An Oddly Pleasant Combination

Most bands have a certain genre and sound that they stick to like glue. Every album might sound a bit different, but mostly there is a general idea about where they lie on the musical spectrum. Twenty One Pilots is not that kind of band. This Cleveland-based duo is made up of a drummer and a piano player who sometimes breaks out a ukelele. And if that isn't unique enough for you, the lead singer interchanges singing, rapping, and what sometimes sounds quite like spoken word poetry, all complimented by a hearty amount of synth.

It might seem like the combining of all of those things would make this band a train wreck, but it totally works. The words may be a bit too fast to catch at first, but I guarantee that the lyrical content is worth a closer listen. I have connected to too many of their songs to name, but I will say that their most recent album, "Vessel", is one of my top five all-time favorites. Seriously, I listened to that album on repeat for two weeks straight.

As for their stage presence, a drum kit and a piano might seem a bit boring, but I am assured that their shows are filled with massive energy and crowd interaction. What other bands do you know that mount small platforms held up by the audience to bang out a fantastic drum duet?

I will be sure to do a live review of them after I see them live in October. But for now, head to YouTube and check them out. They cover almost ever genre, so I'm fairly sure there's at least one song of theirs that you'll like.

The Duff is Back

Let's talk about Hilary Duff. Seven years after her last release, she's back and it's almost as if she never left.  July 29th, Duff dropped the single "Chasing the Sun", taken from her upcoming album expected to drop this next year. I have to admit that I was expecting an over-done pop comeback, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that my childhood idol was still just as smooth and mellow as I remembered. It was just the kind of sound that I needed to hear as the summer waned away. Plus, the music video was adorable. Seriously. Go watch it.

But as she dropped her second single, "All About You", I began to remember that this was not the innocent Lizzie McGuire anymore. Instead, I was reminded that she is in fact a 26-year-old woman. The song is surprisingly sexy and I think it was a great next step in establishing the new Hilary. I admit that I could have done without the repetitive "hey"s and the banjo line seemed a little out of place, but altogether the song actually really works.

I'm really excited to hear the rest of her new album, and I can't wait to see the direction she takes her musical career next. Welcome back, Hilary Duff.

Congratulations, New York

I'm always looking for new music to obsess about. In fact, I have an ever-growing list of bands recommended to me by people I meet. But recently, I've been a bit busy playing and replaying anything by Twenty One Pilots, in preparation for seeing them in concert this fall. As I like to be as ready as possible, I also took it upon myself to check out their support bands, Vinyl Theatre and Misterwives, for the "Quiet is Violent" tour. I had heard of Vinyl Theatre so I decided to start with the group that I had never heard of before.

And I was not disappointed. Within 45 seconds of watching Misterwives' video for their single "Reflections", I had to start the song over. The dynamic change itself had me hooked, but upon closer listening I discovered that I loved the lyrics as well. Needless to say, I had to hear more from them.

Their song "Twisted Tongue" had me dancing and singing along by the third listen. It was around this time that I decided to just buy their newest EP off of iTunes. Though there are only six songs, the lyrical content seems advanced for a band that's only been around for two years. The song "Coffins" has soulful percussion and a great violin line, adding to the impact of the thought-provoking words.

To say that I am in love would be an understatement. I would like to congratulate the great state of New York for producing such a great indie/pop/soul band and tell you guys to check them out if you get the chance. You can pick up their EP "Reflections" on iTunes and add some awesome to your life.

A New Era for Pop Punk

Unless you've been camping in the remote wilderness for the past year, there's a fairly good chance that you've heard a song by the band 5 Seconds of Summer, whether you know it or not. These four young Australians seem to be everywhere now, including Top 40 radio, which has caused a lot of skepticism over whether they should be taken seriously as a pop punk band.

5SOS formed in Sydney in 2011, and gained a small following through posting covers on YouTube. But their careers took off internationally in 2012, when One Direction asked them to open for them on their Take Me Home Tour. As they were opening for the most popular boy band in the world, the "Directioners" became the majority of their American fan base. And as a result, they were written off by many pop punk fans as just another boy band.

And this sincerely bothers me. First of all, 5SOS was formed under the inspiration of Blink 182, Green Day, All Time Low, and other solid pop rock favorites. They have written with Alex Gaskarth, the Madden brothers from Good Charlotte, and John Feldmann. They were also the first artists to play their own instruments live at the VMAs since Green Day in 2012. Yes, they toured with a boy band and they have a lot of very young fans, but would you turn down an opportunity to do an international stadium tour with one of the biggest names in music?

Now you might be thinking, "but if they're a pop rock band, why are they all over Top 40 radio?" Do you guys remember back in the 2000s when you would frequently see Gerard Way and Pete Wentz share the cover of a teeny bopper magazine with Zac Efron and Jesse McCartney? No? Well let me refresh your memory:

Was that a weird year? Yes, but the point remains the same. Pop punk used to be very mainstream. Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance played on popular radio stations. Everybody I knew listened to Green Day. I'm pretty sure they even played All Time Low at a middle school dance I went to. And yet these bands' genre wasn't questioned.

For years, pop punk has been out of the spotlight, and I have to admit that even I have become sort of a music snob in thinking of my favorite bands as underground music. But with their self-titled album (debuting at number 1 on the Billboard 200 in the US), 5 Seconds of Summer are bringing in a new generation of pop-listening teenagers into our musical bubble. And a lot of people are mad about it, but isn't it a good thing? 5SOS are bringing pop punk back into the spotlight.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we don't get to decide what kinds of people can listen to a certain genre, or write off a great band just because they are popular. You don't have to like them, but don't just dismiss them as another boy band. 5 Seconds of Summer are ushering in a new era for pop punk, and it's time we get off our musical high horses and welcomed the new listeners into the club.