Live Review: Fifteen Fleeting Fire It Up at Maxwell's

A week with Fifteen Fleeting culminated with a blistering set at Maxwell's in Hoboken Saturday night. The band sold out the standing room only venue that also saw the official release of their latest collection of music, "Signals From an Empty Room." The band was explosive in their first appearance at the venue since their debut EP release nearly a year ago. You could feel the energy from the crowd, and Fifteen Fleeting pulled out all the stops in what may have been their most solid live set ever.

Opening with an instrumental jam that led into a newly anointed crowd favorite, "If It's Alright," they sounded tight right out of the gate. They then treated the loyal fans to one of their older tunes "Alive," which rocks about as hard as anything in their catalog and lets singer/guitarist Vinny Belcastro, lead guitarist Dan Rodriguez, bassist Mike Petzinger, and drummer Scott Petzinger show off their hard rock chops dutifully. This was followed by three of their "Signals From an Empty Room" numbers, "This Time," an epic rendition of "The Only," and the bluesy superhero love number "Man of Tomorrow."

Fifteen Fleeting then gave the crowd their first of four amazing covers of the night, with "All Along the Watchtower." This is one they've mastered in more recent shows, that they've managed to give fresh life to. Fifteen Fleeting's rendition plays at the tempo of Bob Dylan's original version, infused with the guitar blitzkrieg of Jimi Hendrix's definitive version, creating F.F.'s stamp on the classic rock tune. "Torn In Two" is another older song from their days as Trust that fits the band naturally and has helped define their musical identity so far; it sounds great on record and explodes even more so in concert.

The loyal crowd was then treated to a sentimental new tune "In Your Arms," which went over well, and brought them into some conversation with the crowd who has been there with them from their beginnings to their career pinnacle thus far, playing 2007's Bamboozle music festival at Giants Stadium. This led nicely into their next cover of "The Middle," by a band they shared the stage with at Bamboozle, Jimmy Eat World.

Singer Vinny Belcastro playfully urged the crowd to take their lighters out during their ballad, "Among a Million." A great surprise addition to this number was the band being joined onstage by Chris Klaus on violin, who also played on the album version. This really showed everyone in the audience that night how far the band has come in such a short period of time; filling up the room, everyone singing along to their songs, and being joined onstage by guest musicians. This also gave the band a different, somewhat fuller sound, with Belcastro manning the acoustic guitar along to Rodriguez's electric.

Their rock n' roll saga "A Just Perspective," is a song I think their audience will appreciate more in time as they listen to the album a few times, but they got the crowd into its mounting buildup and heavy riffs. Following this, Fifteen Fleeting had a pleasant surprise up their sleeves. Their cover of The Beatles' "Come Together," looked to be one of the band's crowning moments onstage in their budding career so far. The band and the crowd were on fire, and they rocked the hell out of the classic fab four number. It also gave ample spotlight to talented six-stringed bassist Mike Petzinger, who sometimes goes unnoticed but never unheard among the shining onstage personas of bandleaders Belcastro and Rodriguez. Where the sometimes underrated George Harrison was known as the "Quiet Beatle," it was fitting that the "Quiet Fleeter" had shone brightly during the Beatles number. They gave the crowd full reign as they let loose the iconic "One and one and one is three..."

"Streetlamp Limelight" followed, widening the eyes of a crowd in awe that this seemingly small time group can still pull off such groundbreaking sounds and studio techniques so seamlessly when playing live. Where Mike Petzinger tore up the Beatles cover his brother, drummer Scott Petzinger took a stranglehold of Fifteen Fleeting's final cover of the night. One might think pouring gasoline and setting fire to such a late 1980's pop number as Madonna's "Like A Prayer" would make about as much sense as a Britney Spears better parenting seminar, but the members of Fifteen Fleeting turned a risky move into an ultimate triumph. They spun "Like a Prayer" into a hard rock opus and Scott Petzinger's drums eluded to such techniques seen on U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday," or Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out."
The final two numbers gave a nice bookend to the evening. "A Little Change" is a song that defined them in their beginnings and could be labeled conductor on the freight train that got them from their humble start to a huge stage at Bamboozle. The band slips into this song like an old pair of jeans and they always make sure the crowd is singing along with them. At the end of this tune, Fifteen Fleeting gives us all a great taste of the talents in this four piece as a musical powerhouse. They've grown confident allowing their highest output of energy and musical freedom which is hard to miss such an intimate venue.

