Don Gallardo has just dropped a brand new track, “Oh Jane”, which will appear on his upcoming record, Still Here. Gallardo says of the single, “The narrator is in love with the person being bullied and comes to her side and suggests different ways to look at the situation with a positive manner.” Moving along an easy-going folk soundscape, Gallardo elicits feelings of sympathy and shared experience with this track. Highlighting carefully crafted instrumentation and lyricism, “Oh Jane” is anything but just another folk song. Gallardo clearly knows his sound, which is further honed in his forthcoming album.
Besides his own talented songwriting and vocals, Gallardo was accompanied by other skilled musicians to bring “Oh Jane” to life.
He says of the track:
We had Dave Roe and Bryan Owings lay down the foundation of drums and bass before we built on it. I tried numerous ideas for the guitar sound, but after sitting with Brent Mason I thought it would be nice to steer away from a country feel to a more folk-rock vibe. This song features Brent Mason on guitar. He has played with numerous performers such as Vince Gill, Chet Atkins, George Strait, Brad Paisley, and tons more. The song also features Joe Andrews from Old Crow Medicine Show on mandolin and Micah Hulscher from Margo Price band on organ. Travis Stock, Clint Maine, and I worked out the backing vocals for a few days before we recorded them. We wanted a Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers vibe for the background vocals.
Still Here will be released April 27, 2018. Stay connected with Don Gallardo: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
Punk is a genre that has always been known for its simplicity and raw, primitive sound. Many music fans write off the genre entirely because they believe that music must be complex and polished to be great. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In the 70’s a bunch of kids who grew up on a steady diet of classic rockabilly, pop, soul, British invasion, Motown, and ska took a look at the vapid and self-important hippies burning out on the radio and said fuck this. They cut their hair, put on the jeans and leather jackets of their early-rock-and-roll heroes, went into their garages, turned up the tempos, pushed their amps into overdrive, and invented the potent form of fundamentalist rock and roll we now know as punk rock. The following songs showcase just how much depth can be captured in a few minutes with a few chords and with some cheap equipment.
The Buzzcocks: I Don’t Mind
The unusual chord progression and surreal message makes this song the “Strawberry Fields Forever” of punk rock. Beginning with the beautiful phrase, “Reality’s a Dream” the verse starts out square but quickly gets mired in a swirling series of out-of-key chords and a disjointed melody that and builds and blossoms into short, simple, and joyful chorus about not caring. It perfectly captures the message of escaping the emotional torment of uncertainty and chaos by just not giving a fuck. During the bridge the song shifts to a minor tonality as Pete Shelley reflects on past insecurity and rejection, emerging at the end in a higher key to once-and-for-all assert his triumphant nihilism.
Stiff Little Fingers: Alternative Ulster
This song about kids caught up in ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland begins with a plaintive guitar melody drenched in reverb raw and almost in-tune. The lonely major-key drone expresses a combination of sadness and optimism that Stiff Little Fingers does so well. The song explodes into short punchy phrases in the verse over a restless 4 chord vamp in which Jake Burns lays out the frustration of scraping by under a repressive regime with throaty angst. Then it stretches out into the prechorus in which he explains that nothing’s going to change because nobody in power has any reason to change it. An usual extra measure builds anticipation before the assertive chorus chords in which he gives the solution to the problem: Do it yourself. Create an alternative of your own. “Ignore the bores, their laws…grab it change it’s yours.” After a powerful bridge rapidly dispensing with the naysayers, the original guitar melody returns over a shuffle drum beat. The meandering line returning with purpose and power before delivering the listener to a satisfying final chorus.
The Clash: Death or Glory
One of the many gems on London Calling, “Death or Glory” explores how high-minded ideals and righteous conquests are corrupted by time and routine. The song starts with a round and melodic bass line and syncopated high hat accents building into a grade-A punk rock groove underneath Mick Jones channeling Mick Ronson’s brand of channeling Chuck Berry via the English Channel. Paul Simon’s baseline walks under guitar stabs as Strummer howls his verse with great lines such as “love and hate tattooed across the knuckles of his hands, hands that slap his kids around ‘cuz they don’t understand” finally breaking into one of the catchiest choruses ever penned. During the bridge Topper Headon lays down a restless funky beat that is complemented by Jones’ rhythmic octaves and Simonon’s sequenced bass line. Creating the perfect musical backdrop for Strummer to quietly but insistently express the the will to fight and raise hell. After a final chorus the band ends the song on a slightly out-of-time, and out-of-tune final hit. Just in case you thought they were getting too refined.
