The Dark Side of the Oz

You know how all of your stoner buddies (or maybe you yourself were actually a ‘stoner buddy’) talked about how the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon synched up perfectly with the movie Wizard of Oz? Well, now here is your chance via the magical internet to watch the entire thing.

Drugstore Fanatics

Drugstore Fanatics are an Ambimpulse Basement Rock entity. Their first album released in 2009 - 'What's Born in the Basement' was entirely written, produced, recorded, edited and mixed (well…partially mixed) in creators Daniel Brecher & Aviv Cohen's home basements.

Drugstore Fanatics can best be described as a unique blend of dark, ambient strokes across a harsh, groove driven canvas, topped by weighty vocal melodies. A blend that could only come together in the melting pot which is their home in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Now residing in Los Angeles, California, DSF have continued their success into the US and have built a strong, rabid fan base by thinking outside the box and constantly delivering free music, how to videos, e-books, and exciting content on their main website. You can now find their song "Hangman" (LIVE video below) on the popular video game RockBand.

Listen to Drugstore Fanatics on BandSoup

Download their album, What's Born in the Basement, by clicking on the artist link!

In Case You Missed Them: Where Are They Now?

This Week I will be mixing things up a bit and bringing you an update on the endeavors of former members of You, Me, And Everyone We Know.

This Week: The Little Indians

Out of the ashes of the Chicago based pop rock outfit You, Me And Everyone We Know, comes The Little Indians. Based out of Baltimore MD, and featuring two former members of YMAEWK, The Little Indians are an indie rock/pop blend with vocals that slide down the ear canal with ease. Their first single "What Makes You Grin" displays a plethora of guitar work that hits the soul positively each time with a little piano sprinkled on top. Augustine Rampolla thrives as a front man, and with Kyle Gibson on drums, The Little Indians are a force to be reckoned with.

The Little Indians are:

Kyle Gibson: Drums
Augustine Rampolla: Vocals, Guitars, Everything else




Purchase "What Makes You Grin"
The Little Indians on Facebook
The Little Indians on Twitter

The Cassettes

The Cassettes (also known as The Cassettes Musical Explorers Society) are a Washington, DC based "Mystic Country"/Steampunk band formed in 1999.

The Cassettes were originally formed as an outgrowth of front-man Shelby Cinca’s four-track recordings: odd pop nuggets that diverged from the teeth-gritting angst of his previous project, Frodus. The son of Romanian refugees who fled from the Iron Curtain in search of the America of Jazz Era music and films, Cinca was indelibly influenced by both his pianist father, who played in clubs off the coast of the Black Sea in the 1960s, and his mother, an author, film critic and Elvis fan. The songs of the Cassettes undoubtedly reflect this heritage and themselves had served as a sort of sonic refuge from the hectic touring schedule of the punk rock lifestyle. The band members have described the band's sound as "steampunk", and also as "synth-infused country stomp".

Listen to The Cassettes on BandSoup

Glimpse Trio

Glimpse Trio are an awesome band from San Leandro, California that fuse numerous genres together with a steady stream of fantastic guitar work and instrumentation. Here are a few live videos from the band to get a feel for their sound and ethos, as well as some background information and linkage.

Glimpse Trio spontaneously creates engaging music that approaches the unknown and borders on the psychedelic. Downbeat Magazine Editor Frank Alkyer described the trio as "a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues, punk and metal fused with infectious folksiness." Alkyer continues to describe the new release by stating, "For those who grew up on the great fusion explorers, Glimpse Trio offers up a next generation. For those who like improvisation with a slice of punk, slacker and metal attitude, it's got to be 'Glimpse Trio.'"

 

Cleveland native Mike Sopko, known to have the "fastest hands west of the Mississippi," is, according to renowned guitarist Marc Ribot, "conceptually, one of a very few people who can really play." In 2006, Sopko's band, MCR, toured with celebrated frontman Mike Watt and legendary drummer G. Calvin Weston, as well recording with Weston. Most recently, Sopko was featured on Dosh's latest single, "Subtractions," on Anticon Records. 

After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Bay Area native Hamir Atwal became one of the most sought-after jazz drummers on the scene. After extensive touring with bandleaders such as Greg Osby and becoming a staple at places like the Village Vanguard (New York) and the Green Mill (Chicago), Atwal joined Sopko in 2010 to create Glimpse Trio. 

