Today’s the day! 2ube Xtra, Liverpool’s first and only live streamed music festival kicks off, giving us eight days of live music from some of the best emerging artists active in the city right now together with interviews and exclusive performances from more established artists. Watch it here!
Filed under Whoa!
Recently I posted about my newest love, Intergalactix. Now, you can stream their debut EP, IWSOM before it’s out on the 12th!
“Tuesday” was my favorite previously (mostly because it was their only song I’d heard), but now my new favorite is “The New Sound”!
Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, new albums, Newest Love
BRAQUE is a UK (London) based multi-instrumentalist, he is also a writer, producer, and most of all artist who creates everything himself.
BRAQUE is part of a loose collective of musicians including the highly acclaimed BASTILLE and RAG N BONE MAN. Having written, produced and set up the BEST LAID PLANS label with both of these artists, BRAQUE now believes the time is right to forge ahead as a solo artist.
Influenced by artists like Prince and Kanye, BRAQUE creates shiny modern pop music with a definite slightly darker edge, underpinned by a strong, soaring vocal and grainy, artful imagery. This is definitely not throwaway bubblegum pop music, but an artist who wants to be taken seriously.
BRAQUE’S vision behind the V1CES EP is that each song encapsulates a vice that we have in our lives. This EP will be the first in a Trilogy and contains two singles, “Secrets” and a cover of Everything But the Girl’s “Miss the Rain”.
If you’re liking these, make sure to check out the whole EP (link above).
Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, new albums, video
Sideways is the debut EP from Brisbane’s newest electronic wunderkid cln, featuring five glorious examples of chilled downtempo, electronic bliss.
The EP’s lead single “Better Than” took the world by storm, reaching #1 on Hype Machine within just three days of its release, and amassing over 125,000 plays on Soundcloud since. Following closely behind was the EP’s title-track, which quickly strengthened the anticipation of what else this 19 year old newcomer had up his sleeve.
Also accompanying the EP is an intoxicating remix cln has produced for fellow Brisbane-bred producer, Golden Vessel.
Listen: Golden Vessel – Stairwell (cln Remix)
Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, new albums, remixes
Back in the end of April, I tuned you guys into The Peach Kings with their song, “Hold On” (check out the post here). Along with the gritty, seductive title track, the five-track EP release also contains single “Be Around,”which features lead singer Paige McClain Wood’s smooth and smoky vocals above bluesy guitar riffs.
Check out the video below.
Filed under Awesome, Check 'em Out!, listen, video
With celestial backing vocals and hard-hitting lyrics, The Cold And Lovely previously revealed the highly percussive EP track “Radio” (posted here). Today they share a full stream of the Ellis Bell Deluxe EP.
Filed under Check 'em Out!, listen, new albums
“Crisp, synth-lined pop drama.” – SPIN
“This record is solid from start to finish.” – Nylon Guys
“Full of air and catchiness.” – The Onion A.V. Club
Matt Doty, one half-of LA based duo Midnight Faces with Philip Stancil says of the “Hold Tight” video ,“it was pretty impulsive overall.” The clip is a joyous tour of Los Angeles that sees the Midnight Faces guys dancing in the Saddleback Butte State Park desert, the fields of Mugu State Park, the Angeles National Forest mountains, downtown, and at the Santa Monica beach.
“We set aside a few days to shoot it and headed out to the desert,” Doty says. “After a few shots, we decided we were having more fun dancing than walking around.” It’s fun for the viewer, too. The clip perfectly captures the humanity behind the insular circumstances of the album’s creation.
Midnight Faces new album, The Fire Is Gone, is out now.
Tracklist for The Fire Is Gone
Filed under Awesome, new albums, video
Popular alternative rock band The Kin kicks off yet another nationwide tour on February 5, 2014, in support of their new five-track EP Get On It (Interscope Records). Fresh off their Australian and US tours supporting P!NK, the power trio amps up to headline their own two month tour, bringing their explosive live shows to 27 cities across the US in February and March 2014.
