The Eeries Roar Past Some Cool Kids

Maybe one of the hardest things about being a musician is knowing when to start over and, more importantly, who to start over with. There are dozens of breakout bands that bust up out of the starting block because some members aren't ready to wreck themselves on the road most take to get there.

It's also why singer-songwriter-guitarist Isaiah Silva didn't want just anyone who was trying on the musician moniker for the first time when he founded The Eeries. After investing 16 years in music, some of it as a cathartic sense of self-expression to help him survive a turbulent childhood, he wanted to surround himself with seasoned players. Who can blame him?

"We've all had our bands and worked our assess off touring and sleeping on hardwood floors for 120 days out of the year in a shitty band, in snowy weather, with a trailer driving from fucking Colorado to fucking North Dakota for 15 hours, drinking NoDoz," says Silva. "We've all done session work for other bands. We've all been hired guns. Each of us has done it all. That's how I knew these were the right guys."

Those guys include guitarist Brandon Sweeney, drummer Nadir Maraschin, and bassist Eliot Lorango. And not only had they lived music, each of them was also keen on reviving the golden era of guitar-driven alternative rock with an urgent swirl of punk-infused dream pop. It's a great wake up.

After spending two years together, their first real break came when alternative rock radio station KROQ sampled Cool Kid as a new music feature. The initial spin landed it on another prime time spot where listeners voted it up to earn a place on the station's official playlist. It was just like that until Interscope scooped them up (but not before they already finished recording a self-produced debut).

Cool Kid has turned plenty of ripples into waves. Check out this live session via Jam In The Van or live via Late Night with Seth Meyers. Either cut will easily prove the band deserves a deeper listen.



The track tackles the common angst-filled inspiration of being on the outside looking in — a relentless feeling that is especially poignant in an era when it's cool to be uncool. Or maybe it hits home simply because nobody really knows what cool means anymore. It's all as artificial as Aspartame.

Not wanting to miss out on the momentum of the lyric-light but pointedly poetic single, Interscope green lighted the first five tracks (including Cool Kid) on self-titled EP. The four new tracks make the case that The Eeries aren't one-trick ponies. The self-titled EP rips through an impressive set of perfectly balanced rockers that were recorded analog style, live to 2-inch tape in Los Angeles.

The tracks all stem from personal events, ranging from what happens when you live most of your life on the road or fall in love with someone or unexpectedly break it off. Silva writes down whatever life throws at him and then matches it to the right melodies. And then they lay it down raw, flaws and all.

The rundown on the EP is inspired, with no wasted minutes. Girlfriend fires up some prickly dance punk with a nod to the 80s. Love You To Pieces resurrects some garage grunge with an art pop twist. Shine On, a favorite track contender, blends in some psychedelics. Overrated dances around a Beatlesque inspired mashup of melodies, making the perfect bookend to a memorable EP.

The Eeries EP Rocks Out 8.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

The Eeries EP is easily the best EP debut of the year. The band makes it even better because they self-produced it before they were signed. Add in some old school production savvy and it isn't hard to see why The Eeries haven't cut an EP as much as they have a career. It will likely get better from here.

You can find The Eeries EP on Amazon. The tracks can also be downloaded from iTunes. Interscope Records was smart to snap them up, adding a little more indie diversity to their growing alternative rock roster. The full-length album is anticipated to land in early 2015. The band is currently putting the finishing touhes on their work.

No Doubt Pushes And Shoves Back

While we have an affinity for the raw and less polished music across genres, No Doubt has made a near heroic effort to become relevant again. After all, 11 years is a long time to go between studio albums.

No Doubt proved they can do it, even after a studio hiatus that latesd longer than their active career. The foursome came together in Orange County about 17 years ago, bursting onto the music scene with a unique blend of pop/rock/ska. Tragic Kingdom is still felt today.

What happened during the studio hiatus? Plenty.

Since Rock Steady was released, most people know the members made their own marks. Singer Gwen Stefani embarked on an uber-successful solo career as a singer and fashion icon. Stefani, bassist Tony Kanal, drummer Adrian Young, and guitarist Tom Dumont became parents. They all grew up.

