Megaphone (Rock)


  Maybe this is a sign.  The second band from Florida I’m reviewing in a row.  Actually, I had never heard of them before, but someone sent me an email and told me to check Megaphone out.  I always take my talent scout’s requests seriously, and so I dropped on to their MySpace page for a quick listen.  It’s the kind of rock that goes well with driving to the beach on a hot summer’s day.  The rhythm is steady and the lead guitarist isn’t afraid to kick on the wah/wah from time to time to bring in a little of that old school talent missing in much of modern rock.   I can kind of hear a little Foo Fighters influence in their work, and enjoy when they kick off the juice and let the acoustic artistry come out and play.  It’s rock with a good vibe that your friends will enjoy too.  So, I hope my readers will give Megaphone a listen.  They are certainly a great sounding band.  And don’t forget to vote for them.
To find out more about Megaphone, visit:
www.megaphonemusic.net

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Matador (Indie Alternative Rock)


I was having a really rough morning the other day, wading through a ton of audio crap and otherwise mediocre bands, when I stumbled upon the music of Matador. As usual, myspace was slow to respond and acted like it didn’t want to serve their music up. I was almost ready to bolt off the page, when finally the sound started pouring into my ears. Pulling my hands off the keys, I leaned back in my chair to have a listen. And then it hit me. Here is a band that really gets it.

What I really like about this band is that you can actually feel the distance because of how the lyrics were brought down in the mix to blend more closely with the instruments than usual on some of their tracks. Their songs sound like dark waves of depression mingled with a teasing glimpse of hope that could fade and die out at any moment. It’s like music I look forward to listening to when cuddling with my ex-girlfriend after she said it was over for the last time. It just has that sort of intimate quality to it, like you are supposed to share the listening experience with someone you know on a deeper level.

It will be interesting to see how this band chooses to grow artistically as it continues to write and release tunes. So, I highly recommend that my readers check out Matador and share the listening experience with someone close.

To find out more about Matador, please visit:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=17796657

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Peter Murr (Instrumental, Rock, Blues, Power Pop)


This week I’m kicking back and enjoying the work of Peter Murr from Brisbane, Queensland Australia. Pete’s music reminds me of Tangerine Dream meets a tame version of Andromeda. The Andromeda band I am referring to here was a fictional instrumental space rock group featured on an episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century back in the late 70′s and very early 80′s. For those who may not remember the Buck Roger’s seriel, the band Andromeda played mind altering music that caused those who heard it to go crazy for a time. With a surreal landscape of synthesized mood enhancing color and a gritty electronic sounding rhythm guitar to complement the feel, Pete’s sound really does give the hearer a sort of futuristic presence. Pete has also been known to collaborate with guitar virtuoso Jonas Tamas from Budapest Hungary, which I believe is a pretty awesome sounding combination from the clip I heard on Pete’s MySpace page. So, if you are into interesting instrumental-type music, I highly recommend checking Pete’s music out for yourself.

To find out more about Peter Murr, visit:
http://www.myspace.com/petempage

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Mike Lowry Band (Rock, Southern Rock, Blues)


I would like to wish my readers a happy new year. I’m hoping that 2009 will bring us in touch with more great music as we head into our second year together here on the Atomic Finger blog. This week I scoped out a few bands close to home and got a fresh look at my own local music scene. There is no question that Atlanta is home to a rather diverse musical culture. Yet, like many places in the Deep South, you can usually find a good mix of southern rock and blues bands. I don’t know if it was the sound of the harmonica or the feel of the lead guitar, but when I stumbled across the Mike Lowry band, I just had to pause and enjoy the nicely crafted sound these guys brought to the table. Mike is no stranger to the rigors of being an entertainer. Early on, Lowry began his walk of fame as a child actor and commercial model. For more than 12-years, he has worked to make a name for himself in the music business. Now, three albums later, his music appears to take on a more balanced feel compared to his earlier work. But, don’t take my word for it. Check out the Mike Lowry band for yourself.

To check out the Mike Lowry Band, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/mikelowryband

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Endless Blue (Trip Hop, Down-Tempo, Electronica)


This band from Milwaukee is quickly becoming a major contender for the top position of my private rotation. Endless Blue’s music reminds me of that feeling I get when I walk in out of the evening rain and want to lose myself in deep thought for hours on end. It’s hard to find music that properly evokes that sort of emotional state, so you just have to grab on for the ride while the opportunity presents itself to your ears. Laura Hillman exhibits a balanced vocal touch that makes the whole listening experience what it should be for this genre of music. She is dark enough in vocal intent to create a believable atmosphere for the words to carry a serious tone at times that adds a lingering lonely feeling to the overall mood. Just brilliant, I say! And with Nick Mitchell on guitar and productions, the musical backdrop behind Laura’s vocals is a well crafted blend of catchy rhythmic movements spiced with artistic detail. So, check out the band and I hope you enjoy them as much as I am.

