From the very depth of New Orleans based brother band Holy Knives comes their debut EP, Ritual Bloom. Over the past few months, fans and followers have gotten to know Kyle & Kody Valentine through their successful singles, “To Be Mine,” and “Every Day” – both of which have been released in recent months. Both of these releases have revealed a little bit more of what we can come to expect from such a young band. Creative and passionate are just two words that can be used to describe this dynamic duo. Their creative streak runs deep–right down to their name which was a clever combination of two of their favorite works of art, the film “The Holy Mountain” by Alejandro Jodorowsky and the poetry book The Singing Knives by Frank Stanford. Despite the fact that both of these artistic works are found in two separate mediums, their message of surviving a daunting quest through unpredictable circumstances to find solace in the beauty of knowledge.
Musically, these brothers have found their niche in a world that contains all of the rich overtones of classic rock and roll that is highlighted by a psychedelically, unique flare. Unlike most artists, the Valentine brothers have found a way to mix together two diverse worlds in the music universe to create something beautiful; just like the name chosen for their group.As the music and the plot therein thickens, listeners are totally and completely captured by the creative and intricate instrumental rhythms. All of the music produced by Holy Knives is intended to be intuitive and plain to all who stumble upon their work, much like a well written story. Without a doubt, this new release will aid them in their goal of becoming the best musicians they can be.
It’s a great day for a new EP! Toronto-based Century Thief is back with their new self-released EP, Deaf Beneath the Waves, which is their second release since their debut record, Reverie. Century Thief is made up of vocalist/guitarist Omar Shabbar, bassist, Dante Matas, drummer Colin McNally, guitarist/vocalist Michael Legere, Kathryn Kearns on keys, wind, and vocals, Adam Reid on brass. Says Century Thief about the creative recording process for Deaf Beneath the Waves,
We found it very important to have a bigger hand in the recording process, and decided to self-produce this material. In the spring of 2016, we isolated ourselves at a farmhouse in Northern Ontario for a week and a half to begin tracking, and then finalized the recordings at The Root Down Studio back home in Toronto. The result was songs that are darker, and more spacious, incorporating more electronic sounds, synthesizers, ambient noise, and effected guitars and vocals.
Deaf Beneath the Waves tracklist: 1. “406” starts off Deaf Beneath the Waves on a dramatic note. With full instrumentation and great vocals, Century Thief does not waste any time getting their EP going. Read more about “406” here. 2. “You Are Here” picks up where “406” left off. A bit mellower, but simply showcasing a different kind of strength. Century Thief clearly has an excellent hold on their composition, and knows how to display their well-crafted sound in the best way possible. 3. “Science of Solace” closes out the EP on a more upbeat tone. The most indie-rock of all the tracks, “Science of Solace” is filled with excellent harmonies, guitar, and bass. Til the last moment, Century Thief will have the listener hooked, holding onto every last note of the moving, soaring song.
Rock group Rad Horror is on the brink of success with the recent release of their four track EP Anti-Teenage Sensation Part 1. The collection of quirkily beautiful pop/rock tracks takes you back to that casual, laid back, feeling that we all crave from the 90s. The first track is called “Dark Times”, and is a song that takes you on a journey addressing people who act fake while making you feel like an outcast. Endearing as all hell, it paves the way perfectly for second track “Teenage Love”, which looks at the thin line between love and lust.
The album comes around full circle, touching on a variety of topics with “Stay Out” – which talks about all-too-relatable mind games – and “Only When You’re Lonely”, which seems to bring each topic element of the album together. Anti-Teenage Sensation Part 1 is a future classic at its finest, preparing us all for the ups and downs of summertime love.
Brazilian/American rock band Added Color are excited to release their latest EP Mr. Industry. The Brooklyn-based band has played has played 200 shows since 2014, touring in over 20 states and even internationally in Canada, Morocco, and Brazil. They have even played in festivals such as Porao do Roc in Brazil. With budding success, we’re thrilled to share the follow-up to their Psycho EP with you.
Mr. Industry covers an intense and diverse side of the band’s sound— the angst is in the lyrics and it is evident that this is rock that you can scream or even relax to. The song “My Industry” discusses the darker side music/entertainment industry in a very honest light. “Mr. Industry” discusses how many followers you have, what you can do to sell a band or a product and how is it that I can only live on ten dollars a day? “Mr. Industry” rightfully states “I call bullshit.” “Same Place” is a little different in the fact that it dials back the vibe to a more pyschedlic state. “I had a dream, in a familiar place but all the people that I thought I knew had unfamiliar faces,” sings the band. Added Color is able to keep a balance between chill/funky and “frustrated” rock with tracks that vary such as “Mr. Industry” and “Same Place.”
March 1 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd
March 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Tusk
March 15 – Norwich, CT – Strange Brew
March 16 – Portland, ME – Portland Empire
March 17 – Florence, MA – 13th Floor
April 28 – Layounne, Morocco
May 1 – Safi, Morocco
May 2 – Youssoufia, Morocco
May 3 – Benguerir, Morocco
May 4 – Casablanca, Morocco
May 5 – Khouribga, Morocco
May 6 – El Jadida, Morocco
May 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
June 15 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music
June 16 – New London, CT – 33 Golden St
Fresh off the presses, Jaunt‘s new 5-track EP Cue is ready for your waiting ears. Launched on Friday the 13th, there’s nothing spooky about this release, though it does play with dissonance and ambient sounds to bring you into a whole different soundscape than what you might be used to. While first track “Machined” feels like a slight machine interaction – small noises that lend themselves to its overall 70s-inspired feel -,second track “Best Case” continues at a slow tempo, the occasional guitar riff lending itself to a far more groovy sound.
