Tag Archives: indie rock

Newest Love: Motherfolk

Cincinnati’s alt-folk favorites Motherfolk have just announced that they will be re-releasing their sophomore album Fold, clocking in with four new tracks, unreleased videos, and behind-the-scenes photos. Describing their sound as “indie rock with a twinge of modern folk”, Fold ranges from introspective jaunts to anthemic rock’n’roll. With tireless touring and energetic live shows that draw in the audience, Motherfolk has established themselves as one of the Midwest’s most exciting upcoming acts. Today, the band is also debuting the visuals for “Ryder Robinson”. The deluxe edition of Fold will be available October 13, right before a string of tour dates with Sherwood (info below).

Preorder Fold (Deluxe Edition) via Pledge Music

In a contemporary independent music scene inundated with up and coming bands, it takes a unique outfit to break through that noise. A truly exceptional group must exhibit authenticity, raw talent, and electrifying chemistry. This, of course, means there are very few of them. Motherfolk, formed in 2013, is certainly one of those most unique and dynamic acts.

Motherfolk began as a collaborative effort between Nathan Dickerson and Bobby Paver, two college friends with a penchant for writing songs with one another. In the first year of the project, the two songwriters made frequent trips to Nashville to record their first endeavor. In 2014, their eponymous debut album showcased the duo’s musical prowess through a genre-bending collection of elegantly crafted songs.

Since then, Joel Call, Ethan Wescott, Karlie Dickerson, and Clayton Allender have joined Motherfolk’s ranks, and the band has made a name for themselves touring all across the nation. The outfit’s high-energy live performances have won over audiences from coast to coast, and their infectious musical persona has become one of the most exciting rising success stories in the indie scene.

In 2016, Motherfolk released their highly anticipated sophomore effort, Fold. Clocking in with eleven compelling tracks, the album further defines the band as an act that effortlessly melds a slew of influences together to manifest their sound into a splendidly cohesive, original pursuit. From surreal, introspective jaunts to foot-stomping, anthemic rock and roll, Fold stands tall as one of the most exciting records of 2016.

Building on the strength of the original release, Motherfolk will release a deluxe edition of Fold this October. With five unreleased tracks, three new music videos, and exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, fans can get a satisfying deeper look into the compelling story of Fold. The band will continue their extensive touring throughout the remainder of 2017, building momentum for what’s to come, and they’re inviting all of their fans, old and new, along for the ride.

Tracklist:

  1. Fold I
  2. Stone Against Stone
  3. Control
  4. Interlude
  5. Wreck of a Man
  6. Something Good
  7. Fold II
  8. Give My Heart Away
  9. Ryder Robinson
  10. The Only Fire
  11. Fold III
  12. You (Bonus Track)
  13. All That’s Left (Bonus Track)
  14. Wreck of a Man (Alternate Version)
  15. Control (Alternate Version)

Catch Motherfolk Live:

9/16 – Oaktoberfest – Oak Park, IL
10/12 – The Hall @ Stonehill College – North Easton, MA
10/18 – The End – Nashville, TN *
10/19 – Firebird – St. Louis, MO *
10/20 – 88th St. Collective – Oklahoma City, OK *
10/21 – Jackpot Music Hall – Lawrence, KS *
10/22 – Elbo Room – Chicago, IL *
10/23 – The Loving Touch – Detroit, MI *
10/24 – Musica – Akron, OH *
10/25 – Mad Frog – Cincinatti, OH *
*= with Sherwood

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Newest Love: Private Island

Photo credit: Anthony Pham

“For a sound so contagious, I’d bet they’re impressive to see live.”
– What Youth

“So grab your sunglasses and sunscreen and hit the pool with this one on your loudspeakers.” — Earmilk

“L.A.-based Private Island has one foot in the retro-ism of smooth jazz and funk and the other in the gang’s-all-here musical collectivism of modern indie-pop.”
– Buzzbands.LA

After dominating the West Coast music scene and selling out headlining shows in LA, Private Island is heading on their first US Tour with Future Generations, prepared to bring their mix of funky California indie pop-rock to a venue near you. After making a splash on the internet with their Hype Machine approved hit “Drugs,” and over 3 million streams on Spotify, Private Island is excited to promote their third studio project, Night Drivewhich will mark a slight departure from their indie-rock past to a smoother R&B vibe.

