By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Combining elements of indie, Brit and alternative rock, Satellites Fall are new to the local music scene but have already made a name for themselves.

In fact, they were semi-finalists in this year’s 95.5 WBRU Rock Hunt, and were named rocksposure.com’s, “Artist of the Month,” for February 2012.

Also, Valentine’s Day brought along their debut release, “Lines on the Road,” a five-track EP under the label Midday Records. It can be downloaded for free for a limited time at satellitesfall.bandcamp.com.

According to vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist, Mark Charron, their first experience in the studio transformed their sound.

“We were a straight guitar band but when we got into the studio and started analyzing, it turned out that we could put more keys, piano and strings in,” he said. “We put a lot of layers in there and it sounded more full and much more interesting. We tried to shake things up a bit.”

To lay down tracks, the band contacted their fellow musician buddy and Berklee College of Music graduate, Dave Newman, who owns a studio in his home just outside of Boston. Newman didn’t produce the album, yet Charron said he encouraged them to tackle new approaches and contributed to their overall development in a major way.

“He was a pretty big influence and is very good at layers, loops and things of that nature,” said Charron. “He really challenged us and that’s what we really took from the sessions.”

While one of the songs on the EP has a solemn tone, others are more jovial. Charron said Snow Patrol, Radiohead, and U2 are among core influences.

“Some songs are happier than others, but our lyrics have a lot to do with personal strife and self reflection,” he said. “There are some songs on there that are about relationships between people and to God.”

Of the songs on the EP, Charron has two favorites. He said “Sundial” is the most personal for him, as it offers listeners an introspective vibe.  He also called “Servitude” one of the best of the bunch.

“I love singing it,” he said.

Initially, he and guitarist Davey Moore handled most of the writing. Now, it’s more collaborative, with drummer Luke Riskalla and guitarist Brian Bardsley adding their input.

The music first took shape in 2000 when Charron and Moore were studying at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Previous to forming, Moore was the drummer for hardcore band Fall From Grace

“They were very popular,” Charron said. “Staind opened for them.”

By 2002, Moore and Charron began recording on four track recorders and other “make-shift equipment.  Soon after, they graduated and pursued full-time careers.

However, they found old tapes they recorded about five years later and decided to rework and fine-tune their material.

“We started getting together and writing more music,” Charron said. “Eventually, we invested in real equipment and kept moving forward with it.”

At this point, they have a catalog of at least 50 songs. They plan on revisiting the studio to lay down more tracks and release a second album within a year.

“We’ve literally said, ‘we can’t write any more music right now,’” Charron said. “It’s time to get back into recording.”

Moreover, they are looking for a bassist. Currently, they fill in the rhythm section through the help of keyboards, as well as technology, including sounds they contrive via a laptop.

For now, they are pleased with their newfound sound. They feel their album, as well as their band name, echo their lucid tone.

“Our sound is very light and we think our name speaks to that,” Charron said.

To contact the band or learn more about them, visit their website at satellitesfall.com or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/SatellitesFall.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

After more than a two-and-a-half year hiatus, Americana Roots ensemble, The Mystix, will be kicking off a 10-show national tour this Thursday (May 17) evening at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (The Z) for a three-hour show beginning at 7:30 p.m.

With a lineup of accomplished musicians and a catalog of catchy songs that pay tribute to influential blues, gospel and country artists, the “Roots Ramble Tour” will showcase the bands fourth studio album, “Mighty Tone.” The album features guest artists, such as harp legend Jerry Portnoy, who has toured and recorded with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, and will join The Mystix onstage throughout the tour.

“He’s a master showman,” says Jo Lily, guitarist and lead vocalist of The Mystix. “Just to hear his stories of being on the road with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton is great. It’s going to be a very down to the ground show in sort of an organic way, as opposed to an electric rock and roll performance.”

Lily, formerly of Boston’s Duke & the Drivers, says the 12-track album is earning stellar reviews in Europe. Further, Boston radio stations like WUMB, as well as The River, are giving it steady airplay.

“We’re really excited about the new record,” he says. “The music is different in a better way. We’re all very proud of it and feel it’s our best work.”

Recorded in Saugus, Mass., at B.K. Studios, the album is a mix of originals and covers. While it took the band a year to prepare for recording, they were able to lay down the tracks in less than four days.

Also, the album marks the first in which Lily was able to star as a producer. He credited engineers Joe Thomas, Tim Phillips, as well Bobby B. Keyes, guitarist for The Mystix, for making the process smooth.

“It was great because we were all very organized,” says Lily.