It wasn't until the foursome spent time together on a No Doubt reunion tour in 2009 that the idea for a new album was sparked. Even then, there was no rush.

It's part of what makes the release of Push and Shove so interesting. They may be older and wiser, but they haven't lost any spark. Even producer/engineer Mark Stent noted that the band wanted to do an album that was purposely intended to be played live, which meant less dubs and more chops in the various LA studios where it was recorded.

The changes are notable across the album.

If anything, Push and Shove has more adult themes lyrically while returning to the band’s roots musically. It’s danceable arena synth pop, one off from our favorites but well crafted nonetheless.

In fact, the catchy Settle Down is a classic No Doubt song that harkens back to the band’s Tragic Kingdom days. And while the song won’t match the punch and hooks of the band’s better known songs, it’s still satisfying.



The title song, Push and Shove, features Major Lazer and Jamaican rapper Busy Signal trading raps over a reggae beat. Easy lets Stefani show off her vocals, but the slower tempo gives the song the feeling of being stuck in low gear. Sparkle is a poppy classic that gives each member of the band a chance to shine. It’s punctuated by a reggae-flecked horn solo.

Undercover represents yet another No Doubt relationship song, but it’s the rhythm section of Young and Kanal that give the song that added lift. Looking Hot is a guitar-driven gem with some great work by Dumont that finds Stefani marveling at the fact that she still looks great in her 40s. She sings “You think I’m looking hot?” It works best live, like this rarity from the iHeart Radio Festival.


The final track, Dreaming the Same Dream, is a synth-heavy tune that features some gorgeous drum work by Young. It's arguably the strongest track on the album.

Push and Shove is also notable for its unique cover art, which was done by Los Angeles street artist Miles MacGregor, better known as El Mac. The four portraits were taken as photographs and then rendered manually into paintings. El Mac has said that it was a painstaking 6-week process, which included creating acrylic wood panel portraits and then using his own maze-like paint work on each.

Push And Shove By No Doubt Trips In With 5.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

No Doubt is back, and long-time fans will easily find this album to be good news. While the band doesn’t take any real risks here, maybe they don’t need to. It’s No Doubt.

You can pick up Push and Shove from Amazon or download it from iTunes. Given the work by El Mac however, you might want to splurge on a physical copy. You can order the album from Barnes & Noble.

The band is slated to peform at the MTV European Music Awards in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 11. Then they return to Los Angeles for a six-show residency at the Gibson Amphitheatre. Tickes for three of the shows are already sold out. To check for new tour dates and other news, visit the band’s website.

Taylor Momsen Says Hit Me Like A Man

When Taylor Momsen remade herself to front The Pretty Reckless, some people were taken aback. I wasn't one of them. Make Me Wanna Die was a powerful introduction for the (then) 16-year-old Gossip Girl actress on the Kick-Ass soundtrack.

For anyone still unconvinced that she was the real deal, the band's self-titled three-track EP won a few more over. My Medicine and Going Down rightly earned some anticipation for the album, Light Me Up.

On the whole, however, and despite its popularity, the album wasn't as great as the EP suggested. Momsen and company had straddled the fence between pop and rock, producing a half great album. But that isn't the case for their new EP, Hit Me Like A Man. The Pretty Reckless seem settled to keep things hot and heavy.

Hit Me Like A Man adds three ferociously good heavies.  

Never mind two of the five tracks are live recasts of Light Me Up. Both Make Me Wanna Die (complete with audio chanting and added guitar finesse) and Since You're Gone fit in with this EP.

The real magic happens with the newest material. Hit Me Like A Man, Under The Water, and Cold Blooded all represent the kinds of the songs that some hoped to hear more of on the first album. There is no pop-rock fence straddling here. The Pretty Reckless know their hearts belong to rock and roll.

