Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Video: Motel Beds- Western Son

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A homemade video for Dayton, Ohio psych-pop band, Motel Beds, and their song, Western Son.
"Motel Beds are a midwestern indie rock powerhouse that harkens to the big slacker bands of the 90s, and then roars past them on wings of champion musical badassery. Each of the band’s members, who cut their teeth in a wide variety of the Gem City’s strongest groups, make athletic guitar runs, deliver serpentine rhythms, and drop clever, existential lyricism in a way that sounds completely effortless..."

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Bop Skizzum- I'm So Much Cooler Than You & Beauty Queen

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Here are two videos from Denver's Bop Skizzum. Both songs can be found on their Beauty Queen EP.

Music has the power to get people dancing and Bop Skizzum likes to take full advantage of that.  Gathering inspiration from every corner of the record store, the band meshes their alternative pop rock vibe with groovy funk, rock, ska, and dance music, creating an invigorating blend of unique instrumentation and infectious vocals.


NYU trained soul singer Erin Jo Harris fronts Bop Skizzum as the lead vocalist.  Guitar & Back-up Vocals are handled by band co-founder Andy “Rok” Guerrero, formerly of the socio-political hip-hop rock band The Flobots.  Fellow co-founder and the band’s Music Director Serafin Sanchez (a CU Boulder graduate with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Music) provides one of the ‘3rd voices’ (in the form of brass) in Bop Skizzum with the Saxophone. This inspiring song writing trio is grounded by the incredible rhythm section of groove master Chris Harris on Bass and multiple award winning beat savant Tohbias Juniel on Drums. Rounding out the brass section are the two-man Trumpet power-punch of Joe Ferrone and John Lake.

The band has been compared to No Doubt, The Heavy, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and N.E.R.D.

Video: I Swim With Sharks- Just Be Good

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Rock smothered aggro-pop trio from Leeds give us their first video for their smash single, Just Be Good. Interesting Saving Private Ryan-esque concept from Brown Bread Films.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Soup of the Day #15: The Love Junkies- Need a Light

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The Love Junkies' debut self titled EP appeared out of nowhere and instantly awoke memories of early 90's Seattle-- Mudhoney, Gas Huffer, The Melvins, Mother Love Bone-- the good shit that used to make a Nirvana fiend chase the tiger even more. The proverbial cherry on top of this new relationship with the Junkies is another familiar and admired sound they incorporate into their flanneled interior: squealing electric chords from White Striped guitars that will have you screaming, "Ecky Thump!" For me, this is a lethal combo of my most esteemed rock gods. Ears exploding never felt so good.

The intro track on the EP is all you need to become a love junkie. Need a Light is the high point of a band full of 19-year old grease ball kids that want to prove they can rock Oceania and beyond. There is no potential to be heard in the record, the band's capacity reveals itself at the minute mark when Mitch McDonald lets loose his axe and larynx, and then the rest falls into place.

Video: Rachèl Louise- At the Disco (Live Performance)

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Singer-Songwriter Rachèl Louise performs her hit single, At the Disco, live on a Netherlands TV show. Her latest EP, Live in Holland is available now.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Saints of Valory- Cover Girl & Neon Eyes (Live Acoustic)

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From four different countries spanning three continents, Saints of Valory come with quite the international flair. Frontman Gavin Jasper is from Rio de Janeiro Brazil, guitarist Godfrey Thomson from southern California, on drums Gerard Bouvier is from France, & on keyboards Stephen Buckle hails from Canada. After forming in Atlanta in 2009, the band relocated to Austin in the spring of 2010 & already have a rapidly growing fan base due in part to their live show which is best described as "electric".

The band members have played in various rock acts over the years, but this band appears to possess the Midas touch. In the practice room, there are 2 simple rules; less is more, every note must mean something. So far, the results have been exceptional. "The illegitimate love child of Coldplay, Kings of Leon & The Killers", is a common comparison describing the bands fresh sound.

