Category Archives: Awesome

Kopecky – Tour Dates + New Video For “Quarterback”

unnamed

If you like Fleetwood Mac, try Kopecky…intelligent and edgy.” – The New York Times

Quickly fell in love. Kopecky’s sweet rock songs keep blooming into something irresistible.” –NPR

Melodic three-minute blast with piercing guitar riffs and an adrenaline-pumped chorus.SPIN

On May 19, Kopecky will release their sophomore album Drug for the Modern Age via ATO Records. The band has just released a live video for their lead single “Quarterback.” Watch the video below. Singer Kelsey Kopecky says, “Having a new album on the horizon gives us fresh wind in our sails to play live. The new songs are fun and grooving. Our first single, ‘Quarterback,’ is just that – a song that tells a tale of the underdog getting the girl with a simple white lie. An anthem of sorts with a ‘love conquers all’ vibe.”

Kopecky’s new record, Drug for the Modern Age, takes the many shake-ups the band’s endured over the past few years and turns them into inspiration for groove-driven, melody-heavy alt-pop that’s intensely emotional and strangely exhilarating. The album is now available for pre-order on iTunes, Amazon, and Kopecky’s official store.

Formerly known as the Kopecky Family Band, the Nashville based group has had their music appear on a variety of hit television series including Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood, The Vampire Diaries, and MTV’s Awkward to name a few. One of their new tracks “Real Life” was just featured on the most recent episode of the hit television show Nashville. They’ve also toured all over the world and have played at some of the largest music festivals including Austin City Limits, Bumbershoot, and Lollapalooza. This year they will be performing at SXSW.

Their upcoming release, Drug for the Modern Age, explores such life-altering events as the sudden loss of a loved one, divorce, and struggles with addiction, along with more joyful happenings like new love and marriage. “The album was written in this weird time of so much pain but also happiness, and that really informed the writing and recording,” says vocalist/guitarist Gabe Simon, who co-founded the group with vocalist/keyboardist Kelsey Kopecky in 2007. “Our goal was to talk about all these very serious things we were dealing with, but in a way that felt nothing like wallowing and more like standing triumphantly, or even dancing our way through it.”

In achieving that dynamic, Kopecky (whose lineup also includes guitarist Steven Holmes, bassist Corey Oxendine, cellist Markus Midkiff, and drummer David Krohn) offer moments of symphonic grandeur alongside edgy, electronic-leaning innovation. Meanwhile, their daringly intimate lyrics both unsettle and engage, asking questions and encouraging reflection on the part of the listener.

As on their 2012 debut Kids Raising Kids, Kopecky teamed up with Konrad Snyder, but this time around the band took a more slowed-down and deliberate approach. This allowed them to bring new level of sophistication and soulfulness to their songcraft.

Drug for the Modern Age serves up its share of intricately layered love songs as well, revealing Kopecky’s endless grace in merging sweetness and melancholy. With the band forever bound by their shared passion for purposeful songwriting, all that revelation and sometimes-painful truth-telling ultimately fulfills something central to Kopecky’s mission: a deeper and stronger connection with each person listening.

Tour Dates
4/2 at Club Café in Pittsburgh, PA
4/3 at Musica in Akron, OH
4/10 at The Loft in Columbus, GA
4/11 at One Spark Festival in Jacksonville, FL
4/12 at Second Sunday in Macon, GA
4/16 at The Frequency in Madison, WI
4/17 at Redstone Room in Davenport, IA
4/18 at Off Broadway in St. Louis, MO
4/28 at Pour House in Charleston, SC
4/29 at Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, VA
5/4 at Mercury Lounge in New York, NY
5/5 at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, NY
5/8 at Artisphere in Greenville, SC
5/14 at Camp House in Chattanooga, TN
5/15 at Vinyl in Atlanta, GA
5/17 at Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores, AL
5/19 at Basement in Nashville, TN
5/22 at Live Oak in Fort Worth, TX
5/25 at The Casbah in San Diego, CA
5/26 at Echo Park in Los Angeles, CA
5/29 at Bottlerock Festival in Napa, CA
5/31 at Sainte Rocke in Hermosa Beach, CA
6/1 at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, AZ
6/4 at Wakarusa in Ozark, AR
7/26 at XPoNential Music Festival in Camden, NJ