Hit Me Like A Man pulls out all the stops, carrying over some familiar arrangements from the best of Light Me Up, but with a freshness that capitalizes on Momson's remarkable genre-bending range. The song carries her smoky, brooding blues through the verse, teases her acoustically pleasant pop voice in a pre-chorus, and then powers the rock growls for the chorus. The song is remarkably composed and the delivery unfettered. It's one of the most interesting songs I've heard for some time.

While the sample clip doesn't showcase it in entirety, it does provide some semblance of what to expect from the EP, courtesy of Interscope Records. The track carries the first 1:30 of the 4:43 song.



The next new track, Under The Water, is a classic rock ballad with an acoustic open. The open first creates the illusion that the song will drift into safer pop waters, but it thankfully never does. Instead, Momsen adds more richness with every refrain. Also of note, Ben Phillips adds a memorable guitar solo into the song. The only thing that wasn't needed, in my opinion, was a vocal echo overlay.

Cold Blooded also carries some experimental arrangements, including an organ open that establishes and helps to maintain a bluesy, soulful rock groove throughout. Not only does it include another memorable guitar solo, but Phillips lends his voice to transform the song into an unexpected duet while Mark Damon (bass) and Jamie Perkins (drums) hold down the beat.

It's a great reminder that although Momson gets more attention, The Pretty Reckless is an incredibly accomplished band. Everyone on the inside knows it and it's great more people outside will too.

It's not a surprise to anyone who has seen them live. The other members are finding themselves in the spotlight more often, especially Phillips who has always been instrumental in assisting Momson with the songwriting (along with Kato Khandwala) and in reaching her potential. Here is a clip of Momson and Phillips on the MTV special, with Phillips providing backing vocals for an acoustic Zombie.



This live acoustic version really relights up Zombie in interesting and unexpected ways. And although it is not included on the EP, it does demonstrate the diversity of both Momsen and Phillips (easily said about Damon and Perkins too). So with this little bit of trivia and the fact that Momsen gave up on acting to pursue music full time, you can expect The Pretty Reckless will only get better.

The Pretty Reckless' Hit Me Like A Man Hits Hard At 9.6 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

When I reviewed The Pretty Reckless the first time, there wasn't nearly the same level of excitement from people as there is with this new release. The credit belongs to everyone involved. The EP has some experimental arrangements that will be felt for a long time to come. And their live shows rock.

Hit Me Like A Man by The Pretty Reckless is up on iTunes. You can also pick up the Hit Me Like A Man EP for a few pennies less on Amazon. Barnes & Noble carries the EP as a CD. The band is currently on tour, playing Seattle on St. Patrick's Day before heading to Canada and the Midwest. Look for them on the East Coast in early April.

Rev Theory Finds Justice With Justice

When Rev Theory released the title track to its new album last October, their upcoming album had already proved promising. Although well known as brawny rockers that can pummel fans with rockers, Justice proves they can get past being an opening act.

Formed way back in the 2002, Rev Theory has taken longer to put out a full length album, a second, and a third than most bands. For almost ten years, they have toured with Hinder, Papa Roach, and Buckcherry (among others) but always seemed stuck with that opening stigma.

Justice proves something different. The album is bringing out a renewed interest in the band as rock fans are wondering why they never heard of Rev Theory before now. They have been around. In fact, Light It Up (including the title track) has several singles that carried the last album.

This time around, it is certain that they learned what worked and decided to knock it up a notch and include more of it. That doesn't mean this is a landmark album, but it deserves more attention than the band has been afforded before.

Justice by Rev Theory tears down the stigma that they sound like anybody.

Produced by Terry Date (Soundgarden, Pantera, Deftones) and released by Interscope Records, it may be challenging to find a hit because of the lush consistency of the entire album. It's easier to say every song is a potential hit. There are few if any throwaways. Here is a sampling of the title track, keeping in mind the album just gets better and better the deeper you go.


While rockers will fine plenty to praise about Dead In The Grave, Hangman has bigger hooks, Loaded Gun has a better arrangement, Enemy Within has the best mix of guitar and vocals, and Never Again offers plenty of more power. The Fire brings the sound down a notch without becoming overly polished like sone songs sounded on Light It Up.

