Artist: AM Taxi

Quote: “Holding out for the wishing well, to pull us from the wreck. Stand up, stand up, We won’t be the faded ones.”

Music Video – Lyrics

SBG Artist Update: AM Taxi is a Chicago band formed as a side project of members from Lucky Boys Confusion and Logan Square (formally 15 minutes late). They are coming off the release of their debut Album We Dont Stand a Chance. I’m expecting good things from these guys seeing as they are bringing a new sound and contain 2 members of one of my favorite bands in LBC.

Reel Big Fish performed at noon, sticking heavily to their older, most well-known songs. In fact, only two of the band’s eleven songs were written in the last decade despite the band releasing more than fifty original cuts over the last ten years. The band’s sophomore album (issued in 1996, which contains re-recordings from their 1995 debut) contributed five of the set’s eleven songs, including absolutely stellar performances of “Beer” and “Sell Out”. Pretending to walk off stage after every song (“thanks, we’ve been the Reel Big Fish!”) in the first half of the set, the California natives set a jovial, lighthearted tone early.

With songs like “She Has a Girlfriend Now” — sings frontman Aaron Barrett during the song’s potent ending: “I never thought it would end like this just because I’ve got no tits / I’ll shave my legs, I’ll wear a bra, I”ll even cut my dick off for you”) — the band thrives on a playful setting, but doesn’t rely on it. Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” was undoubtedly in jest, but the band’s cover of the Norwegian mega-hit “Take On Me” is as solid as any cover recorded in the last twenty years. And there lies Reel Big Fish’s true appeal. While many of their So-Cal peers understand the fun side of music, few execute with Reel Big Fish’s precision and musicianship.

Everything Sucks
Thank You For Not Moshing
Another F.U. Song
Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison cover)
Your Guts (I Hate ‘Em)
I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend Too
Snoop Dog, Baby
She Has a Girlfriend Now
Sell Out
Beer
Take On Me (A-Ha cover)

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Starkly contrasting the ska antics of Reel Big Fish, The Dillinger Escape Plan played a loud, brash, and to-the-point eight song setlist constructed largely from the band’s latest release, Option Paralysis. Beginning with 2004′s “Panasonic Youth”, the New Jersey locals tore through a career-spanning setlist that drew the biggest response with Calculating Infinity‘s “43% Burnt”. There’s no questioning the band’s unbelievable technical ability or vocalist Greg Puciato’s unrestrained vehemence, but it remains to be seen why the frontman ditches his trademark screams for an embarrassing attempt at traditional singing on songs like the closing “Farewell, Mona Lisa”. The Dillinger Escape Plan were likely the most potent heavy act of the day — that is, when the band stays fierce and unrelenting.

Panasonic Youth
Milk Lizard
43% Burnt
Room Full of Eyes
Chinese Whispers
Good Neighbor
Sunshine the Werewolf
Farewell, Mona Lisa

AM Taxi

The five-piece AM Taxi played next on the nearby side stage, showcasing their blend of Bruce Springsteen-influenced melodic punk rock. Comparable to The Replacements or The Gaslight Anthem, the Chicago natives ripped through a seven song set filled with songs from their recent debut, We Don’t Stand a Chance. Tight guitars, interesting bass lines, and rock-steady percussion backed frontman Adam Grier’s raspy vocals, with occasional keys provided by Luke Schmitt. The band appeared genuine and appreciative of the meager crowd they attracted, and during the penultimate “Shake, Rattle, and Stall” Schmitt traveled down to the audience to sell copies of the band’s album for just five dollars. The unique marketing tactic proved successful, and Schmitt sold every CD he had taken down to the crowd. The keyboardist returned to the stage for the band’s closing song, a solid cover of “Paint it Black”, and AM Taxi wrapped up their set to enormous applause from anyone lucky enough to have caught the up-and-coming act.

Dead Street
Woodpecker
The Mistake
Fed Up
Charissa
Shake, Rattle, and Stall
Paint it Black (The Rolling Stones cover)

Face to Face

Catching all of AM Taxi unfortunately meant missing part of Face to Face‘s setlist. Frontman Trever Keith was characteristically cynical throughout the set, at one point calling out fans of Bring Me the Horizon for idly standing around in the middle of the band’s set. Unquestionably one of the oldest bands in Monmouth Park that day, the California five-piece’s classic ’90s punk-pop was refreshing amongst a backdrop of neon-powered acts on nearby stages. Face to Face’s setlist included “Ordinary”, “Pastel”, “Velocity”, “A-OK”, “Complicated”, and a song from the band’s upcoming full-length, Laugh Now, Laugh Later.

