AWmusic

Beginning with We The Kings, Secret Valentine is the premise of their EP and was a single off their 2007 self-titled album. There are two versions of Secret Valentine laid down, one being the original radio cut, and the other is a very warming acoustic version. The original is fantastic, as it was the first time I heard it, but the acoustic edition is something else. The vocals completely stand alone, and I was digging the rugged falsetto that appears throughout the song. As with any acoustic version, Secret Valentine turned into something a little more warming and a little more emotional, which was a nice change up.

Among other songs on the EP is a cover of Gorillaz hit, Feel Good Inc. Not much can be said about this track, We The Kings didn’t change much from the original, but obviously the vocals were much different. I liked the cover as much as I liked the original, but it might have been nicer if We The Kings attempted it using a different approach. In the end it was something fun, and that is probably the most important thing.

Now on to the good stuff, three brand spanking new songs, all of which were amazing. Make It Or Not is very similar to what We The Kings has produced in the past. It has a catchy hook that’s delivered passionately but always sounds inviting and hopeful. The verse also features more of the rough falsetto that We The Kings is known for. The lyrics, while cheesy, are slightly nostalgic and always put a smile on my face. The instrumentals are solid, opting for real sounds as they have in the past (no synths). The guitar melody was also excellent, using an elegant sound that matched the theme of the music. Bring Out Your Best is more of the same, being a tad more aggressive and sounding a little fuller with instruments, the style still remained warm and passionate.

The final song is There Is Light, which features Martin Johnson of Boys Like Girls. This is a very interesting guest vocal, because Martin absolutely kills falsettos when he sings for BLG’s and Travis often uses an awkward but nice falsetto in his songs. However, this song features no falsetto unfortunately; instead listeners get a really nice Christmas-themed song that’s completely mellow and perfect for the occasion. The instruments feature guitar, bongos, bells and possibly a violin, which is a dream mix for me. Everything works well to keep the pace fast but all the while the vocals and instruments are very relaxed and lucid, a pretty song for the holiday season.
We The Kings – Make It Or Not

Moving to the next EP, from the artists who delivered my favourite album of 2008, The Maine released their not so serious holiday album titled …And A Happy New Year. Ho Ho Ho Hopefully starts things off with a sincere track about being with loved ones for the holidays. It’s very tranquil, with hints of Christmas bells and other calming elements, unusual compared to their regular energetic music. As always the vocals are fantastic, and the lyrics are clever and pleasant. All that said, the final product is a charming and warm introduction for Christmas day.

The Maine lightens the mood with Santa Claus Stole My Girlfriend, which is a satirically sad song, that’s gloomy and amusing all at the same time. The track is very telling of what this band is all about, simple, good-hearted fun. While the theme is slightly short of ridiculous, the music is still high in quality with a nice melody, catchy chorus and well played guitar. This shows that they can joke around, but when it comes to music, they stop at nothing short of greatness.

The third song of this four track EP, Mr. Winter, is finally one that incorporates the full vibrant sound that The Maine is known for. Consisting of the usual high energy instrumentals, and vibrant vocals, everything is so classically Maine. Again the lyrics are witty, and there is a subtle appeal to their music that just makes you simply happy. Mr. Winter is a song that could easily be a hit on any album, because of its classic powerpop sound, something which I felt the Maine has mastered since Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. Also in the EP is a hilarious cover of Last Christmas by Wham! which puts a tear in my eye. I couldn’t think of a better Christmas song for them to cover. So enjoy the rest of your holidays and check out these two EPs!
The Maine – Mr. Winter

We The Kings opened the night off playing several songs off their self titled debut album. Their live performance was spot on as compared to their record, and not surprisingly they had a phenomenal sound. I enjoyed their live performance as much as I appreciated their cd, which is a considerable amount, but nevertheless it was not insurmountably better, in fact it was just over par. This could be in part due to the lack of lights and equipment saved up for the headliner; however I did not get the same stage presence that I’m used to receiving from such well-regarded bands. Was it a terrible performance? Not at all. Should they be headlining in the future? Yes and no. Their sound is impeccable, and if a band can play their cd perfectly live, then a case can be made that they belong at the forefront of any concert, but I will say the lack of stage presence tells me a couple of things: maybe they were a little gun shy that night, weren’t particularly fond of Toronto, or just need a bit more experience before heading a concert of their own. We The Kings, put on a good show and I personally would like to seem them headline a concert, whether they are ready or not. Their sound was perfect, and they did nothing wrong, however that little extra flare was missing which would have created a greater wow-factor. As such they remain in my top ten favourite bands this year neither moving up or down in rankings.

