Swedish band The Royal Concept, released their self-titled EP in June via Lava/Universal Republic (the full-length album due out in October). The band’s video for their breakout hit “Gimme Twice” has come out recently. With shimmering guitars and keyboards, and an immediately memorable hooks, the band swells with indie rock attitude and dance floor energy. They’ll also be touring extensively throughout the fall, first with The Wombats, then another leg with Wolf Gang.
Austin, TX’s anthemic indie-rock band The Rocketboys have released their first ever official video for the track “The Best”, which is the last song on their recently released album Build Anyway.
A true epilogue to the new record, singer Brandon Kinder comes to terms with his disappointment and anger towards former bandmates and even makes something of an apology for his pain: “You spent your time trying to make a better life, while I was spending mine making up bitter rhymes”; “All those words I wrote, they’ve already died…If I ever had brothers, I hope you know that you were them.” It’s a fitting and powerful end to a soaring rock record that covers endless ground in the search for explanations for the fragmentation and almost-breakup of the band.
The Rocketboys also announce a Fall tour schedule for August-October which covers the Central and Eastern US. A co-headline tour with Bearcat, the tour is in support of Invisible Children and will make available limited edition I.C. posters.
Download a free two song tour sampler, which includes an acoustic version of The Rocketboys’ new single “The Best” and Bearcat’s song “Let’s Be Honest,” here.
The Rocketboys Tour Dates:
Aug 27 – Austin, TX – W Hotel*
Aug 28 – Ft. Worth, TX – Live Oak Music Hall
Aug 30 – Lubbock, TX – Bash Riprocks
Aug 31 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
Sept 1 – Tulsa, OK – Vanguard Music Hall
Sept 2 – Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
Sept 3 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
Sept 4 – Chicago, IL – The Ace Bar
Sept 5 – Indianapolis, IN – Hoosier Dome
Sept 6 – Pontiac, MI – Vernors Room at Crofoot Ballroom
Sept 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Smiling Moose
Sept 8 – New York City, NY – The Living Room
Sept 10 – New York City, NY – Studio at Webster Hall
Sept 11 – New Haven, CT – The Space
Sept 12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Barbary
Sept 13 – Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
Sept 14 – Cleveland, OH – Wilbert’s
Sept 15 – Louisville, KY – Uncle Slayton’s
Sept 16 – St. Louis, MO – Cicero’s
Sept 17 – Knoxville, TN – Barley’s Taproom
Sept 19 – Nashville, TN – High Watt at Mercy Lounge
Sept 20 – Atlanta, GA – The Vinyl
Sept 22 – Oxford, MS – Two Stick Sushi Bar
Sept 25 – Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
Sept 28 – Tampa, FL – New World Brewery
Sept 29 – Orlando, FL – Backbooth
Oct 1 – Jacksonville, FL – Burro Bar
Oct 3 – Athens, GA – New Earth Music Hall & Taproom
Oct 4 – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse
Oct 5 – West Columbia, SC – Conundrum
Nov 2 – Waco, TX – Common Grounds*
*No Bearcat
Click on the image to go to The Wallflowers website and download “Reboot The Mission”
The Wallflowers have announced their long-awaited new studio album Glad All Over will be released on October 2, 2012 by Columbia Records. The band’s new single, “Reboot The Mission,” is a Clash-inspired track with an unmistakable shuffle backbeat, featuring Mick Jones on vocals and guitar. The song will be available for FREE beginning this Tuesday, July 24th at www.thewallflowers.com. The single is set to impact radio on July 23rd.
Recently wrapping recording in Nashville, TN at Easy Eye Sound studio, the new album finds frontman Jakob Dylan joining original band members Greg Richling (bass) and Rami Jaffee (keyboards), with The Wallflowers’ longtime guitarist Stuart Mathis and drummer Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) rounding out the lineup. The album is being produced by Jay Joyce (Emmylou Harris, Cage the Elephant) and mixed by Rich Costey (Bruce Springsteen).
Download the new mixtape Rose Island Vol. I from Theophilus London
Theophilus London is no stranger to the mix tape. After a busy couple years of putting out official releases – Lovers Holiday EP in Feb 2011, Timez Are Weird These Days in July 2011 and Timez Are Weird These Nights in April of this year – TL returns to the internets with his highly anticipated mixtape Rose Island Vol. 1, the follow up to 2010’s I Want You mixtape. Your soundtrack to summer has arrived.
