Detroit-based pop musician Julie Haven has put an intense amount of emotion into her latest single, as clearly indicated in its title “See Me Cry”. The first track of her upcoming EP hits the airwaves today, and we have your exclusive first listen! With a theatrical sense to it all, Haven has drawn from 80s and 90s influences to create a soundscape that will have you belting the lyrics out your window any day now.
Today, we sit down with Daniel Levi Goans. He is one half of the folk duo Lowland Hum, comprised of both he and his wife, Lauren Plank Goans. We had the unique pleasure of catching up with him in a rare quiet moment in the lead to the release of their new album Glyphonic. Check it out.
HēranSoun is about to truly take the world by storm. His brand of indie alternative has been crafted through years of obsession with music. His perspective is wildly different than most, as he lived mostly in silence until the age of nine. It was at that age that he was able to hear fully for the first time, and music became his muse. You can truly tell that this is the case when listening to his debut single “Barricade”. Sprawling, ethereal, enigmatic. Check it out below.
Funk artist Boulevards (Jamil Rashad) recently released his brand new fourteen-track stunner YADIG! We learned quickly that this album is going to be included in our stack of favorites for 2019, hands down. From first track “Lord Knows”, there is a sense of absolute comfort in the landscape of this album, a feeling of warmth within its funk-filled tracks.
As Boulevards bounces from topic to topic with the introduction of each new track, we are taken back in time a bit to a sound that is very reminiscent of the 70s. Funk is what Boulevards has mastered, an unconventional type that finds these tracks perfect for a gallery opening, small backyard barbecue, or a wedding day soundtrack. To find something that versatile and this lush is absolutely unheard of, and we’re floored by the artistry of YADIG!
“Wine & Roses” might be alt-pop musician Viana‘s debut single, but that fact isn’t something you could tell from the production quality of the song. The carefully woven lyrics over beds of instrumentals and a hard bass line make you want to dance and slow things down all at once.
Viana’s vocals bring out an edge that make us feel even more powerful as the song goes on. We’re big fans, and cannot wait to see how her career unfolds in the coming months and years!
In 2017, I was out in the most phenomenal weather, covering Bonnaroo as Editor of another publication. It was an integral year for me as a photographer and reviewer, and a whirlwind experience during which I happened to be dubbed “Mayor of Bonnaroo” by one of its creators. As Bonnaroo 2019 approaches this week, we are presenting some flashback beauts of that festival. Below, find some fun portraits of Nashville’s Creature Comfort in the artist lounge.
Multi-talented arts collective 2012 Bid Adieu is coming in HOT with their new nine track album We Died in 2012: This is Hell. Both the collective’s name and the album name originated with their claim that the world actually ended in 2012 and we might just be living in “a hell masquerading as normality.” We can’t necessarily argue that on a day-to-day basis, but we can say that the unique sounds and beautiful vocals captured within this work are at least a temporary escape from said hell. There is a groove-worthy undertone to the majority of the tracks, and they seem to capture an emotion more than anything as the instrumentals weave in and out.
After listening to this release, you’ll fall in love with 2012 Bid Adieu, as they have created a sonic landscape that is truly genre-less, something people of their generation can lean into. The openness and fluidity of the group itself – with their non-exclusive list of contributors and art forms – is an exquisite thing to witness. Take a listen below.
TRACKLISTING
01. Weird Place
02. Laced With Love For My Girl
03. Friends
04. Out The Window
05. Alot2unpack.zip
06. y2k12
07. D’angelo Type beat
08. Calours
09. Something To Tell You
Oliver Ray‘s debut album is an audible kaleidoscope that takes you on a winding and beautiful sonic journey, a facet so many recent releases seem to lack. Beginning with “Ol Coyote”, Out Passed Nowhere brings us track after track of subtly impactful songs, a bit of twang and a whole lot of heart added in.
Ray has a bit of a Bob Dylan flare to his vocals, particular songs like “Setting Sun” bring it out in droves, though it seems to add a level of comfort that heightens the already warm landscape. “Tower and the Star” introduces a sound that is both futuristic and of past times, enhanced by endless reverb. For those reasons and many more, it is our favorite gem off of the release.
But what’s yours? “Queen of Never”? “Wise Blood”? Share with us on Facebook!
Brooklyn-based folk roots musician W.C. Beck recently released 10-track album First Flight. There is a warmth about the work in its entirety , from the first lines of initial track “Steel Bird” can attest to that, though if you listen through “Colosseum” and the slow, gorgeous demeanor of “The Long Way Home”, you just may come to agree with us. “Unknown Bust” speeds things up quite a bit, and could easily be the soundtrack to a sunny-day montage with all of your loved ones, while “A Place to Land” is more vulnerable, both lyrically and sonically.
“Powder Blue” is inspirational and uplifting in its disposition, and while we “turn it around” after listening, “Grey” brings us to a slow, simplified track that is just as melancholic and beautiful as the color itself can be. “(Holding on” To a Coast” has a glittering, summer country soul vibe to it, and it has us salivating over our next BBQ soundtrack. But “Among the Waves” is the true beach day staple, as you can truly imagine walking over the dunes to the waves in slow motion to this gem of a track. Beck rounds it all out with a layered, crawling beaut of a track called “Cathy Jo” that seems to be the most introspective and lovely track of the bunch. By the end, we feel relaxed and admire the adventure Beck was able to carve for us sonically.
01. Steel Bird
02. Colosseum
03. The Long Way Home
04. Unknown Bust
05. A Place to Land
06. Powder Blue
07. Grey
08. (Holding On) To a Coast
09. Among the Waves
10. Cathy Jo