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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

We in Providence Tomorrow Night With Prayers for Atheists!

We will be at AS220 in Providence tomorrow night with Prayers for Atheists.

Now, PFA kicks fucking ass. We have played a bunch of shows with them in NYC, but this will be our first time in front of their peoples in their hometown. We are mad excited.

Here is their incredible video (Directed by Prolyphic!) for Bike Song:



And, in case anyone wasn't aware of this, Jared Paul is the front man of PFA. The same Jared Paul we featured on our song Shades Off.

Here is all of us rocking the song for the first time at Arlene's a while back:



We are mad excited, son. Hope to see you there.

Holler.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Advent Beat Calendar 2009.

So, every Christmas season for the past three years, Matt Stine (who has produced all of Metermaids's music and is the head honcho at 27 Sound) has put together an "Advent Beat Calendar."

My family always had an advent calendar when I was growing up. I loved them. It was a fun way to count the days down. And Matt has made something that is now fun for adults in the same way. Especially adults who love hip hop. Over the past few years a number of our songs have been created out of beats Matt made for this calendar. So I always listen closely. Haha.

This year marks the first that Matt has used solely an MPC to make these beats, too. So something new.

Anyway, it's fun to check in every day and hear some new music.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!


Providence this Wednesday. More on that tomorrow.

Holler.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

DeBlog Jam.

So, while we were in NC with 9th he put us on to these video blogs that he and his man E. Jones do that they call DeBlog Jams -- and they're incredible. E. Jones is a super talented dude. Producing, video directing, etc.

Anyway, these blogs are pretty incredible and I recommend people look them up on YouTube if you have a bunch of hours to spare. Once you watch one you'll probably end up watching like six of them, which is exactly what I just did.

Here's a taste:



Good stuff happening right now. Feeling good. A little overwhelmed, but good. You'd rather be overwhelmed than bored right? Right.

Holler.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Dope Smash Smash Bang Review at Potholes in My Blog.

http://potholesinmyblog.com/album-review-metermaids-smash-smash-bang-2009/#more-7081

Album Review: Metermaid – Smash Smash Bang (2009)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Potholes

Download: Metermaids – Smash Smash Bang

The Metermaids hate the members of Simple Plan. Often scrutinized as being categorized as emo-rap, the untrained ear will make an ill-advised judgment to state such comments. The more endearing listener for good music will take a closer look at the Metermaids. Their latest offering, Smash Smash Bang delivers emotional lyrics and melodic tunes to keep you interested in learning more about the two boys from New York City. I am guilty as charged.

Metermaids is comprised of empire state emcees Sentence and Swell. Their sound? Eclectic. Little bit of everything. Beatles here, Linkin Park there, with an Atmosphere tone. Former Denver indie-rapper, Sentence claims Metermaids is a collaboration project and an “artistic experiment.” After several listens of Smash Smash Bang, characterizing it as an experiment is not fair. It is more like taking a whimsical journey while flipping through the diary pages of the underground rap duo sensation. They are just two white boys who don’t know how to write ‘gangsta’ lyrics, never experienced a violent reality, and have an ear for with melodic harmonies.

The Strange Famous labeled-EP contains heartfelt lyrics and contemplation as the carefully-crafted melodies that is far from emo that obscurity is an afterthought. The cohesiveness on the short play is flawless. Sonically, it feels as though I am in an intimate setting with the two and I can synchronize their sounds with their illusory bars like a mirage. The opening couplets of the record had me from the start, “There’s no picture going to do it any justice/No Polaroid, 35 millimeter, or a digital snap/Kodachrome won’t capture the moment/You can’t own it/There’s no bringing it back.” The revolutionary “Planes Down” makes me want to join the “Metermaids posse” with anti-rich kid and rebellious lyrics in the fold. The glorious “Shades Off” featuring Jared Paul is a chin-check to artificial realists and their musical artifice. The introspective “Matchbooks” pretty much explains every Friday night of my life. Sentence and Swell paints at city landscape picture so well, it’s luminous.

The closing track “Ghosts In The Radio” provides a subtle ending to what is a complete EP. All the songs entangle well as Sentence and Swell deliver yet another resilient release in Smash Smash Bang.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

So, Yeah.

I promised I would do a better job of updating this, and then promptly didn't update it for two weeks, the longest gap I've left since we started the blog.

Awesome.

I wish I could claim it's because I have been super busy. But that is not true. I think we have been kind of recuperating after a difficult, but wonderful, stretch. We got back from North Carolina on the 12th, having finished up the tracking for our upcoming five song EP produced by 9th Wonder. The experience was truly a dream come true -- 9th, beyond being one of the nicest cats we have met in the game, is so fucking good at what he does that it's outrageous. I told him when we were down there that if producers were able to see his process and how quickly he can make the illest beat you've ever heard there would be a lot of producers hanging up their MPC's. For reals.

So we ended up taking a crack at around eight songs, and whittled those down to the five that we are keeping. Now 9th is putting the finishing touches on the tracks, and once he's done with that we will be ready to mix. The EP is a perfect meeting point between our two styles -- it's got the same sort of aggressive, rock-y feel we have been cultivating, but 9th brings that soul to it. We couldn't be happier with it. I don't want to reveal too many details about it, because we be trying to build some excitement ova heeeeya. Nahmean?

Big big sheeeeiot coming down the pike. We'll be in Providence with Prayers for Atheists Dec. 9th, and will be bringing them back to NYC on Dec. 12th.

Holler.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Turn the Lights Out Included with Every New Droid Phone.

That's right y'all.

The new Droid Phone from Verizon, the one that they are bringing out to fight the iPhone, comes with both "Turn the Lights Out" song AND the video. Pretty exciting for us.

Check out this link HERE!

If you skip to 8:55 of the video you can see the Turn the Lights Out video.

Holler at your tech boys.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

What We've Been Up To.

So, I haven't updated the blog in a while. But for good reason, yo.