Since it was a night of celebration in the release of their new CD, the band ended it rightfully with the title track, "Signals From An Empty Room." This was an ironic ending, as this room was nowhere near empty and the band could have played all night at this point feeding off their own energy as much as the audience's. Whatever wasn't spent up on their previous 16 numbers, they laid out on the stage for this one. This gave the band a chance to relish the moment once more and if smoking hadn't been banned in New Jersey bars, a match could have set the whole room on fire; that's how explosive this ending was. With a performance that far exceeded the small price of admission, Fifteen Fleeting should be filling a lot more venues very soon as they continue to build a reputation as one of the area's rising rock bands.

As the buzzing crowd poured out to the bar for drinks among the unlucky ones who didn't make it in to the show, a clueless young woman approached me asking if I was there to see Fastball play later on that night. I nearly laughed when I said that I wasn't, and even if I had tickets, why would I? I had just seen the best rock n' roll show west of the Hudson this weekend.

Set List:

1. Intro Jam

2. If It's Alright

3. Alive

4. This Time

5. The Only

6. Man Of Tomorrow

7. All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan Cover)

8. Torn In Two

9. In Your Arms

10. The Middle (Jimmy Eat World Cover)

11. Among a Million (w/guest Chris Klaus-violin)

12. A Just Perspective

13. Come Together (Beatles Cover)

14. Streetlamp Limelight

15. Like a Prayer (Madonna Cover)

16. A Little Change

17. Signals From an Empty Room

Fifteen Fleeting Topics With Fifteen Fleeting:

As part of our week long coverage with New Jersey rockers Fifteen Fleeting, I interviewed the band about their humble beginnings, recording, their influences, and their live shows among other things. Here are Fifteen Fleeting Topics with Fifteen Fleeting:
1. Topic: Meeting Across the River
How did you guys get together as a band?
SCOTT: The band originally started with Vinny and I just jamming on songs Vinny wrote up on the campus of Ramapo College. One thing led to another, things became serious and [we] sought Dan to play guitar (Vinny and Dan met in college) and my brother Mike to play bass, who also went to Ramapo. Everyone met through Ramapo, though I was the only one never to attend Ramapo College. By April 2007, the band’s lineup was complete and played under the name Trust, and later released our debut EP in November 2007.

VINNY: If it wasn't for Ramapo, this band would not exist [laughs]. I began looking to start up a new band in the summer of '06. Scott was the first I approached as I had seen him play a bunch of times in another band and really thought he was a great drummer and an excellent fit for what I had in mind. Then I remembered Dan was an amazingly talented musician/guitarist from one of my classes at Ramapo, so I gave him a couple of songs to listen to and asked him if he was interested in joining Scott and I. Mike completed the lineup in the summer of '07 before we recorded our debut EP.


MIKE: Vinny said it pretty well.

DAN: We met at Ramapo College. I knew Mike since my Freshman year before he picked up a bass. I met vinny pretty late in my college career through a music writing class we had together. First time I met scott, I thought he was mike. They look like twins at first glance!

One day, Vinny approached me to come to a practice/jam session and I decided to come. I was pumped since I have never been apart of a band before. Im so glad he came up to me cause I was real shy about approaching people with music in general.


2. Topic: My Chemical Chemistry
When was the first time you guys really clicked musically whether it was onstage, rehearsing, or in the studio?
SCOTT: When we wrote the song “A Little Change” in my basement. It was the first by-product of the Trust machine. Once we had that song down, we had more idea of what direction the band was going in musically. If our first song written together was different, we could have easily went in a different musical direction.

VINNY: That's hard to say, but I do remember the first time ever Scott, Dan, and myself practiced and Dan started playing along to one of the earlier songs I had written. It just sounded so natural and from inside of himself that I knew right then and there we had something special.

MIKE: I can't speak from the beginning-beginning, but at my first practice, I had only gotten to work on learning the band's 13 or so songs for about 3 days, and there was a show the very next day after that. It seemed to work pretty well at practice and the subsequent show, so after that I felt pretty good about us.

DAN: The first jam we had together I felt something. I knew [Vinny] was super talented from the class as well as hearing his songs on myspace. Mike wasn’t around then but I think as the 4 of us, writing “A Little Change” was a moment when it all just happened. I think the song “The Only” really came about much in the same fashion.

