I'm still alive!

So, I haven't updated this blog once in 2015. Yikes. I do have a couple good reasons—I got promoted at work and I'm in the middle of planning a wedding, so things are a bit busy! But I want to get back into blogging about music more regularly. Not sure exactly how frequently that will happen, but I'll do my best to pop in at least more than once a year!

I have still been writing about music though. This summer, I started doing musician interviews over on AbsolutePunk. Here's some of what I've been up to:

• I interviewed Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind about the band's new album, Dopamine.  Say what you want about Stephan, but this was possibly one of the most pleasant interviews I've ever done.
• I chatted with Jarrod Gorbel of Night Terrors of 1927, and resisted begging him to bring back The Honorary Title. That's a major accomplishment in my book.
• I spoke with Jose Pasillas of Incubus. As I've mentioned before, an article about Incubus that I read in high school made me realize I wanted to be a journalist. So this was one of those moments that made me reflect on how far I've come.

Looking forward to interviewing more amazing artists over the coming months! If you're on AP.net, feel free to shoot me a note and say hi.

I met Brandon Boyd (again)

How about that new Sons of the Sea album?!? I wrote before about the new solo project from Brandon Boyd of Incubus back when he was releasing an EP, but now the full-length is out. And I am in love! I haven’t wanted to listen to anything else since I got my copy last week. It’s much poppier than his previous solo work, The Wild Trapeze, but I’ve always admired how each Incubus album sounds different, and I’m glad that Brandon is continuing that tradition. My immediate favorite songs are probably “Untethered,” “Come Together,” and “Avalanche,” but really, it’s all great.

As if new music wasn’t great enough, I also met Brandon last night at a signing event at Looney Tunes CDs for Sons of the Sea and his new book (which is also fabulous!) I’d met him at an Incubus meet ‘n greet last summer, so I guess I was sliiiiiiiightly less nervous this time around?

All I could think about in this moment was "BRANDON BOYD IS HOLDING MY HAND."

The man has been my musical hero since I was a young teenager, so I don’t think I’ll ever really stop getting butterflies in his presence. But he was as gracious as ever when I thanked him for making such a difference in my life.  What a gentleman. I’m pretty sure he’s as close to perfect as a human can be.

Be sure to check out Sons of the Sea. Or else!

More Brandon Boyd worship

I am just in love with Brandon Boyd. He is a god amongst men, and everything he does is magic. (Yes, I’ve written about this before. And before that. And before that).

Honestly, he could probably record an hour-long album of burp noises, and I'd still love it. Thankfully, he decided to make actual music for his upcoming Sons of the Sea project. Here’s the first taste, “Where All The Songs Come From”:


I can already tell this is going to be one of my Summer 2013 anthems. Years down the road, I’ll hear this song and instantly be slammed back to this point in my life. But for now, I’m just enjoying blasting it on repeat as I enjoy the warm NYC sun. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the Compass EP when it drops on June 25.

Update: Of course, as soon as I posted this entry, USA Today premiered another new Sons of the Sea song. Now that's perfect timing.

That time I met Incubus

A few weeks ago, I was on the subway home after a long Monday when I got a text from Sammi, one of my best friends from high school. "I WON MEET & GREET FOR INCUBUS!" the message screamed at me. "One of these passes is for you!"

Now, Incubus is one of my all-time favorite bands. They were one of the first rock acts I got into, they were the headliners of the second concert I ever attended (with Sammi, of course) and it was an article about the band that made me first start pondering a career in music journalism way back in the day. So needless to say, the promise of meeting the guys was cause for much celebration—followed by even more anxiety. I've met musicians that I admire before, and I've even interviewed some of my favorite bands, but there's a big difference between groups that I've listened to for a few years and Incubus, the band that somehow found me when I had barely figured out what kind of music I liked. And as I transition into an official adult, I'm finding that their songs seem to only become more relevant. Suffice it to say, they are pretty much my musical gods. There was no way my inner fangirl was staying clamped down at this meet and greet.

Things didn't start feeling real until Sammi and I picked up our VIP passes:

Oh, we fancy huh?

