Posts

Two Totally Different: Darla And The Blonde - Left With Pictures

Image
Darla And The Blonde - End of the Party. Background promo - About ‘End Of The Party’ In the finest tradition of deathless rock’n’roll, ‘End Of The Party’ is an electrifying mix of the grit and the glitter, built on an infectious glam-rock groove interspersed with sparks of searing guitar. Atop this grungy, Ziggy-like bedrock, Jen Demaris and Nina Lovelace’s crystalline voices ring out a catchy and powerful melody, which, rather than being concerned with the closing stages of a heady night out, is in fact about Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution of 2014: “This Is The Time And These Are The Places/Where You Must Bend To Changing Faces”. With touches of The Runaways here, Patti Smith there, ‘End Of The Party’’s absorbing progression takes in a pristine solo by guitarist Rob McCabe before climaxing in a rush of vocal harmonies, a fitting final refrain of what is a gleeful testament to the scope of Darla And The Blonde’s ambition. About Darla And The Blonde Encompassing the seductive glam

Two Good Ones: Halfloves - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

Image
Halfloves - It's Easy To Love. Background - Halfloves recently released their first single off their upcoming self-titled full length album out March 4th. This song and forthcoming album are produced by Imagine Dragons’ producer Brandon Darner. Previously know as The Olympics, Halfloves have been gaining plaudits from many music and press outlets with praise for the bands energy and enthusiasm especially performing live. Recently they announced on their Facebook page "Thanks to Nate Logsdon at Iowa Informer for including us in this list of Daytrotter sessions and calling us "the best currently active rock band in Iowa"! Indeed it would appear that these guys have been making a big, big impact on their home music scene. Just one of many quotes about the band - "This is an Iowa band you need to know... they’ve matured into an excellent indie rock band capable of weaving tones together into a bright, rocking and melodic dose of pure pop." - Ames Tribune

Oakes & Smith - Closer To Home (featuring Jon Anderson).

Image
Oakes & Smith - Closer To Home (featuring Jon Anderson). Background words - Oakes and Smith perform gentle, acoustic folk with voices blending in close harmonies. They sing soothing and soulful tunes inspired by nature, love, spirit, art and poetry. The harmonious blend of their voices creates an ethereal sound and unique quality not often heard in today's popular music, and their songs evoke a sense of wonder, expressing themes such as love, beauty, innocence and mystery. Their debut album, First Flight, mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Oz Fritz and released in November 2013, was received warmly by listeners and critics alike. The duo has appeared at The Guthrie Center in Great Barrington, MA; the NJ Folk Project in Morristown, NJ; Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk, CT; FloydFest in Floyd, VA; the Hudson Music Fest in Hudson, NY; at Andrea Clearfield's Salon in Philadelphia, PA; at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA; and have had a weekly residenc

Singers & Songs: Rolla Olak - Vandaveer

Image
Rolla Olak - 2AM Background promo - Heavy Feather is Rolla Olak’s highly anticipated third album, released January 19, 2016 on Older Records. Heavy Feather was recorded on Vancouver Island, Canada and produced by Aaron Older (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and engineered, mixed and mastered by Colin Stewart (Black Mountain). In Addition to Olak’s hauntingly appeasing voice, original song writing and refined guitar playing, the accompanying musicians on this record are impossibly well suited to this project: Kathryn Calder (The New Pornographers) sings and plays piano with great talent, Nick Petrowitch (Bend Sinister) is on percussion and plays with distinctive precision, Louise Burns (Lillix) harmonises with Olak brilliantly. Aaron Older is on synths and drum machines and Francesco Lyon (Sun Wizard) adds world-music-styled vocal arrangements. Olak’s sound is original, warm and evocative; it’s an invitation to experience a mosaic of gratifying emotions. Heavy Feather is a na

Tuesday At The Double: La Sera - Foxtails Brigade

Image
La Sera - High Notes. Background promo - The title of La Sera's fourth album says a lot by saying so precious little: Music For Listening to Music To. So, in other words, "music." After the punky heft and wildness of 2014's Hour of the Dawn, an LP that thrashed against expectation, Katy Goodman returns with a set of songs that double down on solid simplicity — the power of wry lyrics, glorious guitar, driving back beat, and the occasional pump organ groove. And as the record cover gives away, Goodman isn't alone. La Sera is a duo now — that's guitarist/co writer/new husband (!) Todd Wisenbaker standing up there. And Ryan Adams joins to produce the fruit of their union, La Sera's first live-recorded analog album, featuring 10 tunes about good love, bad love, dead men, and confused kids. Music For Listening to Music Toopens on "High Notes," where rollicking guitar and punk drums chugga-chugga beneath Goodman's assured coo. Her lines deftly