3. Topic: Harsh Times
What was your worst musical moment whether with Fifteen Fleeting or in another band?
SCOTT: Thankfully I don’t have just one “worst” moment. I just have a collection of bad times, all which stem from equipment/instrument failures. When a stick breaks, or a drum head breaks, or something moves out of place, all are recipe for disaster. There’s times when one of these things happen, and just snowball into affecting the whole band and our sound.

VINNY: I've had some bad moments [laughs], but one that always stands out was losing my voice during one of our sets at the Whiskey Bar [in Hoboken, NJ].

MIKE: Didn't have gloves at Bamboozle and it was windy and unseasonably cold. Just a little scary playing bass without a pick, slapping, and tapping with numb hands.

DAN: We have had a lot of weird/strange/annoying/humorous stuff happen on stage. Nothing too terrible – just typical with a regularly gigging band. Vinny had his voice go Mini-mouse in front of 75 ppl in Hoboken for a second. My voice has changed into an 85 year old woman voice with a smoking addiction of 95 years (that’s her entire life plus 10 years- in the womb and her mother smoked). Scott has busted a number of sticks. Mike once did a dipsy doodle I believe. We also played a show in front of no one before in NYC. Literally – no one! There was a bartender and a soundguy and they were in and out during the set. That was rough.

4. Topic: Band Name

Where did your band name come from? How did “Trust” come about, and when you had to change it, why did you change it and how did “Fifteen Fleeting” come about? Part 2 to this question: Regardless of how great or crappy the specific band is, what are some of your favorite historic past and present band names in music?

SCOTT: Part I: I’m sure one of the others can answer this better. But here’s how I look at it. Trust. You can’t get away from Trust. Life is based upon trust. Think about it… Fifteen Fleeting A.K.A. fifteen minutes of fame. Everyone gets a small window of opportunity at fame. It’s whether one is able to realize when that time is, and be able to take advantage of it before it “fleets” away from you. Part II: I don’t think I’ll ever understand band names. It’s all relative. Like All-American Rejects? A bad name turned into a good name. Who would have thought?

VINNY: Trust was a name I had in my head since I was 16. And to me Trust was more of a philosophy than anything else. Everything in life boils down to trust. When we had to change the name, I thought about what we wanted and everyone is supposed to get their 15 minutes of fame. Those 15 minutes don't last, and so I thought of Fifteen Fleeting.

MIKE: Vinny said it pretty well.

DAN: Trust came about when Vinny mentioned it. It struck a meaning with me because it was something I lacked at the time. It was like a sign that I needed to approach things, people, and life differently. We changed it to avoid confusion with other bands named Trust - a la 1980’s band or a brazlian metal band.


Fifteen Fleeting is a carpe diem name saying that when you get your 15 minutes – make the most of it.


I personally view all band names as either not serious or so bad that they're good. There is no such thing as a good band name in my opinion. Aerosmith? What the hell is that? Flaming lips? Ya – okaaay buddy. Counting Crows? Stupid – but theyre counting money all the way to the bank! There's a few good names out there but 99% of them suck. Theyre just names though. Id say the best and most accurate band name is Rage Against the Machine. A close 2nd would be Dick Buttkiss.

5. Topic: Influences
Who are your biggest musical influences past and present?
SCOTT: I pull different influences from different bands. Huge influences on my music as well as my outlook on pursuing music as a career are acts like Saves the Day, The Starting Line, The Early November, etc. These acts came up out of the Jersey/Philly area playing small firehall shows in front of only a few heads, and have ended up being able to tour the world and sell out shows miles away from where they started. It gives me hope and light.

VINNY: I would have to say Silverchair and A Perfect Circle because each album they do is so different and unique, and that shows maturity and progression in songwriting.

MIKE: Bandwise, I think Vinny got that. Individually: Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham, Tim Commerford, Dirk Lance

DAN: I gain the most just by observing whatever is playing at the moment. I have some favorite artists but I really try to pay attention and examine anything that is on at any given time. My influences have changed over the years. I used to be into writing like Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine – heavier rock stuff in general. Then I got into a phase of classical style in high school a la Mozart, Chopin as well as a big acoustic theme (Dave Matthews Band, Dispatch, Guster). Then I got into blues/jazz/shoegaze sounds later on. Right now, I drawing a lot of inspiration from Radiohead, Eric Johnson, John Mayer, Lydia, People in Planes, Guster, Beatles, Hendrix, etc…
6. Topic: High Points
What has been your best moment musically as a band so far?
SCOTT: Each new day is our best moment musically. This band continues to impress with me the fact of how far we’ve came, and how far we still have to go. Sure, moments like Bamboozle will always be great, but as we progress new shows and songs are superceding the past. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

VINNY: Opening up the Bamboozle '08

MIKE: Bamboozle '08.

