Dirty Glitter 2013 In Review #6: Davis Fetter, Birds of a Black Feather & the Crash Kings

Summertime, oh sweet summertime.

Alright music lovers, welcome to the 6th installment of my High Voltage Magazine and Dirty Glitter with Brody Ramone 2013 in review! Three songs from three artists whom I highly approve of and I hope you find something to approve of, as well. New music discovery is what I love so let's get you busy discovering.

Dirty Glitter 6/20/2013 Edition:

David Fetter- "Born"
Every now and then you come across an artist of some sort- in this case, a musician- who seems as if they should have been born in another era or decade. With that in mind, see the romantic rocker Davis Fetter for further as he channels the rock and roll of the 50s and 60s with a Britpop coolness and a guitar rock flair that's uniquely his own. Rock and roll legend Chuck Berry has been a major influence on Davis' musical style. Over the years Davis has opened for the likes of Blondie, Peter Murphy, the B-52s, Chris Cornell and more. Seasoned as a songwriter as well as a performer, Davis is equally adept rocking loud and electric or crooning stripped down and acoustic; his voice is wonderfully fluid instrument and we're lucky that he was born when he was.

Birds of a Black Feather- "Turn Me On"
A mutual love of rock and roll, blues and soul is just one unifying element in Birds of a Black Feather. The Los Angeles quartet is made up of, not only friends, but also family: sisters Katie and Sarah Virden along with Murray Foretich and Ben Nelson. A little raw with moments of refined, touches of Southern rock and sultry in the music and in the co-vocal harmonies of Katie and Sarah. In band years, they're relatively young but you wouldn't know it by the musical force they present when on stage and live really is where the music lives. This track, "Turn Me On," is from their self-titled EP.

Crash Kings- "All Along"
Brothers Antonio and Michael Beliveau along with Jason Morris are the Crash Kings and one of the most uniquely crafted rock bands out there. Known for Tony's extraordinary vocal range and dynamics, as every note you hear on this song Tony easily hits live, Crash Kings are also famous (or 'infamous') for rocking just as hard as any guitar-driven band out there...but minus the guitar. Instead Tony plays a specially designed Clavinet tricked out with a whammy bar and a few other tweaks for distortion effects which he uses to replace guitar tones. Signed to Linda Perry's label, their 2009 debut album produced the hit single "Mountain Man" and they've toured with the likes of Jet, Chris Cornell, Rooney and Mason Jennings. It's been a few years but the boys are back: they launched a Kickstarter to fund their upcoming tour and album release: they met their goal in about 8 hours. Now their long awaited follow up release, Dark of the Daylight, is out and from it is "All Along."

 

Signed,

Diary of a Concert Whore  aka @dharma69

Essentials: Irontom's "The Nitro EP" & Javier Dunn's "Trails"

EPs can be anything from the wanton disposal of excess musical baggage to a band marking their territory but without the peeing on things...because that would be gross. With that in mind, it seems that Irontom is relatively baggage-free and intend to be in your face for a while. Here is Harry Hayes, Zach Irons, Daniel Saslow, Dane Sandborg, and Dylan Williams following up 2012’s The Loose EP with recorded versions of four songs which they have been fleshing out and kicking audience asses with live for nearly a year now. Where The Loose EP was a sensory teaser, The Nitro EP is a ballsy, self-assured calling card.

“It’s not enough just to play anymore.”

Within the breadth and space of that one sentence (actually several sentences but we’re parsing for brevity) Hayes and his brothers-in-no-nonsense serve up a deceptively simple and eloquently contained cease and desist letter on musical bullshit with “What Will Happen To All The Indie Stars,” the lead off track as well as a damned good question (think about it: where are approximately 85% of 2012’s “buzz bands” and blogosphere darlings extolled as the best thing since maple bacon donuts? Exactly). Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Eleven, Them Cooked Vultures) was tasked with producing The Nitro EP aka harnessing Irontom’s funky and bombastic nature. Not taming it, but making it discernible for ears familiar and unfamiliar with the assault these guys unleash live. Nitro dishes power and muscular punch song for song with significant sound detail: You can hear what each member brings to the plate and it’s something to pay attention to because Saslow’s churchy keys are just as fundamental as Irons’ aggressive guitar bravado is to the walls of sound that they create. Essentially Nitro is “controlled bold” supported by above average songwriting (dig into the distress of "Tinkerbell"), the craft of melody, hook and musicianship at an enviable level of skill, particularly considering the band’s collective and individual youth. Hayes walks a line between self-critical and analytical in the push and pull of “Boy Born” and the title track is an example of the art of building a refined blitzkrieg.
From Hayes’ agitated vibtato and world-class ability to shriek a full chorus then fall back on a coo, to the rugged rhythms of Sandborg and Williams, The Nitro EP is the capture of a band's lightening in a bottle (which you can release whenever you want) and an indie rock harbinger that Irontom is a bullshit-free zone.

Feel free to jump on the Irontom train. It's a sweet ride.

Here's the thing about Javier Dunn: He's really pretty.

I probably should've used my inside voice there, but this is why my internet name is "dharma." Another thing about Dunn is that for the past 10 years or so he has been something of a right-hand-man to songstress Sara Bareilles as her long-time touring guitarist and occasional collaborator. Great musical results have been the return on this partnership but there comes a time in every music man's life when he's got to pay attention to his own truth, whatever that truth may sound like.

Abandoning the role that he fashioned for himself as "merely" an acoustic singer/songwriter on the side, Dunn's truth now sounds like that shyly confident romantic storyteller with a Taylor guitar on open mic night getting his synth-washed sexy back and phone numbers on cocktail napkins. It's the sound of love and its potential, if not inevitable, pitfalls with an overlay of r&b groove and pop sense electronically tweaked, but gently so as never to become overbearing noise and lose the plot of a good song well sung. The focus of Trails (released on June 25th) is equally split among Dunn's vulnerable, carmel-toned voice, his lyrical gifts and the emotional textures evoked by each song's arrangements. From a tale of romancing via liquid courage ("Couple of Drinks") to a melancholy duet with Bareilles ("If You Go"), Dunn's done pretty well for himself in showcasing how hot a graceful coolness can be.