Affairs - Play

Image
Affairs - Play. Background promo - Having launched into 2015 with two well received singles Brothers and Blood Science, picking up support on XFM, BBC 6Music, Radio 2 and Amazing Radio, Manchester band Affairs return with their new single Play – a melancholic synth-pop anthem featuring Jim Robinson’s signature vocal style. Play is produced by Suede, White Lies and Pulp producer Ed Buller and recorded at The Kinks’ legendary Konk Studios. The track draws you in from the first bar with its strident intro synth-riff played by Dan Parker while drummer Michael Bradnam’s infectious tom-tom pattern boldly drives the track along. Lyrically, Play is about the complexities of relationships and how we sometimes hide behind a facade or ‘play games’ with one another. The artwork was created by graphic artist Matthew Cooper (Caribou, Wild Beasts & Arctic Monkeys) & continues a cohesive theme with previous imagery for the singles Brothers and Blood Science. 'Play' exudes warmth

Sunday With: SpaceCream - Beverly

Image
SpaceCream - Killer. Promo words - Pterodactyl Sky is a stunningly unique new album by Hollywood Glam / Prog/ Glitter Rock band SpaceCream. Pterodactyl Sky is more than a collection of songs; it's an intellectually charged revival of stellar Rock N Roll, told from the point of view of a sex-positive feminist revolutionary. Powered by the formidable vocals of Savannah Pope (hailed as "Ann Wilson in David Bowie's edition of Rocky Horror Picture Show," - Natalie, Ninja Betty) the album presents an entirely unique, contemporary spin on 1970s Glam, Glitter, and Prog Rock. Engineered at Kitten Robot Studios by LA music pioneer Paul Roessler (Nina Hagen, 45 Grave, Elliot Smith), Pterodactyl Sky is peppered with intricate chord progressions and enticing time signatures. Its artful lyrics run the gamut from Jurassic extinction and heartbreak to tantric space exploration and literature. Since winning 2014's LA Battle for Vans Warped Tour at House of Blues Sunset, Spa

Saturday Double: Treetop Flyers - The Minerals

Image
Treetop Flyers - 31 Years. Background promo - For Treetop Flyers, the last few years have been a case of needing to fall apart, in order to rebuild, and come back stronger. Two and a half years on from their acclaimed debut album ‘The Mountain Moves’, fate showed its macabre sense of humour in dramatically shifting the ground beneath the London five-piece. The grief for lost parents, broken marriages, the near-death of a close friend, the departure of long-time bassist Matthew Starritt, the loss of numerous behind-the-scenes personnel (as well as an accountancy bill that they say “would make the government weep”) led to a prolonged period of upheaval and an unsettled and anxious camp. It was perhaps natural that Palomino was to become an honest, raw, and reflective record. As vocalist / guitarist Reid Morrison puts it; “We'd been through a lot individually and collectively. Coming together to make this record was very therapeutic for us, in a sense. It brought us closer and allow

Start The Weekend: The Flavr Blue - Tinted Sun

Image
The Flavr Blue - Supply. Promo info - In celebration of the release of their EP L​ove Notes and the announcement of their upcoming tour, the Flavr Blue is proud to share "Supply". Coming after the releases of upbeat satin thrill ride "Oxygen" (feat. Jarell Perry) and sensual synth wave "Majesty", "Supply" is another eargasm that showcases the trio's ability to create multi-textured masterpieces rife with beautiful vocal layering and harmony. After a 2015 of major milestones, including a main stage performance at Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party and a sold out performance with Kiesza for Red Bull's 30 Days in LA Festival, Seattle-based trio the Flavr Blue sets out in support of their newest release, the Love Notes EP, a collection that marries the group's crackling energy with a soulful musical wisdom inherited from influences ranging from Cut Copy and Miike Snow to Feist and Sade. The band's success is driven by the way i