Folk-pop duo Starbird & the Phoenix – made up of Courtney Bassett and Andrew Swackhamer – are back with a groovy acoustic rendition of the hit song, “Sunbeam”. Producing a video full of summery feel-good vibes, the two are jamming out in a quaint space allowing the viewer to feel as if they’re right in the studio with the artists. Between Andrew shredding on the ukulele and Courtney hitting astronomically high notes, you can’t do anything but “groove along with me” as the lyrics suggest. Great for a pick me up, one watch through the video will have your soul feeding off the energy of the two in no time. Be sure to catch this wonderful remake of “Sunbeam” the week of August 12 and allow yourself to dive into the world of Starbird and the Phoenix.
Fullerton-based indie rock musician The Late Innings (Vincent Sinex) is coming at us hard with the video premiere for his track “Our Secret”. The song itself takes almost a spoken word tempo, packed with entertaining lyrics. As we get an audible glimpse into simpler times in the bay area, we are drawn to the adventurous nature of topographically-designed lyrics.
Explains Vincent:
I made the ‘Our Secret’ video entirely using topographical maps. I wanted to capture the restless feeling of a traveler going from one place after another, searching for that perfect spot. I’ve always been fascinated by maps and travel. When I was younger, I would spend many hours poring over atlases and maps, studying place names and doing things like learning state capitals. To make the video, I took screen captures from United States Geological Survey topographical maps and used them to illustrate not only the lyrics of the song, but also the types of places (beaches, coves and bays) the traveler encounters in the song.
This song itself is about a guy who travels to a place he considers his ‘secret’ vacation spot, only to find out that the place is now overrun with tourists. He’s disappointed to discover that something he used to think of ‘his’ is now a place that apparently everybody now knows about. The inspiration for this song came from a trip of my own, where we went to a beach that seemingly no one knew about, and we had the whole place to ourselves that afternoon. After that trip, I thought, ‘The next time I want to go back there, will it still be a secret, especially since in the age of social media, nothing is a secret anymore?
Nothing is a secret, and we can all relate. Check out the video below!
New Orleans-based rock collective The Revivalists – comprised of David Shaw, Zack Feinberg, Andrew Campanelli, Ed Williams, George Gekas, Rob Ingraham, Michael Girardot, and PJ Howard – have injected such soul and intensity into this track, that’s hard not to feel it in your bones. The song details a “wide eyed wonder” who seems to be causing trouble left and right, and the song is a way of coping with such a wild personality, which we can all truly relate to on some level. The layers of the instrumentals make for a sound your ears will perk up to, while the vocals make you want to lose control. The video has been shot quite remarkably, giving the viewer a peek into what life in the studio might look like for a band with this type of magnetic energy and talent. Check it all out below, and let us know what you think on our Facebook page!
Pop rock outfit Swimming With Bears – comprised of Joe Perry (Lead Vocals / Bass), Alec Conte (Lead Guitar), Jonny Boy Kerr (Rhythm Guitar), and Ryan Hannasch (Drums) – recently released their upbeat single “Don’t Think About It”, and we’re all in with the energy on this one. The accompanying video, however, is on a whole other level. Take four guys and throw them into an enclosed area with instruments and see what unfolds! We love this video because of its simplicity, and we love the guys even more for the personality that they pour into their performance. We’re guessing this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their live performance chops, and we’re thrilled. Check out both the song and its video below, and let us know what you think on Facebook!
Not only is The Federal Empire’s new song “I Never Liked Your Friends” an absolute bop, but the music video will keep you coming back for multiple viewings. Starting off as a sweet birthday party the scene quickly becomes a humorous mess as things take a turn for the worse. Featuring BooBo Stewart from Twilight and the talented Lindsey Stirling this video promotes feelings that everyone can relate to. The band made up of Chad Wolf and McKay Stevens originally only collaborated to make music for other bands but eventually realized the potential they had if they kept some music for their own projects. Thankfully from this alliance, we now have The Federal Empire, their new album The American Dream, and this retro music video for “I Never Liked Your Friends” to enjoy.
