Welcome to AmpedReviews.net
We have been around since 2006 and bring you the best of CD and Live reviews aswell as Interviews with bands, features and live photography! If you're interested in appearing on or writing for the website please get in contact
Charlotte Sometimes is quite the conniving housewife. At least when she could just kill a man, she is. Her sultry croon, upbeat music and cutesy, apron-focused stage outfits are deceiving, in a way.
Charlotte Sometimes is the stage name of Jessica Poland, a musician from just outside of New York who has seemingly created her own genre of upbeat Alternative/Indie. The first single off her debut album, 'Waves and the Both of Us' obviously was inspired by a not-so-great guy. The music video for the song, entitled, 'How I Could Just Kill a Man,' depicts Sometimes killing a cheating boyfriend in multiple ways—all while keeping her '50s housewife apron clean and a smile on her face.
The dark lyrics are covered by a blanket of sweet stage presence and a gorgeous, full-of-life brand of murmuring pop. 'Sometimes' wasn't mistaken in this venture - or in acting like a housewife.
"[The idea] is definitely intentional. I think it's really fun to play on that, women's role kind of thing. [Laughs] So I try to dress like a housewife to prove a point. And the point is to get people to question things. And all the stuff that I do...like Charlotte, my character, is completely housewifey but does everything wrong. Like the kind of person that is really vindictive and has all these crazy personalities. You know, she [has] this appearance on the outside, with the apron, but then she's cheating on her husband with your husband down the block," says Sometimes.
"So, it's just fun to kind of create a character, and it's kind of based off of Bewitched, the way she has these magical powers, and her husband, even though he loved her because she had these magical powers, he was always trying to hide them from the world. So I'm really kind of trying to be Samantha's breakthrough [Laughs]. So that's kind of how my '50s idea came about."
Not all of the songs are about boys that break hearts, though. Like every album, 'Waves and the Both of Us' ventures onto multiple ideas and relationships for the songwriter.
"The whole album isn't about a guy. But there's definitely a big chunk that has to do with one particular person. I think people misinterpret that...I wrote the songs from [age] 15 and on. So they were [about] more than one guy that I dated and wrote," says Sometimes.
"So there's a big chunk of it that's about one specific person, but there's like 2 or 3 that are either an idea about someone or about other relationships. So there's a few [songs] about guys, and also about personal experiences that have nothing to do with guys."
Before becoming part of a band, the singer was a dancer, and this trend carries onto a few of the songs. The R&B-infused, "AEIOU" is definitely made for carrying a beat along to—another intentional move on the part of the band.
"I was a dancer growing up for like, 13 years, and I really love dance music, and having fun. And I also love jazzy kind of stuff like Billie Holiday. So I really wanted to create kind of a mix on that song and just have fun," says Sometimes. "And it was one of the fun, kind of sarcastic songs, for young girls to like, sing along to, in their car, while they're driving and talking about some crazy guy, you know? It's also a way to make light of a situation. I thought that was a really fun song and it was definitely on purpose."
The album was released in May, and since then, the band has toured in support of it, both on Warped Tour and a variety of other supporting shows. When tours aren't happening, though, Sometimes keeps busy with her blog, Foreversometimes.com, where she posts some of the large numbers of songs she writes that may not make the next album, as well as random thoughts.
"I have over 60 new songs right now, so I write a lot of songs. These songs aren't really a promise of what you should expect for the next record, because I kind of just write whatever. I have so many different ideas for the next album, and I have so many songs, so it could go any...I just explore different genres of music, and different directions. So if I'm feeling something, and I'm not sure if it's going to make the record, I'll post it on my blog so it at least has some sort of life to it," says Sometimes. "I think a lot of people feel good about it. And then it's so raw, and it's like, how I'm feeling that day, and it's definitely another way to get to know me. More of a songwriter and a personable person than a performer, you know?"
Interview with Poets of the Fall
We spoke to Poets of the Fall about their new record label and the Finnish music industry. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Interview with Sean Flowerdew from Pama International
We spoke to Sean Flowerdew from Pama International about the last ten years of the band. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Interview with Mika Tauriainen from Entwine
We spoke to Mika Tauriainen from Entwine about the future of music industry. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Interview with The Winyls
We spoke to James and HC of the Winyls, the Finnish band that is said to combine exciting tunes, live mayhem, blood, sweat and tears into their music. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Interview with Larry Love of Negative
We recently spoke to Larry Love of Finnish rock band Negative, about his inspirations, their musical style and comparisons to classic rock bands. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Interview with MiMi Soya
We recently spoke to Brighton based pop rock outfit, MiMi Soya about their brand new EP 'I Can't Stand Pop Bands,' their recent success and what is still yet to come from the band. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Behinds the scenes with My Darkest Days
We recently went behind the scenes with My Darkest Days on their July 2010 tour, opening for Sick Puppies alongside It's Alive and Janus.
Mark Goodwin of Sick Puppies
We recently spoke to Mark Goodwin of Sick Puppies about Rock Prophecies, who he would like to share a stage with and what's new about their recent tour.
It's Alive
We recently spoke to It's Alive about their recent tour in support of Sick Puppies and shooting the video for their single 'Pieces.'
Tommi Thunder from Suicide Love Boat
We spoke to Tommi Thunder of Suicide Love Boat about the band’s scam tour to Germany, stolen guitars, cut fingers, lost brothers, playing drunk and many others. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Jonas Karsten from Vanity Beach
We talked to Jonas Karsten of Vanity Beach about their long-awaited second album ‘A Life of Vice’, a new line-up and producer and many other curious sidelights. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Dead Confederate
We spoke to Dead Confederate during the last day of SXSW about what they've been up to and their new album READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Burn The Fleet
We spoke to this Southampton based group about their local music scene and how they are breaking out from it. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Silent Disguise
We spoke to metal band Silent Disguise about their journey to where they are today and what is on the horizon. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Phillip Edwards from Boys With X-Ray Eyes
We spoke to drummer Phillip Edwards about the bands rise since their debut. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Gustav Wood from Young Guns
We talk to the young front man about the Kerrang! Relentless tour and what it feels like to be an unsigned band that is currently making huge waves in the rock music industry. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Lost Prophets
We talk to Lost Prophets about their new album 'The Betrayed' and their current tour of the UK READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Funeral For A Friend
We talked to Funeral For A Friend members Darran and Gavin about their new 'Greatest Hits' album and how Gavin felt about joining the band. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
Angel Ibarra from Aiden
Back in June we talked to Aiden guitarist Angel Ibarra about the new record and the recent troubles that the band have faced. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW
