Posts Tagged ‘From Scratch (Currently Unsigned Artists)’

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Almost There is one of the best kept secrets in unsigned modern day music. This band’s on a mission to make mountains move, ready for a takeover. The Jersey trio is invading the scene one day at a time. Phill Serzan (drums), Zach Sicherman (Bass/Vocals,) and Ed Soles (Guitar/Vocals) have been savaging the contest circuit, recently crowned winners of the Nokia Artist Discovery Contest sponsored by Myspace Records, and winning a Radio Airplay Competition to open for National Acts such as Creed and Saving Abel. Now, this is the story all about how their lives got twisted upside down…

Picture this: your band is selected to be flown out to LA, record with huge producers such as Jon Pikus and Ryan Williams (Pink, 30 seconds to Mars, Travie McCoy…name droppin’ a few, just sayin’), and record a kick-ass EP while getting the rock star treatment they oh-so deserve. Intrigued? Good. Keep reading.

Like most musicians, Almost There have set a few goals: play, be heard, gain new fans, and earn a living doing what they eat, breathe and sleep: manufacturing music. The boys stated in a recent interview how the name of the band came about: “It has to do with our perfectionist mentality. Our musical aspirations are always to reach a certain goal, but you’re never going to get there, there is always more to be had.” Deep, huh?

Musicians by day and night, as Ed and Zach teach guitar, and Phill sells drums (for music is the pulse that keeps this trio alive — this is not just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle). I’m fortunate enough to be in a place to be able to work with these guys very closely, for the band is dominating the Jersey Shore with radio play and shows. Hey, everyone wants their hometown heroes to make it, right?

Like a fine wine, they have grown better and better with time. Improvement is always the answer at the end of the day. Sometimes it’s hard for me to grasp how musicians with such aptitude like themselves aren’t as big as they should be, but then reality hits me. These guys want to make their imaginings happen by doing it their way — the old fashion way — by investing time in voice lessons and playing a shit load of shows, while creating a solid fan base. Never eager to ride the auto-tune and commercial train, they opt for a different track. Ed, Phill, and Zach recently told me in a sit down that various things keep the group motivated in a slowly dying business: “We don’t want to sound like anyone but ourselves. We know that this is what we want to be doing, so we will continue to do so.” Okay, but if a gun was held to my head and I had to give you an incentive on their sound, it would be described as alternative rock/pop punk with an up-tempo aggressive flava, and oh yeah, intricate kick-ass drum pieces. It’s not similar to anything out there, and no, it doesn’t sound like a band you discovered years ago. Almost There is original shit.

Audio Takeover and latest EP Losing Someone To Find Yourself are available for purchase, and you should totally check these boys out. Tracks such as Can I Take You Home and Last Laugh will expose their raw talent and emotional side as a collection. They also will be banging out a new EP entitled Silver Lake which should make it to your playlist in no time.

Almost There is in a league of their own. Why? Amazing songwriting, with a keen musical ability and tons of perseverance. Bass and guitar, plus vocals by Ed and Zach, with Phill smacking you upside the head with his drum sets (for he is a machine, and never settles for a straight beat), Almost There is well on their way.

If you need a fresh kick in your diet for some quality music, check out Almost There (you might as well take a listen, for they aren’t leaving anytime soon, kids). Until you get the music, check out this musical montage with their new single Garbage Dump or A Gold Mine (and ladies, there is a lil’ eye candy in there as well). As the great AC/DC once said, “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Carson Kivari is one of the best YouTube search results I’ve ever gotten. A man who’s always been searching for the stranger, stronger, deeper pieces of life. Where else would that quest take him but straight to Mother Music’s door, and he’s put up house there ever since.

Our Mr. Kivari had such an infatuation with music that for years he would hitchhike from his small town in B.C. into the city just to practice singing and freestyle rap. He’s completely self-taught, but the professional sizzle of his put-together numbers makes it seem like he’s been under the wing of a voice trainer since he was five.

Some artists refuse to settle for just one measly genre to call their own. Instead, they become connoisseurs to as many as they can get their hands on, excelling at each stage and rocketing on to the next. Carson definitely has that going on for him. He’s done hip hop, he’s done electro, he’s ridden the long trails of tender folk, and torn up the venue with rock.

As he says, “Try as I might, I can’t seem to commit to one genre.”

The three new songs he’s released mirror that. Come Get Me is full of that delicious smooth-beat hiphop, Wish the Stars is an unexpectedly fresh take on the electro-pop movement, and Pathos (which will be released on his upcoming EP) is rich with culture and percolating sound.

If you pick any song out of his colourful mix, you can tell he’s sampled every dish from the buffet. Though this inclusive pallet may not be for everyone, it’s great for someone who loves a ‘little bit of everything’.

The variation keeps him going, but what first got me drawn in were his lighter, more stylistic pieces. Just him and his guitar, the music spinning out of his soul- it makes magic happen. He’s the cream-filled centre of the quaint collaborative cupcake. Full of sugar, spice, and everything else ripe for an after-dinner treat.

For now he’s still living the edge of the unsigned artist, but it shouldn’t be long ‘till this guy is all signed up with a comfy contract and a stadium full of fans. Talent knows no bounds, and his is going to take him somewhere.

