Artist: Lead Burns Red
Song: “Nomad” (from sandiegoreader.com/mp3)
Heard by: Julian Yanez, Ocean Beach
It starts off strong, starts out hard. I liked the intensity. It kind of slows down with the breakdown, but overall, it’s a good song. I’m getting ready to go for a [bike] ride, so it puts some adrenaline in me. I’d say they sound like ‘80s or early-’90s rock...maybe like Anvil, the metal band. They’re in between hardcore and metal. Clean vocals, but it needed to be harder. They need to spice it up a little. He sounded too much like Creed. I would totally see that getting radio airplay. It’s catchy enough to play on the radio with no problems. Somebody would definitely call in and request that song. If I heard that on the radio, I wouldn’t change it. I’d just cruise to it.

Artist: Pedalay the Boss
Song: “2 A.M.” (from sandiegoreader.com/mp3)
Heard by: John Pancoast, North Park
It was cool. I liked it. I was mainly just listening to the beat. I wasn’t listening to the lyrics too much. Rhythmically, it was good and he had a good voice. I could hear that song being played in a club. I wouldn’t really say it was hardcore gangsta rap or a more underground hip-hop sound. It was more newly created sounds on a synthesizer. I didn’t really hear old samples with a beat put over it. I like hip-hop more like Jedi Mind Tricks and Aesop Rock. I could hear that on the radio. That would be a good song for smoking weed on the way to the club and getting down in the club with a bunch of girls who are ready to get drunk.

Artist: Jackpot Junkies
Song: “Pass the Vibe” (from sandiegoreader.com/mp3)
Heard by: Evan Williams, Normal Heights
I really like the melody and the sound they were getting at. As far as areas of improvement, I would say the vocalist’s power. It would have been nice to hear the singer put a little more “oomph” behind his voice. I think that would have brought out the song a lot more. Their lyricism is a little repetitive but I like the message. They were singing about how instead of making war and jumping to reactionary efforts — whether that be interpersonal or between nations — people should try to follow the cause of peace. That’s something I agree with wholeheartedly. Musically, it seems reminiscent of some of the early New York hardcore bands mixed with a little bit of ‘70s glam rock. I think that’s cool.