See Green- Ultramarine

“Are you happy now? Are you happy now?” Well, if you aren't you will be after listening to Ultramarine, See Green's debut EP.

See Green is actually the stage name for L.A's Courtenay Green and Ultramarine is her shamelessly sugar pop album.

The moment you hit play you know that it is going to be fun, pop and catchy. This made me a little hesitant about reviewing it, because pop music does get that repetitive, sounds- like- every- other- pop- song- on- the- planet sound but I am glad I stuck with the EP and listened to the whole thing because it doesn't feel like that at all. Yes, it is catchy, sounds like it should be played at a teenagers drunken party but See Green is really fresh and doesn't fall into the monotonous stack of pop that is discarded two weeks later. I think it is the best pop I heave heard in quite a while.

Opening with “Are You Happy” it sets the bar pretty low for the rest of the EP. It is the weakest of the four songs but is full of jollity and catchy lyrics and music. Not a bad song, just the weakest link.

“The Neighborhood” is easily twice as good as “Are You Happy,” it is more synthesized, has stronger lyrics and is just cooler.
“You build your fortresses
Your walls are creaking
Did you close the window shades?
Are your children sleeping?
You think its over
But its not going to go away”
It seems she has decided to put the weakest song first so that every song afterwards is twice as good as the last.

“Closer” is my favourite on Ultramarine because it fits into my expectations better and is a little heavier on the music side, almost stretching itself into pop rock. It starts with guitar and then moves onto synthesized tunes and a good drum beat. The lyrics are more punchy with more attitude. In short, what you want from decent pop music.
“You walk in and walk out
And everything you pick up
You put down
Never made a wrong move
Until now
Isn't that unusual
So your talking, okay
You think you are in control no way”

“I Meant It” is just as good as “Closer” musically. The punchy melody and boppity beat is infectious.
“When I said I would
I meant it
When I had the time
I spent it
You can make yourself
Believe it
But you will never know
Until you see it”


Ultramarine is strong vocally, in tune, in time with the music and it just fits. See Green is certainly something to watch, I can see this getting signed because of its great pop sounds but fresh take on the genre. It is also a cool artist/EP name to say together because of the rhyming scheme. Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

--Koala

Buy here: Ultramarine

Readymade Breakup - S/T

“Hello boys and girls.  My name is Mr. Penfold.  Pleased to meet all of you.  Your teacher asked me to come to your school today to tell you a story.  Would you like that?”
The children gathered around me on the floor eagerly responded with a “Yes!”, “Yeah!”, “Yea!”, and even a “Hooray!”.
“Good,” I said with a big smile.  “I was hoping you might say that.  Now…what story should I tell you all today?  Hmmmm?  Oh, I know!  I’ll tell you the story of Readymade Breakup.  It really is a wonderful adventure, and I just know you’ll like it.  What do you think?  Sound good?”
Another chorus of affirmative responses.
“Hahahaha, all right.  Well let’s get started then shall we?”  I opened the book sitting in my lap and began to read.

Once upon a time in a land not so far away from here called New Jersey, there lived four men, each of whom was a musician, who decided to form a band.  They named their band Readymade Breakup, and together they made it their goal to produce some of the catchiest powerpop music anyone had ever heard.  Everything was going swimmingly until one day an evil sorcerer intent on stopping the performance of their glee filled music descended upon their rehearsal space, cast a spell eliminating all of their sheet music, and ran away cackling.  “That’s okay,” said Paul Rosevear, guitarist and main songwriter.  “All of the songs were ‘Inside All Along’.”

The band began playing again right before the evil sorcerer made it out the front door of the building.  When he heard the band playing the songs without their sheet music he was furious!  This was not possible!  He rushed back to the practice space and demanded to know how the band could still play their songs without the proper instructions before them.  “It’s ‘Just’ the way it is,” replied Gay Elvis the bass player.  “We were ‘Waiting For You’ to come back.  Why don’t you have a seat and listen?  You might like what you hear.”