Aside from Lily, The Mystix all-star veteran lineup consists of legendary artists who have performed and recorded with some of the countries most respected musicians. While Keyes has worked with artists such as Robin Thicke and Jerry Lee Lewis and has written songs for art Mary J. Blige and Li’l Wayne, drummer Marty Richards has played alongside Gary Burton, Duke Robillard, J. Geils Band, and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

Moreover, bassist Marty Ballou has worked with John Hammond, Edgar Winter, as well as Robillard; and keyboardist Tom West has shared stages with Susan Tedeschi and Peter Wolf.

Additionally, the band will be joined by Kevin Barry, a lap steel/dobro player, who just wrapped up a tour with Ray LaMontagne; percussionist Dennis McDermott, who has played with Roseanne Cash and Mark Cohn; and fiddle player Matt Leavenworth, who has worked with the John Lincoln Wright Band.

“It’s a great joy to be able to be creative with such good players and have people around you that support that effort,” says Lily. “We all bring different ideas to the table about how to approach new material. It’s a lot of fun and we’re grateful to be able to do it.”

Aside from the show at The Z, the band will perform at New England venues, including the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham, Mass., on June 1 and Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, N.H., on June 12^th, among other venues.

In the near future, they hope to head to Europe.

“We’re itching to go, so we’ll see,” Lily says.

To purchase general admission tickets for Thursday’s show at The Z, which will allow guests to step through their red stage door on Spring Street and find the stage transformed into an intimate concert club complete with a full bar, visit zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900. Tickets are just $20.

“Like” The Mystix on Facebook and get a free download of their new single, “Mighty Love” and visit themystix.com for more information.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

The hard rocking quintet Prospect Hill have climbed the peaks of musical hardship and are basking in the valley of stardom, as they signed a recording contract with Carved Records in April.

But, that’s not all. “Come Alive,” the first single from their third and latest album, Impact, is being played on radio stations across the country. The song has also been licensed by ESPN for the 2012 National Hot Rod Association season and was listed on Amazon’s hot new rock singles chart, making it to the top 10 within just a few days of its release.

“It seems like it’s doing really well and people are taking a liking to it,” said drummer Mark Roberge. “‘Come Alive’ is really about people who aren’t living their lives and just getting caught up in sh*t with relationships and work and are not taking advantage of everyday they are given on this earth.”

For Prospect Hill, who hail from Merrimack Valley, an area just 20 minutes north of Boston, living life to the fullest is what they are all about and being on the road is one of their favorite ways to spend time. Since 2009, they’ve performed an average of 100 shows per year, ranging from throughout the Northeast, East Coast, Midwest and even California.

On one of their most recent tours, they especially enjoyed traveling from gig to gig in their van, affectionately nicknamed, “Vanny DeVito,” as well as their trailer, “Trailer Swift.”

“We always seem to have a lot of fun on the road,” said vocalist Adam Fithian.

Of course, being five best friends might have something to do with it. Bassist Edgar Troncoso described them as being, “really close.”

“You miss your family when you’re on the road but it’s not too bad because you have a bunch of people with you that are not only friends, they’re family,” Troncoso said.

Being a tight-knit group has made the trek to success more fun than work. Nevertheless, they remember the days before they had access to quality instruments and recording equipment.

“When we first started out, we were playing hand-me-down instruments and using our mom and dad’s stereo equipment to amplify our guitars,” said Roberge. “We literally had nothing.”

Realizing they could save money through self-promotion, they created an online presence in 2005 and began building a fan base. Once they acquired enough money, they bought a PA system and eventually established their own label by 2009.

These days, they are being courted by multiple record labels and rubbing shoulders with A-list producers, including Anthony J. Resta, who has worked with artists such as Collective Soul and Duran Duran. Resta also produced Prospect Hill’s, Impact.

“Working with him was amazing,” said Troncoso. “He’s very creative and thinks outside the box. That’s why the CD has it’s own kind of flavor. He’s a ninja on the keyboard.”

Resta isn’t the only well-known name the band has been in contact with lately. In the last few years, they’ve toured with acts such as Alice Cooper, Anthrax, Buckcherry, Fall Out Boy, Korn, Hinder, Stone Sour, Hailstorm, Sevendust, and CageTime, to name a handful.

Further, the band’s first full-length album, For the Lovers the Haters in the Dead, released in 2007, featured Godsmack’s guitarist Tony Rombola. He performed on the song, “S.O.E.”

“We all grew up in the same area so we have a connection,” said Roberge. “It was like having a friend on the album. It was really cool.”

According to Roberge, other “really cool” incidents have happened since then. In 2010, they were named High Times Magazine’s Best Independent Act of 2010 and performed the High Times Magazine Award Showcase in Austin, Texas. Fithian said not only do they feel fortunate to have won, they are also supporters of the decriminalization of marijuana.

“I think the country will change its perception of marijuana because we could turn our financial problems around by making it legal,” he said. “It’s a touchy subject but all in all we’re talking about it in the right context. We’re not saying, ‘Oh, let’s smoke pot.’ It’s about a reform of something that’s been taken out of context by everyone in this country.”

