My pick of the week has to be Walking Sideways, a four-piece rock band from Long Island, N.Y.
Fellow classmate Deanna Devivo, who works for PopCore Entertainment and represents artists such as Walking Sideways, Charlie Dane and many more, brought this band to my attention. I took one listen to their tracks and was immediately hooked. Their music resembles a mix between Daughtry, Stone Temple Pilots and the Goo Goo Dolls.
The main way to make a name for yourself in today’s industry is to develop a strong fan base. Walking Sideways has been playing many local shows in New York and developing loyal fans along the way. It is clear that they are striving to find a nitch in the world of alternative, hard rock.
Their songs focus on a mix of grungy verses with mainstream hooks, which leave them with a dynamic sound in all of the tracks they record.
They are a band full of strong musicians; Erik Hagedorn (the main vocalist and guitar player) has a pure sounding voice and puts so much emotion in each song. Joe Brown on guitar plays amazing progressions that follow the main melody set by Hagedorn. Justin Cellini on bass compliments the song structure by adding depth with every note he plays, and Chris Ciccone helps turn every piece from an acoustic ballad to an edgy rock song with his solid drum skills.
You can check this band out at www.reverbnation.com/walkingsideways or www.facebook.com/walkingsideways. If you are into mainstream alternative rock, then this band is for you. Their songs are not representing your typical rock track.
They back their powerful lyrics with catchy melodies, which are full of emotion. It says a lot when a band sets out to make music that makes a listener feel emotion, rather than just something that people play to pass the time while driving.
This band is definitely going places, and is full of potential. With their solid chord progressions, meaningful lyrics and loyal fan base, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be huge by next year. If I were you, I’d go see a show or two before they start getting sold out!