That and he's really pretty. Check out his new video for "Couple of Drinks."

Track-By-Track w/ The Silent Comedy: Friends Divide EP

A band’s success or career trajectory is one of those disturbingly unpredictable aspects in music…and then sometimes it just feels like a fucking no-brainer.

Where San Diego’s the Silent Comedy are concerned, it’s been of the ‘no-brainer’ variety in my very partial brain since I met these guys in 2009. From my initial and accidental introduction to brothers Joshua and Jeremiah Zimmerman, Justin Buchanan and Chad Lee one random night at the Los Angeles venue, Spaceland (yes, back when it was still called Spaceland), as I went there to see two other bands on the bill and wound up floored by this bunch of dapperly vested dudes in fedoras channeling a bygone era of fashion, finery and a love of whiskey. Their live shows do nothing short of pull you in, pull no punches and their fusion of folk, rock & roll and Americana encourages the abandon of dancing, stomping, hand clapping, hoe downing and even the occasional head bang (see Justin and his banjo for a course in Head Banging 101).

But dig a little deeper beneath the rowdy good times, the hair and the handsome faces and in this band you’ll find particularly astute storytellers of varied shades of light and dark borne of their collective and individual pasts as men, brothers, lovers and musicians: if you're familiar with songs such as "Exploitation," "Blood on the Rails" or "Gasoline" then you're well aware. June 10th saw the release of their latest EP, Friends Divide. Often a body of music bears more weight than the mere fact that they’re clumped together, so in the words of the songwriters themselves, Joshua and Jeremiah Zimmerman dig into the Silent Comedy’s Friends Divide EP, track by track:

“The concept of division among friends is a theme in everyone's life.” says Joshua. “At some point, everyone that is close to you will hurt you. For a band, that concept seems to be even more blatant. This happens to everyone who pursues the arts as doggedly as we have, and it gets more intense the further you go. Because this has been such a present force in our lives, it seemed like a timely title for a project. It also kind of foreshadows what we are hoping to call our next release...”

As for what the songs themselves represent, Joshua explains:

"This EP represents a real milestone for the band. It has been three years since we put out a real collection of songs. We have grown a lot personally and musically in that time, so we are looking forward to presenting this "new improved" version of the band. For a while, we weren't the biggest fans of what we were writing. This collection of songs are ones that we really enjoy and carry deep meaning for us. My brother and I put more of ourselves into the writing of these songs, and that really connects when we listen back to them."

1. God Neon
“When you spend as much time in major cities as we do on tour, they start to take on a personality of their own. Collections of houses, business, and people start to meld into what can seem like a single living entity. Often, that entity can take a negative toll on the people living within it. When we get off tour, it's easy to feel like you need to escape the city and regain your sanity. That's the frame of mind that "God Neon" was born in: The desire to escape, but knowing that the city will always have its claws in you to some degree."

Oh hey, for a visual aid here's their brand new, slick and sexy video for "God Neon."

Jeremiah, the elder Zimmerman, chimed in with some first-person perspective:

2. Always Two
"Always Two" is about a situation I was in when I was younger and talking to a friend about an almost identical situation and this song came out of it. Wanting what you can’t have is a theme that always works its way into my songs, whether or not I want it to, and in this song it’s a girl that has someone obsessed with her but she’s caught up with someone who couldn’t care less. I tried to stay ambivalent about it so the song isn’t really saying go one way or the other; it’s an attempt to get into the situation and describe it neutrally.

3. Light of Day
"Light of Day" came out some very dark depression and hopelessness that gave way to a better time. I think we forget good when the bad is at its worst. I have to remind myself to endure and the song is an attempt at that.

4. Simple Thing
"Simple Thing" started as song about lying to yourself when your motives are terrible but you won’t admit it. Then it turned more into a song about being honest about who you are. My goal was to make it a happy sounding song about being unhappy with yourself and it ended up a sort of hybrid.

5. You Don't Know Me
"You Don’t Know Me" is a simple sketch about parting ways. Sometimes it’s best to cut losses and move on and it doesn’t need to be a big deal. That’s why I wrote this.

6. Ghosts
"Ghosts" was one of those songs that just happened in five minutes. Josh and I lived in so many places growing up and not all were where we wanted to be. We meet people on the road that feel trapped in their lives or their cities and they see no way out. Having felt that in the past and (occasionally) the present, I wanted to dive into that feeling and see what I thought and this song came out.

               

It's in the lyrical heft where you tend to find a great deal of a band's soul and it is definitely one of the Silent Comedy's  strongest assets. What are the others? Get to one of their shows and you'll find out as tour life is in effect for the Silent Comedy. Summer 2013 has them on the road (once again) with their homies from the UK, the Heavy, so dig out your dancing shoes because you'll need them. Tour dates are right HERE. You're welcome.

Interview: This And That With Daniel Balk of the Postelles

From “White Night” to “1, 2, 3 Stop”, the Postelles have made catchy retro rock/pop with a city edge their signature sound and one that works. Between their eponymous debut album from 2011 and time spent on the road playing club shows, various festivals, honing their songs and live show, the New York City rockers have taken a minute or two to ready album #2 but ready it is and was released into the wild on April 23rd.  For those of you here in Los Angeles, the boys from New York City have a date at the Bootleg Theater on May 21st. For everyone everywhere else, check their tour dates HERE.

The Postelles voice and guitar guy, Daniel Balk, took a moment to discuss  important things like the new album, being shook and what he really thinks of Los Angeles.

Q: For those not in the know (and I’m very much in that camp), what exactly is a ‘Postelle’?
Daniel: In terms of the band it's a made up word, but we have had a fan from Australia tell us female postal workers in Australia are, indeed, Postelles.

Q: That’s…odd, but thanks for clearing that up. Now your new album …And It Shook Me seems like quite a romantic album or rather there is an overarching theme of ‘love’ in the lyrics: what’s the occasion?
Daniel: Love is the occasion. We've had one too many candle lit dinners as a band on tour. The album is dealing with life and relationships while away on the road and the emotions that occur with that.