More recently, they were awarded the title of Best Live Act at the 2012 New England Music Awards, which took place at Boston’s Hard Rock Café in February.

“We take a lot of pride in our live shows,” Roberge said. “We go 100 percent no matter how tired or sick we are. We give it all we’ve got.”

To learn more about the band, visit their website at prospecthillmusic.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

“Music is my life,” said singer/songwriter Jillian Jensen, 19, who in February is set to release a three-song demo, which she said features some of her most personal compositions.

She will also perform acoustic versions of her new material at the fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Award Show at Firehouse 13 in Providence on March 10.

“Getting to play is so cool and I’m excited that I get to be there with a bunch of talented artists,” she said. “I like being able to listen to their stories.”

But Jensen has a story of her own to tell and said she’s thinking about releasing a single this month, “From the Outside.” The song offers an intimate glimpse of a time she was bullied at school during her younger years.

When she was in junior high, she said she witnessed a schoolmate make a “bad choice” that was harmful to him and those around him. Wanting to help, she informed school officials. Shortly after, prank phone calls, cyber bullying and verbal harassment ensued.

“I was tortured and called, ‘tattletale,’ and ‘snitch,’”  Jensen said. “I was so confused and used to cry myself to sleep. I didn’t know how to cope.”

Not wanting to worry them, Jensen didn’t tell her parents of the situation. Through it all, she said she kept a smile on her face and pretended everything was fine.

“I guess that was the pageant side of me,” said Jensen, who began competing in beauty pageants as a toddler and won the title of Little Miss Talent New England before she turned two.

Nevertheless, her parents found out about the tormenting and transferred her to another school, as they noticed their daughter was depressed and isolated. She said getting away from it helped her grow.

“I learned that you can’t stop what every one else is saying but you can change how you deal with it,” said Jensen. “Now, I’m more vocal about it.”

Because of the experience, Jensen wants to support children and teens struggling with feeling alone and under attack. Through her music and website at jillianjensen.weebly.com, she hopes to lend her wisdom on the topic to others and help them overcome the abuse, teaching them to turn negatives to positives.

“People can contact me privately so they can talk and hear firsthand from someone that’s been through it,” she said.

Oddly, Jensen said some of the people who bullied her often attempt to add her as a “friend” on Facebook and other social media networks. She simply ignores them and believes “success is the greatest revenge.”

“Instead of worrying about what people think of you, you should be thinking about how to better yourself,” said Jensen. “If you get to where you want to be it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks.”

Not only does Jensen hope to help people with her music, she also wants to entertain them. When onstage, there’s no place she’d rather be.

“I feel at home onstage and putting a smile on someone’s face keeps me going,” she said. “I want people to feel my music so much that they can’t help but smile or cry because they just get it.”

It’s no surprise Jensen is at ease when performing, as she participated in several pageants through the years and won the contest for Miss Massachusetts Teen America 2007; the South Coast Idol winner 2006; and the Burt Wood Idol in 2006 and 2004.

Additionally, she was chosen out of 3,700 applicants as one of 150 to compete in the U.S.A. Talent Show Case in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004. There, she earned first place in acting and placed in the top 20 best performers.

These days, she no longer takes part in pageants but is grateful for the opportunity.

“I had to be very proper and meticulous and that’s exactly what I didn’t want to be,” said Jensen. “But they are awesome outlets for people to gain scholarships and make friends. I enjoyed the community service aspect of them, too.”

She also got an education in performing when at the age of 16 she auditioned for American Idol, a reality television singing show that began airing on FOX in 2002. In August, she also performed on the morning talk and variety show, ABC’s LIVE! with Regis and Kelly, as one of two backup singers for former leader of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, who serves as a judge for FOX’s X-Factor, a show similar to American Idol.

Further, Jensen learned a lot about being a team player when she sang with the Varsity Girls, a Mattapoisett-based teen girl group.

“It taught me how to give my input and how to listen to others,” she said. “Being solo, I get to do my own music and it’s a good feeling because it’s my own. I know what I was feeling when I wrote it and I don’t have to create emotion for it. Instead, it comes naturally.”

But Jensen is also sharing her musical knowledge, too, as she teaches music composition, guitar and piano. While she first picked up guitar before her second birthday, she began dabbling on piano when she was six.

“I would take anything I heard and learn it from ear,” she said. “It was something that just came naturally to me.”

Now, she also plays bass, drums, violin, saxophone and ukulele, most of which will be featured in her new music. She described her style as a mix of “everything” and is looking forward to releasing the album.

“I’m really excited about it,” said Jensen.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Country singer/songwriter Kiley Evans, 24, is no stranger to appearing on radio and television, as she performed her hit, “Papa’s Song” on the Steve Katsos Show and was accompanied by cellist Morgan Santos.

