Issue #83- Black Lab- "Time Ago"

You'll hear me talk about this band a lot. They're one of my favorites of all time.

They burst onto the scene in 1997/98 with their debut album "Your Body Above Me," which spawned the Top 5 Rock hit "Wash It Away" and the Top 40 Pop single featured today, "Time Ago." Critics called them the "American U2" and thought they were poised to take over the world. So what happened? Record label mergers and drama, and a promising band getting pushed to the side.

After the band's debut album came and went, they were thrown into limbo, as their record label, Geffen Records was getting absorbed by another. The band wasn't dropped by the label, but wasn't getting to release any new music. After a lengthy struggle, they broke free, but sort of broke up. Lead singer/guitarist Paul Durham was the only remaining member. He regrouped, recorded some tracks, and got signed to Sony Records. Again, more record label drama followed, and the band was dropped from Sony before anything materialized.

Annoyed and frustrated, Paul took the tracks he had recorded, and released them himself in the sophomore album "See The Sun" independently. Since then, Paul under various names has released a third album (titled "Passion Leaves a Trace) a techno album (as Black Lab), a covers album (As the Mirrorball Associates) a side project or two, and even a couple of music videos. Now they have also released a B-Sides album, which was only supposed to be in limited release, but oversold the expectations. Not too bad for being completely independent.

I'll probably feature some songs from the B-Sides album in future weeks. Today though, I want to dig up one of my favorite songs of all time... from their 1998 debut "Your Body Above Me." It's Black Lab, and "Time Ago." You're going to have to CLICK HERE to check out the video.

Issue #82- Gomez- "Little Pieces"

Gomez is a band that I've always known was there, but I just never got into. This British band burst onto the scene in 1998 with their debut album "Bring it On," which went platinum in Britain, but didn't make much of a splash here in the U.S. The same happened with 1999's "Liquid Skin" and 2002's "In Our Gun" (which only went Gold.) Ironically as their British popularity fades, their American popularity continues to rise, as their 2004 album "Split the Difference, their 2006 album "How We Operate" and their latest, "A New Tide" which hit stores back in March have each strode further up the charts. Having today's song featured in Grey's Anatomy probably helped a wee bit.

This is technically the second single off of "A New Tide." It's called "Little Pieces." Enjoy Gomez on the blog today!

Issue #81- Panic at the Disco- "New Perspective"

Note to Panic at the Disco... don't sorta break up right before your new album comes out. When guitarist Ryan Ross (he was the main songwriter as well) and bassist Jon Walker announced they were parting ways with Panic... many wondered if the band would stick it out. The answer is yes. The two remaining members, lead singer Brandon Urie, and drummer Spencer Smith have at least temporary members on board for now, but with Ryan Ross' songwriting skills elsewhere, who knows if a new Panic album after this one will happen.

Panic at the Disco was lumped into the Emo category when they first came out and had success with their singles "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies" and "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off," off of their 2005 debut, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out." Musically, they drastically changed course (in a great way, in my opinion), with 2008's "Pretty...Odd." It featured the singles "Nine in the Afternoon," "That Green Gentleman," and the underrated "Northern Downpour."

The new album should hit stores in late September. You can find this new single on the soundtrack to the movie "Jennifer's Body" which hits stores August 25th. Enjoy new Panic at the Disco. It's called "New Perspective."

Issue #80- After Midnight Project- Take Me Home

I kept confusing this band's name, with the Airborne Toxic Event song ("Sometime After Midnight"), but the two are vastly different. After Midnight Project is a band that sounds like they'd fit in with the likes of Hinder, Nickelback (blah), and the rest of that crunch rock sound, but since they haven't been driven down your throat yet, you're not tired of them.

They hail from LA, and have been together since 2004. They released their self-titled first EP in 2005, and released another EP in 2007 titled "The Becoming," They have followed that up with their major-label debut, "Let's Build Something to Break", which hit stores back on August 11th. They are currently touring with the Van's Warped Tour... check them out if it hasn't rolled through your city yet.