We left on Sunday morning to head down to North Carolina for the first of what will be two three-day trips to start recording with 9th Wonder. Now, if you don't know who 9th Wonder is, you really should. To us, he is probably the best hip-hop producer going right now. Some of his work:

Jay-Z Threat



Destiny's Child Girl



Mary J. Blige Good Woman Down (9th won a Grammy with this jammy)



Needless to say, we were crazy intimidated to work with him. I won't speak for Sentence, but I maybe got two hours of sleep the night before we headed to the studio because my mind would not stop racing.

Here's what heads need to know about 9th: dude is a stone cold genius. Like, straight-up-lights-out musical genius steelo. He will sit down with a stack of records, a turntable, and an MPC, and make the illest beat you've ever heard in under ten minutes. Literally. We would be feverishly trying to write to a beat and he would already be done with the next one. And every single thing he came up with was insane. He is also one of the nicest people we have met in this hip hop world. And he works as a real producer -- he hears what flows will work, different ways to deliver lines, the whole nine. It's crazy.

His style is different from what we are used to, for sure. 9th's beats have that classic, laid-back style to them, and Metermaids has always been about that raw energy -- not so much MC'ing as just yelling and getting wild. But we (because 9th is a damn genius) found where our styles can meet and sound dope.

We got mad videos and pictures of the experience, which hopefully we can put together and throw up soon. We left North Carolina on Wednesday night having recorded five songs in three days. Three of the songs we did are definite keepers, and definitely some of the best music we have ever been a part of. We got back into Brooklyn at 4:30 Thursday morning and were both at work that day. This indie-rap life is nothing if it ain't glamorous.

So, yeah. The plan is to head back to NC next Monday through Wednesday again to finish up everything. Lots of exciting stuff going on right now. And I will stay updating the blog more regularly.

Holler.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Metermaids are Clear Channel "Artists to Watch" for October.

Chyeah.

So, Clear Channel has given us the honor of being one of their "Artists to Watch" for October. So, you know, watch us and stuff.

You can check out the link HERE!

Holler.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Blackout Baby Free Download at FUSE.

So, FUSE was nice enough to offer the first song off of "Smash Smash Bang" for free on their website.

You can check it out HERE!

Big week this week. Big couple of weeks coming up. CMJ Showcase and official album release for "Smash Smash Bang" this Saturday.

More news coming soon y'all.

Holler.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Video Recap of Bowery Poetry Club Show.

We were a liiiiiiiittle drunk. I think Sentence might have broken a monitor. Nice. Shouts to Smut Villian for holding us down last minute too.

Anyways, these videos come courtesy of the kick-ass brother/sister team of Donovan and Natty.

The set went --

Blackout Baby



Keep it Moving



Shades Off



The Inside



Funk Terrorist



Planes Down



Thanks again Donovan and Natty.

Holler.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

New Video from Prayers for Atheists.

It's for Bike Song, which is a great song. And the video is super dope, co-directed by our homey Prolyphic, who is on SFR with PFA. Mad acronyms in that sentence, son.

Check it out:



A lifetime-music-hero of mine just hollered at me on Facebook. Told me to holler at him tomorrow. Sometimes this life can be pretty rad.

Holler.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Breaking Down "Smash Smash Bang" Part 5.

So, the last song on the EP is called "Ghosts in the Radio."

Me and Stine wrote the original music in the studio together. I was noodling around on the guitar and wrote the hook-guitar part. Stine programmed some crazy drums to go with it and played the bass line and the organ part. I played the guitar part in the verses too.

Sentence and I wrote our verses and came in and laid them down -- at that point, though, the song was like a minute and a half long. It was just intro-verse-hook-verse-hook. We knew that we needed something else, and wanted to do something (in keeping with the whole mentality of the EP) weird and different. So Stine brought in Grey, who plays keys in the live band, to help us write another section.

Neither Sentence or I was there when Grey came in to the studio, but we knew we wanted a honley-tonk kind of section. Apparently Stine say Grey down and showed him some videos of Jerry Lee Lewis playing for inspiration. And Grey proceeded to play every instrument in that section: piano, guitar, banjo, and organ. At the time, Stine's studio was like a Guitar Center or something. He had so many instruments in there it was ridiculous (and amazing).

So after the middle section was completed Sentence wrote the part that we yell and we came in and laid that down and then did a bunch of tracks of us screaming different things off-mic, trying to make it seem like it was recorded in a rowdy ass bar. If you listen closely in headphones you can hear some of the ridiculous things we were yelling. It was a very fun session.

And after all that was done, Stine put in some cool sound effects: more crowd noise, radio-frequency-noises, etc. And it was done, done, done.

We were very happy with the song because we felt like there had never been another hip hop song that sounded anything like it.

Here are the lyrics:

Leaned back in the car seat with the sun's heat and a six pack
And the crap work of a past tattoo artist boyfriend read live fast
And as the road cracked we acted like we were in on a secret
Under the summer sky on the highway made plans, acting like we believed it

We both would become runaways to Vegas, she could sing
And I'd deal blackjack and smoke cigerettes as the slot machines would ring
But I knew sh'd never do it, that night I kissed her when I left
And I drove the dream we shared right past the state line while she slept

Late night I hear the ghost on the radio
Last dance, I ain't never coming back
My love left a ghost in the radio
Can you hear that? Can you hear that?

My fingers were dirty from digging these graves. I was breaking my back for you.
And I would have robbed all the banks in Georgia if you had asked me to.
I gave you the necklace. Gave you the earrings. Gave you the matching pendant.
You said I was lazy. Said I was stupid. Said I would never get it.
You're shutting the door and killing the lights and turning the radio up.
We're keeping it quiet so your ma can't hear us making love.
I left on a Tuesday morning, packing while you slept.
And I ain't missed you for a single second yet.

Late night I hear the ghost on the radio
Last dance, I ain't never coming back
My love left a ghost in the radio
Can you hear that? Can you hear that?

Go where you want. You can't stay here. Hit the lights.
Thank you and goodnight.

Late night I hear the ghost on the radio
Last dance, I ain't never coming back
My love left a ghost in the radio
Can you hear that? Can you hear that?

