MATT'S MAY MUSIC RECAP...

Well, it’s been 1,447 days since I posted anything on YourFriendMatt.com. Had to take a modest 3 years, 11 months, and 17 days off to clear my head.

Feel lost. But, we’re back. Here are some of the best alternative, rock, hardcore songs I found in May!

Standouts: Kid Lightning - Carney - No Pressure - Buggin

Kid Lightning - thought they sounded familiar and then I found out it was a mega-band of members from Save Face, Joyce Manor, and Mom Jeans. So, it better be good - and it is.

No Pressure - Lead by vocalist of The Story So Far. Way more punk and hardcore - but great.

Buggin - Wow. Female lead metal tough band, think GEL. Better yet - Philly based! Check it now.

Mike Carney - Long time friend and hippie. Great to watch him grow as a musician and never hold back. NJ guy too! Gotta love it!

Check it all out on Spotify or Apple Music now!

Pixar Pier...

"I think I am going to throw up." - Me.

(After multiple rides on Incredicoaster, Space Mountain, and Guardians of the Galaxy)

Jamie and I are Disney junkies so it would only make sense that we planned our mini-staycation this weekend around the grand opening of Disneyland's newly renovated slice of California Adventure, Pixar Pier. Admittedly, a lot has stayed the same, it is more of a facelift than anything else but that does not take away from the incredible (pun intended) upgrades that this side of the park has gone through. The biggest change is the reimagined roller coaster that fits snuggly against the parks outer rim, Incredicoaster.

Incredicoaster is a redesigned ride that follows the Incredible family on an adventure as they try to keep up with their incredibly powered baby boy, Jack-Jack. Pixar Pier boasts new food stands, shops, and one of my personal favorites - an outside bar on the water, Lamplight Lounge. The Lamplight Lounge has been one of our favorites since we have been pass holders when it was called Cove Bar. The views of the California Adventure are phenomenal, the drinks are delicious, and the people watching is to die for. 

Disney seems to be doing a lot of renovations to California Adventure. Recently the park closed down the beloved Tower of Terror to replace it with an updated ride inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy. It makes me wonder how soon they will rip out Bugs Land and replace it with something more relevant!

-YourFriendMatt

The dumb things I do with my Apple Watch…

I recently received my Apple Watch in the mail and I am already in love with it. Judge away. I tried to explain to a friend how important my tech is to me and he elegantly looked to the sky paraphrasing the Rifelman’s Creed, “This is my watch. There are many like it, but this one is mine.” Then he gave a salute. Insanity aside, I feel this accurately depicts how I feel about my tech. I know, I know, everyone is wondering why you need it or what the hell these things actually do. I guess I am an early adopter. I have been using it as a fitness tracker, which is something I never thought I would do. I have also replied to messages, viewed emails and stayed up-to-date with news all by raising my wrist. I don't even know where my phone is right now, I am doing everything from my arm. Apple Watch is pretty friggin' awesome. But, besides all the formal things you can do with it. What about some of those informal things you can do with it? Well, here you go, these are some of the informal things I do with my watch. 

New vehicle to send phallic drawings.

Dick pics for days...

What is the first thing I did when I turned on my watch? Send a penis drawing to anyone I could. I don’t care, I know I am not a kid anymore, but dick and fart jokes will never get old. Period.

Taking calls in the shower.

Gotta take this..

Why not? It’s 2015, why shouldn’t I be able to take a phone call or respond to a text while exfoliating my face? This is one of the weirdest things I am getting used to. Sure, you don’t have to take your watch in the shower, but I figured screw it, I am.

Running my metronome.

And it stayed on my wrist...

This is actually pretty productive. I mean, sending a phallus to your friends for fun is great too. I recently played with my friends in Lost Sons at the House of Blues in LA (and met Dan Aykroyd!). I play to a metronome in my in-ear monitors to create a consistent set. I ran the entire show from my wrist, changing tempos with my metronome app, cleverly named Metronome from my wrist. Green sports band and everything.

As more and more of these hit the market and more and more apps hit the Watch App store I am sure we will see even more weird shit people are doing with their wearable tech. I am an app junkie and always looking for new ones. Evidently there is a spin-the-bottle watch app, another watch app to track your moles, along with a Whack-a-Mole app (your choice), and even a Magic 8 Ball watch app. Here's to the future, if you need me, you can call me...in the shower.

Will today be a good day?....Thanks Magic 8 Ball...

-YouFriendMatt

Stallions...Have a One Track Mind...

It's officially summer. I don't know about you but when summer hits I want nothing more than the sun, the beach and some flawless, poppy jams. Luckily, I did not have too look to far to discover the new single "Still Chasing" by rock foursome Stallions. "Still Chasing" is a sample from what we can expect from the bands new EP due out in July, One Track Mind. "Still Chasing" opens up with a effortlessly, upbeat tempo and leads to an undeniable chorus that gets stuck in your head until you are screaming it over and over again. We had a chance to catch up with Stallions recently to see what is going on.

