So… Do any of you remember that one band from about 10 years back that had that catchy little diddy called “Light and Day”? You know, the one that was used in all those commercials and some movie trailers? The band itself, The Polyphonic Spree, was always mistaken for a cult because they wore white robes in their videos and traveled around in school buses and whatnot. Well anyway, that guy — Tim DeLaughter — started a new band. And apparently, this guy’s just a musical genius. For those who don’t know, he’s also the former frontman for the 90’s psychedelic pop-rock powerhouse Tripping Daisy. (who gave us this awesome gem – feel free to blow the dust off and give it a spin).

DeLaughter teamed up with former Tripping Daisy bandmate Philip Karnats to form Preteen Zenith and record their first album, Rubble Guts & BB Eye, in Karnats’ home studio in Chicago. The record was finished up during a ten-day getaway in a backwoods cabin at the Walshtown Retreat outside of Memphis, Tenn. According to a release by Paradigm, the agency who represents Preteen Zenith, DeLaughter had originally written the album before meeting with Karnats, and it was supposed to morph into either some kind of solo album or maybe a new Polyphonic Spree, but Karnats fell in love with the project and the two built it up together.

Rubble Guts & BB Eye is a record that I really can’t quite put my finger on. I listened to every track multiple times, and some several, like Breathe and Damage Control (featuring Erykah Badu). It’s really just a catchy record that definitely has a vibe that I can’t really describe — it just kept me smiling. But I think that’s the exact impression DeLaughter and Karnats want the album to have on its listeners. The record contains a fair amount of electronic instrumentation, yet avoids the realm of overdone, tacky pop rock. It’s chock-full of melodic guitar leads intertwined with some very, very interesting vocal harmonies and choruses.

Rubble Guts & BB Eye comes out today (May 29) on DeLaughter’s own aptly-named label, Good Records Recordings. The record’s a trip; a good one. So medicate yourself whichever way you see fit, lay back, kick your feet up and enjoy this one.

Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Undecided. If something is holding me back from seeing Snow White and the Huntsman, it’s Kristen Stewart. I can’t stand the girl. However, the surrounding elements of the film really intrigue me, including the alteration of the classic tale and the epic war scenes. Plus, Charlize Theron seems to be having a dastardly time as the wicked queen, and Chris Hemsworth has proven in the role of Thor that he can match brains with brawn, as he takes on the role of the titular huntsman. If anything, I will give the movie a look see on DVD, hoping that my distaste for Stewart doesn’t take away from this tale. –LJF

Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided. Theater. Let’s get the negative out of the way first. Kristen Stewart stinks. She can’t act. She’s awful. She’s going to be the worst part of the movie.

However, I feel there’s going to be so much that overshadows that fact.

Charlize Theron looks amazing…this is perfect casting. The FX work and creature animation reminds me of a Guillermo del Toro film and I am such a fan of his work. Also, let’s talk about the Seven Dwarves, who are barely in the trailer. Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane and the man himself, Nick Frost all play dwarves — that’s a dynamite supporting cast. And the action sequences, totally epic.

I would like to give you more intelligent reasons why I want to see this film but my inner teenager keeps screaming “THIS MOVIE IS GOING TO BE AWESOME.” Sometimes my inner teennager sounds like a drunk Chris Griffin. So there’s that.

Bottom line…sign me up, this movie is going to be awesome. –BB

For Game of Thrones fans who have been clamoring for an epic battle to finally play out on screen, this week’s “Blackwater” did not disappoint. The season’s penultimate episode was easily the most carefully paced, tightly focused hour of the series so far, zeroing in solely on the events in Kings Landing, both within the castle walls and on the front lines, on the evening of the battle.

Due to budgetary restrictions, large battle scenes (such as Robb Stark’s first season victory at the Battle of the Whispering Wood) have up to this point occurred off camera and showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss reportedly had to beg HBO for the extra funds required to bring Blackwater from the page to the screen. Even so, it was still necessary to change some details (here, the action is set at night), but despite the scaling down, the battle still felt epic, particularly the awesome spectacle of the eerie, green explosion against a stark, black sea. Tyrion’s ingenious to plan to greet Stannis’ fleet with just one ship loaded with wildfire serves a spectacular blow to the Baratheon army, destroying numerous ships, knocking out of play would-be Hand and loyal captain, Davos, and sending thousands of men to an awful, fiery death. Even though they’re currently on the winning side, the horrors of the reality of war seem to touch Tyrion, the Hound, and Bronn alike, who all look on in horrified awe at the ensuing carnage, while Joffrey smiles like a sadistic child.

Despite suffering countless casualties, Stannis is undeterred in his pursuit of the throne, joining his remaining men in rowboats bound for the shoreline, no matter what the cost. As the combat shifts from sea to land, the battle loses a bit of its grandeur as, when compared with the terrible, striking beauty of that sea explosion, the night setting obscures a bit of the action on the shore and the fighting is a chaotic, muddled, and bloody mess. There are still some awesomely gory shots, however, like when the Hound cuts a man completely in half and another is decapitated by a rock hurled over the castle walls.

