Sunday, September 16, 2012

Disappearing Jamie: This Generation's Blink182?


Never heard of 'Disappearing Jamie'? You’re not the only one. Very few people have heard of the up-and-coming band, and those who have are mostly teenage girls. With Tyler Posey serving as the face of the group, most fans discovered the band through their love of MTV’s 'Teen Wolf'. This is proving to be both a positive and negative for the band. While it is likely that, had Posey not garnered such an immense following through television, Disappearing Jamie would be another struggling California-based band, many people steer clear of the music solely because of certain connotations made of the front man. Disappearing Jamie is associated with Tyler Posey, who is associated with Teen Wolf, which is associated with MTV. It has become clear that MTV is less involved with music television and more involved with bad reality television (Teen Mom, Jersey Shore etc.) Any negative thoughts surrounding MTV cause much of the population to immediately dismiss anything and anyone related with the network. Hence the very limited range of Disappearing Jamie’s fan base. Not a fan of MTF or Teen Wolf? Doesn’t matter. The biggest music mistake you’ll make is not giving Disappearing Jamie (formerly known as ‘Lost in Kostko’) a chance.

The biggest fan-base for Disappearing Jamie is teen girls, however, it’s the guys who should focus on this group. The music is ideal for this generation’s male audience, who unfortunately shy away when they hear it includes, “That guy from Teen Wolf.” Teenage boys have been, are, and always will be a stubborn bunch, consciously choosing to avoid something due to how they think it may be perceived. What this generation’s teenage boys aren’t grasping is that Disappearing Jamie and Teen Wolf are two completely different entities. It is possible to like a band and just a band. Enjoying the music of Disappearing Jamie doesn’t immediately mean that you have to enjoy a TV show whose target demographic is 16 year old girls. Disappearing Jamie is possibly the band that will reinvent 90’s punk-rock, a genre that has fallen to the wayside with the upsurge of pop music, and bring back a sound that’s been lost in the past decade. This is something that guys need to understand. Good music is good music, and Disappearing Jamie is good music.

The best thing about the music being produced by Disappearing Jamie is that it simply is what it is. While some may consider the lyrics to be amateurish, I find them to be quite refreshing. There are no subtle nuances that force me to think while listening, and unlike much of today’s music, Disappearing Jamie isn’t attempting to make some bold statement resonate within its audience. The band is a group of twenty-something guys, who are writing and playing music about things that pertain to them. It’s great! With Disappearing Jamie, nobody is being forced to listen to a group striving to be something other than what they are. Disappearing Jamie is unique in the fact that there is no façade. Most artists these days have two personas: the personal persona and the stage persona. Disappearing Jamie has only  one. When on stage the group is simply Alex, Freddy, and Tyler, three friends who are excited about music and eager to share their passion with their audience. Each band member is extremely personable and their interactions with their audience show that they are just as, if not more, excited to be playing as their fans are at seeing them play.

 Freddy Ramirez
 Tyler Posey
Alex Gertsch
(Photos Courtesy of: http://twitter.com/caitdiaz via disappearingjamiefanpage.tumblr.com)


Having said all that, it begs the question: Is Disappearing Jamie at the same caliber as Blink 182? The answer. Absolutely not. But honestly, that’s because no one is. Blink 182 is a group that has been around for years. They’ve broken up, gotten back together, and have carried the torch for alternative-punk rockers. In short, they’re icons. And while there will never be a band that can fully match what is Blink182, Disappearing Jamie certainly has the potential to come close. Both bands have a very similar sound that results in upbeat rock music. Disappearing Jamie’s EP (released under Lost in Kostko) matches the energetic and fun vibes most notably produced by Blink. As previously mentioned, the music isn’t overly complicated. There is a nice blend of incredibly catchy guitar riffs and steady drum beats. The individual songs hold enough teenage angst without being overbearing. The music is fun and lively, much like that of Blink 182.

I sincerely hope that this group gains more recognition because the pop/rock/alternative genre is severely lacking and Disappearing Jamie easily fills the void. In a few years time I have a feeling that Disappearing Jamie will have amassed a much broader audience because they’re musicians that produce music that is appealing to a variety of people. When Disappearing Jamie is announced as the opening band for Blink 182’s next tour, I’ll be the first in line buying tickets.

Check out the Lost in Kostko album on iTunes. It’s definitely worth the five bucks.

And here’s the link to LiK/DJ’s Reverbnation site: http://www.reverbnation.com/lostinkostko

Lost in Kostko's Cover of Blink's 'First Date' (not great sound quality)
Video courtesy of ohbabehyay's Youtube channel

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