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Monday Motivation: Hoodie Allen

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

A few weeks ago something happened that has only happened once or twice, if ever, before in the history of music. While everyone in the industry was busy debating whether or not Kanye’s new album would arrive on time, New York rapper Hoodie Allen released a new LP entitled Happy Camper that would go on to chart in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 despite being made available for free download through the emcee’s official website. Yes, you read that right. Even though Hoodie Allen made his latest album available for free through his website there were literally thousands of fans across the country willing to shell out $10 to support Hoodie’s efforts. In fact, demand was so high that at certain points during release week Happy Camper was outselling recent albums from pop contemporaries Justin Bieber, G-Eazy, and Adele, all without the aide of a label.

This is all impressive and absolutely worthy of praise, but it’s not exactly the kind of thing that happened out of the blue. Anyone familiar with Hoodie Allen’s work ethic would expect nothing less than success from the twenty-something charmer. Since graduating from the University Of Pennsylvania there has rarely been a day where Hoodie wasn’t working towards developing his own brand in the world of music. His approach to creativity has always strayed from whatever was trending at radio or on your favorite rap blog, focusing instead on finding a sound entirely his own that was just as fun and engaging as anything found in the top 40. Hoodie realized early on in his career that people want to have a good time when they listen to music, and he set his sights on offering just that with every release he shared. Now two albums in to a career that also includes three EPs, Hoodie has perfected his recipe for hits, and Happy Camper offers the best material the still young artist has created to date.

My first encounter with Hoodie Allen came as a result of his personalized marketing efforts. Unlike many emcees on the rise who have their friends, managers, or publicists handle their press outreach, Hoodie has always taken a vested interest in every bit of messaging shared on his behalf. The same email he used to contact me half a decade ago is the same account he uses today, and if you email him out of the blue he will more than likely respond in 24-72 hours. For a man currently topping the Billboard charts while also headlining a sold out nationwide tour, that kind of turnaround is downright astounding. Such constant engagement not only speaks to Hoodie’s drive to succeed, but also his desire to stay connected with those who help establish and further his brand. Hoodie wants to be everyone’s friend, and he matches that wish with actual effort that speaks volumes about the type of person he is away from music. That kind of sincerity cannot be bought (though there are services that will try and tell you otherwise).

I cannot recall whether or not I fell for Hoodie’s unique brand of music when it first hit my inbox, but by the time he released his now famous clip for “Cake Boy” in early 2013 I had purchased a lifetime pass for the Hoodie Allen bandwagon. Something about that track and the vision of carefree good times it promoted clicked with my post-grad brain and lifted me from the slums of unemployment I had found myself in up to that point. I still didn’t have a job, but that was okay because I knew who I was and what I wanted out of life. Hoodie’s success showed me that knowing where it is you want to go is half the battle, and that knowing what you will and will not do to get there is equally important. I then understood that while my struggle for work was hard it was also something that could lead me to the place I wanted to be in life, and that made everything sacrifice just a bit easier. I knew, in time, every effort made would not have been executed in vein.

Nearly three years to the day “Cake Boy” hit the net and I am still turning to Hoodie Allen for inspiration. I like to think I have reached the place I wanted to be when I first felt inspired by Hoodie’s rap, so now I am setting my sights a little bit higher. Like Hoodie, I want to see just how far I can take this wild road that I am on, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to maintain my quality of life as long as it does not require me to sacrifice who I am. That is a line I dare not cross because I know it will only lead to regret down the road. Staying true to yourself is never easy, but if Hoodie’s continued success is proof of anything it’s that people support original thinkers. Remember that fact and use that knowledge to pursue whatever it is you desire to the best of your abilities. Success probably won’t come overnight, but if you stick with it others will take notice of your hustle in time and they will begin to show support. Just be patient and believe in yourself. If you need additional help, put on Happy Camper and let your worries melt away.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder ofAntique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: It Lies Within

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

There are few genres I hesitate to discuss in public forums more than heavy metal. In the last fifteen years the world of metal music has been sliced and diced into countless subgenres for no other reason than the increased ease of new music discovery, but one unfortunate side effect of those efforts has been the battle lines it such subjugation has drawn between metal fans. For some, there is only one true form of metal, and everything else is just heavy noise that wishes it were up to par with the very rarified air that particular fan’s favorite bands inhabit. For others, all metal is mediocre unless it is born from the mind of an artist with decades of experience ticket under their belt. Both schools of thought are wrong, as we believe the subjective nature of music is part of what makes it so endearing, but we learned long ago not to question the tastes and interests of metal fans unless we were prepared to fight.

This realization sucks. It sucks that people who enjoy one area of metal music feel they are either inferior or superior to another area of the same genre simply because some assholes on the Internet decided rock’s numerous subgenres needed to be ranked. As far as we are concerned every genre of music is just as good and horrible as the next, the only determining factor as far as your personal tastes are concerned should be you. This doesn’t mean critics are full of crap, but it does mean that you cannot let the opinions of others dictate everything you do. Critics, at best, are curators to a world of music that has long passed its saturation point. Critics do not know everything, and if you find one who claims to then you should immediately write them off. It is impossible to know everything the vast world of music has to offer, but that should not stop you from taking time to explore as much of it as possible during your short time on this Earth.