Additionally, her first single “Johnny Depp,” which was released a year ago, has played on multiple regional stations such as WCIB-Cool 102; WNBR-88.1; WATD-95.9; as well as WCTK- 98.1, a major country station better known as Cat Country. According to Evans, she is the only unsigned artist being played on Cat Country at the moment.

But before she made it to radio and T.V., she was a young girl whose father instilled in her a love of music. She remembers when he soothed her to sleep with his guitar playing at bedtime while growing up in their home located just outside Boston. In fact, she said he often used it as bribery for her to brush her teeth and put on pajamas.

“Then, he’d play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ or the Winnie the Pooh theme song,” said Evans. “We were the house on the street that always had music coming out of it. I assumed everyone’s dad played guitar when I was younger.”

Yet, it wasn’t until her teen years that country music entered her life. In high school, her father had two tickets to see country star Vince Gill. He planned to go with a friend but at the last minute his buddy backed out, freeing a ticket for his daughter.

“Sugerland opened and I loved it,” she said. “It was a sound I wasn’t used to. That was the turning point for me so I grabbed onto country music and ran with it. I remember falling in love with music but I never thought I’d actually be pursuing it for a career.”

Jennifer Nettles, the vocalist for Sugerland, is just one female singer Evans gravitates toward. She also enjoys artists like Reba McIntyre and Miranda Lambert, who inspired her to write music.

The first time she composed a song was in her college days at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, where she was majoring in Engineering. On semester break, she had free time and began fiddling around with her father’s guitar, an old Guild, the same one he brought with him to college.

“I think I started playing because I really missed my dad and he allowed me to take his guitar with me to school as a security blanket,” Evans said. “Up until a few years ago I didn’t really know how to play it. I only knew the three basic chords he taught me.”

Then a friend sent her a link posted by Country Music Television that advertised an original song contest and encouraged musicians to film a homemade video. Her song “The Only One” made the top 64 of a few thousand applicants and a clip aired on national television, launching her into the music spotlight.

“I loved everything about it and I never went back to college,” she said. “It’s clear to me that there’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

Since then, Evans released a five-song self-titled EP in September and filmed a video for her song, “Johnny Depp.” In addition to “Johnny Depp,” the EP features “Papa’s Song,” which was influenced by her grandfather. She said the two songs are nothing alike, as “Johnny Depp” is a pop-country tune, while “Papa’s Song” it’s more of a stripped down folk song.

“It’s a full story and a lot of people listen to country music for stories,” Evans said. “Every time I sing it I still have the emotion I was feeling when I wrote it. It’s something I feel very strongly about.”

Her grandfather, who she is extremely close to, is the first person she played it for because she wanted to be sure he was comfortable with her singing about his life experiences.

It all started when they were watching a baseball game. During a commercial break, she asked him if he had had ever been in love before he met her grandmother. He told her he had, as he met a woman when he was in the service and stationed in Texas. After he was discharged, he traveled back to his hometown in Massachusetts and planned to save money to send for her. Time went by and it never happened.

“It was the worst heartbreak he’s ever known,” said Evens. “The song is about how your greatest love is usually your greatest heartbreak.”

For Evans, her greatest love is music and she recently journeyed to Nashville to get a taste of the music scene. She said she always wondered what it would be like and to her pleasure it was better than expected.

“Everywhere you turn people are all about music,” said Evans. “No matter who you bump into on the street they are in the music business. I felt at home there because I knew everyone was doing the same thing I was and I automatically had something in common with everyone.”

Evans plans to travel back to Nashville in February and will then head back home to record a new batch of songs. For now, visit stevekatsos.com to stream her appearance on The Steve Katsos Show and check out the website for airings.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

With a few new members added to the mix, the North Attleboro-based band, YORK, just celebrated their CD release party at The Ruins at the Colosseum in Providence on June 3. After putting together their first full-length album, “Box Full Of Memories,” they said their group is as solid and fresh as ever.

“The new members have made everything feel more complete and whole,” said Emily Rickard, who plays keyboard and shares vocal duties with bassist Dan Pawlowsli. “Before, we were going through any musician we could grab to call ourselves a full band. Musically, our compositions have been evolving constantly. In one of the songs, ‘Shine,’ we have a pretty intense solo that I would have never guessed to be in a YORK song.”

Pawlowski agreed, saying they have “evolved a lot musically.” He also said their live shows are much stronger, as they added a second guitarist and incorporated a new drummer.

“Mike Taub, our guitarist, and Erick Cifuentes, our drummer, bring a lot of energy to our live performances, something I would say we were slightly lacking,” he said.

John Shay, the original guitarist, said each member impacts every song “immensely” when writing.

“There are a lot of different emotions that come with the task and everyone tends to put their own into the songs we decide to track,” said Shay. “If we were to break it down, usually [Rickard] and [Pawlowski] mainly influence melody and structure; [Taub] and [Cifuentes] tend to influence a lot when it comes to the composition of music; and I influence the lyrical content.”

