Artist Spotlight: Luke Potter

Today's edition of Artist Spotlight comes to us from an artist you may know about already due to the interview that I posted just last week, Luke Potter. For those who need a little refresher, Luke is an extremely versatile and talented singer-songwriter emanating from Weston Super-Mare, a small coastal town in the United Kingdom, and has a simple, structured playing style similar to the likes of Goo Goo Dolls and Augustana with a strong emphasis put on melody and harmony that functions together quite well. I've heard of Luke by name only when one of his songs was played on the radio last summer, and I liked the straightforward approach the song took and didn't have to rely on extraneous musical effects that would have otherwise destroyed a truly delicate and passionate song. It was a honor to speak to Luke over the phone last week when conducting the interview, and I truly admire his dedication to his craft that is quite evident when you listen to his music as a whole, and I look forward to featuring him on the blog again in the future!

For more information on Luke Potter, click on his Facebook page here and 'Like' it as well so you can stay up to date on all his tour announcements that will hopefully be making its way stateside here in the U.S. this coming year. He can be followed on Twitter as well over here where you can communicate with him directly on an one-on-one basis and see what he's up to this very minute. If you would like to check out his debut EP titled One Day, it's available for free download on NoiseTrade at this link here and more of his music has been made available for purchase on iTunes as well if you're willing to have a listen. Plus, if you haven't already, check out the full transcript of my interview with Luke right over here.

fun., The National Headline Boston Calling Music Festival!

The lineup was just revealed this morning for the Boston Calling Music Festival, taking place on City Hall Plaza in Boston during the weekend of May 25th and 26th. The lineup features a star studded who's who of the indie community, including bands such as recent Grammy winners fun., The National, The Shins, Of Monsters And Men, Young The Giant, Matt and Kim, Portugal. The Man, Ra Ra Riot, The Cults, Bad Rabbits, and so much more.

For more info on the Boston Calling festival, click on their official website here where you can find out more about the performers and what dates they'll be performing on, links to buy tickets, and so much more pertinent information about this huge indie festival that is going to kick off the unofficial start of summer in rocking fashion!

MusicBoxPete Announces Partnership With MuzicNotez!!

I'm thrilled and proud to announce that MusicBoxPete has formed a partnership with MuzicNotez, an independent music label. This partnership will be extremely beneficial for any and all artists that have been featured in some way, shape, or form here on the blog.

How this will benefit the artists that have been featured here is that if you purchase a particular service from MuzicNotez, whether it be a press pack, merchandise, social media promotion, or websites, you'll receive a 5% discount off that purchase, enabling you guys to get the best bang for your buck and allow you to be recognized more prominently in the public eye! This is a great opportunity for any of my past Artist Spotlight features to take advantage of this exclusive opportunity and use this to your own advantage. When you're shopping, use the promo code "MusicBoxPete" at the checkout to receive your 5% discount, which will be deducted from your purchase automatically.

For more information on MuzicNotez and what they do for independent artists, click on their official website right here to see the full range of goods and services that they can provide for you.

Artist Spotlight: A Silent Film

Today's Artist Spotlight comes to us courtesy of the Oxford, England based band known as A Silent Film! The band consists of Robert Stevenson on lead vocals and piano, Karl Bareham on guitar, Ali Hussain on bass, and Spencer Walker on drums. The band has an ambient, piano based feel to them similar to the likes of Keane and Snow Patrol with a distinct and original sound that makes them easily identifiable to their listening audience. The band are huge movie buffs, as evidenced by the name of their group and their music does make a great soundtrack to your everyday life, and is designed to give you a everyday boost to get you going throughout the day. I stumbled across their song "Harbour Lights" randomly on the radio and I was impressed with the band's simple and straightforward musical approach when crafting their songs, and really admired the aesthetic that they put into account as they were in the studio recording this album. A great on-the-rise artist that I hope to hear more from in the coming months.

For more info on A Silent Film, go on over to their Facebook page located here where you can find out more information on the group, and get a better understanding as to where they come from musically. The band is on Twitter right over here and stay up to date with regard to the band's upcoming tour dates among other pertinent announcements. You may visit their official website at this address here for a full wealth of wide ranging info on the band, and if you want to check out their last album Sand & Snow, it's now available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon MP3, and for streaming on Spotify among other digital music retailers.

Ghost Away - We Didn't Ask For This

Philadelphia, PA's own Ghost Away have released their brand new album titled We Didn't Ask For This. The indie-leaning project from Brian Medlin (of Person L and Brian Medlin & The Elk Band fame),  who has crafted another sonically pleasing effort that allows the immensely prolific singer-songwriter to think creatively outside of the box and allows us to delve even deeper into that said creative persona.

We start things off with "I Got Tired" a distorted, experimental rocker that joins Brian with Eric Haag, who contributes a great deal to their sound and allows them to stand out prominently on the record right from the get go. "Witch Hunt" features more of the same jumbled guitar riffs and Brian's vocals adding a distinct, harmonic layer to the sound that gives the album a lo-fi, garage rock feel as you move along to the rest of the album. "Gone Are The Days" combines Brian and Eric's immense talents into a free for all where they show that they are a formidable presence on this record and beyond. "Molecules To You" features a dazzling electric guitar riff that sees the duo continuing to put us on our toes with an clever and inventive twist that keeps us guessing as we head into the second half of the disc.

