Category Archives: Awesome

How Big How Blue How Beautiful #1 on US Billboard Top 200

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Seven years to the day from the release of their debut single, Florence + the Machine make their first ever #1 debut on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 with How Big How Blue How Beautiful, selling 137,044 albums in its first week. With three albums in seven years to their name, the band continues to reach new heights—How Big How Blue How Beautiful is currently #1 in the U.K., the band’s third #1 album in the country, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland and Canada after reaching the top spot on iTunes charts in 24 countries worldwide last week.

The band will play select U.S. headline dates this fall, with stops including two nights at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, a further two nights at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre and an appearance at Seattle’s Key Arena. American Express Card Members and fans who buy the album on the official store can purchase tickets before the general public through Thursday, June 11 at 10 p.m. local time. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. local time Friday, June 12*.

The dates will follow the band’s worldwide summer tour, headlining many festivals including Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Austin City Limits, Bestival, Splendour in the Grass, Southside and Hurricane and making appearances at Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Roskilde and many more with their own headline dates including D.C.’s Merriweather Post Pavilion and Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The band performed on “Good Morning America” this June 5 and stopped by “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” this week to perform “Ship to Wreck,” watch it here. Further, watch the bands recent performances on “Saturday Night Live” here and here.

How Big How Blue How Beautiful is out now, reaching #1 on iTunes in 18 countries worldwide including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and more.

The new album How Big How Blue How Beautiful is a collection of songs, written and recorded over the course of 2014. Produced by Markus Dravs (Björk, Arcade Fire, Coldplay) with contributions from Paul Epworth, Kid Harpoon and John Hill, the third album by Florence + the Machine is live-sounding, tune-rich, unhinged in all the right places and powerful in all the best ways. In voice and, ultimately, outlook Florence has never sounded better. Download the album HERE.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE LIVE
October 11                  Austin, TX                   Austin City Limits
October 13                  Phoenix, AZ                Ak-Chin Pavilion
October 14                  San Diego, CA            Viejas Arena
October 16-17             Los Angeles, CA         Hollywood Bowl
October 20                  Santa Barbara, CA     Santa Barbara Bowl
October 21-22             Berkeley, CA              Greek Theatre
October 24                  Portland, OR               Portland Memorial Coliseum
October 25                  Vancouver, BC            Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
October 27                  Seattle, WA                 Key Arena

HOW BIG HOW BLUE HOW BEAUTIFUL
1.    Ship To Wreck
2.    What Kind Of Man
3.    How Big How Blue How Beautiful
4.    Queen Of Peace
5.    Various Storms & Saints
6.    Delilah
7.    Long & Lost
8.    Caught
9.    Third Eye
10.  St Jude
11.  Mother

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Newest Love: Hunter Hunted

Portrait of Hunter Hunted at the 2015 Sasquatch Music Festival Photo Credit: Alex Crick

Portrait of Hunter Hunted at the 2015 Sasquatch Music Festival
Photo Credit: Alex Crick

“With a swift kick to hope-shredding guitars, their brand of ebullient electro-rock immediately revs back to life fueled by an undeniable custom-cut chorus just waiting around the driver’s blindside before it explodes, begging you to sing along.” – Mostly Junk Food

“Hunter Hunted strike alt radio gold with the first single “Blindside” off their forthcoming debut album”. – Neon Gold

“…musical gem” – Idolator

Today, Hunter Hunted announce their upcoming debut album Ready For You, which will come out on July 10 via FreeSolo/RCA. Last week, right before their Sasquatch! Festival set, Los Angeles duo Hunter Hunted revealed their first single “Blindside” of the album. They’ll set out on a 20-date co-headlining tour with Young Rising Sons in July and August and will be able to play album tracks like “Operating”, “Ready For You”, and “End Of The World” live for the first time.