YFM: Your new EP One Track Mind took a year and half to finish, what was different from this writing process than prior releases?

Stallions: This was the first album that we all wrote the music together. One of us would come to practice with a riff or idea and then we would expand on it as a group. We would record a quick demo of that song and Andrew would write lyrics and a melody to it.  After getting the principle tracks done for the album Shane and I [Steve] spent a ton of time programming drums and writing keyboard parts for the songs. 

YFM: Any plans to hit the road to support One Track Mind? 

Stallions: We are hoping to build enough buzz to make touring a viable option. We already have a tour bus! 

YFM: What can we expect from Stallions in the next year?

Stallions: We will be recording another music video in the next couple months for "Five More Steps." One of the other songs from One Track Mind. We would love to be able to make this our careers.

Give the new track "Still Chasing" a listen and look for Stallions in a town near you soon. One Track Mind will not disappoint. The musicianship, the voice and the good summer vibes are all accounted for and ready to take over your summer speakers. Stallions are here. Check them out now!

For Stallions info click here!

A Chat with At Our Expense...

With their passion and presence on stage, DIY band At Our Expense is a group of guys worth looking out for in the music scene.

“How are you all doing tonight?” Angel, lead singer, asks to a roar from the crowd.  The intro to “Embers,” off their album, “I’m The One Who Changed” begins, and you can feel the build up, the tension on the stage as the music collides, crashes together to form their pop punk, post-hardcore sound. Their stage presence is big, each of the six guys in their own zone, putting their all into this song, the band, and the music. I’m easily impressed with their spirit.  

At Our Expense is a group of musicians out of the San Fernando Valley. Having just released their fourth EP, Awake, they’ve come a long way from the garage they started jamming in, in the spring of ’07.

I got to sit down with three of the guys: Angel Carmona (vocals), Andres Argueta (vocals), and Danny Santamaria (guitar) to discuss everything from their future goals to their dedication to music. The great thing about them is that right off the bat, when asked about their biggest accomplishments, they don’t hesitate in saying that it would have to be sticking together for the last eight years.

JE: What would you say are your biggest accomplishments as a band?

DS: Sticking together for eight years

AC: San Fernando Battle of the Bands. And we’ve been on two tours and two smaller ones. 

JE: Why do you guys make music?

AC: We’re all into music, we’re all music lovers. That’s why we do it. 

AA: And hanging out with your friends at the same time. 

AC: Playing live is the ultimate high. To sum it up we’re just a bunch of dedicated people who – we share the same passion. Music’s our thing, it just happened to be that way. 

AA: I think we’d all like to leave a mark. 

JE: What’s your favorite thing about music – yours or in general?

DS: The feels. When you hear something that you emotionally connect to, or you hear someone sing about a situation that you’re going through or have been through… you just go, yeah that guy knows what’s up. 

AC: For our music, if someone digs our songs it means a lot. We wrote it and people enjoy it. When people actually take the time to remember your lyrics, it’s nice. 

JE: What do you guys like to do outside of music?

AA: We keep up with sports. 

DS: Yeah, we’re really big sports fans. 

AA: Music and sports. Going to other bands shows and listening. 

AC: Video games and… we like food. Music is the coolest thing we’ve got. 

JE: What are your goals for the future of AOE?

AC: Shows, tour, writing. Shows, tour, writing. Building up the fan base. 

DS: Yeah, we’re trying to write a full-length right now, but it really depends on the finances to take on that big recording contract. We’re DIY. 

AA: We’d like to travel to the east coast; write more, travel more. 

DS: Hopefully it becomes full-time, where we can really dedicate ourselves – getting a house, everyone living there and writing a record together.

With their DIY ideal of doing things at their expense and their strong bond, I can tell that they’ll make their goals. They are some of the most dedicated dudes I’ve had the pleasure to meet. 

2015 has been a good year so far for AOE and seems to be only getting better, with a bunch of shows under their belt, they continue to book shows locally.

Check them out soon: FaceBook.com/AtOurExpense

Cat Cork EP Review...

With a fluid sound and effortless lyrics, the new self-titled EP release from Australian musician Cat Cork starts with a simplistically relatable bang. Tranquilizing vocals on the introductory track, “Dreaming My Life Away,” whisper effortless lyrics that all listeners can connect with. Reminiscent of the stripped down album, Nebraska by Springsteen, a simple bell keeps the tempo as the rustic guitar plays along with the melodic chorus. As the last refrain hits, the straightforward instruments take over and the epilogue plays on.

“Let It All Go!” takes over from here with its straightforward message. Cat Cork pulls all the stops, letting the listener dive in and be submerged in sea of familiarity. Feelings expressed and honest words bridge gaps missing in most of the cookie-cutter folk being shoveled through your radio speakers—Cork’s music is, well…it’s a breath of fresh air. Engaging questions layered in the verses are answered in the song’s chorus. A tasteful piano presence leads to a surprising element of complexity as the EP bleeds into “Wandering Rocks.” A mix of mandolin and acoustic guitar complement each other as stoic dual vocals collide.

