Now that I have your attention with my cheesy one-liner, elaboration is necessary. The definition of dynamic is as follows:

adjective: characterized by constant change, activity, or progress.

Keep Quiet is the perfect example of this word. Sons exhibits characteristics of a band worth listening to from the opening song, and that trait follows through all the way until the final note. Full of an assortment of twists and turns, breakdowns, buildups and more, this album is not one to use as a coaster (for those of you who still put music on CDs) or a space-taker-upper on your computer.

The first track starts the album off with a sound comparable to House of Heroes. It really manifests itself after the first thirty seconds of vocal and guitar duo when the signature HoH guitar tones come riffing through. The instantly catchy song makes a perfect fit for the album opener.

The second song, “Believe In Something” has the graceful melodies of Copeland. With the chill drum-work, resounding guitar tones, keyboard doings and the buildup to slightly ominous harmonies paired with strings and dark, eerie guitar work, Sons has lured you in to keep listening.

Each of the referenced bands has that common ability of being dynamic in the sense that they can go from pure vocals coupled with piano to guitar-driven choruses and indie-style heavy drums (need another example? listen to “Caution”). However, if any band sounds like My Epic, it is this one.

From the vocal melodies and the tones of Aaron Newberry’s voice to the actual lyrics, there is that same emotional connection you get when listening to My Epic. Aside from vocals, the guitars are also a dominating factor in the album; the varying tones are always lined up with the mood of the song. There are also a number of creative little touches that they use to make them stand apart from any other band in their genre: strings, an assortment of affects in all the right places, along with piano parts that add to that unmitigated, innocent sound.

The overall musicianship throughout the album is astounding for such a young band. Only two years old, they have achieved the professional image of a band that has been at it for multiple albums. The twelve tracks are not arranged in a way that avoids that feeling of “is the album over yet,” rather, they aim more for the “album-on-repeat” method.

The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy basically follows the same path for each of its songs – catchy but calm melodies (you could say they put the “mellow” in “melody,” heh heh), the drums that take the lead in exhibiting the desired moods, Nada Surf-signature guitar tones and the like. There is even some nice horn-usage in “Let the Fight Do the Fighting.” The first track “Clear Eye Clouded Mind” is one of the best on the album, making it a good pick for the opener. Lyrically and musically great, it somehow makes you both want to bob your head and chill out at the same time.

Second track “Waiting For Something” opens up with a pretty guitar lead that continues throughout the entirety of the song. Both the drums and the vocals here are comparable to Butch Walker (see “Mixtape”). The pre-chorus however, takes a Saves the Day turn with the different harmony layers and the dark transition before returning to the chorus which is followed by an Eagles-like guitar solo. Speaking of the Eagles, if you enjoy the guitar work they do in “Dust in the Wind,” you will also enjoy the guitar-work in the first half of Nada Surf’s third track “When I Was Young.” This lead does not last for long before an eerie synth sound joins in and makes the sad nostalgia of the song completely evident. The drums pick up shortly after that, seemly locking in that mood.

Nada Surf stays true to themselves in their seventh  studio album, which is a solid ten tracks long – a good length that (thankfully) does not seem to drag on and on forever or get cut short. Also set in good lengths are the songs: not a single one makes you check how much longer you have left to go. The album is a perfect balance of ballad-like guitar solos, chill melodies and moody drums. Now you have something to look forward to on January 24.

I completely support that Rigoletto will have that story one day, starting with its EP Prodigal Again. From the first track, you can catch the general feel of the EP: beautiful and dark. From the second track, you can gather that this band is not your ordinary small-town semi-serious band. The third track locks you in – entitled “An Enemy Did This,” it has a La Dispute and/or Mewithoutyou feel, thanks to the dissonant ambience of the song paired with spoken poetry.

If you are looking for catchy tracks, “Lamp Post” is where it’s at. The guitar work frames the bluesy mood of the song, both musically and melodically. This song is also the most complex when it comes to individual pieces. It shows the talent through the well-intertwined medley that flows very smoothly from piece to piece. If you like beautiful lyrics, every song will have sometime to please you, though “Sugar” stands above the rest. “I know I’ve got a sinner’s heart, but I know I’ve got a home in you” frames the ideologies of Rigoletto well without going overboard.

In general the individual artists of the band are all extremely talented, and throughout Prodigal Again they frame their talent in parallel ways, in addition to choosing good string placement. There is never too much drumming or too much guitar in a song; it is all very evened out and well-played. Rigoletto is well on its way to being a small-town band with a big story if it can keep up this work.

