the Ill Opinion #6: Watch The Winds Of Change

Last week, a historic event happened in the way music is marketed and sold.

Last week, Jay-Z and Kayne West released Watch The Throne, and accomplished a lot of things that were considerably historic.

• High iTunes sales, a new record
• Exclusive to iTunes only and Best Buy for a period of time
• Made it to retail, without leaking on the internet beforehand

Look at the last 2 points. That's what I want to focus and highlight on: the conflict between independent record stores and Jay-Z/Kayne West, and how they beat the internet, which is nearly impossible nowadays.

Firstly, Jay-Z and Kayne West, with their huge amounts of clout, managed to cut deals with Best Buy and iTunes to get "Exclusive sales windows" of Watch The Throne, with the digital launching 1st, the physical version following a week or so after.

While this may not seem that major now...it can set a possible precedent for how albums are sold and how you, the listener gets it.

Consider this: a new major record comes out and obviously, you want it. But you want a CD version. Now, the act behind the new record cut a deal with internet distribution stores to give them an exclusive window to sell the album, and in turn, put the CD on the backburner for however long this period lasts.

If you don't understand what's happening, I'll spell it out for you: CDs are being gradually phased out. By putting the digital version 1st, the digital version will sell more, thanks to early adapters and pre-ordering, which in turn shows more demand for digital, less for physical.


As time wears on, digital will overtake physical CDs and make it as much as a novelty item made for the hardcore fan as vinyl releases are today.

Now, how does this relate to independent stores? The rise and overtaking of digital puts indie stores in serious trouble. Not only do they not get a big name album when everyone else gets it, they in turn get less of the big records later on, leading to a downturn of business and closure.

So in the end, innovation leads to casualties. A rough way to look at it, but the future isn't cheap to be a part of.

Secondly, and this is not as extensive but still worthy of note: Watch The Throne beat piracy with simplicity.

By keeping a USB thumb drive in their possession at all times with the masters of the album, leaks and other advance unveiling moments were thwarted. While I highlighted a negative in the first point, for artists who hate leaks, the industry may have found their way to preserve the cash cow of day 1 releases and stopped bootlegging.

We'll have to see if it's bound to be adopted by the rest of the industry, but if it is...don't be shocked to see your favorite artist walking on stage with a USB drive on their person.

And that was the Ill Opinion. Stay gold.

LeetStreet Boys' "She's So Kawaii" may have mainstream appeal

When Boston-based Otaku band Leetstreet Boys released the animated music video for their catchy single “Yuri the only One” in 2008, little did they know the video would become viral amongst anime fans and generate hundreds of thousands of views in the first few months. The song, which was featured on Japanese television and at prominent anime conventions around the world, put LeetStreet Boys at the forefront of the Otaku music world and launched the band into anime stardom.

After the release of two popular but less successful music videos in 2009, LeetStreet Boys is back at the forefront of the American anime world with the music video for their single “She’s so Kawaii,” the feature track off the band’s recently released full-length Otaku Hearts. The video, which debuted Saturday, has already shown viral qualities, accumulating over 20,000 views, and it could trump “Yuri the Only One” in popularity due to a major differentiating factor -- its potential mainstream appeal.

Leetstreet Boys founder and frontman Matt Myers, famous in the world of anime-related music for his fun, catchy lyrics, obviously put in the extra mile for “She’s So Kawaii,” as the song seamlessly incorporates both mainstream and Japanese culture references in its memorable, sing-a-long lyrics. Like “Yuri the Only One,” there are the references only fans of Japanese culture will get, like “fawning over Zach Fair,” a character from the Final Fantasy video game series, and “says she like to RP,” which stand for role playing, a popular activity where fans of anime dress up as their favorite characters. But unlike the popular 2008 hit, “She’s So Kawaii” makes reference to several pop-culture icons (“Edward Cullen is lame” and “met her at Gamestop” come to mind), which could ultimately push the song into music’s mainstream. Additionally, “She’s so Kawaii” is brilliantly composed and super catchy -- two factors that could ultimately have music fans of all types sharing the song with their friends and playing it over and over.

Aside from the musical components, the video for “She’s So Kawaii” is aesthetically brilliant, with a major step up in animation quality from “Yuri the Only One.” Myers teamed up with artists Heather Bloss and Brianna Plaud, as well as special fx /post-production supervisor Colby Peterson with hopes of taking American animation to the next level. He did just that, as the response to the visual components of “She’s So Kawaii” has been resoundingly positive. The video’s visual elements alone could have people clicking back over and over again, even if they’re not knowledgeable about Japanese culture.

Whether “She’s So Kawaii” serves as a bridge from the mainstream to the world of anime or is just so left of center that the average Joe won’t be able to take his eyes off of it, expect the video to match or even trump the high success of “Yuri the Only One.” Despite receiving a plethora of hate comments and a dislike swarm from the trolls of infamous forum 4chan, “She’s So Kawaii” is ultimately a great song coupled with a great video. And that combination usually leads to mainstream success.

This article was originally written by Dan Horgan of HorganEntertainment.com

My Latest Fashion - More than a Music Trend

The 21st century has seen an explosion of post-hardcore bands. A niche genre just eight years ago, post hardcore has nearly hit the mainstream, as thousands of post-hardcore outfits have found themselves tearing up the stages of Vans Warped Tour and prominent clubs throughout the country.

The recent upsurge has led to incredible albums and memorable tours, but post-hardcore’s popularity has created a saturation of the genre, as countless new bands are playing the same chords and singing the same lyrics that made post-hardcore popular several years ago. There is an element of artificiality in the genre now – bands both big and small have become carbon copies of each other, and the music has lost its organic creation.

