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.

The Sword is one of those slow tempo heavy metal bands. They formed in Austin, Texas, in 2003.

They have 4 members:

John D. Cronise
Kyle Shutt
Bryan Richie
Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III

The Sword has released 4 albums:

 Age Of Winters
 Gods of the Earth
 Warp Riders
Apocryphon

This is one of my dads favourite bands. He loves listening to new bandsthat sound like the ones he listened to as a child (a loooooong time ago!). 

The Sword is an awesome band! Every song I've heard by them has had really great guitar and is very slow.

MIW is a metalcore band that formed in 2005 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

MIW has 6 members:

Chris "Motionless" Cerulli
Ricky "Horror" Olson
Joshua Balz
Ryan Sitkowski
Devin "Ghost" Sola
Brandon Richter

They have released...

3 albums: When Love Met Destruction, Infamous, and Creatures
2 EPs: The Whorror and When Love Met Destruction
1 (Self-Released) Demo: Motionless In White

In concert, theseguys looked creepy enough, but looking at their pictures online are even creepier.
I guess they decided that creepiness would be their marketing tool.

They're music video for "America" was...unique, and I guess was trying to detail how screwed up America was. But seriously, they could've gotten the point across without trying to give the watcher nightmares.

MIW falls into the genre that parents have dubbed "emo music." Really, it's the combo of screamo and singing over heavy metal, known as metalcore. They have the same fan base as Black Veil Brides, Suicide Silence, Sleeping With Sirens, Asking Alexandria, Pierce the Veil, and Of Mice & Men.

Check out the Motionless In White Official Website!

 Sum 41 is an awesome rock band from Ajax, Ontario, Canada.

They have released 5 albums...

All Killer, No Filler
 Does This Look Infected?
 Chuck
 Underclass Hero
Screaming Bloody Murder

Sum 41 is a band that is somewhat creepy and somewhat gross when it comes to album covers and song names, but fantastic when it comes to song writing. Their music is something special. It's highly addictive and can be both melodious and very punk. This band definitely knows how to have fun.

My favourite songs by Sum 41 are:

No Reason
Underclass Hero
The Bitter End
All Messed Up
Angels With Dirty Faces
Best Of Me
Confusion and Frustration In Modern Times
Count Your Blessings
Dear Father
Hyper-Insomnia-Para-Condroid
I'm Not The One
The Jester
Over My Head (Better Off Dead)
King of Contradiction
March of the Dogs
Open Your Eyes
Walking Disaster
With Me
So Long Goodbye

This band has an amazing and admirable range of song types ranging from punk to lyrical. Pretty much any type of music-lover could listen to a song by them and enjoy it. I find the most enjoyment from listening to their second album Does This Look Infected? The albums Chuck and Underclass Hero are my other favourites.

Like 10 Years, this band is easy on the ears when you need to do work that requires serious thought. In fact, I find that increases my work productivity. The song "A.N.I.C." (a featured "Love Song" on a past CHECK IT OUT!!!) is incredibly amusing and shows the band's immature and childish side.

I suggest that you check out Sum 41! You won't regret it!

Check out Sum 41's Official Website!

10 Years formed in 1999 and are from Knoxville, Tennessee.
 
They have released the albums... The Autumn Effect, Minus the Machine, Feeding the Wolves, and Division.

They have 5 members:

Jesse Hasek
Brian Vodinh
Ryan "Tater" Johnson
Matt Wantland
Lewis Cosby

My favourite songs by 10 Years are:

Don't Fight It
Beautiful
Battle Lust
Backlash
Chasing the Rapture
Dead In the Water
Fade Into (The Ocean)
Writing on the Walls
Knives
Minus the Machine
Waking Up the Ghost

This band is something special because you can't really get rock ballads as amazing and deep as what they can pull off, but their heavy songs are just as awesome. And a vocalist like this? His voice is beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. In their heavier songs, it's harder to tell that his voice is so good, but once he settles down into his melodious and soft songs, it comes out and shines like only the best voices do.


I usually only like songs with fast drum beats and loud guitarwork and heavy bass guitar, but I must say that their slow songs are really fantastic. Even I listen to them! They're that good.

This music is incredibly easy to listen to while doing paperwork, reading, or trying to focus but still with that lust for music to be playing. There's something about them that makes in soothing to your ears so you can work without distraction and still be able to enjoy the music. 

Check out the 10 Years Official Website

Disturbed is a band from Chicago, Illinois. They are a heavy metal band.

Disturbed has 4 members:

Dan Donegan
Mike Wengran
David Draiman
John Moyer

Disturbed has been around from 1994-2011 and has been on hiatus since. For the first two years as a band, they were known as Brawl.

Disturbed has released 6 Albums:

The Sickness, Believe, Ten Thousand Fists, Indestructible, Asylum, and The Lost Children.

Disturbed is an amazing band! Their vocals have been described to me as "a guy who constantly has bronchitis." However, I find that completely accurate but also untrue, because somehow having unendable bronchitis makes your voice raspy but fantastic. Disturbed's vocals fit the music perfectly! They are simply meant to be with that music.

Since Disturbed has been on hiatus for 2 years, the lead singer started another band called Device.

They will be performing at ROCKLAHOMA!

I absolutely LOVE Disturbed and could easily listen to The Lost Children and The Sickness all day.

My favourite songs by Disturbed are: 

Voices
Stupify
Fear
The Game

Check out the Disturbed Official Website.

This CRAZY band has 7 members (including an oud player!):

K'noup Tomopoulos
Orbel Babayan
Shant Bismejian
Andrew (Antranig) Kzirian
Alexan Khatcherian
 Chris Daniel
Hiram Antonio Rosario

They have released two albums and a single:

Albums...Made in Chernobyl and Carnivalia.
Single..."Bake Me In Clouds"

VIZA has a way of blending percussion with their awesome vocals and fabulous guitarwork that is just so awesome and danceable yet very, very WIERD!

I absolutely love them. Their music is so entertaining, fun, and creative.

This is great music! 

My favourite songs by VIZA are...

"Bake Me In Clouds"
"Viktor" featuring Serj Tankian
"Viktor's Sister"
"Trans-Siberian Standoff"

Check out VIZA's ReverbNation Page and Facebook Page.