Capable of crafting stadium-sized pop missives that are hugely catchy and wonderfully earnest, the duo of Michael Garner and Dan Chang, write songs that tread an easy path between the head and heart, bursting at the seems with undeniable melodies and choruses that are custom-made to be sung along to, preferably at peak volume while surrounded by several hundred of your brand new very best friends.

On Ready for You Hunter Hunted’s ambition is fantastically evident. It’s a record that seems tailor-made to engineer happiness. It’s a pop record with long legs—packed with tracks that balance razor-sharp hooks with heartfelt sentiment. “We want to make songs that make people happy, songs that you can hear on the radio and that make you want to sing and dance,” says Garner. “We want to get to that point where we make a song that takes the world by storm, where it’s like, ‘Holy shit. This song is hitting so hard. We don’t even know how to handle it!’ We’re still waiting for that moment where all of this just takes off and knocks us off our butts.”

The story of Hunter Hunted begins, at least for most people, with the release of their debut EP, Hunter Hunted, in 2013. However, the group’s roots go back much further as they met at UCLA. They’ve been included in MTV’s Artists To Watch, NYLON’s “Bands to look out for,” Starbucks “Pick of The Week, “Teen Vogue’s “Jam’s of the year,” Billboard Magazines “Scouting Report” and KCRW’s “Bands we Love.”

While standout track “Keep Together” was making the rounds on TV shows, the band’s early singles quickly elevated Hunter Hunted from the ranks of indie-pop hopefuls to serious chart contenders, touring alongside FUN., Fitz and The Tantrums, Weezer, and Twenty One Pilots. The band also turned in lauded performances at Bonnaroo, Governors Ball and Firefly, as well as stops on Conan O’Brien’s late night show and The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show pre-show.

When asked about “Blindside” and the upcoming debut album they say, “We wanted to write songs that were both tiny and huge. Songs that you could play on an acoustic guitar alone or with a big band inside an arena.” With the help of Howard benson and Neil Avron behind the boards, Hunter Hunted have achieved that.

The band has a busy year ahead of them – their co-headlining tour with Interscope’s Young Rising Sons for July/August is only the start of what’s to come.

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Hunter Hunted Ready For You tracklisting:

1. Ready For You
2. Operating
3. Ghost
4. Blindside
5. Lucky Day
6. Dora Maar
7. Gentle Folks
8. Float
9. Keep Together
10. Better My Love
11. End Of The World

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Listen: Patrick James – “California Song”

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Listen: Patrick James – “California Song”

Originally hailing from Port Macquarie, on Australia’s New South Wales coast – Patrick James earned his performance stripes after moving to Sydney and becoming a regular on the street busking circuit. Through this constant performance to transient and preoccupied crowds, Patrick was able to develop a unique ability to captivate audiences with only his guitar and a microphone.

After releasing his debut EP “All About To Change” in 2013, and follow up EP “Broken Lines” in 2014, Patrick sold out headlines shows throughout Australia and New Zealand multiple times, as well as supported some incredible artists including Boy & Bear, Josh Pyke, The Paper Kits, Emma Louise + more. As well as widespread stellar reviews of both EP’s and building attention from his performances, Patrick has also had singles “All About To Change” and “Brighter Lights” featured in Australian TV dramas “Wonderland” and “Offspring”.

An honest and true songsmith with an innate flair for soft acoustics, stirring harmonies and a heavy-hearted lyric, Patrick James is a songwriter in purest form – once again showcased with new single “California Song”. Self-produced with a more mature and defined sound, “California Song” provides a refreshing and uplifting experience combining a driving beat, washed out synths, and the vocals Patrick has become known for.

“The song is about starting up again, making mistakes, forbidden love and finding a new path and following it, even if you don’t know where you’ll end up…the lyrics “Meet me in California” is meant to suggest wanting to be in a place where your slate is clean and there is only you and the one you love, and that’s all that matters for that moment in time”. – Patrick James

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Newest Love: Psymon Spine

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Check out this great new band Psymon Spine. Last week they released their synth-driven, ethereal first single “Eric’s Basement & Secret Tunnels”.

