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One of our favorite states for emerging music, Oregon has produced our latest feature – hip-hop artist Taylor Krom. The name of his new record is certainly appropriate – “Freshly Baked”. Taylor says “I hadn't quite found myself with music when making this album so it kind of pointed me the way I needed to go. ‘Freshly Baked’ means Raw and New, Fresh! Straight out the oven.” Give it a sample and read on for all the answers to the XXQ’s.

XXQs: Taylor Krom

PensEyeView.com (PEV):  How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

Taylor Krom (RDO): I believe my music and lyrics are unique compared to other music, with my voice and very original way of thinking.

PEV: Calling Oregon home, what kind of music where you into growing up? Was anyone your main influence?

TK: I grew up listening to all types of music with my Father and siblings. I never really had an influence I just admired every single artist with a passion like nothing I have had before!

PEV: Tell us about your first ever live performance.

TK: I am currently waiting to perform actually, I've just started receiving requests for performances so those will be soon. Very excited.

PEV: What was it like for you when you first started out and making the transition to professional musician?

TK: It was totally different and I was overwhelmed with excitement when I first got into a studio, but I quickly became very comfortable and felt at home making music within a few days!

PEV: Do you remember the first time you thought to yourself – “I am really onto something!”?

There are few entertainers or musicians who can truly call themselves a “story teller” – a learned and perceptive individual responsible for passing along the thoughts, fears and actions of a generation. Ryan David Orr just may be one of those rare sages, judging by his still young career, and his latest record, “Mordred the Quarter Known”. 

The folk singer-songwriter actually borrows from one of the greatest stories of all time for the effort – he explains: “In Arthurian Legend, at least several accounts, Mordred is born out of a sort of sinister involvement. Later, as the legend goes, Mordred comes back to kill Arthur. So for me, Mordred represents the darker more deceitful parts of ourselves that come back to get us if we don’t face them or work to heal them. I also think that in general, people are very unaware of these parts of themselves, and that they are really only aware of a fraction of what they need to heal. So Mordred, the dark part, is only a quarter known.”

 

You’ll find this theme throughout the album, an excellent example of Orr’s entire collection, made up of elements of folk, rock, funk, and indie alternative. Be sure to check out “Mordred the Quarter Known” for yourself. Orr will be touring the west coast later this month, so keep an eye out. There’s much more to get into below, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQ’s.

I feel like it’s been a while since we’ve featured an act from Detroit Rock City… but this new one couldn’t be more appropriate! Detroit natives Alchalant (Alex Matijow, Todd Errion and Chris Hobbs) are taking it to the local scene in fitting punk rock fashion – just dropping a new record last month. If you’re from Michigan and think that you’re familiar with Alchalant… you need make sure you’re paying attention. The current lineup isn’t much older than this new album! Alchalant was actually a solo project that Matijow has been focusing on for over a decade… and Errion and Hobbs are finally rounding it out, coming on board in September. No joke – their first live show together was the CD release party!

You should know a thing or two about Alchalant’s sound as you learn more about the band – their “rock and roll roller coaster” according to Matijow. He continues on about the new record: “There is not a song that sounds the same. Every track has a different style. I am very proud of the record as the sole person responsible from inception all the up handing it off for manufacturing. I think of each of the songs as a different color in the spectrum of Rock music. It takes you different places. It's very spatial… designed to push the boundaries with elements of dance/pop, hardcore, metal, jazz, soft rock, and alternative.” Definitely check it out and look into a show when you’re up north. There’s much more to get into, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQ’s.

“Quirky, folky singer/songwriter” Annalise Emerick truly lives up the reputation of a musical gypsy – raised in Seattle and music capitol Austin, Texas, she moved on to college at another city esteemed for its song writing roots: Nashville, Tennessee. And just this past September, Emerick established herself here on the east coast, moving to Boston “with an acoustic guitar and a cache of catchy melodies” to instantly tackle the coffee house/indie scene in the heart of Massachusetts.  She’s been sharing the word found on her debut EP, “Starry-Eyed”, and people have been listening; the collection hit #9 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart the day of its release, September 20th of last year. Annalise says “’Starry-Eyed’ is my first official project.

Actress Tanna Frederick is busy as hell! Just listen to what the LA native has been up to:

• She’s currently starring in the title role in, “Sylvia” at the Edgemar Center.
• She just signed on to star in the romantic comedy “The ‘M’ Word” with director Henry Jaglom (the man she previously collaborated with on “Hollywood Dreams” and “Just 45 Minutes from Broadway”).
• She works non-stop in ocean conservation, starting a non-profit organization called “Project Save our Surf” (learn more at www.projectsaveoursurf.org).

XXQs: Tanna Frederick

PEV: What was it like for you in the beginning stages of your acting career and trying to make a name for yourself? Any “war stories” from those early years?

