Stereo 360

“They are undeniably one of the best and most prepared acts I've heard come about in some time. If I were programming today, I would add them to my rotation if I were programming a CHR / Alt-Rock station. What keeps bands like this from succeeding is nothing more than money and promotion. I have heard hundreds of GREAT bands fail simply because there was not enough money in the coffers to promote them effectively.” - GodsofMusic.com

“These guys have the potential to be big stars across the pop radio, and have a good chance of getting on MTV. Be on the lookout for these guys, because you're going to hear more from Stereo 360.” - Break The Static

“With the current climate of metal-rap and cutesy teen pop, it’s become more and more difficult to find true musical storytellers for whom words are as important as melodies. Stereo 360 serve up infectious pop tunes that will compel you to start singing their choruses after just one listen.” - Line Lecaro

We hear a lot of bands these days that offer up their own take on power-pop. Some mix it with elements of punk. Others go for a more 80’s feel. But very few take those elements and also reach back into the magic elements of 60’s power-pop, with its slightly psychedelic feel and bring it into the 21st century. The Strokes tried but don’t quite pull it off, but that is precisely what Stereo Three-Sixty accomplishes. In fact, this group lands somewhere between The Strokes and Weezer. And that’s a great thing. The album starts off with “Superstar” and you are immediately transported back to the late 60’s. Yeah, it’s retro and all, but damned if it doesn’t sound great! There is a reason that music is still popular today, and Stereo Three-Sixty seem to recognize that. “Automatic” gives us a bit of the 80’s new wave ala Split Endz. Some may consider it “emo” but it’s so much better than that. In fact, this is what most of the “emo” by the numbers band should aspire to create. This disc is loaded with plenty of ear candy. If you have a sweet spot of guitar driven power-pop with a heavy emphasis on melodic hooks then you will find a lot of love with this group. Stereo Three-Sixty is a testament to the fact that you can look back to those who came before and adopt the best elements of that music and make it all your own. This band does have what it takes to go the distance and are definitely a group to keep your eye on for great things to come. - Review by Keavin Wiggins

If we had a music Pick of the Month running, this would be it!”

11 Song CD, 2003. By Shad Hills, Luis Galdames, Trevor Zimmerman and Moon. “Very slick, pro level in an indy style, I’ve been following the development of this band for over a year now, and they deliver with their debut album 11 tracks of Pop/Rock that is very listenable and solid. Using melody and intelligent lyrics, this album is a good presentation of the band’s range of talents, and I’d go see them in a club if they play near you, before they get snatched up by a corporation and are playing arenas, if you hear what I’m saying. If we had a music Pick of the Month running, this would be it!”-IS - Ian Shires

Stereo Three-Sixty's debut album, Enjoy Your Life Poolside, comes out of the LA music scene on their own label, Baby Pea Records. This is a very slickly produced disc, especially for a debut on a small label, but with Ryan Greene (NOFX, Tonic, Lagwagon) in charge of production and engineering this is of no surprise. Coming off with a very Alterna-punk radio sound, Stereo Three-Sixty seem to be pretty well tailored for radio and MTV airplay. Their lyrics, however, speak another story entirely. With the first track, "Super Star" they attack the "rock star" attitudes that permeate any music scene; they are kind of at odds with their own sound. Lyrically there is some very enjoyable irony and social commentary all over this disc. Practically every track on the album at least hints at the shallowness of people at large. "Don't Belong" and "Sick of You" croon away about the despair of life and how subtly cruel the world can be, and it sounds really odd all wrapped in their poppy musical style. Overall the album is very poppy with some very catchy choruses. "Automatic" is especially catchy with its chorus, "Uh oh, you’re better looking / Uh oh, you make more money than me / Uh oh, you’re better looking / I guess it really doesn’t matter to me". "Original " and "Radio Parade" are also very singable. The first half of the disc is the most radio savvy, while you get to hear a little less pop and a little more quality musicianship going into the second half. "Sick of You" has a little New Wave flavor and a very satisfying hook. At times it can be hard to really digest this album due to the radio pop sheen, but if given a chance you will find that this is actually a pretty quality album. It's always good to see a group self-release an album of this caliber and be successful with it. Don't be too surprised if you hear Stereo Three-Sixty's music on the radio and on TV in the not too distant future. Review written on 2003/09/15 by James for 30music.com - James (Contributing Writer)

