try this: the rocket summer (of men and angels)

The Rocket Summer’s Of Men and Angels just came out, and I’ve been loving this band’s sound ever since I heard the bright, emo-tastic Hello Good Friend. Bryce Avary is a one-man wonder, playing all of the instruments himself while recording. This allows him to truly get the sound he wants and envisions. He released the You Gotta Believe EP to give a taste of the new material when his first full album in 3 years was delayed. Bryce’s voice seems more mature and a little lower on this album. Maybe it’s something about piano rock, or the optimism that radiates from most of his songs, or the energy of his live shows…but TRS is just a good time all around.

First off, 15 songs is a pretty good number for an album; having only 10 or 11 songs that make the cut isn’t unusual these days. The leadoff track “Roses” shows off his drum talent, and the sound seems tighter and fuller than on his previous albums. “You Gotta Believe” is the feel-good single. The soul in Avary’s voice is unmistakable, and everything from the guitar solo to the Michael Jackson-like quick breaths makes this an awesome song. But it’s not quite as awesome as “Hills and Valleys,” which has an infectious hook with amazing piano. The lyrics are sweet, simple, and happy; a dedication to touring and the ups and downs of life on the road. Probably my favorite moment on the album is when it all kicks in on “drove out to California…” The hand claps come in and it’s all over. I absolutely love it. Ok I’m done…but it’s SO good. Sorry.

Known for often getting spiritual on some songs, “I Want Something To Live For” tunes into a deeper theme of life and death, while “Of Men and Angels” is a track about Bryce’s relationship with God and the conflicts of fame. “Walls” is another single, with a beautiful piano rhythm that opens up into orchestra-accented rock. A reoccurring topic for TRS, Bryce digs into the corporate music industry on “Nothing Matters.” “Japanese Exchange Student” also dives into his experience being on the brink of fame, saying that it’s all about who you know and that he feels out of place. “Tara, I’m Terrible” is a short dedication to Avary’s wife, who goes on the road with him wherever he goes. The acoustic sound is a nice break, but doesn’t have the same power as his previous acoustic songs like “That’s So You” or “Goodbye Waves and Driveways.” A few other weaker links are “Pull Myself Together (Don’t Hate Me),” “I Need a Break…,” and “Let You Go.” They’re not filler by any means, but nothing to write home about. “This Is a Refuge” is a powerful wake-up song, although it’s titled like something that Dashboard Confessional would make. “Light” as a final track sadly doesn’t compare to the soul of “So, In This Hour…” on Do You Feel, but it is a strong, spiritual finale that fades out with an acoustic “I will trust that it’s not the end, but a great beginning...”

Rock-n-roll count-offs, “whoas” and “ohs,” multi-level harmony, deep personal lyrics, big choruses, great simple solos, and endless energy makes this an amazing album. It is different than Hello Good Friend and Do You Feel, but not in a bad way. He’s getting a bit further away from any genre of “emo.” Bryce is getting older, so his subject matter also matures—and so does his talent. Why hasn’t The Rocket Summer totally blown up into top 40 radio play? As he puts it, “I know it’s not too sexy that I’m singing about the blessings that we get…” And I’m pretty sure he likes it that way.

Listen to Of Men and Angels free on myspace.com >>>

try this: nick jonas & the administration (who i am)

I've never heard a Jonas Brothers song in my life. But I guess one of them put out an album with another band. Nick Jonas said he wanted it to be kind of like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The Disney-fied teen has found a good sound with this album. Nothing really compares to the Boss, but I see where he's going with that comparison. Apparently, the Jonas Brothers group was initially supposed to be just Nick, solo. While I'm not a giant fan of his voice, this kid is 17 and cut this album in 8 days. I gotta say, he has lots of promise to grow as a songwriter. This fact made me pretty happy, as I wasn't expecting it.

Rose Garden - Sounds very much like a John Mayer song, with the wah pedaled-riffs and all. I do really like this one. Nick sounds like he's got to try a little bit harder than Mayer, but that's cause he probably does.

Who I Am - Man, more John Mayer-y stuff, but a little more pop structured. Still loving the vibe. Nick keeps it simple: "I want someone to love me, for who I am / I want someone to need me, is that so bad?" Well, that's how I felt when I was 17 too.

Olive & An Arrow - Super blues-y. Nick sounds older than his age on this one. A little falsetto goin on. Who is on guitar? They are rocking out.

Conspiracy Theory - Damn, Nick. Go for it. All-out hair band screams on this one.

In The End - Let's slow it down a bit. This ballad is a bit lackluster lyric-wise.

Last Time Around - Super catchy song in a usual filler spot.

Tonight - Cue teenage girls screaming. A slower, sentimental song that moves along well, but is definitely more pop than the rest of the songs.

State of Emergency - This is a song about how Nick has his pick of any chick on the planet. Pretty rad. At least he knows it. His voice has a great range in this one, and the main riff is addicting.

Vesper's Goodbye - Kinda boring. Kinda short. Kinda ok.

Stronger (Back On The Ground) - The background singers make this song a little more epic. Not strong lyrically, but a good closing track.

I'm glad that this shows what someone can do once they're freed from their teen pop ties. This album is labeled in the pop genre, but I'd classify it as (camp) rock. Rock out, Nick. I'm officially pleasantly surprised.