The Riverboat Gamblers

Led by the charismatic Mike Wiebe, The Riverboat Gambers performed on a small sidestage in the mid-afternoon as Face to Face’s set wrapped up. The Texas quintet was exceptionally exciting, gathering a fairly large crowd that grew bigger and bigger as passersby noticed the intense live show. The band played a brand new song (“What Are You Waiting For?”) before wrapping up with Underneath the Owl‘s “Victory Lap” and Something to Crow About‘s “Hey Hey Hey!”; for the latter, Wiebe toppled a nearby trashcan, dragged it across the parking lot to the pit, and then climbed on top, demanding a circle-march around him for the song’s final moments.

The Swellers

The Swellers contractually finished their stint on the Warped Tour before the Oceanport date, but the band still set up a merch tent to make a few extra bucks before heading home to Michigan. In addition, the band teamed up with the Keep-A-Breast non-profit organization to perform a set of acoustic songs at 3PM. Barely miked and quickly improvised, the set consisted of four songs from the band’s latest full-length, Ups and Downsizing. Frontman Nick Diener was overwhelmingly cheerful and lighthearted, coming off extremely relaxed and accessible; his softer takes on normally swift punk-pop songs gave the tracks new life, displaying an honest, sincere vibe that feels missing on the band’s overproduced and lifeless album.

Do You Feel Better Yet?
Ups and Downsizing
Sleeper
Welcome Back Riders

The Mighty Regis

The Mighty Regis, a seven-piece Celtic-punk/folk-punk band from California, was next. Beginning with “Them Bastards” from 2008′s Another Nickel for the Pope, the band played a lengthy six song setlist. “Broken and Battered” was dedicated to Chicago Celtic-punks Flatfoot 56, whose singer Tobin Bawinkel would join the band later for a rousing cover of “Boys from the County Hell”. An unconventional take on “Danny Boy”, featuring Ryan O’Neill on pan flute, finished up The Mighty Regis’s set. Unfortunately, few saw the band put on one of the day’s best sets.

Them Bastards
The Brothers Rafferty
Broken and Battered
Celtic Storm
Boys from the County Hell (The Pogues cover)
Danny Boy

Alkaline Trio

The Flatliners played next, kicking their set off with “July! August! Reno!”. The Canadian punk quartet played a new song, “Common Collection”, next, but I left the sidestage afterwards to catch Alkaline Trio performing across the parking lot.  Opening with the rarely seen “She Took Him to the Lake”, the Chicago three-piece played a respectable collection of early-decade cuts, wisely opting to ignore the less-than-impressive offerings found on 2005′s Crimson and 2008′s Agony and Irony. “My Friend Peter” was a nice surprise, as was a totally unexpected and passionate Nomeansno cover that flew over the head of a crowd not-yet-born when the song was originally recorded in 1989. Alkaline Trio wrapped things up with “97″, tossing in the often-sampled chorus fromRock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three’s “The Roof is On Fire”.

She Took Him to the Lake
Armageddon
Emma
Dine Dine My Darling
My Friend Peter
Blue Carolina
Private Eye
Off the Map
Two Lips, Two Lungs, One Tongue (Nomeansno cover)
97

Motion City Soundtrack

Motion City Soundtrack performed the tightest set of the day, but it was unfortunately the exact same collection of songs performed by the Minnesota five-piece just a few months earlier at the nearby Bamboozle festival. Luckily, the songs are some of the band’s best. Things began with “Attractive Today” leading directly into I am the Movie‘s “The Future Freaks Me Out”, the entire crowd singing the song’s opening lines: “I’m on fire / and now I think I’m ready / to bust a move / check it out I’m rockin’ steady!”

With four albums to choose from, Motion City Soundtrack spread things out quite evenly. Tossing in three cuts from the band’s excellent 2010 release, My Dinosaur Life , frontman Justin Pierre was spot-on yet tired, clearly draining the remains of his stamina on the penultimate “Disappear”.  Still, closing track “Everything is Alright” sounded excellent and the crowd roared to the song’s opening riffs. Motion City Soundtrack never disappoints, but it would have been great if the band switched things up from their last New Jersey appearance just a few months earlier.

