With the emergence of computer software aimed at home recording, it is becoming clear that the age of the bedroom-based, one stop shop, wannabe superstar is upon us. The recent advancements in the world of home recording, however, have proven to be a double-edged sword. For every decent home recording, there are countless other self-described "artists" who offer their confusing creations for all the world to see, for good or for bad. On the positive side, a whole new generation is learning the basics of recording techniques and pushing the art form to new levels. However, on the flip side, the ease of home recordings has cluttered the musical landscape, forcing the listening public to sift through an overwhelming landscape littered with half-hearted attempts at polished and dedicated music.With today's music fan being challenged to discern the good from the bad, it is wildly refreshing to hear a band that can do it all from the ground up: from songwriting, to arrangement, to musicality and on to recording. Modern Science, Stereofame.com's Artist of the Month for April 2011, is such a band. With irresistibly catchy pop/rock tunes that are expertly recorded, it’s no surprise that Modern Science has found themselves winning the monthly honor for the second time since October, 2009.
For lead singer and principal songwriter Kane Churko, the ability to write and record infectious, radio-ready rock anthems is in his blood. Churko's father, Kevin Churko, is an accomplished rock producer, having worked with artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Slash and Shania Twain, just to name a few. The younger Churko's destiny, it seems, was pre-ordained. "From the time I was about thirteen, I started working in a studio environment," Churko said. "It's something I always knew I wanted to do." But Churko's impressive pedigree doesn't explain his dogged determination to push himself as a songwriter.
"Kane is someone who is very prolific and can write so many different styles," bassist Mike McHugh said. "Recording an EP usually consists of sifting through 40 or 50 of Kane's ideas and focusing on five songs to complete." Ironically, Churko's chameleonic writing persona has pushed the band to become more focused on defining its sound.
"On our first EP [Self-Titled]," Churko said, "I think we were trying really hard to make every song sound different and we found that people were a little confused by that. On (How The World Ends), we tried to make something more cohesive."
With "How The World Ends," Modern Science sounds like a band that is tip-toeing the line of superstardom, with soaring hooks and in-your-face arrangements that rival the best of artists like Good Charlotte, My Chemical Romance and Green Day.
The duo that form Modern Science were heavily influenced by the guitar-driven rock of the 90's, a fact that is evident in their no-nonsense, post-alternative style. "We listened to bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Everclear," McHugh said, "(but) what we have always been drawn to is a great song. No matter what the style is, a good song is a good song."
Modern Science is churning out plenty of those and with the recent release of "How The World Ends," the pair are fast gaining a following within the Stereofame community and beyond. According to Churko, the opportunities available through Stereofame can have a huge impact on up-and-coming independent artists. "There are so many sites out there to post your music," Churko said. "But Stereofame really backs up their claims. Just winning something like Artist of the Month, that $1,000 means something to a band like us. That's a music video or more recording time."
To find out more about Modern Science and to hear their music, check out stereofame.com/modernscience.
StereoFame is debuting their 2.0 version in the coming weeks as a multiplayer game application on Facebook. It's like fantasy football, but for music. And just like fantasy football, your success will be dependent upon the real world success of the independent and major label artists that you sign. Promote your favorite artists like Lady Gaga, Eminem, or One Republic for example, and you'll be more successful!
- Check out our weekly charts to sign who's hot and drop who's not.
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- Compete with other players to become the most successful music label in your area.
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Labels: aom, contest, Modern Science
