New Music - Aitan Valentine

I was just turned on to a new Los Angeles-based artist I am finding quite interesting at the moment. After getting a heads-up from agent/PR man Bob Bradley, who run Authentik Arists in LA, told me to keep an eye out on this guy named Aitan, I figured it was worth a listen. And I sure am glad I did, cause this gives me [and you] a chance to jump on board with a new talent from the start. According to the note, today Aitan is set to release a special two-song EP just for Valentine's Day. The EP, enticingly called Be My Valentine, can be picked up on iTunes for under $2. You can get it here. Here is a clip of the handsome young man talking about the new release.



While I can't find any video for either song on the EP, I can tell you I've heard both, and they are in my iTunes. Both songs have that so very current Pop singer/songwriter feel, kind of like Bruno Mars, only I really like Aitan's voice. The EP is produced by Stewart Cararas, a hot dude who has worked with many of the American Idol winners, including Kelly Clarkson, Be My Valentine is a sweet mid-tempo ballad, an honest exploration of love. The other song, To The Stars, is the real star of the collection for me. There is something that sounds so very real, so true to the song, I was kinda stopped in my tracks as I listened, and put it on replay to to really allow myself to be bathed with it. It has the feel of the alternative band acoustic song, the One Republic/Ryan Tedder specialty, only sung with real soul. I would highly recommend you buy this song, and get it on your iPod right away.



You can find it on iTunes here. You can also check out Aitan at his official website here.

The Boys of Summer - What It's All About

Left to right: Kyle, Jon-Paul, Scab and Mark.

The Boys of Summer are Kyle Mueller on drums, Mark Warren on bass, and Jon-Paul Bakaric and Scab on the guitar and vocals. The Detroit, Michigan, band are making a big splash today, releasing What's It All About today. They are billed as a pop/rock band, but it seems to me they have a healthy dose of punk in them, and at times remind me of Green Day without the existential angst. Sure, there is the energy and, at times, the anger I associate with the punk movement, more reminiscent of young UK punk bands like the Buzzcocks or The Jam, with themes more rooted in youthful issues rather than the rather than the doomed side of civilization.



The album opens with Things in Twos, which reminds me of Jimmy Eat World with a harder edge. This is it really has the rhythms of some of that early punk/pop, like the Buzzcocks True Confessions. You can hear it here.



Love Is Like An Arms Race moves away from the punk and drifts more to the rock, taking an stadium sound, continuing an ongoing discussion of love, both real and unrequited. Is She Fiction continues that trend, with a cool sound that is unlike any of the others so far. Night Light steps up next, with an interesting feel, as if Billie Joe Armstrong started singing some early U2 covers with the Edge in two.



My Best Interest returns to the Punk/Pop sound, with bold drums and vocals, very earthy in the delivery. Map And Magnets opens with a 50s doo wop, but moves back to rock to discuss the relative merits of attraction. Soon they take A Long Road Home, sounding more like an American Big Country, with that layered and texture use of beats and movement. Gun Shy is not about gun control, and I Don't Belong keeps the rock=based theme of alienation going strong. The title song asks questions about life and love, and one of my favorites, 85 Insignificant Heartbeats ruminates on life, death and living in the moment.

Mueller's drumming is first rate, often driving the song to another plane. Warren backs up the rhythm with a deft hand, and Scab and Bakaric share the vocal and guitar duties with a sweet balance. You can buy What It's All About on iTunes for just $7.99, an introductory offer for a new artist. The 12-song offering is certainly worth it. Click here to check them out.

Say It Twice - The Road You Know

Two months ago, I covered the music of Say It Twice, an LA-based band with a smart and driven sound of their own, while still maintaining a fun pop feel. You can check out the first post here. I talked about their latest EP, a self-titled offering, a 5-song collection that really worked for me. It is available on iTunes. This is the first single and video for the EP, The Road You Know.



You can visit them out on MySpace here, or on PureVolume here. Check out the music, go to iTunes and buy it, and then find them on Twitter here. As a bonus, here is a little behind the scenes the band posted.