Category Archives: Awesome

Prince & Chris Rock on SNL November 1

CR

Music icon Prince returns to the SNL stage on November 1st marking his third time as musical guest.  The evening also marks former SNL cast member Chris Rock’s return as host.

The November 1st performance promises to be one for the record books and will feature his band, 3RDEYEGIRL (Guitarist Donna Grantis, drummer Hannah Ford Welton and bassist Ida Nielsen).

This is the first television performance from Prince since the release of his two chart-topping albums, ART OFFICIAL AGE and PLECTRUMELECTRUM, on September 30th.  ART OFFICIAL AGE, Prince’s solo album, bowed in at #1 on Billboard’s R&B Chart while PLECTRUMELECTRUM, featuring Prince’s new band 3RDEYEGIRL, debuted at #1 on the Rock Chart, making Prince the first artist in over a decade to debut two albums in the Top 10 at the same time.  The New York Times declared, “Prince at his best doesn’t just collect and recreate genres; he smashes them together.”

2014 has been one of the most exciting years yet for the prodigious musical talent.  The two new studio albums marked a historic return to Warner Bros. Records, Prince’s original label home.  The renewed partnership came after the announcement that Warner Bros. Records returned to Prince the master recordings of his pioneering ’80s albums, including Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain and Sign ‘O’ the Times.  In April, NPG Music Publishing was launched, marking the first time Prince’s vast publishing catalog has been independently controlled and administered in over twenty years.   In the live arena, together with 3RDEYEGIRL, Prince rocked UK and European audiences into a frenzy with his sell-out ‘Hit & Run’ tours, generating some of the most significant critical acclaim of his career.  The Guardian declared, “These are performances by one of the greatest funk-rock bands ever.”  All of this in addition to headlining and curating the Essence Festival on July 4th in New Orleans and a much talked about appearance on hit TV show ‘New Girl’.  2014 has underlined that Prince continues to innovate and surprise, thrilling his fans and welcoming a whole new audience in the process.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, Whoa!

Free download: The Dead Ships – “Canyon”

the dead ships

Listen/download: The Dead Ships – “Canyon”

Check out the new song from LA garage-rock band The Dead Ships, who have been on tour with PAPA and have played alongside bands like Yo La Tengo and She & Him. They’ll be in NYC for CMJ in a couple of weeks, as well.

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, downloads, listen

Video: Lewis Watson – “Wide Eyes” (Local Natives Cover)

Lewis Watson

“Lewis Watson knows how to make us feel an aching in our hearts with his quiet and gorgeously harmonized version of Local Natives’ ‘Wide Eyes.’” Refinery29

“This elegant song about mistrust and regret is a doozy, achingly lonely but levelheaded, and Mr. Watson sings it with a mature voice and a mildly mawkish earnestness.”  The New York Times’ Jon Caramanica

“There’s no doubt: Lewis Watson really is out of this world.” NYLON

” …brings to mind the Avett Brothers, Fleet Foxes or his fellow Brits, Mumford & Sons. PAPER

British singer-songwriter sensation Lewis Watson recently released his long-awaited debut full-length album, The Morning, which rocketed to #3 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart! In support of the new record, he’ll take to the road on a full North American tour this fall. Having quickly become renowned for his effortlessly charismatic stage presence & a knack for truly engaging his enamoured audience, the tour will take he & his delightful live show to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, the Bowery Ballroom in NYC & more!

In celebration of the upcoming tour, Lewis has unveiled a beautifully shot live video of his unique cover of Local Natives’ “Wide Eyes.”

In 2012, Lewis self-released his debut It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW EP after establishing a devoted online fanbase. It topped the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart on the first day of release, outselling the likes of Adele, Madonna & Ed Sheeran in the process, and landed the then 19-year-old singer-songwriter a deal with Warner Bros. UK.

In addition to critical acclaim, all five of his EPs to date have hit the Top 10 at iTunes, each building upon the sales of the previous release. Meanwhile, his online following is phenomenal: 6.3 million YouTube plays, 100k+ ‘likes’ on Facebook, 5 million streams at Spotify & 75k+ followers on Twitter.

LIVE On Tour This Fall!

10/22: Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
10/23: San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
10/25: Evanston, IL @ SPACE
10/26: Toronto, ON @ Virgin Mobile Mod Club
10/28: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live (upstairs)
10/29: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/30: Boston, MA @ Cafe 939 (The Red Room)
11/1: Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, listen, Shows, video

Cut Copy Releasing Oceans Apart Compilation Next Month!