To record the album, YORK hooked up with producer/engineer David Adam Monroe of Time Bomb Studios based in Somerville, Mass. Monroe heard their music on MySpace and contacted the band. He let them know he was interested in working with them.

“We looked into him and we thought that he seemed pretty legit,” Pawlowski said. “It turns out that he was. [He] is one of the reasons YORK sounds the way it does today. He showed us a different way to take on the writing process and helps us get the best out of every song when we record.”

Shay said teaming up with Monroe was the best decision the band has made in their three-year career. He thinks of Monroe as a father figure, but also a friend and mentor.

“He tells us when our lyrics are just there to fill space, when a certain section of a song just doesn’t sit well in the song, and tells us when to shut up or get out of the room when we’re going delirious in the studio,” said Shay. “He is always giving us advice and direction. It is always the best times of our lives when we head into the studio with [him.]”

Now that the album is complete, they said they are relieved and feel accomplished.

“This was, in my opinion, the main bridge we had to cross to start pushing us and getting the sound of YORK to peoples’ ears,” said Pawlowski. “Yet, this is just the start to where we want to be with our music.”

Rickard also said it’s odd not going to the studio anymore, as they visited Time Bomb Studios three months straight when they were recording. But, overall she is excited about their new material.

“It took two years, but it seems like we just finished it all so quickly,” she said. “The songs we recorded are perfect for where we are in our lives. For me, it showcases what people can expect from us [and] what we’re growing into because it has songs that we recorded two years ago and songs we recorded two months ago.”

While Rickard and Pawlowski typically both provide vocals for all songs, their album includes two tracks they sing on their own. These songs are “Shine” and “Digging My Own Grave.”

“We wanted to have two songs on the CD that were different from the others,” Pawlowsli said. “This also lets us show that there isn’t one main singer in this band. [Rickard] and I both take on the same goals.”

In May, the band co-hosted The Cheap Seats, a weekly two-hour radio show on COOL 102 in Hyannis, Mass., with Cat Wilson. The show features local bands and artists as co-hosts.  Wilson encourages them to share their personal stories and they suggest music for her to broadcast.

“It was awesome being on the radio with Cat,” Cifuentes said. “She seemed really supportive and my Spanish-speaking skills actual came into use to promote for a Cinco-de-Mayo celebration.”

Taub agreed and said since it was their radio debut, “it was a bit nerve-racking at first, but ended up being a lot of fun. Cat seems to love our sound and she genuinely believes we can make big things happen and it feels good to know there are supporters like her out there.”

In addition to having their music played on COOL 102, two of the album’s singles, “Let Me In,” and “Reservoir,” have recently received airplay on several FM stations, including WHJY, WBRU, and Pixy 103. The band hopes to sign with a booking agency in the near future and start extensive touring.

“We want to do all that we can to make our passion possible,” said Cifuentes. “We all know that this is what we are. I’m a drummer, not a waiter.”

Shay said they want “to find a way where we can support our dream and ourselves while enjoying the experience with our best friends.”

For Rickard and Taub, they can’t wait to return to the studio.

“I think we’re already eager to record another album,” Rickard said.

Taub agreed and said, “writing and playing music is addicting, so I think I speak for all of YORK when I say we can’t wait to get back into the studio. A lot of music nowadays is played and recorded just for the sake of being played and recorded. It lacks the unique feel that every band should have. I feel that YORK is bringing back something that’s been lost for years.”

For more information about YORK, visit their newly designed website at www.thisisyorkmusic.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

It’s been about four years since solo artist Craig DeMelo, 28, released his debut recording, “The Whiskey Poet.” But with a stack of fresh material, he is looking forward to intoxicating fans with a new album in the near future.

“I’ve recorded two songs so far, but it’s a slow process,” he said. “I just need to get back in the studio and bang out some more tracks. I’ve written a bunch of songs that I’m dying to record.”

DeMelo, who has opened for artists like Howie Day, Hootie and the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, is thinking about putting together a disc of three or four songs to “tide fans over.” For a full-length album, he is considering releasing it one song at a time.

“I think that’s a really cool idea and I’ll probably end up doing something like that,” he said. “I just need to decide the final list of songs that I want.”

Because the album is yet to be completed, he hasn’t settled on a title. He has some ideas, but wanted to keep them a secret.

“I have a few concepts and things I’ve been thinking about,” said DeMelo. “But they’re in the vault.”

While he said finding time to record is difficult, writing new material was smooth sailing. The Beatles, Damien Rice, The Dave Matthews Band, as well as heavy metal acts and hip-hop artists, have been prime influences since he began singing and playing guitar when he was 16.