Q: Speaking of love and relationships, the duet with Alex Winston (“Pretend It’s Love”) is a particularly bright spot on the album; her vocals are damned endearing. How did you wind up working with her on that track?
Daniel: We were friendly and I wrote a song that I was interested in having a female vocal involved on. I gave her a call and asked if she'd be down. She was a perfect fit and she did a great job.

Q: Definitely agree with you there. And now that album #2 is done, when you look at your two releases- other than time- what do you feel is a major difference between the two records?
Daniel: We've matured as musicians and people. We've grown as a band and understood the studio more so in my mind it is a much more mature record in terms of the sound and production. The songwriting is better but we've also learned so much from years of touring.

Q: Well one thing that definitely has not changed is the distinctly retro sound that you guys foster. How did such youth wind up with such an appreciation for such a not-so-young sound? Not complaining, mind you.
Daniel: Our parents were definitely musical people and they introduced us to their favorite bands. Whether it be Bob Dylan or The Beatles, we learned about rock and roll at a very young age and grew to love it.

Q: We appreciate all of your folks for the solid background. And being from NYC (as I am) I imagine the aesthetics of the city would filter into one’s music. I don’t know if that’s true or not for you, but I have visions of an odd morning getting flashed on the A train or an amazing bagel winding up in a song…like “Running Red Lights”, for example (don’t worry: I’m not calling Traffic Enforcement). Does that ever happen in the writing or is the writing a bit more general?
Daniel: You definitely are right with that assumption. The city definitely is a huge inspiration in our music. The most obvious influence might be 'White Night' from our first record where as ...And It Shook Me is influenced by many places because of all the touring. For example 'Tidal Wave' is a song that I wrote in Los Angeles, when I visited for the first time, so this album ventures out of New York. Having said that, New York will always be my biggest influence in terms of the band.

Q: I always like to know what musicians are listening to of late, so do tell: who’s listening to what these days?
Daniel: We really like the new Vampire Weekend record so far. It just came out, but what I've heard I've really enjoyed.

Q: You have tour dates in May and June with Aussies Atlas Genius (whom I adore) and sonically that seems like a good pairing; what's on the schedule through the rest of the year?
Daniel: More touring, we always love to be on the road. We are planning more shows now and we're excited to play the new record for everyone. Definitely check out our website for updates.

Q: Well, we know that you’re coming back to Los Angeles to play the Bootleg Theater on May 21st; tell me something nice that would make me believe that you like or you’ve actually missed our insane little city.
Daniel: I really love LA. I've actually visited as a traveler away from the band as I really wanted to experience the city apart from playing shows. It's very beautiful and we filmed our video 'Caught By Surprise' in Silverlake and the director, Gus Black, filmed not only that video but also 'Running Red Lights' in California as well.

Q: That was so sweet that I almost believed you. Now tell me what you REALLY think of LA.
Daniel: I really like it! At first I didn't. I love New York more because it's home and it's New York, but if you want some gossip here it is. Our bassist John doesn't like LA. I agree with him about some things, for example everything is so far apart. Though, I will say I personally enjoy it.

Q: I hear you...and no foul on John. And nothing compares to NYC’s public transit system. One more question: …And It Shook Me: what, exactly, shook you?
Daniel: Life, everything. It's basically all of the experiences we've had in the last few years wrapped up into an album. Mostly touring and traveling and shows and all of that. This is a very personal album and a very genuine one and I hope people notice that.

Q: Is that your final answer?
Daniel: Can I phone a friend? If not, yes.

With no lack of humor, check out this irreverent video for the track, "Caught by Surprise" from ...And It Shook Me.

VIDEO: The Last Internationale Call For "Workers of the World Unite!"

Even though 'folk rock' has been around for years, as genres go, it's a conflicted one as 'rock' and 'folk' have such dissimilar energies and origins. But the merger of the two has gone on to be the impetus of great and highly conscious musical things: see Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan for further.

Today is International Workers' Day and that certain soul of protest, rebellion, social change- as well as good, old-fashioned blues-rooted rock and roll- can be found in the Last Internationale: a three-piece outfit from New York who embrace rawness in sound as well as a spirited esthetic of punk keeping it as real as it is reactive where you wouldn't be far off-base if you drew likenesses to Band of Skulls or the Dead Weather  (with a lot less annoying attitude). Politically minded (they're not above thinking President Obama should be tried for war crimes), wanting to spark a revolution and a primal sound and live show, all things considered, the Last Internationale are already rockers to reckon with.

In their latest video, "Workers of the World Unite!," Delila (vox, bass), Edgey (guitar) and Fernando Silva (drums) tame their usual high energy to shine a light on the plight of farmers and the American dream that doesn't always come to fruition as the images of farming life flicker by while Delila's clarion voice shifts from delicate inflections to powerful surges of demand. Check it out and I dare you to remain unmoved. There's much to like about the Last Internationale and this is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Delicious Synth Pop, Thy Name Is Jonathan Bates aka Big Black Delta

Jonathan Bates is the sexiest Venezuelan that I know. Granted, he’s the only Venezuelan that I know but that’s nitpicking and I’m not about to diminish his level of cool particularly on the musical front.

Now based in Los Angeles, in 2011 under the moniker of Big Black Delta, Bates (formerly of Mellowdrone) ventured off into the world of electronically designed music. Armed with a laptop, technology, synesthesia and his vivid sonic imagination, he mashed up everything there was to love about 80s synth, dance and pop and then French kissed it with a sci-fi celestial bend for additional sexy. An early result of this magic carpet ride that we got to enjoy was “Huggin & Kissin” which was nothing short of a fantastical thunder dance of rhythm.

As one with [extremely] limited appreciation for things electronic/a, EDM and the like (ok, Thomas Dolby was cool), Big Black Delta managed to hit all of the right notes with me with the massive sound and textures on his kind-of-debut-album-but-not-quite BBDLP1. I say “not quite” because the 10-song BBDLP1 went and got an upgrade. Tuesday, April 30th sees the release of Big Black Delta; the new 13-track ‘debut’ featuring a good portion of BBDLP1 lovingly re-mastered and tweaked with a few new additions making it a warm and full-bodied, futuristic warp of beats and propulsion.

