on the rise, MTV and VH1 have traded in showing classic music videos for drunken and barely clothed youngins. Fortunately enough, the days of MTV in the 90s and Total Request Live in the 2000s are deeply ingrained in my mind. The Jersey Shore cast “ain’t got nothing” on those moments in music history, which is fronted by Blind Melon’s “No Rain”. The video, which featured the iconic “Bee Girl”, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Band members, Brad Smith and Christopher Thorn, dropped a remastered version of their self-titled debut and an unreleased “Sippin’ Time Sessions” EP on April 16th. Click here to get your copy.  [ Read More ]

I sold my soul to AWOLNATION roughly two years ago once I saw Aaron Bruno’s music video for ”Burn It Down”. The video, which featured Sam Ronson and Willa Ford, epitomizes why VH1’s “Top 20 Countdown” and the slim amount of music videos shown on MTV should not become an extinct fad of the 80s and 90s. Developing imagery is key to popularizing a song and AWOLNATION has a knack for conveying just that. The outfit’s latest song,”THISKIDSNOTALRIGHT” will be featured in the new video game, “Injustice: Gods Among Us”, which will be available everywhere April 16th. The video game’s soundtrack will be released digitally on the same day as  [ Read More ]

With the recent breakup of My Chemical Romance and the reuniting of the Jonas Brothers, the dynamic of sibling bands has been frequently on my music radar these days. Sometimes the family relationship can strain a band and other times, it aids in keeping an outfit intact. Whether the rivalries occur or not, the music industry has undeniably been affected by the in-sync ways of these blood bonded bands. Oasis, The Kinks, Bee Gees, ACDC, The National, Tegan and Sara, Beach Boys, Jackson 5, and The Black Crowes have family connections within them and despite some notable tension (cough, cough Oasis), I believe their nature has been a key factor  [ Read More ]

As a longtime fan of Nine Inch Nails and Paramore, how am I just learning about Ilan Rubin’s one-man outfit, The New Regime? Yes, I am a bit shameful to admit this lack of knowledge to you, Shockya readers, but there comes a time when even the “experts” need to admit fault (insert a sarcastic tone). Rubin’s repertoire includes being the drummer for these two bands as well as for Angels & Airwaves. He is also noted as the youngest person to play Woodstock at 11 years old in The Guinness Book of World Records. At this age, my main concern was blending in with other Juicy Couture wearers, not  [ Read More ]