Jym Murry studied classical guitar, voice, and music theory at Chabot College, Hayward, and sang in chamber, jazz, and acapella choirs both at Chabot and UCSC. Murry co-founded bay area rock/funk band Stereo Freakout and in 2007 met Sopko, inviting him to play lead for SFO. Together they played 50+ shows at venues such as SF's Great American Music Hall, The DNA Lounge, and the San Leandro Sausage and Suds Festival. Murry joined Sopko and Atwal in 2011 to complete the GT line-up. 

GT is looking to redefine the rock/jam-band scene through staggering live performances and recordings. With the release of "1985," their first full-length, studio release, they are now seeking labels for distribution and touring opportunities.

Click Here to Listen to Glimpse Trio on BandSoup

The trio also post free downloads of their live sets on their website. You can like & talk to the guys on their Facebook page here.

Free Album: Patois- Patois

Patois is a dub/surf pop band based out of Brooklyn and Chicago that is the brainchild of musicians Grant Bauley and Karl Morse. Their latest self titled album is the result of an eventful summer spent recording in a family friend's cottage in central Virginia. One year later, the duo emerged with an amazing record filled with an original blend of dubbed-out surf pop.

The music these two create together is a consummation of styles and traditions they've immersed themselves in over years of performing live and listening obsessively. Patois' aesthetic is very much connected to their eclectic taste; psychedelic dub, American roots music, and tremolo westerns.  Their unique recording process only parallels this aggregation of influences, in which they accumulated a roster of distinct guest musicians -- each bringing their own experience to the project.
  
While 'Observer' sounds like a dusty 1970's Jamaican 45' you'd find in the used section of your record store, 'Turncoat' could be a lost gem of 1950's rockabilly, and 'Elders' is probably the first ever dub-infused interpretation of George McCrea's 'I Get Lifted', which The Notorious B.I.G. sampled for his track 'Respect' off his landmark album Ready to Die.  The addition of vocalist Denitia Odigie only solidifies the group's place within the pop world, truly cementing their ability to traverse an expansive scope of styles.

Whereas some groups suffer from attempting to incorporate many musical genres to appeal to more listeners, Patois has managed to cleverly leverage their influences to produce their own cohesive sound.  Both veterans of the central Virginia music scene, the two have paid their dues playing in a variety of musical situations, including Garage-Soul, Afrobeat, Rock, Hip Hop/Electronic Pop, Bluegrass, Big Band and Free Jazz. Throughout the album it is evident that they are capable of paying homage to these influences honestly. Imagine if dub-reggae legend King Tubby got hold of the new Danger Mouse 'Rome' project and combined that with the working aesthetic of Broken Social Scene or The Cinematic Orchestra.  Patois have crafted a niche for themselves where any reference is valid and a vast musical landscape has been laid to build upon.

 Click Here to Listen to Patois on BandSoup

Click their artist link to download the album for free

Patois Dialect from William Pence on Vimeo.

Patois Elders from William Pence on Vimeo.

Why Wolves

Band Spotlight: Why Wolves

Why Wolves are an indie-rock band based out of Somerville, Massachusetts. In 2010, after a few jam sessions, the band began to take shape. Unlike most bands, the group often found themselves rotating instruments both out of necessity and fun. Why Wolves showcases a charismatic and stadium-worthy sound with vocals reminiscent of The Killers. Currently, they have been creating quite a buzz on the Boston music scene with their high-energy shows, vocal melodies, and their infamous mid-show instrument switches.

Why Wolves are:

Ben Hen: lead vocals, piano, keyboard, guitar
Mike Taft: drums, guitar
Alex Corona: vocals, bass, guitar, orchestra bells
Chris O'Hara: vocals, guitar
Colin Amidon: vocals, keyboard, drums, piano, guitar accordion

Click Here to Listen to Why Wolves on BandSoup

Why Wolves on Facebook

Why Wolves on itunes

In Case You Missed Them: Envy On The Coast

This Week: Envy On The Coast

Envy On the Coast was a post-hardcore indie band from Long Island, New York formed in 2004. Having already established a reputation all over the Long Island music scene, they released their first “eclectic and unpredictable debut",  Lucy Gray, after the release of a highly praised five-song EP in 2006. With vocals stylings compared to Taking Back Sunday and Incubus, Envy On The Coast took the indie scene by storm. In 2009, they released Lowcountry, a much harder and more rock influenced album. After years of touring with bands such as 30 Seconds To Mars, The Receiving End Of Sirens, and Saosin, EOTC decided to call it quits in 2010. However, from the ashes came NORTH KOREA; a band crafted by former vocalist and guitarist.

If you like Envy on the Coast, you might like these BandSoup bands as well:

Young Circles 
Vices I Admire
Look North