Monday Double: The Blue Dolphins - Manwomanchild

The Blue Dolphins - Walking in the Sun.

Background - Los Angeles, CA-based eclectic, melodic pop-rock duo The Blue Dolphins follow up this year's six-song Walking in the Sun EP with their sophomore full-length, Come On!, a fourteen track collection of California-sun soaked roots songs that travel the landscape of memorable melodies, intricate guitar solos, luscious vocal harmonies, and uplifting lyrics, all wrapped up in fantastic production.

Comprised of two-time Grammy Award winner engineer Alfonso Rodenas on guitar and Victoria Scott on lead vocals, the duo released the Walking in the Sun EP in May, a prelude to the forthcoming full-length; Walking in the Sun contains six songs Come On!.  Prior releases include their debut full-length, 2012's My Favorite Word is Today and 2013’s In Between EP.  

Come On! is a major push forward for The Blue Dolphins, reaching towards a more complex and fully produced music scenario, where sonic aesthetics and songwriting are richer and more varied, departing from the pared-down premises and acoustic songs that characterized My Favorite Word is Today.  Come On! embraces folk, pop, and roots-rock with the duo’s characteristic optimism and charm.

Victoria Scott and Alfonso Rodenas fatefully met at the legendary rock pit The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and soon started playing and recording together.  Formed in 2010, The Blue Dolphins released their debut full-length and gigged constantly over the following two years in California and Western Europe - earning them a dedicated fan base in the U.S., U.K., and Spain.

'Walking In The Sun' oozes feel good vibes. It's natural pop-rock, that has so much going for it, vocals and vocal harmonies skip above a sparkling and slickly crafted soundtrack.

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Manwomanchild - Return To Ithaca.

Background - Manwomanchild is a rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania fronted by David Child.

The band was started in Rhode Island in 2008. In February 2010, the band release a self-titled EP recorded at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, RI. The band’s lineup for the EP and album consisted of David Child on vocals, guitars, and synths, Mason Neely on drums, and Craig Gifford on bass. In May 2010, Manwomanchild released the song “Chile La Roja” in support of Chile’s 2010 World Cup team. The song was featured in 4 national newspapers and on 2 Chilean TV networks.

The band released its self-titled debut album on 12/14/2010 on West Cortez Records. In 2013, Manwomanchild moved to Philadelphia. In April 2014, they wrote and recorded the soundtrack for Decidedly‘s iOS and Android game “Floyd’s Worthwhile Endeavor“.

In September and October of 2014, the band released the singles “Wedding Toast” and “Recent History”, followed by another, “The Telepath Returns,” in December of the same year. In March 2015, “The Difficult Years” was released. Music blog “Surviving the Golden Age” described the song’s sound as “LCD Soundsystem being fronted by Ben Gibbard” as well as “hybrid glam rock/chamber pop”.

This is a really well crafted song, the production is clear and crisp musically, and David Child's vocals are pretty much a perfect match for a song like this. Find out more (here).

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