Enjo some RAWK with the After Midnight Project. Here's their first single, "Take Me Home."

Issue #79- Eels- "Fresh Blood"

A month or two ago, I threw a song from Eels up on the Friday Flashback... their 1996 hit "Novocaine for the Soul." Well... the band is definitely still around (Remember their song "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" used in Road Trip?), having released their 12th album. Yes. TWELFTH. It's titled "Hombre Lobo" and hit stores back in June, and apparently is a #1 album in Belgium. Hmm.

They've released "Fresh Blood" as the first single. Enjoy!

Issue #78- Flashback Friday- Dada- "Dizz Knee Land"

You probably know today's song. You've surely heard it's tagline used by anyone who has won a superbowl. You've probably completely forgotten about the song though, and never knew who it was by.

Dada released their debut album, "Puzzle" in 1992, and made a splash with "Dizz Knee Land," (they probably had to spell it that way for copyright or something. I could be wrong.) They went on to release 4 albums before splitting in 1999, but reunited in 2003 and have released two albums since.

The only part of the song you'll sing along with is when they say "I'm going to Disneyland!" Enjoy it. It's Dada with "Dizz Knee Land."

Click HERE

to watch the video, since EMI Music doesn't allow embedding. Woot.

Issue #77- William Tell- "Break"

No, the folk hero with the overture is not being resurrected for an album of contemporary music. He is a breakaway member of Something Corporate who is out on his own doing the solo thing.

William Tell was the rhythm guitarist and background vocalist for Something Corporate until 2004 when he split with the band. Going solo, he released his debut album, "You Can Hold Me Down" in 2007 to fairly good revues, and had a minor hit with his single "Fairfax." He has returned with a new EP, titled "Lovers & Haters." You'll find this song on said EP. Here's William Tell with "Break."

Click HERE to check out the song!

Issue #76- Passion Pit- "The Reeling"

If you're into the Alternative music scene, then you've probably already heard of these guys. Formed waaaay back in the year 2007, these guys from Massachusetts released their debut EP, titled "Chunk of Change" in 2008. They followed this up with their full-length debut, "Manners" which hit stores back on May 19th and landed at #51 on the albums chart. Not too shabby.

The song that has been making the rounds is this one...it's "The Reeling" from Passion Pit. Courtesy of Sony Records not letting you embed videos... you'll have to click the link to check it out. CLICK HERE!

Issue #75- Alternate Routes- "Ain't No Secret"

Alternate Routes are a band from Connecticut that sound like they're from the south or midwest. Maybe that's because they've recorded both of their albums in Nashville. They formed in 2002 at Fairfield University, and quickly found a strong following. They released their debut album in 2005, entitled "Good and Reckless and True." It was re-released on a major label in 2007, and spawned the semi-hit "Time is a Runaway." The band has returned with their sophomore album, "A Sucker's Dream" which hit stores back in February. From the new album, here is "Ain't No Secret" by Alternate Routes. Enjoy!

Aint No Secret (Demo Version) - The Alternate Routes

Bonus- A look at who views my site

When I started this blog 70ish posts ago, it was a blog for those displaced listeners from my former radio station to check in on new music that they weren't hearing on the airwaves anymore. Since then, it has grown nicely to a group of loyal readers, and more people surfing into the site daily. I'm not pulling in super-huge-mega amounts of views, but more than enough to keep the blog rolling. So tonight, I glanced through my Google Analytics account and made some observations.

--Listeners from my radio station are still checking the blog out. I'm glad they're still keeping in touch to see what new music is out there!

--A lot of new people surf in searching for their favorite band. Some are one view and done with the site, some keep coming back.

--Putting the Y2Kroq Top 200 songs of the 2000s list on my site has led to some ridiculous amounts of hits from not only LA, but around the country as people search for it and end up on my blog.