The lead single, “Turbulence,” is Private Island’s first step into a world that breaks away from the shimmering indie-rock of their past releases. While maintaining their roots, the new music opens the door into a darker, more polished sound, where lead singer Christian Lum effortlessly denounces his loss of faith in love. The sonic development of the new single mixed with their signature bluesy-rock sound leaves listeners with a taste of the new album, due out fall 2017. The Southern California six-piece band, comprised of Christian Lum, Tommy Nickerson, Cameron Anderson, Michelle Guerrero, Tim Barbour and Roger Mawer, worked with producer Jacob Munk and mastering engineer Joe Lambert for Night Drive.

TOUR DATES

July 28th @ The High Watt in Nashville, TN

July 29th @ The EARL in Atlanta, GA

Aug 1st @ The Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC

Aug 2nd @ DC9 in Washington, DC

Aug 4th @ Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia, PA

Aug 5th @ Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY

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Check ‘Em Out: The Megaphonic Thrift

megaphonic

On 11/11, Bergen, Norway-based band The Megaphonic Thrift will release their album Få meg til verden i tide via Old Flame Records. The band has premiered their track “Pilene,” which you can check out now:

Last month SPIN Magazine premiered the album’s first track “Hendene,” calling it “pulverizing noise rock.” Earlier this year, the band won a Spellemann Award (equivelant of a Norwegian GRAMMY Award) for best indie album. Få meg til verden i tide is The Megaphonic Thrift’s fourth album, and it’s the band’s first to feature lyrics in Norwegian. Much less guitar orientated than previous albums, Få meg til verden i tide is filled with synthesizers, and it’s their first with new collaborators Njål Paulsberg (neo Tokyo/Young Dreams) and Emil Nikolaisen (Serena-Maneesh).
“The four members in Megaphonic have become more unison for each record we’ve made together,” says guitarist and vocalist Richard Myklebust. “After the third record, making new music felt like giving each other a hug. We wanted to bring in someone who had a more radical approach to making music. We needed disagreement, and boy did we get it.”

A lot has happened since the summer of 2015 when The Megaphonic Thrift filled a car with synths and boxed wine, isolating themselves in a cabin far up in the Norwegian desolate mountains to write what would become Få meg til verden i tide.

“We thought we were just heading into the studio to make the final adjustments and thought it was going to be easy. All the songs were ready. It didn’t turn out easy at all,” says bassist and vocalist Linn Frøkedal.

The band describes the studio process as a long road trip, where a new driver can take the wheel at any moment. “Nikolaisen is based in Oslo (on the other side of the mountains), and guitarist Clementsen was on a Japanese tour with his other band Electric Eye, so sketches and new ideas were thrown back and forth on seemingly endless mail threads,” says guitarist Njål Clementsen. “This record is proof that it is possible to make a really cool record in a really hard way. It doesn’t have to be easy!”

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Newest Love: No Terrain – “So Slow”

no-terrain-so-slow

After Canadian indie rock band Germans called it quitsies in 2013,  frontman Aidan Koper took a break from music to focus on his performing career. Under the name Billions Cobra, he’s been performing stunts involving fire, lawnmowers, and bullwhips for audiences around the world for 16 years. No longer able to resist the call of his passion for music, he’s returned all by himself under the moniker No Terrain. Check out “So Slow” below. The EP will be out on November 18th.

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Check ‘Em Out: Goldensuns

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Goldensuns are an LA-by-way-of-Utah brotherly trio and their EP is a beautiful mix of indie rock, shoegaze and funk.  Their first single “I Feel This Place” earned the top spot on Indie Shuffle’s “Popular” chart last month and also charted on Hype Machine, giving some buzz to a band that is currently making a solid name for themselves in Los Angeles. They followed up “I Feel This Place” with the premiere of “Give It Up” on Nerdist a few weeks ago. Check out the EP below. “Gold Chains” has vocals that remind me of Empire of the Sun. I think we’re gonna start to hear more about these guys soon.

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Newest Love: Paradise Animals – “Monday Morning”

Paradise

Monday morning I received an email from these guys…with their song “Monday Morning”!!! Coincidence. Nope. Not at all.