One of those additions debuted in March: “Side of the Road” with its synth-laced buzz and vocoder contortions. If you haven’t already, check out the video which finds Jonathan inside the machine getting his Gene Kelly on in a very digitized world. Most apropos.

And yes, “IFUCKINGLOVEYOU” actually is the title of a song. Jonathan’s just not shy about letting us know how he feels and I can totally get behind that.

If you’re in LA tonight, Big Black Delta (the project) celebrates the release of Big Black Delta (the album) at It’s a School Night at Bardot. But the bigger point is that a full and proper album is here for your pleasure. Dig in to Big Black Delta in all of the usual social places: Official Web, Facebook and Twitter.

And the dude likes the kitties. See?

Dangerbird Co-Founder Peter Walker Finds His Punk Spirit With Broadheds

Say 'hello' to Broadheds. An unexpected musical offering for sure, but shape-shifting from the delicate melodies of his band Eulogies to ska-infused punkish rock is a transition that Dangerbird Records co-founder Peter Walker has taken seriously; hence enlisting the likes of Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, NIN) on bass, Fitz & the Tantrums sax man James King and Denny Weston Jr (Earlimart, the Kooks) on drums. Broadheds’ 13-track, self titled debut checks in at under 30 minutes (which is totally punk rock), scratches with rawness and youthful agitation yet fine-tuned undertones that don’t undermine Walker’s energy. It's a dichotomy in the listening, no more so than when a breakneck pace is pitted against the out-of-sight and off-the-wall brassy wailing from King's saxophone in the track "Nothing That I Care About." Feel free to get to downloading it right here.

Accompanying the listening, the album comes with a 64-page booklet created by visual artist Mark Todd who sat in during the band's 3 1/2 day recording blitzkrieg and it's pretty dynamic, eye-involving stuff. The album hits the streets on Tuesday, April 9th and Broadheds will celebrate it with a CD release show that night at Bootleg Bar. Shows to date are:

April 3rd   @ Sainte Rocke, Hermosa Beach, CA
April 9th   @ Bootleg Bar, Los Angeles, CA (CD release show)
April 10th @ Fingerprints Music, Long Beach, CA

Broadheds may be a momentary flex of Walker's creative muscles but it's a good one worth paying attention to.

South By Southwest-Watch: Track-By-Track With Irontom

The number of times that I’ve mentioned Irontom via Tweet, Facebook, email or face-to-face conversation probably cannot be counted but you should know that it is for cause: I happen to believe in this band. A five-piece out of Los Angeles, Harry Hayes (vox), Zach Irons (guitar), Dane Sandborg (bass), Daniel Saslow (keys) and Dyl Williams (drums) are, by my ear, a little too dynamic, too talented and too non-ordinary of a band to be ignored. It’s classic rock high on youth, fresh blood and swagger: unabashedly loud, dense and eclectic.

Two seminal events have and are about to happen: Irontom has released a 4-song EP (Loose) and they’re making their first trip to South By Southwest (SXSW) this week. This simply means that they now have recorded music to be judged by and that they’ll be before more eyes and ears than ever before. As Harry put it: “This is our first EP. We put it out basically to announce the existence of the band.”

Announcement, made. Each of those four songs has an individual killer rhythm, upheaval and instinct about it and apparently- with a full-length album on the way- it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Here’s introducing you to those four songs by way of Harry, himself.

1. “Mind My Halo”
This was one of the first songs we wrote as a band. Over the course of a week At Zach's grandma's house we wrote and recorded four songs. One of them was “Halo.” Dan came in with most of the chords on the Rhodes and then one night we sat in a circle and figured out all the rest. We all knew that we had something pretty decent with this one. The lyrics are about a guy turning towards religion as an answer to his lonely and empty feelings. The dude basically finds out that even though his new creed might've distracted him from his deep fears, it's all still there as plain as ever.

2. “My Brothers”
The song is about my two drug addict brothers. They've caused a ton of grief for my family over the past couple years. It's a pretty personal song and that's why it's sick.

 

3. “Goin’ Slow”
This is a song Zach and I wrote some time before the band. It was really easy to bring into the group and it's great live because Dan and Z get to solo and fly with the seagulls. It's a song about being too content with whatever's going on. And then getting into the habit of being stuck there. The day we recorded this one, Z had been drinking quite a bit more 4loko then he normally does. When we told him to slow down, he just said 'never tell me what to do'.

 

4. “Lady Got Me”
Another song Zach and I had written that we brought into the band. Z is playing drums on this recording as well. Zach and I wrote this with him jamming on drums and me on guitar. We wrote this song the year the band basically came together and I remember it exciting Dane and Dan to start working seriously with Zach and I. It seemed like a good one to include on the EP. Lyrically it's a song about trying to forget about a crazy old girlfriend.

Their current SXSW schedule looks like this but don't be surprised if more shows get added:

SXSW
Mar 12th @ The Jr (603 Red River St)
Mar 14th @ The Old School (401 E. 6th St)

Track-By-Track w/ Arc & Stones And Their Debut EP

“Hey Trina,

So I'm gonna do my best to try and paint a nice picture about each of these songs. Each one is a pretty cool journey and I'd like to take you on them.”

Dan Pellarin, Arc & Stones

This is one aspect of music that excites me because every song is a telling of a story, of a  moment, of an emotion. And one of my most favored interactions with musicians is pulling back the curtain on a song to flesh out the lines and what lies between them. 

From Brooklyn, NY comes Arc & Stones, a rock outfit with a full-bodied sound made by Dan Pellarin, Ben Cramer, Joe Doino and Eddy Bayes. What they deliver is aggressive yet accessible, even radio-ready songs waiting to be jammed out for your approval in a club or arena near you. The music is progressive in that it’s a complete package: the instrumentation boasts nimble melodies constructing anthemic and soulful rock offerings served up handsomely by the emotional vehicle of Pellarin’s powerful and flexible voice. Girls will dig it, guys will reap the benefits: a win-win for all.