Dead Boys: Sonic Reducer
Whereas the Buzzcocks found release in not caring, Stiff Little Fingers found salvation in not caring, and The Clash believed we were sadly destined to not care, The Dead Boys just didn’t care. Two bold chords at the outset fade into a swirl of flanged cymbals and feedback overtop a foreboding minor-key guitar line which finally explodes into power chords and Cheetah Chrome’s brash guitar solo. The verse pummels forward as Stiv Bators lists all the things he doesn’t need including family, beauty, and the human race. It builds towards a chorus that tells you why he doesn’t need any of that stuff. Because he’s a god damn rock and roller and one day he’ll be a ten foot tall Pharaoh and you won’t be shit. The song barrels forward all the way to the end with Ohio’s trademark street-walking-cheetah-with-a-heart-full-of-napalm raw power and swagger.
The Jam: The Eton Rifles
This fantastic tune begins with an intro of crashing minor chords, splashy drums, and a catchy repeated bass figure. Then breaks in to a double verse based on a two chord vamp of clanging guitar stabs and punctuated by a two chord turnaround contained in an unusual extra measure as bassist Bruce Foxton proves that drums, guitar, and a Rickenbacker bass is all you need to fill up the sonic palette. Buried in the mix, Paul Weller cleverly tells the story of a street fight between working class protest marchers and students from the prestigious UK prep school Eton in his unpretentiously accented baritone. During the chorus his vocal line climbs and the chord changes accelerate climaxing with a repeated “Eton Rifles” hook based on a melodic figure made memorable by its widely spaced intervals. The tonality darkens to minor for the unbalanced-feeling 9 measure bridge, perfectly framing the lyrics in which Weller describes his feelings of shame and disappointment with his comrades who were more interested in posturing than repelling the attacks of the future ruling elite. An instrumental section sandwiched between repetitions of the bridge that includes organ and reggae-influenced guitar delay showcases the band’s versatility. A vitriolic final verse and extended final chorus decays into cacophony before it is tied together by several restatements of the main theme mirrored by palm muted guitar before a definitive final hit. As strong a song as was ever written.
Generation X: Kiss Me Deadly
Pre-White-Wedding Billy Idol and company turned out this masterpiece of a song which is built on a verse, prechorus, and chorus that flow into each other so naturally and evolve so organically through the song that they create a nearly inseparable musical unit. This brilliant structure provides the backdrop over which Idol paints a picture of rebellious youth in the UK in the late 70’s characterized by love, sex, fights, flights, drugs, and old-school rock and roll. It begins with delicate guitar arpeggios venturing through a chord progression that is more reminiscent of The Zombies than The Ramones. Bold drums enter during the second verse foreshadowing the huge guitar onslaught that picks up and carries the song through to its end. After a melodic guitar solo, the chorus is extended during the final musical unit repeating the memorable title, “Kiss Me Deadly.” Exploited may have gotten right to the point with “Sex and Violence” but Generation X was able to translate the eros/thanatos theme into a brilliant work of punk rock art.
Black Moon Tape has just dropped their new video for “Reset”. Since 2016, the Belgian duo, made up of Will Z. and drummer Pierre Vancraenenbroeck, has been piecing together years of unfinished projects and unreleased concepts that Will Z. worked on as a teenager in the 90’s. The result was The Salvation of Morgane, the band’s debut album, which dropped in 2017, re-released in 2018 with more tracks, and an EP, Reset. Will Z. has previously been a part of Cosmic Trip Machine, as well as working as a solo artist, and is now joined by drummer Vancraenenbroeck to create Black Moon Tape. Though a Belgian band, Will Z. sings in English, and draws from a variety of genres to create Black Moon Tape’s own melding of psychedelic rock.
The pair now drops the video for “Reset”, created out of pixel art, taking the viewer on a psychedelic journey that explores the stress and pressure put on music to put out numbers in today’s world.
Deepening their roots in the Chicago, Illinois music scene, two piece rock outfit Arthhur has brought their a-game with their newest single release, “Come Meet the Opposite Committee,” off their album of the same name. Along with having every component that composes a successful song, the underlying meaning behind the lyrics brings an all new wave of depth and social importance. Combined with their stellar beats and rhythms, Arthhur speaks up for those who deal with obsessive compulsive disorder as well as anxiety through his many musical movements and detailed lyrical presence. Throughout the track, the music is often punctuated with sudden loud releases of talent and excitement.