Attractive Today
The Future Freaks Me Out
My Favorite Accident
Broken Heart
A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help)
LG Fuad
This is For Real
Her Words Destroyed My Planet
Disappear
Everything is Alright

Set Your Goals

As the sun began to set, Set Your Goals played a large side-stage. Drawing in fans of all genres, the band opened things with their latest single, the blistering “Gaia Bleeds”, setting the tone of their performance immediately. “Goonies Say Die”, from their debut EP, made an appearance in the nine-song set, and a surprising number of attendees responded to the song. Highlights included “Summer Jam”, a song almost describable as a Warped Tour anthem, and the one-two closing punch of the “Dead Men Tell No Tales” into “Mutiny”. Unfortunately, the band sounded hollow — especially vocalists Matt Wilson and Jordan Brown — a far cry from their normally-outstanding intensity. The rest of the band picked up the slack, though, with crisp leads and rock-solid rhythms anchoring an enjoyable performance.

Gaia Bleeds (Make Way For Man)
The Fallen
This Very Moment
Summer Jam
Goonies Never Say Die
To Be Continued…
Echoes
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Mutiny

Criticisms of Warped Tour’s sixteenth year are often targeted at the overwhelming number of awful bands on the tour. It’s not unfounded. At the Oceanport date alone acts like Alesana, Artist vs Poet, Attack Attack, Breathe Carolina, Breathe Electric, Bring Me the Horizon, Emarosa, Emmure, Four Year Strong, Hey Monday, In Fear and Faith, Mayday Parade, NeverShoutNever, Pierce the Veil, VersaEmerge, and We the Kings undoubtedly cluttered the parking lot with uninteresting tunes, but there were more than enough diamonds in the rough worth checking out. At least one solid band was playing at any given time, including a number of overlaps that meant missing quality acts like Every Time I Die, Fake Problems, and Flatfoot 56. At just $40 per ticket, Warped Tour remains an excellent opportunity to see a large number of favorites in one day. More importantly, it might expose you to your new favorite band.

Photos credit to the amazing Rebecca Sawka.

I’ve been listening to these guys for awhile now and they’re good. Formed a couple years ago, released a few EPs (both of which I also recommend!) and now they are starting to break through with an excellent full-length debut. “We Don’t Stand A Chance” is often described as a pop-punk album, but lets push that nifty little tag aside right away, it’s not. There are pop influences, yes, there are punk influences, yes, but it’s not pop-punk (stupid term anyway, even though I use it myself sometimes). This is current, modern rock & roll. Music evolves, and these kids really jumped on the bandwagon, changed the tires and are now pulling that same wagon.

On “We Don’t Stand A Chance” the band mixes energetic, sometimes angsty punk-influenced rock & roll songs with more a more gentle approach sometimes. Unlike many bands in a similar genre they don’t come out with crappy cliché’s. The lyrics are strong and sometimes even profound and they are very much in tune with the musical arrangements, which themselves are filled with variety, intensity and excitement. Adam Krier’s vocals remind me of Springsteen at times, with the same mature, experienced sound to them.

The band currently joined the Warped Tour and the might very well become THE revelation of this year’s edition. The songs are extremely fit for energetic, enthusiastic live performances and this band sure knows how to deliver it. You just can’t help but get pumped by songs like Dead Street, Fed Up and Paper Covers Rock. The duet with Company of Thieves singer Genevieve Schatz, Maydays & Rosaries is probably the strongest track on the album, but another song that you should point your attention to is Reckless Ways which would make a kickass live song, but the reason I mention this song is because of the perfect timing that the band showcases in this song.

“We Don’t Stand A Chance” may very well end up in my year’s end list as it is one of the most surprising, exciting releases of 2010 so far. It’s energetic and fast-paced for the most part and it never gets boring. It doesn’t drag along by doing the same thing over and over again, it doesn’t get into cliché’s (musically, lyrically or otherwise) and the progression of the songs throughout the album has a very natural flow. For a debut album, this is very, very well done.