“I think everything finds its way into my music one way or another,” DeMelo said. “It’s cool because there’s something for everyone and it appeals to a wide range of people. But I kind of play the crowd at shows. I feel them out and play it by ear. Whether it’s the songs I write or the songs I cover, I hit every different group. It’s fun for me because I get to mix it up.”

He said his favorite songs to perform are his original, guitar-based tunes, but people always respond well to the hip-hop songs he’s been known to compose. He performs these tracks, along with popular hip-hop covers, at shows.

“My singer/songwriter stuff is my heart and soul but I do like doing hip-hop, too,” DeMelo said. “I’ve got a bunch of original songs where I can write a hook and rap verses. I do a cover of, “Regulate,” which is a fan favorite. People seem to really dig it.”

When writing music, DeMelo said he doesn’t solely rely on his own experiences for inspiration. Articles he reads in newspapers or things that happen to his friends often motivate him, including hardships.

“Sometimes you have to draw from somewhere else because you can’t keep writing the same kind of tunes,” he said. “It’s going to sound weird but it’s always good to have something bad happen because then you have a genuine, legit muse. It’s something to write a song about. If things are going well, and things have been going well for a while now, you have to pull from different places.”

As DeMelo said, things have been looking up for him lately. In March, he was honored as “Best Male Vocalist of the Year” at the Limelight Magazine Music Awards show.

“I was just happy to be nominated because I’ve never really been recognized for anything like that,” he said. “But I did win an honorable mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition in 2009. I was one of the finalists, so when I think about it, it’s cool to be recognized as a singer and also in the songwriting aspect.”

He also recently signed a deal with Brain Rot Music Publishing. The company, which has offices in Los Angeles and London, aims to feature his music on television shows, movies, and commercials.

But that’s not all. He and his wife, Stacy, are about to become parents.

“Our son will be here in 10 weeks,” DeMelo said.

While he prepares for his new addition and upcoming album, DeMelo is earning a master’s degree, as his job requires him to. He is an English teacher at New Bedford High School.

“I was a Communications major, so now I’m taking a bunch of English classes,” he said.  “Sometimes I’ll bring my guitar in for my students and they eat it up. They look at me differently once they see me play. I’ve been toying with the idea of opening up with it every year and just playing for them.”

DeMelo frequently performs at Knuckleheads in New Bedford and has toured throughout New England and California. For more information and a list of shows, visit his websites at http://www.craigdemelo.com or http://www.thewhiskeypoet.com.

By GEORGE AUSTIN

Since Theresa Andrewski has taken over the lead singing role for Beautiful Tuesday, the sound of the band has changed from a more folk style to folk with a pop edge. The combination seems to have worked well thus far for the Cape Cod based band.

“The songs that we are playing now are a little bit more upbeat, a little bit more fun, but still staying with that folky sound with the acoustic guitar and keyboards,” Matt Almquist, who plays guitar and provides backup vocals for the band, said.

Almquist knew Andrewski could sing because he was in chorus with her for four years in high school.

“She’s been a huge addition to the band,” Almquist said of Andrewski who is now a preschool teacher.

Andrewski, who also plays guitar, said she has been singing for a long time, but she said a lot of people did not know what her singing was like, because she always sang with a group of people who were singing together.

“I was always very quiet about my music, so it’s kind of ironic that I’m the frontman of a band,” Andrewski said.

Andrewski said when she joined the band, she thought it would just be a fun thing to do, but said it has turned into so much more, as all of the members of Beautiful Tuesday have grown both musically and in their friendships.

“I think I fit right in,” Andrewski said. “I think we all have really reached a new level. We bring out the best in each other.”

Beautiful Tuesday was formed in May of 2009. The other members of the band include drummer Jayk Watson and keyboardist Eric Cheever.

“We’ve all been friends for years now,” said Almquist who is studying audio production at the New England Institute of Art. “Our common interest in music started it all.”

The band spent a year writing music and with about 10 original songs, Beautiful Tuesday played its first show in June of 2010.

Almquist has been playing guitar for 10 years. When he was in sixth grade, he took a short, semester long class in which the teacher had every student play guitar.

“Since that time, I haven’t put it down,” Almquist said.

Watson only learned to play the drums for the band. There was an old drum kit hanging around, so he started playing and has come a long way for someone who just picked up the drum sticks.

“He’s all self-taught,” Almquist said. “He’s already gotten an endorsement from SJC Custom Drums and Saluda Cymbals.”

But Almquist said the band has varied influences from Mozart, which is an influence on the keyboard player, to Spill Canvas and City and Colour. He said those three kind of sum up the music of Beautiful Tuesday.

“They have a lot of traits that we look to achieve in our music, such as quality lyrics in their songs, emotion in their music and things people can relate to,” Almquist said.

Beautiful Tuesday released a full length album in March that the band recorded at MGW Audio in Falmouth.