As the fighting progresses, the Lannisters begin to lose the upper hand, as Stannis’ forces are more numerous and better motivated than Joffrey’s subjects. The Hound’s one weakness is revealed as the fires burning around him force him to relive his childhood trauma and the usually unshakeable killing machine walks away, quitting both the battle and the Kingsguard and signing off with the sentiment, “Fuck the king.” Soon after, Joffrey, whose fear becomes more and more apparent as Stannis’ approaches the gates, flees for the safety of his chambers, creating a morale disaster for the Lannister army that forces Tyrion to step up and lead. In yet another great moment for Peter Dinklage, Tyrion gives the troops a rousing speech appealing not to loyalty to their cowardly king or a desire for glory, but to their own self-preservation, to protect their homes and families from being ravaged by a victorious Stannis’ army. “These are brave men knocking on your door,” he shouts. “Let’s go kill them!” It’s a fantastic rallying cry and when he leads his newly motivated men through a secret tunnel to attack Stannis’ army from behind, it seems the tide has turned once again. Tyrion initially displays some impressive battle prowess, at one point cutting a man off at the knees, until he receives a vicious and deep slash to the face and is nearly killed until his squire Podrick plants a spear through his attacker’s head.

Stannis, meanwhile, has climbed the walls and is engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Lannister men and mostly kicking ass, half-decapitating one with a swing of his sword. Just when it seems his victory is assured, however, Tywin Lannister and his army, along with Renly’s former lover, Ser Loras, ride in and secure a Lannister win and a defeated Stannis is unwillingly pulled to retreat by his men.

While the episode’s primary focus was on the battle just outside the city walls, some of the best scenes took place within, as Cercei, Sansa, and the rest of the city’s noblewomen wait out the battle inside Maegor’s Holdfast. Cercei deals with her fears about the potential deadly ramifications of a Stannis victory by planning a suicidal escape plan for herself and Tommen and by getting increasingly drunker as the night continues. Cercei also seems to take pleasure in haranguing Sansa like a bitchy, sorority sister initiating a pledge, forcing the girl to drink with her and alternately belittling her and offering advice on how the world really works. Cercei clearly enjoys shattering Sansa’s illusions and mocking her innocence, smirking as she tells her, “Tears aren’t a woman’s only weapon. The best one is between your legs. Learn how to use it.”

Last season, Sophie Turner’s Sansa was often unlikable, portrayed as little more than a naïve, whiny brat. Turner’s done some great work with the character recently as Sansa struggles with maintaining her inherent goodness in the face of the more cynical realities of the new world around her. I loved the way she subtly called out Joffrey for his cowardice through feigned ignorance when asking whether or not he’d fight in the vanguard. Even better was the scene between Sansa and the battle-shook Hound, who comes to her chambers and offers to bring her home as he leaves Kings Landing. When Sansa fearfully balks at his offer, the Hound admits he’s a killer, but reminds her that so are all the world’s powerful men, including her father and her future sons. When he promises not to hurt her, Sansa reads the sincerity on his horrible, burned face and that one moment seems to have a more profound effect on her than any that’s come before during her time as a Lannister captive. Whereas Cercei portrays the world as a cold and calculating place in which Sansa’s decency is a fatal weakness, the Hound’s actions here portray the world instead as necessarily vicious, but one where occasional sparks of genuine kindness can still be found. Since this season has deviated so much from the source material, I’m not sure how this storyline will play out, but either way, I’m hoping to see more of both Sansa and the Hound next season.

With the focus solely on Kings Landing, many characters were left out of the action and there was no word on Theon, Daenerys, Jon, or Arya in this episode. The choice to ignore those plot threads this week was a good one, as the battle of Blackwater wouldn’t have felt like such a grave and momentous event had it been splintered and interrupted by the goings-on in Winterfell or Qarth. However, that leaves us with a ton of ground to cover in next week’s finale while I’m afraid that might result in some storylines getting short shrift or at least ending on cliffhangers, I can’t wait until next Sunday to see how this very strong sophomore season wraps up.

Pop-Break.com and 95.9 WRAT’s Jersey Rock host, Maria Mar are proud to introduce the first ever Pop-Break.com/Jersey Rock Playlist. Each month Maria Mar will be recapping the bands she’s featuring on her weekly radio program. She’ll be shining a light on, giving thoughts on and making recommendations on the best the Jersey Shore has to offer.

Name: Kid Felix

Based Out Of: Laurel Spring, NJ

They’ve Been Rocking Since: May of 2011

Online Presence: Facebook, Official Website, Twitter
Music Currently Out: EP — Head Above Water

Biggest Show to Date: Bamboozle 2012 on Saturday, May 19th

Upcoming Gigs: working on mini-summer tour after Bamboozle, To be continued.

*My Favorite My Favorite Track: “Class Action Satisfaction,” — it’s compacted with sensual vibes. I love Jake’s vocals, he is so the 2012 Chris Cornell.

