Artist Spotlight: Delta Spirit

Today's edition of Artist Spotlight comes to us from a band out of the Golden State, more specifically San Diego, as we unravel the sounds of Delta Spirit. The band consists of Jon Jameson on bass, Brandon Young on percussion, Matthew Vasquez on lead vocals and guitars, Kelly Winrich as a multi-instrumentalist, and Will McLaren on guitar. The group has a wistful, relaxing indie rock sound to them that evokes all the mellow sounds emanating from the West Coast, and has a kind of escapist feel to them that makes it seem like you're traveling with the band down the highway and experiencing all the sights and sounds along with them, as their music plays gently in the background while taking in all the wondrous landscapes that are surrounding you. I first heard their song, appropriately enough titled "California" a while ago, and was intrigued with the band's mellow, organic indie rock style that didn't feel the need to have too much instrumentation that would have otherwise overwhelmed such beautiful and delicate songwriting that relies so heavily on melody to affect the listener in a deep and positive way. A great band that I look forward to hearing more of in 2013.

For more information on Delta Spirit, click on their Facebook page here where you can find out more about the band, including links to listen to their music and find out if any tour dates may be stopping by your area sometime soon. The band is on Twitter as well right over here where you can connect with the band and see what they're doing this very minute. The band's official website is located right here where you can find some more in-depth information regarding the band, including the band's full discography and see the path they took that got them to the point where they are right now.

Local Natives - Hummingbird

Los Angeles, CA's own Local Natives have released their sophomore album titled Hummingbird. The follow up to 2010's Gorilla Manor finds the band creating another terrific album with indie leaning jams that present music from a Californian frame of mind with wondrous musical soundscapes that are designed to allow you to escape to an otherworldly paradise otherwise not accessible from our dimension.

The disc starts off with "You & I", a mellow, rapturing number featuring the lead vocals of Taylor Rice that instantly puts things in perspective for the listener tuning in just now. "Heavy Feet" picks up the ambient instrumentation a notch with some light percussion arrangements that give the band a hint of diversity and showcase their amazing talents and how they first came together due to their love of music. "Black Spot" starts out as an eerie, menacing tune before slight guitar licks chime in gently and lend in a sense of calm and relaxation that continues to bring it on a fascinating musical journey thus far. "Breakers" is an upbeat, bombastic piece that shows off the band's versatility and their ability to keep the audience's attention all the way throughout, something that is very difficult for some bands to accomplish these days.

The second half of the disc gets into gear with my favorite track off the album, "Black Balloons". This upbeat, enthusiastic number evokes the band's free wheeling spirit and their innate ability to weave beautiful, majestic melodies into their music that makes this track one of the main selling points of the album alone. "Mt. Washington" features a terrific acoustic guitar bit that features great transitions in between Taylor's introspective vocals that offer us a glimpse inside the working prowess of the band and how they're able to craft these sonic delights to offer to the musical audience as a treat. We begin to get ready to close out the album with "Colombia" a somber, toned out number that features a brisk piano solo that conjures up images of finality and conclusion as we enter the album's last gasp. The song immediately segues way into the closing track "Bowery", a grandiose, terrific number that does a great job of closing out the album on point and on cue, ensuring that the album comes to a proper end and that all members of the group have an opportunity to let their talents shine in the limelight. I was impressed with Local Natives when I first heard the track "Airplanes" off their debut release and I was amazed with the band's ability to craft an entirely different genre of music that is all their own and has the originality and authenticity to truly go places with this unique sound. I was even more blown away with the group when I saw a YouTube video of them covering Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia", in which one member of the group plays the percussion using a tree that made my heart grow fonder of the band and it showed me how much the band truly enjoys being around each other and how they became friends due to their love of playing music.

In summary, a well rehearsed and orchestrated effort from Local Natives, who are making their presence known even greater this time around with an assortment of versatile and cohesive jams that will make you appreciate the talent that emanates from California that much more.

