5 Bands/Artists to Watch in 2014

Well, as you all know, I am a music junkie. Love every bit of it. So now, here is a new annual segment I am going to start on this blog. These are bands or artists that I think you need to watch this year. I think these bands will be big, either this year, or just a little bit longer than that. So watch out to bands like OneRepublic, Maroon 5 or Owl City. These bands/artists may just beat your album on the charts one day.

5. The Royal Concept

Who is The Royal Concept? Yeah, that was my question a few weeks back when my favorite band, Switchfoot, announced that these guys would be opening for them on the Spring Leg of the Fading West Tour. So of course, I go and look them up. Well not exactly. I was listening to iTunes radio for my other favorite band, Echosmith, when TRC's song "On Our Way" came on. "Hot dang they are good," I thought. So I listened to the entire Royal EP from them. Once again, I was not disappointed. Although I can't make it out to the Fading West Tour, I envy you if you can, because these guys seem like they would put on a good show.

4. J. Thoven

Let's keep up with the theme of bands that open for Switchfoot, why don't we? Well I saw these guys when they opened for Switchfoot back in June of 2013. I actually got their EP for free from their site before the show because I found out they were the opening act. The EP was enough sweetness to go around, but these guys put on one helluva live show. They blew everyone away. Including me. I think I was the only one who knew the words to their songs though haha. The sound like they are back in the studio, so if that is true I cannot wait to hear their new music because I guarantee it will be amazing.

3. Bridgit Mendler

Most known for her work on Good Luck Charlie and Lemonade Mouth, Disney Channel star Bridgit Mendler really hasn't hit the big time music scene yet. The only people who really know about her is Radio Disney listeners (I don't listen though). I first found out about her album in mid-2012 when iTunes had her song "Hurricane" as the free single of the week. So, of course, loving indie, I buy the album and the whole album is phenomenal. Most Disney Channel stars-turned-singers either twerk or date Bieber. Not her. I don't see any reason why she would want to. Her music is mature for her age (21) yet still appropriate for her young audience. Its hard to believe Miley is the same age and does the stuff she does. I saw her live last June and she was amazing. Now that her contract with Disney Channel is ending, hopefully she can get to recording a second album. If its half as good as her debut album, Hello My Name Is..., Then she will definitely breakout.

2. Tiffany Alvord

What to say about Miss Alvord? Well she is young, beautiful and I think I am forgetting something... OH YEAH! She can sing. And most of the world doesn't actually know it. She has been putting covers of current top 40 hits on YouTube for going of 5 years now. And not to mention has 2 full-length original albums with music videos to about half those songs. I have been watching her for a good 3 or 4 years at this point and have just wanted her to breakout so bad, but that just hasn't happened yet and I don't know why. She writes songs in a similar way as Taylor Swift. So why is it that Taylor is the biggest popstar in the world and Tiffany isn't? That is a question I, sadly, cannot answer. She is currently in the writing stage for her third original album, and I hope for her sake, it kicks major ass on iTunes, Billboard, all that lovely stuff. If not by itself, I will make sure that she gets huge.

1. Echosmith

If you follow me on Twitter (@Alex_Vanderspek if you don't), you see me tweet about these guys and girl all the time. I don't know how they aren't huge yet, considering they were on Warped Tour last year. They gained a few fans at every show, but not like other bands. But there is a reason why. Because they are Indie. Indie is slowly becoming popular, but definitely isn't favored by most parties. They are definitely at the top of my list for most played bands on my iPod. The band of four siblings, Sydney (lead vocals, keys), Jaime (guitar, vocals), Noah (bass, vocals), and Graham Sierota (drums), released their debut album Talking Dreams back in October. It is definitely, in my opinion, up there with my favorite albums of 2013. The best part about them? They are all 20 or under. In fact, I'm older than 3/4 of the band. Just trust me, go to Warped 2014, see these guys, buy a shirt and a CD and watch them become a household name in the near future. Oh and give them hugs and get an autograph too. 

What bands/artists do you think will be big this year? I think I'm pretty accurate with my predictions. If you're reading this, comment with your guess.

Until Next Time,

Alex  

insert depressing Valentine's Day post title here

Hey Guys!! Sorry I haven't posted in nearly a month, just been really busy with school starting back up and all. I hope you all have been doing well. Considering it is still one of the most viewed posts on this blog, I decided to do a second annual post about Valentine's Day. Before you start reading, though, I do want to let you know that my views toward this "holiday" have changed in the past year. I want this one to come off more with a message. Don't get me wrong, I will still be funny as I usually am in my posts, just I want people's view of this day to change.