The song will be found on the bands’ new self-titled EP, which was produced by Graham Dickson (Crystal Fighters) and will be seeing a release via Axis Mundi Records on May 19th.

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Listen: Psymon Spine – “Eric’s Basement & Secret Tunnels” 

Listen: Psymon Spine – “Shocked”

Psymon Spine’s music is, metaphorically speaking, like a stroll through a rainforest at night with a safe place to return to. Beauty permeates, but there are a thousand ways to die around every corner. Peace and violence are interdependent, and while the full emotional spectrum resides within it, the end goal is optimistic – like the euphoria that follows physical exhilaration.

The songs that make up the new Psymon Spine EP are extremely dualistic by nature, partnering fuzzy synths with lush vocal harmonies, and spastic beats with flowing string arrangements. The bands’ music is like a stroll through a rainforest at night with a safe place to return to. Beauty permeates, but there are a thousand ways to die around every corner. Peace and violence are interdependent, and while the full emotional spectrum resides within it, the end goal is optimistic – like the euphoria that follows physical exhilaration.

Psymon Spine penned “Eric’s Basement & Secret Tunnels” while in transit through Paris in the midst of headlining a European tour (while still college freshmen!), and it was after a show in London that Psymon Spine was offered their first record deal. Soon after that, Parisian imprint Kitsuné asked Psymon Spine to remix Is Tropical’s “Dancing Anymore” (stream), who declared it their favorite mix of the track.

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The Flaming Lips Take Over Howard Stern’s Channel Tonight!

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TODAY IS THE DAY!  Howard Stern, the King of All Media is surrendering his SiriusXM radio studio to THE FLAMING LIPS today. Fred Armisen will host the show as previously announced.

Click here to catch a sneak peek right now!!!

The Lips will perform songs from their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band tribute album With A Little Help From My Fwends, as well as other predictably unpredictable surprises.  The special premieres tonight at 11pm ET / 8pm PT on Howard Stern‘s exclusive SiriusXM channel Howard101, on the SiriusXM App, as well as online at http://www.siriusxm.com/.  Check for repeats throughout the weekend!

With A Little Help From My Fwends, was released October 28th from Warner Bros. Records. The band has recorded their own versions of each track on The Beatles’ 1967 classic in their own inimitable style, with help from special friends Miley Cyrus, Moby, My Morning Jacket, J. Mascis, Dr. Dog, Phantogram, Tegan and Sara, Grace Potter, Electric Würms (THE LIPS side project, who recently released their 6-song debut album titled, Musik, Die Shwer Zu Twerk) and many others.  Click here to purchase.

All proceeds from sales of THE LIPS current album, With A Little Help From My Fwends, will be donated to The Bella Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the band’s hometown of Oklahoma City that assists low-income, elderly, or terminally ill pet owners with the cost of veterinary care.

 

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Listen: The M Machine – Just Like (CRNKN Remix)

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Listen: The M Machine – Just Like (CRNKN Remix)

Los Angeles rising talent CRNKN has made a name for himself with his masterful remixes and versatility across multiple genres. He just flipped The M Machine’s house music staple “Just Like” into a relaxed bass anthem, out tomorrow on OWSLA with the rest of the Just Like Remixes from The M Machine featuring other cuts from Manila Killa, Worthy, Evil Nine and Kazimier.

Catch The M Machine on tour with Madeon now.

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Free Download: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Cecilia And The Satellite (Ferry Corsten Remix)

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Listen/download: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Cecilia And The Satellite (Ferry Corsten Remix)

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness has shared Ferry Corsten’s remix of his Top 15 Alternative Chart topper “Cecilia and the Satellite”. The track merges Corsten’s singular trance sound with Andrew’s soaring vocals for a shimmery dance jam that opens into the original’s inspiring chorus.