DAN: Bamboozle '08. To be topped with (hopefully) Bamboozle '09.


7. Topic: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
What has changed the most about the band since you first formed/recorded your EP (as Trust) to now with your stint on Bamboozle, headlining shows, and new album?
SCOTT: Professionalism. We were once a band with nothing on our resume. Now we have 2 records, some big shows, and a bright future; something I feel we have to live up to when you go out each night and play. Having dealings and working along side bands who do it for living makes you not take music and the band for granted. People will not take your band serious if you don’t take your own band serious. We’ve matured quickly in our time.

VINNY: I think we are more recognizable now [laughs]. We have gained a lot of credibility within the past few months, so I think we are just establishing ourselves as a name to be remembered.

MIKE: We're definitely defining our own sound at this point. I feel like you can listen to us and hear a bit of each of our personalities within.

DAN: Confidence. I knew that being in a band with original music, it takes time to gel. And now after nearly 1.5-2 years since day 1 of practice before we were truly a band, I realize that’s a never ending process. However, now, instead of gelling, its about exploring each other's possibilities and potentials. I have so much more confidence in what we each do. Im learning about them and myself each day. As we continue to grow, we’ll continue to take each other to higher levels – and hopefully – never peaking!


8. Topic: Strange Sounds (Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Part Deux)
What, if anything, has changed about the band’s sound and approach since you first formed?
SCOTT: Our sound and approach hasn’t necessarily changed, but more less has settled. It’s like going clothes shopping. We’ve found the right pair of jeans. They fit well.

VINNY: I think our songwriting has been evolving and we are beginning to carve our own sonic niche.

MIKE: I think our songs are getting progressively more diverse.

DAN: I think we’re starting to mess with song structuring a little more now. Also, I know that Mike and myself are deeply into the spacey and atmospheric sounds. I think our direction is that of a double headed dragon in a sense. We want to have the appeal to a wide audience (pop) yet also have a sound that is not typical radio and still tingles your ear. Like I said to the last question, it’s a learning process. Music and people are things that you can always learn more about and from.
9. Topic: Onstage and In Concert
You’re a group who puts a lot of energy and work in onstage. Do you find that it’s necessary when you’re not as accessible as big acts, or do you just enjoy performing, or do you think both aspects come into play?
VINNY: There is nothing like performing, and as far as accessability, I want the crowd to feel as though they are performing with us. They are without a doubt what fuels our live shows.

MIKE: Both, without a doubt.


DAN: I love to play live. I'm so uncoordinated that I need to calm down so I don’t look too stupid! But playing music live is now a show. You have to engage the audience and make them feel a part of the event. We try to do that as much as possible.


10. Topic: Simply the Best
What are some of the best concerts or live performers you’ve ever seen? Is there anything you take a hint from them on that you put into your performances individually in the band?
SCOTT: Watching any major performing artist live is great even if I don’t like the music. Some of these acts have so much equipment, electronics, and instruments going on, it’s cool to see the whole production come together. In the end, it gives me ideas to apply to FF’s live show.

VINNY: The Police at PNC Arts Center in '08 were amazing. There's only three of them, yet they owned that whole stage and put on an amazing performance. And of course I have to say Metallica at Giants Stadium in '03...the one thing I loved about that was James Hetfield's control over the crowd and the show in general. With the point of a finger he had the entire stadium erupting.

MIKE: Return to Forever in NYC, August 8th 2008. Both the music and the energy that band brought that night were unreal. And you could just tell they were just up there having fun. I always like when you can tell the band is enjoying it as much as the fans.

DAN: Just like listening to music – good or bad – you can always learn something. I truly believe that. Same comes to shows. Ive seen some bad shows but always manage to take away something. Maybe it's something not to do but hey – you still learn something. I think the craziest shows I've seen were of Rage Against the Machine. They're insane. Foo Fighters put on a great show. N.E.R.D. put on an AMAZING show. The Roots – probably one of the best shows to see time and time again. They may be the best live act of my generation and maybe throughout…
11. Topic: GOAL!!!!(S)
What are your goals as a band both that you have accomplished already, and ones that you look to accomplish going forward?
SCOTT: Keep progressing. We can’t stop. We won’t stop.

