israel nash @ crossroadskc
On August 3rd, Israel Nash regaled a sunset soaked audience as the opening act for Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats at CrossroadsKC. We got more than a handful of photos to give you a glimpse into the beauty.
jody seabody & the whirls, “grenade green”
Houston band Jody Seabody and the Whirls take it back to old school punk rock with their latest single, which is off their upcoming third album Hawksamillion. “Grenade Green” is a long track, tapering off at six and a half minutes. And majority of it is high intensity — it’s loud and jarring and absolutely mind-boggling. The lyrics are screamed rather than sung, giving it the true angry garage rock feel. This is the kind of music that is easily forgotten in this day and age, but JS&TW manages to embody the genre and turn it into a stand-out track.
At around the 4 minute mark, the song does a complete 180. The rock vibe is still there, but it’s slower and more mysterious. There are no lyrics, no screaming. Just the instrumental. The shift is surprising, yet welcome. It allows the anger from before to dissipate and turn into Led Zeppelin-esque classic rock and roll. This song seems to capture the ever-changing emotions of rock music in such a way that shows how this is a band that does not stay in one place.
Be sure to listen to their newest album, due out on August 24, and check them out on their upcoming tour. Keep up with the band here.
thutmose x nombe, “run wild”
With attention to minute detail given by its creators, enticing track “Run Wild” was the perfect lead-in to the brand new 6 track EP, Run Wild. Thutmose – a Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based hip hop artist – and NoMBe – the German-born, Los Angeles-based musical project by Noah McBeth – had already proven they could create luscious soundscapes, paired with lyrics that are descriptive and feel-good in nature.
The rest of the EP is no different, as you can witness below. At times, the duo slows it down to a amore mellow pace – as with tracks “Young & Reckless”, “Soft Top”, and “Summer’s Gone” -, highlighting the soulful aspects of their musical talents. And though we tend to glean positive vibes from the majority of the release, songs like “Summer’s Gone” – despite its hopeful, beautiful message of love – leave a melancholic feeling deep in your bones, foreshadowing that end of warmer months in the northern hemisphere in the coming months.
If you’re ready to be enveloped in a sound that is a buttery smooth version of Drake-meets-Kid Cudi-meets Shop Boyz, Run Wild is calling for you to fall in mutual love.
sheridan reed, “inspiration”
Over the last year my tastes in music have changed pretty dramatically, and with it how I’m moving forward with my writing and creative process. This playlist is a combination of new styles for me that influenced the creation of “We Should Both Be Here” and the rest of my current original set with a genre range from r&b, neo-soul, chill wave, and funk to soul pop.
Keep up with Sheridan Reed here.
black and blue, “influences”
It’s a playlist of all our influences & our favorite artists that inspire us. All these artists have contributed to our sound in some way, and each song is on this playlist is very important to us. These are artists and songs that molded Black And Blue as a group and our sound.
night shop, “the ship has sailed”
Night Shop is the latest project of former touring drummer-turned-songwriter Justin Sullivan, and he has released a new single from his upcoming debut album In the Break, which is set to be released on September 14. “The Ship Has Sailed” is a folksy ballad with a very contemplative nature. The pairing of dreamy vocals and the constant strumming of a gentle guitar reminds me of Paul Simon. The melody is slow and his voice is soothing, but his lyrics are heartbreakingly honest:
Two days, four months, three years and still no spring,
I’m just counting down until there is nothing.
Your heart breaks as well, oh well, tell the tale.
Despite the somber recount of a lost love, it isn’t an entirely sad song, and that is because of its emotional honesty. The song is parallel to the feeling of driving on an empty highway just before dawn – it’s dark and lonely, but it’s also hopeful, and you’ll eventually get to wherever you’re going.
Be sure to listen to Night Shop’s debut album due out next month (plus a nationwide tour), and keep up with him here.
charlie phllps, “little red light”
New York-based musician Charlie Phllps is ready to enchant your Wednesday with his soulful new track “Little Red Light”. From the first lines, his vocals take center stage, the instrumentals largely joining in later on in the track. At moments, the song is reminiscent of a modern spin on the late Michael Jackson. The percussion in “Little Red Light” is notable, utilized in a way that makes it almost impossible not to dance in some way to this song. And though the overarching theme is a bit more melancholy than the energy of the song would indicate, we feel like we have a special power — that we might even be a little stronger — listening to this song.
Keep up with Charlie Phllps here.
in the whale @ riot room
On July 30th, Denver-based rock collective In The Whale played to an excited crowd at Riot Room in Kansas City, MO. Photographer Ashleigh Lee was on hand to capture the energy for us.
Keep up with the band here.
wusa ft. iives, “ghost”
Making their debut release on quickly establishing label Paradise Circus is Berlin-based duo WUSA, who have dropped an undeniable banger in the form of “Ghost.” While there’s a touch of modern R&B to “Ghost,” the general feel is a stellar electronic vibe. IIVES’ languorous yet assertive vocals take the lead on this slice of weekend bliss, a song which should stay on the playlist of beach parties, impromptu park drinking sessions and rooftop gatherings throughout the summer.
It’s a glorious new release that deserves your attention – hit play below to soak it up.
Keep up with WUSA here.