I believe it is the first time that I hold a CD in my hand produced by Ryan Greene that has nothing to do with Punk Rock. Stereo 360 do Power Pop the classic way, in the style of Feeder with a little Stereophonics - you could also compare them to Rooney. It is obvious in any case that this CD is professionally made, the album sounds just "great". The songs are great top Power Pop songs. The big hit is unfortunately missing, or better yet, gladly missing. You can listen to this CD over and over again and still like it. Usually in Power Pop hits are a "must". You don't feel like you are missing the one big hit because all eleven songs on this CD are full of melody and good vibes. In the USA, it seems like Stereo 360 is something of a big deal. With six pages of band info, biography, marketing strategies, etc. you can checkout Stereo 360 exclusively at 11pm.de Rating: Still an insider tip at 11PM.de. - By Oliver Breitfeld

This Los Angeles foursome is one of the hardest working bands around, taking pride in the fact that they “never turn down a gig”, and consequently doing quite a lot of them. This approach has paid tremendous dividends, both in their tight live performances and on their debut disc, Enjoy Your Life Poolside, which contains 11 slabs of no holds barred, edgy, melodic modern power pop. Lead singer Shad Hills has a very strong voice, and writes (sometimes with the help of various band members) high octane tunes with thick layers of guitars and very catchy choruses. Songs like “Superstar,” “California,” “Vaseline Mouth,” (love that title) and “Original” should definitely be on today’s modern rock radio, as many similar tunes often shoot up the charts. The band doesn’t stray from the formula too often, but when they do the results can be striking, like on “Beautiful,” which has some fine descending figures and a (well) beautiful circular melody line. Enjoy Your Life Poolside is a very solid beginning from a band who will likely record a slew of fine discs before they’re through. David Bash - Iconic Pop Critic David Bash

Rarely does a band show such a drive to get their music out: they run the label, record and write their music (primarily frontman Shad Hills), and promote and distribute their record. One would think that they’re either pitifully radio friendly or otherwise hard-core with an eye on a Lollapalooza slot. What you’d get, though, is fresh DIY West Coast rock that should hit your foot as soon as it pounds your ears. “I got jumped for no reason/ it wasn’t safe for me/ that’s why I’m goona live in California”, sings Hills on ‘California’, a bare-bone basic rock’n’roll song with a catchy melody and danceable beat. ‘Radio Parade’, ‘Automatic’ and ‘Vasoline Mouth’ exhibit Stereo 360's cohesive guitar work and taste for entertaining lyricism, while CD opener ‘Superstar’ is hooked through and through with guitarist Luis Galdames’s work about to utter to back Hills layers. Being an L.A. band, they surely have survived the glitz of acts that I’d rather not mention so I don’t offend your eyes. In reality, they’ve even surpassed the total sum of Stereo’s members and their influences. To wit: ‘Don’t Belong’ is such a beautiful ballad on all levels (vocals, percussion, leading guitar bridge) to be one of the better rock songs the first half of this year. Album closer ‘Beautiful’ is no less an achievement. ‘Restaurant’ and ‘Sick Of You’ are written and delivered with the same passion and closeness. Produced by Ryan Greene (NOFX, Sick Of It All), it should have been a rewarding experience for the former. After all, at one’s plate is an album providing melodies for enjoyment with more than a bottle of beer poolside. 8. -ea01/july 2003 - by ea01 (a.k.a. Eyad Ammari)

what the Cars might sound like if they made it past the 80's alive......

This is what I like to see. Before I even put the disc in my player I know these L.A. based musicians are taking themselves seriously. Their CD package is professional even though they are on a little unheard of label called Baby Pea. Next, I go to the Stereo 360 website and I'm presented with one of the more presentable band sites I have seen. While maybe not one of the most charismatic bands going, Stereo 360 do have something unique that may just be different enough to keep them ahead in the rock world. Their pop sounds like what the Cars might sound like if they made it past the 80's alive. Harmonies are the order of the day and these boys know how to harmonize. The production was done by punk-producer Ryan Greene and surprisingly he pulls all the right levers to make Enjoy Your Life Poolside sound very different. This is just the case of some rich kids putting out a shiny product. Stereo 360 have the goods to back up the Ryan Greene production and the nice packaging. There are hooks a'plenty here, enough for everyone. I would keep an eye on Stereo 360 in the coming years. I think this is a band that will mature into something worth getting to the masses. (Baby Pea 2003) Reviewed on 2003-07-01 10:44:58 Try if you like - Cheap Trick, Sloan - Contributing Writer