With that in mind, my choice for Monday Motivation this week is none other than Michigan metal outfit It Lies Within. Some of you may recall the band and their name from the short time they spent on Victory Records a few years back, but there is much more to this forward-thinking product of America’s murder capitol than an association with a once great indie label. It Lies Within are a band born out of a desire to make metal interesting again, and they have spent the better part of the last half decade fighting for every bit of critical and fan acclaim they have been able to gain. Their continued success is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work and a fierce dedication to engaging with fans on a regular basis. Those who enjoy It Lies Within not only feel close to the music, but the members themselves, as the band constantly works to share their lives and personalities through those that support their music.

Paramount, the upcoming release from It Lies Within that is slated to hit stores this Friday, January 8, is the first great heavy album of 2016. As with every other record in the band’s catalog, Paramount serves as a bold declaration of It Lies Within’s continuing efforts to push the envelope of modern metal with unique riffs, thought-provoking vocals, and an overall quality of songwriting that far exceeds that of their genre peers. It’s not an album everyone will love, but both the band and their fans have already accepted this fact. There is never going to be a record capable of capturing the imagination of every metal fan, but it’s hard to believe anyone with even a passing interest in the world of heavy music finding themselves unable to find something worth applauding on this record. You can use the songs of Paramount to prepare for battle against your greatest foe or to serve as the soundtrack to your next sweat session at your local gym. Whatever the case, know that when times get tough It Lies Within has a song or twelve ready to help boost your belief in the fact you can do anything you set your mind to.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: ROAM

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

I spent the last week traveling from the coast of New England to the heart of the midwest and back again, all while packed in a tiny rental car with my fiancé and our two overweight cats. It was the kind of travel situation you might expect to find in a holiday road trip comedy, with people and animals fighting to be comfortable around a growing pile of luggage, snacks, phone chargers, and empty bags of greasy fast-food. We have made a similar trip every year for the last four years, but for whatever reason the 14-hour drive (each way) has only grown more frustrating in time. I initially thought this was due to the fact that upstate New York is a rather boring place to look at, which is inarguably true, but on our return journey this past weekend I realized that my inability to deal with the length of the journey might also have something to do with my age.

28 is a lot closer to 30 than anyone who is 28 would like to believe, and it comes with a new world view that challenges things you have accepted as absolute truths up to this point in life. In the time since my last birthday I have had several panic attacks over my role in life, both from a professional and personal standpoint, as well as a near constant state of anxiety over what the future may hold. I have had to come to terms with the fact I am moving further and further away from the target market of the genre(s) and bands that first got me interested in music, as well as how that evolution has impacted the things I do within my role as a music professional. I can remember a time when Warped Tour was what my summer revolved around, but now I groan at the idea of spending another 100+ degree day standing in an overcrowded amphitheater parking lot to watch bands perform what typically amounts to a 25-minute greatest hits set. I also used to go to basement shows, but anytime I see them advertised now I (somewhat ridiculously) believe the audience such events draw would probably look at me as if I were a chauffeur for someone younger. These thoughts are frustrating for someone who has dedicated their life to alternative music, but they are thoughts anyone in this scene will face as the grow older.

While I have yet to fully understand where I am destined to go from this point in life, I have learned to cherish the alternative scene in a way I never could before, especially when it comes to discovering new talent. What brings me peace in these often hectic times is knowing there are young artists and professionals who are breaking their backs to ensure the fun and communal aspects of alternative music continue to exist. If there is one thing I want for my children, as well as any future music fan, it’s the ability to know and experience the carefree state of mind that comes with connecting to alternative music. Be it through headphones or a crowded venue, there is a spirit found within alternative music that makes it easier for people to reveal their true selves to the world around them, and sometimes I worry that as my generation begins to age that aspect of the scene will be lost.

ROAM, a pop punk band hailing from the UK, are one of the driving forces behind my faith in the future of alternative music. Their sound is born from a deep love of mid-2000s punk, as well as a desire to leave their own mark on a world of music they themselves would be lost without. They understand that music is bigger than themselves, and while they write from their perspective there is an inviting aspect to their material that welcomes all walks of life in need of motivation to face another day. When ROAM plays, you feel their desire to succeed with every strum of a guitar and every line sung (or in some cases, screamed). You become lost in their sound, remembering the way you felt the first time you heard punk music, and you’re overcome with the desire to somehow make that sensation last forever.

In January, ROAM will release their debut full-length LP for Hopeless Records. We at Haulix were fortunate enough to receive an advance stream of the record, which is titled Backbone (out 1/22), near the beginning of December. I cannot tell you how many times the album has played on repeat since it first hit our inbox, but suffice to say it is easily the most streamed release of the last four weeks by a wide margin. Our company is comprised of people on the verge of 30 and 40, but when Backbone plays we are collectively pulled back to those awkward teen years spent doing everything we could to discover who we were meant to become. The album speaks to the desire to be the best version of yourself, as well as the struggles one faces when trying to break away from the person others have always thought them to be. ROAM appreciate how hard bettering yourself can be, and they have created a soundtrack to promote self-realization that carries a punk edge so infectious that I personally believe no one will be able to resist its charm.