The three songs that Beautiful Tuesday has released from its album have included “Beauty in the Breakdown,” “Rain” and “Crash.” “Beauty in the Breakdown” is a typical love story about a relationship and looking back at memories from that time together. “Crash” is about a car accident. “Rain” is about a misguided person who is lost and trying to find her way. The lyrics in that song start out mello and somber, but the bridge of the song brings new light and hope and sends a message not to let the world bring you down.

“We always emphasize the bridge as being the most important part of the song because you can’t give up hope,” Almquist said.

The band made a video for “Rain” that was taped in Sandwich by Justyn Moro who did all the filming and editing. Almquist said the video pretty much just sticks to the story of the song. The video can be found on YouTube.

Almquist said Beautiful Tuesday plays out as much as it can, usually one or two shows a week. Almquist said the music scene on Cape Cod varies. He said there is a lot of pop/punk and hardcore and not a lot of pop/folk. He said the band wants to branch out over the next couple of months, playing out of state and spreading its music to as many places as possible. Beautiful Tuesday has played a variety of venues from Knights of Columbus and Veterans of Foreign War halls to The Central Mass Expo Center and The Colosseum in Rhode Island.

“I think it’s good,” Almquist said of playing with the other bands. “I’ve had people tell me our band is a refreshing difference when we’re at a show with a bunch of hardcore and metal bands.”

The music of Beautiful Tuesday has been played on college radio stations and WCOD, 101.9 FM, which Almquist said helps support a lot of local bands on the Cape with its Sunday night show called The Cheap Seats. Beautiful Tuesday recently co-hosted that show with Cat Wilson. The members of the band were allowed to bring in songs from other local bands that they like to listen to so they could be played on the show.

“It was cool to see how much Cat does for the music scene and how much she does at her radio show and to get a look behind the scenes at a local radio station was a good experience,” Almquist said.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Earlier this year, Aston, an Attleboro-based band that defines their music as, “pop-punk/rock,” released an album that took them two years to complete. They titled it, “Home,” and said it is their “labor of love.”

“We had the songs written, but we would play a couple shows, work, save up some money, and then drive up to New York to record a song,” said bassist Mike L’Homme. “It took a while, but the whole experience was absolutely worth it and we got what I consider to be our best achievement. We’re so proud of our songs.”

John Collura and Paul Carabello, formerly of The Ataris, produced the album at Silent Owl Studios in Pine Island, New York. L’Homme said he and the other members of Aston played a gig with them in 2007 and stayed in touch.

“When they ended up leaving the band, they asked us if we ever considered having them produce our next album,” L’Homme said. “They are such good guys and we give them a lot of credit because they helped us take it to a whole new level. They knew the style we were looking for and they helped us achieve that.”

Dan Alteri, Aston’s vocalist and guitarist, agreed and said, “my favorite experience in this band was recording the new EP with Collura and Carabello. Opening up for the Ataris in 2007 and meeting [them] was awesome and then to be able to travel down to New York and have them help us out was amazing. We had a lot of fun and it definitely is one of the highlights.”

While this marks the band’s sophomore album, they consider it an EP. Their debut release contained a dozen songs, but their new album consists of just six tracks.

“It was quality over quantity this time,” said L’Homme.

Aston formed in 2005, but L’Homme’s younger brother, Nick, recently joined and took over lead guitar duties and also provides backing vocals. They have been friends with other band members, Alteri, as well as drummer, Jeremy Quaglia, since grade school.

As best friends, they said they learn a lot from one another. They think their strong bond helps make them to be a solid band.

“We each have our own personalities, ideas, and opinions, so it’s a lot of back and forth creatively sometimes, but we all get along and work together to make our music as good as we possibly can,” Alteri said. “We all vibe off each other when writing [and] performing.”

L’Homme credited Alteri for being the ringleader when it comes to composing music.

“He brings the ideas and we all collaborate,” L’Homme said.

Alteris said that while is he is responsible for creating the base for majority of their material, it’s a group effort.

“I write the frames and then bring it to the rest of the band and they each add their pieces in and we work out the final structure together,” he said.

Bands like New Found Glory, The Starting Line, Blink 182, and even The Foo Fighters have always heavily influenced them. They are proud to write and play music they like to listen to.

“If it’s fun for us, that’s what we want to play,” said L’Homme. “We’re pretty much four friends who are in it for a good time and are doing the most fun thing that we know how to do.”

One concert they said they not only had a great time at but also helped propel their career was an event at Six Flags New England in Springfield, Massachusetts. After winning a contest through MTV, they opened for the Plain White T’s.

“It was right when, ‘Hey There Delilah,’ was the number one on the Billboard Pop Charts,” said L’Homme. “We played for 6,000 people and sold out of our T-shirts. It was the best day of my life.”