Why People should be Jersey Rocking to their music: They are a mix of Kings of Leon, Incubus, and many more. Tight-ass sound, 6 piece that has a stadium-filling sound.
The Band’s Coolest Video: Eye candy ladies!

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Name: Eastbourne
Based Out Of: Long Branch, NJ

They’ve Been Rocking Since: 2011

Online Presence: Facebook, Reverb Nation Page

Music Currently Out: some tracks released, working on EP

Biggest Show to Date: They made it pretty far in The Break Contest for Bamboozle

Upcoming Gigs: May 20th, free show at Jenk’s night club, hosted by yours truly!
My Favorite Track: I love all of their originals, but they do a “Do You Right” 311 cover that gets me every time.

Why People should be Jersey Rocking to their music: These dudes are fun; they don’t take themselves too seriously. Punk rock with some reggae, make you move!
Their Coolest Video:

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Name: The Bad News

Based Out Of: Asbury Park, NJ

They’ve Been Rocking Since: 2012 as a group, all have been musicians their whole lives, in other bands

Online Presence: Facebook 

Music Currently Out: Few tracks, working on material for full length or EP

Biggest Show to Date: Had their first show EVER at The Saint in May!

Upcoming Gigs: TBD


My Favorite Track: “Obscene” 

Why People Should be Jersey Rocking to their music: 80’s looking, 2012 sounding. Motley Crue of 2012, but better. 



Release Date: 6/22/1961

First Saw It: HBO

Plot: A group of commandos must sneak onto a Greek island where the Nazi’s have mounted huge cannons and destroy them. If they fail the mission thousands of marooned British soldiers will be destroyed by an upcoming Nazi attack.

What Drew Me to See It: My Dad had read the book and then seen the movie in theaters when it was first released in ’61 and it was one of his all-time favorite movies. Anytime the movie came on TV he had to watch it. As a kid of 4 or 5, he figured I’d enjoy the movie and he was correct.

Starring: Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala

Before They Were Stars Appearances/Wait What Was That?: I’m not 100% he wasn’t a star in the UK, but there’s a brief appearance from a young Richard Harris in the film. Yes, the original Dumbledore, is a ‘foul mouthed’ pilot who’s exasperated with the multiple attempts the British have made on destroying the guns the Nazis have mounted on the mountainous Greek island of Navarone.

Director: J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear, Death Wish 4)

Why Is Lost?: While this was a major, major film in ’61, especially considering it starred three of Hollywood’s biggest players and a teen idol (Darren); the film is often forgotten in the massive canon of WWII films. People will think of: The Longest Day, The Dirty Dozen, From Here to Eternity, The Great Escape and most recently Saving Private Ryan, The Inglorious Basterds, The Thin Red Line and so many others.

The Best Performance: Gregory Peck as Mallory. Peck displays his vaunted steely reserve, his firey temper and a little seen humorous side. He’s the hero of the film and is perfectly cast as a man, jaded by war, forced into a leadership role,

The Supporting Scene Stealer: David Niven as the fastidious explosives expert Miller. He provides almost non-stop comic relief throughout the film but at the pivotal moment becomes the catalyst for the film’s most dramatic and suspenseful moment.

The Moment to Remember: There are a lot of broad, sweeping action sequences ranging from the crew being tossed about in a small boat during a hurricane to the final assault on the island. However, it’s a moment filled with high tension and high drama that takes the cake. Throughout the film the team has suspected a traitor amongst them. Moments before the team executes their assault on the island, David Niven’s Miller comes in and announces someone has tampered with his explosives. He then brow beats the entire team, outs the traitor and then forces the reluctant Mallory to take charge of things and execute the traitor.

The Memorable Quote: As the group gets on their ‘disguise’ boat to approach Navarone, David Nivens’ Miller has something to say…

Corporal Miller: Sir, I’ve inspected this boat, and I think you ought to know that I can’t swim.

The Groan Moment: There’s a scene where, before the teams levels for their mission, they discover someone listening to their plans at the door. They bust the spy and have him locked up. It’s a not a groan moment…it’s just unnecessary.

Why I Can’t Stop Watching It: It’s epic, it’s full of adventure, it’s got great acting, tons of red blooded action — it’s perfect. Also, the film has a lot of personal connection to the film, it’s something I watched with my Dad probably 100 times. It was our go-to movie and it’ll have a special place in my heart.

Ten years ago, a three day festival in Asbury Park, N.J., known as The Bamboozle festival was born. In 2006, the event moved over to the Meadowlands and took place there for four years. This year, the festival moved back to Asbury Park, which is now the rumored location for next year and possibly for the rest of it’s existence.

Over the last ten years, Bamboozle has turned into a huge festival, hosting a plethora of bands on it’s stages including Taking Back Sunday, Linkin Park, Saves the Day, My Chemical Romance, Snoop Dogg, and more. This past Sunday, May 20, I attended my first Bamboozle in three years and my first Bamboozle in Asbury Park. These are the bands that I saw in order and my thoughts on each of their performances. –Lauren Stern

Bayside:

Seeing Bayside for the first time was a great start to a fantastic day. After being a fan for so long, it’s surprising that I never saw them perform live but I’m happy I got the chance to on Sunday. Bayside is such a great group of guys and their last album Killing Time was absolutely fantastic. I wish they had a longer set, but I’m hoping to catch them again when they play Warped Tour this summer!