AM Taxi – Fed Up

AM Taxi – Fed Up

I was very excited to see AM TAXI since for the past few weeks I have been listening to a couple of their songs through their myspace page and really liked what I heard so far.
AM TAXI hails from Chicago and is made of 5 very energetic and talented guys. Adam Krier-vocals and guitar, Jason Schultejann-bass, Chris Smith-drums and backups, John Schmitt-guitar and backups, Luke Schmitt-keyboard and backups. Their set list is as follows:

Dead Street
Paper Covers Rock
Fed UP
Charissa
Woodpecker
Shake, Rattle and Stall
Paint It Black
Mistake

Prior to starting it seemed that not many people were familiar with their music and were just waiting for the Spill Canvas to go onstage. Most of the audience was just mulling around the long L-shaped bar and mingling. As soon as AM TAXI peformed the first song; it was apparent that they were well received. People began to go to the stage and it was soon deep with people and all their attention was on AM TAXI. It was as if they knew they were watching a band that was soon going to be very well known and they didn’t want to miss any of it. Their energy was infectious and the crowd was soon moving around to their eclectic songs. By the time they played “Fed Up” it seemed everyone was glued to them. Adam’s intense with a rough edge alongside with his fellow bandmates backups was a gift in itself. It was so nice to see a new band come along and just kick it and not sound like every other band these days. At times reminiscent of “The Outfield” with a touch of “The Clash” and even some “Material Issue”; an incredible winning combination!

Their second to last song was their cover of “Paint it Black” by Rolling Stones and they did the song justice. Chris Smith on drums and John Schmitt’s guitar presence was awesome to watch. Adam delivered on this song and the energy from Luke and Jason was the icing on the cake! Great Job Guys!

They finished the set with “Mistake” which I am sure will be the chart rising single from their upcoming New CD “We Don’t Stand a Chance” from Virgin. The vocals are incredible on this song and the timing of John Schmitt and Adam Krier’s was impeccable and a gift to watch LIVE!

Several of these guys were hanging out prior and after performing at their merchandise booth to watch the other bands. After talking to a few of them and getting our drum head signed it was apparent that they really love performing and just want to have fun.

This is definitely a band you are going to be hearing about. They currently have a release date of June 8, 2010 for their CD and I truly can’t wait! So mark your calendars and make sure you get one or two or three!!! For now, you can always head over to Itunes and purchase their singles or if you are lucky to go to one of their shows be sure to pick up one of their CDs of their original name, AMerican TAXI. Enjoy!

I will post later some videos and photos from this incredible show!

~ Marisol
Music Junkie Press

Hang out and have a drink with AM Taxi as they show Vimby their hometown of Chicago!

Watch the video and get to know the guys in their natural habitat.

Be sure to check the band out on tour with Spill Canvas:
TOUR DATES:

• April 29 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
• April 30 – The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
• May 1 – The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA           
• May 3 – The Rock – Tucson, AZ
• May 5 – The Loft – Dallas, TX
• May 6 – Meridian – Houston, TX
• May 7 – The White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
• May 8 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
• May 10 – The State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
• May 11 – The Social – Orlando, FL
• May 12 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
• May 14 – The Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
• May 15 – Stone Pony – Asbury, NJ
• May 17 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA
• May 18  – The Middle East- Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
• May 20 – The Basement – Columbus, OH
• May 21 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
• May 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
• May 23 – Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN  

More On AM Taxi: Offical Website, Myspace, Twitter, Facebook

Hang out and have a drink with AM Taxi as they show Vimby their hometown of Chicago!

Watch the video and get to know the guys in their natural habitat.

Be sure to check the band out on tour with Spill Canvas:
TOUR DATES:

• April 29 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
• April 30 – The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
• May 1 – The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA           
• May 3 – The Rock – Tucson, AZ
• May 5 – The Loft – Dallas, TX
• May 6 – Meridian – Houston, TX
• May 7 – The White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
• May 8 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
• May 10 – The State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
• May 11 – The Social – Orlando, FL
• May 12 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
• May 14 – The Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
• May 15 – Stone Pony – Asbury, NJ
• May 17 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA
• May 18  – The Middle East- Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
• May 20 – The Basement – Columbus, OH
• May 21 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
• May 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
• May 23 – Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN  

More On AM Taxi: Offical Website, Myspace, Twitter, Facebook

I only know this piece of information from listening to my wake up call from KISS 106.1 this morning.

Tonight Tyler Hilton and my old favorite band The Spill Canvas will be performing at El Corazon. Joining them will be AM Taxi and New Politics. Remember Tyler Hilton? He sang that one song, “When It Comes…” Don’t take that the wrong way. He also appeared on more than a few episodes of One Tree Hill and everyone basically hated him.