Too stubborn to admit that someone else might be right, the evil sorcerer scoffed and cast another spell, this time turning the face of guitarist Jim Fitzgerald into something akin to an old goalie mask made out of flesh instead of plastic.  “Mwahaha!  Now ‘There’ is a face for the ages.  Good luck playing your happy tunes now!”  With that, once again, the evil sorcerer ran out of the room.  Following his departure, the other three band members crowded around Jim to see if he was okay.  Jim used his hands to feel around his head, and after a moment wrote a note to the other three.  The note simply said ‘Unzip My Face’.

And that is just what they did.  Spicy O’Neil, the drummer, reached behind Jim’s head, felt around a little, and pulled a zipper from the crown of Jim’s head down to the base of his chin.  This broke the spell and restored Jim’s real, smiling face.  “Well would you look at that?” Spicy asked.  “Guys, that may be the ‘Bravest Smile’ I’ve ever seen!”  With everyone back to normal, the band decided that they had to try to change the sorcerer’s evil ways.  All he needed was to hear the songs the band played, and he would be forever changed.  It was clear however that he would not come to them.  No, they had to take these ‘Good Things’ to him.

The evil sorcerer lived in a creepy mansion on the outskirts of town.  The band set up their equipment on his front lawn and called for him to come outside.  “What are you doing here?” demanded the evil sorcerer.  “We’re ‘Not Through With You Yet’ evildoer!” responded the group.  Before the sorcerer could say another word, the band broke into song.  They played without break for around thirty minutes.  When they were through Gay Elvis addressed the sorcerer.  “Friend, through the power of our music, the evil inside of you has been ‘Erased’!”  With an enormous smile on his face the sorcerer thanked the band for their kindness.  “Thank you Readymade Breakup!  From now on I will only use my magic for good and to make others happy.  Thank you so much!”

And they all lived happily ever after.  The End.

My apologies if what I’ve written above has given you, my fellow waveriders, the impression that the music of Readymade Breakup is strictly for kids.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In reality, the music played by this band is well suited for babies, children, teenagers, adults, seniors, and anything else with a working pair of ears on their body.  That’s right, animals too!  Even though they cannot thank you with intelligible speech, believe me, they will be thrilled to hear this incredible album.  Actually, incredible is not an adequate descriptor in this case.  Let’s use stupefying instead.  As in, this album is so fantastic, it’s stupefying!  Over the past two weeks since I was first introduced to it, this music has bolted past mere ‘like’ status straight into the realm of ‘musical narcotic’ essential for daily living.  I fear the withdrawals!

Readymade Breakup, as you might have pieced together from their tale, is a four piece rock and roll band.  When I first investigated them online a few websites slapped the label powerpop on them, so I’ll stick with that too for now.  But what does powerpop describe?  In my mind it is quite simple.  Think of music which has mass appeal, something easily sung along with or hum able, but that frequently has the full band amped to eleven.  We’re talking about tsunamis of harmonious singing layered atop pounding, intricate drums and thick guitar and bass lines that bypass your brain to go directly after your central nervous system.  Honestly, this album should come with a surgeon general’s warning along with a picture of the happiest person they can find to photograph.  Buyers beware!

As for the music itself, words nearly fail me.  The album rockets out of the blocks with “Inside All Along”.  The opening lyrics perfectly describe the structure of the song.  ‘It comes on real slowly, and builds to the only, sound in my head, like an old familiar friend.’  It begins slowly and peacefully to place the listener in their comfort zone, and then gradually builds upon itself before hitting the massive chorus.  “Just” is bombastic from start to finish.  Perhaps it is because of the echo-laden guitar lines, but “Waiting For You” feels more organic than the first two songs.  The bass tone on this song exudes warmth like a furnace as well.  I mean no disrespect to the next two tracks, “Waiting For You” and “Unzip My Face”, but I’m going to jump directly to my favorite two song combination in recent memory.  “Bravest Smile” has grooves as deep as the Grand Canyon, and effervescent choruses that get my head bobbing with excitement every time, without fail.  What comes next, “Good Things”, is one of the best songs I have heard in a long, long time.  There is not one thing about this song that does not connect with me on a deep, subcutaneous level.  Not one!  To complete the listening experience, the band switches things up with the touching ballad “Not Through With You Yet” before drawing the proceedings to a close with “Erased”, a perfect encapsulation of what they do so well.