                                                                                                                             Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. You & I
2. Heavy Feet
3. Ceilings
4. Black Spot
5. Breakers
6. Three Months
7. Black Balloons
8. Wooly Mammoth
9. Mt. Washington
10. Colombia
11. Bowery 

The Strokes To Release New Album "Comedown Machine" on March 26th

NYC's standout indie stars The Strokes are ready to release their brand new album titled "Comedown Machine" on March 26th. Last Friday, the band made available a track from that new album titled "One Way Trigger", that evokes a strong electro tinged sound featuring Julian Casablancas' soaring falsetto turning heads all around on this one. The band has announced that the first single titled "All the Time" will be made available at all digital music outlets on February 19th, but it will premiere on the radio on Valentine's Day so check your local alt-rock stations for announcements concerning the song's release as the date draws closer.

You can pre-order "Comedown Machine" right now from the band's website, so click on this link here that will take you to the pre-order page where you can buy the album in digital, CD, or vinyl formats. When you place your pre-order, you'll receive a free download code for "All the Time" upon its release, so I would highly recommend taking advantage of this exclusive offer!

Artist Spotlight: E-mute

Have a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight ready to deliver to the masses today! We head across the pond to London, and uncover the electro infused sounds of E-mute. The group consists of E-Mute on vocals, drums, and piano, Svetlana Vassileva on bass and vocals, Darren Ashford on drums, and Tolis Zavaliaris on guitars and vocals. The band has an edgy, electro infused sound that channels the influences of Moby and Depeche Mode, with an alt-rock edge to boot that will attract devotees of both bands that brings the best of both worlds together to create an insatiable hybrid that is different and not like the other types of music that are permeating the airwaves these days. I've been exposed to a lot more electronic music these days, and the fact that it's coupled with alternative rock which I grew up on enables me to enjoy E-mute pretty easily and experience what the bands from across the pond in England are accomplishing with alot of hard work and determination. A great upstart band that has the ability to achieve success here in the U.S. and beyond. Some recommended tracks for you to check out include "Clock Moves Forward" and "Flying".

For more information on E-mute, click on their Facebook page here where you can find out more info on the band and see what they're like! The band can also be followed on Twitter right over here where you can interact with the members of the band and see if they'll be planning to tour the States sometime soon. The band's official website is located here where you can find more in-depth information regarding the band and if you would like to check out their music, it's available on their BandCamp site located over here where you can decide for yourself if they're the real deal.

The Attic Stairs - Small Things

The Attic Stairs are making their presence known with their all new studio release titled Small Things. The Haverford, PA based group is starting to become a known commodity in and around the Philadelphia area with their own unique blend of indie rock with a strong, sharp focus that immediately makes you feel relaxed and right at home.

The disc starts off with "You're Always Around", a comforting, pleasant sounding track featuring a thunderous vocal refrain sung in unison by lead singer Dan Wriggins and flutist Evangeline Krajewski that immediately puts things in perspective for the rest of the album going forward. "Andy the Bluebird" features many of the same musical characteristics that the prior song exhibited, only on a much grander scale this time around with more variant instrumentation giving the song a bit of an edge than the first track. My favorite track off the disc is "Fire on the Lawn" a beautiful, stunning melodic delight featuring a wonderful acoustic guitar melody and a smooth transition with the dual vocal precision weaving its way in and out of this musical delight that you'll want to put on repeat by the time it's over. "How to Get Happy (When You're Sad)" is a downtempo number designed to put you in a positive frame of mind if you're feeling down for whatever reason, with an organic melodic mindset that will be sure to get you out of your rut and looking ahead to brighter days ahead.

The second half of the album takes shape with "No Sleep" a dazzling, well put together number featuring a well bodied acoustic guitar arrangement and a terrific vocal performance turned in that sees the album sticking to its guns and continuing to forge ahead. "Mary Allen" is a thumping, bombastic number featuring high energy folk based guitars and a strong vocal outlook that ushers in a new kind of folk that we haven't heard before and will leave you with your mouth open in awe by the time the song is all over. We get ready to close out the album with "He Cuts Out and We All Come In", a track that evokes some musical characteristics set forth by Mumford & Sons with some intricate flute arrangements giving the song the ability to stand out among all the rest featured here. The disc comes to an end on "Ambulance Man", a moody, downtempo number that takes in elements of songs we've heard at various points throughout the album, and condenses it in a format that we can easily comprehend to see what we've heard so far and how it makes it feel as a whole. It's great to hear a refreshing change in music with the new folk movement taking shape that is being spearheaded by groups like Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes to name a few, and this album really puts it in perspective for us to see the sheer and raw talent that is omnipresent in the great state of Pennsylvania and how this band is leading the charge in this new folk movement that is only going to get bigger as the days and years trickle by.