The Gaslight Anthem:

The Gaslight Anthem were the main reason I wanted to go on Sunday more than any other day of the festival. For the last few years, I’ve been dying to see them live but never got the chance to until Sunday. Overall, they put on an AMAZING performance and seeing them live was my favorite part of the entire day.

However, I was slightly disappointed in the song choices. I would have loved to see more from their last album American Slang. Don’t get me wrong, the did a great job performing a lot of their older tracks, but it would have been nice to hear more from that album in a live setting.

I am so glad I finally got the opportunity see them live for the first time. I’m looking forward to hearing their new album, which according to singer, Brian Fallon is supposed to release sometime soon. I also hope I get the chance to see them perform live again this year. I’m still crossing my fingers for a New Jersey date on their upcoming tour with Rise Against!

Brand New:

I have to admit I was a little skeptical about seeing Brand New again, especially in a Bamboozle setting. The last time I saw Brand New it was when they performed at the last Bamboozle festival in 2007 and they didn’t exactly put on the best performance. I later found out this stemmed from anger at the Bamboozle Festival for scheduling their set at noon. I totally understand why they were upset, however I was excited to see them and was disappointed in their performance. It’s unfortunate that this experience has caused some hesitation about seeing Brand New live over the last few years, however I totally regret this more than anything. I love Brand New and I will always love Brand New so I’m really glad I was able to give them a second chance on Sunday.

Brand New’s set was everything I expected it to be in terms of song choice. The band played nothing off of Your Favorite Weapon and a mix of songs off of their last three albums Daisy, The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me, and Deja Entendu. I was totally fine with this because they played all of my favorites off of these albums. I loved hearing “Okay, I Believe You But my Tommy Gun Don’t,” “Sink,” “Degausser,” and “Millstone.” Those are some of the best Brand New tracks in my opinion. I’m not one of those Brand New elitists that strictly loves a certain album, so I was very pleased with both their set-list and performance. I definitely will be attending more Brand New shows in the future.

Bon Jovi:

In the days before Bamboozle, I was debating on whether or not to stay for Bon Jovi. But then I thought to myself, when am I ever going to get the chance(or the money) see a live performance from Bon Jovi? So I decided to stick around for his big headlining performance and I’m really happy I did.

I have to admit that I didn’t stay for all of his set but I did enjoy what I was present for. I was happy I didn’t miss the songs I knew and even heard some songs I was unfamiliar with. I now have a greater appreciation for his music and I hope that the people my age that stuck around now have a greater appreciation for him too.

I went to Bamboozle on Sunday not knowing what to expect. I haven’t went in about two or three years and I wasn’t sure how it’d work back in Asbury.

I was pleasantly surprised. The set up was great and it really seemed to help out local businesses. The only real problem was the volume of the main stage. You could hear it throughout most of the festival grounds and it was a bit distracting if you were watching a band on a smaller stage.

The Story So Far

I wasn’t interested in any of the first bands that were playing so I wandered over to the Beach Party Stage for a few songs in DJ Toro’s set. It was pretty much an average mix of club bangers. Half the crowd was into it, the other half was kind of awkwardly standing there. It didn’t seem like the right place or time for the set. I decided it was time to hit up the Ferris wheel.

I saw half of The Story So Far’s set from there, which was pretty cool. I made my way to the pit for the rest of their songs, and it was truly exciting. I’m used to hearing their brand of pop punk played in VFWs, but they had a pretty big sized crowd. It was really raw and energetic and it almost felt like we were back in ’04. I haven’t been that pumped on a new pop punk band in a while. They played all three days of Bamboozle and were getting a lot of recognition. I overheard a lot of kids saying they were a newly converted fan.

After TSSF, I hit the Coke truck for some free drinks. I heard some of Folly from there. I know they’ve got a huge underground following in Jersey, and people may hate me for saying this but I was not a fan. Blending hardcore and ska just isn’t my thing. They left the stage and Bayside was up next. They were great, as expected.

A bit later I saw the Gaslight Anthem on the main stage. I loved seeing them play to such a big crowd. They’re awesome live, but the bass was overbearingly loud compared to the other instruments. All day there were rumors that The Boss would be taking the stage with them, but he didn’t show up sadly.

After Gaslight was one of my favorite bands, Brand New. Their set was loud and heartfelt as expected. Jesse Lacey even managed to talk to us a bit and you could tell they were grateful for the large crowd. It made up for their last Bamboozle performance when they were given a noon set time (Jesse made a jab at them this time around). Their set was heavy on The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me and Daisy and it was super intense. During their last song, “You Won’t Know”, Vin (Accardi, guitar) threw his guitar into the air and let it crash into the stage. He picked it up, attacked the drum set with it, and then started playing percussion along with the Brian (Lane, drums). The song continued during all of this and Jesse joined in the destruction by throwing his guitar into the amps. Half the gear was trashed as Jesse poured his heart out singing the last refrain. It was incredible.

