New Jersey-based pop/rock collective The Ones You Forgot – comprised of Jenna Bruno (Vocals), Matthew Thompson (Guitar), Ferdinand Benauro (Guitar), Justin Rodman (Drums), and Lance Nelson (Bass) – has a beautiful new video for their track “Luna”, and we’ve got the exclusive premiere. Against a simple backdrop, allow Bruno’s 90’s-inspired vocals (think Liz Phair) to to croon this acoustic love song to you, with smokey contrast and artful dance. In addition to the video premiere, the band was wonderful enough to provide some date night ideas. As we approach the month of love – and every day – with bigger hearts, let’s see if we can’t integrate a few of these ideas!
Jenna: I would love to go on a Zip line and ropes course date! Anything outdoors-y is fun (maybe not for a first date though). I’d also love to just get some dinner, see a movie and take a drive to the beach at night – a classic date!
Lance: My first idea for a fun date would be going out to some trails and hunting for geocaches together. Another idea would be ice skating and catching a hockey game!
Justin: My first ideal date idea is beer, hatchet throwing, philly cheese steaks, and insomnia cookie! A great combo. Another fun date would be going on a hike to a waterfall.
Ferd: My first ideal date idea is going record shopping and going to the arcade!
My second date idea would be going
to the beach, hiking and top golf (all in one day)!
Matt: A fun date idea for me would be going record store hunting.
I would also love to go to the arcade and have a nice dinner. I’m thinking Ferd and I should just date already.
Keep up with The Ones You Forgot here. Too Afraid to Say is available now.
Experimental improv musical group Richmond Avant Improv Collective (RAIC) – comprised of Samuel Goff, Abdul Hakim-Bilal, Erik Schroeder, Zoe Olivia-Kinney, and Laura Marina – released their new album Multiplicity on Friday, and we’ve got your first listen below. “Balance of the Three” starts us off with a pure cacophony of sound, horns and cymbals alternating feverishly for a full song’s length (around 3.5 minutes) before everything evens out into a somewhat bluesy and tribal soundscape. There is a sense of mystery to the song, the longest on the piece at 22:44. “Brugmansla” is completely different in its soundscape, rough and energized as though being played at battle. It is with “Occlusion” that a slight twang comes through, though it isn’t long before tribal drums, misplaced cymbals, and guitar chords make it feel like an artsy soundcheck.
“Leaves Continue to Fall” breezes in on a saxophone, more simplistic in its approach than its predecessors, as it maintains one instrument throughout. “Agitato” is our first real glimpse at vocals – albeit briefly – and a more ethereal and well-layered soundscape stems from its opening chords, slowly collapsing into brief, heightened energy escapades over the course of its hot ten minutes. “Pingulna” is the shortest of the tracks – sitting at a quick 1:35 – and boasts a down-home, blues feel that makes you feel relaxed and confident. Last track “Silene Udulata” rounds it out with a vintage feel, boasting opera-like vocals, eery, high pitched guitar chords, and rough, hard instrumentals that make it feel like the climax track at a rock opera. It’s definitely not something we would play at our Grandma’s birthday, but insanely fun to jam out to with friends.
Multiplicity is available now. Keep up with RAIC here.
As if the cover art weren’t enough to draw you in – HELLOOOOO Earle Rock Studios -, Holy White Hounds‘ sophomore full-length release is absolutely extraordinary. Blending in the signature “eff you” style that they established with 2016’s Sparkle, Sparkle, Say It With Your Mouth is an established alt-rock adventure, with high stakes energy from beginning to end. While first track “Thirsty” insists that “I’m not excited,” the intense lead-in would say otherwise, as “Lucid Kid” establishes an energy that we’re ready to bump from now into the summer months. “Perpetrator” feels like the perfect addition to “Guitar Hero,” catchy as all get out with a visual that will keep your mind reeling.
The quirky name of the project can be found in the lines of “No Teeth”, while “Big Heavy” boasts the perfect sound to be played during an NFL game. (Shameless plug.) While Dean struggles with his perspective in “Trifection”, the attitude continues – complete with a whole different level of percussion – in seventh track “Violence”. This one is a real banger, so make sure to allow plenty of space to move around when you press “play” on it.
Dave Keuning joins in on the fun with “What I Am”, and “Burnt Tongue” speeds things up even more than originally anticipated, guitar licks and a beat that doesn’t just pull you in, but drags you in by your shoelaces – or bootstraps, or whatever gets you going – and does not let go. The drums set the scene for “The Void”, coming in with bass that sets one of those “walking like a badass” vibes for the remainder of the track. (AKA add this to your life soundtrack and when you’ve got to raise that confidence, play it and strut your stuff!)
If you are really paying attention to the lyrics instead of just the mood the soundscape sets for you, you’ll notice a variety of emotions, stemming from personal anecdotes that have been woven throughout the work as a whole. Dean’s vocals drag more of that emotion out of us, highlighting moments of darkness and a questioning mentality while we all learn how to feel through it. “Tracy Free” is one of those introspective tracks that really entices you to think, though the title of its follow-up, “Aids Chimp”, kind of detracts from the weight of the words.
But that’s what we’ve come to respect and love about this band. They can sing about some dark, dark shit and keep this weightless feel to it all, and you can tell that they are a ton of fun live simply from listening to a few lines from Say It With Your Mouth, if you haven’t yet been graced by their live performance tactics. “New Blood” will further enforce the theatrical nature of the band, though they may be the last to admit it. With bits of comedy mixed in with self realization and that clear, gorgeous edge, we’re big fans of this album as a journey, and are stoked you get to hear it from beginning clear through “Thirsty Outro”.
