New Artist Alert: The Antics

A New Jersey outfit that has performed at the Stone Pony?! No...it can't be... alas, The Antics are not offspring spawn from a one Jon Bon Jovi/Richie Sambora love affair, but they are in their own right taking over the NJ music scene with one eye on the rest of the world.

The Antics are a fourpiece post-punk/indie rock band who have grown up together jamming in garages and working at fame the hard way whilst laying the foundations to their very own career in music. The band take inspiration from rock-mainstays The Who, The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Doors and describe their sound as, "...a tasty dish of head-knocking beats with fuzzy guitar riffs, propulsive drums and infectious hooks." Well, with my appetite whetted, it's time to find out what all the fuss is about.

'Touch the Sky' kicks off album 'Running Faster' with a raw and steady feel, held together capably by the lead vocals. With a nod to the genre, the arrangements are simple and a little thin but this is what the indie sound is all about. I was a little unsure about the sudden fade-out at the end; coming in at just over two minutes I felt there were a lot more ideas that could have been explored without feeling like the song had to come to a sudden end but it segues into track two on the album easily.

'In the Night' is sitting pretty in the middle, holding fort at the halfway stage of the album. Led by the lead vocals, the guitar sound isn't dissimilar from 'Touch the Sky' but at least the lead guitar explores some lead-lines to develop the sound and maintain interest. The track breaks into these lead-lines at regular occurrences creating a much more musically-interesting arrangement. The chorus is low-impact but suits the style of the track as it grows in intensity, the lead vocals once again leading the charge, as the rhythm section holds everything down steadily whilst the lead guitar delves into solo territory. The sound is far more interesting and well-developed than previous tracks on the album but still has a little 'garageband' tinge to it all; this might be part of the charm of the band and the genre, and who am I to say what the NJ teens are screaming for these days, but I feel that the influences cited by the band all had a lot more to offer musically and I worry that The Antics don't penetrate deeply enough nor do they jump high enough on a middle-of-the-road, and very congested, musical spectrum.

Don't be swayed by my opinions; simplicity is effective and I urge you to make up your own mind. The Antics are attracting critical acclaim in the NJ area and are also donating a track to go towards relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, raising funds for the Red Cross.

You can check out The Antics for yourself on Facebook. Enjoy :)

New Artist Alert: Prospect Hill

When We Were Beautiful are happy to welcome to our list of newly featured artists American-rockers Prospect Hill, a 5-piece hard-rock outfit from Boston. The band, veterans of the 'new-music' scene having been together since 2007, pride themselves on their strong work ethic, and have recently released the hard-hitting album 'Impact' under Carved Records.

Having been available since the end of August, I've had a listen to the album's lead-single 'Come Alive', and it's a real ball-grabbing rocker. The intro is relentless, effortlessly easing into a half-time feel as the verse sidles in, quickly and efficiently. The drums have a lovely grooving feel to them, as harsh guitar noise sits atop the foundations of track, led confidently by a great, classic rock vocal. There's a polished 'Hinder' feel to the track, but with elements of some darker, more underground sounds creeping in to maintain a real rocking edge. The chorus returns to the double-time feel as in the intro, shifting up a gear and taking no prisoners before returning to the driving riff and restoring familiarity. The track takes no shit and gets to the point quickly; there's no space for unnecessary here as the second chorus merges flawlessly into the middle eight and, before you know it, we're going back around again for the final chorus. At just under three and a half minutes, it's probably the perfect radio-ready rock-song, and is only missing a guitar solo in my humble opinion. Otherwise, it's a great rock track that I can't find fault with and, if this is your thing, the song fits as snugly as a favourite old pair of jeans that you've been wearing for years, and you're going to love it.

Be sure to check out Prospect Hill on Facebook to check out photos, live dates, and have a listen to Come Alive and the rest of the album. And if you've really got some time on your hands, delve into the rather lengthy bio to really get a feel of what these guys are all about.