I came home today completely exhausted, and what better way to get myself back up and running than a catchy pop punk rock tune that gets you jumping and feeling good? Canadian Band Marianas Trench give me just the opportunity! There is an interesting story behind their name – when the band was caught up in bad weather over the Mariana Trench, they decided if they made it out, they would call the band “Marianas Trench” – fortunately they did! Their debut album released last year, “Fix Me” has had three top 20 records in Canada, and one that hit the US Hot 100. And one of those, was “Decided to Break it”:
For today’s post we’re revisiting the previously featured band Monoral – and to the reason why it was featured in the first place – the first song I heard by them, and the song that, with good reason, pushed them to public appraisal and international recognition. A 1 minute 30 second version of “Kiri” was used as the opening theme tune to the sci-fi/psychological anime show “Ergo Proxy” and from its feature starting in the second episode, fans desperately clamored for the song. As one of said fans, I can tell you I listened to it over and over again as soon as it was mine! Their recent album released earlier this summer, “Turbulence”, featured the track and was used as their opening for their live performance for the celebration of the new album. If you’ve liked what you’ve heard on Something Chewie so far, I can guarantee you’ll love this:
As an “indie rock” band, Copeland you might expect Copeland to have a hard time fighting for notoriety in the music scene, yet worry not for it – the band, formed in 2000 by Aaron Marsh, Bryan Laurenson and Jonathan Bucklew, have a fairly unique style that keeps them nice in the middle of catchy tunes and interesting features. Today’s song comes from their latest album, released October 31st last year, entitled “Eat, Sleep, Repeat”. If you think life is monotonous, at least the title is going for you! The track, “Careful Now”, is both a mellow and powerful track, and a nice combination at that:
Short post today, because I’m running late – but there won’t be any skimping out of the quality music. Today we have Bell X1, an indie rock band from Ireland (and Irish bands are never featured nearly enough!) who have been about since 1999. They’ve had several albums, but finally struck it big with 2005’s “Flock” which hit number 1 in the Irish Charts and garnered excellent reviews from the UK press. This is the second track of the awesome album, called “Flame”:
Although Wikipedia describes them as indie rock, there’s much more to Danish band Mew than that basic generalisation (another reason why genres suck!) – there’s a brilliant, and very different, approach to Mew’s music which, coupled with the awesome high-pitched voice of Jonas Bjerre, makes for great listening. This track is my favourite from their 2003 album, “Frengers” – which as the band describes is a portmanteau of the words “friend” and “stranger” or someone who is “not quite a friend but not quite a stranger”. Take a listen to “Snow Brigade” by Mew:
The Servant, we’ve seen them before here on Something Chewie, but here’s something that you’ll appreciate is different from our last featured track. Personally, I feel there are three different feels to The Servant – there’s the traditional, whacky, what-the-hell-is-going-on music featured mostly in their debut album, “The Servant” and their two earlier EPs (one, “Mathematics” is where today’s track comes from); then there’s the “Cells” feel – when I show people that track and then introduce them to their other tracks, they’re freaked out; finally there’s the feel of their new album, “How to Destroy a Relationship”, which I think you’ll find is easy to argue follows more in the popular indie feel (although with slight hints of their previous style). Personally, I’m a fan of all three – but the first – the whacked-out – is my definite fave. So, in that case: here’s “Dripping on your Maths”:
Grandaddy, until last year, were an indie rock band from California who were known for their more experimental electronic sound in their music. Eventually in early 2006, they decided to split up the band – partly due to sticking to their plan to not release on major labels or play at typical Ticketmaster gigs. Still, since 1992, they’ve put out a bunch of great songs – with incredibly strange topics – from robots to wildlife, all featuring their typical indie/folky/rocky stylings. Today’s particular track was taken from their 2005 EP, “Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zilla”, and maybe the album title might help you set the mood. Enjoy “Pull the Curtains”:
