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MIDWEST RUMBLINGS |
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MIDWEST RUMBLINGSRegional Demo Reviews from Bubbling Under Artists
by Corine Jurgerson
A new promotional tool for bands is sweeping across the Internet. If you’ve been living in a cave for the past year and a half and haven’t yet heard of Myspace, you’re really missing out.
Myspace’s began humbly enough as an Internet socialization site (think the 6 degrees of separation rule… you’re connected to the friends of your friends’ friends, etc.), but it wasn’t long before bands and other artists found out about Myspace and began using it as a way to spread the word about their music.
Now, national and local artists post their music, photos, bios, show dates and anything else they want to the site as a way of spreading their music across the world.
Many bands use the site as a networking base to book tours with other bands. The best part is that it’s free to register – and what better way to reach millions of potential fans online? Feel free to check out my Myspace account and add me as a friend at: www.myspace.com/corine1978
The local bands reviewed in this month’s column all use Myspace as a tool for promoting their bands.
Many other region artists have accounts as well. I urge you to take the time to visit their sites, sample their music and share it with your Myspace friends.
This is just another way to support local music, but it is a powerful means of support. That said, here are this month’s reviews.
RATINGS SCALE: 1-5 Stars…with 5 being the highest!
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Artist: THE FLYING AARONS
The Flying Aarons have got to be one of the most original bands that I have ever heard. Somehow this group from Hammond manages to combine rock ‘n’ roll, a little bit of old school rap, punk, polka, an ‘80s vibe, sheer quirk and any other kind of musical style you can think of and make it catchy and fun.
Seriously, this is just great stuff from front to back. The Flying Aarons are so bizarre you can’t help but fall in love with them.
Ok, so most of their song lyrics have at least one reference to Aaron – and well, I’m not really sure what the hell they’re really singing about – but if you’re an open-minded music fan and are up for a good time, I think you’ll dig this.
Check ‘em out at: www.myspace.com/theflyingaarons
RATING: Four Stars
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Artist: THE MIXELPRICKS
The Mixelpricks’ album, Bitter?, was another pleasant surprise in my mailbox this month. The Mixelpricks are a pop/punk band from Lafayette. Their songs are so catchy they might just get stuck in your head for days.
The thing that is really interesting about The Mixelpricks is that they are able to really mix up their sound. They aren’t strictly pop/punk, but they aren’t exactly old-school punk. Think of their sound as Bad Religion meets Blink 182 meets Green Day. If their live sound is anything like their CD sounds, I’d expect to see a very kickass show.
Visit them at: www.myspace.com/themixelpricks
RATING: Three Stars
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Artist: JIM THE MULE
Rock band Jim The Mule brings a laid-back style to this month’s submissions. The five-piece band from the Iowa and Illinois’ Quad Cities were voted “best local rock band” for the second year in a row in the River Cities Reader Best of the Quad Cities Poll.
And its no wonder. Their free-flowing mellow rock sound is similar to hit makers the Barenaked Ladies and Blues Traveler.
The band perfects a nice rock/pop/blues mix, complete with pleasant harmonies, sticky choruses and killer guitar solos. Jim The Mule has not reinvented the wheel or anything, but their sound is definitely catchy enough to make you want to listen.
Hear ‘em at: www.myspace.com/jimthemulerockandroll
RATING: Four Stars
MIDWEST BANDS…Send your demos to me at:
“MIDWEST RUMBLINGS” c/o Midwest BEAT P.O. Box 9069 • Highland, IN 46322 Email: corine@midwestbeat.com |
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