Hot One of the Week: Impo & the Tents

This semester has me confronting what I consider a huge class in my college career, Honors Punk Rock and Society: Critical and Comparative Perspectives. With that in the back of my mind I decided to go through some of the punk music being fed to BandSoup. Now, as I listened to the music designated as “punk” on BandSoup I came to ask the same question my professors did this week, “What is punk?” The word, the genre, and the environment that we know as punk is much more eclectic than we even realize. Folk punk, pop punk, alternative punk, hardcore punk, and electro punk are just a few of the variations you can find on BandSoup. I was looking for a more “classic” example of punk rock music and eventually I came across Impo & the Tents




This Swedish-trio has had five releases over the past year and they are riddled with great examples of the total package when it comes to punk music. The vocals, bass, guitar, and drums all come together in nostalgic, lo-fi recordings that to me are just as magical as some of punk’s most influential records. Sadly, this act only has 244 fans on Facebook, but ironically most of their YouTube videos have just as many or more views. Despite the lack of fan representation, believe me when I say you need to get on their Bandcamp page and listen to them. Go get some free downloads and share/embed that stuff all over! Great punk rock is easily crammed into songs shorter than 3 minutes each and these guys accomplish that with precision. Look for fun tracks such as “Pretty Temptress”, “Four Eyes”, and “Ugly Girl”.

Listen to Impo & The Tents on BandSoup

An intelligent punk name, fun and catchy music, and that genuine garage feel…what could be much better than that?

Like them here!

-Doug Foley

Hot One of the Week: Friends Edition!

This week has been a busy one and now I am set to take on another semester here at school. Music is a huge part of my life and I thought I would let you guys get to know me a bit more. In order to help you understand me, this week’s edition of I Can Feel A Hot One will showcase a few of my friends who you can hear on BandSoup!

First, I would love to introduce an indie-prog-rock band that began playing together last year at the University of New Haven. Vitamin Sun, a 4-piece consisting of sophomore music students, takes influence from The Mars Volta, Local Natives, and Sufjan Stevens among many others. With Kyle Hamel on vox/guitar, Wyatt Simard on guitar, Chris Restaino on bass/vox, and Josh Merhar on drums, these guys tear through some intricate time signatures and let the creativity of their music flow. Within one song they can be both insanely technical and passionately groovy. They have so much potential and will continue to grow with time. I strongly suggest finding them on BandSoup and giving them a try!

Listen to Vitamin Sun on BandSoup

Another friend of mine who deserves some recognition and attention, which she is already getting, is Samantha Frost. Quite frankly, her voice is the opposite of her last name. Her smooth, jazzy voice is easily adapted for jazz, blues, Broadway, and pop. Her warm timbre will make you feel as if you are sitting in front of a fireplace listening to the radio as if in the days of old. Check out her version of “Nobody’s Fault” on BandSoup, it’s one of her first recordings. She is a lovely young voice and will do great things soon enough. Check out her website here.

Listen to Samantha Frost on BandSoup 

Thanks and have a great week!

-Doug Foley

Wines That Rock

No, we did not get paid to advertise this. I just thought it was a cool idea for music fans for the upcoming holiday season. The Police, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and Woodstock? Awesome.

http://www.winesthatrock.com/

Welcome to a new revolution in wine or as we like to call it - The Official Wine of Rock n' Roll

This is not your typical wine experience. Not your typical wine labels. These are tapestries from the rock vaults. Classic, iconic album art that’s part of your musical DNA. And we're just gettin started. In the upcoming months keep your eyes out for more classic pairings of great tasting wines and your all time favorite Rock 'n Roll artwork.

As passionate wine lovers and die-hard music fans, we've created the ultimate blending of two worlds. Our mission is to produce a new category of wine:

"Great Tasting Wines Inspired by Music"

With classic tracks from The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Woodstock Festival blasting in the cellar, our winemaker crafted custom wines for each of these legendary brands - blending one-of-a-kind wines with Rock ‘n Roll mythology. 

Our catalog of wines starts with The Rolling Stones Forty Licks Merlot, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon,Woodstock Chardonnay and The Police Synchronicity Red Blend.

Soup of the Day #8: Johnny Neel & The Criminal Element- Sum of it All

Although not a household name, Johnny Neel is a Grammy award nominee recognized in the music world for his work with the Allman Brothers, Lonnie Mack and Gov't Mule, among others. In addition to his soulful vocals, harp, piano and B-3 proficiency, Johnny is an accomplished songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by the likes of the Allman Brothers, Joe Louis Walker, John Mayall, Irma Thomas, Ann Peebles, Marie Osmond, the Oak Ridge Boys and Travis Tritt.

Click Here to Listen to "Sum of It All" by Johnny Neel & The Criminal Element

Johnny met Nashville based band Mile 8 in 2001 through a mutual friend and his band, Chef Dave. Frequently sitting in and jamming with Mile 8 led to a musical friendship that would last for years to come. Curt Redding and Randy Boen had plenty of experience backing up Johnny and Russell Wright had stepped in on bass with Mile 8 near its end and developed an immediate connection to Curt and his drumming. When Johnny sprung the idea of this band, The Criminal Element was born.

"Sum of It All" is a hard, plowing ride through the classic blues-rock sounds of the 70s, infectious Dr. John-like wails, and modern jam band influences. Johnny and his band provide a flawless classic rock composition that will have baby boomers and beyond bashing their bare knuckles against their stomachs in mock air guitar motions to the opening riff and accompanying solos.

For those that say rock and roll is dead, click the link above and hear it come to life.