Before I knew it, we were walking with a group of 10 or so other eager fans to the backstage area. The guys were waiting for us at a table, and we proceeded to move down it in a typical autograph signing fashion. I feared that I'd clam up and have nothing to say, but DJ Chris Kilmore was first, and he was so friendly that he immediately put me at ease. He wanted to know what kind of nicknames there were for Chrisanne, and when I said I usually just go by my full name, he dubbed me "Cran." That's right, I have an Incubus-approved nickname. Let's make this stick, guys.

Obviously I knew this was going to be the case, but they were all SO NICE. I wish I could say that I dazzled them all with my sparkling wit and humor, but it all went by so fast, and I was a bit overwhelmed. But I managed normal conversation and kept from peeing my pants with excitement, which is really all I could have asked for.

The real highlight for me was meeting Brandon Boyd, because his lyrics have meant so much to me over the years, and he is such a talented human being. (My inner fangirl needs to mention that he is also just really pretty and his voice makes me melt into a puddle of drool.) I told him and guitarist Mike Einziger about being inspired to go into journalism by that article, and Brandon started asking me about my writing. He just has this way of looking at you when he talks, like he's really listening because he is so genuinely interested in the conversation. You think after 20 years in this band, he just might not give a shit anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth.

He also told me my name was really cool, so you know, there’s that. Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me a guaranteed conversation starter.

No big deal, just shaking the hand of a man I've worshipped since I was 14.

Then it was time for some group photos:

Please note Sammi giving Brandon bunny ears in the first one. Also, let's just zoom in on this part, because it is going to be my wallpaper forever:

And just like that, it was time to go. As we were leaving, Brandon hugged me, gently rubbed my back and wished me good luck with my career. (You guys, he's so sweet! I die.) The guys waved goodbye to us and I somehow held myself together until we were out of their presence.

I'm pretty sure we looked like this afterward though.

As for the show, Mute Math opened, and while I only know a few of their songs, I liked what I heard. And obviously, Incubus was amazing, as always. Seeing them live always makes me reflect on that first time I saw them all those years ago, and all the other bands I’ve gone on to see live since. I’m reminded why I love music in general, and why I spend such large amounts of money going to shows. Plus having Sammi by my side through the whole thing just made it perfect. I hope in another ten years, we're still going to shows together and singing along at the top of our lungs.


The world's a roller coaster and I am not strapped in. 
Maybe I should hold with care, but my hands are busy in the air. 

Bamboozle on the beach

Thank you Instagram for making this even prettier.

I spent this past weekend in Asbury Park, New Jersey for Bamboozle. Before I arrived, I had no idea that the festival would be on the beach. Seriously. This made the layout of the stages slightly confusing, but I got to dance to several of my favorite bands with my feet actually in the sand, so I'll overlook it.

My highlights of the weekend:

• Incubus. This band influenced my life more than any other, and seeing them live is always like a religious experience for me. Plus, hearing "Wish You Were Here" and realizing I could literally go dig my toes in the sand at that moment was just surreal.

Incubus playing "In The Company of Wolves"

• Watching people dance to Skrillex. Dubstep is really not my thing, but after watching these kids, I started to appreciate it just a tiny bit more. (There were even better moves going on before, but it was too dark for my camera at that point!)

• Motion City Soundtrack. To be honest, I haven't really kept up with their latest albums (I know, shame!) but they consistently put on a fun, energetic show that's not to be missed.
• The All-American Rejects. I don't know what I love more, the music or Tyson Ritter's habit of changing the words to their songs. He is easily one of the most entertaining frontmen I've ever seen.
• Jimmy Eat World. Do I really need to elaborate on this? They're a fantastic band and they always put on a beautiful show. They've been around for almost two decades for a reason.
• Foo Fighters. I only know a couple of their albums, but this band is just a must-see live act. In an industry full of computers and Auto-Tune, it is so refreshing to see true rock 'n roll like this.

I didn't stay for Sunday, although I would have loved to catch Brand New and the Gaslight Anthem. Oh well. At the end of Saturday night, I had almost no voice left and my legs were barely holding out. Aside from being forced to sit through half a Mac Miller set, I'd call Bamboozle 2012 a great success.

Favorite Albums of 2011

In no particular order.

2011 was truly a great year for my music collection. A bunch of my favorite bands released new material, and almost all of it actually lived up to my ridiculously high expectations. I also fell in love with some new acts that I stumbled across. Last year, I couldn't even come up with a top ten list; this year, I can't keep it to ten, so I had to expand to twelve. Here they are, along with links to any reviews I wrote earlier.