VINNY: The main goal is to get our music in as many ears as possible and to continue to evolve in our songwriting and live performances.

MIKE: Taking names and kicking ass [laughs]. On a serious note, we've accomplished a ton of unbelievable stuff on the local level. The next step is broadening the scope of that success I believe.

DAN: Goal – Never plateau!

12. Topic: Music to Your Ears
What are the greatest albums you’ve ever heard? Give a top 5 either individually, or collectively as a band. Any specific reason those are your favorites?
SCOTT: Too many to name. Let me leave you with best 3 best of 2008:
“The Glass Passenger” by Jack’s Mannequin
“Illuminate” by Lydia
“Fearless” by Taylor Swift

VINNY:
1) Queen- "A Night at the Opera" 2) Pink Floyd- "Dark Side of the Moon"
3) Zakk Wylde- "Book of Shadows"
4) Silverchair- "Neon Ballroom"
5) Pearl Jam- "Ten"

MIKE:
In no particular order:
Led Zepplin II - Led Zepplin
Master of Puppets - Metallica
Origin of Symmetry - Muse
Blackwater Park - Opeth
Kezia - Protest the Hero

DAN:
This is one of those questions that is so simple to ask but impossible to answer. If you put a simple math equation into a super computer, it would end up out-thinking itself and making the question a million times more complicated with variables and constants and s**t…eventually it would blow up. I will say this – Lydia – Illuminate is the best sounding album I've ever heard. That’s me personally. I haven’t heard a better sounding album than that.

13. Topic: In the Beginning…

When did you start playing music? Did you always play the same instrument?

SCOTT: I started playing drums in 4th grade because everyone else was doing it. In the end, I’m the only one left playing now. It’s never good to be a follower, but I’m glad I followed.

VINNY: I started playing guitar when I was fourteen, but I didn't start singing until my freshman year in college...I was always too shy to be in front of the mic.

MIKE:I didn't do a thing involving music 'til I was a senior in high school. Didn't pick up a bass 'til I was a freshman in college, and then I ended up majoring in music.

DAN: I started with the drums as a youngin'. I steal Scott's kit every now and then. I think he gets mad at me but f**k him!! I sold my kit/my dad got a few bucks back for the kit he bought for me around junior year of high school. I picked up the guitar in middle school and haven’t put it down since.

14. Topic: The Things You Do For Music.

What’s the most ridiculous thing(s) you’ve had to do as a band on your journey so far? (Examples: playing a birthday party at a bowling alley, a VFW senior citizen’s dance, or winning a pie eating contest to get a gig)
MIKE: Theres been a lot but I can't think of anything specific....any one else guys?

DAN: Um….the NYC show in front of no one was pretty bad.

15. Topic: Meatloaf.

Meatloaf once sang, “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” If you said “I would do anything for music, but I won’t do that,” what would “that” be in your case? (You could have more than one “that” in this instance)
SCOTT: I would do anything for music, but I won’t NOT do that.

VINNY: I would do anything and everything for our music.

MIKE: Jail time.

DAN: I would not play one of those keyboard guitars and pretend to enjoy it in a live setting. F**k no. I would play a keyboard guitar on stage in a live setting as long as I could show my disdain for the instrument – however, I would not pretend to enjoy it. F**K NO [laughs].

Stay tuned for more coverage!

EXCLUSIVE NEW MUSIC REVIEW: Fifteen Fleeting, "Signals From An Empty Room"

Below is my review of Fifteen Fleeting's latest disc, "Signals From An Empty Room," as part of my week long exclusive coverage of the band from Jersey. The band is playing this Saturday at Maxwell's in Hoboken (located @ 1039 Washington St./http://www.maxwellsnj.com/) which will be the first chance you have to get your hands on the new disc, which is included for free with admission.

Fifteen Fleeting's debut album, "Signals From An Empty Room" is a collection of songs that spreads across musical genres maintaining a focus on some catchy hooks, tight rhythms and aggressive expansion. This is not so much a departure from their debut "Almost Everything" (when the band was still known by their original name, Trust) as it is an exploration and settling into their comforts and strong points as a unit.