To find out more about Endless Blue, tour dates, CD releases etc., visit:
www.endlessblue.com

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Tom Hess (Neoclassical Rock)



I first found out about Tom Hess after subscribing to a weekly newsletter that featured links to various articles he had written.  What I most appreciated about his tips were that they tended to focus more on helping the reader mature as a musician, rather than simply teach people to play someone else’s music.  That is to say, his lessons had a certain philosophical air to them.  I actually used to imagine Mr. Miyagi in the back of my mind when reading Tom’s articles at times.  And then one day, purely out of curiosity, I jumped on Youtube and started looking for clips of Tom’s music.  I’m not sure if it was the lightning fast
arpeggios or the melodic delivery, but something urged me to grab my axe and attempt to play along.   I do stress “attempt”.  I mean, how do you keep up with something like this clip of Tom playing on Youtube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1nV4HWjGU

Well, if you are a serious guitarist, one way to get that good is to take lessons from Tom himself.  How do you do this?  Perhaps I should let Tom explain that to you in his own words.

How to take guitar lessons with Tom Hess:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5i590SCsRk

If you are interested in finding out more about Tom Hess, visit his
website at:
www.TomHess.net

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The Vicious Martinis (Indie Glam Rock)

This time we are giving a shout out to the folks in the DC area, to let everyone know about the round of Vicious Martinis being served up on the house. This band is another testament to the fact that the right singer for the job is important to getting the proper delivery across to your audience. In fact, Glenn Hall’s ability to gel so well with the other members of the band is downright impressive. He always seems to have just the right touch for the song, whether it be calm and melodic or rock intensive. With John Hardwick on drums, Brian Gass on guitar, and Bryan Smith not pulling any punches on bass, The Vicious Martinis have a musical range that trends from a traditional rock foundation with all the perks of a modern flair. It’s the kind of band you would have loved to watch on MTV, back when they actually played real music. So, check this band out and if you are in the DC area, make sure to get out to their shows.

To find out more about The Vicious Martinis, visit: www.theviciousmartinis.com.

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Oh Darling (indie, rock, pop)

Two thumbs up to the awesome band from Portlant Oregon. It’s hard to find bands these days with the right chemistry, but from the backing musicianship to the engaging vocals, Oh Darling is down right addictive. The sound will grab hold of your inner 80′s child and remind you of what it is you loved about not so mainstream indie pop from that era, yet still retaining enough modern embellishments to play with your feelings of Deja vu in a very pleasant way. As I took to enjoying this band’s songs, I noticed something very familiar to me in Jasmine Ash’s voice. So, I went rummaging through the music libraries at my disposal until finally it hit me what it was. If you listen carefully to Jasmine’s voice, you will sometimes hear a slight resemblence to the voice of Donna Lewis. But, don’t think for a second that Jasmine is standing in Donna’s shadow. The other members of Oh Darling really pull together to help Jasmine give a unique performance that leaves you experiencing a plethora of interesting emotions. I especially like some of the more odd organic guitar sounds Daven Hall gets from his rig. So,check these guys out and don’t forget to look for Oh Darling on Itunes.

To find out more about Oh Darling, visit their website at: ohdarlingmusic.com.

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Hour Band (Progressive, Soul, Lyrical)


There are times when I feel it is just good to get out of my element and listen to music that really doesn’t make much sense to me. And that is why this week my blurry eye is trying to focus on Hour Band. The singing is amateurish, the feel is rather poorly done psychedelic than progressive, and the guy mastering the tracks couldn’t resist the urge to pan left and right every five seconds. The play on audio dimensionalism was a nice touch on the first song I listened to, but relying on that trick over and over again from one song to the next made it seem more like a gimic than anything else. But, this is where it is difficult to review a band like this. For all my negative criticism, one may imagine that Hour Band is using this technique to develop some sort of a signature sound. And to some extent, that may actually be a justifiable objection. However, I think this is a situation where less is more applies, which is certainly easy for me to say from the sidelines. Nevertheless, I urge my readers to check out Hour Band and judge for themselves, even though this group is not my cup of tea.

To check out Hour Band, please visit: http://www.myspace.com/hourband

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Paranoid Larry and his Imaginary Band (Comedy, Folk Rock, Happy Harpcre)


Brooklyn finally got its very own paranoid musician. And I don’t think this one is on any bizarre narcotic substances. I honestly believe this is legitimate clinically certified paranoid artistry at its best. The proof in the pudding is that Paranoid Larry really does know how to explain that awkward communication gap between males and females as he teaches you to read between the lines. The humor is a little dry and the vocals a bit rhythmically strained, but his jealousy towards his girlfriend’s cat is just classic. In fact, I think I dated a woman like that once or twice myself. His myspace page claims that he is on the Prove It Music recording label. It’s one of those labels I’ve never heard of, and given the source, I’m a little paranoid about. But, despite all that, I think the band deserves all the support it can get (institutionally or otherwise). I for one am a dedicated fan. So, rock on Paranoid Larry!

To find out more about Paranoid Larry And His Imaginary Band visit: paranoidlarry.com.

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