Halfway To New York - Treading Water (EP Review)

I bought this EP on a toasty Saturday evening in July after an unexpected visit to my local pub where the band Halfway To New York happened to be playing. The group from London write and sing pop/rock music and feeling my foot tap as I stood and listened to their songs played live encouraged me to purchase 'Treading Water'.

Treading Water - The title track of the EP was my favourite song the guys performed. The bridge with the lyrics 'Who's the boss of me, who's the boss of you?' is a simple way to get the crowd singing along, especially after a few beers. I love the concept of the metaphor 'treading water' as I interpret it to mean that he is working hard to keep his relationship afloat and trying to not let it all fall apart, however the couple are staying in the same place and not moving forward and the song is debating whether that's right or not. The chorus is easily loveable and is a great introduction to the rest of the music on the EP.

What A Way To Go - Halfway To New York are story tellers in their music and especially in this track. I really like the bass line and the lead singer, Sam Burkey, has a mature voice that reminds me of Brandon Flowers from The Killers. The first verse is really attention grabbing and I think it's one of few songs where the verse is catchier than the chorus.

Out Of Time - This is my favourite song on the album because it has a brilliant chorus that after one listen I can sing along to. Since purchasing the EP this has been a track I listen play very frequently. The dramatic bridge that builds up to an awesome instrumental is so good live and the soft ending is a fantastic contrasting way to end the song.

We Were Wrong - After three songs it was clear to me that this EP was a great find and the guys of Halfway To New York are fantastic writers. I would say this track is the rockiest due to the heavy electric guitar playing and long notes held in the chorus. If you get a chance to see the band in concert, I am sure you would agree that this song is better live.

Going Home - An obvious final song to play, this mid-tempo song is a kiss goodbye to a wonderful night of music. 'Going Home' was obviously written to please crowds and that it does, with an easy to sway to song and verses that show of Sam's vocals. I think is the best song on the EP in terms of production.

Comment if you check this EP out (its only five pounds!) or happen to run into these guys doing a show like I did and let me know what you think.

Artist Of The Week - Anson Li

Anson Li

I first discovered Anson when he followed me on twitter, usually I am slightly skeptical about listening to random follows on twitter however I am very glad that I gave this one a chance. Anson is an American teen with a huge smile at all times and his influences are the likes of All Time Low and Mayday Parade however his original music has a fresh, pop vibe. He is another artist that 'wows' teenage girls all across Youtube with his covers of artists such as Maroon 5 and Allstar Weekend. Anson is not that well known yet but I love how he still connects with his fans on twitter and his passion for music means he is not going to give up until his songs are being listened to across the globe. My personal favourite song that he wrote himself is 'I Swear'. The track has a basic beat and the beginning reminds me of a slower 'I Like It Like That' by Hot Chelle Rae. I think sometimes less is more with a rhythm and if you're looking for a fun, easy-listening song this is perfect. Much to the annoyance of my family, I have been singing this song around the house all week as it got stuck in my head within minutes of listening to it on Youtube. Anson Li's own songs are available on itunes so check them out!

www.youtube.com/user/ansonofficial

Artist Of The Week - The Cab

The first band/artist I would like to proclaim as 'Artist Of The Week' is the band 'The Cab' from Las Vegas, Nevada. They have had two albums in the past four years and their newest album, Symphony Soldier, is definitely on my list of albums to purchase before you die. Alexander Deleon has an amazing, pure voice which comes naturally to him and sounds just as good live as it does on the album; something many singers in the charts today cannot achieve. My favourite songs of theirs are 'Endlessly', 'Bad', 'Animal' and 'Vegas Skies'. It is hard to think of a band to compare The Cab to because many rock bands have music that can be a bit repetitive and sound the same, but Alex's voice can give their music a depth that many rock songs do not have. Yes, their album includes many tracks to rock out to but even pop or indie lovers, I feel, can enjoy it too. They recently did a co-headlining tour with one of my other favourite bands, The Summer Set, which I hope they can bring to London sometime soon. I thouroghly recomend this band, I have developed a rather large love for them which began the first time I heard the captivating introduction to 'Temporary Bliss' and the extremely addictive chorus to 'La La La Love. So go and check them out, and let me know if you feel the same way.

(Image credit: alternativemusichub.com )