Members of the band Convey have been playing together ever since their time together in Elementary school – two years ago they got together to form their band. They describe their music as alternative progressive rock, “whose melodies, riffs, rhythms and lyrics derive from a free-flowing and metaphysical place”. It might sound a bit of a farce description, but the music is good – this high school band could definitely go somewhere, something worth watching! This is their first track of their eponymous EP, namely “Chalkboard”:
Everclear, pet project of Art Alexakis (with his awesome alliterating name) has, since 1992, pumped out a stream of heavy, grungy rock – and made the US charts on several occasions. Sometimes they’ve been in the public eye for less than great reasons. The band, originally consisting of Art, Craig Montoya and Greg Eklund, were signed to a major record label with several big releases, but demand died out after several albums. That wasn’t to say the musical talent was drying up, as some of the tracks on today’s album, “Slow Motion Daydream”, exemplify. After the album the band split up – since then Art has reborn Everclear with new members and released an album in 2006, “Welcome to the Drama”. Today’s track is “A Beautiful Life”, which is a (some might say cheesy) favourite of mine:
Another band that comes its way from recommendations by my friend David (so soon!), Matchbox Twenty are pretty gorram big! 39 million album sales worldwide backs that one up! Yet we haven’t heard them much in the UK, breaking into the Top 40 only once back in 1997, way too long ago for me to remember. Yet you can’t deny their alternative rock stylings are just plain awesome – its no wonder the band has so many sales. Today’s track is taken from their latest, and smallest-selling (but still 7 million) album, “More Than You Think You Are”. I really enjoy the ending of the song, which is really powerful and enjoyable. And hopefully you’ll like it too – here’s “Could I Be You”:
I came home today completely exhausted, and what better way to get myself back up and running than a catchy pop punk rock tune that gets you jumping and feeling good? Canadian Band Marianas Trench give me just the opportunity! There is an interesting story behind their name – when the band was caught up in bad weather over the Mariana Trench, they decided if they made it out, they would call the band “Marianas Trench” – fortunately they did! Their debut album released last year, “Fix Me” has had three top 20 records in Canada, and one that hit the US Hot 100. And one of those, was “Decided to Break it”:
For today’s post we’re revisiting the previously featured band 
Short post today, because I’m running late – but there won’t be any skimping out of the quality music. Today we have Bell X1, an indie rock band from Ireland (and Irish bands are never featured nearly enough!) who have been about since 1999. They’ve had several albums, but finally struck it big with 2005’s “Flock” which hit number 1 in the Irish Charts and garnered excellent reviews from the UK press. This is the second track of the awesome album, called “Flame”:
Although Wikipedia 
The Servant, we’ve 
Grandaddy, until last year, were an indie rock band from California who were known for their more experimental electronic sound in their music. Eventually in early 2006, they decided to split up the band – partly due to sticking to their plan to not release on major labels or play at typical Ticketmaster gigs. Still, since 1992, they’ve put out a bunch of great songs – with incredibly strange topics – from robots to wildlife, all featuring their typical indie/folky/rocky stylings. Today’s particular track was taken from their 2005 EP, “Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zilla”, and maybe the album title might help you set the mood. Enjoy “Pull the Curtains”:
Members of the band Convey have been playing together ever since their time together in Elementary school – two years ago they got together to form their band. They describe their music as alternative progressive rock, “whose melodies, riffs, rhythms and lyrics derive from a free-flowing and metaphysical place”. It might sound a bit of a farce description, but the music is good – this high school band could definitely go somewhere, something worth watching! This is their first track of their eponymous EP, namely “Chalkboard”:
Everclear, pet project of Art Alexakis (with his awesome alliterating name) has, since 1992, pumped out a stream of heavy, grungy rock – and made the US charts on several occasions. Sometimes they’ve been in the public eye for less than great reasons. The band, originally consisting of Art, Craig Montoya and Greg Eklund, were signed to a major record label with several big releases, but demand died out after several albums. That wasn’t to say the musical talent was drying up, as some of the tracks on today’s album, “Slow Motion Daydream”, exemplify. After the album the band split up – since then Art has reborn Everclear with new members and released an album in 2006, “Welcome to the Drama”. Today’s track is “A Beautiful Life”, which is a (some might say cheesy) favourite of mine:
