Los Angeles based duo Freedom Fry has shared their retro-inspired official video for recent single “Classic,” pulled from their long-awaited debut album Classic out June 1st. Featuring models Madison Paige (profiled in The New York Times) and Jayden Robison, the video is co-directed by the band and Ryan Lumley.
Freedom Fry previously shared their video for “Wild Child,” teasing another track that will appear on their debut album this summer. Following a series of shows at SXSW and a live session with KUTX, the band will bring their kinetic energy to a hometown show in Los Angeles on 4/10 at Moroccan Lounge.
See my post about Freedom Fry from last year, here.
Composed of Parisian-born Marie Seyrat and Michigan-born Bruce Driscoll, Freedom Fry has independently amassed over 50 million streams on Spotify and earned numerous #1 appearances on HypeMachine. They recently shared a #girlpower version of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ “Man On Fire,” which is featured in the new animated film from Intuit, racking up over 20 million views to date. Freedom Fry’s music, which heavily bleeds the warmth and sunshine of their home state of California, skirts the lines between pop, folk, and alt rock and can be heard in over 50 films, shows, and commercials including Judd Apatow’s Love, Showtime’s Shameless, Grey’s Anatomy, and in high-profile ads for fashion labels such as Lanvin and Madewell. They have performed in Europe and throughout the U.S. with the likes of Stromae, Phantogram, and X Ambassadors.
If you are a true, avid fan of Musically Amusing, you should know that I am OBSESSED with Night Drive. Their debut album last year was fire. Now, we’ve got a new song — check out Night Drive’s newly-released cover of The National’s “Anyone’s Ghost” (from the incredible 2010 album High Violet).
This is the first bit of new music from Night Drive since the release of their debut album last June. The Austin synth-pop duo (recently named the city’s Best Electronic Act of 2017) added some of their own dark disco flair to balance out the somber feel of the original track, breathing new life into a proven classic.
Today, platinum-certified duo Marian Hilldrops their latest track, “Wish You Would,” off of Unusual. The song arrives ahead of their performance at Coachella tomorrow at 3:25PM – 4:10PM PT at the Outdoor Theatre, which will include a special guest appearance. Listen to “Wish You Would” below.
Of the song, Marian Hill says, “‘Wish You Would’ is all about tension. The chord progression oscillates between two chords a half step apart, never quite resolving, and the lyrics are all about wishing something could happen while knowing it cannot. You want someone, but they’re unavailable. And you’re actually unavailable as well. But sometimes that only makes the wanting more powerful. ‘Wish You Would’ hangs perpetually in that state of almost, and the sneaky sweetness that comes with it.”
Marian Hill debuted a short episode for “Wish You Would,” which is the fifth of ten one-minute visual episodes the duo conceptualized for each song off the upcoming album—watch it here. “Wish You Would” follows previously-released tracks, “Differently” and “Subtle Thing.” “Differently” was produced by Marian Hill and notable Canadian producer, Boi-1da (Drake, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Lana Del Rey).
The duo’s sophomore album, Unusual, is set for release on May 11th. The album features ten tracks written and produced by Jeremy Lloyd(production/songwriting) and Samantha Gongol (vocals/songwriting) of Marian Hill. See the full Unusual tracklist below. Pre-order Unusual now here.
In celebration of Unusual, Marian Hill are currently on a full-scale North American headline tour. Billed as the “UNUSUAL” tour, Los Angeles-based singer and producer Michl is serving as support. The tour kicked off April 12 in Los Angeles at The Fonda Theatre and includes stops in Brooklyn, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and more. See the full list of tour dates below. Tickets are available now via MarianHillMusic.com.
UNUSUAL TRACKLIST
01. “Subtle Thing”
02. “Differently”
03. “All Night Long”
04. “Don’t Miss You”
05. “Wish You Would”
06. “Don’t Do It”
07. “Sideways”
08. “No Hesitation”
09. “Listening”
10. “Go Quietly”
“UNUSUAL” TOUR DATES: April 17 Portland, Oregon Crystal Ballroom April 18 Seattle, Washington The Showbox April 20 San Francisco, California Warfield Theatre April 23 San Diego, California The Observatory North Park April 24 Phoenix, Arizona The Van Buren April 26 Denver , Colorado Ogden Theatre April 27 Kansas City, Missouri The Truman April 28 St. Louis, MO Delmar Hall April 30 Austin, Texas Emo’s May 1 Dallas, Texas House of Blues May 2 New Orleans, Louisiana Republic May 4 Tampa, Florida The Orpheum May 5 Birmingham, Alabama Saturn May 6 Nashville, Tennessee Marathon Music Works May 8 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Union Transfer May 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club May 11 Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn Steel May 12 Boston, Massachusetts Royale May 13 Toronto, Ontario The Mod Club May 15 Chicago, Illinois Metro May 16 St. Paul, Minnesota Palace Theatre
Florence + the Machine unveil a brand new track, “Sky Full Of Song”today. Listen and watch the A.G. Rojas-directed video below. In partnership with Record Store Day, a limited edition, double A-side 7” vinyl will follow on April 21.
“This was a song that just fell out of the sky fully formed,” says Florence Welch. “Sometimes when you are performing you get so high, it’s hard to know how to come down. There is this feeling of being cracked open, rushing endlessly outwards and upwards, and wanting somebody to hold you still, bring you back to yourself. It’s an incredible, celestial, but somehow lonely feeling.”
The Record Store Day release of “Sky Full Of Song” will be backed by a recording of “New York poem (for Polly),” taken from Welch’s forthcoming book Useless Magic: a collection of lyrics, artwork and poetry offering a unique, personal insight into her creative process. Useless Magic is out July 5 via Crown Publishing/Penguin.
Platinum-certified Philadelphia duo Marian Hill’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Unusual, is set for release on May 11th. The album features ten tracks written and produced by Jeremy Lloyd(production/songwriting) and Samantha Gongol (vocals/songwriting) of Marian Hill.
Marian Hill debuts a new track, “Differently,” off of Unusual. “Differently” was produced by Marian Hill and notable Canadian producer Boi-1da (Drake, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Rey). Marian Hill recently released a short episode for “Differently,” which is the second of ten one-minute visual episodes the duo conceptualized for each song off the upcoming album—watch it below:
“Differently” follows Marian Hill’s previously released single, “Subtle Thing,” off of Unusual—watch the “Subtle Thing” video below:
Of their upcoming album, Jeremy Lloyd of Marian Hill says, “We made this album when ‘Down’ was having a moment, and we were reckoning with the fact that our music was now officially pop in the most literal sense. Our favorite pop songs have an intangible quality, something that sets them apart from just about anything else. And so, we pushed ourselves to make many, many unusual pop songs in different cities and tour buses, narrowed them down to a tight 10 and built a world for them to live in.”
Samantha Gongol chimes in, “People often think Marian Hill is the name of a woman, but we are two songwriters who made a name for ourselves by making minimal, strong, sexy, confident music. Unusual is a continuation of that vision, where women are in control even in the most vulnerable of moments. We don’t feel strong and confident all the time, but we hope that when you listen to our music, it makes you feel that way.”
In celebration of Unusual, Marian Hill will embark on a full-scale North American headline tour this spring, including a stop at Coachella. Billed as the “UNUSUAL” tour, Los Angeles-based singer and producer Michl will serve as support. The tour kicks off April 12 in Los Angeles at The Theatre at Ace Hotel and includes stops in Brooklyn, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and more. See the full list of tour dates below. Tickets are available now via MarianHillMusic.com.
“UNUSUAL” TOUR DATES: April 12 Los Angeles, California The Theatre at Ace Hotel April 17 Portland, Oregon Crystal Ballroom April 18 Seattle, Washington The Showbox April 20 San Francisco, California Warfield Theatre April 23 San Diego, California The Observatory North Park April 24 Phoenix, Arizona The Van Buren April 26 Denver , Colorado Ogden Theatre April 27 Kansas City, Missouri The Truman April 28 St. Louis, MO Delmar Hall April 30 Austin, Texas Emo’s May 1 Dallas, Texas House of Blues May 2 New Orleans, Louisiana Republic May 4 Tampa, Florida The Orpheum May 5 Birmingham, Alabama Saturn May 6 Nashville, Tennessee Marathon Music Works May 8 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Union Transfer May 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club May 11 Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn Steel May 12 Boston, Massachusetts Royale May 13 Toronto, Ontario The Mod Club May 15 Chicago, Illinois Metro May 16 St. Paul, Minnesota Palace Theatre
JUNO Award-winning chart-toppers Said The Whale have announced a deluxe edition release of their 2017 LP As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide via Hidden Pony Records. Released one year after the original on March 30, the album includes 10 additional tracks, 5 B-sides, 4 acoustic versions, and 1 new cover song. To celebrate the release, the band has shared one of the previously unreleased tracks “Congratulations”.
Previously operating as a five-piece, the current trio – made up of frontmen Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester and keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown – have created their most collaborative, focused record to date. Previous releases highlighted the contrast between the two founders’ eclectic rock influences and salt-of-the-earth folksiness. Here, their styles become one. Despite the album’s many adventurous sonic forays, it remains true to the spirit of their classic work. At its core, As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide is a singer-songwriter record, guided by introspective lyrics and alchemical group harmonies from Ben, Tyler and Jaycelyn.
Additionally, the band has released a 5 episode podcast titled Demoitis. Each episode explores a song from As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide as well as featuring discussions with peers in the Canadian music scene such as Max Kerman (Arkells), Graham Wright (Tokyo Police Club), Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother) and more.
As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide: Deluxe Edition + B-Sides is available via the band’s website, Spotify, and Apple Music.
With two lead singles already under his belt it’s now time for Eric Sharp to round things out in one symphonic release.
Over the past four years, Sharp has only released individual singles, so the Eric Sharp & Friends EP is a momentous achievement in his career.
Featuring hit tracks “Too Much” and “Take This Time”, you now also get to enjoy two more tunes, “Call in the Night” and “Some Place I Can Call My Own”. Three of the tracks feature his good mate Zhao, with “Too Much” featuring Brooklyn lads French Horn Rebellion.
Eric Sharp has come a long way since his successful DJ spinning days in the underground house and techno scene, but they certainly shaped his productions for a more focused sound today.
“For the ‘Eric Sharp & Friends EP’ I left that creative constraint behind and just focused on making music as an ends in and of itself. Those who follow my original work will know that collaboration is a big part of my process. I find that there is a nearly magical energy exchange in co-creating music with other artists whom I share a wavelength with,” Sharp said.
The four-track body of work shows a softer moodier side to Sharp’s personality both as a producer and a writer, with a creative flow geared towards the philosophy of surrealist painters like Dali, Magritte and Miro.
“Surrealism involves allowing one’s unconscious to manifest itself in one’s work, maintaining an openness to explore whatever flows through oneself. Because of this I often don’t know what a song is going to be about until halfway through writing it,” he said.
The EP was developed both in his home studio and remotely, with writing sessions at Drew Kramer (Wild & Free) and Zhao’s studios, where the focus was primarily around developing ideas.
“It’s hard for me to take in my productions with a fresh ear, but hopefully on first listen people will hear the tracks as warm, inviting, and hypnotic. My goal is to draw people in my world sonically to have their own experience, and for this purpose, an EP is a better avenue than a single would have been,” he said.
When you next see Eric Sharp live, listen closely as you will hear snippets of these four singles filter through his set.
“Ironically, now that I have the final masters I find myself sneaking these songs into my DJ sets quite regularly even though they are pretty different from most of what I mix,” he said.
Eric Sharp & Friends EP is available everywhere now including Spotify & Apple Music, with thanks to Little Assembly.