Saints of Valory spent September 2010 with acclaimed producer Dwight A. Baker in Austin recording their debut record "The Bright Lights". The much anticipated record was released on November 29th 2010 & is available for purchase on iTunes & Amazon. Radio demand is taking off, with hit songs "Providence" and "Dear Ivy" getting added to rotation in stations across the country.
Recently, Saints of Valory released their new Neon Eyes EP. Here are two live acoustic performances from the EP, which you can purchase here.



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Soup of the Day #14: Modern Skirts- Rebecca St. Claire

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I'm a sucker for psychedelic folk, a sucker for creepy children singing hooks, and a sucker in love with this weird yet infectious track from Athens, Georgia quartet, Modern Skirts.

One part pre-Mellow Gold Beck, one part lo-fi bedroom pop, and a splash of brown liquid mind detergent forms this catchy track from their 2010 EP, Happy 81. 


I thought I had the band pegged right away as a bunch of redneck hippies gnawing on mushrooms from grandpa's farm while thrashing thrift store guitars into the rusted mouth of a 4-track, but after diving into their catalog I quickly found that not only are the Skirts experienced and established, they are highly creative and versatile. Birthed as an alternative pop band with hints of Weezer and Ben Folds (Catalogue of Generous Men), the Skirts have blossomed into a schizophrenic electro pop outfit that isn't afraid to experiment instrumentally over their funky pop melodies (Gramahawk).

The sounds from their lastest 2011 record, Gramahawk, have a lot of potential (see the video for "Jane Child" below), but I'm kind of diggin' their experimental basement cassette sessions the most, especially the haunting kiddy hooks.


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Rainbow Danger Club

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If you have an hour to kill sometime in the near future, I suggest you take a trip with the pride of Shanghai's budding indie rock scene, Rainbow Danger Club, and their incredible new project, Where Maps End.

As a follow up to their critically acclaimed 2010 release, New Atlantis, these unsung heroes of the progressive rock genre conjured up a 60 minute collage full of lush psychedelia, infectious vocal melodies, reverb laced guitars, airy synths, and complex compositions. Where Maps End is where some of the most interesting experimental albums in rock and roll history collide to form celestial fireworks that eventually birth a new (rock) star. Part Pink Floyd and part Arcade Fire's "The Funeral" with dashes of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and turn of the millennium Flaming Lips, Rainbow Danger Club's sophomore release is a majestic masterpiece that is sure to make the young quartet one of the most talked about international acts today and has the power and beauty to become their magnum opus.

This album of the year candidate is dramatic, adventurous, and haunting. The cohesive convergence of various sounds, instrument/vocal effects, and musical arrangements is supernatural. This is a record with many layers, many depths, many faces, many moons. Where Maps End is an enigmatic opera that deserves the world's ear.

Fire up a candle. Put fire in your cortex. Celebrate a wonderful musical accomplishment.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Video: Mexican With Guns- Dame Lo

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If you need a disturbing way to start off your Friday, check this new video from San Antonio’s Mexicans With Guns. The video for Dame Lo, directed by Duey FM looks like a Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriquez wet dream. This vid takes a neo-hipster view of the Hispanic-American lifestyle. The track is off of the Me Gusto 12 inch on Stone’s Throw Records and Mexican With Guns' latest full length LP, Ceremony.

Video: Ravage! Ravage!- Blisters

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This music video supports the very first release of the eccentric Dutch dark synth threesome Ravage! Ravage!; the single "Blisters".

The stunning video is animated by Maxmana* (www.maxmana.com), who has previously done work for Lowlands TV, Postmen, The Routines, DJ Jean, Nobody Beats The Drum and many others, and whose work was featured at this years Venice Biennale.