On February 12th Arc & Stones will release their debut, self-titled five-song EP which is a fairly diverse yet solid representation of what they’re capable of: a sneak peak at the potential. So in advance of the event, here’s learning the heart of those songs from the voice that sings them, track by track.

1. Silence
This song is about the period of blind faith in a certain someone after they have left without letting you know if they cared for you or not, while you have quickly and undoubtedly fallen for them. "Silence" expresses that feeling that you would go to any length to see that someone, talk to that someone, love that someone again...if only for a while.

The period of time when you have given all you can and in return have only received silence, is quite possibly the most painful part of any confusion and eventual realization that this certain someone just doesn't feel the same way...

"Silence" also expresses...that even though you begin to realize the only stronger force than fear is hope...and with that hope you simply don't care and want to keep trying, fighting for as long as your heart can take. It's a fire that burns for however long we let it, for whomever we ignite it for.

As we experience the passion, the confusion, the insanity, we also feel the anger in it all, and "if you can see love, then why can't you see mine?" is a line that expresses that anger we all know too well. This song was chosen because for us, it is a perfect representation of the paradox that is love, and the painful bliss we keep chasing after.

I showed Ben a very altered version of this minus the chorus which we didn't change one bit, and decided we loved where it was going and re-worked the verses and bridge. It turned into something magnificent, a real journey, and we couldn't be more proud of this song.

2. Say Goodbye
"Say Goodbye" expands on the feeling of "Silence." No matter what happens, the love that you shared with that someone will never fade, and in an essence there is no way you could ever say goodbye to it, and them. As we search "far from the light," and save "a cut from the stone shaped like a heart," we can look far beyond the familiar and take what has become seemingly nothing and turn it into something, someday, somewhere. The line "Someday when I can stop chasing someday, can I call you home..." builds upon a thought that maybe when everything is through, and we have done all we can, we can maybe one day call that special someone our own.

Taking the fire symbolized in "Silence," and building upon the rock that is "Say Goodbye," a clear picture of emotion is formed. Through it all, we'll still chase and hope, even if it takes forever.

3. Let Me Down
This one is mainly stating that, "Hey, you can save me all of this trouble, pain, confusion and anger if you just let me know how it is right here, right now. Either you feel something for me or you don't." I can't take being led on and I can't take questioning everything I do before I do it. "Don't let me down so easy," because I'll still find reason to hope and hurt, and "don't let me down so slow," because I can't bear with all of this just to eventually be kicked to the curb. Why? Because if you lead me on, it'll turn me into a different person and, possibly, one that neither myself nor anyone else enjoys.

"By breaking me down, you're building a broken home."

I hated this one, but still showed it to Ben, and he gave me this look like...are you kidding me? So we re-worked the first verse a bit, recorded it live, and placed it right smack in the middle of the EP. I now love this song because of Ben and [producer] Jeremy Griffith's help turning this into a beauty. Thank you, dudes.

4. She's Mine
A boisterous, loud and flat out fun rock song that combines the ideas of a woman, a self-realization that this person doesn't like what they have become of late, a kick ass party gone wrong, and well some different...things that maybe cause the party to go wrong. The lyrics talk of the extreme highs, "running through my blood, come and take me for a ride," extreme lows, "but why does every story come crashing down like this," and the eventual rally cry, "no you won't take me alive..." of this hard-hitting tornado of a rock and roll party song. Screaming, shouting, and dancing your ass off are encouraged on this one.

Ben and I wanted to a write a seriously hard and fun rock and roll song. I think we broke the most furniture in our small box of an apartment during the time we were writing this one, but it was fitting and necessary.

5. Rise
"Rise" for us is an anthem that really hits home. It's simply about the idea that nothing is impossible, no one can tell you anything is impossible and there is not a single person, idea or obstacle that can restrict you from that thought. It hits home because a lot of people said we couldn't do what we are doing now and it feels damn good to sing about it. 

The chorus states that "We are faces in the water here to wash the pain. Sons and daughters of tomorrow, begging for a name." This is us and everyone else with this belief saying that the battle is not fought alone. The battle to strive for what you love and believe in is one being fought today in strong company, and there is nothing and no one that can bring this determined belief down. We will claw and fight to be heard, and to be known. Cue the national anthem.

The band couldn't be more proud of everything that's been accomplished, and we are so pumped for the future. It's gonna be a fun road and we hope to make it count where it matters most- with you guys, the listeners.
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I imagine many ears appreciating what Arc & Stones have to give, not the least of which is that delicious guitar in "Say Goodbye." So now you that you know, seek out these gentlemen of heartfelt yet dynamic-in-the-making rock and roll (and disarming good looks) in the usual socially interactive places. And also in 2013 look for them to make themselves heard well outside of their NYC comfort zone.
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New Music Monday: Nico Vega "We Are The Art"

Believe it or not and comparative to most, I haven’t lived in Los Angeles for very long: I haven’t even celebrated my third LA anniversary yet. But years before making the conscious decision to take root here, Nico Vega were my first Los Angeles band discovery and let’s give it up to MySpace for that (applause!). From the moment that I heard Aja Volkman throw down the challenge of “Take. We will be giving” with that voice…it truly was a sonic lightening bolt to that part of the soul that very few musicians get to touch and take up residence in. And yes, they are still there.

Nico Vega has changed a bit. They’ve evolved from a three-piece to a four (Hi Jamilla!). There have been two weddings and one baby. But the basic construct of what they are seems distinctively intact: soulful, passionate and unified music makers in a tribe where everyone is welcome: The more the merrier, the more loving. Where the songs come from places of challenge and champions, warriors and lovers, power and spirit with music as the conduit.

So yeah, very happy to wake up to the news of new music and video from Nico Vega. Their second album has been heavily under construction during 2012 and here’s to hoping that they gift us with it soon. In the meantime, art is the subject at hand in "We Are The Art" with its video directed by the band’s drummer, Dan Epand. It’s a reveal and revealing, yet an unadorned thing so that you can focus on the subject at hand. And nothing less is expected from Nico Vega.
 