Theophilus recorded most of Rose Island during Christmas in his NYC studio. In typical TL fashion, there’s something for everyone on Rose Island Vol. 1 which is filled with hip hop bangers, electronic club tracks, sing along anthems and, of course, a couple slow jams. Rose Island is an imaginary place in TL’s head where he goes when he needs to escape reality and time. Some of the mix tape highlights include A$AP Rocky, Big Boi, upcoming Producer Lunice, and many more. He also Covers Pharrell Willams “Take it off’ and reworks Wang Chung’s classic “Dance Hall Days.”
Always striving for the full experience, Theophilus has linked with luxury shoe company on the rise Del Toro to design the official Rose Island Slippers. Now fans can listen in the comfort of a custom TL slipper, the same slippers he rocked while creating Rose Island Vol 1. The Rose Island Slipper are limited in quantity and available for pre-order now at http://lvrs.tl/velvetrose.html
Theophilus London is currently out touring the world and has already begun work on the follow to Timez Are Weird These Days as well as his Rose Island Vol. 2 mix tape.
Rock-pop four-piece, Oceanics have a brand new video for their single Jukebox. Simply put, the video is a video about making a video, directed by Genki Yamasaki and starring actress Cleo Massey of television show H20: Just Add Water. The single is the first from their recent EP, Bright People, recorded with Aria award winning engineer Wayne Connolly (Josh Pyke, The Vines, The Living End). Bright People has seen success in the US and was featured on MTV, MSN and AOL music, and even had a Glee moment, receiving acclaim on the blog, You, Me & Charlie (Dianna Agron of Glee’s blog).
Oceanics are on tour in July with shows along the east-coast of Australia with Hey Geronimo, Velociraptor, and Rockets.
Baby Monster is duo Daniel Sternbaum and Marty Larson Xu, who are known for their popular remixes for Gorillaz, Ellie Goulding, and Foster The People. They crafted their new EP, City of Lovers, (which was just released on Tuesday!) separately but simultaneously from two different cities. The result is a collection of tracks full of grinding beats and airy vocals that set an ethereal, summer-ready tone.
Dub Pistols will be releasing their fifth album, Worshipping The Dollar, July 3rd via Sunday Best Recordings. The band was named “Best Live Act” by DJ Mag and has written music for the new Rob Lowe movie “Knife’s Edge.” Worshipping The Dollar features guest vocals from UK hip hop legend Rodney P and up-and-coming Barbados reggae act Red Star Lion.
It has been 30 years since Men Without Hats asked the world to dance (if they want to), and this year the Montreal New Wave group will ask the question again with the release of their highly anticipated new album Love In The Age of War (out June 5th on iTunes and everywhere June 12th on Cobraside Records).
Produced by Dave “Rave” Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy, Marilyn Manson), Love In The Age of War features charismatic front man Ivan Dorschuk (voice & electronics), his brother Colin Doroschuk (vocals), as well as Lou Dawson (vocals & live keyboards), and James Love (guitars).
Love In The Age of War will mark their first album release in albums 10 years, featuring 10 original songs written by Ivan Doroschuk. In 2011, Men Without Hats soared back into the scene with their breakout performance at SXSW, followed by an extensive, well-received North American tour.
Since forming in the late 70’s, the band released six studio albums – having songs featured on hit TV series such as Glee, The Simpsons, Futurama and Family Guy. Their 1980’s hit “The Safety Dance” reached Top 10 in the US, the UK and 25 other countries around the world. In 1983, they picked up a Grammy nomination for Best group. Sure, you can still dance if you want to and Love In The Age of War will give you 10 more reasons why.
Baby Monster is preparing to release a brand new organically grown collection of tracks by duo Daniel Sternbaum and Marty Larson Xu. Written simultaneously from different cities, the grinding beats and airy vocals of the City of Lovers EP produce a summer-ready ethereal atmosphere which reflects the tension between the duo’s varying perceptions of both the metropolitan and natural environments. Known for their popular remixes for Gorillaz, Ellie Goulding and Foster The People among others, Baby Monster will release the City of Lovers EP on June 5. Opening the record is title track “City of Lovers” a summery track with layered vocals over booming synths which seamlessly leads into “Hitchhiker” a song lead by heavy bass and handclaps and distorted vocals. “The General of Hot Desire” turns up the heat peppered with twinkling reggae-infused beats and tambourine, breaking into a climactic chorus of voices.
Hailing jointly from California and Oregon, Baby Monster’s previous releases include the singles Ultra Violence and Beethoven, and She Comes Alive, as well as their self-titled debut LP Baby Monster released in June of 2011.
Musically Amusing 