Chameleon and other tracks by Pixikill, 2010
Jewel and Blaire, lead singers and creators of Pixikill.
The entire Pixikill band.
Home Base: Northridge, CA
Compared To: Paramore, The Veronicas, Bloc Party, Pink, Avril Lavigne
Genre: Electronica, Pop, Grunge, Alternative, Rock
Website: Pixikill
Bio: Just one of them would be enough energy to light up Los Angeles. But even better, there’s two. Sisters Jewel & Blaire Restaneo stand as the front-women of Pixkill, claiming the hybrid style of electro pop grunge as their playground and joining fellow females like Avril Lavigne, The Veronicas, and Hayley Williams of Paramore at the forefront of young women who can rock a mic. More than attitude and eye shadow, though, Pixikill is music with message. Their undeniable chops make fans jump up and dance, and their tireless heart make ‘em open up and think.
Long before they were killing pixies, Jewel and Blaire were little country firecrackers growing up in a haunted old Stagecoach Inn outside of Pittsburgh, PA. During many days spent alternately goofing off to the Spice Girls CDs and selling their own albums and donating the money to children’s hospitals, two things became clear: they loved attention, and they had heart. This made them perfect fits for the national touring company of Annie, during which they learned what really mattered when on the road for 8 months solid: “A suitcase full of Barbies.” After rocking the hard knock life, they adopted New York City as home while starring on Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun and A Christmas Carol, and making several appearances in kid roles on Saturday Night Live. Four years in New York made it time for Los Angeles, where they started playing guitar, writing original songs, and walking the road that led them to Pixikill.
Along with “their guys,” also known as Mike Kim, Victor Trevino, Chris Norwood, and Corey Waters, Pixikill is young, skilled, and diverse. “We are Polish and Italian. Mike is Korean, Victor is Mexican and Spanish Basque, Chris is Creole, and Corey is Caucasian and Hispanic. We’re a very diverse band, and we love it!” As diverse in talent as they are in ethnicity, Jewel and Blaire handle the songwriting and arranging duties while holding down guitars and vocals, with Mike on drums/percussion, Victor on bass, Chris on lead guitar, and Corey on keyboard/synth. The crackling energy that results from their collision of personality, experience, and feeling has marked Pixikill as a brilliant young band on record, in live shows, and in their stunning debut music video for the single “Chameleon,” which they also produced, directed, and edited.
“Chameleon,” joined by the single and video “Vampire,” are setting the tone for Pixikill’s forthcoming full-length debut album, produced by multi-platinum producer PJ Bianco (Jonas Brothers, Metro Station). This is not their first crack at teaming up with top-shelf producers, having worked previously with The Wizards (Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Hudgens) and Kevin DeClue and Joel Soyfer (Hilary Duff) to show the world who they are when it comes to their songs. “We want to go beyond what’s typically being written about. A typical song is a love song or a party song. ‘Vampire’ is about depression, and lyrically it could be about a person suffering from depression, or it could be about the object that is pulling them into depression. We like taking it to that level, and then leaving some gray area for the listener to think for themselves.” Just like with their songwriting, they’re not in music to stay on the surface. “We’re not out here for fame. We have a message to give, we want to make people feel and think. Some artists go after the shock or sex factor, but that’s not us. We’ll make it from a very creative standpoint that works for us, and not change to fit what the music industry usually wants young artists to be.”
On the strength of their talent and their convictions, the goofy gang that is Pixikill has announced themselves as a band with searing passion, focus, and good humor. They’re more than pretty faces, and more than sullen teenagers. While they may not be what the pop world expects of them, there are some facts that just can’t be argued. They are strong. They are gifted. And they are here.
My Review: It isn’t often that I review a group that is more less “Teen/Tween/perhaps 20s” oriented, I guess because it’s so far removed from my age of 61. However, I do know a band with potential, one that has a chance of making it big, and I’m not going to pass that up!
Pixikill is a very high energy, young pop/grunge/rock band that can easily hold their own with the likes of Avril Lavigne, Paramore or any of the other current teen sensations. I would not be afraid to pit Pixikill against any established artist in this genre.
While “Chameleon” is undoubtedly Pikikill’s premier track, being backed up by a professionally done video, I found “Freak Out” and “Rock It” to run a close second and third! All of these songs address the things which occupy most young people today, love and relationships.
All of these songs have some very, very big hooks from the sultry and sexy singing by Jewel and Blaire to the unique keyboard work by Corey and a lot of others in between. I would remiss, however, not to compliment all members of Pixikill, for a young band, they play like seasoned professionals.
While I realize that by now Jewel and Blaire a seasoned, professional entertainers, which is no doubt a big asset to Pixikill, I would think that their biggest challenge is “keeping everything together” and to make sure the “well doesn’t run dry” and they keep cranking out new tracks.
Don’t let the innocent looks of Pixikill fool you, this is a hot, young and vibrant band with plenty of “savvy”. If their planned album is anywhere near as good as these tracks, and I have no doubt it will be, I see no reason why Pixikill should not hold a number one spot on the charts!
It’s a “no brainer”, I rate Pixikill 10 stars and a “thumbs up” and expect to see them hit it really big this year!
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Chameleon single available from iTunes