"Stand up for what is beautiful. Give it up for the ones that try. Oh the art is the reason that we came here. Take a bow, together we fight."..."We Are The Art"

PS: if you're lucky enough to already have tickets for No Doubt's November 24th show at Universal Ampitheatre in Los Angeles, well you're luckier than you thought because Nico Vega will be there as support.

Song Spotlight: Sad Robot’s “The Prostitute”

We live in interesting times when a song called “The Prostitute” is the topic of discussion. And just in time for the weekend (in case anyone was considering a career change) and two weeks prior to the Presidential election. Draw what you will from that.

Why so sad, robot? The only folks who can answer that question are Katherine Pawlak (vox, piano), Nick Perez (guitar) and Jake Hogenson (drums); an LA-based three-piece who, as Sad Robot, are carving a place for themselves within Los Angeles’s rock scene, planting a seed here, a seed there. Their intense live energy during their monthlong October residency at LA's Silverlake Lounge has earned some heady praise so effective seed planting: done. Theirs is a power sound…or perhaps the sound of power and claiming it, which is lyrically blatant on tracks like "Sing" and "Hold On" from their album, 1.0 due out October 30th. This is Sad Robot’s second full-length but their first as a trio and Katherine channels that throaty vocal grit of hers to punch out a struggle, comparatively and otherwise.

"'The Prostitute' represents a desperate need of escape." says Katherine. "Whether it is from your past, from yourself or a world you hope to never go back to. Metaphorically through the tale of a Prostitute, we parallel the story with the likes of Cool Hand Luke and how every attempt he made to run away, he was always brought back. There is a message of hope in this song as well and the need to never give up. I didn’t want the lyrics to conclude with a happy ending of her getting out, not that she never will, but I wanted to show the struggle in it and leave it open at the end. We hope the listener could relate to this song in their own lives as we all have our struggles and should never give up."

If you like what you hear check out and keep up with these rock stars-in-training in the usual places: their official site and get friendly on Facebook and Twitter.

"You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end."...Cool Hand Luke

New Music Monday: Up From Down Under, Atlas Genius

Summer always tends to yield a musical something that’s a little delicious and reeks of across the board appeal: it’s cyclical and I think we all actually like it that way. Australian gents Keith Jeffrey, Michael Jeffrey and Darren Sell who are Atlas Genius filled that bill quite nicely with the dance-groovy bit “Trojans”: a ridiculously hook-ridden song that aired in the Spring of 2011 practically out of nowhere as they kind of DIY’d the tune and next thing they knew it had taken flight over the Aussie airwaves and beyond. It’s catchy and there are even handclaps, by gosh. Yep. You’ve been warned.

Yes, the song is still making traction particularly since the band has gotten their touring legs, currently with the mighty Silversun Pickups. I caught Atlas Genius’ set when the tour came to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and what you heard above is what they deliver live: they’re a clean and tight package of danceable and digestible tunes energetically presented. And they're very good looking. Now as popular as “Trojans” may be (and I noticed an impressive number of attendees in the crowd singing along), there’s better to be found from their recently released debut EP, Through The Glass. Tracks “Back Seat” and “Symptoms”? Well, they make me muse that if Foster the People sounded like this (aka had a modicum of musical guts) I wouldn’t loathe them so. But they don’t and I do so, Atlas Genius, take your place in the rotation of body moving, shiny pop-rock melody for the summer and hopefully beyond. Especially considering that it's now Fall.

Get some listening in on these gents and check out these TOUR DATES for where and when you catch them out on the road with Silversun Pickups.

New Music Monday: Rubblebucket Get "Oversaturated"

Let’s preface this conversation with the words, “Ooh, baby” and go from there.

Veering just a little left of center from their signature propulsive, tribal, all hell wonderfully breaks loose, trance-ful, dance-ful, non-acid tripping, horn-y jams (we’re talking a brass section, folks), the 8-piece Brooklyn indie-pop/Afro-funksters, Rubblebucket, kind of get their sexy (or sexier than usual) on with the new 5-song EP, Oversaturated.

Never fear as all things are masterfully intact: the alluring honey chill of Kalmia Traver’s voice, the heady instrumentation, the fierce joy and 70s-style R&B horn lines blown and the rhythmic, percussive center that holds everything together. Dig if you will the tempered and slow burn as they kick off with “Oversaturated” which grazes the line of trip-hop before asserting itself back into Rubblebucket’s wheelhouse of uplift. Kal’s indignant questioning, “Why don’t you listen?” is surely rhetorical because, I guarantee you, several somebodies are. And“Oooh Wa” keeps space age synths and handclaps in fashion as – just when the pop seems almost too perfectly sweet- it gets creatively beat shifty and earthy. I'd like to say something like, "Well played, guys and gal," as if it were some anomaly on their part, but this is who Rubblebucket are: A cohesive madness musical tribe, hip because they're one of the more weirdly creative and sharper knives in the drawer and that is a hell of a thing to pull off.

Oversaturated surfaces on September 11th and makes for a solid addition to your summer’s end collection of tunes deliciously ripe for Fall listening. Go on and get it HERE. 

Track-By-Track: Youngblood Hawke

FACT: There’s usually something a bit more cohesive, innately more honest about music that’s made among friends. Feelings run deeper yet come to the surface with greater ease through a lyric here, a guitar chord there. See Sam Martin and Simon Katz (formerly of Iglu & Hartley) along with Tasso Smith, Alice Katz and Nik Hughes: a quintet of modern, bombastic indie pop/rock music-makers who have orbited around one another’s lives in one way or another before finally rising as Youngblood Hawke. Musically, it sounds like kicking down the door of a brave new world with youthful optimism, unity, sunshine, choral uplift to die for and the urge to dance as accomplices.

The seeds of Youngblood Hawke were planted in 2010 when Simon and Sam began writing together (post-Iglu & Hartley), needing to find and express their own musical voices. Demos sent to Tasso (Simon’s best friend) resulted in him picking up the guitar for the project. There's Alice (Simon’s wife) who was in on the early recording sessions, then Nik (a close friend) and…well, you get the picture. This is a band with- not only a professional stake in the expression- but one of their hearts, as well.