And the second half starts with my favorite track off the album, "Woods". This song is one of the most complete tracks on the album, and brings together an assortment of various instrumentation including a neat drum percussion beat and a solid, melodic guitar arrangement that shows the result of what happens when two creative ideals are combined in one to create an all around, sonically pleasing track. "Broken Money" ushers in the beginning of the end of the album with a downtempo, mellow affair that features lightly tuned instrumentation and an intricate percussion arrangement that shows another side of the duo that we haven't had the opportunity to discover yet on the effort, but is a welcome change from all the musical twists and turns we've uncovered so far. The disc draws to a close on "Another Man's Song", a track that has an encapsulated feel in the sense that all of the musical influences are felt in this one track from earlier in the album, and gives us an condensed overview as well of what we've listened to and how the songs correlate with one another. I've been a big admirer of Brian Medlin's work from way back in Person L (coincidentally, their album "The Positives" was the very first album review and blog post right here on MusicBoxPete), and his assorted side projects including Wives, The Minor Times, Inkling, and his recent foray with The Elk Band continually express his intense musical desire and his immensely talented and creative persona, and while his multiple side projects might confuse some people, it shows that he loves to keep busy with regards to all things music and doesn't show any signs of slowing down just yet.

Wrapping it all up, a highly ambitious and creative effort from Ghost Away, which continues the musical odyssey of Brian Medlin, and continues to bolster his musical resume with another cohesive and innovative effort that shows you just how talented and prolific he truly is.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. I Got Tired
2. Witch Hunt
3. Baby Brother
4. Gone Are The Days
5. Molecules To You
6. Lies
7. Woods
8. No Reminder
9. Broken Money
10. Another Man's Song

Interview w/ Luke Potter

Today, I'm relaunching my artist interview series after a long hiatus, bringing to you interviews of on the rise artists that are bound to take the next leap to success. Today, I present to you a British born singer-songwriter that is starting to make his presence known here in the States by the name of Luke Potter. His music has slowly trickled in on FM radio stations here in Boston and beyond, and he recently released his debut EP titled "One Day" for free via NoiseTrade and is already gearing up to work on his next release due sometime later on this year. I recently had the chance to interview Luke via phone from his native United Kingdom and we touched up on a variety of subjects, including his beginnings and early influences, and the impact his music has left on his ever growing legion of fans both in the U.K. and here in the U.S. And without further ado, I proudly present the transcript from that interview:

Give us your name and where you're originally from?

Luke: My name is Luke Potter and I live in Weston-Super Mare in the United Kingdom.

When was the first moment you recall being exposed to music at a young age?

Luke: I always remember going on really, really long drives with my dad in the car listening to all types of music like Oasis and The Beatles, the list goes on.

Who are some artists that have inspired you to the point where you are now?

Luke: I remember going on this long trip with my dad one time, and my iPod had run out of battery, so I asked my friend to borrow his brothers' iPod on the long journey with me, and I was scrolling through these artists which I never listened to before as I stumbled across this band called Goo Goo Dolls, and I remember thinking what a crazy name for a band. And I took on to them and I listened to a few of their songs, mainly "Iris" which spoke to me and I knew from that moment that's what I wanted to do, that I wanted to be a solo artist.

What is the overall theme or subject matter your music is trying to convey?

Luke: I don't really know actually about that. It's hard to sort of pinpoint what to write about. I generally write about how I feel, I write about situations  I may have been in the past or things I've been through. I guess what I really want to do with my music is send a message to other people or give people some comfort or give them something they can listen to and go, "Yeah, I've been in that situation before".

Take us behind the recording process of your EP "One Day" and what that experience was like?

Luke: It was probably one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was recorded with an amazing producer by the name of Bleu, and one of his closest friends was the guitarist of a band called Rooney named Taylor Locke, and he was lucky enough to play electric guitar on one of my songs so I was really happy with that. It was crazy, I've never been a part of anything like it before. We had a batch of songs and before we knew it, Bleu had half of the arrangements ready and it was a great experience, one I'll never forget and I'm glad to be going out there (Los Angeles) in a couple of months to record with him again.

What was it like working with Ken Cailiat on your debut EP?

Luke: I recorded with another fantastic producer by the name of Ken Caillat, his daughter is Colbie Caillat. I actually did quite alot of writing with a colleague of his Eric Burden who I am now lucky to call my friend, he's a very talented guy. I would say we got another 2 songs recorded with that, so that was fantastic.

Do you get a sense of the impact your music has had amongst your fans?

Luke: Yeah, I've had quite alot of feedback from people which has stunned me. I remember getting up one morning and look at my postings from this one listener who had written a 2 page essay on how much my music has helped her and it was quite a touching moment for me because that's exactly why I do this, that's exactly why I write music, I write music because it talks to people, it's a message that you can send and anyone can be listening to the message, it's brilliant. I get alot of great feedback from my videos saying how much they enjoy it or how much they can relate to it, I love it.

What is your favorite thing about performing in a live setting?

Luke: I think it's always great to play live. There's some energy that you just can't get back from it and it's a moment where you're actually sharing the moment, for me it is because I write about situations in my life that I'm sharing moments of my life with people that have never heard my music before. So I think that's my favorite thing about it, how people can view you or one song on a set that you're doing, how you can talk to people, interact, and the way it has the power to hit someone with their songs, it's all about you.

Recently I've been doing school tours around the U.K. which has been going around the outskirts of London. There have been some gigs where people have come up to me and asked me to sign crutches because they hurt their leg or because they had a bad school day. For me to get anything like that, it's breathtaking for me because it just moves me if I can talk to people and make a difference, there's no better thing that I would rather be doing than what I want to do.

What do you like to do in your spare time when not making music?

Luke: I used to actually play quite alot of basketball. I used to play basketball for the southwest of England at one point when I was about 15 before I picked up a guitar. I still play now with my friends every once in awhile and all of my friends have started learning instruments now so they can join me and start playing so it's been good.

What do you have planned for this year in terms of tour dates and new music?

Luke: I'll be heading out to Los Angeles at the end of March for 3 and a half weeks where I'll be recording an extra 4 songs with Bleu which I'm really, really excited about. As far as touring goes, I've got an extra 2 weeks touring around England like Cardiff, Bristol, London, all back and forth gigs to schools and colleges, and hopefully I'll get to play a few dates in Los Angeles. Further than that, hopefully I'm looking at doing a college tour over in America, that will be amazing to go back.

