411Music Presents: What's Rockin' Maine Issue #1
Posted by Ben Czajkowski on 07.18.2008
Sadly, most musicians are never going to have a radio hit or tour the country. However, with massive music sites, artists showcase their works to reach a global audience. In a groundbreaking 411Exclusive, 411Music writers take you inside Maine’s music scene: everything from country, metal, punk, hip hop, and rock. What local acts does Vacationland boast? Read, listen, and voice your opinions.
Maine. Home to sports fishing, Irish-Mexican restaurants, and beautiful vacation homes. Maine starts off this new feature series for 411Music. The music world is vast and chalk-full of talented people that might never see the light of day on a record label or radio. What this feature will do is look at bands/artists/acts from all fifty states, starting with Maine. Each week, we will examine a stat, and the ultimate goal is to work our way through North America, into Europe and the rest of the world, and finally loop back around as a continuous staple for 411Music.
Maine's Notable Musicians: Howie Day, The Killing Moon, Rustic Overtones, Corey Beaulieu (Lead Guitarist, Trivium)...Yeah, there really are not a lot of famous musical folk from "The Pine Tree State."
Here are some bands and artists from Maine that 411Music writers have found worth listening to. And, yes, we even take on country.
This Brunswick foursome has already churned out 3 EPs and has amassed a decent amount of material. The songs are radio-friendly hard rock and are short, yet impactful. The production value could be better, but considering they probably did the recordings on their own dime, it's not bad. The songs are nothing revolutionary, but are solid and to-the-point.
13 Winters is a death metal band that adds doom, thrash, black, and symphonic elements to their sound. The guitar work is great, the keyboards/violins are tastefully done, and the vocals done by Diana Adams are brutal. Not only that, but the vocalist and keyboardist are married, so that's something you don't see everyday in death metal.
This progressive band includes a female vocalist and gothic elements. The band is liked Symphony X or Dream Theater if a chick decided to join the band. The songs are epic in nature, with many time changes and quick drum work. The band does slow it down from time to time in order to slowly build the tension and atmosphere. By Blood Alone just released their debut album, Seas of Blood, last year and have become a huge hit in the underground metal scene in Maine.
Wolfcreek is what you get when some cornfed country motherfuckers decide to pick up guitars and rock their local bar. Unfortunately, it seems like twenty years (yes, twenty years!) later, they're rocking that same bar, only now the lead singer is the former lead singer's son. If you were to pull into any shitkicker bar, this would be the music you would hear. I ain't saying Wolfcreek is good enough to get signed, but they certainly have some talent. Frontman Todd Deming has the right good ol' boy attitude and the guitar players certainly have graduated from the school of Skynyrd. My biggest beef with Wolfcreek is, if they're gonna do this, then why not scrape together some studio money and create some decent demos? Most of their MySpace tracks are dodgy live recordings. You can do that on say, the Alabama cover ("Mountain Music"/"Roll On" - "But the man upstairs was LISTENIN'!") or those grainy YouTube vids, but at least have something that sounds decent to shop around. As is, you can check out Wolfcreek at Maine's best dives and they'll be rocking the shit out of any self-respecting, slightly drunk working man on a Friday night. Extra half point for their badass clothes.
George Thorogood meets Steve Earle, The Reverend Horton Heat
Status:
Indie
Notable Tracks:
"Hanging On", "If I'd Shot Her When I Met Her"
Rating:
4/5
The 411:
Diesel Doug & The Long Haul Truckers have a fairly common sound for the alt-country movement - attitude, respect for country music's traditions and a healthy love for Steve Earle. With song titles like "I'd Like To Quit Drinkin'" (but I live over a bar) and "If I'd Shot Her When I Met Her" (I'd have been outta jail by now), Diesel Doug (aka Scott Link) and the gang come across as a band of funny guys, but the Long Haul Truckers most certainly know their way around a steel guitar and a good shuffle beat. Link himself has one of those whiskey-rough voices with a touch of a smartass smirk that you hear every 15 minutes on stations like XM's "X Country". Still, when he and the band decide to be earnest, like on "Hanging On", they really pull it out. This is a band that sounds like they'd be a blast live. Maybe a good opening slot for an act like Lucero, Reckless Kelly or even Drive-By Truckers would put this band in the proper audience's ears.
I really was not expecting anything from Big Meat Hammer when I stumbled upon their Myspace, but I instantly fell in love with Jordan Kratz Jello Biafra-esque voice. Their songs are about getting fucked up and having a good time, and you know a band knows what a good time is after have had played with GG Allin and the Murderjunkies. They claim to be the oldest punk band in Maine; playing since 1989 and keeping it real.
Grendel's army claims that none of its members know how to play their instruments, and I believe them. I like some tracks because it is fast and heavy, but most of their music sounds like crappy pop/punk you would catch your kid sister listening to.
Afghan Banana Stand is my new favorite Ska band. They are rad, and I'm sure their live shows are a blast. Songs about getting high for Christ, smoking salvia and getting head at Patterson Hill: I am sure everyone can relate to that! They are a blast to listen to so check them out.