Over the last six years, they have opened for other acts like Secondhand Serenade, All Time Low, Permanent Me, Self Against City, Four Year Strong, Zox, Just Surrender, and The Army of Freshmen.

Most recently, they opened for the North Attleboro-based band YORK at the Ruins at the Colosseum on June 3.

“We were really excited to have them ask us to open for them,” L’Homme said. “It’s always cool to make a hometown connection with another band when you’re both from the same area.”

Aston’s new album, “Home,” is available on digstation.com. To further make their music more accessible to their fans, they plan to launch a website in the next few months where people can download the album for free or “name their price” and donate to them.

“A lot of bands have been doing it and we want anyone who’s interesting in hearing it to have the songs and put them on their iPods,” said L’Homme. “We’re really excited about it.”

In fact, L’Homme said anyone who wants a free copy of, “Home,” can get one by emailing him at mikelhomme@gmail.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

For the last two years, Rhode Island based band Jeff Byrd and Dirty Finch have been attracting flocks of fans throughout the Northeast. Last month, they celebrated the release of their new self-titled, twelve-track album at Bon Vue in Narragansett, R.I.

“We decided to do it at Bon Vue because it’s a fun place,” said Jeff Byrd, who plays guitar, harmonica, and sings. “We wanted it to be laid back and it was. We just played all night.”

Dana White, of Specialized Mastering in Boston, mastered the album. But, the band recorded and produced it themselves in Westwood Estates, a community center mobile home park in Coventry, Rhode Island.

“It was kind of a clubhouse and it had a pool table,” said Byrd. “There was no tension and no one was nervous. We just went in there with our equipment and took eight hours each day and recorded.”

Byrd said he enjoyed the recording process because they were completely in control. He felt as if they challenged themselves and were victorious.

“As much as it was work, there wasn’t anybody there to tell us what to do,” he said. “It was all on our shoulders and it really gelled us together as a band.”

Jeff Byrd and Dirty Finch is made up of bassist Shawn O’Brien, guitarist Dan Simpson, and drummer Steve DelTufo, all of whom sing backing vocals. DelTufo also said he is happy with the way the album turned out.

“We could still do it well while having fun,” he said. “My favorite song is ‘Waiting On the Sun.’ It’s laid back and it put the icing on the cake. I really love playing it live and seeing the reaction of the people. That’s what people really judge you on.”

Byrd said he likes all the songs for their own reasons, but is partial to “Waiting On the Sun,” and “Draggin’ Bones,” two songs he thought were “great to record.”

“‘Waiting on the Sun,’ came together quickly and naturally,” said Byrd. “I really like the tune of it.”

Both members said their music encompasses a lot of different styles and they don’t want to get too caught up in their sound. They fear that can limit them and they want the freedom to play whatever music they choose.

“I want to be able to do a metal song if I want to,” Byrd said. “But, I’ve also been a Beatles’ fan forever and they are in everything I do.”

DelTufo agreed, as he grew up on rock music and is heavily influenced by artists from Johnny Cash and Hank Williams to Motley Crue and Guns ‘N’ Roses. He said it’s important for them to be opened minded to many different types of music so they don’t marginalize themselves.

“I used to really love metal and I still do, but you have to take from everything to be original,” DelTufo said. “I try to find the good in all music.”

However, while they don’t care much for labels, they also know there are a few benefits of attaching a genre to their music. In fact, Byrd said they are noticing the positive repercussions of listing them as a country band online.

“We’re more alt-country, but after I listed us as country, we had four or five new requests in a few hours,” said Byrd. “One fan even congratulated us for being on Reverbnation’s number one Hot Country list. It was kind of funny. I was like, ‘What?’ It’s bizarre and it’s weird in my head, but it’s cool.”

Byrd is grateful he chose a category because more people are finding out about the band. It surprised him at first, but he is thrilled country lovers like their CD.

“I just want to be like, ‘here it is,’” Byrd said. “If you like it, you like it, if you don’t, you don’t. We were on iTunes and it’s funny because the classification of our band fits into Americana/alt-country. I had a conversation with the guys a few weeks ago and we realized we were a mix of country and rock. We’re somewhere in between.”

Right now, the band is in the middle of a mini-tour. They are gigging throughout Rhode Island, the Boston area, and New York City.

“We booked a bunch of shows,” Byrd said. “We’re going to be playing at National Underground in New York City. We played there before and we’re looking forward to it. Actually, the less we plan, the more stuff happens for us. It’s been a lot easier lately. We’re making a lot of contacts with musicians and radio stations.”

DelTufo agreed, saying he enjoys taking things one day at a time.

“We try not to predict the future,” said DelTufo. “It seems to be working out for us.”

Their current album is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.com. Byrd said they have already started to write songs for another recording session, as their band is starting to take flight.

“It’s growing and it’s doing it’s own thing,” Byrd said. “There’s a lot more to come.”