And this song is awesome!

The single is from the band’s LP Day Bed, and it’s their very first full length. The album was recorded and produced by the whole band in both Northern Ontario and Toronto.

From the band:
Day Bed is the place we go to rest in the daylight. A place where memories wash over us; a place where we pause and think about life. It’s a collection of songs that highlights the warmth and happiness of family and childhood, the heartbreak of relationships, and the randomness of social life in the 21st century.
Check out the video:
And look out for Day Bed on November 13th!

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Must Watch Video: Brick + Mortar – “Hollow Tune”

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Brick + Mortar have released a new music video in support of their recent EP Dropped for their song “Hollow Tune.” The video shows the story of a soldier, who recently returned from duty, preventing a would-be hate crime. When reached out to comment, the band told OUT, “We make music for people who believe in equality and acceptance for everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or belief. This song was written about love to say: ‘You’re not alone, I’m not alone,’ to the one you love. Love is love period.'”

Brick + Mortar have built a movement by spreading the message of positivity, understanding, and empathy with their indie rock with as much pop as there is grit.

Check out their upcoming tour dates below:
10/8: St. Louis, MO @ The Demo
10/10: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N Grill (16+ FREE SHOW)
10/12: Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge (21+ FREE SHOW)
10/14: West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy
10/15: San Francisco, CA @ Social Hall SF
10/17: Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
10/18: Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
10/19: Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
10/20: Columbus, OH @ The Basement
10/22: Nashville, TN @ High Watt
10/23 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl, Center Stage
10/26: Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy
10/27: Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
10/30: Montreal, Canada @ Le Petit Campus
10/31: Toronto, Canada @ Adelaide Hall
11/25: Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony

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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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Check ‘Em Out: Cold Shoulders

coldshoulders

Listen to their EP here

Cold Shoulders began as a friendship between Jordan Witzigreuter of the multi-platinum pop project The Ready Set, Jared Ryan Maldonado of the indie-pop duo Dresses, and Trevor Dahl of pop-rock group Plug In Stereo. Their self­-titled debut EP, was recorded and mixed at home studios from Los Angeles to Portland. Cold Shoulders is a versatile adventure that weaves through electronic ballads, stylistic experimentation, electrifying synth licks, and lyrics to keep you warm. Cold Shoulders is a prime pick; on par with Grouplove and Foster the People.

My favorite tracks: “Better” and “Lonely Lover”

Their self-titled EP was released yesterday, and can be purchased on iTunesAmazon, and Google Play.

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Check ‘Em Out: Sneakout

The Art of Hanging On

an anthem for rebels and rule breakers everywhere.” — NYLON
“…Sneakout exhibits a rowdier side of Fleming’s stylistic repertoire.” — Impose Magazine

Sneakout’s Robert Fleming crafts upbeat, electro-tinged indie-pop with a fun and mischievous vibe, so it’s only fitting that his new video for “The Art Of Hanging On” would feature drinking, partying, and general rowdiness. The twist is in the crew of characters he’s cast: a grandfather and his buddies, eager to teach one lucky grandson how to have a good time. Directed by Andrew Hines, who’s shot videos for A$AP Ferg & The Head and The Heart.

Shedding his previous moniker Victory — whose tracks were featured in national ad campaigns for Cadillac and iPhone & Burberry, as well as HBO’s Girls— Fleming chose to call his new project Sneakout, a name that embodies his values of living in the moment and not taking life too seriously. As an introduction to Sneakout, he put together the Letting Go Mixtape, which features brand new tracks alongside reworkings of some old Victory favorites. You can stream the full mixtape via Soundcloud.

Sneakout

Listen: Letting Go Mixtape

Letting Go Mixtape Track Listing:

1. The Art of Hanging On
2. Thought I Had It All
3. West Coast (Lana Del Rey cover)
4. Soothing Me So (acoustic)
5. Play It (acoustic)
6. The Art of Hanging On (acoustic)
7. The Art of Hanging On (Enso remix)
Sneakout will play a free show at LA’s Bootleg HiFi on Monday, September 22nd alongside Toronto artist Lowell (more information & RSVP here.)

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