And here is the song:

<a href="http://music.metermaidsnyc.com/track/ghosts-in-the-radio">Ghosts In The Radio by Metermaids</a>


Holler.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Breaking Down "Smash Smash Bang" Part 4.

Sorry it took me so long to update this again. We were having website problems. But we are back with a vengence.

So, our favorite hip hop blog Hip Hop Infinity (which is on our blog roll -- check it out!) gave us the honor of Underground Track of the Week! for the fourth song on Smash Smash Bang, entitled "Matchbooks."

This is the song we will discuss next. Also, there is a Tim Young directed video coming for this song berry berry soon. It's funny.

I had had the idea for music like this a long time ago. In my head, it was room-mic'ed stomps and claps and piano and rapping all at the same time. Like if you were listening to it in headphones you would just be in the same room with the music.

The stomps and claps are me and Sentence. We did a bunch of takes and at the end our hands hurt a lot. When we were writing the piano part, Stine heard that the stomps had a tone to them, and figured out that they were in the key of G Sharp. He has a much better ear than I do. I just heard stomps. So the song is in the key of G Sharp. Which is kind of weird and cool I guess.

Stine and Sentence then convinced me that if we didn't add anything else to the track it would be boring and repetitive, and I think in the end they were right. It's not easy for me to admit when I'm wrong. So Stine added the bass and the organ for the hook, and switched up the piano part for the second eight bars of Sentence's verse. Then Sentence and Stine came up with the idea to add feedback-y guitar to the end -- Sentence gave Stine the reference point of "Misunderstood" by Wilco, which is one of my favorite songs. And so Stine put the guitar on the end as well, and I think he nailed it.

The song itself is pretty easy to decipher. I won't speak for anyone else in Metermaids, but I will say that 2009 has been a particularly tough year for me. And with the recession, etc., I imagine it has been difficult for a lot of people. This is a hopeful song yo. Mad hopeful son!

Here are the lyrics:

This morning's cigarette tasted like last night.
And last night like the one before.
I made my bed in the morning when I woke up.
I picked my clothes up off the floor.
I rode the train like a ghost in the graveyard.
I walked the streets like a criminal's son.
I pulled my hat real low.
I had apologies for everyone.
I wished I could make the city silent.
I wished all I could hear is my breath.
I would lay myself down on the sidewalk.
Let the city whisper secrets as I slept.
I called my sister up long distance
To see if she remembered me now that she's grown.
Her laugh sounded just like our mother's.
And I wished that I was going home.

It's gonna get so much better
Everybody's gonna get their turn
Count the matches that's left in the matchbook
One of these is gonna burn

Leaving like the first day of summer
The stars are getting restless hiding out of sight
I've never seen a bus or a train in the daytime
But this one's gonna get me home tonight

Everybody's leaned back with their eyes closed
My fingernails are dirty like I dug out of a prison
And I try not to think about what everything could mean
'Cause I've never been much for symbolism

I've seen this street too many times now
And the trees all nod like they agree
I leave the door open on my way in the apartment
Like somehow that's enough to make me free

And the last thoughts I have are the pretty ones
The last split second I'm awake
And I've never been afraid and the dark don't scare me
'Cause some things you can never take away


It's gonna get so much better
Everybody's gonna get their turn
Count the matches that's left in the matchbook
One of these is gonna burn

And here is the song:

<a href="http://music.metermaidsnyc.com/track/matchbooks">Matchbooks by Metermaids</a>


Holler.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Breaking Down "Smash Smash Bang" Part 3.

So, "Shades Off" is the third song on the EP.

I had the hook in my head for a long time. I would walk around saying it to myself -- it's especially fun to do walking around Manhattan in the summertime.

Stine had come into possession of a bad-ass bass courtesy of Clinton Curtis, and had spent a bunch of time fooling around with it, just recording different things here and there. And one time, when Sentence and I were at the studio, he played us a recording of him playing the grimiest and loudest fuzz-bass of all time, just noodling around. Naturally, our interest was peaked (I've mentioned that we dig us some fuzz-bass right?).

So we went through the recording and found two distinct parts that we thought would be rad to use in a song, and Stine rerecorded it. Stine also programmed the drums and played the organ part again. I laid down the guitar part on this song -- which I have always thought was cool, because the rest of the music is garage rock-y but the guitar part sounds like on some Prince-type ish to me. Haha.

Simple, simple beat. Four instruments, two real sections, no bridge, no nothing. Verse-Chorus-Verse stylee. "Shades Off" was the first song we recorded for the EP, and pretty much set the mood.

We actually performed it for the first time at a loft party at Mckibben, when we had B. Dolan and Jared Paul and Prayers for Atheists from Strange Famous Records down. Suffice to say, it went off. Without even setting anything up the kids were echoing the "HEY!" of the hook and everything. But we had a third verse still open on it.

Now, originally, we were going to ask Sleep of Old Dominion fame to rock the third verse. Sentence and Sleep are cool from way back (Sleep was on Sentence's album "There and Back"), and he is incredibly dope, and we thought he would sound great on the song. Our communications got crossed, though, and we sort of fell out of touch. Meanwhile, Sentence and I had both been big fans of Jared Paul for a long time. We didn't think to reach out initially because neither of us had ever had any contact with him. But after meeting him through the Brooklyn show, finding out how rad he is, and THEN seeing how fucking incredible Prayers for Atheists is, we realized that he was the right person to ask.

So we asked if he would be down, and he said he was, and he laid down a goose-bump inducing verse, and all was happy in the world. And then we brought Prayers for Atheists down to NYC for another show in July, and they tore it down, and we got to rock the full song live for the first time -- there is video evidence of it too.

Check it out:



So, there.

Here are the lyrics (minus Jared's verse -- we didn't want to get anything wrong):

Forgive me if I don't act impressed. But I'm not a stranger to your apathy and stress.
I'm not going to dance if you decide to call my name out.
I know your tongue will curl and spit your venom with the same mouth.

I want to be famous. Want to be loved. Want to be validated.
I want to be different from these cats that are always agitated.
I want to believe in the pictures that you paint. But I know what's really real.
And I know what ain'ty ain't.