In what they consider, “a labor of love,” Arthhur built the new ten track album from the ground up and have come out with a masterpiece that is bound to get some traction throughout the music community. Songs like “Sheffield & Armitage” and “Katalog” are comforting in their existence, while tracks like “Character Death” and “Oral Anxiety Exam” are intriguing simply because of their titles, and continue to captivate the listener throughout. Each track is beautifully written, with lyricism tactics to combat the rest. In the future, fans can expect more art from this group that is equally as powerful and meaningful as Come Meet the Opposite Committee.
Come Meet the Opposite Committee is available now.
We wanted to pick a theme that relates to the type of music we played, the music that influenced our sound, and the music that speaks to each of us personally. A couple suggestions came out that had the words glitter, psychonautic and rock, but we eventually settled on Sonic Glitter Bomb. Once we each started picking songs, we realized that not all of the songs were very glittery… Someone said, okay this is like anarchy on the playlist and thats what we ended up with! It makes perfect sense for this playlist. What you get is anarchy on any given theme. We all come from different musical backgrounds and have different influences, whether its’s metal, punk, grunge, garage or americana…but all of us unite under the umbrella of rock and roll!
Seattle based duo Prize the Wild have just released their debut track, “Go Nowhere”. Prize the Wild is made up of Ben Litwin and Eli Mueller, who met in Boulder, Colorado in 2014 and are now based in Seattle. The pair brings an organic element to electro pop, bringing in trumpet and a lively beat to a sprawling soundscape that is both diverse and concise. “Go Nowhere” is only a first taste of what Prize the Wild can do; their debut EP is coming soon, and looks to follow the same authenticity that “Go Nowhere” possesses.
In a world of increasingly mixed-genre music and interconnected sounds, Prize the Wild has clearly found their niche. Appealing to a variety of listeners, “Go Nowhere” includes both indie-rock aspects and a tinge of electronica. Whatever side of electro-rock-pop you’re looking for, Prize the Wild has got you covered. Their song may be called “Go Nowhere”, but Prize the Wild is certainly going somewhere, and we can’t wait to see where their musical journey takes them.
Self-proclaimed indie “space” rock duo Neverthere – comprised of Andrew Sclafani and Robert Ragosta – is hitting the ground running with the cinematic new music video for their single “Labs”. While raspy vocals encase the listener in this rich, indulgent sound, the video takes you through what looks to be a couple’s pretty insane romantic journey. What pulled the man in? What happened during the course of it all? What are they fighting about? And why did he just wake up on a beach alone?
Figure it all out during the course of the 3:36 video right now!
EP1 is out now. Keep up with Neverthere here. (If they’re ever there. HA!)
Breaking out of the mold and into the limelight that is so highly sought after is fresh new band The Hails. Over the past few months, Robbie Kingsley (lead vocals), Dylan McCue (guitar), Franco Colari (vocals and guitar), Andre Escobar (base) and Zach Levy (drums) have taken their raw talent and turned it into a new single that has now reached over 150 thousand fans in less than one month. Their latest single, “Younger,” alone has created a name for this young group in the music industry that is not soon to be forgotten.
Since the release, streaming stats have flown through the roof which landed them the #1 spot on Hype Machine over the past few days. This hot new single has won over the hearts of fans and critics alike with its alternative rock rhythms and 70’s groove throwback vibes. Not only do they put a fresh twist on a classic sound that has been loved for decades, but they are also able to add their own unique flare that has set them apart from the rest of the alt rock community. Another stunning aspect of The Hails is their high levels of confidence in their live performances that blows fans away and far surpasses their competitors. No doubt this is a group to keep an eye on as they continually grow and fill the expectations that they have set for themselves.
Don’t miss out on any of The Hails’ new music! Follow them on their official website!
In the world of alternative rock and upcoming young artists, Ward has sprinted up the ladder, gathering a large fan following and quickly making his name known throughout the country. Most recently, Ward has unveiled his newest single, “Crush,” which is both hypnotic and full of vibrant soundscapes which show his knack for skillfully arranging beats and lyrics in a harmonious work of art. Since the beginning of his career in the music industry, Ward has found more success and fulfillment than at any other time in his life. In 2016, it was clear to him that the life he was living was lack luster and far beneath his talent and skill. Since then, he has put all of his efforts into developing and maturing his unique sound, performing on stages throughout the country and spending all of his time offstage in the recording studio.
Not only does Ward come with copious amount of skill and talent, but his team has also been known to propel artists into a perpetual line of success. Producer Chris Keup and Darrell Thorpe have taken the raw aptitude and turned it into a alt rock masterpiece. Over the past few years, Ward has been able to maintain his catchy 90’s rock feel and the fans are eating it up.