I may still be months or even years away from fully understanding my role in alternative music as an older person, but as long as bands like ROAM exist I can live knowing the type of music that made me dedicate my life to this business is still being created. More importantly, it’s being made in such a way that it draws in an untold number of new music fans, each of whom will contribute to the diversity and community found within alternative music in ways that cannot even begin to predict. As far as I am concerned, ROAM is the sound of the future, and the future sounds great. Knowing this, I am able to stop worrying so much about the state of alternative music and focus instead on helping others navigate this crazy business. That is what I am here to do, and thanks to ROAM I have a soundtrack to motivate me day in and day out. They can be a soundtrack for you as well, if you give them a chance.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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MONDAY MOTIVATION: Before Their Eyes

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Whenever I travel somewhere to speak I am often asked about the place I call home. The first response I give is usually that I am from Michigan, which is true, but to be completely honest my journey in this world actually began in the city of Bowling Green, Ohio. My family raise me not far from the hospital for the first nine years of my life, but after the company where my father worked was bought by a bigger company we were forced to relocate in order to maintain our quality of life. It was a tough decision, but ultimately it set into motion numerous events that would lead me to become the person I am today. I have no regrets about this, and from what I understand neither do my parents. Moving on was hard, but sometimes in life the hardest things to do are also the things we need the most.

Before Their Eyes are a hard rock band from the same area of Ohio that I once called home, and the ages of the members are not far off from my own. I wouldn’t go as far as to say we know where one another are coming from, but there is something to the determination and clear dedication to craftsmanship found in the music of Before Their Eyes that I hope is also evident in everything I attempt. When their music plays I know that somewhere in the world there is a group of young men who have poured every ounce of creativity they have between them into the product I am enjoying, and it makes me want to give just as much of myself to the people who consume what I create. They motivate me to be a better version of myself, and while that has always been the case with their music there is something special about their new album, Midwest Modesty, that furthers these efforts in ways I never previously though possible.

While I could pick apart every message and instruction found in Midwest Modesty, which part of me does desire to do, I’ve chosen to use this Monday Motivation to highlight a single song that I believe summarizes what makes the music of Before Their Eyes so great. “How It Feels To Be Defeated” is a song created with the help of Craig Owens, another midwest native, that deals with loss, the feeling of hopelessness, and the realization that time will continue to pass whether or not you take it upon yourself to move forward. It’s a haunting and at times heartbreakingly honest portrayal of grief set to music, and when it plays you cannot help becoming entranced by every note, lyric, and chord Before Their Eyes chooses to share. I’m going to talk about it more, but you should really take time to hear the song now:

The thing no one tells you about dealing with loss and/or grief is that it is largely an adventure that is unique to the person experiencing it. There will be moments that can be likened to the experiences of others, sure, but ultimately the path we take in order to reclaim our lives is one we must carve ourselves. The things lost and found along the way, however numerous they may be, are again unique to each and every individual. “How It Feels To Be Defeated” understands this concept, and in the opening lines they walk through the initial realization that life as we know it has collapsed. Maybe we lost someone we love, or maybe we simply lost our way, but at this point there is no undo button. There is nothing that can be done to change what has happened, so all we are left with is the present and the knowledge that we will continue on while others do not. Even if we do nothing, time will carry us, ever-moving and ever-evolving.

As the song progresses, you hear the desperation that comes from not knowing the answer of what will come next. Any experience with loss, no matter how small, will irrevocably change the world as we know it moving forward. The way our lives flow, the people we talk to, and the things we wish to talk about may all be changed by the loss of just one element of our daily lives. The uncertainty that is created in the presence of unavoidable change is one that lives deep in the soul of everyone in that moment, and it’s on the individual to navigate their way to clearer thoughts. You don’t have to know the next step right away, but you cannot live in fear of making another move. Lack of movement is still a decision, and the damage done from choosing to live with grief can be as painful as the initial loss, if not more so. I know I have tried to live with my grief, and I can tell you firsthand it is not a path you want to follow. The pain never goes numb. It just grows and evolves, coming to light in different and often frightening ways as time goes on.

When the song reaches its end, which also coincides with what I would consider the lyrical climax, we’re told of a feeling in the stomach of someone dealing with grief that tells them there is more in this life for them. Maybe it comes in the form of a fleeting notion, or maybe it comes in the form of a new person entering their life, but at some point everyone dealing with grief has to grapple with the idea that they must find a way to keep living. As much as we may feel we want to live with our  grief, it’s simply not something humans were ever equipped to do. We were not meant to grieve endlessly for those we have lost or the things we wanted that never came to be. We were meant to grow and learn, evolving as we need to in order to survive. Living with grief is not survival, and to be completely honest once more it’s worse than defeat. To be defeated implies that you tried to move on and failed, and if that happens then you’re absolutely entitled to take more time to grieve if such a thing is needed, but you cannot dwell in heartache forever. No one can.

When I listen to this song, as well as the rest of Midwest Modesty, I am inspired to make the most of the life I have been given. Songs like “How It Feels To Be Defeated” are reminders that life is both precious and short, with no one being promised anything more than the breath currently held within their lungs. People, places, and things will all turn to dust in time, including our own bodies, and there is nothing we can do to stop that from becoming true. The best we can hope for is to live long enough to see ourselves become the people we know we are capable of being. Not everyone will get to that point, and we need to make time to mourn them when they pass, but we cannot let the loss of others prevent us from living. Our time on this planet is short, and the music of Before Their Eyes is a great reminder that we need to make the most of the time we have been given.