Any last words to those who may be reading this interview?

Luke: I just want to say I hope you enjoy my music, hope you check it out. It means alot to me, all the support I've had so far and they've been a big help.

Thanks once again to Luke for being so kind to spare me so much of his time to conduct this interview. I look forward to hearing more of Luke in the coming months, especially with his new album that I'll be sure to review here on the blog! For more information on Luke Potter, 'Like' his Facebook page here to listen to some audio clips of his music and you can follow him on Twitter as well right here

Artist Spotlight: The Mowgli's

Wrapping up the week with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight. If looking outside at all that snow has you craving for the summertime, we have a band from a much warmer climate, Los Angeles, CA to be exact as we stumble across the eclectic sounds of The Mowgli's. The band consists of Michael Vincze on guitar and vocals, Colin Louis Dieden on vocals, guitar, and percussion, Katie Jayne Earl on vocals and percussion, Matthew Di Panni on bass and vocals, Josh Hogan on guitar and vocals, Dave Appelbaum on keys and vocals, Spencer Trent on percussion, guitar, and vocals, and Andy Warren on drums, percussion, and vocals. The band has a high energy, vivacious indie rock sound similar to the likes of Grouplove with a strong emphasis on vocal harmony and reflective songwriting that makes this band one to keep an eye on in the coming year. When I first heard the song "San Francisco" (a place that I plan on visiting as I've never been to California before), I was immediately blown away by the band's unbridled enthusiasm when playing their instruments, and noticed the strong bond between the band members that shows that they truly enjoying playing music around one another and each member makes the other person better in what they do as a living. A wonderful band that is well worth listening to in your spare time.

For more information on The Mowgli's, check out their Facebook page right here and don't forget to 'Like' it as well so that you can get the latest stream of updates directly from the band, including new music and tour dates just to name a few. The band is on Twitter as well over here where you can communicate with the band directly and see what they're up to this very minute. You can check out the band's debut EP, "Love's Not Dead" for free on their BandCamp site located right here and it's available for download on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and for streaming on Spotify among other fine and select digital music outlets.

Artist Spotlight: Buttons and Mindy

Another edition of Artist Spotlight awaits, and for today we have Boston's own Buttons and Mindy gracing the blog with their presence. The trio consists of Maxy Hewett on guitar and lead vocals, Chance Wells on bass and backing vocals, and Joey Ulmer on drums. The band's name was inspired by characters from the 90's animated series Animaniacs, and these guys have an energetic, fun loving stage presence that comes through in their music with hilarious song titles like "I Don't Know The First Thing About Kiefer Sutherland" and "The Phantom Menace Was The Worst Thing Since My Son" giving you an idea of what these boys are all about. I saw these guys in concert a few weeks ago at The Middle East Upstairs, and they put on a hell of a show that exemplified their musical mission that they set out to accomplish when they were recording and writing these songs, and it also shows that they enjoy being in each others company as well. A great local band that is well deserving of additional exposure here on the blog. The aforementioned songs from the band are great introductory tracks for you to be accustomed with the trio.

For more info on the guys in Buttons and Mindy, head on over to their Facebook page located right here for your convenience where you can view pictures from the band's previous shows in and around the Boston area. The band is located on Twitter and are willing to be followed right here where you can communicate with the band and find out where they'll be playing next! If you want to listen to the band's music, it's available on their BandCamp site here free of charge and will tide you over until the band releases their EP titled "Caterpillar" sometime this year.

1476 - Wildwood

Salem, MA based band 1476 have released their brand new studio album titled Wildwood. The disc from the appropriately geographically located band takes us on a dark and melodic journey through the underworld of sonic soundscapes that has an eerie and kinetic twist to it, but isn't overpowering and relies on a mellow, sonically pleasing sound that provides for an instant escape into an enchanted and mystical wonderland.

The disc opens up with "Black Cross/Death Rune", a somber, acoustic based tune that contains the somber vocal abilities of Robb Kavjian, who adds a mysterious and otherworldly type of sound to 1476 that enables them to clutch onto the listener the moment they start listening to the album. "Watchers" is a dynamic, musically diverse tune that sees the band continue to dig deep venturing into the album, and the thorough and consistent drumwork of Neil DeRosa provides the musical backbone for the rest of the effort moving forward. "Banners in Bohemia" is my favorite track off the album and expresses the duo's musical mission eloquently and clearly to their listening audience. The wonderful, harmonic acoustic guitar melodies will immediately make you feel at ease and Robb's vocals add an eerie layer to it that all makes sense once you've finished listening to the track in its entirety. "Good Morning, Blackbird" is a reworked version of a song that made its way onto their "Nightside EP" and existed in various alternate forms on other bonus CD's they released, and the full fledged version brings together both of their ideals in a collective and melded fashion.

We begin our second half exploration of the disc with "Slave-Fire", a melodic, captivating tune that finds the band bringing more upbeat instrumentation and Neil's prominent drumwork adding an explosive musical touch heard here. "Bohemian Spires" is an outstanding, ensemble piece featuring Robb and Neil collaborating their collective wisdom into something remarkable and a track that yearns to be played again and again. We usher in the demise of the album with "Shoreless" a dark, trodden number featuring rapturous melodies and darkly toned instrumentation that begins to close out a well mapped out effort heard here so far. "The Golden Alchemy" ends it all here on an expansive, 10 minute number that gives us a overview of what we heard so far and brings about a sense of finality due to the overall tone of the songs that sort of reads like a storybook existing in musical form. I first covered these guys here on the blog about 2 years ago as an Artist Spotlight feature and I commended these gentlemen for ushering in a sound that was unlike anything I've ever heard before, and I myself was a little curious when I was handed a CD by Neil who worked at a coffee shop near where I work up in Beverly. I took it upon myself to listen to that CD and found that the CD was very diverse and comforting in nature, despite my initial skepticism about the music being a blaring death metal album judging from the artwork on the disc, and found a band who were willing to try something that hadn't been accomplished before musically, and it suits them perfectly to a T.

