Tell Someone! The Morning Code to Release New Ep March 1st

Inspired by the kings of 90s rock, The Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead, NYC’s The Morning Code strive for moments of emotional crescendo in their songs and achieve them on their latest EP Tell Someone. The EP, due out March 1st is full of big guitars, big drums, raw emotional energy and intelligent songwriting.

Download the "Silver" mp3

Tell Someone captures The Morning Code’s commitment to emotive melody, deep texture and as front man Ashwin Alexander puts it: “We write music to try and achieve that perfect musical crescendo and climax that [we] also look for in the music [we] listen to.” When listening to the magnetic pull of “Silver”, it’s apparent why one would compare the band’s music to that of Silversun Pickups, but it’s the channeling of The Smashing Pumpkins that mostly infiltrates their music. Driving, propulsive guitar lines around vocals that scale the infinite walls, the band pushes the realm of the music with a guiding light. On “New City”, the constant grind of the guitar paints a darkened sludge that provides an overall booming sound. The Morning Code resides in the enviable place that perfectly balances the power of strong storytelling and a gripping melody.

The Morning Code started out as Ashwin Alexander’s vision. After the release of 2007’s Superhero Complex, Alexander realized that he’d need a full band to complete the vision. Eric Vydel (guitar) and Doug Parsons (drums) joined the lead singer and songwriter to flesh things out for live shows. The band knows that they’ve got what it takes, in talent as work ethic. “It takes a huge amount of dedication and hard work,” notes Alexander; luckily, they obviously possess the essential tools needed in any successful outfit. Tell Someone is evidence of how far The Morning Code has come in three years, here’s to spreading the word.

Tell Someone
Track Listing

1. Silver
2. Primal
3. Mob
4. New City
5. Keep On
6. Who Owns the Truth Click Here to Read More..

Staff Infection: Monster Mash-up

With all of the yellows, oranges, and reds painting the limbs of every tree in the city, it's hard to imagine a scene more beautiful than autumn in Detroit. October is by far, my favorite month of the year. Not only can I take trips to the apple orchard and have an excuse to watch awful B-movie horror films (like the inadvertently hilarious 1986 classic, Chopping Mall), but it's also the only time of the year when it is perfectly acceptable to leave the house dressed as a robot, a zombie, or Ziggy Stardust.

In honor of Frankenstein, the one of the most iconic literary characters of all time (sorry Team Edward fans, it's true!), I've compiled a few of my favorite monster-inspired songs:

Hurricane Bells, "Monsters" from The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

Ryan Adams, "Halloween" from Love is Hell Pt. 1 (Japanese Bonus Edition)

Sloan, "Witch's Wand" from Parallel Play

Andrew Bird, "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" from Noble Beast

The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Stellastarr*, "Prom Zombie" from Civilized

Radiohead, "Subterranean Homesick Alien" from Ok Computer

Stars, "I Died So I Could Haunt You" from The Five Ghosts

David Bowie, "Scary Monsters" from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

Until next time, my little monsters!

Each Monday a different Green Light Go staff member will let you in on what songs have infected their ears for the week, while giving you the opportunity to share in the experience yourself.

This week: Lauren Roberts, Green Light Go Talent Coordinator

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Staff Infection: Radiohead: Real and Imagined Soundtracks

I hope I'm not the only one who's ever experienced this. You're walking, running, biking or driving down the street listening to some music. A song comes on that transports you into the movie that is your life. There's a reason we make this connection. Soundtrack Coordinators work hard to use music to evoke a mood. When we see the movie, the action on screen is inextricably tied to the music we hear. Here's some songs that have provided that extra emotional oomph to some of my favorite real (and imagined) movie soundtracks.

Radiohead, "Black Star" from The Bends, and a super-emo mixed tape from my past.

Feist, "Mushaboom" from (500) Days of Summer Soundtrack



Thomas Newman, "Dead Already" from The American Beauty Soundtrack

"This whole soundtrack got me through my first stint in college. I listened to it over and over while I did my homework or wrote papers.Thanks for that Magna Cum Laude, Tom."

Sufjan Stevens, "Chicago" from Little Miss Sunshine Motion Picture Soundtrack (and about a million "indie" movie trailers)

Frou Frou (featuring Imogen Heap) , "Let Go" from Garden State Soundtrack

Jack Lawrence , "Beyond the Sea" (performed in movie by Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz) from A Life Less Ordinary Motion Picture Soundtrack

"A note that the McGregor/Diaz duet doesn't actually exist on any soundtrack (and believe me, I've looked), so for full enjoyment, rent this lesser known work of Academy Award winner Danny Boyle."

Jace Everett, "Bad Things" from True Blood Original TV Soundtrack

The Shins, "New Slang" from Garden State Motion Picture Soundtrack

Prodigy, "Firestarter" from The Fat of the Land (and the inside of my head)

Each Monday a different Green Light Go staff member will let you in on what songs have infected their ears for the week, while giving you the opportunity to share in the experience yourself.