Oceans Apart

Cut Copy has truly become an international band in the past decade, having released four albums & performed over 1,000 global headline tour dates & prestigious international festivals in the process. They’ve additionally DJ’ed continuously during that period, remixed a selection of amazing artists, and run their own dance imprint, Cutters Records. The global Melbourne ambassadors have now just announced Cut Copy presents: Oceans Apart, a 19-track continuous DJ-mixed snapshot of new & exclusive music from their hometown’s thriving underground dance music scene & club culture mixed by the band themselves- set for release digitally November 11th! In addition, two vinyl EPs of compilation highlights will be released on November 18th. For an early taste of the compilation, fans can give NO ZU’s “Raw Vis Vision” a spin.

Listen: NO ZU – “Raw Vis Vision”

Both a local scene document, which is increasingly rare in this global age, and a bumping 80-minute non-stop dance party, Cut Copy presents: Oceans Apart is the product of the band’s observations of its hometown, where it became undeniably apparent that this fertile community was mushrooming. As frontman Dan Whitford elaborates, we’ve always found deep inspiration in the music of our home city. It’s where Cut Copy started, as just one band in a potent community of unique and likeminded artists. But it also continues to inspire and surprise us, with great new music constantly bubbling to the surface.”

The motivation behind the compilation came from a late night conversation in a Melbourne club with a friend of mine. As we excitedly shouted over the noise of the dance floor, one of us said ‘the dance scene in Melbourne has gotten so interesting over the past few years- someone should really document this!’, adding “We looked at each other knowingly, and from that moment, the idea for Oceans Apart was born.“

Cut Copy presents: Oceans Apart threads together a cross-section of the different party crews, label rosters & ambitious lone rangers that have been catalysts in making Melbourne vibrant & happening week in, week out- all in the format of a continuous dance mix, which is what the music was made for.

There’s been much speculation as to how this unprecedented wave came about. Is the fluoride in the city’s water supply having positive side effects? Is it the mediocre Melbourne weather that’s either keeping people on the dancefloor or in house arrest, tirelessly tinkering in the studio? Is it the abundance of late night venues or the long standing presence of two influential community radio stations? Or does it all come down to the appreciative audience that are just as critical as the creators? All we do know is that this epidemic can’t be stopped and needs to be celebrated.

Catch Cut Copy LIVE On Tour:

10/28: Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
10/29: Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/31: San Diego, CA @ The North Park Theatre (SOLD OUT)
11/1: Los Angeles, CA @ Red Bull Sound Select (SOLD OUT)
12/31: San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine

Cut Copy presents: Oceans Apart tracklist:

1. Knightlife – Don’t Stop
2. Andras & Oscar- Music Is My Life
3. Michael Ozone – Oxygen
4. Statue – Statue Theme
5. Turkish Prison – Overboard
6. Ara Koufax – Brenda
7. Myles Mac – Suburban Odyssey
8. Fantastic Man – Robotic Temptation
9. NO ZU – Raw Vis Vision
10. Coober Pedy University Band – Kookaburra
11. A+O – Take Me
12. Nile Delta – Aether
13. Tornado Wallace – Circadia
14. Speed Painters – Total Person
15. Len Leise – Call of Kati Thanda
16. Bell Towers – After Party at Jackson’s House
17. World’s End Press – Feel City (Outskirts Dub)
18. Roland Tings – Swimmer
19. Sleep D – Austral Aura

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Highly Anticipated, listen, Lists, Shows, Whoa!

Dimond Saints Release 3rd Single From Hunters Moon EP

Hunters

Listen: Dimond Saints – “Hunters”

Out of the shadows and with steady aim, Dimond Saints release the formidable “Hunters”. A hulking beast of a song that twists and turns on the drop of a dime. “Hunters” uses dark yet empowering vocal manipulation, combined with the multiple bass & rhythm shifts, with crisp futuristic production the Saints are becoming known for.

“Hunters” is the 3rd song from the Hunters Moon EP. Which is the Second chapter from the Shingetsu Album.

Here are the previous 2 songs:

Dimond Saints

DS

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, downloads, listen, Whoa!

Video: Generationals – “Gold Silver Diamond”

Check out the new video from Generationals for their song, “Gold Silver Diamond” featuring Waymond Lee from Workaholics!

National Headlining Tour Starts Today!
4th Studio Album Alix Out Now

Generationals Headlining National Tour Dates

* = w/ Arum Rae
& = w/ Springtime Carnivore
% = w/ Lowell

10/7: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs *
10/8: Dallas, TX @ Prophet  Bar *
10/9: Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon *
10/10: Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn *
10/11: Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall *
10/12: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/15: Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree *
10/16: Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo *
10/17: New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
10/28: Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
10/29: Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
10/30: Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
11/1: Madison, WI @ Freakfest
11/2: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
11/12: Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour &
11/13: San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel &
11/15: Seattle, WA @ Crocodile &
11/16: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (early show/all ages) &
11/16: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (late show) &
11/17: Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret &
12/2: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 %
12/3: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s %
12/5: Toronto, ON @ The Garrison %
12/6: Montreal, QC @ Il Motore %
12/7: Allston, MA @ Great Scott %
12/9: Columbus, OH @ The Basement %
12/10: Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight %

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, video

Check ‘Em Out: BØRNS

10000Emerald Pools

Listen: BØRNS – “10,000 Emerald Pools”

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!