Bon Jovi ended the night, making it the most awkward lineup of all time. My friends and I planned on leaving after the first hit, but we couldn’t get enough. We ended up staying for half the set. Jamming out to “It’s My Life” was the best part of the entire day.

The crowd at the main stage was a funny sight. It was a mix between moms who’ve been waiting all day to see Bon Jovi and Brand New’s crazy fans. It was obvious that everyone had different expectations of crowd etiquette and I felt bad for the families who were not used to the lack of breathing space during shows. There was even a group that set out a blanket in the middle of the crowd. Needless to say, that didn’t last long.

On Friday May 11, the summer 2012 season at The PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J. was kicked off with a supersonic boom as Rob Zombie along with Megadeth and Lacuna Coil rolled into the Garden State.

Photo Credit: Rick Fagan

The set-up for Rob Zombie’s headlining set was shrouded from the audience with a massive screen print of King Kong fending off airplanes while atop the Empire State Building.

Then…the light went down, the King Kong curtain fell to the ground and the audience was presented with a massive set that looked like a futuristic B-movie backlot. Massive video screens adorned the set while a gigantic robotic Frankenstein-esque monster stood in the center of the stage. As the beginning of ‘Jesus Frankenstein’ was being performed by Zombie’s band, the man himself emerged from the metallic monster. Adorned in a full mask, carrying a massive arm piece and a full leather trench coat, Zombie looked like a demonic ringleader.

And then all of a sudden he bellowed…”ALL HAIL…JESUS…FRANKENSTEIN!” And with that Rob Zombie’s one hour plus set kicked into maximum overdrive. The set was a blistering, thunderous amalgam of Zombie’s solo work and a few of his classics from the band that brought him to the dance, White Zombie.

Vocally, Zombie is better than he is on record. The gravel filled growl you’re used to hearing on your iPod becomes a satanic lion’s roar live. And as a showman — Zombie holds the audience in the palm of his hand. Headbanging, strutting and thrashing about stage with the greatest of ease and teeming with panache — it’s a no brainer to make the conclusion that Rob Zombie is one of the most dynamic and charismatic frontmen in heavy metal.

Rob Zombie is a must-see live. Watching him live is an absolute experience, it’s a visual treat with flames, old movie clips, crazy costumes, horror movie characters wandering through the sets — sights you’ll rarely see at any other concert you’ll go to. And musically — Rob Zombie produces some of the grooviest, heaviest and most fun metal you’re going to hear.

For more on Rob Zombie, check out Pop-Break’s interview conducted earlier this month.

SETLIST:

1. Jesus Frankenstein
2. Superbeast
3. Scum of the Earth
4. Living Dead Girl
5. More Human Than Human — White Zombie
6. Black Sunshine — White Zombie
7. Mars Needs Women
8. Demonoid Phenomenon
9. Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)
10. Pussy Liquor
11. Thunder Kiss ’65 –White Zombie song
Encore: Dragula

Chance meetings sometimes have the best outcomes. For the Winnipeg, Canada born group Imaginary Cities, a chance meeting has lead them to form a formidable band beloved by indie rock fans the world over, open for The Pixies and earn a spot on this year’s Lollapalooza.

And just imagine if Rusty Matyas had decided not take the gig mixing sound at the Winnipeg club The Cavern where Marti Sarbit was fronting a Motown-inspired cover band? None of it would’ve ever happened.

Pop-Break’s Bill Bodkin caught up with the band as they came off headlining gigs at The Mercury Lounge in NYC and just about to head out on the road with MeWithoutYou.

Pop-Break: Your website says that the band was born in a club called The Cavern in between sets. Can you talk about the fateful night that you guys came together?

Marti Sarbit: I had a weekly gig singing with a soul cover band and Rusty was doing sound there. After about a year, Rusty approached me and asked if I’d sing on a motown song he’d been writing. I did that and we had so much fun that I eventually asked him if he’d help me make a demo of songs I’d been working on. That’s when we wrote the song Say You. It ended up being a collaboration that we were super excited to continue with.

PB: Within a short period of time Imaginary Cities has won numerous awards, skyrocketed to the top of the Canadian college charts and toured North America with nationally recognized bands. Now hindsight being 20/20, did you have any inkling, when you two first met that this band could something more than just a collaboration? Did you feel there was something magical here, that you could take this project to great heights?

MS: I think I can speak for both of us when I say we had no expectations or insight into what was to come. We were truly just recording for fun and didn’t even consider making it an album until at least a few songs in. I definitely felt that we had something special, but that was merely my own opinion. I didn’t know that others would eventually enjoy our music as well. It’s been a fantastic ride so far.

PB: With the proliferation of indie music out there and so many sites to grab music from these days — why should people be giving a listen to Imaginary Cities?

