Soup of the Week: The RainDoggs (featuring Larisa Montanaro)- My Medicine (Snoop Dogg Cover)

Picture Tom Waits and Snoop Dogg in a 68 Camaro driving from New Orleans to LA, and it’s all being filmed by David Lynch. This is the voo doo smoke that seeps from The RainDoggs' jaws and paws.

The journeymen Doggs are now led by the vocals of Larisa Montanaro and she’s just what these guys needed. "She is the proverbial cherry on top, the icing on the cake, the Bonnie to all these rough neck Clyde’s, get my drift? But make no mistake, she’s no damsel in distress. She stands firmly on her own two feet and belts out song like a steam engine belts out smoke. Her voice-- god damn! It’s like rum tainted honey or 100-proof white lightning cut with star dust, and like her fellow sirens of old, she’ll lead you onto the rocks if you ain’t careful."

Here is their take on Snoop Dogg's "My Medicine" off of his 2008 album, Ego Trippin'. This cover is both brave and wanton, as Larisa captures the lure and sexiness of nature's greatest medicine.

You can download My Medicine and four other tracks on The RainDogg's latest 2012 release, One Armed Bandits, which is available as a free download.

Download The RainDoggs- One Armed Bandits

The RainDoggs Main Site

Diggs Duke- Gravity (Video)

Here are the visuals for Diggs Duke's title track off his 2011 debut EP, Gravity.

Listen to Diggs Duke on BandSoup

This Week on BandSoup (1/2-1/9)

Another week in the books and yet another week of great uploads here on BandSoup! Here are a few of the bands that you must hear according to an unanimous vote from the BandSoup blog team. Remember, new bands pop up on the site 1-5 times per day, so check back in with us. You might be missing out on your new favorite band!

Click the band's name to hear their music.

Diamond (Alternative Rock) --  Heavily Influenced by 90's alternative music, Skateboarding, and girls, "Don't Lose Your Cool" is now available for digital download.

Surgeon (Post-Rock/Instrumental) --  Check out our album review.

Diggs Duke (Neo-Soul) --  As if they are synonymous, Diggs Duke's music blends a limber voice with winding horn lines and electric guitar passages.

Blaise Paisel (Indie Rock) -- Led by the sultry vocals of Alie Richardson, Blaise Paisel is a five piece band out of the UK that might remind you a little of The Cranberries.

Gypsy Ray (Reggae/Rock) -- Gypsy Ray is a rock band from Vancouver, BC. Consisting of James, Shawn, DJ, and Andrew, these men use various musical influences of reggae, funk, indie and alternative genres to create the eclectic sound they have today.

Rare Monk (Alternative/Indie Rock) --  Check out our blog post.

Innobushu (Electro/Instrumental) --  Chicago native Innobushu - real name Herry Utama - has been slowly building a cult following over the past few years via a series of self released projects, garnering acclaim from the likes of Joe Kay (Soulection) amongst others in the process. FreeForm Records are now pleased to present Innobushu's newest offering: Distraction EP.

Hold Your Horses! (Polyphonic Pop) -- Hold your Horses! is a franco american seven-headed, fourteen-handed, polyphonic monster from Paris. Meshing, with the know how of proverbial idiot savants, rock and pop, wood and brass, the voices of boys with those of girls with those of foreign calls.

Import/Export (Indie Rock) -- Soft rock, Alternative, Western Swing. A song about stupid young people, naivety, and mid-summer scotch.

Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters (Rock) -- Rock and roll from Limerick, Ireland.

Black Swan White (Synth Rock/Electro) --  Black Swan White is pulsing, beating and pounding the way into a new era of dance music. The influence behind it all ranges from 80's new wave to electro house, from punk rock to industrial rock, and it even has its share of soul and pop music.

Samson- Just For Now and How I Really Feel (Videos)

Samson is an emerging MC/Vocalist from Los Angeles, California that some are calling the "light skinned" Kid Cudi due to his ethereal mix of singing and rapping. Since December 2010, Samson has released three free albums-- Chasing Truth, Angels, and Light.Loves.Dark--  all of which can be downloaded for free via his bandcamp page.

In 2011, Samson has also connected with director Jakob Owens on two fantastic music videos for his songs "Just For Now" (above) and "How I Really Feel" (below).

Listen to Samson on BandSoup

Download Light.Loves.Dark

Vida Jafari- Movin EP (Free EP Download)

Today, a Los Angeles based vocalist by the name of Vida Jafari immediately grabbed my attention once I pressed play on select tracks from her debut Movin' EP. Laced with a trippy sonic haze that bounces from electro-pop to hip hop to downtempo to neo-soul, Vida's unveiling uncovers a free-spirited talent that has an impeccable ear for production and an unfettered outlook on sound. Combining the off-kilter vocal stylings of Georgia Ann Muldrow and Yukimi Nagano (Little Dragon) with fuzzy, modern electro tweaked beats, Vida is the rare genre-bending rock in the rough that all indie music bloggers are digging for right now.

Listen to Vida Jafari on BandSoup

Vida Jafari on Facebook

Download her free Movin EP

Video: The Truthseekers- To Get By/Star Wars Remix

New York City based collective, The Truthseekers, have just released their sophomore album, Meet Me.  The follow up to their 2007 unveiling, Super Cool, finds the band embracing instruments from around the world-- African Djembe, Tabla, Native American flutes, Indian Raga-- to spice up their already savory blend of soul, funk, and contemporary urban gospel. 