Midwest Modesty arrives in stores this Friday, December 18. Do yourself a favor and pre-order a copy today.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder o fAntique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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MONDAY MOTIVATION: Spoken

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Every great story, no matter how much work goes into it, begins with a stroke of luck or tragedy that propels the protagonist down a path in life they otherwise might not have experienced. For me, this twist of fate came around the time I was 16, and it involved an abandoned all ages music venue that sat on the edge of my small midwestern farming town I called home. The club was known as The Apocalypse, and for several years it had provided the area with a number of live performances from local artists and nationally touring alternative christian bands, but at some point years prior to the start of my story the club had gone under. The owners retained the lease to the property, and all the sound equipment remained inside, but for one reason or another they were unable to keep the doors open long enough for me and my fellow high school aged friends to enjoy their facility.

At that point in my life, music was already my favorite activity, but I had no idea how anyone could create a career in entertainment without being the person standing on stage each night. I was inspired by some friends from a nearby town to try hosting a show of my own, so on a whim I emailed the owners of The Apocalypse to see what it would take to reopen their doors, even if just for one night only. They gave me a rate, I applied for a grant from the city, and within a few weeks I had the budget needed (<$500) to host my own show. I booked the bands my friends were in, as well as the bands their friends were in, and together we brought over 250 kids to a venue that was nestled on the outskirts of a town with a population well below 3,000. It was the biggest single night event in our area by a considerable margin, and I knew almost immediately that I wanted to continue hosting shows there for as long as possible.

Weeks passed before the next event, but the owners of The Apocalypse slowly came around to having shows on a semi-regular basis once I guaranteed to take on the responsibility of ensuring that enough people and money came in to cover all our bills. This was never a huge problem for me, as the amount of money needed was often below $500 for a single night, but it did provide me with a lot of learning opportunities through marketing, promotion, and the negotiation of performance contracts. We couldn’t provide bands with whatever amount they needed guaranteed each night, so we would have to sell them on agreeing to a door split where they kept 50% of every ticket sold or 75% of everything sold after we broke even for the night. This was not acceptable to some, especially as I tried to win over more and more nationally recognized talent, but thankfully there were many who were willing to accept what we could offer.

Of the dozens of bands that came through our doors during that time, only three or four acts remain today. I am sure in time I will tell stories of each, but the one I come back to most often is a little known hard rock outfit called Spoken. Fronted by founder Matthew Baird, Spoken perform an edgy take on alternative christian rock that isn’t afraid to channel elements of metal, hardcore, and punk into their often radio-ready sound. The band formed in 1997, which is around the time I was just turning 10, and by the time we would meet six years later they had already established themselves as a rising band with the ability to pull in reasonably sized audiences from coast to coast. More importantly, at least at the time, they were willing to play for a door split and a free meal, which matched perfectly with what we at The Apocalypse could offer.

The first time I booked Spoken I expected to snap a photo, meet the band, put on the show, and likely never speak to the group again unless they needed a gig. What I didn’t expect to happen, and what continues to this day, is to form a friendship and kinship with the band. Spoken would go on to play the Apocalypse at nearly half a dozen times in the three years I ran the venue, and each time we would grow a bit closer. Their passion for their craft was clear from the moment we met, and I like to think they saw something special in me as well. We learned one another’s names, spoke like old friends whenever arranging booking, and genuinely became as close as two industry professionals (at any level) could hope to be while still getting all their work done. I didn’t think much of it at the time, aside from how cool it was to be recognized by men I considered rock stars, but looking back now I realize it was their friendship that initially made me feel as if there could be a place for me in the world of music.

Twelve years have passed since that time, and as I mentioned earlier in this post the vast majority of bands I knew, loved, and worked with during my time at The Apocalypse have since broken up. I can’t be mad at those artists, as establishing a lasting place in the music business is practically impossible for anyone to achieve, but I did feel a bit of heartache each time someone I knew to be great decided it was time to depart. I guess in the back of my mind I always had this vision of the people I came up with making it, and then I hoped they would all help me make it as well. The truth however, is that almost no one made it, and those that continued were only able to do so thanks to hard work, dedicated fans, and a relentless drive to progress beyond whatever had come before.

Spoken, despite changing labels and members, have never stopped. In all the years since I left that town and started my journey through the ranks of the industry as a professional the members of Spoken have been clawing their way through the ranks of alternative rock. Each release has found them taking one bold step after another, and each has been followed by lengthy touring efforts that have taken the group around the world and back again. You probably cannot name a single hard rock band touring today who has not shared the stage with Spoken on at least one opportunity, and most would tell you they walked away from their show(s) with the band feeling inspired.

This week, Spoken will release their first album as part of still very much new deal with Artery Recordings. The record is titled ‘Breathe Again,’ and as the titles suggests it breathes a breath of fresh life into the Spoken brand. There are anthems made for arenas, power ballads into to console those who feel sad, and a series of mosh pit inducing rock juggernauts that will no doubt keep live crowds sweaty and singing along for many years to come. Whether you’re experiencing the record as a longtime follower of the band or someone who just discovered them through a post like this, there is something everyone can enjoy. Spoken have always been a band with wide appeal, but this album takes their entire sound to a whole new level of accessibility that I honestly believe will help them gain more notoriety than any other release they’ve produced in the last half decade.