“…this band can nail any song they want, cheekiness be damned” – Pitchfork “A note-perfect tale of nerd love from two Norwegian dance rockers” – Rolling Stone “…a frothy elixir out of 1980s synth-pop, art-rock and new wave” – The New York Times “Don’t be fooled by the tracksuits and ironic facial hair – these wacky Norwegian ‘new rave’ dudes actually write ace songs” – SPIN “[Datarock] delivers another set of kitschy…songs…very catchy” – BrooklynVegan
The return of DATAROCK is finally upon us: the Norwegian tracksuited synth-stars have finally released their long-awaited third album Face the Brutality. After a nine-year absence, the new album still checks off every spot on the DATAROCK checklist: infuriatingly catchy, impeccably produced, with an undertone of lighthearted goofiness. Make sure not to miss the action-packed video for “Laugh in the Face of Darkness.”
DATAROCK’s playful brand of indie-dance crossover music has been featured everywhere from Workaholics to Vampire Diaries, to more than ten major EA games to various ad campaigns including Apple and Google — take one listen to the opening bassline of “Fa Fa Fa” and you’ll instantly recognize it. American fans have been able to catch sight of the signature red tracksuits at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza and late night TV programs like Jimmy Kimmel. Face the Brutality will be the synth-rockers’ first LP since 2009 and first output since their musical, The Musical, in 2015. Years in the making, Face the Brutality is an album for the bored and bitter survivors of 2017, an upbeat escape with substance.
WhoMadeWho has released their sixth full-length album, ‘Through The Walls’, which is now available digitally and in stores worldwide. The album features the already previously released singles “I Don’t Know” and “Dynasty”.
Back with Through the Walls, four years after the critically lauded Dreams, WhoMadeWho have crafted a shimmering sonic odyssey that’s equal parts epic, heartfelt, soaring and pounding. Co-produced with fellow Copenhageners and dance music luminaries, Kenton Slash Demon, the new record sees Jeppe Kjellberg, Tomas Barfod, and Tomas Høffding, tapping into the same musical restlessness that formed them, making the band incorporate new modes creativity, songwriting, and production. This is probably WhoMadeWho’s most cohesive and daring album to date; a testament to three maverick musicians working at the apex of their game.
WhoMadeWho are that rare thing, a band with their own sound. And Through the Walls adds yet more fuel to the restless, fluctuating bonfire. It sounds as if they won’t cool off or settle down anytime soon.
Tracklist
1. Neighborhood 2. Chrystal 3. Dynasty 4. I Don’t Know 5. Putpie 6. Goodbye To All I Know 7. Through The Walls 8. Belong 9. Funeral Show 10. If This Is Your Love 11. Surfing On A Stone 12. Keep On
“Wait by the River,” the lead single offLord Huron’s highly anticipated album Vide Noir, debuted a few weeks ago (sorry, I’m a little late!!!)
The band’s forthcoming album is out April 20 on Whispering Pines/Republic Records. Find Vide Noir’s tracklist later on in the post, and check out the new track now:
Having already announced a headline tour of the U.S. beginning this spring, the band is also announcing additional dates extending into the fall. Every pair of tickets ordered for the headline tour will include a copy of Vide Noir. For more information and ticket links, visit lordhuron.com. Many dates on the spring tour have already sold out, including New York City’s Beacon Theatre, Chicago’s Riviera Theatre and Boston’s House Of Blues.
Vide Noir was written and recorded over the past two years at Lord Huron’s Los Angeles studio and informal clubhouse, Whispering Pines, and was mixed by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips/MGMT). In conjunction with the album announcement, the band released “Ancient Names (Part I)” and “Ancient Names (Part II),” which received critical praise from NPR Music and SPINwho called them, “An eery, unresolved tale of a crystal ball vision that amplifies the band’s characteristic thematic darkness into distorted garage rock.”
Singer, songwriter and producer Ben Schneiderfound inspiration wandering restlessly through his adopted home of LA at night: “My nighttime drives ranged all over the city—across the twinkling grid of the valley, into the creeping shadows of the foothills, through downtown’s neon canyons and way out to the darksome ocean. I started imagining Vide Noir as an epic odyssey through the city, across dimensions, and out into the cosmos. A journey along the spectrum of human experience. A search for meaning amidst the cold indifference of The Universe,” he says.