All Ages – $15 at the door – Doors at 6 – Show is at 7

• “Fed Up” Video Teaser
• “The Mistake” Free Download 

AM Taxi are currently touring in support of Spill Canvas and will also be on this Summer’s Warped Tour, starting June 24 through August 15. AM Taxi are one of the few groups booked for the entire prestigious concert series prior to releasing an album. They’ve already been out on the road with the likes of Sum 41 and The Ataris, while opening for The Offspring at Summerfest in Milwaukee, so they’re more than up for the task.

Today the band releases a teaser video for their single “Fed Up,” a sneak peak into the forthcoming official video.  Recorded in Austin, TX, with renowned producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin,…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead), AM Taxi’s major label bow, We Don’t Stand A Chance, offers a variety of different styles, from old-school punk to world beat and modern pop. “The Mistake” is a heart-on-the-sleeve confessional that recalls the Replacements, while “Fed Up” is a Springsteen-by-way-of-The Hold Steady classic rock raver, “Dead Street” sports a Police-styled world beat and “Charissa” a Clash-esque reggae rhythm. 

TOUR DATES: 

• April 23 – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
• April 24 – Murray Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
• April 25 – The Venue – Boise, ID
• April 26 – El Corazon – Seattle, WA
• April 27 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
• April 29 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
• April 30 – The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
• May 1 – The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA           
• May 3 – The Rock – Tucson, AZ
• May 5 – The Loft – Dallas, TX
• May 6 – Meridian – Houston, TX
• May 7 – The White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
• May 8 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
• May 10 – The State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
• May 11 – The Social – Orlando, FL
• May 12 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
• May 14 – The Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
• May 15 – Stone Pony – Asbury, NJ
• May 17 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA
• May 18  – The Middle East- Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
• May 20 – The Basement – Columbus, OH
• May 21 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
• May 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
• May 23 – Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN 

Find AM Taxi at:

• Official Website
• Myspace
• Twitter
• Facebook

• “Fed Up” Video Teaser
• “The Mistake” Free Download 

AM Taxi are currently touring in support of Spill Canvas and will also be on this Summer’s Warped Tour, starting June 24 through August 15. AM Taxi are one of the few groups booked for the entire prestigious concert series prior to releasing an album. They’ve already been out on the road with the likes of Sum 41 and The Ataris, while opening for The Offspring at Summerfest in Milwaukee, so they’re more than up for the task.

Today the band releases a teaser video for their single “Fed Up,” a sneak peak into the forthcoming official video.  Recorded in Austin, TX, with renowned producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin,…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead), AM Taxi’s major label bow, We Don’t Stand A Chance, offers a variety of different styles, from old-school punk to world beat and modern pop. “The Mistake” is a heart-on-the-sleeve confessional that recalls the Replacements, while “Fed Up” is a Springsteen-by-way-of-The Hold Steady classic rock raver, “Dead Street” sports a Police-styled world beat and “Charissa” a Clash-esque reggae rhythm. 

TOUR DATES: 

• April 23 – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
• April 24 – Murray Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
• April 25 – The Venue – Boise, ID
• April 26 – El Corazon – Seattle, WA
• April 27 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
• April 29 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
• April 30 – The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
• May 1 – The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA           
• May 3 – The Rock – Tucson, AZ
• May 5 – The Loft – Dallas, TX
• May 6 – Meridian – Houston, TX
• May 7 – The White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
• May 8 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
• May 10 – The State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
• May 11 – The Social – Orlando, FL
• May 12 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
• May 14 – The Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
• May 15 – Stone Pony – Asbury, NJ
• May 17 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA
• May 18  – The Middle East- Downstairs – Cambridge, MA
• May 20 – The Basement – Columbus, OH
• May 21 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
• May 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
• May 23 – Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN 

Find AM Taxi at:

• Official Website
• Myspace
• Twitter
• Facebook

So here goes nothing! I have been working on this all day and am really glad it’s finally done. I wanted to make a music mix showcasing new music from mainstream and new and up and coming artists. Hit me up with any feedback you have and look out for more stuff to come soon!

1. Usher (feat. will.i.am): “Omg”

Usher is back and he is on fire. While Usher has been a household name for over a decade his most recent album, “Here I Stand” was not his best work and he had a lot to prove on his new album, which came out earlier this week. I really like his new R&B single “Omg” featuring will.i.am because of the different tempos used throughout the song. I really think all the different pieces including the “oh” crowd noises combine to create different type of R&B track that is worth taking a note of.

