Living Like Ghosts has made a big but potentially necessary move in its hunt for rock stardom: the jettisoning of two members, including a third guitarist, from its lineup. It would be hard for any band to justify a six-string attack, and the now four-piece group from Detroit is free to roam the country in a much roomier tour van and spread its shiny pop rock tunes to audiences near and far.
Taking a page out of the book of pop-punk veterans such as Saves the Day and fellow Philadelphia natives The Starting Line, The Wonder Years released its second full-length album aptly titled The Upsides January 26 through No Sleep Records.
Last May, Derek Webb announced that his fourth studio album, Stockholm Syndrome, had been deemed too scandalous for release by his label, INO Records.
The history of rock is full of “Eureka!” flashes of brilliance. Chuck Berry had the idea to fuse country with the blues. Bob Dylan took folk music electric. Nikki Sixx realized that the line “I’d say we’ve kicked some ass” could rhyme with “I’d say we’re still kickin’ ass.” For the Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, the big light bulb idea came in 2005: Get huge by thinking small. Write scrappy little Brit-punk tunes about the humdrum town you’re stuck in, the pissy little pubs you can’t get into, the local girls who aren’t desperate enough to dance with you. Give… Read more »