Incubus - If Not Now, When?: If I had to choose a favorite album of the year, it would probably be this one. So many critics and fans disliked this album, leaving me to wonder if the rest of the world is crazy. This album is just gorgeous. It reawakened my obsession with Incubus and I ended up spending a combined total of approximately four months listening only to their music.
The Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once: I was originally disappointed in this album, but turns out I just needed some time to let it grow on me. TATE has to be one of the most hard-working bands I listen to, and also one of the most fun to see live.
Hard-Fi - Killer Sounds: I dare you to resist busting a move while listening to this.
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials: I do still find a few songs to be a little boring, but when these songs are good, they are great. Florence Welch is a goddess.
Midnight Youth - World Comes Calling: My only complaint about this album is that it is too short. These songs are so epic and catchy that I simply am not satisfied with only ten.
City and Colour - Little Hell: City and Colour always puts out staggeringly beautiful music, and this latest effort is no exception.
The Black Keys - El Camino: This band blew up for a reason. The album just came out so I'm still getting acquainted with it, but I knew on the first spin that this one would be constantly on repeat.
Jack's Mannequin - People and Things: This album makes me both desperately sad and insanely happy. Damn you Andrew McMahon for manipulating my emotions.
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle (Out Of My Head): If you're looking for a Swedish hip-hop swing jazz band that will make you dance like you're in an old school iPod commercial, Movits! is the band for you.
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light: You know, I never really listened to the Foo Fighters before this year, despite my great admiration for Dave Grohl. So I can't claim to be a loyal fan, but I do love this album.

U.S. Royalty - Mirrors: This was my soundtrack to summer this year.
The Chevin - Champion EP: This band, formerly known as Your Vegas, did not make it easy to get this EP. Thankfully, it was worth the wait.

It's been real, 2011.

A love letter to Incubus

I remember standing in the record store with my precious babysitting money clasped tightly in one hand, and a copy of Morning View in the other. I was pretty sure I would like the album, but at 14 years old, I was just barely starting to develop a taste in music other than the Backstreet Boys, and to be honest, I was a bit concerned that I wouldn’t like the album enough to justify spending the only cash in my possession. Little did I know that almost ten years later, I would still consider the album one of my top five favorites of all-time. That’s more than I can say for Millenium, anyway.

I was lucky enough to attend two Incubus concerts recently – September 3rd at Jones Beach in NY, and September 9th in Mansfield, MA. These shows were incredible. Both were outdoors on comfortably cool evenings. The wind was weaving through my hair, as I sang along with hundreds and hundreds of other fans. One of my favorite parts was in Mansfield, during “Drive,” when Brandon stepped back from the mic and the band stopped playing to listen to the crowd shout back the lyrics. I never get tired of those moments, when everyone is connected by a single song. That’s my kind of religious experience. These were the type of shows that reminded me not just why I love Incubus, but why I love music in general.

Someone else's surprisingly good quality video of "Drive" from the Mansfield show

When I first started writing this post, it was just supposed to be a review of those shows. But as I put words onto paper (yes, I handwrote a rough draft because I’m old school like that), I quickly realized that a brief summary was not enough to describe how emotional of an experience seeing Incubus is for me. In fact, there are a lot of artists that I love dearly, but none have changed my life the way Incubus has. I actually realized I’d like to go into journalism after reading an article about the band many years ago. I was so jealous of the reporter who got to talk with the band, and then it dawned on me that I could interview brilliant and fascinating people some day too.

It was actually this issue of YM, which wasn’t exactly the high standard of journalism I’m shooting for, but hey, at least it gave me the idea.

Aside from setting me on my actual career path, Incubus is entwined throughout hundreds of my memories from the last decade. Important memories, like the second concert I ever went to. It was at the Worcester Centrum, and I went with my friend Sammi. To this day, when I hear the opening riff to “A Certain Shade of Green,” I am instantly 15 again, shuddering and thinking “OH MY GOD I’M GOING TO DIE” as a bunch of bros break out moshing all around us. For the record, we did get crushed, the crowd broke down the barricade a few minutes into the set, and as I recall, Sammi lost her shoe for a while, but we ultimately had the time of our lives.