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, Shows, video

Free Download: Gypsy & The Cat – “Lost Control”

Gypsyandthecat

Listen + download: Gypsy & The Cat – “Lost Control”

Gypsy & The Cat are off in their studio world recording a new album right now, but have turned down the moogs and the mood lighting just long enough to let go of their first musical tease. Premiering on the trailblazing US-based blog Neon Gold, the new song “Lost Control” pays homage to a 90s french sound that originally birthed them as a band.

The contorted bass line of “Lost Control” comes as an provocative reminder of the musical journey of Gypsy & the Cat which includes tracks “Jona Vark”, “Time To Wander”, “Pipers Song”, “Sorry & Bloom”.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, downloads

Listen: Du Tonc – “Animals”

Du Tonc

Listen: Du Tonc – “Animals”

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, listen

Video: Shaggy – “I Need Your Love”

SH

Grammy award winning Reggae superstar Shaggy, is showing no signs of slowing down or taking a break. Last year we saw Shaggy tour his album “Out of Many, One Music”, which received 2014 Grammy nomination for Reggae album of the year. Some may have asked, ‘What’s next for Shaggy’? Well, “I Need Your Love” is whats next. Released September 2014 “I Need Your Love”, featuring Mohombi, Faydee and Costi, immediately gained global notoriety with over 800,000 YouTube views in less than one week. Its no surprise that this single is currently in the Pop Top 40.

shaggy

“I Need Your Love” is truly a global collaboration, featuring Afro-pop star Mohombi, Australian singer Faydee, Romanian producer Costi and Shaggy whose dancehall mix brings something extra special to the track. Currently playing on mainstream radio, “I Need Your Love” commanded over 750 spins in one week resulting in a 7 place jump from 46 to 39, entering Shaggy on the top 40 pop chart. This is Shaggy’s 9th hit on the billboard charts.

“The success of the single is not solely on me, I must thank my team as it is definitely a team effort to reach where we are right now. So much more to do but definitely pleased with the success” says Shaggy.

Shaggy recently premiered a video for a new single “Picture” featuring Melissa Musique, exclusively via the leading music identification app Shazam. While “I Need Your Love” continues to excel on social media, on the air waves, in the clubs and currently over 20 million views on YouTube, it is evident “I Need Your Love” will be a hit for 2015.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, video, Whoa!

News on Smallpools

Photo Credit: Anna Lee

Photo Credit: Anna Lee

Los Angeles’ quartet Smallpools will release their debut album LOVETAP! March 23rd through RCA Records. Lyric video for “Karaoke” premieres today on NYLON HERE. I’ve been in love with the song since I first posted it back in December here. Spotify will be streaming the album beginning March 17th as part of The Drop Program. Catch Smallpools on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers March 16th before they swing through SXSW in Austin, Texas before their 32-date USA tour (see below for dates).

After bursting onto the scene with their 4 song self-titled EP, Smallpools has toured to all corners of North America opening for WALK THE MOON, Neon Trees, Grouplove, MS MR, Twenty One Pilots, and Two Door Cinema Club, played Lollapalooza and Firefly Festivals, and closed the year with a sold out Live Nation “Ones To Watch ’14” headline tour. The release of their self-titled debut EP gained them critical acclaim and brought them their national TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing their debut single “Dreaming” which was produced by Captain Cuts. You can see the video HERE, which has 4.8 million views.