The reason I chose ‘Breathe Again’ for this week’s post is admittedly due in part to my familiarity with the band, but also they way the album makes me feel. Spoken was around before I even considered a career in music, and here they are nearly two decades later still making records and signing deals. There has not been a year this millennium when Spoken were not poised to be one of the next big things in rock, and with the release of ‘Breathe Again’ there time in the sun seems closer than ever before. Listening to this record inspires me to continue chasing my own dreams, and it also reminds me to not let the passing of time break my will. It could have been very easy for Spoken to walk away when they weren’t national headliners after 10 years on the road, but the band kept on, and they will continue keeping on for as long as they have the ability to travel. That kind of passion is rare in any industry, and I can only hope I possess a similar drive in my own efforts.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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MONDAY MOTIVATION: Ice Nine Kills

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Before I was ever thought of as a music nerd I was a drama nerd. I was the kid in the back of his middle school math class who was repeatedly caught reading Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman instead of learning long division, and while Math may still be difficult for me at times I have no regrets. Great dramatic writing is only made better with innovative musical accompaniment, and unfortunately there is very little of that to be found in the world of music today. The bands who do offer it however, are often so good you almost understand why aspiring musicians never even attempt to find a similar sound.

I probably couldn’t tell you the first band I discovered that used what I would describe as ‘theatrics’ in their music, but I remember thinking it would spawn a musical revolution. The avant-garde nature of larger than life rock and roll is something that has left me in awe all my life, and it continues to grab my ear even in today’s overcrowded music scene. I wish I had a good reason for this, but it’s simply what I like, and I think if you give it a chance you will grow to love it as well. That is, if you don’t already.

New England has been considered a hub for many alternative sounds over the last century, and thanks to a group called Ice Nine Kills the home of the Patriots and Red Sox is quickly becoming known for a new take on alternative music that has genre fans losing their damn minds. It’s theatric rock like My Chemical Romance or Coheed and Cambria might produce, but its influenced by a wide array of post-2000s punk music that gives the group an undeniable edge that is incredibly hard to deny. It’s as if they have stumbled on a way to meld aggression and dramatics without coming across as simply trying too hard to get attention, even though that is exactly what they will receive when their new album arrives in stores later this week.

Every Trick In The Book is a 10-song collection of material inspired by some of the greatest novels ever written. Each track is based on material found in a different literary classic, and they’re each performed in a theatrical style that is entirely the creation of Ice Nine Kills. It’s part punk and part metal, with just a dash of pop, and damn near overloaded with thick synth/keys to make the accompaniment a little more epic. I fell in love from the moment the first song hit my ears, and I have continued to fall deeper in love with each repeat listen over the last month. The album will not released until December 4, but you can get a taste right now:

A lot of the Monday Motivation posts I have written were born out of a deep connection to the material or artists mentioned, but this entry is a little different. I have no connection to the band, and I don’t think the music necessarily moves me on an emotional level, but something about Every Trick In The Book  keeps me coming back again and again. The fact music like this is not only being made, but produced by a band with very little money or fame, is a reminder to me that the best thing you can do in life is whatever feels best to you. Art should be a reflection of self, and in the case of Ice Nine Kills their art is an unabashed open door into their reality. It’s the kind of honesty I think we should all strive for in life and art, and I hope listening to it will inspire you as much as it has me in recent weeks.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: Eric Church

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Today I turned 28, so I guess now is as good as time as any to admit that I am no longer the most knowledgable person on the planet when it comes to new music. Okay, I probably never really was the number one person for music discovery, but I always thought I was at least in the upper echelon of quote/unquote tastemakers. Through my work at Under The Gun Review, a music blog I launched in college, I was able to help promote a number of bands before the industry at large took notice, and there were countless others I discovered whom I wish I could have helped as well. In all my time as a music professional there has never been a period when there was a shortage of great new music to discover, and I am certain that will continue to be true for the foreseeable future.

Something I learned over the last year is that while I may have been on the pulse of everything new in the world of alternative music I had neglected to consider the artists currently dominating other areas of the entertainment industry, as well as what they may or may not have to offer me as a music fan. It’s as if I had become so consumed with all things rock, metal, and punk that I never even thought to see how the rest of the music business had been evolving, or who was responsible for inciting those changes. When I did make time, I was admittedly shocked by how many artists outside my musical comfort zone appealed to me. There were many I didn’t like as well, of course, but quite a few names that were more or less new to me began creeping into my daily playlists. Specifically, several country artists made the cut, and by the time fall fell I had to admit there was a fairly good chance my favorite record of the year would be an album most the world labeled as country. I didn’t see it that way, and to be honest I still don’t, but our consumer culture loves labels, so I guess I have to say country has, in some small, way stolen my heart.