Looking back, a terrific and cohesive effort from 1476, who are continuing to make their presence known with a consistent collection of works that totally defines their personalities, and the area in which they live in has an immense impact on their music.

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Black Cross/Death Rune
2. Watchers
3. The Dagger
4. Banners In Bohemia
5. Good Morning, Blackbird
6. Horse Dysphoria
7. Slave-Fire
8. Bohemian Spires
9. An Atrophy
10. Shoreless
11. The Golden Alchemy

Bonnaroo 2013 Lineup Announced!

It was revealed at noon today the much anticipated lineup for this summer's Bonnaroo festival. As expected, the lineup fails to disappoint with a host of artists from yesterday and today all converging on the same stage in Manchester, TN to deliver what is expected to be an outstanding collection of artists spanning multiple genres.

Highlighted artists from this year's lineup includes: Paul McCartney, Mumford & Sons, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bjork, Wilco, R. Kelly, Wu Tang Clan, The National, The Lumineers, Passion Pit, The xx, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Of Monsters And Men, Nas, ZZ Top, Beach House, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, Jim James, "Weird Al" Yankovic, The Gaslight Anthem, Portugal. The Man, Billy Idol, Local Natives, Matt & Kim, Walk The Moon, and The Vaccines.

The festival will take place from June 13-16 and tickets for the festival will go on sale this Saturday at noon! For more information on Bonnaroo and ticket prices, click on the Bonnaroo festival's official website located right here for your convenience. 

Artist Spotlight: Jake Bugg

Today's Artist Spotlight comes to us from across the pond in Nottingham, England where we find the rich and authentic vocal power of young 18 year old singer-songwriter Jake Bugg. Jake evokes the raw and rugged image of Bob Dylan with various other influences ranging from Arctic Monkeys to The Doors, with a wide spectrum of lyrical wit and poeticism that gives you a visual stimuli of what Jake is like and what he brings to the musical table. He started playing guitar regularly at the age of 12, and his skill set is quite apparent and is beginning to come into his own as a musician. His name has been popping up on many lists of artists to keep an eye on in the coming year, and it's quite apparent why he has so much buzz: he has the charm, charisma, and raw and natural talent to take it to the next level musically. It would be well worth your while to check out his music and see why he's the real deal and on the forefront of something big. Recommended tracks from him include "Two Fingers" and "Trouble Town".

For more information on Jake Bugg, check out his Facebook page here where you can find out where he'll be performing next and listen to audio clips of his music among other pertinent features. The young chap can also be followed on Twitter as well right over here where you can communicate with him directly over the interwebs. His official website is located here and has a wide range of features to gawk at and begin to get immersed with all things involving Jake. His debut EP, "Two Fingers" is available for purchase at a number of select digital internet music retailers, including iTunes, Amazon MP3, and Spotify.

Artist Spotlight: Palma Violets

We're heading overseas today for an all new edition of Artist Spotlight to wrap up the week! Today, we're heading over to Lambeth, England and uncover the indie infused sounds of Palma Violets. The group consists of Sam Fryer on lead vocals and guitar, Chilli Jesson on vocals and bass, Pete Mayhew on keys, and Will Doyle on drums. The band has a sleek, sophisticated indie rock style that evokes the sounds of The Velvet Underground and The Libertines to name a few, and has a direct sound that is stripped of all extraneous noise and just gets down to the bare boned essence that the band set out to achieve when making these songs in the studio. I got the opportunity to check these gents out when they stopped by The Middle East Upstairs a few weeks ago and they put on a quality show that clearly demonstrated their raw, sonic creations while maintaining a strong relationship with the musical audience that ensured that they wouldn't be forgotten anytime soon and would be welcomed back with open arms the next time they rolled through town. A great U.K. band that is definitely worth checking out and one to keep an eye out moving forward. Some recommended tracks for you to check out from them include "Best of Friends" and "Last of the Summer Wine".

For more info on Palma Violets, head on over to their Facebook page right here where you can find out where they'll be stopping by next on the road. Follow the band on Twitter as well over here to catch up on their latest exploits traveling the globe. Their official website can be found here and has links to their online store, video clips, and other pertinent info regarding the band. Their music can be found on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon MP3 among other select digital music outlets. 

Artist Spotlight: The New Highway Hymnal

For today's edition of Artist Spotlight, we head north of Boston to Haverhill, MA and unwrap the sweet sounds of The New Highway Hymnal. The trio consists of Hadden Stemp, Amelia Gormley, and Travis Hagan. The band has a thick, groovy blues rock element to them similar in the vein of The Black Keys with their own authentic twist on it that gives them a darker edge and a sophistication that is entirely tailored made for them. I managed to catch these guys a few weeks ago at The Middle East Upstairs where they opened for Palma Violets, and they made an indelible impression on me with their raw, unfiltered sound running roughshot throughout the entire crowd that night and ensuring that the band would remain in the memory banks of all those who attended. I've heard of the band previously through WFNX, but I never got the opportunity to check them out in concert until that night, but I'm so glad I did because I got a sense of the passionate and unadulterated sound that is yearning to be heard by music fans from around the region. A great local band that is totally deserving of even more attention and praise moving forward. Some recommended songs from them to have a listen at include "Through Stained Glass" and "Factory Song".

For more info on The New Highway Hymnal, peep their Facebook page and 'Like' it right here where you can find out more information regarding the band and get a little more accustomed as to their background. If you would like to follow the band on Twitter, you may do so here and communicate with the band directly! The band's latest release "Whispers" is available for streaming on their BandCamp site located here and get a taste of the sound that is at the forefront of the local scene right now.

