East Coast Playlist

Boston’s Drinking Games caught my attention late last year when I heard this song on local music programming, WZLX’s “Boston Emissions.” I immediately liked the intro, the music, and it all was topped off with good vocals.  I bought the Conversation Mistakes EP, which can be found on their Bandcamp site, it did not disappoint and was on heavy rotation in my car for a while.  Check them out if you’re into indie/alternative/experimental music.

Meet Yellowbirddd, singer songwriter Liam McCormack based out of Brooklyn, NY. After a good run playing bass for the band Fly Upright Kite, McCormack decided to pursue a different path by performing his own solo material that he had been working on while still in Fly Upright Kite. This track “California,” happens to be my favorite track off of his first full length web-based debut Hard Feelings. It is a heart felt song about a young adult making important, possibly life changing decisions in his/her life. Every song he has written is heartfelt and it showcases the passion Liam McCormack holds for the art he creates. All the songs I have heard are gems in their own right. You can download (for free!) Hard Feelings, and every other song Yellowbirddd has written so far on his page: http://www.yellowbirddd.com. Also, visit his blog, http://yellowbirddd.wordpress.com, for updates, tour dates, videos, and extras. He’s touring warmer spots late this winter so if you like what you hear, I urge you to find out where he’s playing and hang out with him.

Axemunkee is an instrumental psychedelic rock band hailing from Boston, MA, led by guitarist Catherine Capozzi. BlasFamous is one of my favorite songs off of their debut album, Sidewalk Mary. Capozzi is known for her composition and unique guitar style, it tells a story and she does not write songs based on boring guitar solos. She has been a part of The Boston rock opera, as well as being awarded Brian May’s (Queen) guitar after playing a 2-minute guitar solo for a contest. Completing the Axemunkee crew is Geoff Chase on drums, Tamora Gooding on electronic drums, and Chris Farrel on bass. Another integral member in the recording of Sidewalk Mary was Joel Simches on the keys. You can buy, and/or hear all of Sidewalk Mary on their Bandcamp page. They are also in a contest for Converse Get out of the Garage, if you like what you hear, vote once a day every day through December 15th 2010, here. Also, be on the look out for their next release titled Vortex, which is slated for an early 2011 release.

Former front man for Boston favorites, In the Pink, and SuperZero, singer-songwriter Tommy Dempsey decided to venture on his own after being not completely satisfied with previous projects. Upon leaving SuperZero, he recorded two EPs, one titled Live Songs and the other, Five Songs, after those it was time for the full length. Whether or not you ever heard his two other bands, or his two other EPs, now is the time to hear a cut off of his most recent album titled Eleven:Eleven, recorded with guitarist/producer Pedro Silva, who also is a part of Tommy’s band, The Big Picture. This song “Keep Guard” is one of my personal favorites on the disc that perfectly displays Dempsey’s heart felt and honest writing style. It is a dark tune that explains cynicism and offers perspective on people’s trust for one another. Check out Tommy Dempsey on ReverbNation, and you can keep up with his happenings on Facebook.

Check out Breathing East from Jamesport, New York. These guys had me hooked after I listened to their 4 song EP, All This Time.  ”Above this Fire” is my favorite track from the EP.  It starts off with a great drum roll into a track that keeps your attention and flows together well. The smooth style of AJ McIntyre’s vocals remind me of Nate Ruess (The Format, Fun.) and contrasts great with the heavier punch from the rest of the band.  Check out their MySpace page for other songs. This band also gets points for having great artwork on their EP which can be seen on their MySpace page.

Check out the psychedelic rock trio from Boston/NYC called The Highway. Frontman and bass player Daniel Tortoledo provides great harmonies and bass licks to the lead off single “Set Me Free” from their upcoming new album Forest People. The live lineup consists of guitarist Ysaac Cohen, who provides the bluesy stylistic solos, and drummer Ted MacInnes, who completes the live sound by adding to Tortoledo’s vocal harmonies. I’ve seen these guys perform live a few times and they never fail to grab the attention of people in the room even to individuals unfamiliar with their sound. So check out “Set Me Free” and if you’re in the Boston area this coming Friday August 6th, come to Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Sq. Cambridge to see The Highway perform live. At least you’ll be familiar with one song. Take a look at their MySpace page for more solid songs from these guys.

Reality Addiction, hailing from New Jersey (yeah, another Jersey band, it must be something in the water) are pushing the indie/mainstream barriers with this featured song “A Way Back Home”. As technology gets better so does the sound of independent bands and this song sounds like it could be on mainstream rock radio. This song displays the solid musicianship and smooth vibe of the band as a whole. The band reminds me of a slightly toned down Three Days Grace, Incubus, and Hoobastank with very crisp vocals and a clean backdrop of melodic rock. While some listeners may find this bland or a little generic, I really enjoy this tune and felt it worthy enough to be featured on the playlist. Check out their MySpace page and  listen to other tunes.



The next song on the playlist comes straight from Bergen County, New Jersey. Exit She Calls started as an acoustic project by frontwoman Kristia Moya but quickly formed into a full band that has been taking the east coast by a storm since early 2009. I found them through Kristia’s acoustic cover videos on YouTube and instantly liked what I heard. Exit She Calls now has a full length out on Scorpion Records titled Out of Reach. You can get more information on their MySpace page. If you like the song “Little Things,” the full length is well worth it; stay tuned for a full review.

Get ready to hear a song that will be in the soundtrack to your summer. Singer-songwriter Quincy Mumford and his band are from Allenhurst, New Jersey. I had the honor of meeting the keyboardist and background vocalist Karlee Bloomfield at the Bamboozle festival in May of this year. I checked out the band and I was immediately impressed especially with this one particular song: “Now that I Met You”. This song has “gigantic pop hit” written all over it. They’re playing all around New Jersey in June and July, including one date in Kill Devil Hills, NC (at The Pit) and Bridgeport, CT for the Gathering of the Vibes festival. Check it all out on their MySpace page. Also, Stay tuned for a full album review of their most recent release South Edgemore.