Let me start the official part of this post by saying Happy Valentine's Day or Single's Awareness Day, you choose which one relates to you. Mine leans more to the side of SAD. Let me say this, for the first time in a while, I actually don't mind being "single." There are many plus sides to it. for example, I don't have to buy a girl all this stuff. Trust me, when God shows me the future "Mrs. Alex Vanderspek," I will, but for now, my money is mine haha. And when I look at it, what would it do for me in the long run? Honestly, having a girlfriend would be fun, but I'm only 19. You are supposed to start dating when you're ready to get married and I'm far from even taking marriage into consideration. Right now, I'm in college working toward getting a Bachelor's Degree in Music Production. I don't need a soul to hold either.

Now to everyone celebrating this day, you suck because you have someone on this day. Lol kidding, but this is a day to celebrate love. So, let me get this straight, girls, is this the only day you want your boyfriend to "love" you? Like really! Shouldn't you love each other every freakin day that you're together? Yeah, I think so.

Now back to ALL THE SINGLE LADIES (and guys, I just wanted to throw a little Beyonce in there for you). Guess what!? You no longer have to feel all depressed because you are single! There is someone who loves you and I mean LOVES, bro. He even sent His one and only child to die. For you. Well let me say this, if someone told me I would have to die for every dang person in this world, I would say, "HAIL NO! ARE YA CRAZY IN THE HEAD!?" Lol well Jesus didn't say that, When He easily could have. God loves you more than any boy or girl EVER could. I'm being serious. It may suck majorly when someone just cuts your relationship off, (I go back to December 2013 lol) but God is there. Guess what!? No matter what you do, God will never love you less. He will never "break-up" with you. He may get a little disappointed when you sin, but God is love. You are a beautiful creation of His. Love is one of the most mentioned things in the Bible. Embrace it man

Now this last paragraph relates to EVERYONE, whether you are single or un-single. Instead of planning a really nice date. Instead of eating Ice Cream and watching movies. Instead of giving up your V-Card (Valentine's Day movie reference). I say, go feed some homeless people and tell them about Jesus. You know what the cool thing is? If you are in a relationship, you are still together on Valentine's Day AND you are spreading love. You can even do this if you are single. It's actually pretty cool. Valentine's Day is just another commercialized "holiday" about love. So lets all un-commercialize it by helping others! Isn't that a great idea?

If you read this, thank you so much! I love you. And I mean it!

Until Next Time,
Alex

Anberlin. The End.

I really can't believe this news that was announced yesterday. Anberlin is breaking up after 12 years of being a band. Just 2 weeks after their announcement that they will be on the world's biggest tour this Summer, Warped Tour, they say they will be releasing one final album and going on one final headlining tour as a band. I honestly didn't see this coming and am actually kind of shocked. I was kind of wondering after they released their THIRD career greatest hits album. I never thought it would be the end of them though. In their 12-year run as a band, they have sold millions of albums and have easily become one of America's most popular alternative bands. They toured with bands like Switchfoot, The Maine, Stars In Stereo and Paper Route. All their albums (six total) debuted in the top 20 of Billboard.com's Hot 200 chart. I'm sure their last album will be the same. I'm completely positive. And don't be surprised, either, if it reaches number one.

I first became a fan of their music when "The Unwinding Cable Car" was a single and I heard it on the radio. That song was so amazing, so I decided to buy the entire "Cities" album. That is still one of my favorite albums. Then, I got a compilation with their song "Glass To the Arson" which is one of my favorite rock songs of all time, if not my favorite. Those two songs began my obsession, so I ended up getting every album of theirs. If you haven't discovered them yet, I think you are out of your mind. 7 albums (with the 8th coming this Summer) all of them being phenomenal both lyrically and instrumentally. I think Stephen has one of the most unique voices I have ever heard. I love how no two albums of theirs sound the same. I'm gonna miss this band like hell. And I mean it. They will forever be in my hearts as one of my favorite bands. God bless Anberlin because I know they are breaking up for a good reason. Although we may not know what yet.

Until Next Time, Alex

What I Learned During My Social and Texting Fast

Well let me start this off by saying that this was a lot easier than I thought it would be. At the beginning, it was tough, but God got me through. What I did is did not go on any social sites and didn't text for a week as part of my new year's resolution. I'm addicted to it at an unhealthy level. I never realized that until the end of the fast. I also am not a Christian. I'm not afraid to admit that. I USED TO, before the fast, listen to mainly mainstream music. There is nothing wrong with mainstream music, just when you listen to it more than Christian music, there is. I also never read the Bible, unless I was in Church. Which is 30 minutes on a Sunday morning. That is not enough. In fact, you should spend at least 30 minutes a day reading it. I feel like this fast changed my life for the better. I am gonna look at life a whole lot different now. I will be texting less and reading the Bible/praying more. If it wasn't for God "making" me do this, I was pretty sure I was headed for hell at the end of my life. Now, I can work on getting to heaven.