Body Language - Grammar EP

Brooklyn, New York based indietronica group Body Language have released their brand new EP titled Grammar. The collection is a well measured collection of songs specifically designed to get you in the mood to dance and let it all hang out.

We start things off with "The Chasing" a high energy, electro infused tune that features a cavalcade of synthesizers, keys, and a collective whisper of voices adding to a well balanced track that provides for an entertaining and thorough listening experience all the way through. "What's the Point" brings down the energy a couple of notches, but has a steady, sustained beat embedded within the walls that provides for just the right amount of enthusiasm to keep you occupied and moving somewhat to the consistent beat present within the song. My favorite track off the disc is "I'm A Mess", a mid-tempo, seductive tune that darkens the lights a tad bit, almost providing for a track that borders on the romantic territory (appropriate with Valentine's Day right around the corner), and a pleasant mixture of electronic beats running amok that provide for a enjoyable and pleasurable thrill ride through the sonic soundscapes. "The First" ushers in the beginning of the end of the EP with an even set of electro influenced beats and a spatial vocal harmony that harnesses all the collective energy around to bring things together sonically as we head out. We end things here with "Lose My Head" a uptempo, fast paced electro lovers delight that levels things on a sonic playing field and closes it out amid an assortment of blasting beats, and swift changes in sound that brings a little assortment of treats for everyone to gnaw at and during their stay. I've been listening to electronic music (or EDM for short), a little bit more frequently now, and the more I listen to it, the more I'm intrigued about it. I love the way everyone comes together as a community to dance their cares away and it doesn't matter if you're a terrible dancer, you can blend in with the crowd and be your own individual self.

All in all, a great listening experience from Body Language, who have provided a cohesive and consistent collection of tracks for everyone to enjoy equally and meets with a certain degree of energy and enthusiasm as well.

                                                                                                                         EP Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. The Chasing
2. What's the Point
3. I'm A Mess
4. The First
5. Lose My Head   

Artist Spotlight: The Deep North

Kicking off your Tuesday with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight. Today, we stay in the Boston area and come across the dynamic sounds of The Deep North. The band consists of Rebecca Frank on lead vocals, Nick Twohig on guitar and vocals, Brad Couture on keys, Dan Nakhoul on bass, and Nick Angelo on drums. The band has a simple, straightforward, introspective indie rock sound similar to the likes of Jack's Mannequin and The Rocket Summer with a piano guided instrumentation setting the basis for most of their tracks and offers up something that is inviting and makes you want to continue listening to the band. I was impressed with the band's mission to keep things simple and write songs within their own comfort zone which shows off their simplicity and allows them to stand out from amongst the pack of the other local New England based indie acts currently out there today. An excellent act that you should catch in concert the next time they roll through town. Some recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include "Wake Up" and "Slow Down, Stay Willing".

For more information on The Deep North, head on over to their Facebook page located here where you can find more info on the group and find out what the band have currently got going on this very minute. You can follow the band as well on Twitter right over here where you can get up to the minute updates directly from the band and find out where the band will be playing next in the Boston area. The band's official website can be found here and has more in depth info about the band, including a biography, and the ability to stream their debut EP directly from their BandCamp page which is available here.

Port Orchards - Luna Grande

Emanating from Washington DC, Port Orchards have arrived on the scene with their debut release, Luna Grande. The disc is a refreshing, inviting mixture of organically constructed indie-rock rhythms built upon a single dynamic wavelength that doesn't do anything too fancy or intricate to get their musical message across that means.

We start things off with "You Got Tall", a beautiful, simply structured tune that introduces you to the vocals of Dan Wiggins and Mike Cormier, who both do a superb job of handling the instrumentation with remarkable ease and aplomb. "Bay Window Eyes" is an upbeat, optimistic leaning track that evokes the remarkable musicianship that these musicians have done a terrific job of demonstrating just 2 songs into the effort so far. "Ski Song" is another relaxing, kick back number that features homegrown instrumentation that doesn't need to rely on any extraneous electronic manipulation that otherwise would have destroyed such a fragile, beautiful collection of works heard here. "Wildflowers" is a short and sweet 2 minute number that accomplishes alot during such a short span of time with neat acoustic guitar arrangements providing a backdrop and a transition phase heading into the second half of the album.

The second half begins with my favorite track off the album, "Houses In Rhythm". A fantastic track that shows off more variances in tempo and a more balanced instrumentation that highlights the band's full featured and wide ranging talents that they have done a great job of displaying so far. We start to close out the disc with "Mass Ave. NW", a dual faceted number that shows off the duo's terrific musicianship that has been present on every single track up until this point and has shown no signs of giving up whatsoever. The disc ultimately concludes on "There's A Light", a beautiful, encapsulated number that brings in all the distinct musical elements that we've heard so far in succession and offers us a at-a-glance view of a band that is well on their way to greater success outside their hometown with this well constructed effort. I'm very happy that I stumbled across Port Orchards, they're a terrific band that has a simple musical outlook to them that many other bands implement to a certain degree, but these guys do it at an angle that really hits close to home.

In retrospect, a solid and well constructed effort from Port Orchards, who offer up something different for the masses with an inviting collection of tracks that has the audacity to be heard by music listeners from outside the DC area and beyond.

