Pop Rock

matchbox 20, U2, goo goo dolls

Alexx Calise “Morning Pill” – an energetic rock album with amazing vocals now promoted on FrostWire

"Delivering a sound that is both fresh and uniquely her own, Calise combines hard rock, grunge, and urban-edged pop with crunchy guitars, angsty lyrics, and an instantly identifiable vocal that is hauntingly beautiful and completely raw all at once." Her strong personality and undeniable musical talent has already earned Alexx multiple corporate endorsements and her songs have been featured on TV, even though she is just starting with her debut album "Morning Pill".

Josh Woodward: Breadcrumbs

Josh is definitely one of our favorite Creative Commons artists. We've written about his music twice already featuring Only Whispering and The Simple Life. Now Josh brings us his latest album, Breadcrumbs. Filled with 11 diverse songs ranging from fast to slow, mellow to upbeat, there's really something for everybody. Pair that up with his witty lyrics, relaxing vocals and catchy melodies, Breadcrumbs would be easy to be stuck in your head - and you media player.

10centSunday “Avid” – acoustic rock mini album from Nickle brothers

No covers, all original. This is what the 10centSunday is all about. They had created almost 40 different songs in wide variety of genres, but they have only recorded 3 songs for their first album. The band is mainly composed of 2 people, both guitar lovers and brothers, David Nickle and Adam Nickle. Avid, their first album is composed of their demo songs, featuring their talent in mixing acoustics and alternative. Adding, their charismatic vocals, guitar playing skills, and heart-felt lyrics, the brothers will surely captivate your heart!

Fresh Body Shop: The Ugly Army

The Ugly Army is the fourth album released by Fresh Body Shop just last June. Heavy bass riffs and snappy drum beats dominate the seven tracks of this new album while the vocals are kept husky, even whispery, but not really to the point of being annoyingly distracting. Guitar and piano leads are kept to a minimum but they're cleanly and precisely executed. As for lyrics, they aren't fussy or overly angsty---you'll notice that they're not really the objective of this collection. The real goal is to showcase the (both real and synthesized) instrument skills of the artist.

Notes & Scratches “Grace Park” – newest EP from a very friendly Chicago band

Grace Notes is Notes & Scratches newest release with four sad songs about departures. Speaking of departures, the band actually departs from its usual sound - the songs don't have a "celebratory feel", which is the band's trademark. For Grace Notes, they handpicked four songs which are melancholic, pining, and lonely. The album takes its time, like footsteps dragging where they don't want to go, with trumpets and viola on the background to set the mood. For sure, it's an album to listen to on difficult goodbyes. More about the band and an interview with Joshua Dumas (vocalist) after the jump.

Nick Howard – Something to Talk About Sampler EP

Nick Howard's Something To Talk About Sampler EP contains three of the ten songs in his 2008 Something To Talk About album. For an independent artist, Nick Howard has certainly gone far in the mainstream music industry. He has been featured by different television networks and companies - MTV, BBC, Tommy Hilfiger, and Lifetime, just to mention a few. He has already been featured in the Vogue magazine and has been in different television series shows like The Hills and Army Wives. His music has also reached the movies Knuckle Daggers and My Sassy Girl.

Amelie’s “Be Low”- a free British pop-rock EP from Italy

Amelie is an Italian band going for a British pop-rock sound. Actually, if you listen to their music first without knowing where they came from, it won't even cross your mind that they're Italian. I believe they've got the genre right down pat. If you're a fan of gritty, soulful, slow rock the way the British do it, give Amelie a listen.

The Johns’ foresight/poorsight free album now under Creative Commons on FrostWire

The Johns is a Chicago based indie rock band composed of four life-long friends who are determined to keep their music independent of popular trends and opinions of others. "[They] aim to proceed as an undefinable sort of pop music, drawing from a history of playing metal, jazz, funk, blues, folk and art rock and pulling from influences as varied as Neil Young, Mike Patton, Television, tin-pan alley jazz, The Police, Les Paul & Mary Ford and onwards and upwards."

The Flying Change – “Pain is a Reliable Signal”

The Flying Change is stage name of a New York songwriter and performer Sam Jacobs. The name was inspired by poetry of Pulitzer-prize winner writer and family friend - Henry Taylor and it suits him extremey well. After listening to the album I couldn't stop thinking that "Pain is a Reliable Signal" resembles a collection of poetry in which Sam Jacobs beautifully reveals his life experiences with pain though themes of love, loss and reckoning.