“Intimate Sunset” exists in a soundscape similar to what the title infers. Beachy vibes almost drop from the speakers, and we’re already feeling like we’re on a much needed vacation. “Faster Interactions” is chill, groovy and psychedelic. With the use of a keyboard organ, soft high pitched vocals, and a variety of electronic sounds “Faster Interactions” stays true to its name. The video for “Faster Interactions” also really displays the band’s creativity with a psychedelic feel of fast paced iridescent lights and unexpected visuals.
Of “Faster Interactions” Jaunt says:
“Faster Interactions” is probably our zaniest track to date! It was one of the first written for Cue, but also took the longest to complete. We quickly knew that it would be a single, and playing it repeatedly live has helped us finesse it’s nuances. Caitlin and Eliza really helped bring a new energy and dynamic, ultimately making the song more joyous. We’re also trying very hard to bring back the sound of cheap keyboard orchestra hits in pop music.
They round out the magic with “Cued”, a slower track with more of a vibey, enchanting sound to it all. It’s the perfect bookend to what we have just experienced, and we’re enthralled enough to hear more.
Spelles is back with her second EP titled Skeleton Coast, which consists of five songs that define who Spelles is as an artist. The lead single from the album is titled “Dead in the Water”, which is a song with immense emotion and power. It has a pop vibe with a dark sound to it, showing that there is power that lives inside of us that we sometimes cannot recognize.
A favorite from the EP is “Light Me on Fire”, which captures Spelles’ powerful vocals as an artist and shows why she is destined to live out her musical dreams. The song is about staying to support someone instead of leaving them.
Listening to Spelles’ new EP is an absolute joy. After listening to her EP, the anticipation to see where she grows as an artist is exciting.
Portland-based Lisa/Liza is the indie psych-folk project of singer-songwriter and guitarist Liza Victoria, joined by Jonathan Downs and Devin Ivy. Having previously released several limited edition cassettes and CDs, as well as a debut 2016 LP Deserts of Youth, Lisa/Liza has now released a brand new EP in late February called Barn Coat.
The five-track EP highlights Lisa/Liza’s ability to capture deep emotion within ethereal, floating vocals and the carefully plucked acoustic guitar.
The track list for Barn Coat is:
“Vanity Plate”: Liza starts off her EP with a gentle folk song, easing the listener into her style and soft, all-encompassing soundscape.
“Encounters”: Next up on Barn Coat is a track that takes a more angsty spin on Liza’s sound, utilizing staccato and deeper guitar moments to carry the thematics of the song.
“The Robins Song”: Capturing the throaty repetition of a bird’s call, Liza matches her guitar pace to the this idea. A track full of longing and wishes, “The Robins Song” is sure to capture your heart.
“Windows Up”: If you’re needing a new song to roll your hand up and down out the window pretending you’re in a music video, look no further. With mellow guitar and emotional vocals, Liza makes the most of this track, highlighted with some unexpected twists.
“BC”: Closing out Barn Coat is “BC”, a short (and by short we mean 1:36) track that carries the EP home and wraps it up nicely. Throughout this track, Liza utilizes her clear vocals to pair with her guitar in a combination that was just meant to be.
If you’re a fan of acoustic guitar and minimalist records, this is the EP for you. Be sure to check it out today.
Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Such Luck is a pop punk group formed by members Ethan Campbell and Colt Coan after they left their previous band. They were later joined by Trey Juarez and Lyle Simon both from For the Team and Cody Miller from Embrace This Day. The band went on to release their debut single “Don’t Come Back” and from there, they plan on going up.
Such Luck gets Probably Happy with their new EP available March 16th. Probably happy is their debut EP to the public. Such Luck debut consists of five songs that display the bands true sound. “Wrong” is a personal favorite from the EP. The song sets the tone for the band, is raw and shows what the band is really about. Each song on the album brings its own flavor and stands out for different aspects.
With five songs to really kick up the panache, Probably Happy will definitely leave you wanting more by the time it is finished. The EP gives a glimpse into Suck Luck, making you eager for more music in the future.
Probably Happy is available everywhere March 16th. Keep up with Such Luck here.
Recently, Bergen-based folk artist Stíne Norse released four track stunner The Whale. StineNorse’s vocals leave their mark on each track, soft and full, taking the listener into a trance, mesmerized with each new tune. If we’re being honest, the entire album is a delight to listen to. One of the songs on the album is titled “Blue Ridge”. “Blue Ridge” is a song about traveling but not knowing where to go. The singer is singing going places but not wanting to go to the direct route she wants to go.
A personal favorite from the album is “Don’t Fall” which takes your heart in mind. The song teaches you to love yourself first before you love anyone else. The other songs from the EP are titled “November 9th” and “Glittering Gold on Boundary Road”. Four songs are simply not enough from StineNorse. The EP is well worth the listen and will leave you desiring more from her.