The intro and opening title track kick the album off nicely. "Signals From An Empty Room" hits hard, and combines lead singer Vinny Belcastro's refined voice with a fast, repetitive guitar scream that takes me back to Soundgarden's "Pretty Noose" (YouTube that song if you don't know what I'm talking about, once the first chorus comes in) One aspect I like about this song comes down to something as simple as its placement on the track listing. It kicks the album off in a state of confusion and isolation with the subject matter, while at the same time sets up the listener for a nice ride. When the the heavy and unpredictable guitar solo of Dan Rodriguez takes hold of the song, it's the album's first departure from their first EP. They seem to have let themselves free in the studio while maintaining their tight song structure and catchy hooks. This combines an untapped potential not fully reached in their previous recording, and combines it with their existing musical strong points.

"If It's Alright" isn't the band's single, but if they had a single out right now, this should be it. It's the song that will most likely make the fans scream and go wild. The difference here is the catchy as hell on a hot day guitar progression in the chorus that sounds like it came out of Eddie Van Halen's school of rock. It's no surprise this tune has become a regular on their setlists during live shows since it's probably as fun for them to play as it is to listen to. At first glance it seems like a summer romance tune, but don't let the catchy chorus get you, I comprehend the song as a reminiscent tune about life, opportunities, not taking anything for granted and specifically an autobiographical tune about a band on the rise.

"Streetlamp Limelight" is another tune they've polished off in concert, and now utilized the recording studio very well with. This song comes off as almost a sequel or another chapter to the album's title track. The layering of the guitars over Mike Petzinger's six string bass, especially during his solo, gives them all the right to put something sounding as catchy as "If It's Alright" right behind it. They capture a story of a girl yearning for the spotlight, and the song has a nice cinematic quality to it. This is a tale of desperation, fading potential, only or last chances, and paints picture of a vivid, realistic, and modern cityscape. "If It's Alright" is the yin to "Streetlamp Limelight's" yang.

The superhero blues-rock number "Man of Tomorrow" highlights one of the album's coolest workings with Rodriguez's guitar singing along to Belcastro's vocals. This is something not done enough in music today (and also why I still listen to pre-1971 Allman Brothers Band records regularly). Right around this point of the album, I started seeing the picture coming together, whether intentional by the band or not. I felt like "Man of Tomorrow" was singing to "Streetlamp Limelight" girl, and they were both trying to get to the place in"If It's Alright." This one might not go over so well and could fall under appreciated in a musical world where Kryptonite and Superman songs have been played out to all ends.

"Among A Million" is a poetic take on the world at large and is the band's first excursion outside of their live boundaries, adopting the soft violin sounds of guest Chris Klaus. It took the Foo Fighters 6 or 7 years to realize they should go outside their own parameters to give themselves a more dynamic sound, so Fifteen Fleeting is off to a great start. If "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" had a pulse and a soul, it might sound slightly like this...might being the key word there.

"This Time" is a modern rocker of shaky love, and comes off as a darker version of "If It's Alright." This one could have done a bit more or less, and is probably the only track that doesn't bring too much extra to the table. The opening really hits hard but doesn't deliver as much as some of the other songs. I hear hints of things done on "Man of Tomorrow" and "The Only" on here, only they were pulled off better on those songs. It has a buildup similar to "The Only," but doesn't match nearly match it.

It's surprising how many different musical ideas they could fit into a 10 track span, especially with one of those tracks being an intro and another being a 90 second instrumental. This is another idea the group isn't afraid of. They've got various sounds and different sounds, not limiting themselves to a specific genre or crowd. In an age where everyone and their uncle Larry has a video on YouTube of their keyboard or accordion rendition of "Stairway to Heaven" up in exponentially larger quantities, groups have to avoid the one trick pony status to keep their heads above water. Fifteen Fleeting has recognized this epidemic and how to stand against it by exploring their musical ideas and they're not afraid to lay them down in the studio and play them to audiences.

"The Only" is Fifteen Fleeting's greatest musical accomplishment in their budding career so far. It may not capture each individual's finest musical moment on the album, but what it does capture is the greatest musical combination they've gotten into song on record. The opening guitar effects covered in the heavy drum cadence and distorted bass take you down a dark road. The echoed vocals, dreary guitar layering, distorted bass, rolling drums, and harmonies erupt on record giving the band it's best moment. This is the album's climax, it's peak moment that gets the band clicking on all cylinders at full speed, and just as Coldplay will always have a song as powerful as "Fix You" in their concerts from now until the end of time, Fifteen Fleeting should do the same with this gem. This one shouldn't get put on the shelf anytime soon.