2. Dirty Money (feat. T.I.): “Hello Good Morning”

Dirty Money is a group that was formed a year ago consisting of Diddy, Dawn Richards of Danity Kane (MTV’s Making The Band’s Season 4), and singer Kalenna.  Hello Good Morning was the third single released from Diddy’s much-anticipated album “Last Train to Paris” which comes out this June. While Diddy might not be the most well liked rapper in the game he really is doing something different on this album that is worth taking a note of. Like in the track “Hello Good Morning” Diddy’s group is taking a lot of dance/house/techno instrumentals and combining it with rap music creating a new type of hybrid genre. Overall, I think this upbeat track has a lot of potential to become a huge success in the coming months.

3. Christina Aguilera: “Not Myself Tonight”

Christina Aguilera has just released her first single “Not Myself Tonight” off her new album “Bionic,” which is suppose to come out this June. What I like about this song is that it shows how she keeps exploring a new genre of music. Her last album “Back To Basics” explored a jazz/bluesy type feel, however her new album focuses more on a futuristic/dance type of genre. I think her new track just goes to showcase that her voice works well with any new type of genre.  The song itself is packed with vocals and great lyrics all with a great upbeat tune that makes for a soon to be hit when it is widely released next week.

4. Ke$ha: “Take It Off”

Ke$ha has stormed on the music scene map since her single “Tik Tok” became a huge success late last year. I decided to feature this new song “Take It Off” off her album Animal not only because I think it has potential to be a big hit this year, but it’s one of those guilty pleasure songs that I really like right now. While the hook is reminiscent of a similar song pop song I think it is really catchy and the lyrics are great.

5. Daniel Black “U + Me =”

Daniel Black is a new emerging music artist whom’s eclectic music style drags inspiration from many music genres. A good friend referred his debut album “UN” to me and I think it is one of the best albums that have come out this year. Before his debut Black played in an alternative band the servant, but he decided to go solo in the last few years and the byproduct of work since then is worth taking note of. Similar to Mika, I like that Black brings interesting instrumentals and powerful vocals to each track. On top of U+Me =, I also really like Wonder and Yours.

6. Audio Bullys: “Only Man”

Audio Bullys are a London House duo made up of Tom Dinsdale and Simon Franks. They have just released their new album “Higher Than the Eiffel” earlier this week and their lead single “Only Man” is a great song. The instrumentals and lyrics are great and it’s overall just a standout electronic track that’s worth taking a further look at.

7. Kids of 88: “Just A Little Bit”

Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy are the music duo that make up the electronic music group Kids of 88. Based in Auckland, New Zealand their style of electronic music is really likable and the instrumentals are really brilliant. They came out with a single last year called “My House” that was also really great, but their music is not widely released in the US so not many people know about them over here. Their somewhat new song “Just A Little Bit,” which came out in February of this year is really upbeat and just makes you want to dance. I think they are a very talented group and I hope I get to hear more of their music soon.

8. Gin Wigmore: “Hey Ho”

Gin Wigmore is also an unknown New Zealand based music artist who’s vocals are really worth listening too. While she does draw similarities to Amy Winehouse and Duffy, I still think she is just as talented as the both of them. “Hey Ho” is a really great song and showcases her vocals really well. I also really like the guitar riff throughout the song along with the other instrumentals because they really add to make this song a stand out track on her album, “Holy Smoke,” which was released in September last year.

9. Train: “You Already Know”

Since their song and album titled “Drops of Jupiter” came out in early 2000 Train has been a popular Rock/Pop band. Train recently came out with their fourth album “Save Me, San Francisco” and their single “Hey Soul Sister” has recently climbed to the number one on the Itunes top ten chart. I wanted to feature another song off the same album called “You Already Know.” I think a lot of people overlook it at first because of the somewhat long instrumental. However, if you listen further you’ll come to realize it is such a brilliant and powerful rock song. The vocals and instrumentals are both well done on this track and I think that it will soon become a hit in months to come.

10. AM Taxi: “Fed Up”

AM Taxi are a Chicago based band who’s debut album “We Don’t Stand A Chance” comes out in early June. One of their singles that came out recently on Itunes was “Fed Up” and I think the great lyrics and vocals behind them really make this song worth checking out.