It is a real shame that I only listened to this album at the beginning of 2011.  If I had managed to hear it upon its release late in 2010, the album would have easily made my top ten list.  Regrettably, due to the current timeframe, I can only offer up positively glowing statements and hope to draw as much attention as possible.  So here you go.  A perfect score!  Five out of five stars!  Ten out of ten!  Two thumbs way up!  Still in need of convincing?  That’s okay.  Go to the band’s website and listen to the full album.  You will not regret your decision.  Now back to the classroom.

I glanced up at my audience as I closed the storybook.  All the children were clearly enraptured by the tale of Readymade Breakup.  It took only a few seconds before a couple of them asked me to read the story to them again.
“Read it again Mr. Penfold.  Read it again!”
“I’m sorry kids, but your teacher says I’m out of time for today.  How about if I promise to come back next week and read to you again?  Would that be all right?”
This last question was greeted with a loud, sustained “Yeah!”.
“Good.  I’m glad you feel that way.  I’ll see you in a week.  Bye, bye for now.”

-- Penfold

Buy Here - http://readymadebreakup.bandcamp.com/album/readymade-breakup

Ripple News - Loomis and Lust Offer You Waveriders an Exclusive Free Track

Last year, our fearless leader, the Pope, raved manic about a band that combined rock, punk, and pop into a whole that was just so much bigger than the sum of it's parts.   The band, Loomis and Lust blew the Pope's ears and now they're giving us a chance to do the same to all you waveriders.

Below, you'll find a free download of their new single, "Bright Red Chords" for your enjoyment.  Give it a go.  You just may find your next favorite band.

Ripple News - Powerpop Singer/Songwriter Todd Wright Releases 40 songs in 40 weeks for charity

This is the sort of project that the Ripple Effect loves to get behind, and a great late-Christmas present for you--free music!!!

Powerpop singer/songwriter Todd Wright has committed himself to release a free track download every Wednesday for 40 weeks with the 40th track released on his 40th birthday. All in an effort to raise awareness for Diabetes... Currently 9 weeks into the 40 x 40 project, you can learn more at:

http://www.orangepopsongs.com

The project originally started out as a musical midlife crisis of sorts, but after the first week took on a greater goal... to raise awareness to find a cure for Diabetes. Its a feel good story of a singer/songwriter paying it forward, hopefully with a little help from the interwebs we can make a difference in the fight against Diabetes. Cameron (8) and Bella (10), two children who are the inspiration for the project, both suffer from Juvenile Diabetes.

Now, we've seen projects before where artists flood the interweb with inferior product in the name of industriousness. 365 songs in 365 days, or what not, and in truth, the songs always sound like they were written and recorded in one day. That's not the case here! To begin with, Todd is a seasoned singer/songwriter who has written and shared the stage with such artist as Lucy Woodward, Toby Lightman, Pat McGee, Butch Walker, Better Than Ezra and others, and all those songwriting chops come to play here. Just check out the free downloads already available, including the Ripple Favorite, "Down With Me." This is strong, compelling songwriting, well-produced sound, and dynamite performances. Damn, around here we have a hard enough time just writing a song review every week, much less the actual song!

The first 8 tracks of the project can be streamed @:

http://www.orangepopsongs.com/store.

And here's the link to all free downloadable tracks:

http://www.orangepopsongs.com/songarchive

Feel free to spread the word. All individual tracks have their own embed code and are shareable across social networking sites.

Hear some great music, and if you can, donate to help support a good cause. All proceeds go to help fight juvenile diabetes.