When we last spoke to Sing It Loud in September of 2007 they were just getting their feet wet. The Minneapolis quintuplet had just released a self-titled EP and had been a band for less than five months.
Oh kids these days, they grow up so fast.
Now they have new songs on the horizon (recorded with Josh Cain of Motion City Soundtrack), a wealth of touring experience, and oh yeah, they signed to Epitaph Records home of MCS, The Matches and Bad Religion.
With all of this happening in the few months since I last sat down with Kieren and Pat of Sing It Loud, I decided it was time to check back in.
The room is packed; there are 50 (uncomfortable) chairs that were quickly commandeered but the clerks stopped counting at 100 when the crowds continued to flow into the second story of BookPeople, Austin’s funky, well-loved, independent bookstore. BookPeople rarely gets this SRO crowd – except for former presidents and celebs; book talks by the average author garner a handful these days. So who’s the big draw? Music journalist Rob Sheffield, author of the surprise New York Times bestseller Love Is A Mix Tape.
It’s a hot August evening and the amphitheater is packed. As I walk over to the side of the stage to meet My Chemical Romance’s tour manager, my mind is buzzing and my nerves are on edge. I meet MCR’s manager and he escorts me backstage to the bus. I walk up the steps and am greeted in the front lounge by Gerard Way. I shake his hand and murmur the usual pleasantries. He turns, grabs a brown paper bag from the seat next to him, and pulls out a small sword. My confusion must be obvious because he cracks a grin and says, “Isn’t this awesome?” “Uhm...yeah!” I reply, not knowing where this is going. “Our busdriver got it for me at a gas station or something...it’s pretty cool,” Way says, happily inspecting the sword once more before putting it back in the bag. Then, as if nothing had just happened, he politely asks me if he can eat his salad while we talk. My mind is still spinning as I nod my head, and I can’t help wondering...if this is just the introduction, what’s next? Welcome to the Black Parade, indeed. 
YOU will like this band. You will like this band. You will like this band. Got it? Ok, good. Bend Sinister is a band worth enjoying. Through an amazing amount of turmoil, they manage to exist as a band, and as one of the finer bands to emerge from Canada’s west coast in a while. Bend Sinister is a band of many faces, which finds the perfect combination of difficult, intellectual music and catchy, likeable melodies. They are not a band whose sound you can understand by simply looking at the clothes they wear and the way they style their hair. Bend Sinister (in its current iteration) is Dan Moxon (vocals, keys, guitar), Jon Bunyan (vocals, guitar, keys), Naben Ruthnum (lead guitar), Jason Dana (drums, percussion) and, (for the meantime), Edo Van Breemen (bass via keyboard).
There are many reasons why “band x” will never make it; laziness, pretention, selfishness. However, when I received an e-mail from guitarist and vocalist Mathew David Barletta of Hollywood Lies it was a breath of fresh air. Here was a musician who knew he needed to work hard, but at the same time wasn’t making music for the sake of being signed to a major label and making it big. This is actually exactly what Hollywood Lies is not about. Their name stems from the absurdity and fake lifestyles that make up Hollywood today, and our irrational obsession with them. The guys in Hollywood Lies -- a pop-punk trio made up of Barletta, bassist Mikey Matthews, and drummer Johnny Barbas -- are making music because they love making music and they want you to join the party. There are no over-inflated egos here; the band makes it a point to refer to their listeners as “friends” rather than “fans”. I talked to my friend Mathew recently to discuss the truth about Hollywood Lies. 
The Saint Alvia Cartel is the definition of indefinable. Comprised of a who’s who list of southern Ontarian “punk rockers”, the experienced individuals’ latest endeavor can hardly be stamped with the punk rock certificate of authenticity. Sure, they may have a couple of songs that if listened to all by their lonesome might appear to fit a mold; but if you give their self-titled debut a few good spins, you’ll hear that there is a lot more to these Burlington, Ontario natives. What exactly that is, well that answer is a little more complicated. Even the band members themselves -- Greg Umetsu Taylor (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Rispin (Vocals), Rob Pasalic (Vocals/Guitar), Greg Fisher (Bass), Brandon Bliss (Keys) and Matt Richmond (Drums) -- have trouble explaining where they land on the musical plane. One thing they all agree on: wherever they’ve landed, it’s right where The Saint Alvia Cartel want to be.
Things have been a little too quiet for Straylight Run. When John Nolan and Shaun Cooper left alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday after the release of the successful Tell All of Your Friends in 2003, all eyes were on the duo to see what their future pursuits would yield. Fans didn’t have to wait long, as the two quickly formed Straylight Run and released their first, self-titled album in 2004. However, despite widespread critical praise and a warm fan reception, the band fell under the radar after the release of their 2005 EP, Prepare to be Wrong. Earlier this year, the band released their highly anticipated sophomore album and showed fans what they’ve been up to for the past two years. Luckily, PopZap! Music’s Scott Olstad had the chance to catch up with John and Shaun at the Warped Tour this year