So when they feel this, they feel me but I can't feel outside these Dre beats

This week I'm taking a different direction. My last posts have all been dedicated to bands that while all can be placed into different genres, can still be lumped into the rock category. I felt that just wasn't fair to the amazing other artists out there, and it really doesn't truly show my taste in music because it is literally all over the place. 
This week's artist is an up and coming artist that some of you may have heard of already but he has been playing over and over on my Itunes for the last few weeks or so. Machine Gun Kelly or as you may have heard of him MGK is an up and coming rapper who is set to release his debut album in the coming months but is already making huge waves in the industry. 
MGK was given his stage name because of his fast firing delivery of lyrics. In 2009 he performed in rap battles at the Apollo Theater where he won twice making him the first white rapper to win at the Apollo. He began gaining exposure and put out four mixtapes between 2008 and 2010. He is currently working on his debut album which will be released through a joint effort between Interscope Records and Sean Combs' label Bad Boy Records. 
Much like the artists I have posted about in this blog MGK differs from other artists in his genre with music that is truly about something important. His lyrics contain substance and deal with real topics. Besides that it is difficult to deny that this young rapper has a lot of talent. 


Take a listen to the first single from his upcoming album, "Invincible" below, the song is also where this post's title comes from. 

Hoping for the best just hoping nothing happens. A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins...

This weeks band is one that a lot of people already know about because of their popularity. Their connection to other bands I have blogged about made it next to impossible to not talk about Taking Back Sunday. Taking Back Sunday band has spawned other bands like Straylight Run, their ongoing feud with Brand New brought both bands into the spotlight, they are cited as one of Cute Is What We Aim For’s influences and have at least toured with the other bands covered in this blog.

Taking Back Sunday was formed in 1999 by Eddie Rayes with a lineup that included Brand New’s Jesse Lacey on bass. Since then they have gone through four major line up changes, the most drastic came in 2002 when John Nolan and Shaun Cooper left the band after the release of their debut album “Tell All Your Friends”. The band would release three more albums between 2003 and 2009. 2004’s “Where You Want to Be” and 2006’s ‘Louder Now” feature new guitarist Fred Maraschino and new bassist Matt Rubano. Maraschino left the band and was replaced by Matt Fazzi who played on New Again which was released in 2009. During this time fans stayed loyal but always hoped for a reunion of the "Tell All Your Friends" line up. In 2010 fans got their wish when the band fired their current guitarist, Matt Fazzi and bassist, Matt Rubano and to everyone's shock John Nolan and Shaun Cooper returned to their home, Taking Back Sunday. The band seemed to have mended the fences that were torn down during the initial split and would release last years self titled album. The album is quite possibly their best, at least lyrically, since Tell All Your Friends.

(Take a listen to " A Decade Under the Influence"  one of the many songs about John Nolan and Shaun Cooper's departure from the band) 

Taking Back Sunday did for their genre of music what little other bands were able to do. They brought emo-punk to a place where it was respected by critics and praised by fans across the world. The band is filled with talented musicians who are able to play their respective intstruments better than many other musicians out there. Adam Lazarra, the lead vocalist of the band, has grown over the years into an insightful lyricist writing songs dealing with his own battles with drug addiction and the fallout with best friend John Nolan. When Nolan returned to the band he brought his mature approach to song writing with him and Taking Back Sunday was able to produce some of their best and most insightful songs of their careers.

(Listen to their first single from their self title album, "This Is All Now") 

I had the pleasure of seeing the band live this summer during their reunion tour. While the band has grown and released a number of albums after many years of being in the business, it was amazing to see how the reaction of the crowd as soon as the words “Your lipstick, his color, don’t bother angel I know exactly what goes on” from their first single "Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From the Team) was heard.  Listen to the song which is also the inspiration for this week's blog title, below. 

Hip hip hooray you're our saving grace here's to you and your poker face

            This week’s band Head Automatica is the side project of Daryl Palumbo, the lead singer of a popular underground hardcore band called Glassjaw. In his original band Palumbo does not as much sing as he does scream. Head Automatica is nothing like Glassjaw and started when Palumbo decided that he wanted to do something different from his other band and make music that was influenced by hip hop and pop music.  Since the band first formed in 2003 they have released two albums, 2004’s Decandance and in 2006 they released their second album Popaganda.(Listen to their first single "Beating Heart Baby" below) 

            Head Automatica’s music is much different than the other bands that I have blogged about. While it is rock music it is very much inspire by other genres and is very experimental. Still Head Automatica is a band that stands out because of its substance. While the songs are catchy and easy to dance to the lyrics deal with very real issues from love to god and religion.

(Listen to "Graduation Day" below) 

            According to recent twitter and web page updates Head Automatica has completed work on a third album but it has been delayed due to Palumbo’s work and touring with Glassjaw and his other side projects.

Check out the band at their MySpace and Facebook. 


Take a listen to one of my favourite Head Automatica songs King Caesar (it is also the inspiration for today's blog title)