I was debating between two different country releases for this column, and I ultimately chose the more recent of the two simply because I feel like less has been written about it. Eric Church is a man who has long straddled the line between country and rock, and his latest album, ‘Mr. Misunderstood,’ is no exception. Over the course of 10 songs, Church shares tales from his own life through a unique sound that feels most inspired by the heyday of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Though the emotional content of the material ranges from happy to sad and everything in between, the cohesion of the songs, as well as the replay value for even the most bittersweet melodies, is incredibly high. Church has crafted a one-of-a-kind road trip record that feels every bit as exciting on the twentieth play as it did on the first. If that isn’t the definition of the true rock and roll spirit, I don’t know what could be.

The day I fell in love with Eric Church I was in the middle of a six-hour drive from Pennsylvania to Boston with no one to keep me company. I had heard and enjoyed several Church songs before, but I never took the time to enjoy one of his albums from front to back until that day. I started with his last album, ‘The Outsiders,’ and by the time it ended I had listened to several songs three times in a row. I knew I needed more, and fortunately for me Church had ‘Mr Misunderstood’ read to share with the public. As soon as the album hit iTunes I bought it without a moment of hesitation, and though it was nearly midnight I stayed up until I could complete one full spin. I was so overjoyed by the end of the album I nearly woke up my fiancé, Lisa, to tell her about the album. Being a man who loves having a happy household however, I decided to let her rest and talk about it in the morning (happy wife = happy life, fellas).

When I play ‘Mr Misunderstood’ now I still feel the way I did when it first came pouring through my headphone late on release day. I do relate to the title character in many ways, as you will no doubt be able to discern from the title track, but my love for Eric Church goes beyond that simple connection. There is a spirit to this record that is palpable, and no matter how many times you hear the material on this album you walk away wanting more. Church has tapped into a sense of creative freedom that inspire others to do whatever it is they want to do with their lives. It’s infectious, joyous, and all too rare in music today. I know many of you reading this now probably wouldn’t consider yourselves a typical country fan, but this is not typical country music. Heck, this isn’t even really country. It’s just great, original, all-American music.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: Handguns

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

One surefire way to know you’re beginning to grow older is when you realize you no longer relate to the vast majority of pop punk music the way you once did. If you were never that devoted to the genre I guess it’s entirely possible that such moments never have nor will happen to you, but I am confident there is some genre you connect with youth that you will struggle to feel close to at some point in the future. The point is, with age comes change, and when you are old enough to grasp the fact the themes of the genre(s) you love rarely evolve it can take some time to find a place within that scene that you still feel welcomed.

(This is/was the last anthem of my young love affair with pop punk)

For me, the breaking point came immediately after college. The Wonder Years had just released The Upsides during my final semester, and that record had quickly become the soundtrack to my journey out of adolescence. The real world was just around the corner, and when I found myself wondering what kind of future there may be for a college grad with a degree in Music Business who lived in West Michigan I felt a shiver of terror flow through my body. Graduation came and went, followed by months of applications being sent all over the industry, and by the fall I was taking a job at my local Hot Topic thanks almost entirely to the fact I knew a manager at another nearby store (his band needed coverage online and I, as it just so happens, had a music blog). It was literally as close to the ‘music business’ as I could get, and I quickly began to panic over whether or not I had steered my life in an very wrong direction.

Music had been my safe place up to that point, and to be more specific it was within the pop punk scene that I felt the most comfortable. There is a sense of community in pop punk that has existed since day one, and it’s in celebrating the things we can accomplish through our bonds with one another that has lead to many timeless songs being created. The aesthetic of the genre, to me, has always been something like a battle cry for making life whatever you want it to be. There is definitely talk of smaller details, like relationships, high school, and pizza, but at the end of the day the biggest pop punk artists tend to be those who talk about grabbing life by the proverbial horns and taking control.

The problem is, most those life lessons end right around the time the storytellers (aka songwriters) reach or outgrow the average age of a college student. We can debate the reasons for this, as the possibilities are as numerous as the number of bands with members in this age range, but more often than not it seems to be that it’s in that window between the late teen years and early twenties that most musicians start to become less connected to the lives their listeners lead. There will always be bands working day jobs just so they can keep their music dreams alive, but the biggest artists of the genre tend to become full time bands whose day to day struggles and experiences are very different than those who must face life as a college graduate with little to no clear paths to a career in their desired field. To cope with this, most artists turn their focus to life events, such as relationships and dealing with death, and the results are often quite good. However, they are not the same as the artist’s earlier material.

I’m not saying artists who pivot their lyrical focus are bad or in any way making a wrong turn. All I’m saying is at that point in my life, when I was scraping pennies together to pay rent for an apartment I didn’t care for in a city I wanted to leave, I could not find a band or record that spoke to me the way so many artists had just a year prior while I was still knee-deep in my studies. There were no anthems for the educated and unemployed, or at least none being created by the artists who had guided me up to that point, and I began to drift away from the genre I had spent the better part of the previous decade promoting at every opportunity.

As time passed I found new artists to love and I realized that my relationship with pop punk wasn’t over, but rather that it had simply begun to evolve. All my punk heroes raised me to believe it was on me to create a future for myself, so in time I was able to seek out artists that spoke to me in a way that I felt related to my post-college life experiences and I embraced them with open arms. Some of the music came from musicians in a similar position who were never able to make full time band life work, but most of it came from artists who chose to avoid college altogether. These artists didn’t celebrate their lack of higher education, but rather let fans know that just because college is where most aspire to be after high school it is not the only option available. They saw life as a veritable smorgasbord of opportunity, and they encouraged people to follow their hearts, but not without warning them that heartache may ensure.