On some real shit, I'm a self-made hundred-aire.
Never had nothing to my name and I don't fucking care.
I come prepared for any cross examination.
The only thing you're going to test is my patience.

Find some other kids that are glowing like a television.
Everybody's gotta have a little somthing special in them.
With any luck you can pluck it out of their chest.
As for me, I've only got one request.

Take your shades off.
Let me see your eyes.

I want to believe the hype, want to be a part of it
Want to see behind the scenes, sink my teeth in the heart of it (believe that)
Maybe I'm just not the optimist
'Cause I can't fill my plate or pockets with empty promises

I get that vibe sometimes you think I'm new to this
Ain't made a lot of dough, but I've made a lot of moves and shit
Don't even want to take the time to hear how you're improving it
I've got what I've got and I'm cool with it

But you can get your words mashed up
Trying to make them sound pretty to get someone gassed up
Like everything you say sounds so glamorous and wild
I'm surprised by nothing, it comes with the lifestyle

You got something to sell, go ahead, try it
It doesn't mean a thing without some sucker to buy it
You'll find somebody wide-eyed and fired up, do your worst
Just do one thing for me first

Take your shades off.
Let me see your eyes.

And here is the song:

<a href="http://music.metermaidsnyc.com/track/shades-off-feat-jared-paul">Shades Off (Feat. Jared Paul) by Metermaids</a>


Holler.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Breaking Down "Smash Smash Bang" Part 2.

The second song on the EP is called "Planes Down." It was the second song we recorded, too. It is a very simple song both musically and idea-wise.

The music was created with me, Sentence, and Stine in the studio. I had wanted to make a hip-hop song that had drums like the song "Dance to the Music" by Sly and the Family Stone because I had never heard a hip-hop song with those drums -- constant four-on-the-floor kick and snare.

So, Stine programmed the drums and I picked up the guitar and played the most silly, simple little guitar line of all time. Stine put some fuzz bass underneath it (I don't know if heads have caught on yet, but Metermaids digs us some fuzz bass), and then he played the organ part, which in my opinion, makes the song. That organ is screaming. It was Sentence's idea to cut the organ short so that it leaves the last two bars without.

Also, the cool little build in the beginning of the song is Stine playing some weird chord really hard and fading it in.

In the end, Stine had the mighty Andrew Mclean come in and lay down some live drums for this song too, which made everything sound a lot better. Because Andrew is incredible.

Even though the concept behind the song is simple, I don't feel the need to talk about it. Suffice to say, "Planes Down" was wholly inspired by Bernie Madoff.

Here are the lyrics:

Put your fingers in the sky like BANG
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down

It's the real thing, its the live ammo
Carve the message with a key in the side pannel
Its a waste land, it's a salt flat
Burn it all down now, paint it all black

Raise your elbow. Lower your eyebrow.
Tell the pretty city kids they better get inside now.
What up Bernie? How'd your summer go?
We've been wondering a long time when you'd be coming home.

Do what you want, break what you feel like
There's no rules no more, there's no real life
I'm gonna throw down, start something
I'm taking what I want 'cause it's unlocked and the car's running

We came through to bum-rush your building.
We want to know what the inside is like.
So if you're a studio set living cat then duck your shit because it ain't your night.

Put your fingers in the sky like BANG
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down

We're not bad people. We're just waking up.
Figured you had taken about enough and we could shake it up.
So I'm the boss now. I make moves.
It's the take money, take over, take two.

You can get it if you think that it's yours
No one's gonna notice anything any more
Blank check bankroll, I ain't giving nothing back
Finance the high balls, white walls and knuckle tats

We came through to secure our future.
We want to be just like you.
I could get nice with the math in a spreadsheet.
Fuck it yo. Imma build an empire too.

I'm grabbing everything that I can reach by the neck
Gonna show it what I think, gonna teach it some respect
What did you expect? Metermaids got a posse
What you gonna do about it? Whos gonna stop me?

Put your fingers in the sky like BANG
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down
Shoot all the planes down

And here is the song:

<a href="http://music.metermaidsnyc.com/track/planes-down">Planes Down by Metermaids</a>


In case anyone missed it, "Smash Smash Bang" is now available for free at STRANGE FAMOUS RECORDS! because Sage Francis is the fucking man.

Holler.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Breaking Down "Smash Smash Bang" Part 1.

So, we are going to officially release "Smash Smash Bang" this week. It has been a long, long time coming for five songs. Haha. But that's how we work. Expect the big announcement sometime soon.

Anyway.

I thought it might be nice to break down the EP song by song this week -- tell a little bit of how each song was made, what we were thinking about while we were writing it, etc. Not that I think anyone particularly cares about any of this. Mostly I do stuff like this to help myself remember down the line. I was going to start doing this yesterday but I got lazy because it was Monday. Awesome.

The first song on the EP is called "Blackout Baby," and that is where I will start. I thought up the general vibe of the song in the shower. I was thinking of these sharp, violent hits punctuating really quiet, spacious sections. In my head it was a lot more reflexive and bouncy than the song actually turned out.

Sometimes in the studio it will just be me and Stine -- "Turn the Lights Out" was done with just the two of us, for example. But I like it much better when Sentence is there with us too, and that was the case with "Blackout Baby." I always start trying to make things too pretty and major-chordy, but the bottom line is that I am not that good of a musician or songwriter, and it is very hard to write like that and have it not sound like Blink 182 or something. Not to hate on Blink 182. But, you know. Sentence always helps steer it into more raw, aggressive territory, which I think goes much better with how we write.

The music started out with me playing the Rhodes part as the basic melody and framework for the chords. I also played the rhythm guitar. I didn't really play the guitar so much though. Mostly just smacked it. Haha. Stine wrote the music for the second half of the verses, where everything opens up, and he played the arpeggio guitar part for that. He also played the fuzz bass.

Originally, Stine programmed the drums. And these drums that he programmed had a floor-tom sound that, when they hit during the verses, literally shook his apartment. When he emailed me and Sentence the beat to write to he named it whatever frequency the "Brown Note" supposedly is. For the unaware, the "Brown Note" is the frequency that will make you doo-doo in your pants when you hear it. Because we are classy like that.

