It's probably a safe assumption to say that pretty much everyone knows at least one other person who is in a band. There's always a friend of yours or a friend of a friend that just joined a new band or is trying to get one going. Everybody's doing it. Frankly, I would too if I had the slightest idea how to play an instrument because people that are in good bands ooze cool. I just write about bands instead. Here's the thing though about all these bands your friends are in... majority of them most likely are horrendous and not oozing cool. I'm not trying to be mean, but let's be real. It's a daunting task to find good bands. Even bands that are signed to record deals, let alone hometown bands making records in their basement. But I guess you have to start somewhere, right?

I have known a character by the name of Bobby Washburn since I was a wee little one. I've known the kid for quite some time now. I'm talking like playing tag and red rover red rover send Bobby right over kind of shit. Recently, he read my blog and asked if I would write a review for his band that he is in, The Keeping (Bobby plays the guitar). Of course I said I would because I'm the nicest person on the block. After I said I would do it, I got to thinking how much his band was going to suck (just being honest, Bobby). For an outgoing, upbeat person, I can be real cynical and pessimistic. For some reason and I have no idea why, I thought his band was going to be hard core, death metal stuff and I can't tell you how much I hate that "music." So, here I am, completely regretting the fact that I agreed to do this review when Bobby tells me he is going to send me some of his music via the internets. So, I'm sitting and I'm waiting and I'm preparing myself for some rinky-dink recordings of some horrible pile of crap music when I get a link to six songs from The Keeping. Here goes nothin', I thought.

Wrong. I was wrong. Real wrong. I believe the phrase is "pleasantly surprised." It was real, legitimate, well produced music and was absent of any hard core, death metal. These are songs I can already hear being played on the radio. Given a chance, they will be. The melodies are catchy as hell, the lyrics will make girls round the world swoon (including me), and the lead singer (Thomas, from what MySpace tells me) has a perfect voice for the music he is singing over. My personal favorite is "Daybreak." I was relieved and really proud of my friend. If you know me at all, you know that I love comparing bands to other bands. I'm really good at it and always dead on. That being said, The Keeping reminds me a lot of The Fray. I bet they get that a lot and that ain't a bad thing. I believe The Fray is an extremely successful band with a handful of singles on the radio, so if people compared my band to them, I'd be pumped.

I don't know any of the other four band members but I do know that they are all talented musicians that genuinely enjoy the music they are making and that comes through loud and clear in the songs.

Check em out and don't say I never did anything for you!

http://www.thekeeping.com/exclusive/

Username: exclusive

Password: hesitations

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Everyone is being so mean to MGMT with regards to their new album, Congratulations. It's making me mad/sad. Hey everyone! Why don't you make a ridiculously good first album that shouldered huge success for the band and then try to make another equally ridiculously good one? I would imagine the difficulty and challenge in that would be painfully hard. You're screwed from the start. No one's ever gonna like another MGMT album better than Oracular Spectacular and I can't really blame them. That album is stacked with singles and anthems. But let's stop comparing the two albums because this new one is a horse of a different color and breed.

Let me be clear, this is not a pity like. I genuinely have been enjoying Congratulations. I won't lie though, it took me about ten full listens to realize I liked it which is odd because many of the songs bear vivid, familiar sounds to famous bands of the past, all of which I love. "Siberian Breaks" is one of those songs. The first time I listened to it, I thought my iTunes shuffled wrong and I was listening to a a song from the 60's (those were the days, eh?). This song is literally 12 minutes long and smack in the middle of the track listing. That's an unorthodox move, no? During those 12 minutes, you feel like you're listening to 3 separate songs. I even went back to my computer after playing "Siberian Breaks" to see what the name of the new song was I was listening to. Look at that, still "Siberian Breaks."

Another track that my ears likes is, "Someone's Missing." Length wise, it's the shortest record on the album but it stood out to me for some reason.

"Lady Dada's Nightmare," makes me think I'm listening to Dark Side of the Moon. Listen to it and you'll agree.

I really, really, really like the title track on this album. "Congratulations" closes out the sophomore album and I think it's beautiful. It sounds like nothing MGMT has ever done before, mostly because it's so simple and leaves out their signature psychedelic pop sound. Just an acoustic guitar, a little banging on the drums and maybe a keyboard? (Forgive me, as I am not all that skilled in identifying instruments.) I have a feeling this is a very personal song to the band. "I'd rather dissolve than have you ignore me." Very Beatles-esque to me.

Honestly, I don't think MGMT ever had any intentions of even trying to make this album anything like Oracular Spectacular. I just think they are experimenting with their talent and sound and don't give a fuck what any of us think or the amount of success they get. And I think that because I am great friends with Ben and Andrew and they told me that and also that they only care what I think and ya know what?