MS: If they like it I would think that’s reason enough. If not, they shouldn’t force themselves into listening to us. Obviously we’d love for them to like us.

PB: You toured with The Pixies last year — what was the most important thing that you learned from touring with such an iconic band?

MS: I learned so much from the PIXIES tour. For instance, how a real professional tour runs. It was pretty mind-blowing to see how well the crew got along and how hard they work. They treated us so nicely too, when they really didn’t have to.

PB: In what US cities has your music been the most well-received?

MS: It’s really hard to say at this point, since we’ve only done a few shows as a headliner in the US. I remember having an amazing audience response at the Fox Theatre in Detroit when we opened for the PIXIES, Napa was a good one too. Anytime people have positive things to say about our shows in the US is super exciting for us since our album was only released there a month ago.

PB: Say someone reading this interview has never heard your band perform before, but their interest is piqued after reading the piece. If you had to recommend a song for them to listen to first, a song that you feel really defines who you are as a band — what would it be and why?

MS: I’d recommend they listen to the song “Say You.” It’s the first track on our album and it’s the first song we recorded together. I think it really captures our sound by showcasing our soul/pop combo.

PB: You’re going to be hitting the road with Mewithoutyou this summer — what are you looking forward to the most about touring with this renowned band?

MS: It’s always interesting touring with and meeting new bands. It’s like going to summer camp, you never know who you’ll be spending all that time with and you hope that you can all get along. I’ve been watching youtube videos with interviews and performances of MeWithoutYou and they seem like really nice guys so I’m looking forward to getting to know them over the 5 weeks and getting to watch them live.

The duo that brought it all together

PB: Talk about being selected to Lollapalooza. It’s got to a really cool honor to be performing on one of the most important outdoor music festivals of the year. Also, who are you looking forward to seeing perform on the show?

MS: We’re all really stoked to play at Lollapalooza. It’s crazy to even be on the same list as most of the other artists, so I’m definitely going to check out as many as I can. I’m pretty sure Jack White’s the headliner on the same day we play. The Sheepdogs and Florence and The Machine are playing too. Hopefully I’ll get to check them all out.

PB: Going with, what’s your opinion on playing massive festivals. Do you prefer the small, intimate club setting like when you’re headlining the Mercury Lounge in NYC or does it not matter at all?

MS: I guess you could find the positive and negative in both. Festivals are great for exposure, though only if you’re lucky enough to have some buzz around your name…which can be very difficult with so many other bands in the equation. They can be a little overwhelming, but can also be a very exciting atmosphere to be immersed in. Venues, on the other hand, have much more of a comforting factor to them. There’s an excitement in sharing your music with a new city every night and each city always has a venue with it’s own unique character. I’ve always loved the intimate setting because it’s what I’m more used to, but I hope to do more and more festivals in order to get to that same comfort level as in the venues.

PB: What do you have planned for the rest of 2012?

MS: We’ll definitely be touring lots and whenever we have time, Rusty and I go into the studio to work on new songs. We’ve got lots of demos ready for the next album, it’s just a matter of letting Temporary Resident run it’s course first. I’m super excited for this year and can’t wait to see where it takes us.

brent johnson digs up another lost treasure, this week from Kara’s Flowers …

Kara’s Flowers never had a hit single. Nor have the Los Angeles rockers released a piece of music in more than a decade.

Well, technically they haven’t.

Theoretically, you can still hear them on the radio. They even occupy the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 right now.

These days, they’re called Maroon 5, and they storm the charts with their brand of super-sleek, guitar-laced sex-pop.

But in the 1990s, Adam Levine & Co. were a much different band. As Kara’s Flowers, they played crunchy, catchy power-pop that wouldn’t be out of place on a Fountains Of Wayne album.

And yes, you haters of shiny Top 40 pop, they were actually pretty good.

Their only album — 1996′s The Fourth World — had a handful of solid songs: ‘Soap Disco,’ ‘My Ocean Blue’ and an infectious piece of paranoid rock called ‘Myself.’ If it weren’t for Levine’s high-pitched, nasally, white-Stevie Wonder vocals, you’d never guess these were the same musicians that bragged about moving like Jagger 16 years later.

But despite the proliferation of hooky guitar rock that populated the radio in the Clinton era, Kara’s Flowers never took off. And by 2002, a lot had changed. They swapped their name. They added a guitarist. They sprinkled their sound with a little funk and synth. And whereas Fourth World featured sugary love songs about a girl named Jane, Maroon 5′s music was clearly the aftermath: Their first release was an album filled with sleek but angry breakup tunes called Songs About Jane. Finally, they found fame.

Their music, though, was better years ago — when few knew them by any name.

New Jersey is known for many things, but country music is most certainly not one of them. Corey Wagar, however, is trying to change all of that.

After a brief stint in the American Idol competition, Wagar, a Colts Neck native, has been making moves and working with the big boys in Nashville, Tennessee to show the world that New Jersey may not be the heart of country music, but there is such a thing as Jersey twang. Wagar brings a hard edge to the country genre; she is a talented vocalist, creative writer, and a true Jersey girl in attitude. With a combination like that, she is quickly working her way into the hearts of country music fans everywhere.

