Has anyone else felt a little ruffled throughout the new year so far? 2019 has been pretty thrilling, and pretty unexpected in several ways. Well, we haven’t found a track yet this year that captures that feeling quite as poetically as Kathleen‘s “The Longest Year”. Theatrical in its disposition, the song perfectly displays the artist’s emotion-driving vocals, and we’re hooked.
Keep up with Kathleen here.
Los Angeles-based art pop duo KiSMiT have really taken things to a slow, playful, soulful place with new track “Look No Further”. Once again perfectly displaying Barnette’s vocal range and incredible emotional depth, “Look No Further” is truly everything we need to believe in love again.
Expands KiSMiT on the track:
No human escapes desire and its open endlessness. “Look No Further” is about trusting that there is an infinite well of love within one relationship. As we come to our 6 years of loving one another, the subtle has only become more sublime, the depths we’ve experienced together have been beyond what we could have imagined, like a fine wine only getting better with time.
With the state of the world and all of the violence and horror we are constantly reminded of, we just want to put more love out there.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’ve got your exclusive premiere right here.
Keep up with KiSMiT here.
Tommy Bazarian’s, known by his musical space Lampland, debut album No Mood is debuting with a thunderous wave of emotion and sounds that will make you sway. Bazarian utilized his day job of being a radio producer to form the album’s lyrics, and his past formed the stories that are portrayed with drum loops, synths, and even a dash of some trumpets.
Bazarian’s vocals remind this listener faintly of The Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan. The whispering-moody feeling is definitely present throughout, but Bazarian makes it his own with his ability to compose unique music that is not like that of the loose comparison I have made.
This description on Lampland’s website, which you can find here, perfectly encapsulates what this debut album brings to the table sonically:
“In the spirit of Paul Simon’s solo albums, No Mood features almost as many genres as tracks. Alt-country rockers sit next to Elliott Smith four-track recordings, followed by dramatic full band arrangements. It’s all held together by Bazarian’s distinctive voice, by his vivid lyrics, and by his restless energy. Which, by the end of the album, he’s come to accept. ‘I know that you don’t blink insanely’, he sings. ‘Well, I do.'”
You can find more information on Lampland and No Mood at https://www.lamplandband.com/.
Italian shoegaze musical act Be Forest – comprised of Costanza Delle Rose (Bass and vocals), Nicola Lampredi (Guitar), and Erica Terenzi (Drum, synths and vocals) – released their new full-length today, a swirling and intense collection of songs titled Knocturne. Beginning with the moody instrumental track “Atto I”, the soundscape doesn’t vary too much heading into “Empty Space”, though additional background vocals and reverb are layered in. By third track “Gemini”, you realize the soundscapes are all strikingly similar, and that you’re truly on an instrumental adventure that could not have been laid out – and taken as successfully – any other way. “K’ is most notable for its quirky percussion amidst the same whirring guitars and intense disposition as its predecessors.
“Sigfrido”, somehow, brings us into an even darker soundscape, making this work of art much moodier than Earthbeat, which came before it in 2014. This song belongs in a transformational film, and we’re backing that idea 100%. “Atto II” has the clear markings of its first, though definitely begins in a more mysterious place, eventually exploding into a cacophony of ominous sound.
“Bengala” has a much more noticeable 80s influence, the beginning bringing the mood back up slightly. It doesn’t altogether abandon the darkness, as there are guitar parts that simply belong on the Warped stage and iron out any feelings of overwhelming lightness we may have shifted into. We wonder most about the inspiration behind the track “Fragment”, as it is packed with finesse and strength, leading us perfectly into last track “You, Nothing” which simplifies the instrumental pace slightly, allowing us to really enjoy Costanza’s vocals.
Keep up with Be Forest here.
Kaz Murphy‘s music is about as Americana as it gets, and his newest release Ride Out The Storm is no exception. This folk artist’s sound is that of the old west, forming stories with each lyric and melodic refrain. Kaz has had an illustrious career, stemming from his beginnings as a lead-singer and drummer at age 10. He established himself as a respected writer of musicals in the 1980s, transitioning to music after forming a folk new wave band in 1988. Multitudes of bands and projects later, Murphy as come to Ride Out The Storm, which can be seen as a return to his roots.
Each track on this album paints a picture, forming simple, yet elegant, audio tapestries for us to envision while listening. Stories of younger days, tough times, and perseverance are spread throughout the 11 song project. While listening, I couldn’t help but think about my own difficult situations. I also couldn’t help to make a vocal and sound comparisons to country-western artist Marty Robbins and the illustrious Johnny Cash.
