The members of HV:

Kiyomi McCloskey
Laura Petracca
Aimee Bessada
Leanne Bowes

HV has released 2 albums:

 The Impatient Romantic
 Collide and Conquer

and 2 EP's:

 Hunter Valentine EP
 Lessons from the Late Night

 Formed in 2004 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this alternative rock band has some amazing music that brings respect to girl bands around the world.

Filled to the brim with sexy charisma an all around fabulous musicianship, Hunter Valentine creates a larger and larger fan base with every concert that play in. A small anecdote...Hunter Valentine opened for Sum 41 and IAMDYNAMITE and afterward signed autographs which led to a line snaking around the whole venue.

My personal favourite songs are:

"Liar Liar"
"Priscilla"

Check out Hunter Valentine at their Official Website!

I was lucky enough to be asked to guest blog this week as Zoe is at GRAMMY Camp.  I wanted to use my one opportunity to talk about a band that means a whole lot to me. 

La Dispute is a five piece band from Grand Rapids Michigan.  The members are:

 Jordan Dreyer
Brad Vander Lugt
Kevin Whittemore
Chris Sterenberg
Adam Vass

They have released two full length albums, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair:

And the 2011 release, "Wildlife":

They have a number of EP's, of which I am not yet familiar with.

I remember first hearing La Dispute when I was listening to Pandora Radio.  I remember thinking "what is this, this is terrible!"  But each time I heard a song, I got to listening more carefully, and the more deeply I listened to the music, the more I learned to appreciate it.  Then, I saw that they were performing with Hot Water Music and The Menzingers at The Observatory and decided I would become more familiar with their music.  I purchased "Wildlife", and spent time really listening; to the words, to the music, and how the many simple aspects of the music fit together, and I truly became a fan.   I purchased "Somewhere Between the River...." and had a new favorite band. Then I saw them live, and I must say it was the best show I had ever seen. Jordan Dreyer is a passionate artist and the band is so much more than just five guys performing music.  The band and the performance is like the lyrics; pure poetry.

 The first album is filled with the personal stories of the difficulties of the relationships we have with people.  The incredible love song "Andria", with lyrics that can pull at your own emotions and make you really feel the love, the pain, the longing and the hurt.  The tragedy of "New Storms for Older Lovers" and the power of "Said the King to the River" are so overwhelming that they affect my own emotions that in the past only an intense movie or a gripping novel could.  Music doesn't always do this, but La Dispute has found a way through the intersection of their guitar, bass, drums and unique singing of their poetic lead, Jordan Dreyer.

Learning to like La Dispute is not simply turning on the CD and listening.  It takes more than that.  Like a good book, or an interesting class, you get out of it what you put in.  If you want to be introduced to La Dispute, start with Andria.  Lie down with headphones and really listen.  Go on the journey with Jordan through this incredibly painful breakup:

Then listen to King Park.  Try to follow the story and feel how the singer is trying to get into the head and heart of the participants. He is trying so hard to answer the question we must all ask in response to these stories: WHY? 

 Next, listen to "New Storms for Older Lovers" and think deeply about the preciousness of a long-term relationship and its vulnerabilities.  Think of the harm caused by the unthinking person who passes between the married pair.

 Lastly, google "rust belt pictures", and get an idea of what has happened to Michigan, Ohio and other states and cities that were once our proud industrial, manufacturing areas, where our stuff was built by well-paid union laborers, and then listen to "St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues."  Pay attention to the end of the song, and how the subject changes from the church to the person.

And finally, one of the best live songs I have ever experienced; "Said the King to the River"

In conclusion, this is not just music, it is poetry.  The emotions of the lyrics, and how well the music fits those emotions, and with a style of singing that could only be delivered by Jordan Dreyer, this band is one you need to check out.  Clearly the style is not for everyone, and not for every moment of the day.  I find that if I can focus, if I can really listen, this is what I want to hear.

Finally, if there are any English teachers out there, give up a week of classic short stories and teach La Dispute lyrics.  Your students will love you for it.

This band has 5 members:

 Philip Labonte
Mike Martin
Oli Herbert
Jeanne Sagan
Jason Costa

They have released 5 albums:

 Behind Silence and Solitude
 This Darkened Heart
 The Fall of Ideals
 Overcome
 For We Are Many
 A War You Cannot Win

ATR formed in 1998 in Springfield, Massachusetts. 
They can be described as Metalcore, Heavy Metal, and Melodic Death Metal.

To describe ATR simply, without opinion, they are a heavy metal band that understands that people like a melody and use the great mix of singing with screamo. 

My
opinion--in my opinion--is far better and more important than a mere definition
of the band. 


ATR is awesome. They have a female bassist which immediately heightens their coolness [+8] (she also happens to sing back-up screamo, which is even better! [+3]). ATR is heavy metal, yes, but they have the greatest melodies that really
makes their music so much more enjoyable [+6]. They are incredible in concert with great stage presence and energy [+12]. 

Okay, that's 29 (I think..., it's summer, I don't have to do math!) points. That says something right there! (It also says something if I didn't add 8+3+6+12 correctly, but oh well.)

My favourite songs:

"The Last Time"
"A War You Cannot Win"
"Aggressive Opposition"
"A Call To All Non-Believers"
"Dead Wrong"
"Some Of The People, All Of The Time"
"Won't Go Quietly"
"You Can't Fill My Shadow"

All That Remains is friggin' amazing! I suggest you check them out! 

ATR YouTube Channel            ATR Official Website  

Cash was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas. He died on September 12, 2003 at 71 years of age. He wrote music that was the ultimate country/gospel storytelling music ever.

 He wrote many, many albums during his time as a musician.

 Picking favourite songs by Johnny Cash is like trying to find your favourite grain of sand on a beach. It is very close to impossible. I'll try my best to give an idea of my favourites, anyhow:

 Folsom Prison Blues
The Wall
The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
Green, Green Grass of Home
The Long Black Veil

 Along with some of his funnier numbers:

 Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart
A Boy Named Sue

 Cash has the most beautiful bass voice that is accompanied by his guitar playing in numerous memorable ballads and country classics. He has left a lasting imprint on rock 'n' roll, gospel, and country music.

 As a child--apologies for the anecdote--I was terribly picky about my musical taste and went through painful phases where I would listen to Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani, the song "Star of Wonder," and an album called Rhinoceros Tap (thankfully my taste has evolved since then). Needless to say, these phases drove my dad crazy (which is not a long drive, by the way). I did, however, also go through phases where I would listen to good music, like P!nk,
Jethro Tull, and... JOHNNY CASH!!! Yes, as a 7 year old I was singing "Only 19 more minutes to go..." In fact, when I had to do a biography in second grade, I chose Johnny Cash. Unfortunately, I was banned from doing my biography on him because my teacher had seen the movie Walk the Line. That time when all I would listen to was Live at Folsom Prison and American Recordings was a time when I listened to one of the greatest singers to ever grace the earth. To this day, I still love anything written by Cash. That is a phase that never will die. 

If, somehow, you have never heard of Johnny Cash, go look him up. Right now. You are missing out on a classic. If you have, then go refresh your memory.