The past two years have seen Youngblood Hawke honing what they do at home in Los Angeles and on the road from rowdy showcases at South By Southwest in Austin, TX to a wildly successful monthlong residency at one of LA's most popular venues, the Satellite. Their friends, fans and followers have grown show after show (as has the respect for their newfound musical voice) and word of mouth boasted a band whose festive live show simply had to be seen to be believed. The aesthetic is a joyous one and this band is nothing if not serious about joy.

From Universal Republic comes Youngblood Hawke’s first release: a 4-song EP that seems to healthily reflect their collective spirit, as well as the path that they find themselves on- as musicians and as friends. Every band has a story to tell and the songs are often snapshots of the narrative. Because we're nosy, we enlisted (threatened, bribed, whatever) Sam to dig into the songs of their self-titled EP for us…track-by-track:

Sam: “Simon and I wrote all the songs on our self-titled EP. We do our writing in Simon's air condition-less, homemade studio at his house. It's a tiny room that only holds 4-5 people at once. Nice and snug! It has a really comfortable vibe and we always feel free to make anything we want there. We usually work through the nights and into the morning, never hearing complaints from the neighbors. It's a really powerful spot for us.

Hope is a theme that resonates throughout the EP. We didn't go out of our way to write positive, uplifting songs, but they just came out of us. The last couple years have been really difficult for us, and I think writing these songs was our way of subconsciously trying to get to a better place in our lives.” 

1. We Come Running
"We Come Running" started as an internal message to the band. It was written during the early stages when nobody was sure where it was going. We were working odd, unsatisfying jobs to pay the rent, and we were putting all we had into our music. It was somewhat of a low point for everyone, and the song served as a reminder to stay positive and keep fighting for what we love to do. We knew that if we worked hard enough and really believed in this project, that eventually people would hear the "the sound when we come running." We would at least get a chance to be heard, which is all you can really ask for. And all we ever wanted.

"When the world's gone quiet/I see you dancing slow/Feeling satisfied/Where you never knew you'd go"

2. Stars/Hold On
This song is about staying strong when the whole world seems to be dropping on your head. We wrote this song with a young kid named Aaron Michael Cox. Aaron was a super talented musician, writer, and producer: More importantly, Aaron was an incredible human being. He had this spark about him. He'd light up the room when he stepped in. His passion for music and life was extremely contagious. Sadly, shortly after we finished this song, Aaron passed away from complications with cancer. It was a terrible and shocking loss. He was truly a unique soul.

After Aaron's passing, "Stars" took on a whole new meaning for us and everyone who knew Aaron. We performed it at the memorial service in front of his parents. The whole place sang along. It was very emotional. This song is a reminder that things may be bad, but they'll always get better. Life can hand you a lot, but you just have to be strong and ride through the bad times.

"We've all got the sun to follow/Hold on, hold on/The stars are bound to change"

3. Forever
"Forever" is about many different things. It was the first song that Simon and I wrote together. It started out feeling like a love song, a song dealing with the journey of a relationship. But it's also about growing up and accepting people for who they truly are, rather than for what they have or what they do, and it's about sticking by the people whom you truly care about. It's also about divorce, drinking, singing drunk sailor songs in your room, and hiding from the troubles that sometimes hunt you down.

"And your Comanche spirit that's afraid to fail/Do everything you can now or you never will"

4. Rootless
"Rootless" embodies the feeling of change, growth, and the adventurous journey that is life. It's a song about enjoying the journey, even if you’re lost. This song probably came about from the 2 years that Simon and I were on the road with our previous band. We were always far away from our family and friends, and, at times, we felt like we were just floating around with no home or place to call our own. It was a wild ride that took us all over the world, where we met wonderful people, and experienced crazy things. After a while though, we started to feel unconnected to certain things, "rootless" and always on the move. But it was also very inspiring, very eye-opening.

"Don't get caught up in the time spent/You'll walk around in circles asking where the time went"

Yes, a full length is on its way but, in the meantime, if you've stopped dancing you can get your hands on Youngblood Hawke's EP right now and right HERE.

Summer Songs: Youngblood Hawk, Terraplane Sun

The one thing that you really want from a summer jam is for it to make it all feel good; like the sun is shining on the inside and all things are possible. With that vibe in mind, here are two doses of sunshine in music form for you.

Youngblood Hawke 

Last year, from the remnants of Iglu & Hartly came Youngblood Hawke: A finer formation from former I & H members Sam Martin and Simon Katz along with friends Alice Katz, Tasso Smith and Nik Hughes. Youngblood Hawke has woven itself into Los Angeles' music community with their honest passion for kinship among fellow music makers and via a tried and true music methodology: hook, chorus, and danceability. The uplift of last summer's "Rootless" was right on, their live shows are rowdy affairs (in a good way), and with a full album enroute, the guys and gal just released this piece of pop anthem: "We Come Running."

Terraplane Sun

Yet another good thing having five parts to equal a solid whole comes straight from Venice, CA: Terraplane Sun.  Where the sun and swamp meet, Ben Rothbard (vocals, guitar, harmonica, tambourine), Johnny Zambetti (guitar, mandolin), Cecil Campanaro (bass), Gabe Feenberg (keys, lap steel guitar, trombone) and Lyle Riddle (drums) have no problems blending and bending the curves of rock and blues, country and folk, and whatever else they deem worthy in their world. They just wrapped up a successful July residency at the LA venue, the Satellite, and if you missed it I'm a little sad for you. They've got soul, they've got grit, and is a righteous cocktail of pure musicianship. Fresh from their upcoming Friends EP is a little "Get Me Golden."
Enjoy the tunes, explore the bands, and get your summer on.
tng
@dharma69 

Feast Your Ears On UK's Fixers

If my goal was to pick a video to spark off your weekend and dose you with a sense of psychedelic possibilities, methinks I've succeeded with this little band from the UK: Oxford's Fixers and their video "Crystals".

Are you ready?