Then there are the less vital memories that make up my every day life, like the high school German exchange student presenting me with her Incubus poster because it wouldn’t fit in her suitcase home. She promised me if I didn’t take care of Brandon’s picture, she’d “come back and kick my ass.” (Don’t worry Minh, it still hangs on my wall even now, and it is in great condition. Although I have occasionally considered taping a picture of Ben Kenney over Dirk Lance). I remember sitting in my friend Veronika's basement, not caring about the dude in Final Destination 2 trapped in his burning apartment because “Vitamin” was playing in the background. (If you have to die like that, at least be glad you’re dying while good music is playing, amirite?) I remember listening to Light Grenades over and over during my first year of college. The list goes on for pages. And now I can look back on the past couple nights spent with my pal Ali, obsessing over the music and eventually suffering through the inevitable post-show depression together. These songs are my souvenirs of amazing times with friends and hours spent screaming myself hoarse at concerts. I realize now that I grew up with Incubus, and as a result, when I look back on my life thus far, I see the band at every step.

"Wish You Were Here" live is just perfection.

I don’t know that I will ever be able to fully express how much this one band means to me in words. I hope some day I can thank the members in person. Until that day, this little love letter will have to do. Thanks for some great shows, guys. Now hurry up and come back soon before I waste away from withdrawal.

Album review: If Not Now, When? - Incubus

(Alternate title: This band can do no wrong in my eyes)

I’d heard only so-so reviews of Incubus’s new album, If Not Now, When? back when it leaked a few months ago. “It’s just SO mellow,” my friend told me. A few trusted acquaintances expressed “slight disappointment.” Then I read several snotty reviews suggesting the album was "unremarkable." I have a thing against listening to leaked albums by any of my favorite bands, so I waited nervously for the album to drop. I’d listened to enough generic indie music in college for “mellow” to become almost synonymous with “boring,” so there was plenty of mental nail-biting going on in my brain. “Have they finally become old and feeble and lost their edge?” I wondered.

Then yesterday morning, I woke up and the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and a download link for If Not Now, When? was patiently waiting for me in my inbox (I preordered the album on vinyl, but the powers that be were kind enough to include a digital download in the package as well so I didn’t have to wait one single second longer.) Turns out most of my so-called “trusted” music sources must be either crazy or listening to the wrong record because this album is just glorious.

Yeah, it is mellow, but Incubus mellow is very different from stupid-hipster-putting-you-to-sleep mellow. Every song is memorable and carefully crafted from the lyrics to the instrumentation. One of my absolute favorite things about this band is how every album is consciously different from the last. Each has its own style and sound, and it has been a pleasure to watch the music evolve. At this point, the group has been around long enough to have created an album for just about every mood I can feel. This latest one is mature and sweeping; I’d have to agree with lead singer Brandon Boyd when he called it an "unabashed, romantic, lush, sonic love letter to the world."

Speaking of the fabulous Brandon, let’s talk about how flawless he is. Every new album, I swear his voice is perfect and yet somehow, with the next release, he sounds even better. This time around, he really gets to show off his superb vocals thanks to the more subtle instrumentation. Of course, that’s not to leave out the rest of the band. They are all so talented and lovely and have influenced my life in so many ways. Incubus was one of the first bands I ever got into, and they have remained in my top favorite groups of all time ever since.

Gods amongst men

So I have to say thank you to the haters out there, who got me worked up about nothing. The negative hype made me worry so much that now this album has now far surpassed my expectations. I should never have doubted my boys. It’ll never happen again, I promise.

A song that calms you down

Aqueous Transmission - Incubus



This song makes me feel all Zen. I like to listen to it through my headphones while lying on my bed, like the mattress is an actual raft floating down a river.

Obviously I'm not the only one who feels this way, because singer Brandon Boyd called it "a song so atmospheric and vibratory, it would make those who listened to it doze off into a land of rivers, kung fu and unicorns, eventually making the listener pee in her/his pants." Thankfully I don't do that.

Coincidentally, Incubus released a brand new song today.

CD review: The Wild Trapeze by Brandon Boyd

Remember how I said I would update more about Brandon Boyd's solo album and then I didn't? Whoops. I'm sorry about that, but I've been busy with lots of summertime activities.