Hollow Man works as a deeply focused obligatory rock ballad. It's good on its own, but doesn't seem to fit within the context of the album. Meanwhile, Wicked Wonderland and Guilty By Design are borderline fine, even if they represent why Rev Theory took so long to stick with people in the first place. The latter is somewhat painful, mostly in that it is a near miss. Only Say Goodbye is ridiculous in how hard it wants to be a crossover that it never will be.

But that doesn't matter. Much like the album art coveys (an alteration of the famed Iwo Jima flag raising, but with a battle axe), Rich Luzzi (vocals), Rikki Lixx (guitar), Julien Jorgensen (rhythm guitar), Matty McCloskey (bass, backing vocals), and Dave Agoglia (drums) have worked harder than most to reach their objective. I imagine finally reaching the spot they always wanted feels pretty good. They aren't openers anymore with this album.

Justice By Rev Theory Climbs To 6.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Rev Theory ought to go pretty far with Justice. They had already said that it is the album that makes them the most proud. With songs like Hangman and Enemy Within — which touches on giving yourself permission to be a good person while having a good time — they have every right to be.

Justice by Rev Theory can be found on iTunes. You can also find Justice on Amazon. Rev Theory is touring the Western U.S. right now with a show in Salt Lake City today. They will travel to Colorado next before moving into the Midwest by the end of the month.

The Pretty Reckless Remakes Momsen

One night several years ago, Taylor Momsen’s father took her to a White Stripes show.

“Before that, the only concert I’d been to was Britney Spears,” says the singer, songwriter, and guitarist. “But once I saw Jack White onstage, that was it. I grew up as a dancer and I thought you had to dance to be a girl in the music industry. Then I saw the White Stripes and I was like, ‘No, you don’t. I can do that.’”

And so opens the bio on The Pretty Reckless Website, where 16-year-old Momsen now fronts (and plays rhythm guitar) for a powerhouse influenced by the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Audioslave, and Nirvana. "Make Me Wanna Die," released in March earlier this year as part of the the Kick-Ass soundtrack, is the band's debut single that soared to number one in the United Kingdom and broke the top 20 in the United States.

But no matter where the song ends up, The Pretty Reckless are pretty smart. Almost immediately after the song was released, the band debuted a promotional video on YouTube featuring the live performances and backstage footage of the band. As people get to know them, connect, and help them charge forward, The Pretty Reckless is here to say. Some of their videos are just shy of one million views.


Naturally, Momsen isn't just a fresh face. She has some buzz value from "Gossip Girl." However, that's not why Liquid [Hip] accepted my pitch to post about them. All Momsen's songs — "Make Me Wanna Die," "My Medicine," and "Goin' Down" make you quickly forget those ties.

Helping Momsen break the image that some boring critics still cling to (yawn) is Ben Phillips (guitar), Mark Damon (bass), and Jamie Perkins (drums). Since they write their own music, the band has a fresh sound that hits the spot in 2010. You'll see it listed as anything and everything from post-grunge to power pop, but only by those who never understood alternative rock.

“I’m not just writing something because I think people might like it,” Momsen says. “I hope they do, but I’m writing it because I have something to say."

The real test for success has really taken place across the pond. The Gossip Girls stigma seems to have less impact. Sure, it originally was the reason that crowds turned out, but after even one song that is not why they will tune in. This isn't a child star turned rocker in the off-shot season. It was the real deal in the United Kingdom.

While most of the attention seems to be centered on one single, the punchy blues sound that accompanies "My Medicine" will be the next to be noticed. "Going Down" has a more mainstream sound, but fits well enough with the mix on the album. It's the alto that brings it all together.

The Pretty Reckless Debut Earns A 9.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

The Pretty Reckless first appeared on iTunes on June 21. Customer reviewers there all claim to have been waiting for the day that the first hit single arrived. Based on the abundance of 5-star ratings, the three-song line up there is easily well-received.

There doesn't seem to be as much excitement on Amazon, but you can still find the three-song taste there as a digital download. It could be the compression rate; you never know. The Pretty Reckless EP pre-teases the LP.