This five man outfit have just released their first U.S. EP, the five-track Pop Meat/Your Corruptor (yeah unless they're vegetarians, I have no idea what that means), and it's a fine gem showing off their obvious penchant for experimentation, hooks, and shiny danceable tunes. So now that your mind is all warped  and you can't stop singing "whoa oh oh!", feel free to make yourself even more comfortable with a couple of dandy downloads: "Crystal" and a well synthed-up, cool wave remix of the track "Iron Deer Dream".

Til next time....
@dharma69

Everest Give Up The "Rapture"

Whether or not they're named after a mighty mountain that insane people repeatedly attempt to climb, don't have a clue and maybe I'll ask them the next time that I see them, but Los Angeles rockers, Everest, do have the ability to craft some towering sounds that edge folk and alternative, country and rock, yet always just kind of bloom into soulful sounds of catharsis. Now cradled in the bosom of ATO Records (who seem to appreciate such sonics stylings), Everest are set to release their third full length album Ownerless on June 26th which guitarist Joel Graves describes as a "hopeful love letter slipped under the door".

How sweet.

In 2010 Russell Pollard (vox, guitar, drums), Jason Soda (guitar, keys), Joel Graves (guitar, keys), and Elijah Thomson (bass) gave us the warm rock of On Approach, here in 2012 it's the broad and adventurous canvas of Ownerless and you can sample some of that goodness right here with the track "Rapture". Fortunately, it's not the Harold Camping kind.

Dig it, download it.

New Track From Fiona Apple: "Every SIngle Night"

The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw, And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.

Yes, that's the title of Fiona Apple's long awaited (7 years, folks) follow-up to the deliciously extraordinary Extraordinary Machine. Look for it on June 19th.

Yes, that preciously WTF? title is the essence of her quirk, but it's part and parcel of why we love her. Just deal with it.

Lady Fiona made many a music lover's wet dream come true when she played SXSW this year with three of her new songs in tow and then announcing a subsequent tour. Sample the track "Every Single Night" to know that she's lost not a tremulous step in her musically cerebral game.

TRACKLIST:01 “Every Single Night”
02 “Daredevil”
03 “Valentine”
04 “Jonathan”
05 “Left Alone”
06 “Werewolf”
07 “Periphery”
08 “Regret”
09 “Anything We Want”
10 “Hot Knife”

Signed,
@dharma69

A Place To Bury Strangers

There's something to be said for being consistant and even more to be said for being consistently good.

In case you missed it, back in February A Place To Bury Strangers  released this little EP diamond Onwards To The Wall. If you're a fan of the Brooklyn NY trio (actually I think they're technically a foursome now due to adding a second drummer) and their dense-as-fuck take on the art of shoegaze-buzzsaw- noise rock, then click the link and strap on your headphones, but do dial up the volume gently. Only five tracks but there's no sacrifice made to their penchant for guitar freakouts and apocalyptic rush.

The Red Lapels

The Red Lapels. A fashion statement? Not so much. A four-man band from South East London composed of Richard Maddy (vox/guitar), Sean Spicer (drums), Harvey Lee (guitar), and Tom Barnes (bass), yes. The reason I'm talking about them is because there's a sound here that worships at the altar of aged and vintage while occupying space in indie rock-land. You can distinctly hear it in the guitar tones and particularly in Richard Maddy's voice, which is a darling instrument of soul unto itself. Tracks "Dead Eyed Girl", "Drowning Out" and "Magic" are gold.

Empires

Last but not least we have Chicago's own Empires, who come packing an explosive and all but guaranteed arena-worthy sound. Touches of anthemic ala U2 along with doses of blue collar and indie grit (think Gaslight Anthem) served up with Sean Van Vleet's bold and none too delicate and urgent vocals.  2008 saw them being all generous and releasing their 15-track album Howl for free. It's a mash up of varied styles and obvious that the band was still sorting out its sound but it's fine primer. "Spit The Dark" and "I Want Blood" are 180 degrees from "Believe" and "My Poor Love" but good stuff, nonetheless. Yes, just go ahead and download and enjoy the darned thing because come June they'll release their followup, Garage Hymns, which I expect to be a more cohesive work. Yeah, looking forward to that one.

Til next time....tng.

For Your Ears: UK's The Chevin

Scene of the Crime: the Satellite, January 23, 2012

There's something to be said for earnest ambition when it comes to creating dramatic rhythm and beauty  in song. It's the stuff of epic love songs and moments of exaltation that tend to lift the heart and hands Heavenward at stadiums. Enter the youth and talent of four UK gentlemen from Leeds known as the Chevin.

Somewhere between simplistic and heart-on-your-sleeve; that's the composite road that Coyle Girelli (vox/guitar), Mat Steel (guitar), Jon Langford (bass), and Mal Taylor (drums) travel with their indie rock movement towards being a band built on the power of emotions. As instruments go, Coyle's high tenor (damned near operatic) is a charismatic gift that emotes graceful soul in a way that some of today's successful contemporaries in similar genres could only dream of in their wettest rock star dreams (hi, Chris Martin, Brandon Flowers). A six track EP called Champion is their immediate offering to sample their musical charms; where "Songs For the Sun" is light, uncomplicated acoustic stripped fare, "Menwith Hill" climbs a loftier, more intricate height. As we speak they're currently here in Los Angeles recording their full length album. The EP's title track is the radio-ready gold and signature calling card/intro to the world as a band of rather well-realized potential and I was glad to have caught their very first show in LA on Monday night at the Satellite.




I have to say that there was a thrill in the watching and the listening as Girelli managed the stage casually, probably less than sure of what to expect from the Silverlake crowd on a Monday night residency show (typical in its wary judgment of new music); perhaps more singing to himself than to us. But song by song all four members of the Chevin pulled in honest appreciation from the audience; with the glossy guitar of Steel and formidable rhythm section of Taylor and Langford, just when you think that there's nothing else that can be wrung from a sound that a band like U2 has fused it's soul to (with unobtrusive synths thrown in for good measure), out comes a little band from a town in Leeds to freshly bleed into it. The possibilities are there; here's hoping they execute them.