Congratulations, MGMT. I think ya done good. ::clapping::

MGMT - "Congratulations"

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I'm gonna digress from my usual subject of music this time. I hope you two don't mind. I just have a lot to say about being employed as a waitress and I am in need of venting. Don't even get me started on the music that is played at my work. If I hear anymore John Mellencamp...(insert something horrible you would do to someone or yourself).

I'll start by saying I completed a vicious, what seemed to be never ending, three days (25 hours) of waitressing and am pregnant with hate and anger for people that dine out. I apologize in advance as everything I'm about to say is going to sound really mean, whiny, and judgmental but I'm not. I'm a nice girl. I've just been a waitress for far too long and being mean to people in my head makes the hours just fly by. I just thought I'd make a small top 10 list of things I, as a waitress, would appreciate you stop doing. On behalf of all the people that have ever worked in the restaurant business...

1.) Please don't order a bottle of beer (that we also have on draft) and then ask for a pint glass. 'Cause really, what's the point? Do you know something I don't?

2.) NEVER, I repeat NEVER vigorously wave me down when I am clearly at another table cause I'll just look at you and wonder if you're retarded or having a seizure.

3.) Customer: "I think we are all set to order."

Me: (Inner monologue: Good for you, I don't give a sh*t, get it yourself, I wonder what Smallz is doing.) "Ok great! I'm ready when you're ready!"

Customer: ::looks around at others at the table:: "Do you guys know what you want? What are you gonna get? Oh, that sounds good? Maybe I'll get that, or should I get this? Wanna spit two meals? Have you ever had..."

Me: (Inner monologue: oohhhhhhh mmmmyyyyyyyyy ggoooooooooooodddddd, someone interrupt my thought with an order already for fucks sake, you retards.) "Yup, you can get onion rings instead of fries!!"

Just let me know when you are for real life ready to order. I have places to go and other peoples' shit to deal with.

4.) That 20% tip is greatly appreciated but you sat at my table on a Friday night for four hours and nursed a couple O'Douls. I know you left me $4 on that $22.00 tab but you probably cost me about $60. Go home.

5.) If you come into my restaurant and sit at my table, I'd advise not to inform me that you have a time restriction or are on a tight schedule. AND THEN ORDER A BURGER COOKED MEDIUM. We are a restaurant where regular human beings are employed, not a magic show. And I'm pretty sure there is an asterisk at the bottom of menu. *None of our cooks have superpowers. Besides, you aren't that important anyway. You should have had a granola bar.

6.) If your beers are $8 and you give me $10 and ask me to go get you change, I hate you.

7.) Nothing would make me happier if people would stop asking me to list beers we have (while the beer list is right in front of them) and then while I'm mid-list, "Do you have Michelob Ultra?" Yes, you skinny bitch, we do have that but maybe you should drink a real beer, no? Just a suggestion. Maybe I wouldn't be being so mean to you in my head right now if, since you already knew what you wanted, just asked me for that in the first place. (Did that sentence make sense? I don't think so, but I'm not changing it.)

8.) For the love of all that is good, get off your cell phone. Don't give me the, erect index finger signaling, wait one second, while you wrap up your phone call. You're rude. Don't make me accidentally drop a beer on your phone.

9.) Unless I do an atrocious job of serving you (psshh, as if), don't leave me less than 15% percent. If you can't afford it, it's called take-out, my friends.

10.) No, you cannot have my number.

***

Because this is a music blog, I can't stop listening to this song and would like all of my favorite bands to remake it...

The Smiths - "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"

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Does anyone remember that commercial that opened up with the line, "Scent is the strongest sense tied to memory?" Yeah, me neither. I just know that one day, a commercial came on and said that and I remember not being able to agree more with that statement. You know exactly what they are talking about. You can be just standing there, minding your own business and BAM! All of the sudden you're seven years old, standing at the bus stop again, probably trying to be first in line. All because that car's exhaust that just passed by smells a lot like your bus used to. True story. That one actually might happen to me the most. It's bizarre the things our brains hold on to and the times it lets you remember. God forbid anyone walks by me that smells like "Beautiful" perfume. I might yell out for my Mom.

So if scent is the number one memory-bringing-backer, I'm going to go ahead and say that songs are winning the number two spot. It's almost a mathematical certainty. New music excluded (for obvious reasons), there is not one song I have heard before that isn't capable of making me think of someplace I've been, something I did, or simply someone. Good, bad, big, small, most songs make me think of something from my past. Next time we are in the car together, go ahead and ask me what this song (whatever is playing at the time) reminds me of. I'll have a story to tell you. It may not be a good story, but I'll have one, and hey, you asked.

