It seems like the vintage sounding, duo powered, garagey-blues-rock format made famous by the White Stripes still has a lot to give to rock’n’roll. Brand new Brooklyn band (via Virginia) Winstons has been generating some buzz in town with that simple formula, enhanced by a truly wild live performance. The two hairy dudes started the project in January 2014 and in just twelve months managed to land rather hot bills in medium size venues like Rough Trade and Baby’s All Right. They will return to the stage of the latter tomorrow (01.15) to celebrate their first release (in appropriately "garagey" cassette format), entitled "Turpentine." If you can relate to blues, loud sound, and are in need of letting go of some frustration through a cathartic mosh pit, this band might do you some good. On the bill also ex Brooklyners (now Nashvillians) Clear Plastic Masks.
New Track: “All Over (Bear//Face Remix)” – CRUISR
We dig CRUISR‘s track "All Over." It’s catchy with the feel-good vibes that we’ve come to know and love from frontman Andy States’ songwriting. However, this new remix for the song by Bear//Face is really hitting all the right spots on our cortex. Check it out below, and catch CRUISR tomorrow night at The Barbary on a stacked local bill with Cold Fronts and Needle Points!
Keeper
Vocal group Keeper is next up in our look at the four artists nominated for Artist of the Month. Keeper is three Austin ladies, and they are undoubtedly leading the way when it comes to local singing talent collaborating with ATX beatmakers. Working from the premise of creating interesting harmonies to complement production by some of our most quality hiphop and electronic music producers like Pagame, Anna Love and Boombaptist, Keeper are giving local tracks stunning local vocals. It’s nice when you can source that shit from the home team, and even nicer when you end up with a quality sound like Keeper’s, which floats somewhere between pop and old R&B, but with a definite awareness of the electronic music vocalists of the past. It’s not hard to imagine that some upcoming track collab between an Austin producer on top of their game and Keeper on theirs will get some major national attention pretty soon. Keep an ear on these guys, and vote for em to the right if you’re so inclined.
Con Brio Gears Up to Release New EP – Kiss The Sun – 2/3
San Francisco based R&B soul group, Con Brio is preparing to release a six track EP this winter. Their new release, Kiss The Sun is due out on February 3rd and is a smooth and sensual R&B album that is perfect for chilling with friends in an intimate setting or creating the mood for some baby makin’!
We don’t get too much local rhythm and blues music that we really dig, but Con Brio’s Kiss the Sun is impressively produced, sexy and modern. They’re a sizzling musical group and you’ll have a chance to see them perform live at their album release show on Valentine’s Day (2/14), 2015!
Cliffhanger
Pop Punk band Cliffhanger self-released their sophomore EP, Cut The Ties, today.
You can catch Cliffhanger at Quenchers on Jan. 31st with What It Do, Rhone, and Aboveandbelow.
Paperhaus’ new single “So Slow”
Paperhaus released a new single, "So Slow", through Alt Citizen yesterday. The third single (the first being "Cairo," the second "Untitled") off their forthcoming album, this one’s the prettiest, opening with a gorgeous reverb, and breaking into a mellow island jam, with low background vocals echoing and panning off the main vocal, and then gradually, and oh so subtly picking up with casual "oo-oos" before the fiery lead guitar and an organ lift a chorus out of the chill waves and into a sparkly sky of an indie-rock mid-section. "And if you want to feel emotion, then you need to stop thinking that you’re going slow." A life lesson, and an instruction manual to this delicate and intricate track. It’s my favorite so far.
The full album will be released Saturday, February 7th, at DC Music Download’s Third Birthday and Benefit for DC Punk Archive (with Deli favorites Loud Boyz, and Baby Bry Bry). –Natan Press
New Track: “Peaches” – The Districts
With their LP A Flourish and a Spoil due out in roughly a month on February 10 via Fat Possum, Lititz natives turned Philly residents The Districts have released a new single “Peaches.” The contemplative song has a relaxed, rolling tempo that escalates at contextual points, searing into your skull. You can catch the crew on February 14 at Union Transfer. (Photo by Ryan Farber)
Joe Pug “Stay and Dance”
Joe Pug has released a second single from his forthcoming album, Windfall, due out March 10, 2015 on Lightning Rod Records. The album is also now available for preorder.
You can still catch Pug at House of Blues on Jan. 17th.
Mucca Pazza on Rooftops Sessions
Rooftop Sessions released their session with the mega performance band Mucca Pazza. The band was filmed over the summer on the rooftop of WBEZ. The band released their latest album L.Y.A. this past October and the album included a festive and icy tune called "Holiday On Ice".
2014 Year End Polls For Emerging Artists: Results Scene by Scene
LATEST NEWS: NYC FINAL RESULTS! Porches – KANSAS CITY FINAL RESULTS! Bummer – PHILLY FINAL RESULTS! Sheer Mag – LA FINAL RESULTS! Dorothy – CHICAGO FINAL RESULTS! Zaramela – PORTLAND FINAL RESULTS! The Domestics – DC AREA FINAL RESULTS! Typefightrer – SF BAY AREA FINAL RESULTS! Down and Outlaws – AUSTIN FINAL RESULTS! – Löwin – NEW ENGLAND FINAL RESULTS! – Dark Rodeo – TORONTO FINAL RESULTS! – Teenage Kicks
For the full summary click…
RFA EP Release Show at The Fire Jan. 13
With a new bassist Brendan McHale in the fold, quartet RFA (a.k.a. The Really Fast Automobiles – ha…now you know why they go by their initials) plays a show this evening at The Fire. Not so coincidentally, today also marks the release of the group’s new EP Freaking Out. The EP is chock-full of steady flowing energetic rockers that contagiously infect your earwaves. Dan Cousart’s earnest yet measured crooning tone coupled with even-keeled, easy-grooving instrumentation that lets loose at opportune moments. Speaking of loose-energy, you can ride the surf-rocking wave of local trio Astrobrain and pop songstress Courtney Halpin. The eerie rock of Boston’s Oh, Malô rounds out the evening. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 8:30pm, $7, 21+ (Photo by Matt Yeandel) – Michael Colavita