“Hold On” warms up when arpeggiati notes unite with a chugging chord chorus. All instruments build towards a multi-vocal layer, filling headphones with a full and beautiful choir. A fade leads to the stories eerie ending of piano, percussive, instrumental bliss. A quick listen or a repeat play of this EP does not disappoint. It is not a far stretch from earlier work of Cork but leaves fans satisfied and craving more.

Editor’s Note: Worth a listen: “Never Want to Wake Up”

Blink 18...Get Your Shit Together...

Fuck Tom! No. Wait. Fuck Mark! Or is Travis an asshole? Who should I be pissed at?

If you haven't heard, and care about Blink 182 at all, Tom (kind of) quit the band. Or didn't? It all seems very confusing as of now as more news and allusive Instagram, Facebook and Twitter post keep coming out from the band. This is basically a 27-year-old, pop punk loving dudes worst case scenario of a soap opera. 

On Monday one of my half-bearded millennial friends ran up to me asking if I had heard the news. One of my childhood (and life long) favorite bands has made some horrible announcements. Evidently Blink 182 can't get their shit together and Tom quit; then quickly posted that he didn't.

The Breakdown of Blink-Gate 1/26-1/28 as I see it:

1/26 - 12:01pm - KROQ posts article that Tom quit the band...but Matt Skiba will be filling in.

Matt Skiba replaces Tom...Photo from that one weird Matt Skiba album...Wait? Which one? I don't know either.

1/26 - 12:02pm - I cry uncontrollably.

Handsome. 

1/26 - 1:34pm -  Tom post instagram picture of some overweight Tron guy and says he "Never quit the band."

Pretty sure Tom was actually abducted by aliens in the early 2000's. Remember when his voice changed? And he didn't talk about dicks anymore? AND...this guys dick. You definitely looked. What the fuck is going on there? Good dick, dude!

1/26 - 1:35pm - 9PM - I am happy and I look forward to new Blink music and the future and my life rules.

1/26 - 9pm - Rolling Stone, somehow, has more connections than me and was able to get an interview with Travis and Mark, where they call Tom out for being a boner.

Basically what is going on now. It is crazy how history repeats itself...except now they both have $60 million each...Oh! What money does. Bring back the lip rings, tall socks and backwards/sideway FlexFits...

1/26 - 9pm -  1/27 - 12:27am - The next day - I am inconsolable. Basically and human mess-ball of emotion. I put on my Batman pajamas and drink till I pass out on the couch. 

1/27 - 12:27am - Tom tweets and then deletes "Don't pretend there isn't more to the story." With another comment about kicking out Travis.

1/27 - 9:28am - Radio silence...for now...I think all is lost...I start playing my favorite Blink songs...but then...

1/27 - 3:37pm - Tom writes open letter to fans about his side of the story.

I miss the old Blink. The Blink that got naked with its friends and ran around being a bunch of foul-mouth hooligans. This is what I based my entire life from. Boys, get your shit together, have fun, be happy and go do what you do best. Bring smiles to everyone through music or antics. I get it, you have other commitments but come on. Get aligned. I have no idea what to do now. I am going back to bed and listening to Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Not the music. Just the last 30 tracks of dick jokes..

For your viewing pleasure. The year was 2000 and all was right with the world.

-YourFriendMatt

An Evening with Into It. Over It...

Welcome to the one-man show. Catch him slinging his vinyl records, hoodies and t-shirts at his merch stand then transition to social butterfly before hitting the stage to put on a flawless performance of emotional rock songs to which everyone can relate. Is this person a superhero you ask? No. This person is Evan Weiss of Into It. Over It., and Weiss has a long history of performing that dates way back to his high school years in Cherry Hill, NJ. Into It. Over It. has played as a full band but these days primarily tours as solo act.

Tonight Into It. Over It. is solo and Weiss is preparing for the crowd at the iconic Roxy on the Sunset Strip. As the curtain rises Weiss cracks a joke about how he thought it was going to open sideways; before ripping into the intro riff from the title track “New North-Side Air”off the new album Intersections. It’s Weiss’emotion and honesty that make his live shows so damn compelling. There’s an electricity to Into It. Over It. and Weiss commands every lyric, drawing his audience in. When the chorus hits you can’t help but get involved chanting and belting every unforgettable melody. Weiss has a magic about him that allows Into It. Over It. to bring its audience into the inner circle of participation.

After the show, we were able to get a word with Weiss who gave us a loose update on a possible new EP or LP coming out with a member of fellow tour mates OWLS. “I can’t really say as of now because I don’t want any rumors to start but it will be cool,”Weiss said, smiling. Sounds like we should be on the look out…but we’re not here to start rumors either.