What you see here is the very first of our soon-to-be-ubiquitous Video CD Reviews, with Synthesis marketing maverick Cayle “Ride of Game” Hunter reviewing the new Hail of Bullets CD. I just did the second one, which should be finding its way to our YouTube channel tomorrow on New Found Glory’s new Greatest Hits CD HITS, and though its all well and good to be a part and parcel of the new video revolution taking hold of the web, I’d much rather take the time to sit down and write a CD review out then have to sit in front of two cameras like a spokesmodel and try to be witty on the spot without slumping too far into a chair, and try not to look lost when I’m pretending to be hearing the music coming out of the stereo that won’t be added in until long after I’ve finished filming. But hey, fuck it! If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. After all, the few hundred CD reviews I’ve written over the years on Synthesis.net put together probably haven’t even gotten half the views as one of Video Matt’s Paramore interviews, so I guess I better brush up on my enunciation and posture and get ready for my protracted, archived and cached 15 minutes of semi-fame. SIGH…

To drink Bud Light beer to on Friday at 5:30 PM when you’re staring at a fucking computer for the 9th straight hour. Seriously if you didn’t buy this album in the fall of 2000 when it came out you missed some shit. Getting it into now wouldn’t really be the same, since the band kind of fucked off after this record, and the genre as a whole turned ghey real fast. It’s kind of like fucking some girl at your high school reunion who used to be hot in like 10 grade. If you weren’t there for the original, you’d just be fucking some ugly ass broad. But I’m high on sentimentality. Fuck with it.

…and check out the New Found Glory podcast at synthesisradio.net

Paramore has dropped off their European tour with New Found Glory due to “personal issues” within the band. Here’s the statement from their website:

As most of you already know, we have cancelled the rest of our UK/Europe RIOT Tour. First of all, we want to say we are so sorry for letting all of you down. We feel terrible about it and really didn’t expect for this to happen. It probably doesn’t sound like much but we just hate that we won’t get to play this show for those of you who had hoped to see it. There are a lot of internal issues that have been going on in this band for quite a while now. A lot of it started right around the time we were gearing up for the RIOT Tour in the US. We were able to fight through all of it for this long but unfortunately we weren’t able to keep it together long enough to make it through ’til the end of this tour. We really feel that taking this time is going to give us a chance to get away and work out our personal issues at home and on our own terms. We just aren’t willing to risk the life of our band over one tour. That probably sounds terrible right now, to say that finishing a week of shows wasn’t worth it… but if we can use this next month wisely then we will be a lot healthier for the tours ahead. We hope that - even though it might be hard to understand - that you guys can support us at this time.
Maybe one day we will tell the whole story but for now, just know that all five of us are going to work so hard to get it right. You deserve that and we deserve to make this last as long as possible - and to enjoy every second of it. We love you guys so much. If you could pray for us or just keep us in your thoughts it would be really helpful. You guys have gotten us so far and been the best motivators since day one. We are so sorry for the trouble we caused you guys who bought tickets, fan club members and to all the promoters and venues that we won’t be there to put on a show for. We are extremely sorry to New Found Glory and all their fans who wanted to put on and see a show and who we’ve let down. And lastly, to Lost Alone.
We will keep you guys updated.
Love,
Hayley, Jeremy, Josh, Zac and Taylor

Translation: one or more members of Paramore are about to get kicked the FUCK out. Stay tuned. For more information check out this video (courtesy of the always astute Absolutepunk.net peanut gallery):

The most cred marriage in emo - Sherri Dupree from Eisley and Chad Gilbert from New Found Glory - is apparently, less than one year in, already over:

Dear friends,

I see you have caught wind of the heartbreak I am currently
going through.
Much to my dismay, the rumors are true of the split of my Husband
and I; And sadly, I do not have the power to change the hearts of man.
I just ask that you would please, respect our privacy at this time,
(I know you will); And refrain from discussing it on this forum. And
thank you for your concern.
The world has been completely turned upside down and I thank you
for your prayers for both of us. Though my heart is broken in half
over this, I know God mends all things in time.

All my love,
Sherri

“Are not five sparrow sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows”
-Luke 12;6-7

Bummer.

Tis the season…well, almost. As usual, we can expect to be inundated with entertainment industry professionals looking to pretty up their tax forms with some end-of-the-year charity work, but at least it’s all for a good cause, right? Hard Rock is getting a jump on the impending holiday season with their Serve2 compilation, available for download on iTunes. The net proceeds of which will go to Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, an artist-directed special program of World Hunger Year.

Not only is it for a good cause, but the compilation is pretty solid (and at 25 tracks, pretty damn hefty), featuring previously unreleased and live cuts from old school heavyweights like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, but also newer and more vital acts like The Hold Steady. Even New Found Glory and Andrew W.K. managed to sneak on there. You can sample a live rendition of “Baby It’s a Fact” by Hellogoodbye (available on Serve2) here mp3 (or download it at Synthesis.net). Full track listing after the jump.

(more…)

Say what you want about New Found Glory, but one thing is for certain: they don’t give a fuck about anything. I remember being like 19 and hearing their pop punkified cover of “The Neverending Story” off of the original From the Screen to Your Stereo and thinking, for sounding like a bunch of vaginas, these dudes sure have fucking BALLS. This is proven once again on From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II, in stores September 18th, which like the first, consists entirely of movie theme song covers done in NFG’s ultra nasally emo-punk style.  Check the tracklist:

1. “Kiss Me” - 2:57
* from She’s All That
2. “It Ain’t Me Babe” (ft. Sherri DuPree-Gilbert of Eisley)
* from Walk The Line
3. “The Promise” (ft. Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional)
* from Napoleon Dynamite
4. “The King of Wishful Thinking” (ft. Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy)
* from Pretty Woman
5. “Stay” (ft. Lisa Loeb)
* from Reality Bites
6. “Love Fool” (ft. Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday)
* from William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
7. “Iris” (ft. Will Pugh of Cartel) - 3:15
* from City Of Angels
8. “Don’t You Forget About Me”
* from The Breakfast Club
9. “J’y Suis Jamais Allé”
* from Amélie
10. “Crazy for You” (ft. Max Bemis of Say Anything)
* from Vision Quest
11. “Head Over Heels”
* from Donnie Darko