Anyway, I'm ready to talk about The Wild Trapeze now. It came out in July, quite suddenly actually. One day I was eagerly awaiting more details, and suddenly I got an Incubus e-newsletter announcing that it was available for purchase that day. What a pleasant surprise.

Boyd has said himself that this record was all about the learning process. He had to write all the music by himself, without the help of any band mates, plus he played just about every instrument himself. For a musician who has relied on four other guys throughout his musical career, I'm sure that's a very different experience. But that's precisely what he needed to do, to learn about his own skills and limitations as an artist. He wrote in a letter to fans, "So much of my identity, both personally and creatively has been attached to and related to Incubus. For better or worse! And I do believe that every person in every corner of the world asks themselves at some point on their ride, 'Who am I...today?' The Wild Trapeze is an exercise in self reliance."

Watch Brandon explain a lot of his thought process that went into the making of this record:

(For the record, I am enough of a fangirl to know that Incubus' last album, Light Grenades, came out in 2006, not 2005. So don't panic too much, Brandon. But at the same time, I want that next CD so get moving!)

Anyway, so onto the actual sound of the album itself. I'll just be up front: at first, I liked it but wasn't exactly crazy about it. It didn't seem as musically diverse as anything Incubus has put out. But after a few subsequent listens, the disc really began growing on me. I just needed to get acquainted with it before I could truly appreciate it. Now, I'm pretty much in love and won't be letting this album wander too far from my CD player (yes, I still use one of those).

The music is more raw and gritty-sounding than I expected. Boyd has said that he didn't want it to be perfectly polished, and that's what I like about it. It's an honest portrayal of one musician out on his own, trying to figure out what he's all about. In a world of Auto-Tune and lip syncing, a little honesty is refreshing. At the same time, the music still sounds similar enough to Incubus that fans won't be scared off.

Listen to "A Night Without Cars," off of The Wild Trapeze:


Definitely an album worth checking out. As my good friend wrote in her blog, "Brandon Boyd is a god amongst men HOW DOES HE DO IT?" True dat.

Favorite Tracks: "Here Comes Everyone" and "Courage and Control"
Buy The Wild Trapeze on iTunes or on TheWildTrapeze.com

Brandon Boyd's Wild Trapeze

What's up, Blogspot? I haven't posted in ages, but I do have a good reason this time. Exactly one month ago from today, I graduated from Emerson College. Woot woot. Since then, I started a full-time job at Oldways, the non-profit where I've interned since my junior year. We do lots of healthy eating promotion and education. My job there is fun but it has nothing to do with music, so all the more reason for me to start posting here more often. But seriously, Oldways does some great stuff so check out the site (and you can read my super cool bio on the staff page now. Hell yeah!)

So I'm working 40 hours a week, commuting on the bus, and I even have a smartphone now. Yup, I'm officially an adult.

Anyway, on to the important things. The word on the street is that Brandon Boyd is releasing a solo album called "The Wild Trapeze" sometime soon. I am PSYCHED. For those of you that don't know, Brandon is the extremely talented and beautiful lead singer from the rock band Incubus. They've only been around for about a million years, so you might have heard of them before.

All that's been released right now is the song "Runaway Train." I really love it, actually. Listen to the song here:





Sorry the audio isn't the best quality, but it's the best I've found so far.

Normally, I would be very concerned about this "solo" business, even though this song sounds great. Incubus is one of my favorite bands and I would be distraught if they broke up. But they recently put out a pretty amusing video updating fans on what the guys are up to, and that quelled my fears. You can watch that here:



That's all I know right now, but I'll be sure to update when I hear more about The Wild Trapeze, Incubus or Brandon.

Some new videos from two favorite bands

Oh, how I love new music! Here's Incubus's new song, Black Heart Inertia. Unfortunately, they're only putting out a greatest hits album, but at least there are some new tunes to look forward to! Can't wait to see them in August!



And also, Green Day premiered their video for Know Your Enemy! You can see it here. I love the lighting and the shots in this one. Looking super cool. It's about time these guys returned. I do hope that the rest of the album doesn't sound quite so American Idiot-esque though. I love that album but I'm hoping for a little variety. I guess we'll find out on May 15th.

Enjoy!