Stine ended up bringing the mighty Andrew Mclean (who plays drums in our band) to rerecord the drums, though. And Andrew killed it, because that's what he does. Stine has a great little drum set-up in the vocal booth of the studio and actually gets a really great sound out of it, which is a testament to how good of an engineer Stine is. Stine also brought Rodman (who plays guitar in our band) in to fill out the hook sections with some more guitar. When we played the song live Rodman was filling in the gaps in the hook with feedback-y, screaming guitar, and Stine wanted it for the actual song too. So Rodman came in and killed it, because that's what he does.

As far as the writing of the song went, I'm not in to telling people what a song is about -- that's not the point of muuuuuuuuuusic, maaaaaaaaaan.

I will post the lyrics though so people can better figure out what they think it means, if they give a shit at all. Haha. I'm feeling self-conscious today.

Here they are:

There's no picture going to do it any justice.
No Polaroid, 35 millimeter, or a digital snap.
Kodachrome won't capture the moment.
You can't own it. There's no bringing it back.

In fact, you can save on all your video tape.
It's not the same the way the shot crops the frame. This is not just stop drop and aim.

We're taking it from the front to the back.
Side to side. It's time to drive.
Time to ride. So climb inside.
But I'm alive. Say it. I'm alive.
And Imma live every day like it was my first.

Isn't Brooklyn pretty?
The way she holds your fingers to the flames.
She's calling your name in the street but the street doesn't hear your name.

I don't want anybody to touch me.
I've gone where you can't go.
I've seen what you can't see.
I know what you don't know.
I've never been comfortable inside my skin.
But now that I'm inside I'm not going back again.

Blackout, baby.
There's no tomorrow.


Swear to god think I'm destroying something beautiful
Pictures speak a thousand words and I've been speechless with a burning on my lips
Eyes are open less than usual
Done explaining, from now on I'm hoping they just get my drift

Sometimes I wish this skin was mine, get in line, but I'm not into picking sides
Some birds are just too big to fly
Spin the bottle kiss the sky, it's live or die

All or nothing, taste of blood, the hands are shaking, I'm just trying to chase the sun
Now or never, a place to run, I'll pluck the strings, I'll fucking sing, I'll make shit up

Isn't Brooklyn ugly
how she holds your face in your mistakes
Yeah, it's great and the pay's lovely
Don't know what I have but there's nothing left that you can take from me

I've seen what you don't believe in
I was awake and you just slept
I've walked to the place the streets end
Smoke and fear on my breath

I've been what I thought I should be
I've ran through the city at night
I didn't look back once
I lived what I thought was life now

Blackout baby
No Tomorrow
There's no Tomorrow

I hear the music clearly, I taste the nicotene
I feel the buildings close in, I see the city scream
I hear you talk about me, I see your finger shake
I know the pain inside you, I hear the glasses break
I don't regret a second, there's honey in my veins
If there was no tomorrow, I'd keep it all the same
Please don't mistake my smile, cause this is not for you
This is not a place you've been, this is not what you thought you knew

Blackout baby
No Tomorrow
There's no Tomorrow

And, finally, here is the song:

<a href="http://music.metermaidsnyc.com/track/blackout-baby">Blackout Baby by Metermaids</a>

More tomorrow. Hope everyone is well.

Holler.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

"Turn the Lights Out" Video of the Day at AOL Music!

This is a very big deal for us, and we are incredibly excited about it.

You can check it out HERE!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Holler.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Interview I Just Found From Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival.

With our girl Raven from Brooklyn Bodega. She is the absolute shit, and hosts a bunch of dope radio shows / podcasts that everyone should check out. Seriously, Raven plays and supports dope hip hop, on top of being one of the funnest people you could ever hang out with. I got to talk with her a lot more at Rock the Block with Styles. So, yeah. Big shouts to Raven.

Check out: DA LISTENING SESSION

And

BROOKLYN BODEGA RADIO

And here's the interview!



Holler.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wednesday TV Sucks.

When you have basic cable.

We got the first cut of our video for Matchbooks today from Tim, and it looks really good. We are going to do a little more shooting on Saturday in Williamsburg -- originally we thought it would be a funny little video, but once we saw the first cut we realized it could actually be pretty worthwhile too. What a world!

Also, the trailer for "Where the Wild Things Are" looks really fucking cool. Spike Jonze yo. A while back, when we were on tour and in Spokane, we stayed with our good friend Locke, who also happens to be a dope rapper. He had a video compilation of all the music videos that Spike Jonze had done, and it was incredible. I forgot how incredible the video for "Sabotage" is. Well, remember:

Sabotage



And in the trailer they keep playing that Arcade Fire song "Wake Up" which makes me think of my favorite live performance I've ever seen (on the internet). This video makes me happy to be alive.



We used to want to make music like Arcade Fire. Now we want to make music like The Kinks. Or The Ramones. Something like that. Life is about evolving. Or tempering expectations. Something like that.

Holler.

Monday, September 21, 2009

90's Alternative Rock.

I've been on a big kick of this music recently. Anyone else?

Hum -- Stars



Superdrag -- Ursa Major



Far -- Man Overboard



And, actually, while doing my daily YouTube Music Video watching, I found that Far has reunited and put together the illest cover of Ginuwine's classic song "Pony."

Check this out. It rules --



Anyway, that's what I've been listening to for the past couple days. Am I missing anything here?

Sunday Night Yo!

Ahhhh yes. We filmed a video in Williamsburg today with our homey Tim Young, who directed both:

Funk Terrorist



AND

Feel Alive



We filmed for a song called Matchbooks, which is available on our new EP Smash Smash Bang, which is now available on iTunes!



Go check it out! Let us know what you think! All that good stuff. We have more and more good news and exciting stuff coming down the pike. Fall is a good season, and we are feeling good about where we are at and where we are headed.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Turn the Lights Out Available on iTunes.

Correct, correct.

