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Six Things You HAVE to Know About Matt & Kim

With their one-of-a-kind synth and drum beats, and shows that are more like dance parties, self proclaimed dance punk duo Matt and Kim are taking the nation by storm.

After releasing their self-titled album, Matt and Kim, in 2006, and their latest, Grand, in January, they have already won a VMA for breakthrough video and performed in venues all over the country.

I got to chat with keyboardist/vocalist Matt Johnson before the band’s concert at the University of Maryland (Go Terps!). Here are six things you just have to know about them…

1. When Matt and Kim started in 2004, they didn’t even know how to play their instruments. Now, they write all their music. But their creative process is one of a kind.

“Lyrics are so hard—definitely the hardest part of writing a song. Kim will write down sentences about what’s going on around her or whatever the song makes her think of--sentences that have nothing to do with each other. Then I’ll go through those sentences and pick ones that mean something to me and start putting those together, filling in the blanks, and adding rhyming words. At the end, the song will have written itself.”

2. They’re all for going after your passions.

“My parents told me I had no choice about college, but I could go for whatever I wanted to do. I went to college at Pratt for film. The band we did and still do because we [love] it. It never felt like work, but somehow it is by far the most profitable thing I’ve ever done. We do shows because we think they will be fun to play, not because we think we’ll make the most money. Making those decisions and just continuing with what you do because you want to do it, at least for us, turned out really well. I would never say play it safe [in life]. Go with what you love.”

3. Matt thought up the ideas for their “Lessons Learned” video and their Brooklyn Bridge photo.

“I love coming up with clever, creative ideas and bringing them to life. [“Lessons Learned”] is about when everything is gone, you hit the bottom, and then all of a sudden you’re totally free. You just don’t care anymore. In the end, we [won] that breakthrough video VMA award, and I [was] like, “Kim, now you have to listen to me and any of my stupid ideas!” With [our] Brooklyn bridge promo shot, I thought of when parents tell their kids, “If all your friends were jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you, too?” So I thought, let’s have Matt and Kim jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge.”

4. They weren’t expecting a VMA.

“We never expect anything. We just do stuff and see what happens. I’m still waiting for Kanye West to show up. I believe in ideas Kim and I have so, in that sense, I always hope for the best. But you never know.”

5. They love watching TV in their free time…wait, what free time?

“Sometimes, when we need to chill out, Kim and I have a group of television shows we like to watch like 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Lost, Flash Forward. If you ever have a rainy four hours when you want to get online and watch all the episodes, I highly suggest it.”

6. They love that their music doesn’t really fit a genre.

“I like that a lot of boundaries are getting blurred. The types of songs I love most are like the Gnarles Barkley song “Crazy” because it’s totally genre-less. You can hear it at the grocery store, or in the club. A little kid could like it, or someone’s grandparents could. [It’s hard to describe our sound]. If people want to go out and have fun, then Matt and Kim make sense.”

Thanks for an amazing concert, Matt and Kim!

Are you a Matt and Kim fan? What’s your favorite song? Blog about it, babes.

By: Kristen Yeung

BY JIAE K. ON 11/13/2009 10:57:00 AM 23 COMMENTS

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Keeping up with the hot young talent of Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing (N.B.T.) (Check out what N.B.T. is all about)? Us, too!

And as many of you know, a new crop of singers (yes, that’s plural) are being show- cased this week.

Meet…Kropp Circle

Featured: Nov. 4-Nov. 17

This band of brothers mean business. Hailing from Nevada, Sebastian, 17, (lead guitarist and pianist), Remington, 15, (lead vocals and pianist) and Emerson, 13, (drums and background vocals), discovered their passion for music at an early age, and write songs about life from their young point of view. Clever, right?

Listen to a clip of Kropp Circle’s single “Fade Away” now!

Catch exclusive videos and photos of the gang—and cast your own votes—on RadioDisney.com. PLUS, show the boys some love by texting “NBT” to DISNEY (347639) (note message & data rates may apply so get your parent's permission first).

Get the 411 on the other N.B.T. artists featured in the weeks before Kropp Circle.

Which artist are you routing for? Blog about it, babes.

By: Patricia McNamara

Photo Credit: Disney Channel

BY JIAE K. ON 11/11/2009 11:13:00 AM 18 COMMENTS

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Labeling the band Flyleaf as a super successful group could be an inch short of what they have achieved with only their self-titled debut. Spending weeks on the Billboard 200 and going gold, as well as platinum, the band is finally back and ready to do it again.

Overflowing with raw emotions and hard rock beats, it seems as if vocalist Lacey, guitarists Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann, bassist Pat Seals and drummer James Culpepper have perfected their undeniable talent for music.

Flyleaf has spent their time performing for the U.S. troops in numerous combat zones across Afghanistan. But the Texas based rockers have returned to the States with their second album, Memento Mori (in stores Tuesday, Nov. 10).

Their first single, "Again," is already receiving reviews about the powerful lyrics and its ability to move listeners. The song is about accepting painful memories and growing from them.

The search for identity is a huge part of any teenagers' life, and Flyleaf packages the whole experience into one nice, catchy tune in our fave track, "Missing." With the official music video already released, you can't help but put this song on repeat and sing along, "something's missing in me, I found it deep within me."

Watch the music video for their single “Again” available on iTunes now!

Be sure to check out Memento Mori starting Nov. 10, then let us know your favorite track.

Are you a Flyleaf fan? Blog about it, babes.

By: Emily Jang

Photo Credit: Mark Holthusen

BY JIAE K. ON 11/8/2009 7:00:00 AM 30 COMMENTS

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Take off with A Rocket To The Moon

Named one of the "100 Bands You Need To Know," by Alternative Press, fans of The Maine and The Academy Is, get ready for A Rocket To The Moon.

The fairly new band has released their debut album, On Your Side (in stores now). Produced by Matt Squire, who has also worked with bands like Panic! At The Disco, the CD's pop-rock vibe is well on its way to the top of the charts!

Vocalist and guitarist Nick Santino, guitarist Justin Richards, bassist Eric Halvorsen and drummer Andrew Cook definitely know how to make a girl go head over heels. Track number seven, "Like We Used To," sweetly reads lyrics such as, "will he love you like I loved you?"

Compared to many chart-topping bands, ARTTM's music is the kind you just can't turn off. "Mr. Right," the second song on the album and one of our personal faves, tells the story of a love triangle. The simple piano melody is accompanied by the rest of the band, making it a total delight.

Wanna catch the guys in real life? A Rocket To The Moon is currently on the road with some musical heavyweights like Cobra Starship and Boys Like Girls. Catch some of their radio worthy hits, as well as a complete list of cities their heading towards next at myspace.com/arockettothemoon.

Are you a fan of the band? Blog about it, babes.

By: Emily Jang

Photo Credit: Eric Ryan Anderson

BY JIAE K. ON 11/3/2009 10:24:00 AM 24 COMMENTS

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