When I stumbled across Spose's MySpace page I immediately categorized him as just another WAG dabbling in the hip hop world to impresses colleges buddies and bitches. But Spose astonished me with his lyrical-storytelling, captivating hooks and his instinctive ability to relate to majority of hip hop heads who in one way or another are on mission for drugs, girls, money and liquor, struggling everyday to make ends meet. I don't remember when a song gave me the chills, you know the ones you get when you hear lyrics that you can relate to and have swagger. Spose has high entertainment value and witty hooks, which make for a combustible combo. By the time I finished listening to the tracks on his MySpace page I could stop singing the hook to "Drugs, Girls, Money, and Liquor".
Cross between Lady of Rage and Queen Latifa, with a little more soul
Status:
Endemik Music Label
Notable Tracks:
"Steel Yourself", "Faith Not Fear", "Crush The Rainbow"
Rating:
4.5/5
The 411:
In the highly male dominated world of hip hop, Sontiago stands as a beacon for the next wave of femcees. She is fierce on the mic and has a sharp delivery. Her raw lyrics have the innate ability to take you on an interpretive journey that will have you bobbing your head throughout. Her lyrics have a lot of substance, she writes about what she sees and about her experiences, from politics to social issues to everyday life, the good the bad and the ugly, showing no fear and pulling no punches. A quality that many mainstream hip hop artist are lacking. Touted as one of New England's finest emcees, she was recognized as #13 on URB Magazine's Next 100 up and coming artist of 2007.
Eliza-underground version of Lily Allen; Luch- you atypical underground rapper
Status:
Unsigned
Notable Tracks:
"Lyrically Speaking", Win Lose or Draw", "Too Far To Stop Now"
Rating:
3.5/5
The 411:
In the hip hop world you do not find too many male-female, rap-singing duo's, making Syndicate sort of an anomaly. With Luch's smoothly-chopped lyrical transitions and Eliza's entrancing vocal ability, over original and mellow beats this duo combines to create a smooth hip hop flow. Their optimistic view and relentless spirit is evident in their lyrics. Rhyming and singing about persevering amidst life's many obstacles, they avoid the allure of the mainstream. Although at times their lyrics seem a little lackluster, Eliza's vocals ride the melody very well and Luch's delivery set this duo apart from most hip hop groups in the Northeast.
Pushing Zero listens like gritty Sevendust and feels like a smoother Hinder. Songs like "King Of It All" show that Zero would have a wonderful time crushing Rock Radio opponents. I loved the hard rock solos with the slightest touch of electronic production. The lyrics are meaningful, well-written, and catchy; I found myself easily headbanging with the harder stuff. However, when Pushing Zero isn't pounding out hard rock songs, the vocals of George Skala translate well to a ballad tune or the funky rock jam.
If people like John Mayer and Dave Matthews tickle your fancy, you're going to dig Andy Mead, probably one of the better acoustic rock acts I found in Maine. While his voice isn't as dreamy as Mayer's, it is still quite easy to swallow. Some of his songs, like "Thumbs Up", portray the full vocal abilities of the 20-year-old artist. For you softer rock people who don't like much more than the acoustic guitar and the occasional accompanyment, Mead is an act for you to check out.
Laurie Jones is definitely not new to the music scene, yet I'm willing to bet my next paycheck that you've never heard of her. She has a catalog full of material (three albums), an attitude, and a well-defined vocal and lyrical style. She is heavily touring right now, too; it seems like she does it all. Usually I am not a fan of the folk rock genre, but Jones makes Fionna Apple is an amateur compared to her. This indie singer-songwriter has a beautiful vocal rang that is going to appeal to country lovers as well as fans of chick rock. As I listened to her available music, I pictured her always smiling as she sings; her music just...grins to me (except the song "Give Me A Moment"). The song that really appealed to me was "Overrated". The lyrics are lively; she states that "I tell myself success is overrated/tell myself this race is killing me." I sure hope that's not the case, since Laurie Jones is a very talented, genuine musician.
If the end of the world had an offical spokesperson, it would be the vocalist from Eldemur Krimm. This Portland, Maine, classic/progressive rock band with a flavoring of metal is as dirty as rock can possibly be. I found these guys completely by accident, and the song "Blacklight Cobra" came on, and I was just so confused as to what I was listening to. I thought Jerry Falwell had come back from the dead to open for this group. For those of you who miss that 70s rock with a razor edge, Eldemur Krimm is going to kick your f*cking ass.
Looking for something obscene to pass the time? Grim Horror is going to crack you up from that first verse. My mistake was that I found this band while at work. I couldn't stop laughing, listening to "That Shiny Pipe", a song about masturbating with a vacuum cleaner. The only fault of Grim Horror, at least by my standards, is that he sings at the same annoying high pitch as Adam Sandler, at times. Regardless, Grim Horror is everything that is irreverance, but if this is wrong, I don't ever want to be right again.
