The U.S. Americans - Leisure Club - Tusk - Cold Reading - Ritual Talk
The U.S. Americans - Fade Out.Background - NYC-based progressive psychedelic punk-rock band, The U.S. Americans, announce the release of their debut album, Greatest Hits, due out October 27th 2017. Produced by Scott Von Ensign and executive produced by Daniel Deychak, Emerson Williams, Roy Abraham and Jeff Weiss, Greatest Hits, is a collection of the best of progressive, psychedelic punk from the sons of liberty, The U.S. Americans.
The group developed as a live act. Highlark Magazine caught a live show and reported, "the Americans had me from the word go as vocalist Jeff Weiss proudly hoisted a United States Championship belt overhead and outward toward the audience." The belt has become a major part of the live show and House of Glory, New York’s largest independent wrestling company, has used their music in their lively wrestling video compilations. Isaac Rodilla from HOG says, "The team here at HOG has dubbed U.S. Americans as the best band in the USA. We gave them the championship belt and it's not just for this year... it's 4 life."
Highlark Magazine went on to say, "In terms of performance, Weiss’ voice and flamboyant gestures were enchanting and, not to be outdone, the instrumentals were so well done that I took for granted how good they were... concert-goers who didn’t need any more incentive to love America."
Producer Scott Von Ensign distilled the energy of their live show into an under-an-hour record. Sporting an array of songs as diverse as Queens and spanning timelines between 90 seconds and 9 minutes, Greatest Hits is a fun trip into the world of Cuban gangsters, cinema, promiscuous cutlery, board games, Kings County, and oral hygiene. Website here, Facebook here.
Described above as a "progressive psychedelic punk-rock band" the U.S. Americans have covered a lot of bases, however the new song 'Fade Out' suggests it's a reasonable description. The music video is a creative and intriguing montage of images, the song seemingly suppressing an overload of emotional power, & put together this is a superb piece.
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Background - Leisure Club is a home for the conjuring of pop songs focused on groove, catchy guitar melodies, and vocal hooks. Although the Vancouver five piece was forged in 2016 by their mutual interest in living the most relaxed life possible, their live performances inspire a rhythm in the crowd akin to spring break.
“Leisure Club compact a whirlwind summer of love, lust and heartache into 3.5 minutes” (PR Press) and “you can’t help but want to mix a pina colada for your friends wearing a one-piece by a pool” (Betty & Kora). This has led to them sharing the stage with the likes of Blossoms, Lawrence, Cub Sport, Louise Burns, and a performance at Ponderosa Festival.
Saddling up with producer Shawn Cole (You Say Party, Yukon Blonde, Bend Sinister) the group headed to The Noise Floor on Gabriola to record their debut self titled LP with Jordan Koop manning the board. Slated for release in the fall of 2017, Leisure Club looks forward to sharing it’s nostalgic charm and summer breeze across North America
Their latest single "Hold On," is off of their upcoming self-titled LP due for release November 17th. Website here, Facebook here.
Bright and fresh 'Hold On' is a catchy indie song, where both vocals and music add to the upbeat vibes.
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Tusk - Matter Of Time.Background - Nottingham's Tusk is a five-piece, twin guitar, alt-rock band hailing from the same university campus that gave us London Grammar, Childhood and Amber Run.
After uploading their song ‘Dull Ache’ onto Soundcloud mid-2016, they were invited to play the BBC Introducing stage at Reading & Leeds Festival 2016; Clash Magazine voted them a 'top 3 pick' in their Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, and Dean Jackson from BBC Introducing (East Midlands) recorded and broadcast two live studio sessions on his weekend show.
Since this early interest, the band has built a solid local live fan-base and written and recorded a collection of new songs. One of these new songs, Matter Of Time, is their debut single.
Lyrically the song tackles isolation, paranoia and broken relationships. Specifically, it’s about the rise of animosity between friends as one begins a new relationship and the other quickly attempts to destroy it by spreading lies and half-truths. With friends like that, who needs enemies? The single was produced by Rob Milton and mixed by Monkey Gun, 'Matter Of Time' is available from 3 November 2017 on Strataville. Website here, Facebook here.
Alt rockers Tusk have come up with a fine song in the shape of 'Matter Of Time'. Musically it's a tight rock track with a subtle funk vibe that morphs into more sweeping sounds. The distinct vocals are the icing on the cake, giving the band some real edge.
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Background - After releasing their huge single ‘Books & Comfort’ in late July, which gained a lot of attention in Germany, UK and Switzerland, Cold Reading have just released their new EP ‘Sojourner’ via Krod Records. The record consists of four heartwarming, inspirational tracks situated somewhere between contemporary Indie Rock and 90’s influenced Emo.
The House & The Arrival: During the writing process, the band withdrew to a small cabin in the back-country of their hometown. With wintery temperatures outside and comforting warmth by the fireplace inside, the four songs that are now released on Sojourner came to life. The intention was to capture that cosy, pleasant and peaceful atmosphere the group experienced up there in the music as well. The cover design goes along with this nicely. The cabin symbolizes the consoling sensation and the warmth of having arrived.
Sojourner means arriving and finding refuge: Looking for a place in this world was already the central motive behind the lyrics on Cold Reading’s first album, where the main concern was the search. The new EP Sojourner picks up where Fractures & Fragments left off.
Singer Mike Portmann describes the lyrical content of the EP as follows: Inspired by changes that came along in my personal process, I wanted to emphasize a hopeful continuation of my progress. The lyrics capture moments on my journey and act as snapshots along the way. I learned to draw hope from different wells and to find solace within myself, as I’ve gotten better at putting up with setbacks and understanding failing as part of a development. To reconcile with myself is the vital element for me to accept myself.
Over the past couple of years the band toured all over Europe and the UK supporting bands like Such Gold, Little You Little Me, The Deadnotes and opening for the likes of Four Year Strong, The Hotelier, The Flatliners and The Get Up Kids. Facebook here.
The four song EP 'Sojourner' is made up of consistently good indie rock, each track carries it's own weight & Cold Reading mix up the moods and styles, with plenty of hooks along the way.
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Ritual Talk - Dancing Still.Background - Brooklyn-based, psychedelic indie rock band, Ritual Talk, announce their debut EP, Rippled Glass, due out in October 2017.
The EP was recorded in several places - 4 out of 5 of the drum tracks were produced in Philly, vibraphone and cello were recorded at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music with Jack Hallenbeck (Scott James, OSHUN) and nearly everything else was produced and recorded in the band's apartment in NYC. The EP was mixed by Chris Shaw (Modest Mouse, Wilco) and mastered by Chris Gehringer (Yeasayer, Chairlift).
Primary songwriter, Alex DeSimine (vox, guitar, keys), began writing music in his adolescence as a means of sorting out a jumbled mind. The band came to fruition when DeSimine moved in with bassist, Alex Tremitere and drummer, Tom Criblez, and elicited the help of Dylan Gleit (guitar, vox), who previously performed with Criblez and Tremitere, and TJ Alcala (keys, vox). The band's distinct vocal layers, with all five members signing live, added a new level of excitement to their live set. Live dates are over on Beehive Candy's Tour News Page, Facebook here.
Melodic and powerful 'Dancing Still' does indeed have some psychedelic overtones, alongside a vibrant chorus line, plus some sensitive & more dreamy moments.
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