Enter My Latest Fashion. The Augusta, Georgia-based four piece is anything but a frontrunner band. In fact, the name My Latest Fashion is rather ironic as the group is perhaps the most organic sounding band within the genre.

To know My Latest Fashion is to understand the struggle of young bands in today’s scene. In 2009, drummer Eddie Gleason and bassist Clay Veal were unhappy with the lack of commitment and constant member changes in their pop-punk band Avaria, so they took to the Internet to find equally dedicated members.

“We spent a lot of time looking for musicians in Augusta, we never thought to look out of the city, or even the state,” said Veal.

They ultimately came across Jared Graap, a Knoxville-based guitarist who was ready for a new chapter in his life and music career. Graap made the decision to move to Augusta and pursue music full-time through Avaria. Only now he would make the switch from guitarist to frontman, a role he had been coveting for quite some time.

But as Graap was set to make the move, he received news that Avaria‘s guitarist had parted ways with the band. The dream team Graap was ready to form was falling apart, and he had yet to even find housing in Augusta.

“That was discouraging for me,” said Graap. “I had no intention of joining a band that didn’t have a committed, full lineup.”

But Graap wasn’t ready to let the opportunity slip away. During one of his last shifts at a Knoxville restaurant, Graap told co-worker and fellow guitarist Kevin Armstrong about his planned move to Augusta. And as a shot-in-the-dark idea, Graap asked Armstrong if he wanted to make the move with him to round out Avaria.

“He accepted without hesitation,” said Graap.

So just months after meeting Gleason and Veal online, Graap and Armstrong packed up their belongings and hit the road to Augusta, intent on joining forces with musicians with the same talent and determination. The chemistry was instant upon arriving.

“I just picked up my guitar and we started writing together,” said Armstrong. “We all just clicked.”

Clicked, that is, in a way the band did not expect. Instead of churning out the pop-punk anthems Avaria was known for, the four-piece began taking a completely different sound, swapping power chords and cheery vocals for a heavier, more ambient direction. The band scratched all of their old material, began writing new songs, and decided a name change was in order. My Latest Fashion was born.

“We never really sat down and decided what kind of sound we wanted,” said Graap. “We started writing together and it all just came out. It was the kind of band I had always wanted to be in, and I know the other guys felt the same way.”

The band began backing up the hard work they had promised each other by driving to Ocala, Florida to record their debut EP “This is Romance” with former A Day To Remember guitarist Tom Denne. Sleeping in tents at night, the band’s members came together as they recorded one of post-hardcore’s most powerful EPs in years.

“We all grew even closer on that trip and really honed in on what our band was made of,” said Armstrong. “It’s a time we’ll never forget.”

As an unbreakable unit, My Latest Fashion spent the next year gigging locally and steadily gaining an online following. And within the past month, the group’s hard work has started showing dividends, as the band inked a management deal with Horgan Entertainment, earned a slot on the Atlanta date of this summer’s Vans Warped Tour by winning the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, and landed an endorsement deal with upstart clothing line Electrikk Clothing.

The recent success is only the beginning of what’s to come for My Latest Fashion, as the band’s talent, drive, and solidarity will undoubtedly take them to the top. My Latest Fashion is currently seeking a respected booking agent to put them on the road, where they can play their brand of organic post hardcore to a different city every night. The band is confident that the heart in their music will make it stand out from the pack.

“Nothing is original anymore,” said Graap. “Every note and every chord has already been played. We hope to accomplish with our music a sound that makes people want to go back and listen to it again and again. Catchy, but not mainstream. Lyrics that make you think, verses that are punchy, and choruses that soar. Something that stays stuck in your head all day. If we could be to someone what our favorite bands are to us, then we have succeeded.”

Visit My Latest Fashion on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mylatestfashion. Listen to “This is Romance” at http://www.reverbnation.com/mylatestfashion.

Mr.Kitty Releases "Realms"; Free Download

Arlington, Texas-based electronic artist Mr.Kitty, fresh off of his appearance on Vans Warped Tour with Boston’s Sweetdiculous, has completed his latest release “Realms” — a four-track EP that mixes influences from synth-pop legends of the 80’s with modern electronics and mastering. Kitty, who has also shared the stage with Crystal Castles, believes “Realms” is his best work to date.

“It blows all of my other releases out of the water,” said the 19-year-old solo artist.

Kitty, whose real name is Forrest Carney, has been making electronic music for over eight years, putting out over 30 releases of breakcore, 8-bit, and IDM tunes. Only within the past year, however, did he begin adding vocals regularly to his songs. Realms, said Carney, “incorporates shiny synthesizers, haunting vocals, and drums contaminated with heavy reverb.”

In March, Carney released “D E A T H”, a 15-track full-length of dark electronics and powerful vocals. The album caught the attention of electro thrashers Sweetdiculous, who invited Carney to perform with them on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour. After playing dates in Darien Center, Boston, and Hartford, Carney returned to Arlington, where he put the finishing touches on Realms.

This EP, unlike past Mr.Kitty albums, is influenced by the likes of New Order and Depeche Mode, or, as Carney puts it, “music my mother used to listen to.” Carney and manager Dan Horgan hope Realms will be the breakthrough to the electronic masses the pair have been looking for.

“The formula has been proven over and over again with Mr.Kitty – the more people who hear his stuff, the more who become die-hard fans,” said Horgan. “It won’t be long before Mr.Kitty becomes a household name in the music world.”

“Realms” can be streamed and downloaded for free at Mr.Kitty’s Bandcamp page, http://mrkittydm.bandcamp.com/album/realms .

Visit Mr.Kitty on Facebook – http://Facebook.com/Mrkittydm.