For those looking to get lost in deep Americana story telling, then Ride Out The Storm is the album you must listen to. Ride Out The Storm is out now. You can visit Kaz Murphy’s website at https://kazmurphy.com/ for more information.
Nashville-based rock collective Damsel and Distress has a flare for the dramatic, and is fronted by Alisha Lynn on powerful lead vocals. A true anthem for people who have been crushed by egos in relationships, their new track “Not Your Type” premieres today. The track is something you’ll want to belt out alone sometimes (a la Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion, but not in the same style), most likely in the shower or while driving. It really provides the necessary edge we’ll be needing for our week.
Explains Alisha Lynn of the single:
There was a time—and there have been several times like it—where a guy was so very sure that I was going to come crawling after him just because of who he was. He had this mentality that every girl seemed to fall right into his hand if he wanted them and he figured that, surely, I would do the same. But oh, no. I don’t quite work that way. I wanted to write a song about how I wasn’t his type—the type to just follow him home or go along with his weird ego mind-game. When I brought the idea to the band, we wrote it as an anthemic and powerful “no.” So I guess now he’ll get the point.
“Not Your Type” officially drops on February 8th. Keep up with Damsel and Distress at www.DAMSELANDDISTRESS.com.
We’ve been lucky enough to have explored the talents of Jealous of the Birds in the past, but today we’re thrilled to share one of our favorite new EPs. Jealous of the Birds has released a vintage-tinged bevy of gorgeous work for our ears to soak up in the quiet moments, and to truly enjoy. Starting with “Marrow”, Naomi Hamilton weaves a wonderful sonic adventure for us, storytelling with the best of them. “New York Has A Lump In Her Throat” has a bit of a melancholic feel to it, as the title would suggest. “Blue Eyes” is the standout rock track, energetically pulling you from your seat. Even with brown eyes, we can’t stop dancing.
“Kosiskelu” imposes upon its surroundings a cocoon of comfort, a feeling of calm that is unique to Hamilton’s voice. “Clementina” is how Hamilton has chosen to complete the release, a meandering and delicately layered song that is somehow intensely heart-wrenching. Perhaps it’s the tranquil soundscape, the hint of hope in the vocals, or the palpable feelings of puppy love. Either way, Wisdom Teeth is required listening.
Keep up with Jealous of the Birds here.
Through almost 15 years of intricate, involved lyricism – the crazy involved titles of the early days, the lineup rotations, the bevy of music videos and the expansion of Brendon’s vocal range – we’ve held on to our deep appreciation for Panic! @ The Disco. So to be asked to photograph Brendon Urie and his team of bandits at Sprint Center on Saturday night, there was zero hesitation. The performance itself was the most involved we’ve ever witnessed from the musical project, Urie’s energy palpable from the first jump out from the hole in the middle of the stage, to his last round of bows and high fives with the audience. The man absolutely thrives off of this life, and you can tell.
What, perhaps, is most notable about his show when comparing it to his performances of yesteryear – think ten years back – is that they have, somehow, become even more theatrical. That was what was so outstanding about Panic! @ The Disco when they emerged on the scene about 14 years ago, they existed as a beacon for the outcasts. The theatre kids, the gamers, the anti-socialites. And now here he is, all this time later, continuing to provide that entertaining escape for other generations, and leveling up with each step. (Just ask whoever he hired as his vocal coach in the past ten years, if you don’t believe us.)
In fact, he even took a moment during his set to bless an unborn child “in the state of Panic” which, to his credit, is a clever saying to have up his sleeve. (Or up his bare arm, depending on if he decides to keep his shirt on or not.)
Either way, here are some fun photos from the inclusive and beautiful evening.
Starting with the title track, Idaho-based teen musician Gabriella Rose spins her new Lost In Translation EP with an ethereal intensity that we haven’t experienced in a hot second. Vocals dripping with reverb, a slight twang, and a moderate tone to first draw your attention. “Dreams” takes on a darker tone, though still somehow just as transfixing vocally. It is at this point that we realize the true leader of Gabriella Rose’s body of work is her unique and radiant voice.
“Welcome To The Dollhouse” takes a deep look at mental health in a very real and emotional way, while “Requiem” drives the metaphorical melancholic truck forward, as she croons, “I stopped dreaming” along with a host of other things she is finished with, invoking a palpable sense of loss. “The Chair” and “Angel” round the 6-track work out, each addressing the topic of mental health – and allowing Gabriella Rose to explore hers in a very vulnerable way – in a very different and beautiful way.
Keep up with Gabriella Rose here.