TF: It sucked. I was valedictorian of my graduating class in Iowa, and then I couldn't get a job waiting tables. I remember this one time when this old guy got so mad at me because his .50 coffee was lukewarm at Marie Calendars. I had been training for two weeks at that point for $7/hr and begging them to go out on non-union auditions that paid nothing, and that I didn't get anyway. This man was so angry about his coffee that my manager got called over and I was fired. Those were the days I wish I could smoke pot.

PEV has a pop quiz for you readers today: head on over to the FaceBook page for our latest feature, Stratford, Connecticut native Sammy Maximin and sample some of his tunes - especially "Disappear". Good stuff right? Definitely the sounds of a seasoned vet on the scene, you would agree? I know PEV would. So, how many years of experience do you feel Sammy has? Truth be told, Maximin is fresh, just beginning his musical career that no doubt will be growing in leaps and bounds over the next few years. That's just one reason why we're so into the dance music maker (he's also as big a fan of Batman as we are!). 

Sammy just released the song and video for the tune "Disappear", a single that's moving fast. He says of his music, "expect a piece of me on anything I make. Whether its just a beat, an entire song or a music video, you can bet your life that I put my whole heart and soul into it... I like to give the listener something they can relate to whether it be a really intense song or something they can dance to. I never feel completely satisfied with a song unless there is some sort of message or meaning to it." Definitely keep an eye out for Sammy Maximin in the future - one listen to "Disappear" and you'll know why. There's a whole lot more for you to get into, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQ's. 

XXQs: Sammy Maximin

PensEyeView.com (PEV): With style ranges from Hip-hop, R&B, Pop and Dance, how would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

Sammy Maximin (SM): I think the thing that makes me stand out the most from others in my genre is the emotional aspect in my music. I like to give the listener something they can relate to whether it be a really intense song or something they can dance to. I never feel completely satisfied with a song unless there is some sort of message or meaning to it.

PEV: Calling Stratford, Connecticut home, what kind of music  where you into growing up? Was anyone your main influence?

SM: I grew up in a very musical house hold. People like Elvis, Bob Marley, James Brown, and Michael Jackson were constantly being played. Basically from a young age i was exposed to almost every genre of music and this developed my love for it. I would say my biggest influence is Michael Jackson. Ever since I was six years old, he has always been the greatest in my eyes and I can remember saying to my self at such a young age that I want to be just like him.

PEV: Tell us about your first ever live performance.

SM: My first live performance was at a school dance about a year ago. I still consider it one of the greatest nights of my life. Since I go to a boarding school, a known weekend activity would be having a dance. Every year in January, my school has this huge dance called the Blacklight and there are easily over 300 kids that attend. Last year, I asked a teacher if it would be ok if I could perform and he was excited about it and told me definitely go for it. I was nervous the entire week before and I prayed everyday they crowd would love me. When the night came and I went on, it was just incredible. People were excited, girls were screaming, my friends were cheering me on and I knew at that moment that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I remember before I went on my best friend giving me a hug, telling me "I got this" and it brought me to tears a little because I felt so blessed.

I think PEV has found its favorite American Idol of all time – the rocker with a Wrestling Ring Playset complete with “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth – Mr. James Durbin. Sure, there may be countless more seasons of the reality show, but honestly… can it get better than Durbin? The guy loves wrestling, rocks hard and can write a song or two (make sure to check out “Higher Than Heaven” on his latest record). 

We caught James just as he wrapped up his American Idol Tour, a forum where he was able to spread the word about his aforementioned album titled “Memories of A Beautiful Disaster”. Obviously the collection already stands out in our memory of music from American Idol alums due to it’s rock n’ roll flavor, and Durbin elaborated on that fact with us: “Being on American Idol – as much as a great experience it was and I’m grateful for it – you’re basically singing Karaoke. And once you get a good fan base and fans get a good understanding of you, and who you are, they don’t get to see as much of you until your own album. You want to be able to show them, you want to give them something special. And that’s what I wanted to do.” Whether or not you caught the Idol on your television, check out “Memories of A Beautiful Disaster” (not that you need the added motivation, but Mötley Crüe lead guitarist Mick Mars was one of the guys James got to work with on the effort).

Bet you’d never guess where our latest feature performs most often after hearing a little more about him… so here we go:

The answer: Germany. That’s right. His sound picked up there, and he’s been playing there off and on ever since. Want to learn more? Keep reading for the answers below in the XXQ’s.

XXQs: Stan Silver

PensEyeView.com (PEV): What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?

SS: The 1st thing: I hope I will remember the 1st line of the 1st song.

PEV:  What was the underlining inspiration for your music? Where do get your best ideas for songs?

SS:I draw my inspiration from all kinds of situations. Sitting in a bar, riding on a bus or a train and watching people can give you tons of ideas for songs. But of course the daily news, magazines, books and movies are inspiring. A lot of ideas for songs come to me when I'm driving in my car.

PEV: Tell us about your latest release. What can fans expect from this work?

