Band Bonding: An Interview with The Cyon Project

Meet The Cyon Project. Hailing from Torino, Italy, TCP regularly mixes heavy rock and classical music in a unique and fascinating way. Their bold sound can draw you in from the first few notes or lyrics, and their latest record, Tales of Pain, promises no less. Released on January 27th, 2015, it is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Matt was lucky enough to get to interview Fabio, Nicola, Mad Mike, and Marco via email and get some insights into the band and this new record.

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No New CCP This Week… But Wait! In Related News: “EPIC PIEcast” Features Matt Storm!

Hello CCP fans! Due to a certain NYC “blizzard” (and we use the term loosely), we were unable to record this week. Fear not though! We’ve rescheduled, and our episode featuring Kita St. Cyr will air a week from today. But that’s not all! Recently, Matt had the honor of being a guest on this month’s EPIC PIEcast hosted by former guests, entrepreneurs, and comrades-in-mics, Schaffer The Darklord, Charles Stunning, and Nelson Lugo. Reversing Matt’s role as CC: Autographs host, he’s in the hot seat this time, first tasked to explain why he started Crash Chords and why he keeps doing it, and finally to discuss… music! Go figure. So go ahead and supplement your analytical withdrawals now with this bizarre and informative listen!

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Before Burton and Elfman, There Was Fleischer and Calloway

When most people are asked to think of cartoon history icons, they’ll most likely conjure up Walt Disney & Mickey Mouse—or, if their memories are a bit shorter, perhaps Warner Brothers & Bugs Bunny. This is not to imply that the work of the final culprits, Max Fleischer and his famous jazz-baby Betty Boop, have gone forgotten, but rather that, like Gimbles, Betamax, and Sega, their limelight was dimmed and finally snuffed out with Fleischer Studios’ abrupt acquisition by Paramount in 1942. Meanwhile, Disney and Warner Brothers went on to dominate the big screen and television, respectively, entrenching themselves firmly in the post-war American consciousness.

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Record Review: Back To Oblivion by Finch

Finch are back after nine years with their brand new full-length record, Back To Oblivion. remember first listening to them back in 2001 when they released their hit single “Letters To You” off What It Is To Burn, thinking this is a band I could really get into. That album, for the most part, was pretty firmly wedged in the pop punk scene, though I felt their sound was a little more raw than most bands in the genre at the time. That was over a decade ago. Lets talk about the now and the new.

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Record Review: At The End of The Day by Erik Neff | Subtle Revitalization  

There is a tendency among critics to dismiss Country Rock as a colander for extracting two timeless themes: love and loss. Often safely entrenched in the soothing tones and crooning warmth of the American heartland, Country is seen as a bit of an old soul clinging to some old but impressive tricks. For one thing, Country has long had the reputation of being an “on the nose” kind of art form; both its strengths and its weaknesses come from being so painfully grounded in the machinations of reality, it sometimes lacks mystique. With such a precedent, “love and loss” may not always pack the same punch… which begs the question: who can breathe new life into the aching hearts of a detail-minded audience with a country soul?

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3 Years Hollow Is Breaking Ground With The Cracks

The band 3 Years Hollow is just breaking into the mainstream rock scene. They have a lot to say, and they refuse to be ignored. They are hitting the scene hard with their debut LP, The Cracks, released through the well-known label, Imagen Records. The album features their singles, “Chemical Ride,” “Hungry”, and “For Life” (feat. Clint Lowery). The band hails from the Quad Cities, Iowa–Illinois, and is made up of lead vocalist, Jose Urquiza, guitarist Tony Reeves, guitarist and vocalist Neil Kuhlman, bassist Dex Digga, and drummer Chris Cushman. Even for a debut, this five-piece rock ensemble can get you going from the first riff.

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Road Review: Sunflower Dead, (HED) P.E., and Powerman 5000

On August 21, 2014, I officially had my face melted by a rock concert. Thanks to the generosity of Mark Young of (HED) P.E., I was given a ticket to see the amazing line-up of Sunflower Dead, (HED) P.E., and Powerman 5000. The show was at B.B. King Blues Club in New York, NY. As a long-time fan of both (HED) P.E. and PM5K, I was pretty excited about this show in the weeks leading up. Then, after conducting interviews with both Mark Young and Spider One for CC: Autographs, I was even more fired up than ever to see both bands live on the same night.

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