Supporters like VogueInterview MagazineIdolatorBuzzFeed etc all praised the band’s catchy songs and invigoration live shows. Neon Gold called “Mason Jar” “a sepia splash of power-pop that crystallizes into a starscraping smash before the verse even kicks in, as stadium-sized Of Monsters And Men gang vocals ride high on the buoyant flair of Smallpools’ youthful, Two Door-esque ebullience.” In addition, NYLON Magazine premiered the Charli XCX vs Twin Idol Remix of “Dreaming”

Lovetap


Smallpools – LOVETAP! track list (out 3/23 on RCA Records):
01. American Love
02. Killer Whales
03. Dreaming
04. Karaoke
05. Street Fight
06. Mason Jar
07. Over & Over
08. Lovetap!
09. What’s A Picture Of?
10. Dyin’ to Live
11. Admission To Your Party
12. 9 to 5
13. No Story Time
14. (Submarine)

Smallpools tour flyer

SMALLPOOLS LOVETAP! HEADLINE TOUR: VIP tickets on sale HERE

3/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Bar 96 @ BMI Showcase (11:00pm)
3/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Palm Park @ IFC Party (9:10pm)
3/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Empire Control and Garage @ Baeblemusic Day Party (2:00pm)
3/21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Little Woodrow’s @ Party in My Pants (2:00pm)
3/28 – Austin, TX @ University of Texas
4/11 – Tuscon, AZ @ University of Arizona
4/14 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
4/15 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
4/17 – Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
4/18 – Kirksville, MO @ Truman State University
4/19 – St Louis, MO @ Firebird
4/21 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
4/23 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
4/24 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
4/25 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
4/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
4/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
4/30 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
5/01 – Cincinnati, OH @ Xavier University
5/03 – Princeton, NJ @ Princeton University
5/05 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
5/06 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
5/08 – Las Vegas, NV @ Rock In Rio Festival
5/09 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
5/10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
5/11 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
5/13 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
5/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
5/15 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar
5/16 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
5/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
5/20 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
5/22 – Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
5/23 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
5/25 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
5/28 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
5/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, Shows

Check ‘Em Out: Penicillin Baby – “Stick It Out”

PB

“…cosmic rock feel and nostalgic summer time vibes.” – Culture Collide

Listen: Penicillin Baby – “Stick It Out”

Penicillin Baby has gained a sizable following in Nashville thanks to their rich psychedelic pop melodies, pounding bass and rhythmic drum beats that make it impossible not to dance, along with adding in a layer of fuzz that jumps in at just the right moment.

As is the case with true Nashville artists, these guys are incredible songwriters and always put on a great live show. They’re currently in the midst of putting the finishing touches on their new album. 

Upcoming Pencillin Baby Tour Dates
3/04 – Chattanooga, TN – JJ’s Bohemia
3/05 – The Caledonia Lounge – Athens, GA
3/06 – Savannah, GA – Ampersand (Savannah Stopover Music Festival)
3/08 – Asheville, NC – Stage Age Records
3/11 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge (w/ Gunther Doug & Chrome Pony)
3/23 – Nashville, TN – Queen Ave. Art Collective (w/ Ava Luna, Body of Light & Lala Lala)

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, Shows

Newest Love: Jet Black Alley Cat

p191ljs97u6nprs6sqb16s3oe74

Check out this awesome band of hot guys from Nashville, previously known as Tell Romeo I Hate Him. Would you believe me if I said they’re currently unsigned? I know….whaaaat? Surely, that won’t last.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, Newest Love, video

Video: Jasia – “Safety”

This dark and haunting video focuses around a young boy holding onto a single seashell with loss in his eyes. Jumping from dark images of a man in a gas mask and images of the boy and his friend full of youth running free, it soon becomes apparent that this loss was his innocence. At the end of the video the boy places the shell, a symbol of simpler times, in the hand of his friend lying on the beach and walks away. This broken tale fully embodies the feeling of a blissful solitude and ties beautifully into the orchestral electronic sound of the track.