As a true multi-media artist, Schneider has once again created an adorned world to inhabit within Vide Noir: the album will be accompanied by a wealth of imagery, films and immersive experiences crafted to expand upon its narratives and themes. This builds on Schneider’s past work, which used videos, a comic book, a choose-your- own-adventure hotline and assorted Easter eggs as means of deepening the listener experience. Watch the trailer for Vide Noir below:
Originally a musical and visual solo project by Michigan-native-turned-Angeleno Schneider, Lord Huron now includes members Mark Barry (percussion), Miguel Briseño(bass) and Tom Renaud (guitar). After a pair of independent EPs, Lord Huron released two full-length albums Lonesome Dreams (2012) and Strange Trails (2015) on IAMSOUND Records, followed by extensive touring and prestigious festival appearances both stateside and abroad. After appearing in the hit Netflix show 13 Reasons Why the band’s song “The Night We Met” (from Strange Trails) was officially certified Platinum in January 2018.
VIDE NOIR TRACKLIST
Lost in Time and Space
Never Ever
Ancient Names (Part I)
Ancient Names (Part II)
Wait by the River
Secret of Life
Back from the Edge
The Balancer’s Eye
When the Night is Over
Moonbeam
Vide Noir
Emerald Star
LORD HURON TOUR DATES (NEWLY ADDED SHOWS IN BOLD – ONSALE FRIDAY, FEB 23) March 24—Tempe, AZ—Innings Festival April 20— Grand Rapids, MI—20 Monroe Live April 21—Chicago, IL— Riviera Theatre **SOLD OUT** April 22—St. Paul, MN—The Palace Theatre April 23— Milwaukee, WI—Riverside Theatre April 25—Kansas City, MO—Arvest Bank Theatre **VENUE UPGRADE** April 26—Indianapolis, IN—The Vogue **SOLD OUT** April 27— Royal Oak, MI—Royal Oak Music Theater April 28—Cincinnati, OH—Homecoming Festival April 30—Boston, MA— House of Blues **SOLD OUT** May 1—Philadelphia, PA—Electric Factory May 3—New York, NY—Beacon Theatre **SOLD OUT** May 4—Washington, DC—The Anthem May 4-6—Atlanta, GA—Shaky Knees Festival May 31—San Diego, CA—House of Blues June 1—San Diego, CA—House of Blues **SOLD OUT** June 2—Los Angeles, CA—Greek Theatre June 3—Oakland, CA—Fox Theater June 5—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom **SOLD OUT** June 6—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom June 7—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre **SOLD OUT** June 8—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre June 15-June 17—Dover, DE—Firefly Festival July 25—Toronto, ON—Sony Centre July 26—Pittsburgh, PA—Stage AE July 27—Cleveland, OH—House Of Blues July 30—Portland, ME—State Theatre August 1—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Steel **SOLD OUT** August 2—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Steel August 5—Boston, MA—House Of Blues September 21—St. Louis, MO—The Pageant September 25—New Orleans, LA—Civic Theatre September 26—Houston, TX—TBD September 29—Austin, TX—TBD October 1—Tulsa, OK—Cain’s Ballroom October 3—Omaha, NE—Sokol Auditorium October 4—Denver, CO—Ogden Theatre October 19—Copenhagen, DK—Vega October 20—Aarhus, DK—Voxhall October 21—Hamburg, DE—Gruenspan October 22—Amsterdam, NL—Paradiso October 23—Brussels, BE—Ancienne Belgique October 25—Cambridge, UK—The Junction October 26—London, UK—Roundhouse October 27—Sheffield, UK—Plug October 28—Gateshead, UK—Sage Gateshead October 29—Liverpool, UK—Invisible Wind Factory October 31—Paris, FR—Le Trianon November 2—Munich, DE—Technikum November 3—Koln, DE—Gloria November 5—Berlin, DE—Columbia Theater