                                                                                                                           Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. You Got Tall
2. Bay Window Eyes
3. She Won't Find Me Tonight
4. Ski Song
5. Wildflowers
6. Limits of Your Heart
7. Houses in Rhythm
8. Perfect Little Pictures
9. Mass Ave, NW
10. There's A Light

2013 Grammy Winners

Last night's Grammy Awards ceremony was a celebration of all that was in the year of music, and everybody felt the Grammy love in full force. Gotye was among the night's big winners, taking home 3 awards including Best Alternative Album for "Making Mirrors", Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Somebody That I Used To Know", and for Record of the Year for the aforementioned track. The Black Keys took home the most trophies with 4 Grammys, sweeping all of the rock categories for Best Rock Album in "El Camino", and for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song in "Lonely Boy".

fun. took home 2 awards for Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "We Are Young". But the night's biggest prize belonged to Mumford & Sons, who took home the Album of the Year trophy for "Babel". Arguably the band's biggest achievement yet and a testament to the exquisite talent coming out of England and a coronation ceremony for a band who took the fast path to success, and it all paid off with a Grammy. Here is a recap of some of the major winners:

Album of The Year:   Mumford & Sons - Babel
Record of The Year:   Gotye f/ Kimbra - Somebody That I Used To Know
Song of The Year:   fun. f/ Janelle Monae - We Are Young
Best New Artist:  fun.
Best Pop Vocal Album:  Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
Best Pop Solo Performance:  Adele - Set Fire To The Rain
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:  Gotye f/ Kimbra - Somebody That I Used To Know
Best Alternative Album:  Gotye - Making Mirrors
Best Rock Performance:  The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Best Rock Song:  The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Best Rock Album:  The Black Keys - El Camino

For a full list of all of last night's winners, head on over to the Grammy's official website here.

2013 Grammy Predictions

It's that time of year again, The Grammys! With this year's ceremony looming closer and closer I thought it would be a good idea to run down a list of the major nominees and give you my take as to who will take home the most golden gramophones on Sunday night. Here are my predictions of the nominees in the four major categories along with some of the rock categories:

Album of the Year 

The Black Keys - El Camino
fun. - Some Nights
Mumford & Sons - Babel
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Jack White - Blunderbuss

This is a pretty diverse field this year with most of the major genres being represented (indie rock, folk, hip-hop) and I see this award going to Mumford & Sons this year. While fun. is definitely the clear favorite going into this year's ceremony, I think Mumford has the edge and critical acclaim to set it apart from the others this year and the new indie-folk revival will take full circle this year, much like it did 2 years ago when Arcade Fire won in this category for "The Suburbs". The Black Keys could pose a threat in the form of a wildcard, and Frank Ocean was the critical darling going into the ceremony, but Mumford & Sons has what it takes and will go home with the top prize.

Record of the Year 

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
fun. f/ Janelle Monae - We Are Young
Gotye f/ Kimbra - Somebody That I Used To Know
Frank Ocean - Thinking About You
Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

With 6 nominees in this year's Record of the Year instead of the usual 5 due to a tie, this year's Record of The Year award sets up an interesting battle between two of the best selling songs in the past year with fun. and Gotye. While fun. is the clear runaway runner here, I'm going to give this award to Gotye this year, mainly because of the song's ability to mix indie and alternative genres into something that is user accessible and was virtually inescapable this year. While Taylor Swift has the catchiness factor, it doesn't have enough traction to win this award, and The Black Keys and Kelly Clarkson are lacking behind here, so this one belongs to Gotye.

Song of the Year 

Ed Sheeran - The A Team
Miguel - Adorn
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
fun. f/ Janelle Monae - We Are Young

This category is a tad bit tricky to predict, but I'm going to go with a dark horse this year and predict that Carly Rae Jepsen will win the Song of the Year prize. While pop artists don't usually perform well here, Carly Rae was basically heard everywhere on radio and was parodied numerous times on YouTube and Saturday Night Live. Ed Sheeran and Miguel definitely have the critical acclaim thing going for them and that's all well and good, but in the end it's all about the quality of the song written and which team did a better job of writing it, and this year it goes to the team behind "Call Me Maybe".

Best New Artist

Alabama Shakes
fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

With this year's Best New Artist category, it's a predominantly indie influenced crowd, and I think that factor alone bodes well for those nominees within their respective genre. Out of this year's crop, I have to say fun. will take home the prize. fun. was inescapable on both pop and alternative radio this year with "We Are Young" and "Some Nights" dominating, and Alabama Shakes, The Lumineers, and Frank Ocean are coming into their own as musicians, but fun. is the group to watch out for going forward and this is why I think they'll take home the prize.

Best Rock Performance

Alabama Shakes - Hold On
The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Coldplay - Charlie Brown
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
Bruce Springsteen - We Take Care Of Our Own

This year's Best Rock Performance category has a mix of older, seasoned veterans and younger, dynamic talent that shows the broad range of bands within the rock genre today. With this category cutting it close, I'm going to go with The Black Keys on this one. They've been knocking on the door for the past 2 years now with incredible albums in "Brothers" and "El Camino" that are both equal in terms of musicality and critical impact. While Coldplay and Mumford & Sons both had terrific tracks, The Black Keys stands far and above the heap of them right here.

Best Rock Song

Jack White - Freedom At 21
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Muse - Madness
Bruce Springsteen - We Take Care Of Our Own

This category is a tough category to predict, as the best of the best are represented here. With a legendary act like Bruce Springsteen expected to be the clear favorite here, I'm going to take a gamble and predict that Mumford & Sons will take home the trophy in this category. The song was a breath of fresh air when it came out last year, and Babel cemented their status as the leaders of the new folk movement that is rampant today. With that being said, the other songs definitely deserve a tip of the cap but Mumford are the clear winners in this category.

Best Rock Album

The Black Keys - El Camino
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Muse - The 2nd Law
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Jack White - Blunderbuss

The nominees in this category are a virtual carbon copy of the nominees from the Best Rock Song category, and while Mumford & Sons did have a great all-around album, the Gramophone in this category belongs to The Black Keys. While the album was actually released in December 2011, it was released after the eligibility deadline last year and wasn't nominated. Bruce Sprinsgteen and Coldplay both put out exquisite releases, and Jack White has started to come into his own as a solo artist, but none could match the sheer impact that The Black Keys have had in the past year and that's why they'll take home the gold in this one.