11. One Republic: “Secrets”

One Republic was an underground Rock/Pop band that emerged after their song “Apologize” was featured on popular rapper/producer Timbalnd’s debut album “Shock Value” in 2007 and became a huge hit. This past November they released their second album entitled “Waking Up” and the song “Secrets” is one of their stand out tracks on the album. The instrumentals from beginning to end are very powerful and Ryan Tedder’s voice is awesome. Definitely check this song out.

12. Barenaked Ladies: “You Run Away”

Barenaked Ladies have recently released their latest album entitled “All In Good Time” sins Steven Paige, one of the original members of the big Canadian pop band that started over 20 years ago. I personally did not think the album lived up to the hype, but I really liked the lead single “You Run Away” off their new album. While I can draw obvious connections to The Fray, I really liked the vocals and instrumentals and I though it showed a different side of BNL that not many people are accustomed too.

13. Ingrid Michaelson: “Everybody”

Ingrid Michealson became famous overnight sensation after her hit song “The Way I Am” played on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. She released her fourth album in August of last year and the song “Everybody” is starting to become a widely known song due to a video contest that she started for the song early last month. I particularly like this song because of simplicity and happiness it brings me every time I listen to it. I think it has a great message and it’s definitely worth listening too.

14. She & Him: “Don’t Look Back”

She & Him are another now famous hipster duo made up of actress Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. They met on the film “The Go-Getter” when they were asked to create a song for the ending credits of the movie and decided to form a band afterwards. Since then they released their first album “Volume One” in 2008 and just recently released their second album “Volume II” earlier this month. Ever since I saw Deschanel in Elf I thought she had a great voice. I really like “Don’t Look Back” because of the catchy piano instrumentals. The vocals are also really good as well.

15. Broken Bells: “October”

Broken Bells is a new venture between two well known musicians. The duo is made up of artist/producer Danger Mouse from Gnarls Barkley and Jams Mercer, the lead singer from the indie rock band The Shins. I really think their alternative style is different from a lot of stuff out there right now and I think “October” really showcases the great chemistry of interesting electronic keys and instrumentals with the awry, yet catchy vocals. Moreover, this duo just works and sounds great.

16. Rihanna (feat. will.i.am): “Photographs”

I’m surprised Rihanna has not made “Photographs” a single yet, but I’m sure it will make it to the charts soon. Off her most recent album, “Rated R,” which came out in November of last year to so so reviews I think the song “Photographs” is one of the stand out tracks on her album. In this song, I really like the way Rihanna starts the track out slowly and then picks up the tempo as it goes along. In addition, I think will.i.am’s verse in the song is also worth noting here because it just adds another level of musicality to the song.

17. McLean: “My Name”

McLean is a British R&B artist who is not well known in the US, but has a great single worth noting.  His new single “My Name” was released last month and it is a really great song. I think his vocals stand out in this song and the instrumentals provide an additional layer that help make this song worth noting on my April mix.

18. Erykah Badu: “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”

Erykah Badhu is one of the most recognizable female figures in the Hip Hop world. Her easy-going vocals next too soothing instrumentals make “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long” one of the stand out tracks on her new album “New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, which debuted earlier this week.

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19. Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx: “You Can’t Stop Me”

Marco Polo is a highly sought after music producer in the underground Hip Hop World and Rustee Juxx is the rapper on the mic in this album. What I like about them is that their songs really bring you back to old school Hip Hop where the lyrics are so heartfelt. Their new album “The eXXecution” came out a couple weeks ago. I felt a personal connection with the lyrics of “You Can’t Stop Me” and I thought the chorus in the middle and end only added to the brilliance of this song.

Song of The Day: AM Taxi – Fed Up

AM Taxi have released their single for “Fed Up”. Their debut album We Don’t Stand A Chance is out June 8th, and the band will be on this years Warped Tour.

Song of The Day: AM Taxi – Fed Up

AM Taxi have released their single for “Fed Up”. Their debut album We Don’t Stand A Chance is out June 8th, and the band will be on this years Warped Tour.

http://www.myspace.com/amtaxi

I posted the video, and here is a link to the band’s myspace where you can get a free download of “The Mistake”. I would highly recommend that you listen to them, enjoy them, and support them!  While I have not had a chance to listen to any of their other songs yet, or even learn about them, I look forward to doing so!