The Kin, comprised of Isaac Koren (vocals, keys), Thorald Koren (vocals, guitar, keys), and Shakerleg (drums, percussion), have enraptured live audiences worldwide with their powerful vocal harmonies, hard-driving guitar and percussion and captivating stage presence. It was only a matter of time until major labels took notice and Interscope signed on to help promote their current EP Get On It, released in October 2013. The Kin teamed up with legendary producer Tony Visconti (best known for his work with David Bowie and T.Rex), as well as former Record Plant staff engineer Jack Douglas (John Lennon, Aerosmith) and Nic Hard (Joey Ramone, The Church) to capture the group’s gritty, propulsive rock sound that comes across best during their live performances. The Get On It EP is currently charting in the US and Australia and went gold in New Zealand, reaching #2 on the Pop charts there.
During their tours, The Kin also are known for causing trouble with their signature “Musical Robberies” where they burst into a randomly chosen high-traffic public area, such as a diner or airport, and surprise innocent on-lookers with a spontaneous live performance. The Kin have launched several of these “musical robberies,” including at the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Soho House, Seven Grand Whiskey Bar in Los Angeles, and a French airport. “We’re looking to surprise people and give them a musical experience,” says Isaac. “Even if it’s just for a split second, it’s a rush for everyone involved.”
Tour Dates:
2/18/2014 7pm Columbus, OH A&R Bar
2/20/2014 7pm Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
2/22/2014 6pm Cambridge, MA TT The Bear’s
2/23/2014 8pm New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
2/24/2014 8pm Vienna, VA Jammin Java
2/26/2014 8pm Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
3/9/2014 9pm Indianapolis, IN Deluxe at ONC
3/15/2014 9pm Denver, CO Larimer Lounge
3/17/2014 7pm Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
3/19/2014 7pm Seattle, WA The Crocodile
3/20/2014 9pm Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
3/21/2014 7pm Sacramento, CA Assembly
3/23/2014 9pm Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
3/24/2014 8pm Fresno, CA Strummer’s
3/26/2014 8pm Santa Ana, CA Constellation Rm
3/27/2014 830pm San Diego, CA Soda Bar
3/28/2014 8pm Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
3/29/2014 5pm Las Vegas, NV Container Park
Filed under Check 'em Out!, listen, Shows
Pompeya has finally released their remix album Tropical Remixed. The record features remixes of each of the tracks off the bands first US release Tropical.
Stream: Pompeya – Tropical Remixed
Buy on iTunes: Pompeya – Tropical Remixed
Filed under listen, new albums, remixes
Over the past few months, NYC’s Escort have shared two highly anticipated new singles, “Barbarians” and “Cabaret,” following the release of their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. In celebration of the band’s US tour (and first live gig in Detroit), the band has shared the “Gov’t Shutdown Throwdown” Mixtape. Featuring Italo oddities, forgotten midwest house classics, their favorite Ron Hardy edit and an exclusive preview of “All Night People” by Funn City (1st release on Darshan Jesrani’s brand new Startree imprint!) the “Gov’t Shutdown Throwdown” Mixtape premiered with VICE’s Noisey and is available HERE.
Stream: Escort – Gov’t Shutdown Throwdown Mixtape
Founded by Eugene Cho & Dan Balis and fronted by the powerful vocals of Adeline Michèle, Escort makes music that pays homage to the classics while remaining fresh and modern. The Cabaret & Barbarians singles are out now via Escort Records and fans will have new chances to catch their spectacular live show as they hit the road with JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound this fall!
Tour Dates:
* = w/ JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound
11/10: Miami, FL @ Friends of Nature Festival
11/14: Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre
11/15: Ferndale, MI @ The Magic Bag *
11/16: Chicago, IL @ Metro *
11/17: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club *
11/18: Madison, WI @ The Majestic Theatre *
11/20: Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts *
11/21: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
11/22: Washington, DC @ Black Cat DC *
11/23: Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House *
12/4: London, UK @ Queen of Hoxton
12/6: Rennes, FR @ Trans Musicales
12/7: Rennes, FR @ Trans Musicales
12/8: Dublin, IR @ Bodytonic
Musically Amusing 