5/19/12

"Trying to calculate, rearrange in my head for a little bit.
Well, I'm not the best at saying anything and so now,
Well so what, I can make it fit.
I'm gonna need a bigger bag of attention baby, yeah.

They said 'we'll make you right into a star, into a star.'

They said 'we'll make you right into a star 'cause it's what you are.'

I'm like a timebomb rushing around, rushing around, 

I'm like a timebomb rushing around
They said 'we'll make you right into a star cause that's what you are.'"

~Timebomb 

States, Room to Run

This was a great week to listen to States. Weather was good, I woke up pumped to go to work, then pumped to go home at the end of multiple ten-hour days. I wanted to hear Mindy White's sassy, beautiful voice in my head as I told myself  "You got this, chill out." The more I listen to this album, the more I fall for her lyrical style, full of comebacks and calling out commentary without loosing the kind of vulnerable realness indie rock has come to know and embrace and love. So it's fitting with the scene, I suppose, but wrapped up in its whole own sound, and I'm totally sold on it.

This song, "Timebomb," the opening track on their completely kickass and delightful "Room to Run," is particularly great at getting stuck in my head. What a chorus to run through your head all day, it takes ahold of a great metaphor and gives great momentum with zany synth sounds and those real playful guitar licks in the chorus. What I especially love about this song is it exudes confidence with a fierce actualization without being totally devoid of perspective, there's a birds-eye view going on here that's ever-so-important to remember...

Albumwise, "Room to Run" is loaded with those little rock moments, and lots of killer hooks....when I heard the singles I wasn't sure it was going to hold up to "Line Em Up" because it seemed like a departure and I loved that so much, but now that I've purchased the album and given it loads of listens it's been in heavy rotation. Mindy White is truly an amazing singer, full of jazzy influences but a great punk-inspired belt....I belt she's killer live. Lyrically, she's straight and to the point, reflective and great with rhymes and wordplay inside a phrase...basically, I want to pick her brain and probably her closet.

"Room to Run" definitely tells a story, and the best albums always should.

12/12/10

"now i'm holding my mouth to keep from sayin' what i really mean....all of us spend too much time here listening"
~States, Time to Begin
Line 'Em Up

4/29/10

Funny that I woke up in a Copeland mood today, found out that States is a new band with two formers of Copeland (still sad about that) and Mindy White from Lydia (meh). I am truly hoping this will be something beautiful, because I have a Copeland-sized hole in my heart that needs filling with warm, soft, emotional music. It sounds pretty, and I like her voice. They certainly have the hype factor working for them considering what bands they're both from, but not too much material to share yet, it seems. Waiting for that. It sounds very sell-able, though, whatever that means. Like a less punk Paramore. But I'm not one to bash artists who want to make music that could also make them money. We all gotta make a living -- some things are more important than indie cred. Unfortunately, the shit that sells is often boring as hell to listen to, so, it's a careful balance and we'll see how States plays it.

Slightly related, waiting to see what Aaron from Copeland does next, 'cause I'm pretty sure he's brilliant. Per che?



"It's sure as the floor 'neath my toes
and somehow not surprised
that I was superimposed
Somehow in this life
And if my friends and my foes would just drop me a line it'd be nice

You see love is a drink that goes straight to my head
and time is a lover and I'm caught in her stare
And the sentiment there follows me straight to my bed through the night

I've got my life in a suitcase and ready to run run run away
I got no time cause I'm always trying to run run run away
Cause everyday when it feels like it's only a game
I've got my life in a suitcase, a suitcase, a suitcase
A suitcase"
~The Day I Lost my voice (The Suitcase Song)
Copeland, You Are My Sunshine