Finish Ticket

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Finish Ticket is a bay area band with a unique indie alternative style. Michael Hoye, the bass player, is currently a UC Davis freshman, who in his free time tours California with his band mates playing shows. Their recent album "Shake a Symphony" has made quite a stir, giving the band the opportunity to share the stage with The Smashing Pumpkins, Phoenix, and My Chemical Romance.
(click artist link for free downloads)

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Awkward Robot Lands in Brooklyn, New York

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The Souper Sweaty Summer Tour is about to come to an end in Brooklyn, New York. If you are in the area, make sure to check them out on Tuesday and Wednesday at the following locations below:

Tuesday, July 12th @ Goodbye Blue Monday
1087 Broadway
(between Lawton St & Dodworth St)
Brooklyn, NY 11221
Neighborhoods: Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant

Wednesday, July 13th @ The Charleston
174 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North Side



The Awkward Robot LIVE in Boston, MA:

Watch live streaming video from liveatbestbuy at livestream.com

Video: Reader's Wives- Victor's Mother Juliet

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Here is an infectious jam from Dublin, Ireland indie rockers, Reader's Wives, from their 2010 EP. Recently, the band released their sophomore album, Rachel's Apartment.  Hot Press adored the record, saying: “With shades of Pulp, The Smiths & early Arctic Monkeys, the Wives have both catchy, upbeat get-off-your-arse-&-dance numbers and bittersweet, melancholic tunes offset by Holohan’s sharp, observant lyrics"


Download your FREE preview copy of the album here, pop along to one of the Wives live shows where a free download 'wristband' is included in the ticket price or download the album from iTunes.

 

Video: The Wheeler Brothers- Sleep When I'm Dead (Live)

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The Wheeler Brothers, an Austin, Texas based alt-country quintet, perform their song "Sleep When I'm Dead" live on a mountain top in Tarpley, TX.


This track appears as a bonus cut on the iTunes version of their debut album, Portraits, available now. If you would like three freebies from the album, you can head on over to their bandcamp site and pick up a sample EP of the record.
Formed in Austin, Texas, Wheeler Brothers have quickly emerged as one of Austin's most exciting up-and-coming bands. The five-piece independent folk-rock act combines the indie vibe of Austin with the twang of Texas folk. Brothers Nolan, Tyler and Patrick met Danny Matthews at LSU where they spent much of their time picking guitars and swapping stories in the bar rooms of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Once back in Austin their magnetic sound was completed by the addition of lifelong friend and singer/songwriter A.J. Molyneaux. Each member brings his own ideas and sounds to the group, with styles blending indie rock, blues and folk.

Video: TenPenny Nail- Humpin' the Lump

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Here is a DIY video from emerging Leicester, UK based alternative rock band, TenPenny Nail. This song is off their debut ep, Disgust Discussed, which was released in May of this year.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Shakey Graves

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Shakey Graves is the alter ego of Austin, Texas based songwriter Alejandro Rose-Garcia. His collection of lo-fi glazed demos, Roll the Bones, is just a tiny glimpse of Alejandro's brilliance. This intimate collection of bedroom recordings and live performances expose his innate ability to pen infectious modern folk tunes that are sure to conjure up images of freight-hopping hobos, bootleg liquor cellars, and nomadic men following the paths of tumbleweeds.

Recently, using the power of Kickstarter, Shakey received funding to record his first studio album. The album will be released Christmas 2011. "In my travels I have been inspired by so many folks from coast to coast, i have had the distinct honor of playing along side musicians that haunt me to the core, and been kept afloat by the kindness of friends and strangers. I want to make an album that utilizes this. A Shakey Graves family album. 12 brand new songs that stand as a tribute to everyone who has extended their hand, offered their couch, and perked up their ears."

If it's anything like Roll the Bones, consider my xmas gift to myself already taken care of. 

Here is my favorite Shakey Graves song from Roll the Bones. Full album download below. Also, be sure to check out footage of a Shakey Graves live show below as well.