You can now purchase Turn the Lights Out for under a buck. It's like the Metermaids Dollar Menu.

We are thankful for all the support. More music and news coming soon.

CHECK IT OUT IN THE ITUNES STORE!


Holler.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

"Turn the Lights Out" Featured on Ultimate Guitar.Com!

So, we've always thought of ourselves as the illest rock stars of all time, obviously. But Ultimate-Guitar.Com just featured our video for Turn the Lights Out, and as far as I'm concerned, that pretty much cements us as Aerosmith-level rock stars. Ultimate Guitar son. Not Average Guitar. Not Best Guitar. We are talking ultimate here. Ultimate son!

Anyway, we thank them for showing us love.

You can check out the link HERE!

Holler.

Monday, September 14, 2009

RIP Swayze.

What a year 2009 has been. So sad. Jim Carroll too.

Anyway, I've been trying recently to find the silver lining. In this particular case, my silver lining is that Road House is the illest movie of all time.



Holler.

Friday, September 11, 2009

So, live we have been doing a rendition of Sentence's song "Two Rows of Teeth" set to "Thriller."

Sentence has actually been doing verses over Thriller for like five years or something -- so as to the blogger's insinuating that we somehow are jumping on the MJ-Tribute-Band-Wagon, as Sentence says in the song, "No Dice." Not that he would have any reason to not think we were doing just that. No harm, no foul.

Anyway, you can listen and download a live version of us doing this song at Southpaw at the Rock the Block Festival with Styles P HERE!

And this is what we looked like performing it on that very night! Hiyo! The internet is amazing!



Hope you dig.

Metermaids.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Off to Cali.

I'm heading to Cali for the rest of the week. Metermaids made some moves today. Things are looking good. I won't be blogging for the rest of the week. I'll pretend that that really affects anyone's life.

Chyeah!

Biggie Going Back to Cali



Have a good Labor Day Weekend everyone.

See you all on Monday.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Nightlife in Illinoise Now On Our BandCamp Site.

Our mash-up of our album Nightlife with Sufjan Stevens' album Illinoise, which we brilliantly called, "Nightlife in Illinoise," got us coverage on Spin.Com and Wired.Com, and into the pages of the Village Voice and Playboy. It has been downloaded over 10,000 times since December, and has been a big hit on Last.FM

Sentence did the cool-ass cover. It looks like this:



Anyway, it is now available (along with all of our other music) at music.metermaidsnyc.com.

We also got the absolute final mixes for Smash Smash Bang today. It is done! Finally! It's original release date was June 15th. Niiiiiiiiiice. Anyway, it sounds fucking ridiculous. Five songs, fifteen minutes total. We should be releasing the first single in the next week or two. So get ready. We hope everyone digs.

Another big conference call tomorrow. I love conference calls. Exciting things always happen on conference calls. At least for us they do. I don't know about dudes who work for Goldman Sachs or whatever.

More news soon.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Just Some Funny Shit for a Sunday Night.

This video is nothing new, but I have been laughing about it for two weeks straight. Sometimes the internet is so great.

Self Defense



Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Making of Turn the Lights Out.

I posted this before, when it first came out -- but I figured since the video was just featured on Myspace, and we have a whole bunch of great new friends, heads might be interested in seeing a little bit of what our (super-genius) process is like.

NYC Music Show is actually up for some awards in New York which is dope. We might be red-carpeting it up sometime soon.

Holler!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.

So, today was the last Free Ice Cream Event of the summer. It was dope. I spent the whole time behind the grill, having meat smoke blow into my eyes. My shirt still smells like burgers. It reminds me of my short order cooking days.

It's crazy to think that summer is almost over. I would be sad about it, but I'm not much of a summer person. I'm waiting for fall yo.

We were supposed to drop a free EP for every month of the summer this summer. But we're Rap's Bad News Bears. So Smash Smash Bang will probably come out September sometime, if I had to guess. And even though it's only five songs, we think it's worth the wait. It's also funny to think that after three (I think?) years together, this will be only the second real project me and Sentence have put out. NIGHTLIFE has its moments. But this EP is a much more focused group.

Turn the Lights Out has leveled off on Myspace at around 15,000 views, which is insanely dope. Mad good comments too. We have a couple more great features for the video lined up though, so really it is just beginning. Our PR guy is on his job. It's rare in this industry for people to back their talk up with real action. Shouts to all those that do.

We also have a really huge possibility lining up that I refuse to jinx. I always jinx my own shit. Suffice to say, if it works out the way we are hoping it does, it will be very exciting.

Summer's not over yet. We finally are putting our shit out into the world again, and receiving a bunch of love for it. Hopefully that will continue, and the momentum will keep building.

Happy Sunday,

Metermaids.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Not To Over-Do This Whole Thing...

So Turn the Lights Out has over 11,000 views on Myspace right now. Crazy, crazy. And we have made a bunch of new friends, etc. It's great.

The EP is coming up next, obviously. I have been talking about it for months. It was originally supposed to come out June 15th. Haha. Metermaids has never been about punctuality, ever.

Hopefully in the next couple of days we will have confirmed, on our end, some pretty big news. I doubt I will share it right away, though, because I like surprises, and I assume everyone else does too.

But, yeah. For some reason the embedding is disabled on the Myspace version of the video, so I'll post the YouTube version here. If for whatever reason people have beef with Myspace and refuse to go to the site they can still see it.

Turn the Lights Out



Jyeah.

And remember, you can download both the song and the instrumental for free HERE!


It needs to cool down in NYC, yo. For real.

Love, Metermaids.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Video Premiere Today.

So, after a couple of months of patience, we finally premiered our video for Turn the Lights Out on Myspace.

The video is one of the Featured Videos, and you can watch it -- HERE!

As of right now, the video has close to 3,000 views in 9 hours -- which is pretty amazing. Hopefully more and more people continue to check it out and dig it.

On top of that, we have released the actual song for free as a single. Included with the single is the instrumental. You can get both for free at our music page HERE!

