The Pretty Reckless - Make Me Wanna Die

The Pretty Reckless is an upcoming hard rock band whose unlikely front-woman is one of the demanding new names in music.  The band is led by sixteen year old vocalist Taylor Momsen.  She is probably best known for her role on the television drama series, Gossip Girl.  With The Pretty Reckless, Momsen completely sheds her role as an actress. She becomes the leader of a rock and roll band.

"Make Me Wanna Die" doesn't have lyrics that will make you smile. With a chorus of, "You make me wanna die, I'll never be good enough...", the song could be about heartbreak or anger.  Momsen's delivery of these lyrics is incredibly believable.  Her lower register is the highlight of the song.

While Momsen may seem to be the focus of the music, The Pretty Reckless is not a solo project. It is indeed a band.  The amazing instrumental and backing vocals prove that there are other band members worth paying attention to.  I feel that a band image will attract much more attention than only Momsen being on the promo shots.

The band's debut single is very reminiscent of 90's grunge.  The musical style of The Pretty Reckless is very similar to Hole.  While the music may be connected, Taylor Momsen's voice is much stronger than Courtney Love's.  The band's debut album is coming out later this year.  The band hasn't released any other official song's yet.  This adds even more anticipation to the record's release.  I would check out "Make Me Wanna Die" if you want a fresh rock song with a killer chorus.

Nico Vega - So So Fresh

Here's another female fronted band that proves not every group with a girl is the same.  Nico Vega is a trio from Los Angeles.  They've been around since 2005, and released their debut album last year.  The song "So So Fresh" is just one of the great song's on their record.

"So So Fresh" is an all out rock song.  It has some dance-rock influences, such as the hi-hat in the chorus and the heavy bass during the verses.  Vocalist, Aja Volkman, has a similar roughness in her voice as Alison Mosshart of The Dead Weather.  Her gasping and screaming really gives a dangerous feel to the song.  The song's hook is actually her breathing.  That's something you don't hear often.

The high energy level of the song is the main attraction.  Nico Vega has an "in your face" attitude that many bands need.  This comes through in the chorus of "So So Fresh".  The main guitar riff, played by Rich Koehler, has a melody that will be in your head for days.

Nico Vega is currently on tour with Semi Precious Weapons.  These two seem like a perfect match.  They both play wild and crazy rock 'n roll.  You can find "So So Fresh" on their self-titled album.  I would check it out if you like The Kills, The Dead Weather, or The Duke Spirit.  Nico Vega has a long future ahead of them.

Picture Me Broken - Dearest (I'm So Sorry)

It seems that nowadays, whenever a new female fronted rock band is formed, they're immediately compared to Paramore or Evanescence.  These two bands have become the standards for women in rock.  This makes it harder for these new bands to get credit where credit is due.  Picture Me Broken definitely deserves credit.  While they do play the same type of music as Flyleaf and Lacuna Coil, they should be seen as a band to take notice of.

Their song "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)" is destined for modern rock radio.  The song opens with a riff played by, guitarist, Nick Loiacono that you would think belongs to Avenged Sevenfold or Disturbed.  Then, vocalist, Brooklyn Allman, comes in with her demanding voice.  The song's chorus is soaring and melodic.  The bridge after the breakdown is what surprised me the most.  Brooklyn can scream with the best of the genre.  She competes with Lacey Mosley of Flyleaf.  It really adds a roughness to the song.

You can find "Dearest (I'm So Sorry)" on their EP of the same name.  Picture Me Broken's music sounds incredibly professional for only being around a few years.  They have the potential to really break into the rock scene with a huge following.  I would definitely check them out if you like bands such as Escape The Fate, Flyleaf, Bullet For My Valentine, and maybe even Chiodos.  Be on the look out for Picture Me Broken's debut album, Wide Awake, later this year.

Good Old War - My Own Sinking Ship

Good Old War is a trio that plays folky pop music.  Their songs are usually focused on an acoustic guitar and harmonies.  The type of music that they play seems to be a dying genre.  It isn't quite folk, yet it also isn't pop.  The balance between the two genres works perfectly.  They just released a new song from their next record, and it's definitely a good sign for fans of the band's unique sound.

"My Own Sinking Ship" is the first single from the band's upcoming album.  The song has a great melody, just like their previous hits such as "Coney Island"  This song is a bit more mellow than the upbeat "Coney Island". The lower vibe doesn't make it any less of a song.  "My Own Sinking Ship" is such a refreshing sound for the music industry.

The band is releasing their self-titled sophomore album on June 1st.  You can download this new song for free, here.  I would definitely check it out.  It doesn't matter if you don't like acoustic based music.  This song is contagious enough to attract listeners of every genre.

Glass Candy - Feeling Without Touching

"Feeling Without Touching" is a piece of electronic goodness from Glass Candy.  The song resembles something from the 80's via Talking Heads.  With a beat that sounds like a robot, the song may be one of acquired taste.  The vocal style of, singer, Ida No channels the famous Yoko Ono.  Something about the tone of No's singing is incredibly similar to Yoko's distinct voice.  If you like odd and bouncy pop songs, then this quality is an added bonus.

The group's EP, Feeling Without Touching, was released in February of this year.  The tracks on the album are definitely out of the ordinary.  With spoken words and buzzing synth beats, you'll be turning your head in curiosity.  The instrumentals on the EP sound like they could also belong to Madonna during her early career.  If you like original and sometimes even questionable electronic or dance music, then check out Glass Candy.  Their music may be far out and weird at times, but it's also pretty interesting.