Personally, songs might even be more potent than scent. Sure, certain scents make me remember, but songs bring me there. If I have a vivid memory linked with a song, whenever that song comes on, I immediately am filled with the same feelings that I had during the initial experience. I can close my eyes and drift off into my past.

It's my own little super power.

Dave Matthews Band - "Seek Up"

This song made an impact on my memory with an incredible force. I've been listening to this song since I was thirteen years old and each time I hear the first few notes, I get an intense, nervous feeling. I have my siblings to thank for that. When I was thirteen, they took me to one of my very first "Dave" shows, if you will. My three siblings are all older than I and had jumped on the Dave Matthews Band train before there were train tracks. So here I am, at the Worcester Centrum or Great Woods I believe, thinking I am the bee's knees because I get to see a cool band without my mom. Not to mention the fact my brothers and sister are letting me hang out with them. Little did I know, they didn't have a ticket for me. Their plan was to sneak me in. They had already been to a handful of DMB shows and had mastered the art of passing a ticket back after the concert aisle people checked it. (I'm sure those employees have a specific title, I just don't know it.) I was a real "goody goody" at the time and had never done such a thing. Patrick gave me the rundown on how it was going to go down about five times and I tried to mentally prepare. Dave opens up with "Seek Up" and we're all running to get to our seats. This is it. Don't fuck it up. I definitely was not smooth about it, but somehow it worked. We finally get to our seats and I'm trying to enjoy this song, but mostly I'm catching my breath trying not to pass out all the while trying to act all, no big deal. From that day on, that is the feeling I get when "Seek Up" comes on. I probably would like that song a lot more than I do if that never happened but it will always have a spot in my heart.

Mariah Carey - "Breakdown"

This one makes me happy. Let's go back to 2001, shall we? I'm a freshman at Umass Amherst. I'm hanging out with my friend, Kristin, her roommate, Ashley and her roommate's boyfriend, hmmmm I don't remember his name. We decide it'd be a great idea to go smoke a blunt and drive around in his Jeep and let's face it, it was. This Jeep was sweet. The back seats were the ones that are on either side and face each other. I had never seen anything like it. In retrospect, it's kind of awkward but I was digging it at the time. So we are all high as kites, Kristin and I in the back, just driving around, breathing in some sweet Amherst air with the windows down, listening to some tunage. Then, a wonderful thing happened. "Breakdown" by Mariah and Bone Thugs came on. My friend, Kristin and I went to high school together but never really were friends so we were still in our "getting to know you" period. She knew I liked Mariah, but I don't think she grasped how much. I don't really think many people do. Naturally, I was singing along with Mariah the whole time, but towards the end of the song, Mariah does her unmatchable lead vocals so I shut up, saved everyone's ear drums and started lip syncing. When I say lip syncing, not only do I mean mouthing the words but also doing the hand motions that go along with producing the sounds I supposedly was making. All I needed was a spotlight and a stage. I was into it hard core and had my eyes closed for most of it. I don't even think I realized Kristin was watching me until I opened my eyes to see her in complete amazement. Kristin said she heard parts of that song she had never heard before. That's a huge compliment to me. I think the best part of this whole thing was that Ashley and her boyfriend had no idea what was going on in the backseat, but it was a moment Kristin and I will never forget and forever think about whenever we hear this song.

My Morning Jacket - "One Big Holiday"

Whenever this song comes on, feel free to not talk to me for the next five minutes and twenty three seconds because I will be at The Pub in Amherst, MA, if only in my mind. I will safely say this song made impact during my Junior/Senior year at Umass. Someone had come across this song and showed it to our friends that were in a band, "The Shady Groove Experience." Fortunately, the band members all took a liking to it and learned how to play it. And not just play it, but MASTER it. These kids nailed it. Every week, the band got a night (Tuesday? Wednesday?) to play at a local Amherst bar called, "The Pub." To show our support, and to support our alcoholic, binge drinking ways, we went and saw our friends play. Each week they closed with "One Big Holiday." It was almost disappointing if they didn't play it. I'm telling you, these kids (my friends, I don't know why I'm referring to them as 'these kids'), played this song to a tee. By no means was this song popular with our group of friends to start off with. But after a couple weeks of this closer, we were loving it. I remember looking around seeing all of my closest Umass friends just jamming out together without a care in the world. They were just there, in that moment, feeling the song. The drums and guitar that come in within the first few seconds, bring me the most warm, nostalgic feeling. It's like going home.

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