Essence of Pop Music

Theresa Houston, aka Teesa formerly of the indie rock outfit Trey’s Parade, has traded in her guitar for synthesizers as she makes her pop debut with her self-titled EP. Upon listening to Teesa, one thing is certain. She has truly captured the essence of writing terrific pop songs. Her captivating melodies will keep you dancing on your feet while her brilliant lyrics will leave you singing even after the song is over. Another thing I notice is how each of the tracks carries its own unique personality that distinguishes them from each other, but allows them to remain cohesive as a whole. The EP’s lead off track, “Gameboi” is an 8-bit inspired fantasy about a girl’s love in a video game world. Teesa utilizes electronic sounds with great finesse allowing her to create a pop song that is unique and sensational. “Captive” and “Freak” are also great pop songs both which feature pulsating rhythms and irresistible lyrics. They may not be as unique as “Gameboi”, but the simplicity of her melodies can still leave an quite an impression.

Overall, the EP is a stellar debut for the up incoming songstress and captures the essence of great pop music.  Expect big things to come for Teesa in 2011 for this is a shining indication that an international pop star is in the making. If  you would like to hold of her EP, go to iTunes or click here to purchase your copy. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Zombies!!!

Not many people know this, but I’m a huge fan of zombie movies. They're gruesome and sometimes sickening, but very thrilling to watch. Some of my favorite films were Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead and 28 Days Later. And of course, who can forget Shaun of the Dead? So when I found out that a band was going to use the concept of the undead as the theme for an album, it makes me wonder how they are going to pull it off.

Thankfully, that band was The Devil Wears Prada.


Like me, Mike Hranica was a zombie fan as well. When he presented the idea of recording an album about zombies to the rest of the band, they guys were simply up for it. When it came time to record the EP, the band thought of one thing: drop the melodic parts and making their record "heavy as hell". After a few weeks of recording, the band released their EP which they simply titled Zombie.
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Not only is Zombie one of the heaviest records in the TDWP catalog, but it's one of the most exhilirating and terrifying listening experiences I had ever listened to. The first track, “Escape” kicks off the record in a strong fashion. You could even feel the fear and terror in Hranica’s voice. It almost as feels as though he is literally running for his life from a swarm of zombies. In the beginning of “Outnumbered”, the clip of the new reporter giving warnings to the public adds a different dynamic to the record and brings the zombie concept more to life. The track also happens to be one of the strongest tracks on the album and the band has never sounded more tighter. My favorite track is the closer “Survive”, which captures the loneliness and struggle of those who are left to survive after the attacks. It is clearly the most emotional song on the EP.

"Outnumbered" by The Devil Wears Prada by Future Phonograph

It was a simple idea about zombies, but The Devil Wears Prada executed it in perfect fashion. This may be just a small pit stop before the band goes back into the studio to record their next full length, but overall, the Zombie is a thrilling joy ride for the ears.

How To Destroy Angels

I remembered back in college, one of my friends who used to lived in the same hall as I did told me two bands that he used to listen when he was growing up. The first one was Depeche Mode which came up when we were talking about electronic music. The other and this was probably his favorite of the two was Nine Inch Nails. He was fond of them during the early 90's when he first listen to their debut record, Pretty Hate Machine. For me personally, I had never indulged in any of their music. Maybe it was because I was too young to know about them. My friend and I did have a good 10 year gap between us. The only encounter I did have with NIN's music was video called The Perfect Drug which is a single from the soundtrack off the 1997 film, Lost Highway. We continued with our conversation band and talked about everything from music style to which albums were the best and even revealing to me that NIN has only one core member, which is Trent Reznor. When he revealed that to me, it completely threw me off guard because I was never aware that one person can represent the idenity of an entire band. I thought it was the coolest thing at the time. Our conversation about NIN ignited my interest in the band and I began my listening spree trying to obtain as much listening material as possible. After listening to some of their albums, I realize that he was right about one thing. Although, Pretty Hate Machine was a stellar debut, The Downward Spiral is the best album in his catalog.

After announcing in 2009 that Nine Inch Nails was no longer a touring band, the mulit-instrumentalist/songwriter began work on new material for a new music project. In 2010, he revealed that his new project will be with his wife Mariqueen Maandig and fellow collaborator Atticus Ross and named the project How To Destroy Angels. Like Trent Reznor's previous works with Nine Inch Nails (Ghosts I-IV and The Slip), How To Destroy Angels' EP is available for download for free on their official website. I immediately downloaded it and started listening to it. Like Ghosts I-IV and The Slip, the electronic aspect of the project is very strong, but it brought upon a strong conceptual vibe to it. I was imagining that I woke up from a deep sleep and witnessing the aftermath of a post-apocalytic war. While listening, my mind painted a picture of a desolate wasteland in which cities are ruins and where life is scarce. The music created a dark and lonely atmosphere. However, beyond the ashes of the wasteland, there is a gleam of hope. That hope came in the form of Mariqueen Maandig. Despite the name of the band, her voice is delicate and very angelic. She brings life to the music on the EP. Although, her voice gave the music depth, it feels as though that throughout the EP her voice merely blends in the background of atmospheric sounds, but not too much to the point where she's unnoticed. However, the true highlight of the EP is the final track "A Drowning" and this is where Mariqueen Maandig truly shines. Her voice really stands out past the atmospheric sounds of electronics and drum beats and showcases her strength and grace as it closes the album on a powerful note.

A Drowning by How To Destroy Angels by Future Phonograph

Although this is a mere preview of the things to come from How To Destroy Angels, this EP is a solid record filled with stunning atmonspheric electronic landscapes featuring stunning vocals from Mariqueen Maandig. Since the EP is free download, I highly recommend giving this album a listen, whether you are a long time fan of Nine Inch Nails or even just a fan of electronic music. If you would like to download the album, click HERE. If you are willing to spend a little cash (it's very small, trust me), you can also download the album in lossless audio and it comes with their stellar video "The Space In Between". Or if you absolutely love the album, there are bundles on sale where you can buy the EP and it comes with a T-shirt. Either way, don't miss out on one of the best EPs of 2010.

Sound House

About two years ago, there was a place on this island called the Sound House where local bands play shows on a nightly basis. One night, a friend of mine invited me and couple of other friends to see Pacifica, a band that he was raving about. We got there a little late and Pacifica was already playing their set. I tuned in on the band and look toward the stage. What I heard was amazing. Their sound is extremely experimental and has elements of post-hardcore, ambient and progressive rock. It feels as though Circa Survive and Thrice merged together and evolved into this band. The vocals were also top notch as vocalist, Kika Diama (second guy from left) switches off from throat ripping screams to melodic singing. I got a chance to meet the guys afterwards, which they were a great group of guys and told them what a great show they put on (I will dig up the photos from that night and post them soon). I was hoping to see them play again, but a few months later, they moved from the island of Oahu to Orange County, California to pursue their dream of playing music. Since then they have released their stellar debut EP, Transient Colors and have opened up for many bands including Emery and Finch. They have now released their second EP, The Process of Illumination which was mastered by Beau Burchell, the guitarist of Saosin and is now available for download for free on their website. I heard their new EP and although it only contains four tracks, I think it is simply one of the best records of 2010. It is dynamic, innovative and of course, highly experimental. Make sure to pick up to their new EP by clicking HERE or the album cover below, The Process of Illumination and if they are playing in your local area, go see these guys. They put on one hell of a live show.