Our thing with all the new music is this: Take the instrumental and rap over it. Do whatever you want with it. We will be releasing the acapella soon too. If you do rap over the beat, or remix it, we have a Soundcloud drop-box right on our blog. Send us what you do, and we will post it here, on our blog, or on Myspace, whatever.

We want to hear it.

So, yeah. Thanks to everyone for checking out the video. Go download the song for free. Share it with your friends, etc. We got a lot more stuff coming this year. We are very excited about it.

Metermaids.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Our Video Will Be Featured Video on Myspace Music This Tuesday!

I promised last week that I would stay on top of my blogging. Then both computers in the apartment crapped out. Someone tell the universe to chill. I get it, yo. Life is tough. Pick on someone else for a while.

On a much happier note, the video for "Turn the Lights Out" we shot a couple of months ago, that we have been super anxious to release, will get its premiere as the Featured Video on Myspace Music this Tuesday. Which is super fucking dope.

We have stayed off the road all year, putting in mad work with everything, hoping that our next foray into the world would be the one that got us on everyone's radar. Getting a big premiere for our video is a good first step. And we believe that this EP we're about to release is going to separate us from the pack.

"Turn the Lights Out" is a fun pop song. The EP is fun, but these songs ain't pop, daddy. We're coming out swinging.

Hopefully we will have some even bigger news to break soon. Karma, if you're listening, I think I deserve it yo.

Love, Metermaids.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Jim Jones Documentary.

A lot of Damon Dash in this too.

I love rap documentaries.

You dig?

Part 1



Part 2




Part 3



Part 4



Part 5



Part 6


Sunday, August 9, 2009

Rock the Block Fest Video Recap.

Sorry I have been lax in updating the blog. I will step my game up.

Anyway, the Rock the Block Fest was fucking unbelievable. Seriously. We crushed it, the new homey NSR crushed it, and Styles tore the fucking place down. I haven't gone that crazy at a show in a long time. He brought out the whole Lox, and Pharoahe showed up outside when me and Sentence were smoking butts post-set.

It was a truly amazing night. Now, once again thanks to the coolest girl in the world Natty Night, we can present to you our set in its entirety:

1. Blackout, Baby



2. Risk You Run



3. Shades Off



4. Funk Terrorist



5. Thriller vs. Two Rows of Teeth



6. Planes Down



Much love Natty. Much love to everyone who came out. Much love to NSR and Styles.

Big conference call tomorrow. Big moves being made. More soon.

Love, Metermaids.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

My Friend Doug's Stand-Up Comedy.

I worked with Doug for a long time. He is a great guy.

He did some improv-theater stuff for a while, and was really good at that too. I went to see him a couple of times at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater a few years ago. Anyone who has ever been to a bad improv show can appreciate what a relief it is when it is actually good.

Anyway, here is a video of Doug doing some stand-up. I think it's phenomenal. Hope you enjoy!



Love, Metermaids.

Monday, August 3, 2009

You Know Who is Mad Underrated?

The Monkees, son.

Please believe.

Last Train to Clarksville



Pleasant Valley Sunday



Daydream Believer



I feel like I'm six years old all over again, driving around with my Pops.

Love, Metermaids.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

OurStage Alternative Hip Hop Sampler.

Featuring, of course, Metermaids!

Shit is dope.

Check it out HERE!

I went to my first ever jury duty today. Read "The Sun Also Rises" cover to cover while waiting in the freezing, freezing cold room. I literally had to pull my arms inside my shirt like a little kid.

Never even got to the questions part. They just sent everyone home at 3:30. See you in eight years, legal system!

Love, Metermaids.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Full Arlene's Set in Video Form (Thanks Natty!)

Once again big thanks to Natty. We're going to have to put her on the payroll soon.

Anyway, here is our set from Thursday, song by song, in video form:

Blackout, Baby



Risk You Run



Shades Off w/ Jared Paul



Turn the Lights Out



Funk Terrorist



Don't Sleep



Two Rows of Teeth vs. Thriller



Planes Down



(Thanks again Natty)

Love, Metermaids.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Arlene's Grocery with Prayers for Atheists Recap.

So, it was my birthday show, and it ruled.

Mad people came out to support, which obviously felt really good, and Prayers for Atheists were down from Providence on the first night of their tour.

PFA jumped shit off at like nine thirty, and fucking killed it. I think that most people's experience with this band is not knowing what to really expect from them -- is it punk? Is it rap? I think the answer is it's a little bit of everything. And not in a shitty, "switching back and forth between influences on different songs" type of way. PFA's music makes perfect organic sense.

Here they are performing "Men in Control"



So PFA jumped shit off proper, and the spot was packed when we took the stage.

Our set went like this:

1. Blackout, baby (first time we performed it ever -- it's on "Smash Smash Bang")
2. Risk You Run
3. Shades Off w/ Jared Paul



4. Turn the Lights Out
5. Funk Terrorist
6. Don't Sleep
7. Thriller vs. Two Rows of Teeth



8. Planes Down

All in all, it was a wonderful birthday show. Much love to everyone who came out and to PFA. Good luck on your tour, y'all.

Love, Metermaids.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Tonight!




Should be a ton of fun.

Hope to see you there.

Love, Metermaids.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Tomorrow Is My Birthday.

Yay for me.

This year has been, without a doubt, the toughest of my life. And I have had some shitty years. It was crazy to go over in my head the list of awful things that have happened this year, both in my personal life and in the world at large. It seems like the previous year showed a lot of promise, and a million exciting possibilities, and this year saw a lot of those possibilities fade. I wish I had a better word for it than fade, but fade still works.

I was getting sad earlier this week, thinking about how unsettled everything still is for me. I would love to have an indication, at this point, as to what I will be doing with my life. No such luck though.

Today I have been trying to think about tomorrow as the beginning of the next chapter. The last chapter sucked a tremendous amount. This one can't be that bad, right?

Let's hope so. Big show Thursday. Hope to see some people there.

Love, Metermaids.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Rock the Bells at Jones Beach.

Here was our experience, kind of.

Sage hooked us up with four free passes. So it was me, Sentence, and our beautiful ladies on a very nice Sunday. Holler at your hip hop festival.