Say It With Your Mouth is available now. Keep up with Holy White Hounds here.
I stumbled upon Larkin Poe in late 2016. I was on a YouTube music spree, as one will occasionally do, and they happened to pop up in my “Up Next” column. It was a Jam in the Van video of the song Jailbreak. The video had been posted in 2014 so it was roughly 2 and half years old by the time I found it. The song had a good pop to it and both Rebecca and Meghan had a good energy for the song. After the video ended, I began to dig into more of their stuff, Don’t, Sugar High, Stubborn Love and Trouble in Mind. Every song I listened to was solid, but the studio recordings lacked that something that separates music you throw on in the back ground from music you throw on to really listen to.
Flash forward to the Garage at Knuckleheads Saloon on a Monday night. I was unsure of the following that Larkin Poe would have, especially with it being a Monday night, in December, in Kansas City Missouri. We got to the venue 20 minutes before the opener was scheduled. I assumed this would be plenty of time to grab a seat, grab a drink and talk before the show started. What’s that they say about assumptions? The venue was packed. We were fortunate enough to find a couple lonesome bar stools in the corner. Other than those, it was standing room only.
It’s important to point out the composition of the crowd for this event. There were plenty of adults in attendance and the usual crowd that seems to attend Knuckleheads religiously, regardless of what type of artist or music it being played. The best part about the crowd for me were the parents that brought their kids with them. Live music is an important thing to support and it’s even better when the band is on fire like Larkin Poe was that night.
When Larkin Poe took the stage, I immediately understood why the place had sold out. The energy they brought with them left the crowd with one option, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Their opening song “Summertime Sunset” brought the house down and it only got better from there. Meghan’s slide guitar outro for Look Away was a good for lesson for any guitar player in patience, tone and control. Rebecca’s vocals have gotten stronger and more confident since I first heard her, and the entire concert was a showcase for that talent.
The show was refreshing and genuine and as a soon to be father of a daughter, it was awesome to see two sisters absolutely dominating the stage. I cannot wait for them to come back around or anywhere close, I will be dragging my friends and most likely a certain family member, you know who you are, to see them again.
If you’re a fan of classic 60s musicians like Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and the like, then Pale Mara is a musical act you’d be sure to love. Feel the vintage-inspired work give you slight goosebumps as you drive through the cold(er) weather, taking in the gorgeous bonfires and sunsets of the remaining autumn weeks. If that’s not what you’re into, watch it. This video incites a nostalgic feeling, comprised of old footage, edited together by Jeff Wenzel.
“Not Like I Used To” by Pale Mara Written By: Lee Godleski Video Editor: Jeff Wenzel Vocals and Piano: Lee Godleski Drums: David Christian Lead Guitar: David Kammerer Bass: Thea Garlid Harmonies: Allison Robinson and Thea Garlid Percussion: Dave Ulrich Recorded at Daisie’s Philadelphia – January 2018 Engineer: Dave Ulrich Mixing: Josh Hahn Engineer: Josh Hahn Mastering: Ryan Schwabe
With his swoon-worthy vocals and gorgeous guitar work, East coast-based singer/songwriter Adam Melchor is someone we are expecting to be top-of-mind this time next year, as his mellifluous approach to his work has quite a stunning effect. His new track “Real Estate” is the perfect break from our cold weather feels, bringing us to a place and time that is slower, warmer, and more wonderful than we probably even deserve. Check it out below, and make sure to add it to your soundtrack today!
Los Angeles-based rock group Swerve – comprised of Gregory Mahdesian (Vocals, Guitar), Brandon Duncan (Bass, Vocals), Ryan Berti (Guitar, Vocals), and Mark Gardner (Drums) – is reveling in the bliss that comes with releasing a new track unto the world. With a steady beat, there’s a little edge to the song that makes it enduring as all get out. Explains vocalist Greg Madgesian: “‘She Cut Her Hand’ came out of a recurring dream I had that was really discomforting and haunted me for a while. It’s about losing faith in something you’ve believed in for a long time, which would make sense with everything happening in the country right now.”
Check it out, and let us know what you think, below!
Giving us some much-needed summery sounds this week is PALASTIC, a production duo based out of Vienna. They are growing a solid fan base thanks to their richly musical tunes, and they have piano, drumming and guitar skills between them. This week’s track is “Goldmine,” and we’re hitting repeat on it.
Warm electronic notes support its pop-tinged vocals beautifully, and crisp notes of percussion in all the right places add some bite to proceedings. The pair says: “We love this track! Written in the first sunny days of spring surrounded by good vibes, the mood easily translated into this upbeat, contagious song that we are very excited to release!”
In the midst of celebrating the release of their record Dur et Doux, French collective Saint Sadrill – composed of Antoine Mermet (voice, composition), Melissa Acchiardi (vibraphone, percussion), Lionel Aubernon (drums, electronics) , Lucas Hercberg (bass), Anne Quillier (keyboards, synth), and Vincent Redoux (guitar) – has unleashed a video for their gorgeously composed track “”. Filmed in the barn they recorded the album in, this live performance at Studio Rouge also marked the last of their tour, ending this round where these songs officially began. Just knowing that enhances this premiere – and its entrancing visual – in a way we didn’t see coming.