Corey Wagar’s first album, On the Edge, was released in 2011 with success. Her single, “I Hate My Boyfriend,” has climbed up the Music Row charts to number 32. Her next single, “Take Ya Back” hits the radio waves next month. Fortunately, Wagar found time when she wasn’t writing, recording, or playing with Grammy Award winning musicians like LeAnn Rimes and the Charlie Daniels Band, to sit down with Pop-Break’s Lisa Pikaard. Wagar was more than happy to talk about everything from her favorite weird food combinations to her Idol experiences, what’s it’s like to be a Jersey girl in Tennessee, and how a Jersey girl came to love country music.

Pop-Break: So lets get it out of the way! American Idol. Are you sick of talking about it?

Corey Wagar: People don’t really talk about it with me because I wasn’t one of the big finalists. It was really cool because I had a lot of other things going on during American Idol. I think I was the only person that made it to Hollywood Week that had a single out on the radio while I was there. I released my single in, I think it was September, end of September, and the show didn’t air until December; so while my single was out, it was awesome! It was a great push because people would be like “There’s Corey! She’s on TV!” Then it was like, “Lets play her single and lets talk about it!” It definitely did a lot for me. It wasn’t really for me, as far as making it to the end, but it was a cool experience. I definitely learned a lot from it.

PB: No bad feelings then?

CW: No! For me, I didn’t really have much of a story. It was a stepping stone, just a good experience. It was a last minute thing for me. I wasn’t planning on doing it. It was like, I woke up and there are auditions in two weeks! Oh my god!

PB: What is Hollywood week like? Is it as crazy as they portray it to be?

CW: It’s crazier than they portray it to be. It’s so much within a week that you have no idea what’s going on by the end of the second day. My flight left here at like 5 in the morning. I got there and everyone meets in this room; the process of registering takes probably 15 hours. We didn’t get into bed till 11 and we had to be up at 6 the next day. Between the time change, you don’t even have time to get rid of the jet lag. Right after you make it through the first round, the next night is group night. You have all of that stress! You watch everyone else audition for the judges again. You see them criticize people; you see people fall on their faces. It just builds up so many nerves, sitting there. Then, after that, once you made it through, you go to bed and the next morning they tell you okay today’s group night! Get in your group and start singing. You’re running on no sleep. You get told the songs you’re allowed to do at 8 at night and that they will see you at 6 am in the lobby. My group was up until 5:45 in the morning. We got 15 minutes of sleep, had to shower, get ready. The cameras are on you the entire time. They’re allowed to come into your hotel room so, the girl I was rooming with was in my group. Our group was up the latest so the cameras were on us the entire time asking “Why are you crying?” “Why are you frustrated?” and all we can say is “GO AWAY!” It was a lot of stress but whatever!

Actually what was really cool, the first round, when I was first out in LA, I went in and they put you on stage with 12 other people. Each person stands up and sings, then, after that, they put you in a line and they say step up or not. So then they say “Front line, you stay, back line, you go home.” They got me confused with another girl. Everybody there made it past the first round except me and another girl. They got me confused with somebody else. I walk offstage and my friend starts crying and gives me a hug and then Jennifer Lopez goes “Corey come here! We messed up! You were supposed to go through!” I was like “What?! What are you talking about?” She says, “We got you confused with somebody else. You were really supposed to go through.” I was like “Wait are you serious??” And I got to go and hug them all which didn’t make it on TV at all! I got my five seconds of fame though, got my foot on TV or my curls or something!

PB: So, now you moved down to Nashville to really do country right! What does Nashville think of this Jersey girl transplant in the country world?

CW: It’s so funny. The first time I sit and talk to somebody, they’re like “Where are you from?” I say “Jersey” and they just say- “Country? Really?” That’s the question all the time! They like it when I tell them about how I was raised and I listened to country music and Bruce Springsteen is literally a neighbor. It’s cool. They like it because it’s different. They’re like “Oh my god! You have so much attitude!” When I sit down in writing sessions, that’s when people like it the most because it’s something new for them to write about. When I sit down with co-writers they’re like, “So tell us about Jersey! Let’s write about it.” So it’s something new and definitely different. But I don’t describe myself as a country singer. It’s my own thing. It’s Jersey twang kind of.

PB: There’s a little of that Jersey twang coming out these days! So why country? You say it was the way you were raised. What were you raised listening to?

CW: My dad was in bands his whole life so I would always go onstage and sing with him and he would always have me listening to Kenny Rodgers and all that stuff. But my uncle used to drive us to the beach all the time and he always used to play the Dixie Chicks’ Fly album. When I was in like third grade, that’s when it came out, I was was like, “No! Spice girls! Backstreet Boys!” He forced me to listen to it and I kind of opened up my ears one day and I was like, “This is cool!” and I just started singing it. He was like, “You sound like them! Your voice sounds like them!” So it kind of just happened. I just fell in love with it. Every song tells a story and the harmonies that go on in it, it just is amazing. I love it.