The brief instrumental "In Pursuit Of.." sounds similar to a mariachi in the attic, and is a nice dissension from the fireworks of "The Only." Leading into the track's final tune, "A Just Perspective," we are left with one more pleasant surprise from Fifteen Fleeting. This is a journeyman's tale, and could have been a b-side to Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters," were the band around 17 years ago. This song also reminded me of the recent departures from Silverchair, who are ironically an influence on the band. The lower register in the vocals and the soft guitar further displays their newly acquired versatility. I think some bands today go in this direction because it's something different from the countless other bands who do the whole high pitched heartfelt crooning scream thing with their singing. It's not always necessary to sing at the highest possible note to get a certain emotion across, and I think this is something the band should try more of. Fifteen Fleeting should try to utilize these standout nuances in future songs so they don't allow themselves to be stuck in familiar territory.

With the exception of "If It's Alright," the band has ventured into darker territory, and flexed their muscle in a lot of this experimentation. The work in the studio of Producer Rob Freeman has also helped the band evolve from his work with them on the "Almost Everything" EP to this new collection of tunes. The epic wall sound achieved on "The Only" is definitely his and the band's crowning achievement on this disc and surpasses most million dollar major label productions currently out there.

I believe the strongest moments on this album come from very different songs, being "If It's Alright," "The Only," "Man of Tomorrow," and "A Just Perspective." Perhaps leaving a song or two off, abandoning the intro, and maybe making "In Pursuit Of...A Just Perspective" one song and trimming it a bit would tighten up the set a bit. Not to say that the songs are superior or inferior to the other songs, but some of them give off a vibe of the potential the band has, and perhaps a glimpse into how they may stretch each of these musical directions in their future songs.

JohnnyBeBlogging EXCLUSIVE!!!

A Week With Fifteen Fleeting...

Hello, worthy reader of the blog. I've recently had the opportunity to cover an up and coming band right out of New Jersey, and am highlighting these reportings in a week of blog material putting them in the spotlight. The band I speak of is Fifteen Fleeting. They're coming off a hot summer which saw them perform at Giants Stadium for the Bamboozle Festival, sharing the stage with such acts as Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, Gym Class Heroes, and the incomparable Snoop Dogg.

This will be the first exclusive to the blog content since my review of Medium Cool New York City concert in September. The Fifteen Fleeting coverage will have much more content, bringing you closer to the band and giving you a glimpse into their new music before you can hear it anywhere else.

The band has been playing shows here in Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia for over a year now. They've been on an upward climb since releasing their debut EP, "Almost Everything," in the fall of last 2007, when they were still known as Trust. With their latest effort "Signals From An Empty Room," the band has brought their music to another level. The album could be looked at as somewhere between an EP and a full length album, definitely heavier on material than their EP, but slightly less than an album.

Vocals/Rhythm Guitar: Vinny Belcastro

Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals: Dan Rodriguez

Drums/Percussion: Scott Petzinger

Bass: Mike Petzinger

Throughout this week I'll be taking you behind the scenes with a band on the rise, giving you exclusive access to Vinny, Dan, Scott, and Mike. You'll hear about the band's humble beginnings, their influences, what makes them tick, and what matters most to them. You'll also get to see my review of the extended EP "Signals From An Empty Room" before it's released to the public this weekend. This will culminate in the band's record release show at Maxwell's in Hoboken on Saturday night, where I'll also be reporting a live review for the end of the weekend. Stay tuned for my signals from an empty Blog.

Sincerely,

Johnny Be...Blogging

"James Bond May Make You Crave an Omega Watch."

I just saw a commercial for an Omega watch, as worn by Daniel Craig playing James Bond in the famous British spy's latest onscreen adventure "Quantum of Solace." This brought me back to my recent re-watch of Craig's first trek in the martini loving MI-6 agent's shoes, 2006's "Casino Royale," probably the best modern James Bond movie. The only argument present there would be between "Casino" and Pierce Brosnan's Bond debut, "Goldeneye." In the spectrum of old Bond films, "Goldeneye," stays within the realm of the other films and brings it to another level. "Casino Royale" took that old Bond mold, placed it on a cinder block, bashed it to smithereens with a pick ax, and burned the remains with a blowtorch. And I mean that in a good way.