Overall, a great album from The Attic Stairs, who have made an indelible first impression with a strong and cohesive set of tunes that exemplifies the band's musical prowess and their innate ability to combine folk elements into an easily descriptive format that we can easily comprehend and put into terms that we can easily identify with. Definitely recommended!

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. You're Always Around
2. Andy the Bluebird
3. Small Things
4. Fire on the Lawn
5. How to Get Happy (When You're Sad)
6. Stony Ground
7. No Sleep
8. Mary Allen
9. New York & North
10. He Cuts Out and We All Come In
11. Ambulance Man

The Strokes Release Brand New Song "One Way Trigger"

NYC's indie rock sensations The Strokes are back with a brand new song titled "One Way Trigger". The song was made available to stream on their official website this afternoon and features the band in an upbeat frame of mind with bombastic instrumentation that is reminiscent of "Undercover of Darkness" from their last album, 2011's "Angles" and features Julian's voice reaching a new falsetto never heard before and it almost doesn't sound like him when you first hear it, but that old Strokes charm works it way in almost immediately. The band's experiments with some electronic influences this time around, marking a slight change to the band's dynamic that represents a new era in The Strokes, one of my favorite indie bands of the early '00's.

To take a listen to "One Way Trigger" in its entirety, simply go to their website here and click on the 'Play' button to begin streaming the song from their SoundCloud page. You may also download the song free of charge by entering in your e-mail address and the country where you live located directly beneath the player and then go to your e-mail, and the song will begin downloading immediately for your listening enjoyment!

Coachella 2013 Lineup Announced!

The lineup for the 2013 Coachella festival was released late last evening, and this year's lineup is an indie music lovers paradise! Among some of the bands that are performing at this year's festival for the weekend of April 12th and 19th include Blur, The Stone Roses, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, Lou Reed, Passion Pit, Tegan and Sara, Band of Horses, Beach House, Metric, Local Natives, and Of Monsters and Men.

For the weekend of April 13th and 20th, we have Phoenix, The xx, The Postal Service, Sigur Ros, New Order, Grizzly Bear, Two Door Cinema Club, Moby, Franz Ferdinand, Violent Femmes, and Portugal the Man. And rounding out the festival on April 14th and 21st, it will feature Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vampire Weekend, Social Distortion, Wu Tang Clan, The Lumineers, The Gaslight Anthem, Dinosaur Jr. and The Airborne Toxic Event.

For more information on the Coachella festival, simply click on their website right here where you can get the full lineup poster and find out information on how you can purchase tickets as well. Make your plans for the spring early as this festival is guaranteed to sell out quickly!  

Artist Spotlight: Negative Three

Today's edition of Artist Spotlight comes to us from a young up and coming band based out of Trumbull, CT by the name of Negative Three. The band consists of Skye Holden on vocals and guitar, Canaan Fredette on vocals and bass, and Jake Cohen on drums. The band has a youthful, dynamic pop-punk style similar to the likes of blink-182 and Green Day who came from the same roots as these guys, crafting 2 to 3 minute long punk jams that get straight to the point and are designed for you to rock out and have a great time as you're listening. A similar band I featured on this blog, The Foresters (last year's Artist Spotlight of the Year champs) evoked the same musical qualities that this band is currently implementing, and Negative Three have the mindset and maturity to make it in this cutthroat business. A band that can easily pull off a terrific set of concise pop-punk jams designed to get you energized. Some recommended tracks from their extensive collection include "Sheets" and "Cola".