Who do you think will win big at the Grammys this year? Let me know in the comments section directly below or let me know on Facebook and Twitter and don't forget to catch the 55th Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday at 8pm on CBS!  

Artist Spotlight: The War On Drugs

For today's edition of Artist Spotlight, we venture down to Philadelphia, PA and uncover the raw and unadulterated sounds of The War On Drugs. The band consists of Adam Granduciel on lead vocals and guitar, David Harley on bass, Robbie Bennett on keys and guitar, and Steven Urgo on drums and percussion. The group has an organic, no frills attached rock sound similar in the vein of Wilco and Arcade Fire with a cohesive and straightforward playing style that doesn't feel the need to put in any extraneous attachments that otherwise would have drowned out the sound of such a pure and talented group of musicians. I managed to catch this band in concert a couple of years ago headlining Brighton Music Hall and was enthused by the band's on-stage presence which evoked a strong sense of self-identity and self-awareness not seen from an act in quite some time, and it really spoke to mind about how well they are received in the indie circle and have the audacity to stand out amongst from the crowd and take charge. Some recommended tracks for you to discover from them include "Baby Missiles" and "Original Slave".

For more information on The War On Drugs, mosey on over to the band's Facebook page located here where you can find out more info on the group and don't forget to 'Like' it as well! The band can also be followed on Twitter right over here and communicate with the band to see if they'll be stopping by your area sometime soon. If you would like to purchase their latest album "Slave Ambient", it's available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon MP3 among other fine digital music outlets, and for streaming on Spotify as well.

Coheed and Cambria - Afterman: The Descension

Nyack, New York's native prog-rockers Coheed and Cambria are back at it again with their all new studio release Afterman: The Descension. The follow up and continuation to this past November's Afterman: The Ascension continues the storyline from the previous album and is yet another chapter in the thrilling and exciting story of a band merging the worlds of music and fantasy into one big, sonic thrill ride that just won't let up.

The disc starts off with "Pretelethal", a mysterious, mythical tune that evokes the sounds of The Mars Volta with frontman Claudio Sanchez's voice running rampant throughout the song and allowing the song to billow in intensity all the way throughout as the instrumentation grows stronger until it's filled to capacity. "Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry the Defiant" is an expansive, cohesive rocker that picks up the storyline from the previous album and allows the listener to pick up where the last one left off, and continue in the saga of their long running The Amory Wars series, in which this is a prequel to the storylines explored in Coheed's earlier works which might seem a little bit confusing to some, but you'll grow to understand it a little better as you're listening along to the record. My favorite track off the album is "The Hard Sell" an intense, melodic juggernaut that has the perfect combination of incessant guitar riffs and Claudio's high impact vocals making this an all around perfect track and represents the overall sound of the disc as a whole and what it's trying to achieve. "Number City" picks up the melodic spillover of the prior track into an intense, all hands on deck affair that completely lacks the will to die and just increases in intensity as the album rolls along.

The album's second half features "Away We Go" a downtempo, mellowed out rocker that allows us to take a little breather from the high intensity energy featured in the first half, and allows us to see the band in a different light and what their true capabilities are as musicians going forward in the second half. "Iron Fist" features an intricate, acoustic guitar melody that displays Claudio's interchangeable vocals that can reach falsetto length and drop down to a mere, mellow whisper within a matter of seconds, something that is extremely rare in this day of age. The disc gets ready to close up shop with "Dark Side of Me", a dark, ominous tune that begins the end of another chapter in the ongoing Amory Wars storyline that gets more expansive and complex over time. The album ultimately draws to a close on "2's My Favorite 1", a track that brings together all the musical elements that we heard in succession after one another, and presents us an encapsulated overview of the album as a whole, and what we've experienced by listening to the album together as a perspective listening audience. Coheed and Cambria have been one of my favorite bands for almost 10 years now, after first hearing "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3", I was immediately intrigued by the band's ability to weave a complex storyline within their music that made you appreciate that much more what the band brought to the table musically and put it on a plate for you that seemed a bit complex at first, but the more you listened to it, the more you came to grasp what the band was trying to tell you through story.

All in all, another terrific entry in the ongoing saga of Coheed and Cambria and their tale of The Amory Wars, a band that is wholly unique in their ability to weave a comic book like tale within the vain of progressive rock that will have you listening all the way throughout to get a full scope of what is going on between the characters in the story.

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Pretelethal
2. Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry the Defiant
3. The Hard Sell
4. Number City
5. Gravity's Union
6. Away We Go
7. Iron Fist
8. Dark Side of Me
9. 2's My Favorite 1     

Artist Spotlight: Mean Creek

Today's edition of Artist Spotlight comes to us from the local Boston band Mean Creek! The group consists of Chris Keene on lead vocals and guitar, Aurore Ounjian on lead guitar and vocals, Erik Wormwood on bass, and Mikey Holland on drums and percussion. The group has a downtempo, organic indie rock component to them that is completely original and evokes the band's homegrown roots as well, similar to how The Pixies first started in the Beantown scene. The members of the group have a strong friendship which is evident in the group's musicianship that they exhibit both on record and on stage, showing that all of the members are on the same page musically which enables them to move higher up on the pedestal along with the other Boston area bands. A great local act that is definitely deserving of further exposure from beyond the area. Some recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include "Sunlight" and "I'm So Afraid".

For more information on Mean Creek, head on over to their Facebook page located here where you can find out more information on the band and get more accustomed to the group's beginnings. If you wish, you can follow them on Twitter as well over here where you can communicate with the band and find out the next time they'll be performing in the Boston area. Their official website is located here with more wide ranging information about the band, and you can listen to their music on their BandCamp site located right here.

