James Dean—ageless dreamboat, immortal rebel. If you’re gonna channel someone, you may as well aim high.
Viv Peyrat does so in his song, “So James Dean.” And though the 22-year-old singer-guitarist may share some of Dean’s rebel allure, he also begs more contemporary comparisons: Jeff Buckley for looks, and Jason Mraz for musical sensibility.
Peyrat, a Philadelphian by way of France, mixes pop with R&B, funk and blues, sometimes organically, sometimes with the amps turned up. Like Mraz, his singing is insouciant and breezy; with lyrics revealing a pure heart and a positive mind. Though most songs may shuffle along at an unhurried pace, they’re still driven by hooks—lots of them. “So James Dean” is a lackadaisical little melody, brightened by an organ and Peyrat’s pretty arpeggios. But “Mine Tonight” inches closer to pop rock—reverberating guitars pulse and break into an anthemic chorus:
“We can ride out in the sunset / We can walk right out the door / We can fly up to the stars/ I’ll leave you running back for more.” To all the Natalie Woods out there, this rebel promises a pretty sweet ride.
Midori Longo is not your average teenage girl. After all, not every 16-year-old gets nominated for Vocalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Music Awards while fronting her own rock band. Backed by Audioclique, Ms. Longo is pop-rock tour de force waiting to explode out of California and onto the national scene. Fans of Avril Lavigne and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz are destined to make room for Midori and Audioclique’s Bring It album on their iPods. This weeks free track is a synth-infused rocker called “Do You Love Me.” With ready-for-radio production and an infectiously catchy hook, you’ll be singing into your hair brush in no time.
If you had describe the current Denver music scene in three words, you might pick “killer piano rock.” Over the past few years, bands like The Fray and OneRepublic have taken their melodious, ivory-driven pop balladry to multiplatinum levels. Rounding out this Rocky Mountain trifecta is Meese, a group formed by brothers Patrick and Nathan Meese. After rising to the forefront of the Denver scene in 2006, Meese hit the road opening for their friends in The Fray. Fan adulation and industry buzz quickly ensued. This month marks their major label debut, Broadcast, led by the irresistible single, “Next In Line.” We caught up with Patrick on tour to see how rock stardom was treating him.
What’s the biggest “we’ve made it moment” you’ve had so far?
I turned on my iPhone and saw our ‘free single of the week’ logo on the front page. That was definitely a cool moment. Then I checked out our website and saw we actually had a whole summer of tour dates posted, which is new for us. I also like the smaller ‘we’re making it’ moments too, like when we meet new fans.
You’re the third major band to emerge from the Denver music scene (behind The Fray and OneRepublic). Do you see yourselves as part of a Colorado piano rock movement?
We know both those bands pretty well and we’ve learned a lot from them. We have a good amount of piano-based stuff like OneRepublic and The Fray, but our set is becoming more guitar heavy. We’ve also started incorporating more electronic elements into our music, like a bonus track we released called “The Working Class” that is very Postal-Service-esque. Colorado is really great for bands right now though. And when you learn how to sing at the elevation, you feel like Pavarotti when you get to sea level.
Tell us a little bit about the tour so far. What has life on the road been like?
Right now we are out with Copeland. They are a band we’ve listened to for a long time, and they are nice dudes. We’re leaving San Diego right now and headed towards San Luis Obispo, one of our favorite towns. All the crowds have been very receptive and I really think performing these songs is becoming more natural each night. Our band and crew are all really close friends, which makes a lot of days feel like vacation. I almost got arrested for setting off fireworks in Albuquerque, however. I’m talking hands on the hood. We bought some real deal fireworks in Texas, but apparently those laws change from state to state. Who knew?
What is your favorite song off Broadcast and why?
My favorite song off the record changes. I’ve been in a more rockin’ mood lately so my favorite track right now is ‘Say You’re OK.’ It’s a fun one live too. But I’m most proud of a song called ‘Margot.’ I really pushed myself musically on that track.
You’ve shared some details about your past addiction to drugs… Now that you’re in a major rock band, is it a challenge to stay sober?
I don’t do drugs anymore. I’m surrounded by a crew of great guys who always keep me in check. It’s inevitable that drugs will pop up on the road from time to time. But this summer we’re touring with very respectful bands. No Guns ‘N’ Roses stuff backstage or anything. I view this band as a job, and it’s a job I don’t want to lose or forget about.
Have you had any crazy fan moments on tour?
Not particularly, but there’s a lot more summer left! I’m just fascinated that people want to take their picture with me right after the show when I’m sweating an ungodly amount.
What’s one thing you have to have on the road?
I just got my first iPhone, and I have to admit I totally love it. Every band guy I meet on the road has one. It really is useful when driving around the country and sitting in a van for hours and hours. Also, sun tan lotion is important. My white Scottish meat can’t handle all this summer sun.
What’s next on the agenda for you guys?
Tour, tour, tour. We got to spread the word. We’re touring with other bands this summer like The Fray, Barcelona and Our Lady Peace. The road beckons…
When the first 8-bit version of Nintendo Entertainment System was dethroned by the slick, 16-bit Super Nintendo in 1993, there was plenty of cool gear left to gather dust in the basements of teens all over America: the zapper gun from Duck Hunt, the Power Pad from World Class Track Meet and countless controllers with their tiny microphones. It was the end of an era. Or was it?
Enter I Fight Dragons, a band from Chicago with a penchant for video game nostalgia. The group, fronted by singer-songwriter Brian Mazzaferri, repurposes vintage NES parts and churns out irresistible power pop. They scavenge old soundchips, dance on the Power Pad and work the controllers, festooning their songs with cheerful bleeps and blips. Ostensibly, they are dorks. Their shtick is kitschy. But it’s also full of passion, intelligence and big juicy hooks.
“Heads Up, Hearts Down” and “Money” are radio-ready salvos of distorted guitars, swirling electronic chirps and emotive vocal harmonies. But even in the most action-packed video game, things can’t always be on warp speed. I Fight Dragons also turn out some lovely and languorous slow songs like “With You.” Even if the ballad is inspired by Princess Toadstool and not a real girl, who cares? I Fight Dragons make their video game rock appeal to the masses. And in that regard they score big.
The headline on Shotgun Cracker’s Myspace page reads, “Vi slåss för kärlek!” Translation: “We fight for love!” If that’s the case, then their weaponry includes (but is not limited to): guitars, drums, keyboards, whistles, handclaps and cowbells. The Swedish band’s hyperkinetic indie pop is loud, exuberant, percussive, and most importantly, hook-y as hell. One look at the album cover for their recent release, Visual Randomization, sums it all up: An explosion of color and chaos with quirky personalities popping out here and there combine to form some compelling art. Shotgun Crackers unleash a brazen sonic attack, but it’s one you’ll happily surrender to.
