Patti LaBelle is one of those artists that I know was big in the past, but has not really done anything earthshaking since I became cognizant of music. For those that do not know, LaBelle started out as a singer for the Bluebelles, changed their name to Labelle, and then broke free from the rest of the pack starting in 1976. From 1962 to 1993, LaBelle charted tens of songs,…
With odds stacked against its existence as a band since day one, Omaha, Nebraska’s Landing On The Moon has risen above the circumstances. This quintet could easily be perceived as unlikely suspects to thrive in the current era of rock ‘n roll, but the band carries itself with the confidence of an underdog. The bond is tight with this outfit, consisting of a set of siblings, a pair of spouses,…
The opening piano to “He Was There” should be reminiscent to listeners to Des’ree’s “Kissing You”. In fact, the general style of “He Was There” is tracked alongside that song, even if the act adds a considerable amount of gospel influence to the mix. The decision to put the longest track at the beginning of the disc is an interesting one; this gambit has sunk many a band when they…
Tooth & Nail Records would like to welcome Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Swimming With Dolphins to their artist roster. Formerly of Owl City, frontman Austin Tofte has created ambient electronica pop inspired by the ocean and fond childhood memories of America’s largest lakes. The band will head into the studio this summer to record their Tooth & Nail debut. “I’m more than excited to announce Tooth & Nail as the home of…
New Jersey folk metal horde WINDFAERER — M. Gonçalves [Vocals, Guitars, Bass], JP Andrade [Percussion] and Valèek [Violin] — recently posted two new tracks to their official MySpace page. “These Walls (Frozen In Time)” and “This Beautiful Death” (which features bagpipe work by Sevan Kirder, formerly of Eluveitie) come off the trio’s debut full-length, Tribus. Check out the tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/windfaerer. Tribus was recorded and mixed at Frightbox Recording (Clifton,…
I like how all of the band’s album titles have dealt with illegal immigration. This is not the next Manic Hispanic, but rather an interesting band that starts off their “We Came To Take Your Jobs Away” with a track that blends together a They Might Be Giants sound with a more Middle Eastern sound. While Kultur Shock is confident that their song will never be on the radio during…
The Extremities is an incredibly fitting name for the latest project, courtesy of Toronto’s producer Fresh Kils (sampler/keyboard) and Halifax’s Uncle Fester (turntable). Simply put, there’s just so much happening on The Mint Condition, the collaboration’s newest record set for release this September, that it’s impossible not to hop on board with their groovy, eclectic brand of lounge-inspired hip-hop. Now, don’t assume so quickly that The Mint Condition is a…
The raw exuberance that Woven Bones seethes from its tightly-wound inner coil of turmoil isn’t exactly the stuff daydreams are made of, but as their menacing presence has been culminating over the past couple of years, it’s now clear as daylight that their finest efforts would come together on this, their debut LP. As they’ve effectively dragged the shards of their tattered souls with building ferocity on each of their…
There is a tremendous comparison available here in Kronowitt’s case, in which Kronowitt sets eirself to be the inheritor of the Elvis Costello mantle; the heavily-vocal opening to “Elements” really subjugates the instrumental side of things to Kronowitt’s emotive voice. The first real hit on this album is “Ballad of Pete & Heather”; the pitch-shifting aspect of Kronowitt’s vocals taking on a Marc Schultz tone at times. The Spanish-infused guitar…
King of The Beach, originally slated for an Aug. 3 release date, will now be available via iTunes exclusively on July 1, all other digital outlets on July 13 and the physical street date (CD / LP) remains Aug. 3. Bio: In the life of Nathan Williams, the year of 2009 will go down as both a highlight reel and a total shit show. Meteorically, feverishly and somewhat improbably, two…
FM Radio Gods have been holed up in the studio putting the final touches their first album, a complete reworking the recent Bomb The Bass Back To Light album, carefully crafting each track into a series of fresh techno remixes. Their unique re-envisioning delivers the full spectrum of the Bomb The Bass sound, sure to heat up dance floors throughout the summer. On “Boy Girl,” the original is transformed into…
The opening track to “Green City” is called “Vanity”, and the approach done by the lead singer is something that has as its predecessor the over the top singing styles of fifties musicals. At the same time, the instrumentation that is present in this opening track has much more in common with the style of psychedelic rock that acts like The Doors were known for in the late sixties. To…
U.K. buzz band Athlete can now boast of being the only band to be heard through all of time and space. The band’s classic song “Changes” will be used as the first ever rock song on the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, Doctor Who. The song plays at a key point in the upcoming episode “Vincent And The Doctor” which can be seen for the first time…
You know what would have been cool for Dave Koz to do? 12 different reinterpretations of Alien Ant Farm’s hit “At The Movies”. Well, this album is not it, and instead features Koz doing eir reinterpretation of a number of important films (Moon River, Cinema Paradiso, Schindler’s List). While there are hints of the original vocals for “Over The Rainbow”, a soulful sax line starts up soon after the vocals…
Show Hope presents Steven Curtis Chapman and his family embarking on a new journey together this fall as they venture out on a “A Night with the Chapmans.” The special family affair kicks off September 10 in Lancaster, PA and will hit 34 cities before ending on November 21 in Baltimore, MD. The night of music and hope with the multi-platinum selling and award-winning artist will feature some of his…
NACE UNA ESTRELLA TOUR 17 de Julio Las Vegas The Joint 6 de Agosto Houston Club Escapade 7 de Agosto Dallas Verizon Theatre 14 de Agosto Chicago Aragon Ballroom 21 de Agosto San Francisco Warfield Theatre 28 de Agosto New York Nokia Theatre
In a sense, the Kola Koca Death Squad takes the best parts of Johnny Rotten and Lou Reed, while simultaneously working under a psychedelic-influenced instrumentation to make something memorable for the first track on this disc, “Rising Son”. What is really a chaotic and emotional-filled set of vocals during “Power Condition” are really dominated and removed from their context with the very angular and proper arrangements on the track. When…
Like listening to old bluesmen on your new iPod Touch, BRONZE RADIO RETURN is a band that is all about the juxtaposition of the old and new. Their new album Old Time Speaker (which is out now) is the ultimate love letter to all of the things that make their music what it is. Producer Doug Derryberry (Kings Of Leon, Ben Folds Five) discovered the band’s considerable talents at a…
Fresh on the heels of the release of their tenth anniversary retrospective “The Gentle Art of Music”, German Prog Rockers RPWL have confirmed that they will be returning to the United States. Their performance will take place at The CalProg Festival on October 2, 2010 which is being held in Whittier, California at the Center Stage Theater. RPWL will be appearing alongside: Ambrosia, District 97 and Mirthkon. For more info…