McMahon’s self-titled album, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, is out now on Vanguard Records. The disc had smashing Top 5 debuts upon release where it was #2 on the iTunes Alt Albums chart, #3 on the Billboard Indie Albums chart, #4 on the Billboard Alt Albums chart and #5 on the Billboard Rock Albums chart.

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness will also play several festival dates along with some one-off shows this summer, including Big Guava Festival and Firefly. All current tour dates are listed below.

TOUR DATES

04/25/15 – Frisco, TX @ Toyota Stadium (102.1 Edgefest)
05/03/15 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion (DC 101 Kerfuffle)
05/08/15 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre (Big Guava)
05/30/15 – Virginia Beach, VA @ 17th Street Park (Patriotic Festival)
06/07/15 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park (Alt 103 ALT-imate Birthday)
06/18/15 – Dover, DE @ The Woodlands (Firefly Music Festival)
06/19/15 – Richmond, VA @ The National w/ X Ambassadors & Grizfolk
06/21/15 – Scranton, PA @ Pavilion at Montage Mountain (92.1 FUZZ Fest)
06/23/15 – Lansing, MI @ The Loft w/ X Ambassadors
06/25/15 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest 2015
06/26/15 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s w/ X Ambassadors
07/10/15 – Fort Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre
07/11/15 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater (KTCL Channel 93.3’s Big Gig)
07/25/15 – Kansas City, KS @ Sporting Park (96.5 The Buzz Beach Ball)
09/01/15 – Tokyo, JP @ Club Quattro
09/02/15 – Osaka, JP @ Soma
09/04/15 – Honolulu, HI @ The Republik
09/06/15 – Columbus, OH @ Arena District (Fashion Meets Music Festival)

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Newest Love: Summer Hearts

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Check out Swedish lo-fi solo artist Summer Heart (David Alexander). Expect hazy, sun-bleached tracks that are romantically swoon-worthy.

If you liked “Sleep”, check out the whole EP here.

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Video: Young Buffalo – “No Idea”

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Young Buffalo, a five piece rock band from Oxford, Mississippi recently released their debut album, House. They’ll be playing in Pittsburgh at Club Cafe on May 13. Check out this really cute video for “No Idea” below!

Tour dates:

  • Apr 22 – Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
  • Apr 23 – Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
  • Apr 24 – The Casbah San Diego, CA
  • Apr 26 – The Independent San Francisco, CA
  • Apr 30 – Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA
  • May 01 – Venue Vancouver, Canada
  • May 02 – Mississippi Studios Portland, OR
  • May 04 – Velour Provo, UT
  • May 05 – MARQUIS THEATRE Denver, CO
  • May 07 – Reverb Lounge Omaha, NE
  • May 08 – The Duck Room @ Blueberry Hill St Louis, MO
  • May 09 – Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL
  • May 11 – Lee’s Palace Toronto, Canada
  • May 12 – Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
  • May 13 – Club Café Pittsburgh, PA
  • May 14 – Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA
  • May 15 – Bowery Ballroom New York, NY

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NEW Music! MS MR – “Painted”

From the band:

“‘Painted’ was actually the very first song we wrote for this next album. It was born in a hotel room in Manchester in 2013 and became a touchstone for everything else we created in its wake, so we’re pumped for it to be your first taste of the record. And there’s so much more to come!”

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

Apr 27 – Toronto, ON – Drake Hotel – Tickets
Apr 29 – Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade – Tickets
May 4 – San Diego, CA – Casbah – Tickets
May 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever – Tickets
May 7 – San Francisco, CA – Popscene/Rickshaw Stop – Tickets
Jun 3-5 – Mendig, DE – Rock Am Ring – Tickets
Jun 3-5 – Nuremberg, DE – Rom Im Park – Tickets
Jun 10 – London, UK – Victoria – Tickets
Jul 31 to Aug 2 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza – Sold Out
Jul 31 to Aug 2 – Montreal, Canada – Osheaga – Tickets
Sep 12 to 13 – Berlin, DE – Lollapalooza Berlin – Tickets

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