It was tough settling on which project to showcase, but I went with Pathos, just ‘cause there’s something hidden under that song that I can’t resist.

Let it speak to you; mp3 is below.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Looking to rid yourself of destructive vices? Don’t worry; Anti-Venom has the cure.

These unsigned, independent New Zealand locals have the properties of pure addiction. When I came across their Myspace page, I repeated four of their songs again and again, and every time I listened to each one, the song grew sweeter, the fire grew stronger. When you find a band whose lists of musical inspiration ranges from Liz Phair to Bullet For My Valentine, you know you’ve got a newly discovered breed on your hands.

What they play is whatever they want, created from the ashes of past struggles and made into something gorgeous. Is there some anger behind their songs? Sure. But it’s elegantly placed, and does nothing but encourage you to break out the bitch pills and let it all out.

They’re bursting into your closest and pulling all the old skeletons out, letting you purge out all your darkness, and having a good time doing it.

They say it best themselves: “We’re singing our hearts out and injecting every drop of venom we have into our music. Whatever it takes to get the poison out of our system.”

Forget therapy, Anti-Venom can cure all those infectious neuroses.For once I’m going to keep it short, and let the music speak for itself. Take a listen, and consider yourself educated.
　

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Marga Lane is a pop artist originally from Brooklyn, NY, but has lived the majority of her life in a town called Carmel, about an hour north of Manhattan. Lane grew up in a household filled with music, from listening to her mother who is a classical pianist and lover of 60’s and 70’s ballads to her Peruvian father who introduced Latin music and culture into the threads of her life.

At the age of six Marga began to take piano lessons and from that point forward everything she did involved music, dance, and musical theater. She began to write songs her senior year in high school, and later spent four years at Berklee College of Music in Boston, learning from the best teachers around, as well as the students, who are known for their talents and drive.

After graduating last summer, Marga moved to Los Angeles to continue to pursue her career. As Marga says herself: “Music has always been my life. I am my music. My passion, dedication, persistence and my parents support has gotten me where I am today and I know will take me even further.”

ROB BRAYL: Who are your musical influences?

MARGA LANE: I have so many musical influences. As artists I’d have to say Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, and Lil’ Wayne. Pretty much any Motown writer/artist, like Smokey, Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Holland-Dozier-Holland. And one of my favorite songwriters is Max Martin.

RB: Current song/album on repeat in your Ipod?

ML: K. Michelle – You Should Have Killed Me and B.o.B’s album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray

RB: What’s your goal with your music?

ML: I want my music to reach people all over the world. I love the way a song (lyrically or melodically, even harmonically) can have such an affect on someone and make them feel a certain way. I would love for my music to have that affect. I want my song to be so powerful that they can speak to people. And of course a record deal and a world tour wouldn’t hurt.

RB: Random fact.

ML: About a year ago I overdosed on water. I drank way too much water before a gig and after collapsed and my body went numb and I had to be hospitalized. It was a very scary moment, but my band still found a way to make fun of me! I drink a lot of water and am known for always having those liter and half bottles in my bag. My band thought it was hysterical that I went to the hospital for drinking too much, where as other people have gone for overdosing on drugs or alcohol poisoning. We all laugh about it now, because if you really know me, it’s funny.

RB: Dream collaboration?

ML: Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Rob Knox.

Take a listen to Marga Lane’s Kiss Me Before You Go, below.

You can also check out Marga via Myspace here.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

High spirited, edgy, forceful, addictive. What does that add up to? Pretty Face 4 Radio, a single act also known as Kyle Carey, a dynamo of talent fuelled by fire and emotional electricity. Usually this genre isn’t my thing, but this man’s music is raging with so much vigour that it’s impossible not to listen, enjoy, and repeat.

His music is a rockin combo of electronic and pop influence, with a little bit of alternative mesh rock thrown in, and has enough strength to rip through you with every chorus line. It’s blazing with the beat and heavy on the synthesizers, which, by the way, weld perfectly into his awesome dance tracks. I especially found his latest song, Hello Chicago really rivetting. There’s something about the percussion that adds an extra beat to your heart, making you almost anxious to get something done and reach out to the world.

Everything about his songs is charged with an enigmatic flair, a smooth grace combined with ruthless magnetism. It’s the best antidote when you need to just get up and dance, and not even think about how much of the world may be watching. And don’t we all need something like that? Some snappy song that makes us happy, revs us up, encourages us to let go and be ourselves? Aren’t some of the best types of music the ones that engage our inner wildness and unleash our natural highs?

Kyle Carey may be a one man show, but he does more than enough to make a creative sound. He started as a drummer and quickly picked up a guitar, along with the inspiration to be a lyricist and artist. Everything about him demands dedication, and he’s definitely preferable to the unoriginality ones often found playing on the radio.

Currently unsigned, Kyle has shown that the best drive comes from bright energy and an undying devotion to the rhythm in his soul. He says it best himself: “Every second of free time is about the music.” That’s a philosophy all musicians should live by.

Give this guy time, and he’ll definitely have the potential to turn some heads (and open some hearts).

You can check out his most recently released track below. Cue the wicked tunes!