This week: Kelly Bennett, Green Light Go Publicity Assistant
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NPR and Blender Magazine Catch Ukulele Fever

We knew it was coming. I don’t know how. But we knew. Even at the very early stages of Neutral Uke Hotel, the tiny four-stringed instrument known as the ukulele, was gaining momentum as a “hip” instrument. Now that NUH has a rabid following online, we can only hope that this had added to the popularity of the ukulele that has increased dramatically over the past year.

Blender Magazine recently wrote an article titled “The Ukulele's Unlikely Renaissance.” Writer Conrad Doucette affirmed; “That's right: the humble ukulele has outgrown its nearly provincial roots to become a semi-ubiquitous and fully trendy lead instrument for a growing number of artists looking to distinguish themselves sonically or challenge themselves with an unfamiliar palette. Don't think that the ukulele is back (that is, if it was ever here)? Read on.”



Doucette mentions not only mentions NUH, but also the very unexpected release from Amanda Palmer, formerly of punk-cabaret band The Dresden Dolls. In July she will release an album featuring covers Radiohead songs on the uke. The album is aptly titled Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele. Much of this growth spurt of this now fashionable instrument began with Paul McCartney playing it some 10 years ago and then the ongoing The Beatles Complete on Ukulele project(an inspiration for the Neutral Milk Hotel via uke project Neutral Uke Hotel).

Once thought as a limited instrument primarily used in Hawaiian and Latin music, the majority of people’s knowledge of uke music comes from either Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and the oddly charming 1968 hit Tiny Tim’s “Tip-Toe Through the Tulips” (which was kind of awesome). Dare we say this is a new hipster trend? Well, no because it’s being played by so many diverse kinds of people in so many various styles. Bonus of the stringed instrument: it’s small and easy to transport!

NPR recently ran a feature on the “comeback” of the referring the uke as a “musical underdog.” I don’t know if I’d say it’s a comeback, when it’s only recently that musicians have learned the versatility of playing the ukulele to any genre of music. Scan YouTube for “ukulele” and you’ll be amazed at the viral impact of this new movement. People of all ages are covering songs of all genres from soul, traditional and indie rock. For a new documentary “The Mighty Uke: The Amazing Comeback of a Musical Underdog,” NPR interviewed the filmmakers about the “return” of the ukulele. Documentary director Tony Coleman and producer Margaret Meagher traveled across the country documenting the varying kinds of musicians playing the ukulele. "Initially," Coleman said in the NPR interview, "When we decided to make the documentary, the thing I was interested in was the musical surprise. But I was blown away by the little instrument's power to bring people together." “Coleman also credits Paul McCartney who in 2002 performed a concert in tribute to the late George Harrison — a big ukulele fan. McCartney brought out a ukulele Harrison had given him and sang ‘Something,’” said NPR’s Susan Stamberg. Click Here to Read More..

The Nirvana of Naked Hearts

DOA's Bryan Sanchez once again delves deep into a new Green Light Go release. Sanchez reveals some interesting comparisons for the Naked Hearts' Mass Hysteria. We've heard the alternative and '90s rock labels of Mass Hysteria, which we love, but Sanchez really dug deep into each individual song on the album, discovering something new in each tale.

"In between the sound of slashing guitars – the kind that sound as if they are being shred and are shredding at the same time – is a sweetly decorated chorus that finds singer Noah Wheeler singing, “No one, no one, likes you, like I do.” It’s a rather stunning opening, almost re-calling The xx’s debut from last year, before it turns into a bass-driven groove that then finds singer Amy Cooper echoing, “Like I do…” into a soothing ending. Equally gripping and influentially focused, its ability to latch on is substantially deep. And all of this happens on the proper opening song of Naked Hearts’ debut, Hysteria; it perfectly positions the album and the listener, as an album that will reveal many more shapes and colors to come."

"On the album’s title track, Wheeler’s roots as a jazz bassist shine on what sounds like a unique combination of Radiohead and Nirvana. Here, Wheeler is singing to the support of a looping bass part that conveys the harder side of the latter but the former band shows up all over the guitar’s melody with a terrific 90s angular riff. This all makes a lot of sense with each member nodding to their 90s influence in stride; it especially comes through on “Way I See You,” with its surf-ready bass and nostalgic guitar line."
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No Second Troy talk to Absolute Punk about Led Zeppelin, Kings of Leon and being a giant rabbit

Absolute Punk puts No Second Troy through the musical ringer with their usual bevy of questions, always entertaining and informative.

Among 20 questions AP asks, "Why should people listen to your band?"

"Because we honestly think you'll like it. Not that we're aiming for it, but with three songwriters in the band we think there's something for everyone. also because this new record is not an effort to sound like anyone but ourselves, you're not going to hear a bunch of autotuning, and we hope the songwriting and the lyrics go hand-in-hand in a way fans of both pop and indie rock will relate to." Click Here to Read More..