For more information on Negative Three, click on their Facebook fan page located here where you can connect with the band and see where their latest tour dates will be taking place! All of their music is available on their SoundCloud page located here where you can listen to their extensive collection of music and eventually you'll come across your new favorite tune.

BREAKING: The Mars Volta Break Up

Some sad news just coming in now. The Mars Volta, one of the preeminent prog-rock bands of the mid 2000's, are officially no more. The news of the break up came via a series of tweets that frontman Cedric Bixler Zavala started sending out late last night via his own Twitter account. Here are the tweets bunched together in a statement:

"Thank u 2 all VOLTA fans u deserved more especially after the way u rooted for us on this album. I tried my hardest to keep it going But Bosnian Rainbows was what we all got instead. I can't sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta. I honestly thank all of you for buying our records and coming to our shows. You guys were a blast to play in front of We could never had done it with out you. My dream was to get us to the point were Jon Theodore and Ikey Owens came back but sadly it's over Thank u a million times over for ever giving a fuck about our band For the record I tried my hardest to get a full scale North American tour going for Noctourniquet but Omar did not want to. I guess a break from mars volta means starting another band and ignoring all the support the fans gave us. I tried my hardest guys All I can do is move forward with my music and just be happy that mars volta ever happened at all. God Damn we had a blast. Thank u again. I just feel really guilty for not even really saying the truth because a hiatus is just an insult to the fans. To all our fans all over the world: thank you for giving a fuck. You all ruled! I don't think I'll ever hear a fist full of dollars the same. My record will see the light of day soon and I'm excited because it sounds nothing like my previous endeavors. I'm not joking about any of this, I owe it to you guys (all fans) to be serious about this. Thank you to all past members who helped Volta along, as well. We blasted through like a comet and left our mark! If you ever see me in person and want to know why I'll tell you my side of the story. Finally, Please just be happy that it happened at all, remember all the opposition we were met with for just starting a new band back in 2001."

The Mars Volta formed in 2001 and featured Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar Rodriguez Lopez, who were a part of the influential early 90's band At The Drive In. The band released their debut effort Deloused In The Comatorium in 2003, which contained tracks such as "Inertiatic ESP" and "Televators". It wasn't until their sophomore album Frances The Mute in 2005 where things really took off for the band. The album went gold on the strength of singles like "The Widow" and the 12 minute long "L'Via L'Viaquez". Amputechture followed in 2006, and was a bit of a step backward for the band, containing songs such as "Viscera Eyes" and "Vicarious Atonement" and was not as successful as its predecessor. The band made a huge return to form in 2008 with The Bedlam In Goliath, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album chart, their highest ranking there, and contained strong tracks such as "Wax Simulacra", "Goliath", "Aberinkula", and "Ilyena". Their next album, Octahedron followed a year later and was a more pure, prog rock based album containing tracks like "Since We've Been Wrong" and "Cotopaxi". Their last album came out just last year, called Noctourniquet and contained one memorable track in the form of "The Malkin Jewel".

I had the opportunity to catch The Mars Volta twice in concert, once back in 2005 at the Worcester Palladium and again in 2008 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI. They put on a hell of a live show, and were an essential part of my musical heritage and enabled me to move past the ordinary type of music that I normally listened to, and transition into a more complex, otherworldly state of mind. I will miss these guys dearly and hope the best for them in the years to come. 

Mod Sun Releases Music Video For "My Hippy"

Bllomington, MN native Mod Sun has just released his brand new music video for the song "My Hippy". The song is a psychedelic, trippy delight featuring bizarre costumes, dark and out of this world imagery, and Mod Sun's positive and outrageous persona fitting in well with his positive blend of hip-hop that he refers to as "hippy-hop". A video that definitely needs to be seen to be believed.

For more info on Mod Sun, 'Like' him on Facebook here and follow him on Twitter here.

Bear Language To Release New Single "Mary Go Round" on February 15th

Boston's indie rock sensations Bear Language are gearing up for the February 15th release of their brand new single titled "Mary Go Round". You may have heard the song at their show at The Middle East Upstairs a few months back, and the song is ready to see the light of day much to the delight of their ever growing fanbase. The announcement was made in a very eerie, disoriented video posted on the band's YouTube page yesterday that you can view directly below:

For more information on Bear Language, 'Like' them on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter here.