Until Next Time,
Alex

Album Review: Fading West by Switchfoot

BREAKING NEWS: The best album of 2014 has released. And only two weeks into the new year! Well, that is actually just my humble opinion and it isn't only because they are my favorite band and I have been waiting for this album for over 2 years. In their 8th studio project, Switchfoot once again reaches new heights and has songs that you will hear everyone at the concert singing along to. I describe their music as "Surfer Indie Rock," which is exactly what it is. I found out about this movie/cd combination in June of 2012 when I went to their concert and there were cameras and Jon said "Tonight we are recording a movie called 'Fading West.'" About a year and a half after it, the soundtrack that accompanies the movie is released. Coming off the best 2 albums of their career ("Hello Hurricane and "Vice Verses"), they had a lot to hold up to. They didn't want to just write "another 3-minute pop song." They wanted to reach new heights and I believe they did that and then some. The 11 songs on the album not only reflect their journey as a band, but their memories of being one of America's most popular bands that travel the world for a living. Ladies and Gentleman, I give you "Fading West."

The album's lead-off track is one of the best I have ever heard. "Love Alone Is Worth the Fight" is about how love is such a touchy subject these days. The title says it all. Love is one of the few things that is truly worth fighting for. That's what the band has always focused on. Jon Foreman, rhythm guitarist, lead singer and main songwriter for the band, has always written about probably every kind of love that their is. The band is so successful because they are full of love. "Who We Are," the album's lead single and is the most personal song about the band's journey on the record. At the beginning of their career, they were told a lot that they would never make it far, which is what made them so popular. They even state that the band has came farther than they ever expected.

"When We Come Alive" is basically Jon reflecting on how surprised and excited he is that Switchfoot became so popular. He even states in the film that he never in a million years thought they would release eight full-length studio albums. When they come alive, they light the sky. Being a musician is one of the hardest careers out there, since you are away from your family for most of the year. The fourth track on the album, "Say It Like You Mean It," is my favorite. I love the beginning bass riff. This is the song about people criticizing the band and saying that they would never make it. They didn't believe those words, even if the person saying it said it like they meant it. They took those words and never gave up. In fact, they turned it into eight full length albums.

"The World You Want" features a little snippet of them singing in Bali. The song has very similar lyrics as their 2004 hit "This Is Your Life." Everyday that you live, you make the world that you are living in. Your choices, your actions make the world around you. Who you choose as friends, what you do, etc. For Switchfoot, their music makes their world and if I were them, I would enjoy every minute of it. "Slipping Away" is another reflection of Jon's of how all of Switchfoot's success feels like a dream. He never quit and he and Switchfoot deserves every bit of success they have gotten. They have gone through hell, but survived because of their perseverance.

"BA55" is the longest song on the album, yet has the least lyrics. It's almost like a worship song. In the song, Jon writes on how he wants and believes that God is the fire that can burn him clean of all his mistakes. He is telling God to take his soul in the song because, without God, they would be nowhere near where they are today. "Let It Out" is another one of my favorites on the album. When Switchfoot first started out, all their members were in high school. They were really scared to sing in front of everyone and were scared that they would never be successful. They then realized that life is short and sometimes you got to step out of your comfort zone if you want to be a successful person in life.

"All Or Nothing At All" is basically Jon's song to Switchfoot's fans. They are the reason they kept fighting. It is probably what he told himself even in Switchfoot's darkest times. He wants to have it all or nothing. If you have nothing, then whatever are you going to ever make of yourself? Being from a city that is an ocean city and spending most of their off time in the ocean, there was no doubt you would hear one or two songs that relate to water. "Saltwater Heart" is just that. This is Swichfoot's song to their home city and state of San Diego (where I was also born and lived in for a total of about 10 years of my life). It is the city where all their career started and it will most likely be the place of their final concert (God forbid that ever happens though). "Back To the Beginning" is the perfect way to end the album. First of all, because i will go back to the beginning of the album several times over. But it reflects on, again, how successful they have become. Sometimes Jon wants to just go back to the beginning of the band's career and trying to remember how it felt.

Well, this album makes me completely speechless. It is so good and is perfect in so many ways. I mean, it's Switchfoot for Pete's sake. Like most of Switchfoot's albums, "Fading West" has such a summery sound. That being said, even though I listen to them year-round, Switchfoot is always perfect in the middle of July on the way to the beach. That is very true, considering all of the band members are just about on the professional level of surfing. I can say one thing to you, if you like indie or Switchfoot, you will not be disappointed. They just keep getting better with every release. Cheers to the best album of 2014.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Purchase Links: iTunes, Amazon MP3

Top 3 Songs: "When We Come Alive," "Let It Go," "Say It Like You Mean It"

For Fans Of: They are Switchfoot. If you are reading this, you probably know who they are. If you don't, go listen and fall in love.