About Jasia:

Jasia is a 23 year old producer who was born in Jamaica, raised in the US and then moved to Australia at the age of 18. Having studied violin, guitar and voice classically while playing in variations of rock bands the style/genre henceforth is one of contrastingly minimal/maximal beat driven, melodic soundscape production utilising a range of electronic/synthesised, acoustic and traditional band instrumentation present in the forms of popular song and instrumental/experimental works accompanied with a visual interpretation by the artist.

The first single “Inverbatim” is a strings and synthesis heavy production that received acclaim and radio airplay by FBi, Triple J in Australia and overseas critically on a range of musical blogs. It was selected as a winner of Triple J Unearthed’s NIDA competition who also named it as one of “Five new genres created this year” styling as ‘orchestral dream-pop.’ Inverbatim is followed by “Safety”, a single utilising a contrastingly bass-heavy/ambient variation of traditional rock instrumentation and synthesisers over a cyclical vocal motif leading into a pseudo-electronic arena rock finale. The song was produced over the span of six months spent between London and Montana in the Rocky Mountains of the US. It is accompanied by an experimental electronic B-side entitled Lowlife. The release will be supported by debut live touring engagements across Australia.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, video

Listen: Galantis – “Gold Dust”

unnamed

unnamed (1)

Listen: Galantis – “Gold Dust”

Swedish electro-soul masterminds Galantis have revealed their new song “Gold Dust.” The duo’s breakout performance at Coachella 2014 and radio hit “Runaway (U & I)” have propelled them into the spotlight as the next electronic musicians to watch. Both tracks are off their forthcoming debut album arriving later this year.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, listen, video

Greg Holden – “Hold On Tight”

New York-based singer and songwriter Greg Holden has teamed up with Brent Lindeque, the founder behind the global movement #RAK15, and BuzzFeed Media to premiere the very special video for his brand-new single “Hold on Tight.” #RAK15 encourages people to perform one random act of kindness, film it happening, post the video on social media, and challenge friends to do the same.

With its “pay-it-forward” theme, the powerfully moving video for “Hold on Tight” shows how one small random act of kindness can spark another, as it follows a chain reaction of events beginning with Holden helping up a woman who has fallen on the sidewalk. The video’s theme resonates perfectly with #RAK15’s International Random Acts of Kindness Day 2015, which took place yesterday. On Monday, Lindeque nominated Holden to perform a random act of kindness and share it to his social media with the hashtag RAK15. Holden did so and in turn has encouraged his followers to take part and post their videos online. In addition, BuzzFeed has published a list of ways people can get involved in the global #RAK15 initiative. For more, visit http://www.raknominations.org/.

“Hold on Tight” is the first single from the Scotland-born, England-bred artist’s debut album for Warner Bros. Records, entitled Chase The Sun, which will be released on April 14th. Produced by Greg Wells (Adele, OneRepublic). Chase The Sun is filled with Holden’s passionate, purpose-driven rock songs, which brim with tough, vibrant energy and showcase his lean, literate songwriting. Watch the Chase The Sun album trailer below.

Holden began to write the songs that appear on Chase The Sun after returning from a life-changing, seven-week trip to India and Nepal in February 2013. “Hold On Tight is about looking at life as something we should feel grateful for, not be complaining about,” he says.

Holden has earned a name for himself as an independent artist for the last several years, releasing two albums, 2009’s A Word in Edgeways and 2011’s I Don’t Believe You. His song “The Lost Boy” – a poetic rumination inspired by a Dave Eggers’ novel about a Sudanese refugee – hit No. 1 on iTunes in Holland and raised over $50,000 for the Red Cross. Within two weeks of being featured on Sons of Anarchy, “The Lost Boy” sold 30,000 downloads in the U.S. and debuted at No. 36 on Billboard’s Rock chart. Holden also earned recognition for writing the massive hit “Home” – the debut single for American Idol winner Phillip Phillips that sold five million tracks in the U.S. and earned Holden an ASCAP Pop Award.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, video, Whoa!