I still struggle to find more than three or four pop punk releases a year that speak to me and the way I see the world today, but recently I came across one album that immediately soared into my favorite releases of the year. It comes from Handguns, a band with a history of telling life as it is, and the titled is Disenchanted. The record and band perfectly fit the description I gave in the preceding paragraph about artists who chose to avoid college altogether and face the struggles of adulthood head-on. This album focuses on the challenges those choices present, as well as the things in this world that are weighing on the band members. It’s a record made out of frustration, but also one made out of the understanding that few things in this life are actually within our control. The best you can hope to do is be yourself to the fullest extent possible.

This is not Handguns’ first album. They actually have two previous full length releases, as well as a few EPs chock full of basement show ready punk anthems. Each record the band has made has explored where the members were at in their lives when they entered the studio, and as a result fans of the band have been able to follow the group’s evolution both in music and in life since their inception. Disenchanted is the first of these releases to speak about life after you’ve begun to settle into your twenties, and it’s written with a near perfect balance of wit and angst that keeps you coming back again and again. You know the band has things they want to address, but they don’t allow making a good point about the way most people lead their lives get in the way of delivering infectious pop punk with massive genre appeal. Handguns, like all good adults, understand that perhaps the best way to incite meaningful change is by engaging people in a way that is assertive without being aggressive. You want to inspire change, not force it, and on Disenchanted Handguns find a way to do just that.

I wish I could tell you exactly why it was Disenchanted of all the pop punk albums released this year to grab me by the collar from track one, but the closest I have come to forming an explanation is realizing that I myself have struggled with my own frustrations about life and the world around me as of late. It can be incredibly hard to believe you can inspire change in the world, especially as just one person on a planet of billions. but when you listen to Disenchanted you realize you are never really alone. You may be on your own course in life, filled with twists and turns known only to you, but the desire to create something better for yourself and those you love is something felt by everyone at one point or another. When you listen to Disenchanted you are inspired to seek out like-minded individuals, perhaps even at a Handguns concert, and do something to create the world you want to see. It may be something big or it may be something that only impacts a select number of people, but size isn’t really what matters in these situations. What really matters is that you try, as often as possible, to make the world a better place.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: Kindling

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

I love quotes. People may be incredibly flawed creatures, but every now and then one of us says something so profound that it echoes throughout time as a lesson everyone needs to hear. Sometimes these comments are funny, but more often than not they are simply heartfelt sentiments on existence itself, and it never ceases to amaze me how something uttered by someone who died ten, twenty, or even a hundred years ago can still be applied to life today.

Recently, the phrase that has stuck with me like a pop song I cannot shake is one that proclaims “life is for the living.” A number of famous people have uttered this phrase throughout time, but I think the example that bests connects with all existence is the one shared by the late great Langston Hughes. “Life is for the living,” he wrote in a poem. “Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.”

You can take what you want from that saying, as everyone should, but for me it’s a reminder that our time on this planet is far too brief for anyone to hesitate over whether or not to act on something they feel compelled to do. We all have a little voice inside our mind that tells us what to do next, and every so often that voice suggests something so unusual and/or surprisingly that we cannot help hesitating for a moment or more. Maybe you feel you should quit your job and travel the world, or maybe something is telling you that one or more of your personal relationships are dragging you down. Whatever the case, life throws us curveballs, and it’s on us to make a decision about how we will react. Our guts demands action, and more often than not it provides a solution, but whether or not we listen to our own intuition is another ordeal altogether. Some do, but most do not, or at least not often enough to drastically improve the quality of their lives.

This brings me to a band known as Kindling. Hailing from Easthampton, Massachusetts with a sound that is drenched in fuzzy guitars and pop sensibilities Kindling are a one of a kind band creating some of the best indie rock found on the planet today. Their existence is the result of two friends coming together on a whim, and it’s because of their willingness to see where life might lead that they’ve been able to establish themselves as a need to know band in America’s incredibly crowded underground music scene. I’m not saying they’re the next Billboard chart-topping group, but then again they almost certainly could be if they cards of life fall in their favor. They write good songs, perform admirably, and work everyday to refine their craft. They clearly would like to be bigger than they are now, and in time they will almost certainly get there, but for now they seem content being able to create and tour as they please.

Kindling began when Stephen Pierce asked Gretchen Williams to contribute to a fuzz pop song that he had written and recorded over the preceding hour. The pair hit it off right away, and the next day they met to record a different song. The same thing happened the next day, and the next day, and the next day. Before long, the friends had almost inadvertently formed a band, and once they realized the power of their creative collaborations they began to take their efforts far more seriously. When this happened, the world started to take notice, and it wasn’t long before the music industry at large wanted to know more about the duo from Easthampton that was taking the online music community by storm. No Idea Records came calling soon after, and the rest, as they say, is history.