In an age where conventional popcorn movies are transforming into gritty, more realistic affairs ("The Dark Knight," "Iron Man") "Casino Royale" was a well needed shot of new life into the series. This really didn't come as a surprise to some, as it was co-written by Paul Haggis who wrote and directed "Crash," as well as writing other Oscar winners "Million Dollar Baby," "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima." Craig was more Connery than Brosnan, more badass than Moore, and face it, Hugh Grant would be about as good as Dalton was, so that settles that argument. Craig's Bond brought back the freakish villain who weeped blood, right in line with the circus sidehows that were Jaws, Baron Samedi, and Oddjob, the quintessential Bond villain/henchman.

Given this newly anointed darker Bond series, it can be argued that Craig is the first actor to give the character an identity since the original, Sean Connery. Connery gave set the standard for all the actors following him that would never surpass his defining of Bond. Brosnan came the closest, but was still too GQ to capture the character's underlying ruggedness. Craig, on the other hand, was called upon to reinvent Bond; his Bond's story starts from the beginning just as he attains his double 0 agent status. This give the realism explanation, and allows Craig to bring something fresh to a character that's been played by half a dozen actors over nearly 50 years.

The early reviews say that "Quantum of Solace" isn't as good as "Casino Royale," but I wouldn't expect it to be as "Casino" was one of the best films of the past 2 years. So long as it keeps pace with the gritty realism and ruggedness the 21st century Bond is bringing to the table, the film should deliver like UPS. Once I get to the theater, I'll be sure to report on it.

It's strange what kind of random thoughts a watch commercial can conjure up...

Chinese Democracy??? More like American Crap.

So, after waiting since my 11th birthday or so for a new Guns N' Roses album, it seems that day is soon approaching. And I have to say, this is a bitter sweet feeling. I've heard most of the songs on Chinese Democracy in earlier forms, and I have to say it wasn't worth the wait. Granted this new branded "Guns N' Roses" only consists of one original member (resident lead singer nut job extraordinaire W. Axl Rose) so there has always been an immediate rip-off cloud hanging over this album since the mid 1990's when work began on it.

Chinese Democracy has the makings of the closest thing we'll see to a real life Spinal Tap in our lifetimes. The album has cost reportedly upwards of $13 million to produce, far greater than any other record in history (and probably more than the Beatles and Led Zeppelin's entire album catalogs combined), and is doused with multiple members who have come and gone out of Axl's dysfunctional band of merry men since 1995. It truly is like Spinal Tap, except everyone in the band is the drummer, constantly being recycled with a replacement.

I've been laughing since the turn of the millennium when we were promised a new GNR album which showed some promise after Axl turned up to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards to close out the show in 2002. Axl, wearing an Oakland Raiders Jerry Rice jersey that looked like a Canal Street knockoff, sporting cornrow extensions, and some fresh botox on his face looked like a sad shell of his former self. On top of this, he proceeded to run around the stage like he did back in 1993, only this time, he was overweight and his voice sounded like an old woman screaming for help while being mugged in an alley in St. Louis.
I guess a debacle like that could send him and his album people stopped waiting for back into recluse mode for another half decade. Soon after, some of the Chinese Democracy songs leaked, most sounding like an industrial doody. This wasn't anything near the hard rock classic sound of "Appetite for Destruction" and even made the altered direction of the "Use Your Illusion" albums sound like a 3 piece in a garage (These are not compliments Axl, you hack.)

I am interested to hear the final version of Chinese Democracy, but am not expecting much. In fact, what I expect is something that will probably sound like it should have come out around 1997 or '98 and has been so blown out of proportion to this point that it is destined for failure.

Rolling Stone has given the album 4 stars, while they've recently given the Jonas Brothers 4 stars (which you know if you've read my previous posts), so that doesn't really hold much weight.

Maybe next time a Guns N' Roses album is announced to come out, they'll keep a lid on it until they've got the CD's on the trucks getting ready to ship out to stores. Depending on how this train wreck in the GNR saga goes, we most likely won't see bupkus from them until China actually has a democracy or the Berlin Wall goes back up. About the same time, Pink Floyd gets back together to record "The Wall Part 2" and Mick Jagger lets Keith Richards take over all lead vocal duties on the next Rolling Stones album. When, you ask, will this be? I'll tell you...two weeks from never.

When I do get to hear the album, expect about as nice a review as one could expect from a lifelong fan who has been sitting on hopes of a new album for 15 years, only to be told the entire band except for the singer have bounced, our biggest influence is now Rammstein. If you held your breath for this, you'd be in an iron lunch 10 years ago.