New Tune Tuesday (6/9/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
The Front Bottoms – West Virginia
A surprise single from one of my favorite bands is the stuff Tuesdays are made of. “West Virginia” is The Front Bottoms in quintessence: one part catchy, straightforward instrumentation, one part complex & quirky – yet equally catchy – lyrics, coalesced into a faux-lo-fi package and thrown at you with every ounce of emotive heft lead singer Brian Sella and company can push through their mics and amps. Like much of TFB’s catalog, the wordsmithery on display here is relatable in overarching emotional brushstrokes rather than specifics. You may never have experienced a conversation like the one Sella opens this song with (“Is it raining where you are? / The only thing I could think to ask. / But nothing ever hurt so bad / as the ‘no’ that you said back”) but dammit if those lines don’t hit you in the chest like a two-ton weight. You can download the new tune for free by joining The Front Bottoms Motorcycle Club on the band’s official site. The music video is a perfect visual compliment; you can see it below.
Read More
Quick Six: A Selection Of Our Favorite NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
–Written by Kevin Madert
Since Bob Boilen first began inviting musicians the world over to play stripped-down shows in his cramped NPR office back in 2008 (seriously guys, hasn’t he earned bigger digs?) over 400 acts have taken part in the Tiny Desk Concert series. Boilen – who’s been with NPR since the 1980s and created the online music program All Songs Considered in 2000 – has seen acts ranging from Andrew W.K. to Yo-Yo Ma take their places in the same tight crook of two bookshelves and perform abbreviated, intimate sets for a few dozen of his coworkers.
Read More
News: The Story So Far Debut New Song
For a few weeks now, all we’ve really had to work with regarding the upcoming self -titled The Story So Far album, due out on May 19th on Pure Noise Records was a short, 15 second clip. Seeing as I could only listen to that so many times before I realized 15 seconds just wasn’t quite long enough, the debut of the album’s first single, “Solo”, could not have come soon enough.
The band debuted the track yesterday on BBC Radio1, and has since hit the Youtubes to meet all of your replaying needs until the release of the album in May. It appears as though The Story So Far haven’t gone to any great lengths to reinvent themselves, but made steps to progress and mature as a band, further refining the sound that we’ve all come to love from them. This will definitely be a The Story So Far album, and I’m pretty sure we’re all quite excited about that.
Read More
News: Say Anything Announces “Hebrews” Summer Tour
–Written by Kevin Madert
Fresh off a slew of co-headlining dates with Saves The Day celebrating the 10th anniversary of their seminal pop-punk album “…Is A Real Boy,” Say Anything announced today their tour plans for the summer. The “Hebrews” tour will make stops in 31 cities over five weeks, including an early July date at Baltimore Soundstage. While billed as the official tour for the band’s fifth full-length Hebrews, the tour promises a “loud interpretation of Say Anything songs old and new,” and in true over-the-top Max Bemis fashion will feature both guitars and a four-piece string quartet.
Read More
New Tune Tuesday (1/13/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Jax From The Future – 3015
Many of us spend large portions of our lives worrying about “the future,” – this intangible period of time that’s consistently laid out before us but impossible to lay our hands on. Then there are those of us who possess such innate talent and tastemaking ability that such fears are rendered irrelevant. Friend of the blog Jax From The Future falls into the latter category, and his newest tune “3015” showcases not only his production range but his desire to dive headfirst into the unknown, leading the charge rather than waiting for another artist to pave the way. The four-minute tune traverses a taut tightrope, balancing the structural framework of future bass against subtle but present deep house stylings. The lengthy intro sees Jax testing out his MIDI drum prowess (a skill he’s recently added to his live arsenal), altering the feel of the tune multiple times without making any drastic shifts in tempo. By the time the drop kicks in with those quasi-upbeat, shuffling synths (think Two Fresh with darker intentions) you’re immersed in the sonic realm of the song, something he has a nifty knack for accomplishing. Because he calls home the place many of us fear, Jax From The Future gives us novel and forward-thinking music by default – a feat that finds bloggers like myself counting the days until his next release.
Read More