Now, it's not like big brother is watching. I don't have your IP address. I don't know exactly where you live. I just know approximately where people view from and how they get to the site. The majority of the views of the blog are from Philly, Kansas, Missouri, L.A., and New York City. Some other places pop up too. Around the Boston area, Ithaca and Syracuse in New York...I have a fairly regular reader in Mount Holly, NJ.

But I've noticed one city popping up not only on this blog, but basically any other site that I have Google Analytics access to. Fargo. Fargo? Yup. Fargo. And it's all from the same visitor.

Now, normally, I'd be flattered. A very loyal reader. Nice! But it seems like the viewer is more interested in ME than the things I'm blogging about. They arrive on the sites searching for things like "Beej" or "Beej+KBZI" or "Beejontheradio." Considering I don't personally know anyone in Fargo... and my old station's signal fell a WEE bit short of Fargo, well, it's kind of weird. Plus they threw over 160 webhits on the old station's website alone. Whoever you are, um... thank you for your dedication for following me. Whether it's good or bad.

In all seriousness though, thank you to all the readers who check out this blog, no matter how often you surf on in. I also have http://beejontheradio.blogspot.com as well, and I think I'm going to resurrect that one for random brain droppings in the near future.

I'll catch everyone back here tomorrow with another new entry!


-Beej

Issue #74- Barcelona- "Come Back When You Can"

Miss me? I flew off the grid for a couple of days. It was nice to get away. And walk out of Atlantic City with an extra $200. Anywho... back to the music.

Today's featured band is called Barcelona, and they have only been around in band form for a few years. Their lead singer, Brian Fennell, put out a solo album in 2005, and the band together as Barcelona released their debut album, "Absolutes" in 2007. The band was picked up by Universal Records and the album was re-released in April. They hail from Seattle, and fit right in if you have musical tastes along the lines of Augustana, Coldplay, The Fray, and other piano-driven rock bands (not that Coldplay is... I'm just saying it's the same vein of music.)

Check out their debut single. It's Barcelona with "Come Back When You Can"

Issue #73- Ryan Star- "Breathe"

His album keeps getting pushed back further and further by his record label, but from what I've heard... it should be a pop-rock masterpiece when we finally do get to hear it.

As previously told when we featured his song "Last Train Home," Ryan Star was the former lead singer of Alt-Rockers Stage, who put out one album in the early 00's. Ryan went on and was a contestant on Rock Band: Supernova, which gathered some national attention for himself. Even though he was on national TV, it's taken over three years to get his solo debut released. It'll be called "11:59" and will hit stores now on September 15th. Don't expect groundbreaking new sounds... but expect an absolutely solid pop-rock album.

Enjoy a new track from the upcoming album. It's Ryan Star with "Breathe." Give it a listen by CLICKING HERE!

Issue #72- Bowling For Soup- "My Wena"

First. Huge thanks to my buddy Tom for bringing this to my attention.

Now... you've heard of Bowling for Soup before. They did "1985," and "The Bitch Song" and "High School Never Ends" and "Punk Rock 101." Well... they've outdone themselves with their new song "My Wena."

Their new album will be called "Sorry for Partyin'" and should hit stores on September 29th. I have a feeling MTV and radio stations MAY have an issue with this song. Oh... and before you play the video...

IT'S SO TOTALLY AND INCREDIBLY NOT SAFE FOR WORK.

What's that mean? Well... if you watch it at work, and get in trouble for it... I'm not to blame. So there.

Check it. Bowling For Soup, with "My Wena"

Issue #71- Chevelle- "Jars"

RAWK.

I never was a huge hard rock music fan. Sure... there are some tunes that I can just crank up and rock out too... but I never got into the stuff like Disturbed... I hate Metallica... stuff like that.

But for some reason, I always dig Chevelle. Going all the way back to their Point #1 days.

The band of two brothers, and a brother-in-law, are back with a new disc called "Sci-Fi Crimes" which will be released to the world September 1st. The debut single is cranking up at Rock radio. It's called "Jars." Enjoy.

Oh yeah... courtesy of their record label... you gotta click the link to check it out. Woo. Check it HERE.