Second track “All I Know” begins with a Motion City Soundtrack feel, thanks to the synth work. The drum work throughout the EP is always good, but this song is particularly noticeable. With the smooth transitions and dance-y beats, “All I Know” is the catchiest song of the set.  ”New York, New York” is the pop-punk song of the album. This song has the poppy value of an All Time Low song, with the chorus sounding similar to “Coffee Shop Soundtrack,” an ATL oldie.

The lyrical content, while simple and having been done before (but honestly, what hasn’t?), is relatable on the surface and on a deeper level, presenting the listener with two options: listen to the song and enjoy it for the simplicity of the upbeat chipper sound, or enjoy the song for the lyrics that are at times a little down – or, if you are a philosopher, there is that third option of both. Sad lyrics with pop music tends to allow that dismal feeling one would achieve from listening to a band like Coldplay to be avoided.

With vocals comparable to those in Summer Obsession (see the title track, “Finders Keepers”), and catchiness like that of +44, Fourth Quarter Comeback is the Alternative power-pop band to listen to.

New single “Burn A Miracle” is a song about anarchy – not the outdated punk ideal that includes “tattered clothes” and  “spikes in their hair” definition that Max Bemis speaks against in the “Burn A Miracle Preview” video on YouTube, but the “freeing up of your mind.” And if you are like me, the first thing you will think is, “Wait, is this Green Day or Say Anything?” Wrong. Don’t do that. Listen to the song before you decide. It definitely sounds like a song about anarchy should sound, but it also sounds like the angst-y band that we’ve all known and loved.

From the opening yells until the final drum beats, this song contains the definition of a Say Anything tune: the angst you hear in Bemis’ vocals, the somehow upbeat but clearly not guitar riffs and chords, the driven drum work; it is evident that every member is completely behind this song.

The intro is crowd-inclusive with hand claps and a chant, and the remainder of the song is full of those signature-crazed Bemis lyrics, and guitar work with a feel similar to that in “Spider Song” until about two and a half minutes in, where the lead takes it away with a chaotic feel while “Burn a Miracle” is broken down.

I repeat: Say Anything is back. To all the fellow fans who have been attentively awaiting their true return, it is time to emerge from beneath the rocks and resume fan-hood – the moment has arrived.

In the breezy fall days of October, when the trees changed their hues and long nights paid their dues, I thought to myself: I can’t wait for a new Black Keys album in 2012.  I got on to YouTube and found out the band was not only recording a new album, but that it was slated to release in December of this year. I was psyched out of my mind. The blues rock duo returns again just one year after their Grammy-winning album Brothers, and I have to hand it to the band, they have an endless spool of creativity.

Vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney play so well together that it baffles me sometimes how they do it. They’ve seriously got something special. El Camino’s first track “Lonely Boy” proves this statement is the truth. In fact, this song is almost routine for the band. It’s got a hook, a fantastically memorable guitar line, and most of all, melodies that stick in your brain forever.

The rest of the album continues in the same fashion, only growing in depth and spirit along the way. “Gold On the Ceiling,” one of my personal favorite tracks, has a particularly fun keyboard part that complements the old school, stringy guitar riffs excellently. Slowing things down a bit, which their previous record did a lot with its 15 tracks, El Camino also features a small commodity of acoustic parts in more emotion-provoking songs like the Johnny Cash-esque “Little Black Submarines,” whose verse eventually speeds up into the Black Keys’ conventional groove. The piano-tinged singalong “Mind Eraser” and ironically named “Sister” (considering they have an album named Brothers) bring hints of melody and ingenuity that have never been, and hopefully never will be, lacking from this band.

This record, seemingly put together in no time, does not seem rushed or lacking in any department, musically or lyrically. With the help of producer Danger Mouse once again, listeners should be relieved. Everything’s in place; all of the instrumental parts are tightly wound with the crisp vocals. Though I would say this album sounds more along the lines of Brothers than any other Black Keys record, it definitely sounds more focused and compact. El Camino is a record that feels old school and slightly straightforward, while having the particular polish and fuzzy vocals from Auerbach that make this band godlike in the realms of the music world.

El Camino isn’t as good as Attack & Release. Heck, it may not even be as good as Brothers. But it is still a fantastic release, proving that The Black Keys have a sort of collaborative skill that is almost unheard of in music today. This record is vintage Black Keys, plain and simple; they don’t change a lot, but they perfect a winning formula. El Camino is a great blues rock album from a band that feels more intuitive and only increases my interest level every single time I hear their music.