Though we have to wait until September 13th for the debut release from Los Angeles quartet The Paranoyds, we are being kept calm, cool and collected with the release of the music video for their surf-tinged rock single “Carnage Bargain”. The group – comprised of Staz Lindes, Laila Hashemi, Lexi Funston, and David Ruiz – has hit the ground running with a lot of buzz around their work, and we’re particularly big fans of it. The new video is fun, with footage of the band adventuring, singing, and seemingly enjoying themselves, as they sing of a less upbeat topic. Explains Lindes:
It’s an extremely vulnerable time in America–things aren’t sugar coated anymore. The dirt and grime that was swept under the rug has risen to surface. It’s impossible for us to get through a day without thinking of the thousands of migrant children in cages at the border alone, some without proper beds, soap, toothbrushes, and with lights on 24/7. We can not continue to ignore the black lives, young and old, taken by police almost every week. The plastic crisis. The mass shootings. The extreme need for prison reform. The opioid crisis. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The list goes on, and the hole gets deeper. Sometimes I can’t sleep and I wonder: do they sleep well in the White House? What else can I do as a privileged citizen? They want to get a Carnage Bargain. I want to pick up garbage.
Check out the relatable track and its accompanying visual below!
Tour Dates:
09/05/19 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
09/06/19 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House *
09/07/19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar *
09/09/19 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda *
09/10/19 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada *
09/11/19 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar *
09/13/19 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa *
09/14/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Hell Stage) *
09/15/19 – Raleigh, NC @ Motorco *
09/17/19 – Washington, D.C. @ U Hall *
09/19/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
09/20/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Philamoca *
09/21/19 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
09/23/19 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe *
09/24/19 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement *
09/25/19 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
09/28/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street *
09/29/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
09/30/19 – St. Louis, MO, Firebird *
10/03/19 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird #
10/04/19 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews #
10/05/19 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Grill #
10/07/10 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge #
11/01/19 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord
11/02/19 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
11/03/19 – Reno, NV @ The Holland Project
11/05/19 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
11/06/19 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
* = supporting Bleached
# = supporting White Reaper
Though the first line of TOOPOOR‘s new single feels like the intro to an early 2000s pop/punk track, with the quick addition of the instrumentals comes an understanding that her sound exists more in a modern punk sphere, though TOOPOOR’s vocals would indicate a hint of pop inspiration. “Lamented” leisurely glides along, TOOPOOR’s vocals light and airy over the track, as she sings of a more “complicated” existence. Heartbreak, depicted as actual death, is the visual of choice, as enacted by director Gilbert Trejo. It’s truly a sight to see. So take a break from you day and enjoy!
The summertime is enchanting. The sun is out, our schedules are insane but we are much more likely to enjoy it at this point in the year. It’s hot outside, but my friends are still finding the time and energy to play four outdoor softball. I, however, am sitting inside. I’m raking in the cool air, spritzing my plants, and watching new music videos like it’s no one’s business. Below, find some of my favorites from July so far. Our little list includes Jagwar Twin, Of Monsters and Men, GRAE, Emily Hackett, Modern Love Child, Bat For Lashes, Shinedown, Goblin Prince, Ivan Ave, and more!
Keep your eyes glued to this soundtrack for the rest of the month to see more new videos pop up!
Grand Canyon has just released their newest body of work, an EP titled Yesterday’s News. The five-track collection covers enormous ground with explosive back road Americana, dreamy psychedelic storytelling, hard-hitting social commentary, and the sour wounds of heartache. The band’s spirited, defiant, D-I-Y attitude is captured in the music video for their single “Yesterday’s News”, as lead singer and guitarist Casey Shea struts solo through the bustling streets of London.
Filmed on an iPhone by guitarist-turned-cinematographer Joe Guese, the video is a prime example of an impromptu good time caught on tape: the members had a day off in London between shows and asked themselves if there was any way they could quickly engineer a much-needed video for “Yesterday’s News”. Creative energies aligned, and the grainy video, bubbling over with Shea’s individuality, was finished in the snap of a finger. Said Shea to Billboard, “There’s just a good vibe about the video. It has attitude. I love seeing the double decker buses everywhere. It seems like it was just meant to be.”
We can’t help but agree.
P.S.: Fate strikes the video at 1:17, when a truck drives by bearing the slogan, “Carrying you through the 21st century!”, a serendipitous nod to track four on the EP, “21st Century American Man”.