Vacationer To Perform At SXSW, Tour With Body Language

Philadelphia's own Vacationer will be performing at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, TX. The annual festival is a mecca for indie rock fans to get exposure to hundreds of cutting edge, indie bands over a span of 5 days in a fun, interactive setting featuring hundreds of booths in a fun, music-centric community.

The festival will take place from March 12th-March 17th. For more information on the festival, click on their official website located right here where you can find more information on the bands that will be performing, along with how you can attend the festival as well. Here are the dates of shows that Vacationer will be performing at leading up to SXSW with Body Language:

2/28/13 Amityville, NY @ Revolution Bar & Music Hall
3/1/13 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
3/2/13 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
3/5/13 Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade
3/6/13 Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
3/8/13 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
3/9/13 San Antonio, TX  @The Ten Eleven

Artist Spotlight: Abbe May

We continue our trip Down Under this week with an all new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we uncover the dark and mysterious sounds of Australia's own Abbe May. Emanating from a small coastal town in the southwestern section of Australia, Abbe has a gothic, electronic infused sound that ventures into avant-garde territory, but manages to put listeners in a trance with her edgy, dark style capturing the audience's attention almost immediately. I'm not a huge fan of gothic influenced music, but something about her image captivated me almost immediately and gravitated me towards her sound in which I admired the electronic influence interspersed throughout that contributed to an overall cohesive and direct musical sound. Her song "Karmageddon" is an accurate representation of the overall sound that she's trying to convey to her listening audience.

For more information on Abbe May, head on over to her Facebook page located right here where you can get more information on her background, and peruse her photo gallery as well to see some eye-catching images of Abbe. Her Twitter account is located right over here where you can communicate directly with her and see if any tour dates will make its way over to the States sometime soon! Her official website is right here where you can get a listen to her music along with a host of other in-depth features.

Andrew McMahon Announces Spring Tour Dates, Debut Solo EP

Andrew McMahon, frontman for Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, has announced a slate of tour dates that will commence in the springtime. Andrew has assembled a 6-piece backing band for this tour, and they will play an assortment of songs from all facets of Andrew's career including some songs from his brand new solo EP, which should see the light of day sometime this spring.

Here is the full list of tour dates just announced a short time ago:

3/12/13                                Tucson, AZ                          The Rock           
3/16/13                                Dallas, TX                            Trees
3/19/13                                Scottsdale, AZ                   Martini Ranch
3/20/13                                San Diego, CA                    House of Blues
3/21/13                                Santa Ana, CA                    The Observatory
3/23/13                                San Francisco, CA             Great American Music Hall
3/25/13                                Portland, OR                      Hawthorne Theater
3/26/13                                Seattle, WA                        The Showbox at the Market
3/28/13                                Salt Lake City                     Club Sound
3/29/13                                Denver, CO                         Marquis Theater
3/30/13                                Omaha, NE                         Slowdown
4/1/13                                   Minneapolis, MN             Fine Line Music Café
4/2/13                                   Milwaukee, WI                    Turner Hall
4/4/13                                   Chicago, IL                          Lincoln Hall
4/5/13                                   Detroit, MI                          St Andrew’s Hall
4/6/13                                   Cleveland Heights           Grog Shop
4/8/13                                   Boston, MA                        Paradise Rock Club
4/9/13                                   New York, NY                    Highline Ballroom
4/10/13                                Philadelphia, PA              Theater of Living Arts
4/12/13                                Brooklyn, NY                      Warsaw
4/15/13                                Washington, DC               9:30 Club
4/16/13                                Charlotte, NC                    Visulite Theater
4/17/13                                Nashville, TN                     3rd & Lindsley
4/19/13                                Fort Lauderdale, FL         Culture Room
4/20/13                                Orlando, FL                         Beacham Theater
4/21/13                                Atlanta, GA                         The Loft