When it comes to well-written guitar riffs, or drum beats that stand out, the band is severely mediocre.  It feels like the main focus is on the melody. In fact, it was one of the first things that stood out to me. At first Michael Natzke sounds similar to Mayday Parade frontman Derek Sanders, but then he brings a harder rock feel more comparable in some ways to Balance and Composure vocalist Jon Simmons. Or he sounds like both, combining Sanders’ range with Simmons’ edge, but when singing softly, he sounds similar to Kenneth Nixon of Framing Hanley or some other “hard rock” voice.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not trying to say that any of the songs are particularly bad, because each song does have its own hook. For instance, in “Forever Family,”  it’s the guitar lead; in “Please Me,”  it’s the chorus; “Dear Son” has the mood-setting drum work; and finally, “Anniversary” slows it down. The band definitely deserves a listen, because they do their job well, and for those who enjoy the simplicity of pop-rock, Car Party is for you.

The captivating vocals on opener “Secret Muslim,” were enough to warrant a full-listen for remainder of the EP. Guitar riffs that play off of the vocal placements are things that just aren’t heard enough these days, and give a nostalgic early-2000′s feel, recalling bands like Franz Ferdinand and Butch Walker, which some people consider to be the “golden age” of indie music. Instead of conforming with the masses and changing it up, these guys keep it old school.

If Weatherbox plans to make a music video sometime soon, it should be of the song “Heavy Map.” It’s a beautiful track that somehow tops everything on the EP prior to it. Be on the lookout, as these guys are aimed for stardom.

Giving a little more energy, “My Head” is slightly more upbeat than the prior track. Vocalist Brian Warren instantly stands out among the rest for his unique voice and his projection. The guitar hook is instantly catchy and makes you want to play it over and over again. It’s one of those tracks that you will listen to, then go back week after week to listen to again because it randomly pops up in your head from time to time.

If you’ve yet to listen to Weatherbox, definitely go out and pick up this EP, as it will recall memories of the golden age of indie rock.  It also shows signs of bringing about a resurgence in the genre.

Do you like adventurous songwriting? Then “React” has what you need. The first band that came to mind with regards to the songwriting was Coheed and Cambria. Of course, this shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, since Joey Eppard founded the band with his brother Josh Eppard, the ex-drummer for C&C (and currently the drummer for Terrible Things as well as a rapper under the name Weerd Science). With a sultry vocal opening over string arrangements to draw your attention, they go back and forth from this and the rock chorus that has Joey going outward in a classic rock fashion not too unlike Boston, but in the best way possible.

Turning up the heaviness, “Sparrow” delivers an array of styles: prog metal, ’90s punk-like verses, southern metal bridges, and Joey’s siren-like vocals that are unparalleled in the music industry. It gives a Red Fang vibe on the southern metal vocal arrangements and some down-south guitar riffs are scattered throughout the song, once again proving that genres cannot define a band.

“Numbers” will be a strong contender for ‘track of the year’. Very soft guitars and trance-like vocals relax you until Joey demands your attention with   his absolutely incredible singing. I’m inclined to say that the chorus is alternative metal, but this band continues to blow my mind with the amount of different influences they incorporate into every song. If this isn’t music to get stoned to, I don’t know what is.

For people who are scared to experience many flavors, you can find your refuge in “One With The Sun.” It’s an instantly catchy tune that would find a good home on any movie soundtrack. This is the song that is playing in people’s heads when they’re high on life and happy 24 hours out of the day. If you’re in a bad mood, this is the song that will lift your spirits. Simply beautiful.

The guitar sections of “The Ghost You Gave To Me” has a slight nu-metal-feel, with Disturbed-like subtle chugging, but you can’t go wrong with Joey’s voice. It’s one of the heavier tracks, but don’t expect a ‘slam your fist to the floor’ kind of heavy. Think that they are playing the exact same light guitar exploration that’s evident throughout the album, except that they down-tuned their guitars. The vocals still take center stage above all the instruments. This album couldn’t have reached the same sort of impact without the excellent mixing and sound mastering job, so be sure to give credit to those guys as well.

I cannot recommend this album enough to everyone I know. There is something for everyone on here, but I can say that even without the singer’s relation to Josh Eppard of Coheed and Cambria fame, this has a C&C feel to it. This is a must have for rock and metal lovers.

Now, I know we don’t normally post much rock, but this is an exceptional track. Instrumental rock isn’t really my forte’, but after I heard the new album Public Display Of Infection that was sent to me by Nick Johnston himself, I must say I really liked it. Then when I heard that Travis Orbin (Of Legends/ex-Periphery) was the drummer for the entire album, it had me even more intrigued. Add Zack Ordway (Of Legends/Zelliack/ex-Sky Eats Airplane/ex-In Theory) doing a guest solo on this track, and you’ve got something worth your time. So sit back and prepare to be schooled in the art that is rawk.