My 5 Favorite Tiffany Alvord Covers

Well hello y'all! Two posts in one week? I absolutely had to. So, I have been listening to Tiffany Alvord for about four years now. She is one of my favorite artists because I love how she puts her own spin on popular songs. She has become a big reason why I started writing songs. I also think she is one of the prettiest girls alive, but that doesn't relate to this lol. Let me say, though, I do love a good cover so its awesome that she does it all herself. She isn't signed to any record label, so she does most of it herself. If you can work hard like her, I promise you will achieve your dreams. So here, I'm honoring her with my five favorite covers of all time. And why I like them so much.

5. Blurred Lines
I LOVE her remake of the original song. I honestly think she did it A LOT better than #THICKE. #TIFFANY for life.




4. Kissed You (Goodnight)
Tiffany is actually the reason I found this song in the first place. Its one of my favorite country ballads of all time and I love her pop version of it.



3. Both of Us
Okay. I like girls that can sing. But if you can rap AND sing. That is so awesome. Its called talent because not many girls can do both.



2. Sweeter Than Fiction
Want me to be honest here? She did better than Taylor. I love Taylor and I love this song, but Tiffany just remade it in a way that was just pure perfection



1. It's A Small World
I thought this song was corny by itself. But holy crap, Tiffany. MAD props to her for making a corny song sound cool. Which has honestly never ever been done till this.

Runner-Up: Kiss You
I DID not plan on a runner up, but I forgot how amazing this one was. Better than 1D for sure.





So there you have it! My 5 fave Tiffany covers. What are yours? Comment below :)

Until Next Time, Alex

My Top 5 Moments of 2013

Hey guys! I'm just saying that cause idk if people even read this lol. Well sorry I slacked last week. Was busy with Christmas and all haha. Well tomorrow is the final day of 2013. How is that even possible? This was the best year of my life and I just wish I could relive it over and over. I graduated High School and started college. Stuff like that so in this post I'm gonna list my top 5 moments from 2013 so be ready...

5. Meeting Mac Powell (Lead Singer of Third Day)

Yes, I did not get to talk to him much, but he is one of the nicest and most collected people I have ever met. On stage or listening to his music you would never guess, but in the 30 seconds I got to talk to him, he seemed quiet and shy haha. I've actually met a lot of artists that are like this. They are crazy and fun while performing live, but when you talk to them in person, they are quiet. In my opinion, its better that way because they aren't all braggy about how popular they are. I like that.

4. Getting My First Tattoo

Well, let me tell you, I wanted to get one this year, but honestly never thought I would get one. The ONLY reason I have one is because I won a $100 gift card from Devoted Ink in Temecula, California and I think I will go there whenever I have money for a second tat. They did an amazing job and their rates are pretty good. If you live in the Lake Elsinore area, I HIGHLY suggest going their. Rob and Matt are the two tattooists there and I linked to the site so you can see some of their work. They even just hired a new piercer if you want any new piercings.

3. Working At the Fair

Let me say, it was so fun to work at a fair and is truly a unique experience and I think everyone should try it out because, not only is it fun, it is also a really good place to gain work experience. One of my favorite parts about working there was (of course knowing me) was meeting new friends. Most of the people I worked around were really cool people and I loved having conversations with them. The other awesome part about working there was all the bands/artists I got to see live. Which leads right into the next favorite part of 2013.

2. Seeing Train Live

 Now this was always one of my dreams and when I found out that I could do it for only $19, I couldn't refuse. I'm glad I paid that money because these days, you really can't see a mainstream artist for that much, and I was pretty close for that cheap. AND it was the best band I have ever seen live, so it was just perfect, considering they also played a 2-hour set, including some old favorites like "Meet Virginia" and my personal favorite "Drops of Jupiter." I highly suggest seeing them live if you ever get a chance.

1. GradNite at Disneyland

Ever since I found out Disneyland did this (which was about 7th grade) I have looked forward to it. Back then, I would have never guessed that I would be going to it with a bunch of people I never met until that actual night. And never did I think that I would have the best night of my life with them either. There were dance parties (which I loved), exclusive merch, exclusive World of Color, etc. It was all amazing. One of my favorite parts was getting to know all of them and going on all the rides with them. Another awesome part was ending the night at Ihop and getting Tiramisu pancakes.

2013 was the best year of my life and those 5 favorite parts doesn't even shed a light on how awesome a year it was. God put made it such an awesome year because He felt it was a good time for me to have a good year, and I'm glad. I made more friends than I thought possible too, which was really humbling. I hope you all had a good 2013, too and may God bless your 2014.

Until Next Time, Alex