Click Here to Listen to Built to Roam on BandSoup!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Soup of the Day #13: Pharaohs- Pathetic Energy

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Today's soup of the day spotlights a brand new punk trio out of Ithaca, New York who have just released their debut album, Screen World, as a free download.

Pharaohs, with their tricky spelling skills and spastic energy, go all over the musical map on Screen World, mixing high octane indie rock compositions with distorted grunge and vintage punk rock vocals. On "Pathetic Energy", Pharaohs pay homage to the essence of punk rock and The Romantics infamous song while tackling two of the most important issues facing rock stars today: playing guitars and fucking vaginas.

Click Here to Listen to Pathetic Energy on BandSoup 
click artist link for the free album download

Lead singer Duncan Shea touches on the subjects using poetry as his weapon:

I want to play my guitar, I want to fuck your vaginaIf you let me fuck your vagina, I'll let you play my guitar  
Yea!

The Awkward Robot in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Make sure to check out The Awkward Robot @ The Gin Mill in Charlotte NC tonight. Show starts at 8:30 and they go on at 10!

1411 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28203-4235
(704) 373-0782

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Soup of the Day #12: Radioviolet- In My Shadow

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Radioviolet is a Washington DC based progressive rock band that originally began as a solo project of lead singer Michael Terpak. After releasing the first album, Terpak decided to reinvent Radioviolet by adding a full lineup of new members and transforming the sound into the ethereal alternative rock we hear today.


The band's first single after the major overhaul was In My Shadow; a slow building pop alternative smash that garnered lots of local media attention, airplay on the area's most popular rock station DC101, and birthed the quintet's first music video in 2010. The single reveals Radioviolet's unique blend of electronic, pop, and alternative rock that some might compare to Incubus and another BandSoup band from DC, Kid Architect.

Radioviolet's latest 2011 album, Constellation Drive, is now available as a free download. If you would like physical copies, stay tuned to the bands website/facebook page for more details coming soon.



Monday, July 4, 2011

Free Album: The Nico Blues- Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements

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As a member of the Echo Boomer/Millenial generation, alternative rock from the 1990's holds a special place in my heart. A huge, achingly nostalgic spot in my right ventricle that throbs and pulsates with the slow building intro on Cherub Rock when Siamese Dream is played, flutters when someone actually remembers Hum, and skips a beat when someone asks, Who is Layne Staley? To me, it was the last era of rock and roll that mattered and, at the risk of sounding like a Rob Gordon-like former college DJ that mainlines Sonic Youth b-sides, I love when its remnants get dug up and used in music today.

A few flanneled and forgotten fossils of the early 90s were recently discovered in a basement in New York by an unknown yet quintessential alternative rock quintet known as The Nico Blues. Mixing the classic distorted roots of alt-rock with hints of Pavement, Mudhoney, and the more recent Silversun Pickups, The Nico Blues' debut album, Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements, is a sublime combination of vintage college rock grunge and new era alternative pop.  


Celebrating the DIY ethos, The Nico Blues recorded, produced, and mixed the album in their home studio; however, the final product might surprise you. Instead of the endearing tape hiss kissed debuts and demos of the 90s, TNB's humble beginnings sound professional, cohesive, and seasoned. Their 9-track arrival sounds like a veteran band's departing opus with standout singles "Living Proof", "Three's a Crowd",  and "Folk Song #2". Unlike many newborn bands from the past and present day, their debut album doesn't come off as a charming yet disjointed peek into their future potential. Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements listens as a grand accession to the alternative rock genre and feels like a cure for a 90s kid's broken heart.

Album Download via Bandcamp or TheNicoBlues.com

The Awkward Robot Tour Video #1

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The Awkward Robot recently played their first successful show in New Orleans and immediately sent over a tour transmission to keep us updated. Peep the video above for cabin fever induced laughing fits, Nintendo 64 Mortal Kombat, and fireworks in the parking lot.

You can catch the next show on July 6th @ The Gin Mill in Charlotte, NC! 
 
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