Video: Cathedrals – “Unbound”

Check out the video for Cathedrals’ “Unbound” which is a collaboration between the band, Maria Kochetkova who is the principal ballerina in the San Francisco ballet and The Sugar Cubes light sculpture (see piece on Discovery Channel). “Unbound” was directed by Sam Pressman and the cinematographer Isaac Bauman (John Legend, Sam Smith, Drake, The Presets and Blood Orange).

 “The intimacy of the lovers is the ground, the base emotion of the song – the light cubes are the rhythm, continuous in every shot of the video they remind that everyone herein is coexisting even if we so often feel separate – Maria is the spirit, up and down, dancing our worlds together – and Cathedrals are our storytellers mirroring the struggle of the lovers to find each other. ” – director Sam Pressman in FADER

Later this month, the San Francisco duo will play their first ever East Coast show at Neon Gold’s New Shapes CMJ showcase on October 23rd. Don’t miss the band live — information HERE.

cathedrals hi res

Listen: Cathedrals – “OOO AAA”

Listen: Cathedrals – “Harlem”

Cathedrals – Cathedrals EP (out 9/8 on Neon Gold – smarturl.it/CathedralsEP):

01. Harlem
02. In The Dark
03. OOO AAA
04. Unbound
05. Want My Love

Leave a comment

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

New Album From Electric Six

Electric Six - Human Zoo

“I find that humans are some of the most pleasant human beings I’ve ever met,” explains frontman Dick Valentine of dance rock band ELECTRIC SIX, in reference to their brand new studio album Human Zoo (Metropolis Records; release date: October 14, 2014). “I suppose we would be best served by caging an average male and average female and then we’d let them mate and then you’d grow the exhibit naturally through coitus.” For a band whose musical track record include a very NSFW video for “Body Shot”, lascivious invites to a “Gay Bar”, starting passionate fires in discos and Taco Bells (“Danger! High Voltage”), and partying with Ronald McDonald “Down At McDonaldz”, an album about the human pursuit to procreate shouldn’t prompt eye-batting. In E6’s world, it’s pretty standard issue. “We’d watch them groom each other and occasionally bicker,” he continues. “On the whole, it should be average people doing average things. There should be no way out.”

Perfectly groomed and parasite-free, Electric Six’s tenth studio album Human Zoo was produced by Johnny Na$hinal, drums were engineered and mixed by Zach Shipps, and it was mastered by Tony Hamera (The Meatmen, The Volebeats). From the Motown-infused “Alone With Your Body” to the triumphant “I’ve Seen Rio In Flames” to the rocker “Karate Lips” – Electric Six return with an album that’s packed with species of all shapes and sounds.

The band is currrently on the road on their Northeast headline tour Some Girls Do It For Love Tour to prepare their fans for the unleashing of their Human Zoo. The 13-day trek kicked off on September 29th at The Loft in Lansing, MI and concludes at Philadelphia’s Milkboy on October 11th.

Electric Six had mainstream success out of the gate with the release of their debut album Fire, which includes their smash singles “Danger! High Voltage” and “Gay Bar”. The album peaked at #5 on the U.S. Dance chart and would later reach gold certification in the UK. The band went on to release eight more albums, a live DVD that was funded via Kickstarter, and continues to tour both nationally and globally. Their tenth studio album Human Zoo is being released on October 14, 2014 via Metropolis Records.

Human Zoo

Show Dates:

Oct 02 Waiting Room Buffalo, NY
Oct 03 The Basement Columbus, OH
Oct 04 Musica Akron, OH
Oct 05 Brillobox Pittsburgh, PA
Oct 07 Black Cat Washington, DC
Oct 08 Brighton Music Hall Allston, MA
Oct 09 Knitting Factory Brooklyn, NY
Oct 10 Marlin Room at Webster Hall New York, NY
Oct 11 Milkboy Philadelphia, PA

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, new albums, Shows

Listen + Free Download: ODESZA – “Say My Name” (feat. Zyra) (Mickey Valen Remix)

MV

Listen/download: ODESZA – “Say My Name” (feat. Zyra) (Mickey Valen Remix)

Leave a comment

Filed under Awesome, downloads, listen