SS: Besides working on a new CD I released my first album "Higher Ground" in 2008. The latest release is my song "Time to be Free" via a video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVF05i2Hx-4 and has already had over 113000 views. That makes me really proud and blows my mind to know so many people have listened to my music. Awesome! And of course it will be on the new album which I plan on finishing early 2012. My fans can expect a CD with a whole bunch of great tunes. At least that's the plan. There's gonna be some country songs but also tunes that are not straight ahead country on the album.

PEV: Describe the kind of mindset you had to be in to create this album?

SS: After watching a report on Sioux Indians and the conditions in the reservation in South Dakota is what got me going on "Time to be Free". But the song is not only about the freedom that was taken from the Native Americans but the need for all people to be free. The subject of course is way too complex for it to be discussed in a few sentences.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about Stan Silver?

SS: That he jumped out of a plane to go skydiving!

PEV: Was there a certain point in your life when you knew you wanted music to be a large part of your life, if not the biggest part?

Today we bring to you Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mark Yodice’s latest project under the stage name the june rise, a release titled “…of raging waters”. Yodice has been developing his musical pallet since the age of 13, collecting instrumental influences and working with players and lovers of great music – making his “...of raging waters” a must-listen to collection.

Yodice talks about the project with us: “The record is certainly a bit of an experience, it’s cinematic in scope, and quite dynamic…The june rise is pretty genre non-specific.  It exists to satisfy whatever musical whim I’m experiencing at any given time; for ‘…of raging waters’, for the most part, it’s a fairly enormous sonic palette…I think it’s also very spiritual music, in a very non-overtly spiritual way; I always find music to be a very transcendent phenomenon, both as a listener and as a writer.” Be sure to check out Yodice’s june rise and “…of raging waters” – you can sample it easily at www.facebook.com/thejunerise. The june rise will be playing in NYC and along the entire east coast, so keep an eye out for a live show near you. There’s more to get into, so keep reading for all the answers to the XXQ’s.

XXQs: The June Rise

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

The June Rise is pretty genre non-specific.  It exists to satisfy whatever musical whim I’m experiencing at any given time; for ‘…of raging waters’, for the most part, it’s a fairly enormous sonic palette.  Stylistically, there are elements of the music I was listening to and admiring at the time I was writing these songs –  an amalgamation filtered through my own musical sensibility.  Bartok, Bjork, Juana Molina, African and South American rhythms, Americana and the pop music I’ve heard since I was a kid… I never give a thought to standing out over, under or next to any other band, my own music exists in a sort of personal bubble until it’s on record.  It’s personal, for sure, but there is never any intention to ‘sound different’ than this or that guy.  I think it’s also very spiritual music, in a very non-overtly spiritual way; I always find music to be a very transcendent phenomenon, both as a listener and as a writer.

PEV: Tell us your take on the music scene is like in your hometown and what was it like trying to break into it?

I live in Brooklyn, there’s no shortage of creativity and inspiration here.  It’s quite awe-inspiring.  Breaking into a scene here is a matter of getting out and playing, and there are always venues for any breed of musician.  Before moving here I lived on Long Island, and played often for a while, but I was playing solo guitar at the time. Though LI does have a very supportive music scene, it’s much more limited in terms of what is available to a musician that does not fit squarely into more straight-ahead genres – folk, rock, jazz and such.  It was more challenging to make a musical home there.

New band with a familiar face on PEV for these 48 hours; The Resistance is fresh to our pages – a DC/NOVA-based band that’s impressing more and more folks around the beltway with their take on indie rock. However, we’ve spoken with lead guitarist Gene Sim before. In fact, Gene was once part of the inaugural PensEyeView.com band – our first feature, Black Box Warning. Today, we welcome his band mates Mark Crosnicker, Chris Goodin and Dave Horton, as well as their latest EP, a collection titled “These Old Ghosts”.

XXQs: The Resistance

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

We're a straight-forward Rock band with an honest message. Our song writing and chemistry as a band stands out. We have a broad range of influences which makes for a unique blend in our music.

PEV: Calling DC and Northern, Virginia home, what kind of music where the members of the band into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

Our Dave and myself grew up jamming Rage Against the Machine songs and listening to Tool and Incubus. Over the years I became a big fan of Death Cab for Cutie, Army of me and A Perfect Circle. Dave is heavily influenced by Radiohead and Jeff Buckley.  Gene grew up on SRV, U2 and the grunge era.  My first concert was Rage Against The Machine at the 2000 HFestival at Fed-ex Field. The Stone Temple Pilots also played.   Gene:  Mine was Metallica at the old Spectrum in Philly… the stage was in the shape of a guitar… it was insane!

PEV: Tell us your take on the music scene is like in your hometown and what was it like trying to break into it? 

The D.C./Northern VA can be a tough place to break into. D.C. is a completely different scene from Northern Virginia. There's a handful of good venues for original bands to play in NOVA, but it can be tough to break past the point of inviting friends to shows and making REAL FANS of your music. D.C. is a whole different animal. It's takes a lot to get noticed in this scene.