To get yourself more familiar with the band's sound and ethos, they sent over an older video from their debut album that is packaged together with a hilarious video (2:30 and on) from what I believe is the lead singer's son doing a Star Wars tribute rap (Jaden and The Beat Droids- Star Wars Remix (Chewbacca)). I think if the song was in a separate single video, they would have themselves the next viral smash hit.

Listen to The Truthseekers on BandSoup
The Truthseekers on Facebook
Meet Me on iTunes // Bandcamp

Unleashed from an artist uprising in a NYC Theater Loft at the beginning of the millennium, a voice from a movement grew. Energized by the vibrations of Harlem and the rhythms of the Boogie Down, a concept of a groove developed. Influenced by Motown’s preachers and 60’s musical prophets, poet and songsmith, Eric DeArmon, embarks on a journey, both musical and spiritual, to find a purpose and a sound. Hands blessed with the blues, electrified by a Wurlitzer piano, with a voice that screams and howls with the passion of a revolution and the tenderness of a lovers kiss, Eric defines purpose in songs of truth and celebration. With a transcendent vision and an inspired sound of deep soul he leads a band of true seekers.

This Week on BandSoup (5/30 - 6/6)

Another week in the books and yet another week of great uploads here on BandSoup! Here are a few of the bands that you must hear in case you missed them spinning in the bowl. Remember, you can always click "more songs" on the main page or click into the search box, press the space bar once, and hit enter to see the latest uploads in order.

Click the band's name to hear their music!

Rachel Louise (Singer/Songwriter) -- Rachel is currently residing in the Netherlands and working hard on her debut album. Her songs reveal the expertise of a songwriter and artist beyond her 21 years. Her stage performance is thoroughly entertaining as she is able to relate to an audience of all ages on a personal level. Rachel Louise is a singer/songwriter with pop influences comparable to Maria Mena, Adele, and Vanessa Carlton.

Teenage Kicks (Rock) -- Hailing from Toronto, the quartet - vocalist/guitarist Peter Van Helvoort, bassist Jeff Van Helvoort, guitarist Pat Marchent and drummer Cameron Brunt - satisfy all aspects of the rock spectrum within the confined space of their EP's six songs. Here is a song from the EP, Rational Anthems.

Count to Four (Pop Punk) -- Remember the first time you heard Jimmy Eat World? How about Anberlin? Or when you got your hands on an old Fall Out Boy record? Count to Four knows that feeling: launching out of the real world and into the pop punk universe. A place where even the most vexing problems could be solved or at least addressed in three-minute blasts of galloping drums, charging guitars and lyrics that sound like they’re being sung from the top of a mountain.

Hail Mary Mallon (Alternative Hip Hop) -- After years of performing live together and appearing on each other’s solo albums, critically acclaimed mc’s/producers Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic, along with DJ Big Wiz, come together as Hail Mary Mallon and deliver their Rhymesayers debut Are You Gonna Eat That?.

Shes Got a Habit (Indie Pop) --  The trio began developing their sound, playing with a mix of live drums, samples, and layered voices. They shared a background in hip-hop and jazz and wanted to fuse the heavy beats and lush production styles they loved with softer, more intimate, sounds. The blend they found is both dreamy and momentous, combining hushed vocals and room sounds with glowing synths and huge drums.

GraveRobbers (Americana/Alt-Country) -- While the band prefers to remain ‘genre-less’, you can’t help but tag them with labels like ‘americana’, ‘country’, ‘indie’, and even ‘folk.’ After a handful of different ‘demos’ of home recordings, GraveRobbers recently hit the studio and recorded 12 songs; releasing a 7 song EP entitled “Black Market EP.” With plans for the remaining 5 songs, they are already writing new material and making plans for yet another recording session.

Co$$ (Hip Hop) --  Troy “Co$$” Johnson was born on the South Westside of Los Angeles in a small community east of Crenshaw called “Leimert Park” one of the United State’s top spots for Jazz and home to many of LA‘s finest hip hop artists. He started rapping at the age of 14. These are tracks from his latest free mix tape, Sleepwalking.

Full Crate & Mar (Neo Soul) -- Full Crate (Producer) and Mar (Singer) team up to bring you an incredible blend of sultry soul, hip hop, and R & B.

Itchy Hearts (Folk/Indie Rock) -- Quirky and infectious indie folk from Richmond, Virginia (now residing in Brooklyn, NY).

Red Fang (Rock) -- Red Fang deals in kick-ass heavy rock. On their Chris Funk (DECEMBERISTS) produced, Vance Powell (KINGS OF LEON, WHITE STRIPES, RACONTEURS) mixed Relapse debut Murder the Mountains, the quartet wave a middle finger at fashion and bet the proverbial house on substance over style. The incredible “Wires”, “Number Thirteen”, "Hank Is Dead", and "The Undertow" are just a few of an onslaught of highlights on this front-to-back set of great f%$king songs.

Balor's Eye (Tech Metal) -- With no musical, political, or societal agenda, Balor’s Eye is merely striving to write great music for people to enjoy. Many bands plan out their style, or what kind of songs they want to write, or a certain aspect of uniqueness they want to embody, but Balor’s Eye is simply four dudes pushing themselves as far as possible musically. With the utmost respect for music and dedication to their craft, they create a sound that is very progressive, powerful, technical, groovy, and authentic. 

Sky Came Burning (Metal) --  Founded in June 2009, Sky Came Burning is the premier 5 piece metalcore band fresh out of Baltimore. They're looking to change the industry by bringing classic rock/metal roots mixed with today’s heavy/metalcore style to give you a very unique sound and performance.