This week, Kindling will release their No Idea debut, Galaxies. The album is rich with dense indie rock conveyed through reverb, fuzz, and a wall-of-sound style approach to volume that would make Phil Spector squeal with joy. More importantly, the album serves as a reminder of the possibilities that come with taking a chance on life. It would have been incredibly easy for Gretchen to tell Stephen she was too busy to record when he came asking for her help, but instead she took a chance on recording something that could have gone nowhere except Stephen’s hard drive. By doing so, Gretchen placed herself and Stephen on a new path in life that lead both of them to national critical acclaim, a record deal, and many more hours of time spent making music. I highly doubt she expected any of that to come out of obliging Stephen’s request, but I also doubt she would want to live any other way at this point. Taking a chance gave Gretchen and Stephen a chance to do something very few are ever even offered, and based on the material they deliver on Galaxies it seems clear they’re not taking this opportunity for granted.

I want to challenge all of you reading this to take a chance in your life this week. Don’t put yourself or others in physical danger, but take a chance on something you’ve been debating forever and simply live your life. You might fall flat on your face, but you might discover a path to new opportunities you might not have otherwise experienced. Whatever the case, at least you will have listened to yourself and done something because it’s what you really wanted to do. You would be surprised to know how many people never take steps like that in their life. Many people don’t understand the point of trying something new when the life they have is keeping them content, but that is only because fear has made them shy away from the possibility of positive change. Please don’t live your life like that. Our time on this planet is too short to be scared, so crank up Kindling’s new album and do that thing you’ve been wanting to do. Trust me.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Monday Motivation: Enter Shikari

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

Music is a very subjective thing. Every album you love is hated by someone in the world, and every album you hate has throngs of fans in various cities and towns. The song that makes you happy may make others sad, or you may cry while everyone else starts to dance. Subjectivity is part of what makes any form of art great, and in the case of music it also makes most things very personal. The vast majority of musicians tries to connect with listeners by sharing their most emotional moments, and that is how it has been since the dawn of popular music. Far more rare are popular artists whose music exists to promote meaningful change, but if you look hard enough they can be found, and their message needs to be heard.

Enter Shikari are Rage Against The Machine for the kids born during, after, or just before the Zak De La Rocha lead band first burst onto the national music scene in 1992. They’re UK bred world travelers who see the planet as one global community and write songs promoting unity through compassion and hard work. They want to better the world, but understand real change starts within. Through a one of a kind take on punk they convey their battle cries to a fan base of thousands eagerly waiting for the next piece of perfectly balanced, yet undeniably anarchic rock based life advice to be released, all while pushing the genre boundaries to the absolute extreme. The band’s latest release, The Mindsweep: Hospitalised, is actually a remix record, and they’ve brought along some of the most promising names in electronic music to help alter their work.

Now there are two very important things happening here. First, Enter Shikari are furthering the potential reach of their message by attempting to appeal to a new set of music fans while giving current followers something new to enjoy. Second, and perhaps most admirable, they are bringing a number of hardworking musicians into the thriving community of passionate music supporters they have been nurturing since their inception. Enter Shikari are broadening the horizons for both their fans and professional friends, all while potentially furthering their career at  the same time, it’s a win-win for everyone involved, and it comes at a time when the world desperately needs a band focused on something more than romance and heartache.

This may be a simple music industry blog, and Haulix may be a small company in the big scheme of things, but are better off than 90%, if not more, of the world’s population. We live in the richest nation, we never worry about having food or water, and we all have access to health care at a moment’s notice. On a more personal level, we know we are loved. We have the confidence to be who we are because we have family and friends who believe in us, and as cheesy as it may sound there is not a lot else you could really demand out of life. We have everything when most have barely anything, so it’s on us to be the force for positive change they need, and the same goes for you. If you’re reading this now you have more power than most of the world’s population and you have a responsibility, perhaps even a moral duty, to use it for good. To help your fellow man, woman, and child to live a life as good, if not better than your own.

Enter Shikari urge listeners to consider all of this, as well as what they want out of life for themselves, and then provide the soundtrack for your efforts to change. They’re there with you, rooting for you and reminding you that this global community is looking out for you as well, and we have to hope we get as good as we give. We have to believe that is we welcome are fellow humans with opens arms and minds that they will treat us the same. If not now, then in time, and while we wait we can strive to further better ourselves. Life is about the constant pursuit of happiness, and that means you are always in motion, always making the most out of life. To do that you have to be honest with yourself about who you are, how you could be better, and what you need to do to get there. Again, Enter Shikari exist to provide the soundtrack.

You may not consider yourself a fan of EDM, but that doesn’t mean the latest Enter Shikari release is not for you. On the contrary, I’ve found it’s often the albums that most challenge our comfort zone that most influence change. There is something about the way those records force the listener to engage with the music that helps further reinforce a song’s message, and in the case of Enter Shikari that means learning to see the world around you in a whole new way. As vocalist Rou Reynolds once wrote, “Countries are just lines drawn in the sand with a stick.” You are part of a global community, and whether you choose to believe it or not your well being is connected to every other individual on this rock we call home. You may be a citizen of whatever town you call home, but you are also a citizen of the world, and as such you should take an invested interest in what is happening to our shared home. Be the force for change you want to see in the world and you will influence others to do the same. Then, and only then, can we start to better existence for ourselves and our fellow man. Enter Shikari know this already, and with releases like The Mindsweep: Hospitalised they are trying their hardest to make sure that message is spread far and wide. Don’t miss out.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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