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob

Calgary, Alberta, Canada's own Tegan and Sara have returned with their all new studio release titled Heartthrob. The follow up to 2009's Sainthood finds the identical twin sister duo continuing to entice listeners with their upbeat, indie rock melodies composed upon a platter of intricate, dynamic synth based melodies that have been the duo's bread and butter ever since they released their debut album.

The disc starts off with "Closer", an electronic kissed delight that brings about an interesting foray into new wave, synth territory that the duo have experimented with in the past, and are starting to implement it on a more consistent basis this time around. "Goodbye, Goodbye" packs in a serious melodic punch that has a definite edge and swagger to it that puts this track on a different pedestal than all the others. "I'm Not Your Hero" brings down the kinetic energy just a smidgen and is a track that best encapsulates the electro-synth melodies that are present in one way, shape, or form on this collection. "Drove Me Wild" is an upbeat, snyth lovers delight complete with complex and budding rhythms that do a great job of extenuating the duo's unique and individual talents that when combined, are something to behold and take notice of.

The second half gets into gear with my favorite track off the album "I Couldn't Be Your Friend", a electro-synth joyride featuring Tegan and Sara's remarkable dual vocal precision that weaves its way in and out through the song without much trouble at all and is one of the benchmarks of a reasonably well toned album going into the second half. We get to ready to close out things here with "Now I'm All Messed Up" a downtempo, low key track featuring slight piano interludes and light waves of synth melodies that show off a different side of the duo that we haven't seen much on the disc. "Shock To Your System" ends it all on a creepy, mysterious tune featuring dark instrumental arrangements and Tegan and Sara providing for the outro with a track that closes out the disc on a somewhat conspicuous note, but provides for an entertaining and thorough listening experience nonetheless. I was impressed with Tegan ans Sara when I first heard them way back in 2005 when I heard the song 'Walking With A Ghost" from their So Jealous album, and was impressed with the duo's talent of injecting a pop element within their music that made them stand out. "Back In Your Head" from 2007's The Con provided for an immediate jolt of excitement with the insatiable piano melody within that song keeping me tuned in all the way throughout. And that's one of the main characteristics of the band, their ability to keep your attention squarely focused on their performance, and on nothing else.

In retrospect, a well produced and organized effort from Tegan and Sara, who have turned in another quality effort and are a duo that have a certain, fun loving element to their musical style that can't be ignored and appeals to the diverse music fan out there.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Closer
2. Goodbye, Goodbye
3. I Was A Fool
4. I'm Not Your Hero
5. Drove Me Wild
6. How Come You Don't Want Me
7. I Couldn't Be Your Friend
8. Love They Say
9. Now I'm All Messed Up
10. Shock To Your System

Vampire Weekend Announce New Album, Spring Tour Dates

New York's indie rock sensations Vampire Weekend are about to make their long awaited return with their first studio album in 3 years, Modern Vampires Of The City. The album will be released May 6th internationally and May 7th here in the U.S. On top of that, the band announced a spring tour to coincide with the release of the album, and the band will be making an appearance at this year's Coachella festival on the weekends of April 14th and 21st. Here is their list of upcoming tour appearances:

April 12th, 2013	The Chelsea Ballroom at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas	On Sale Soon
April 14th, 2013	Coachella, Indio	Find Tickets
April 16th, 2013	Freeborn Hall at UC Davis, Davis	On Sale Soon
April 17th, 2013	Fox Theater, Oakland	On Sale Soon
April 21st, 2013	Coachella, Indio	Find Tickets
May 8th, 2013	The Troxy, London	On Sale Soon
May 10th, 2013	Casino De Paris, Paris	On Sale Soon
May 15th, 2013	Agganis Arena, Boston	On Sale Soon
May 16th, 2013	Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto	On Sale Soon
May 17th, 2013	The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit	On Sale Soon
May 19th, 2013	Midland Theater, Kansas City	On Sale Soon
May 20th, 2013	Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison	On Sale Soon
May 21st, 2013	Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City	On Sale Soon
May 23rd, 2013	Keller Auditorium, Portland

Here is the track listing for Modern Vampires of The City:

1. Obvious Bicycle
2. Unbelivers
3. Step
4. Diane Young
5. Don't Lie
6. Hannah Hunt
7. Everlasting Arms
8. Finger Back
9. Worship You
10. Ya Hey
11. Hudson
12. Young Lion

Artist Spotlight: Niki & The Dove

Today, we head over to Stockholm, Sweden to wrap up the week for Artist Spotlight, and find the amazing sounds of Niki & The Dove. The duo consists of Malin Dahlstrom on vocals and Gustaf Karlof handling the production duties. The band's sound can best be described as a mix of high energy electronic rhythms designed to keep you moving and grooving on the dance floor and low key indie music to bring about a hybrid of music known as indietronica. I managed to catch them in concert a few weeks ago when they headlined at the Brighton Music Hall, and I was immediately impressed with their unbridled enthusiasm when coming out to the stage with their spacetronic rhythms catapulting the energy in the crowd to never before seen heights and encouraging the people in the audience to dance like there's no tomorrow. I was greatly encouraged by their warning call, and took the plunge to dance to their other worldly sound that is unique and is on a different playing field than other electronic music currently out there. Recommended tracks for you to have a listen at include "DJ, Ease My Mind" and "The Drummer".

For more information on Niki & The Dove, dance on over to their Facebook page here where you can peruse their photo gallery and find out more information on the band. If you wish to follow them on Twitter, you may do so here and keep an eye out for any further tour dates as they develop. The band recently just wrapped up a tour with Vacationer, so the band may be taking a little breather from touring for the time being to refocus and recharge. The band's music is readily available on iTunes and Spotify, including their latest album titled "Instinct", plus assorted tracks on their SoundCloud page located right over here