The Fontaine Brothers

By Katey Khaos

I’d like to introduce you to two Masachusetts brother who not only get along, but also play some kickass alternative pop music together. May I present Luke and Ike Fontaine, better known as The Fontaine Brothers.

Although only nineteen years old, these guys already have got a lot under their belt. They released their first demo album, 4U, on iTunes in March, recently re-released their single “Maybe,” featuring the lovely Jillian Jensen of the “X Factor,” and have plans to release three more songs in the next few months.

On top of all the great things they’re doing with their music career, they’re also focusing on giving back to the community with their charitable giving campaign, Our Two Cents. “Our Two Cents is a charitable giving campaign that allows us to donate a portion of the proceeds from select song downloads, performances, and apparel to a charity of our choice. Right now we are really concentrating on the anti-bullying cause, which is a cause very close to our friend Jillian [Jensen] … The great thing about the Our Two Cents campaign is that it will also allow us to give back to other organizations later down the road, too! There are so many causes we’d like to get behind & are so grateful for the opportunity to help make a difference,” The Fontaine Brothers explain. “Someone once told us that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. For us that’s music. To not only be able to live our dream but also be able to give back to the community is more than we could have ever thought possible.”

To find out more about The Fontaine Brothers and their campaign, Our Two Cents, check out www.thefontainebrothers.com!

Giants Walk Among Us

By Jason Savio

With a relatively underground status and kept close to the vest by its followers, the hardcore metal sub-genre can sometimes be misunderstood. But Worcester’s Giants Walk Among Us is determined to change those misconceptions with their own take on the style.

“I believe that people don’t take the time to appreciate and feel out the true meaning behind the kind of music that we play,” says singer and guitarist Bryan Russo. “But we continue to keep a positive outlook and move forward, hoping to find success in the music industry while keeping our fans on the edge of their seats with daring new music that pushes the boundaries of the metal genre.”

Nowadays, the “metal club” is crowded with what seems like a new band popping up every few months in one of its seemingly endless sub-genres. When a particular scene is so popular, it can often be hard for a new band to get a decent start and some recognition. Giants Walk Among Us, however, won’t allow themselves to become intimidated and as a result have a lot going for them.

They are currently gearing up to record a four track EP this December ~ Aspirations ~ at No Boundaries Studios in Rhode Island, and despite being very young, the members of GWAU seem to be in the correct frame of mind. When explaining the meaning behind his band’s unique name, Russo touches upon their approach to the music industry and life in general.

“Even in times of doubt, you must stay true and you need to be strong,” says Russo. “You must push forward like giants, and conquer any obstacle that comes your way. That strength can be within anyone.”

Motivating and inspiring, Giants Walk Among Us’s outlook could be very beneficial to them in a crowded scene and lead them down the road to a successful future. They look to begin travelling that road early next year in support of Aspirations. While they may not have any current shows scheduled, be sure to look out for them at familiar places including The Raven and The Palladium in the coming year.

‘Til then, visit them at: www.facebook.com/home.php#!/GIANTSWA