I spent the whole time at the Paid Dues Stage. So I saw:

Alchemist



Buckshot and KRS



MOP (who fucking killed it)



Sage Francis and B. Dolan





And we bounced while Slaughterhouse was jumping on stage.

Awesome blog post, Sean.

Thanks yo!

Love, Metermaids.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

New Eyedea and Abilities - Thoughts?

I saw this pop up on some message boards:

Eyedea and Abilities "Spin Cycle" Live


Easily 90% of the talk about this shit has been negative. On message boards, the YouTube comments, etc. Most people really don't like it. There have also been mad comments about how Eyedea looks, which is hilarious. People are heated he has long hair. He looks "emo." Same shit people are throwing at Cage. It's kind of amazing that someone letting their hair grow out can really upset their fans.

I guess it's the reverse of when Metallica cut their hair off as a group.

I have never really been a fan of Eyedea and Abilities' records. I really hated First Born. There is not a single song I like on that record. I liked a couple of songs on E&A. This is just my opinion. They are both exceptionally talented people, and I know a bunch of people who really dig both records.

I love the beat in "Spin Cycle." I think it's fantastic. I have never heard a hip hop beat that sounds like that before. Eyedea obviously cannot really sing. The singing sounds horrible in this video. I bet on record it sounds a lot better. My singing sounds a lot better on record too.

Regardless, I've watched this video a bunch of times today. It's at least exciting that they are trying something different, right?

Whaddya think?

Love, Metermaids.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Flier for July 23rd Show with Prayers for Atheists.

Sentence did this. I think it's pretty incredible.

Thoughts?



Love, Metermaids.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Southpaw Show with Styles P Mention in Brooklyn Vegan.

I love Brooklyn Vegan. It's a great blog.

Anyway, they mentioned our show with Styles P at Southpaw in August, and even gave us a nice little write-up.

You can check it out HERE

The funniest shit is the lone comment that someone added.

We do sometimes rock a hip hop cover of "Baby Beluga." So there, anonymous internet person.

Love, Metermaids.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Hope Everyone Had a Good 4th.

I did, for sure.

Lots of exciting stuff happening in Metermaids world, which I will get into later this week.

In the meantime, though -- My cousin Aaron and his fiancee Degan asked me and another friend of theirs that sings, Nina, to play a song for their first dance as a married couple (I will play guitar). They chose the Dylan song "Make You Feel My Love," which is a beautiful, beautiful song.

Degan clued me into the Adele version, which is really fucking good. She sings her ass off. I figured I would share it with the blog world, because I'm sure mad other people have slept on this like I did.

So here it is:



Happy Sundays.

Love, Metermaids.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Our Set From Tuesday In Video Form.

Shouts to NattyNight -- she also got our whole set from Brooklyn Hip Hop uploaded to YouTube.

Anyway, here is our whole set, one clip at a time, if you want to see how fucking fun Tuesday at Crash Mansion was. I will post them in chronological order, so that it's almost like you were there!

The only thing these videos do not really show is how unreal the sound was in Crash Mansion. The sound man there is on his job something fierce, and it was up there with the best sound we have ever had at a NYC club show.

Here was our set:

Risk You Run



Shades Off



Turn the Lights Out



The Inside



Funk Terrorist



Planes Down



Fun, fun, fun night.

Exciting things happening.

Love, Metermaids.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Last Night was Amazing.

For reals.

There was a big crowd in the spot that was ready to throw down. We were the first group on, and we brought the ruckus. They filmed the whole thing, and word on the street is that we might be able to get our grubby fingers on it. If we do, obviously we will throw it up here.

The other groups on the bill also kicked ass. It was a great night. Damon Dash was in the house making moves. Our favorite DJ Technician was in the spot, killing shit in between sets on the tables.

The best part of the night for us, though?

After we soundchecked, we rolled outside to smoke some butts. We were bullshitting when this cool cat in a Yankee fitted rolled up on us. He looked mad familiar to me, but I couldn't place it. He told us he was feeling the music during the check, which was mad cool. And then he introduced himself -- Ski Beatz.

Now, no disrespect to Premier, Dilla, any of the great hip hop producers throughout history -- Ski is my absolute favorite. I kind of geeked on him, actually. But for reals, "Feelin' It" is my favorite hip hop song of all time. "Reasonable Doubt" is probably my favorite hip hop album of all time, and Ski produced all of my favorite joints on that album. So you can imagine how completely geeked I was to finally meet dude. And for him to tell us he was feeling our style was incredible.

I think the plan is to put some work in with him, which, if it happened, means I can die a happy man. We'll keep you updated.

Here are some of my favorite Ski joints:

Camp Lo -- Lucini



Jay Z -- Feelin It



Jay Z -- Dead Presidents



Here's Ski with the making of Dead Presidents



Those are literally the tip of the iceberg with this man. Unreal.

Good times.

Love, Metermaids.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Free Show at Crash Mansion Tomorrow Night!

Come through. Should be dope, and it's put on by the one and only Damon Dash.



Love, Metermaids.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Article About Brooklyn Hip Hop.

Me and Sentence were interviewed for this piece. You can read our poignant insights in the article!

Read it HERE!

Love, Metermaids.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Summer Rules Sometimes.

The Metermaids family is about to head out to Prospect Park to picnic, drink wine, and watch these guys for free:

Dr. Dog -- Hang On



Dr. Dog -- California



Phosphorescent -- Wolves



Good times, good times.

Hope you're Saturday is good too.

Love, Metermaids.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Metermaids in OurStage Blog Playlist.

Our Stage chose our Sufjan Stevens "Chicago" remix to put in their breakdancing playlist, which is mad nice of them.

Also, the playlist itself is rad.

Check it out HERE

And check out our our incredible new player on the side of the blog!

The future is here today!

Love, Metermaids.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Even More Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest Video!

Even though these don't show full songs, at least they give an indication of how big the crowd was.

Cool cool.

Part of Shades Off



End of Shades Off, beginning of Risk You Run



Love, Metermaids.