Saturday, February 6: AM Taxi with Big Science and Royal Bangs at Lincoln Hall at 7pm. All Ages. Tickets are $10 in adv./$12 at doors.

Saturday, February 6: AM Taxi with Big Science and Royal Bangs at Lincoln Hall at 7pm. All Ages. Tickets are $10 in adv./$12 at doors.

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And click here for a free download of “The Mistake”.

And check out their video for “The Mistake” here.

Artist of The Week: AM Taxi

We Don’t Stand A Chance

Adam Krier: vocals/guitar
Jason Schultejann: bass
Chris Smith: drums/back-up vocals
John Schmitt: guitar/back-up vocals
Luke Schmitt: keyboard and back-up vocals

“And in the accident/I’ll be the failure in your brakes/I am the truth you couldn’t take/I am the mistake/The worst you ever made.”

With a blend of old-school punk, world beat and modern pop influences, Chicago-based AM Taxi combines experience with exuberance on their Virgin Records debut, We Don’t Stand A Chance. The band was formed almost two years ago—with the encouragement of Sublime producer Miguel Happoldt—by longtime Windy City bandmates and pals, singer/songwriter Adam Krier, drummer Chris Smith and bassist Jason Schultejann. The trio began writing and recording and produced their first EP, Runaway Songs. Shortly after, they were joined by brothers John and Luke Schmitt on guitar and keyboards. AM Taxi began establishing a rep as a dynamic live outfit with headlining performances at local clubs like the Metro and soon after recorded their second EP, The Good, The Bad and The Fed Up. .

Entering an Austin studio with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin, And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead), AM Taxi proceeded to record a major-label debut that reflects the group’s diverse influences. From the Springsteen-by-way-of-The Hold Steady, “Fed Up,” and the heart-on-the-sleeve Replacements-like confessional, “The Mistake” to the Police-inspired world beat of “Dead Street” and the Clash-esque reggae pulse of “Charissa,” the group has one foot firmly planted in the classics and one right here, right now in the present.

“We wanted someone who could capture the way we sounded live,” says Krier about the choice of McCarthy. “What made Mike stand out was how he still records bands that way. He still uses reel-to-reel and we recorded majority of the album live in studio. We weren’t so interested in making a record that sounded current, as we were something that could be classic.”

Pointing to personal favorites like Pacific Northwest Nuggets-style garage bands like the Wailers, the Sonics and Paul Revere and the Raiders, the British Invasion bands, soul greats Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, Two-Tone bands The Specials and the Selecter or Alt-Country acts Wilco and Ryan Adams, AM Taxi were not afraid to experiment with their sound.

“Our motto in the studio was, ‘If it ain’t broke, break it.’ We’d try things from every possible angle,” says Krier. “We’re not re-inventing the wheel here. It’s just classic rock songwriting with present-day arrangements. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been attracted to the honesty of bands like the Replacements and the Clash, who are completely opposite, actually. One would go out of their way to shoot themselves in the foot and the other wanted to take over the world. But both told the truth.”

That ability to tell it like it is comes through in Krier’s writing and in AM Taxi’s musicality. Taking their inspiration from his touring around the U.S. with several of his previous bands, songs like “Dead Street” and “Shake, Rattle and Stall” explore the restlessness he encountered along the way or, as Krier puts it, “Wherever I went, people were trying to get out of where they were.”

There are also songs about things everyone can identify with, like a couple in which no matter how much he messes up, she takes him back (“Charissa”) or New Year’s resolutions gone bad (“Champagne Toast”).

“I try to write songs about things people can relate to,” nods Adam. “For me, the best music, at the end of the day, is therapeutic. That’s always in the back of my mind a little when I’m sitting down to write.”

And now, AM Taxi—short for American Taxi, so-called because they’re all about moving across the U.S. towards their destination—gets ready to hit the road…hard. They’ve already been out on the road with the likes of Sum 41 and The Ataris, while opening for The Offspring at Summerfest in Milwaukee, so they’re more than up for the task.

“Our goal is to take that 45 or 60 minutes and let people get away for a little bit,” says Adam. “And maybe even convert some of ‘em to AM Taxi fans. And, if they dig what we’re doing, maybe they’ll check out some of the stuff that influenced us.”

Take one listen to AM Taxi’s debut, We Don’t Stand A Chance and you can hear that same reverence for the past and hope for the future, a band that can cut across any number of age or genre demographics. Take the ride… they promise not to leave the meter running.