Metro Station followed We The Kings, and here I thought that Metro Station would open the night because just maybe they were the lesser known band; how naïve I was. Metro Station boosted their stock ten fold after this concert, and they had a beyond stellar performance from start to finish. This is a little bias considering they play a sort of dance-rock that is practically designed for this particular scenario; hundreds of underage teens in a swanky club looking to have a good time. That said, you have to have a sort of character to perform this genre to its full potential, and Metro Station is definitely full of that. Metro Station played their synths live (at least the keyboardist made it look authentic) and with cheesy dance moves, wild guitar motions, and falling keyboards, the audience was having as much fun, as the band seemed to be having playing the music on stage. Metro Station was also quipped with their set of funny/corny/witty lines, ready to spew at the audience and everyone, including myself, was eating it up. It was a worthwhile performance, bringing people of all ages together for a night of good honest goofy fun, and some great music. They, like We The Kings, sounded identical to their record, granted they use a lot of synths. I will however be excited to see them again, and Metro Station has instantly skyrocketed up in rankings due to this performance alone.

Finally Cobra Starship came out to a deafly roaring crowd. Was I truly excited to see them? Not really, but I’m not a pessimist so I expected good things. No surprises here, I wish I could say that Cobra was as bad as I thought they might be, but in fact they were quite good. The frontman Gabe Saporta, is definitely one of the coolest characters I’ve witnessed, and he not only could sing great, but turned his music from drab to one of the most entertaining acts I’ve seen yet. Combined with the blinding robotic lights, the ever beautiful keyboardist (Victoria Asher), and the witty punch lines in between songs, it was a great time to be had by all. I’m still not completely convinced of the music, I didn’t really like Cobra Starships first album attempt, but their newer stuff is good and of course their performance is gold and very entertaining. Perhaps I’m more partial to the electronica displayed by Metro Station, but in the end Cobra Starship did impress me quite a bit and turned me into a fan. Cobra Starship was a great choice for a headliner, because Gabe is quick on his feet, and can easily transform any room into a raging party.

With that said, the concert was well worth it, with great performances by all, some better than others, but all really great bands. I would say that Metro Station outperformed both We The Kings and Cobra Starship, but Gabe Saporta was definitely the showiest of all the performers on stage. I would easily recommend any of these bands in a heartbeat.

P.S. Pictures and possible video footage will be up in a couple of weeks.

Be sure to support the bands on their myspaces: Cobra Starship, We The Kings, Metro Station.

Here’s my favourite songs from each band:

Cobra Starship – Send My Love To The Dancefloor, I’ll See You In Hell

Metro Station – Kelsey

We The Kings – Check Yes Juliet

We The Kings are amazingly catchy, and there are several reasons for this. The vocals aren’t high pitched or nasally, nor are they low, sounding little less than just regular speech. Instead We The Kings opted for a normal voice with good vocal talents, always staying in a range that’s appropriate and comfortable for the songs. The guitar riffs are kept simple, neither over the top or lacking, it fits perfectly for their sound. It’s the lyrics that really drive most of the songs, especially the chorus lines. Typically, every song contains a chorus that is both catchy and memorable.

Skyway Avenue, is their most popular song, and it takes a typical pop punk topic (love) and transforms it into something that’s meaningful, and most importantly, optimistic. I find that what makes me angry with the songs on MTV are that emo bands have literally taken romance and turned it into a tragedy, whereas love is supposed to be something beautiful. We The Kings attempts to brings back an exciting emotion to such an overbeaten subject matter. Judging from the sound alone, the vocals take a change in pace through the verses, bridges and chorus which keeps the song from being passive, repetitive and boring. The guitar riffs are kept simple, while still being catchy overall fitting nicely with the vocals and the theme of the song. The lyrics are what really stirs the emotions when listening Skyway Avenue, although neither complex nor particularly artistic, it is perfect for the pop punk scene and best of all it’s simple. The rest of the album is much of the same, with the most notables off the top of my head being Check Yes Juliet, and This Is Our Town (a ballad).

We The Kings debut album is excellent, the only issue being it’s too short. Thirty-five minutes of really honest music has left me with the desire for more. Some may find the album to be a tad repetitive, but I think We The Kings have tapped onto a style fitting for them and should continue their musical efforts in much the same manner. I’m sure We The Kings will continue to grow and change musically, but if this is their prime, I would not be upset at all. Keeping everything simple is what has made this album both catchy and memorable, and it is the talents of We The Kings that have produced such ‘simply’ good songs. I’m excited to see them in January, and if all goes to plan, it may be the best day of my life, of course that’s a story for another blog.

Be sure to check out their Myspace to stream more songs.

Skyway Avenue Video:

We The Kings – Check Yes Juliet
Buy the We The Kings self titled debut CD here