PB: So what kind of music do you listen to these days?

CW: I love Miranda Lambert. Dolly Parton is my favorite old school kind of thing. I literally listen to everything. The entire flight home I was listening to Deep Purple.

PB: Are you going to CMA Fest this year?

CW: Yeah I’m playing a show at the Bridgestone Stage. It’s part of the day so it’s not one of the big night concerts. I’m doing that and I’m having an autograph signing session set up too so it’s going to be a lot of fun to be part of it this year. I went last year because I was in the studio out there. My friend works on Music Row in Nashville but she got called into work so I went to CMA Fest by myself. I was there as a fan last year and it’s cool to be there as an artist this year. Last year I was walking around thinking that this is my dream and I cant wait till the day that I can be here. Now I get to go and be there as an artist and it should be really cool. It’s going to be a weird transition though I guess they’re kind of one and the same in Nashville. The artists are the fans and the fans are the artists.

PB: I’ve noticed that a lot about country music and it seems to have such a good bond. All the artists seem to support each other. Have you felt that since you’ve been down there?

CW: One hundred percent! That’s one of the biggest things, the reason country music is so good and it had the transition from tradition to what it is now. The artists are fans. If you listen to Eric Church’s music, he is referencing everybody! Everybody references the ones that come before them so they are keeping the tradition alive and bringing it back into the music. You hear Miranda Lambert talk about Loretta Lynn so it’s really cool.

PB: Okay, so what is your favorite question you’ve ever been asked in an interview?

CW: I don’t know if I have a favorite but I have a most obscure! For my favorite, I love being asked about songwriting just because that’s a passion and where my heart is at. So if someone asks what a song is about and I get to stand on stage and explain what the song is about and why I wrote it in the first place, I love that. That’s one of the biggest things in Nashville right now, songwriting. You get to really share your stories.

PB: So what was the most obscure?

CW: I think I was in Kansas and we were out on a radio tour and my guitar player and I were at this radio station and this guy was asking us random questions. He asked “What’s the weirdest food combination that you love?” I was like, “I don’t know! I put ketchup on my eggs? What do you want me to say?” After that, he continued to ask me, “What’s the most embarrassing question you’ve been asked on air?” and I didn’t know how to answer that so then he asked my guitar player, “Do you have an embarrassing story about Corey?” I was like “Oh god! Where is this going to go?!” So that was really really strange. What do you even say??

PB: I don’t know! So what song are you most proud of that you’ve been involved in or wrote?

CW: That’s a tough one. I am going to have to look at my album. I am going to have to get back to you. I don’t even know!

PB: Okay! So what shows do you have coming up?

CW: I had LeAnn Rimes [at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank] and then I have Lee Brice on the 23rd [at Joe Pop's on LBI]! Just in Nashville, I’m playing a couple of writers nights and then I have the CMA Bridgestone thing. We just got asked to play June 30th with Dierks Bently at the Stone Pony, which will be awesome on the outdoor stage. They just asked me to co-headline that one! That’s going to be awesome!

PB: And where can people get your songs?

CW: The whole album is up on iTunes. I have free downloads on my website for the last single, “I Hate My Boyfriend.” ITunes, Amazon, CDBaby. You can just go to coreywagar.com. There are links for everything there.

PB: Are you writing anything new for you or anybody else?

CW: My next single comes out June 4 that I just wrote with Cece DuBois and Beau Fuller. The new single is called, “Take Ya Back” and I’ve been writing every single day with different writers. I usually do writing sessions each day. We’re trying to get the next six singles together so they’re ready to go. The big thing in Nashville is co-writes. You just sit down with one or two other writers and record them and end up pitching them to other artists.

PB: Have any of your songs been picked up?

CW: They’ve been pitched but they haven’t been picked up yet. We haven’t really pushed for it just because, when I was writing the record, all of the songs were basically for me. We’re going to work on pitching them but a lot of artists don’t like to record other peoples songs. But, there are artists like Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler who record anything so!

PB: Who do you want to sing your songs aside form you?

CW: Miranda! Just because our music is so similar. We have the same style, voice, and style, the rock country thing. That’d be really cool.

PB: And who would you write a song with if you could write with anybody?

CW: Dolly!

PB: Lastly, figure out what song you’re most proud of!

CW: I mean proud of is different. My favorite songwriting session was the one for “I Hate my Boyfriend” because it was so much fun to write. I wrote it with Preston [Brust] from the LoCash Cowboys. We did a show in Jersey a couple of years ago and we hit it off. So, we got together, he comes in and is like “What up C? How’s your boyfriend?” I’m like, “I hate him!” He’s like, “Alright, well that’s going to be the title of the song that we’re going to write.” I’m like, “Really? What are you talking about?” So that was just the most fun writing session. The song came to us so easily. We literally wrote it in 45 minutes. We just started rapping back and forth, we do this whole beat boxing rapper thing just goofing off, and the lyrics just came to us. And that was the single that went to #32 on the charts!