Ernest Jenning Recording Co. is thrilled to release the video for Grandchildren's "Sunrise," off their upcoming album Golden Age, out May 7th. The clip was directed by Michael James Murray from Out of Town Films. Consequence of Sound describes the video as "a young girl [who] explores some darkened woods inhabited by taxidermied animals. Eventually, she comes across some hooded figures and walks through what can only be described as pre-pubescent disco. With reality and fantasy too blended to distinguish, it's the perfect visuals for this otherworldly ballad."
ALBUM STREAM: BRIGHTLY - BEGINNINGS & ENDINGS
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Brightly are a Melbourne-based three piece, combining elements of folk, pop and electronica. I have heard their name being tossed around here and there, but honestly if you are not living in Melbourne, it's hard to be fully emerged into it's incredible music scene, even tho I try. And now that I am listening to the album I am beginning to understand their greatness! Their debut album, Beginnings & Endings was released on March 31, 2013. To celebrate the release, the band has produced The Beginnings & Endings Project, a collaborative world map that encourages sharing, to give away the single and album for free. With a live show that takes advantage of their multi-instrumental background, rampant enthusiasm and a enduring love of glitter, Brightly is a riotous soiree late into the pitch black night, awaiting morning.
REMIX: CITY CALM DOWN - SENSE OF SELF (ZACH HAYSE REMIX)
CommentWe had to drive a 15 passenger van that had all the seats removed and was packed with 2 full backlines and a gigantic PA, as well as pull a trailer full of gear all the way to Austin for SXSW! Bananas! However, something that was pretty much on all sorts of repeat throughout the 30 hour journey was the Movements EP from one of our big Australian band crushes City Calm Down. We love this band in an very dirty way! So it's surprising that we did not see this new Zach Hayse of Melbourne duo '96 Bulls remix of "Sense Of Self" come up in City Calm Down's soundcloud feed, but I guess we can't catch everything. It's never too late to hear a great remix tho....dance party time!!
NEW MUSIC: I'LLS - PLANS ONLY DRAWN
CommentI've just had one of those moments - the kind where I listen to a track for the first time from a band I don't know anything about and I completely fall in love! I've just experienced that with Australian moody indie pop electro band I'lls (pronounced isles). Their light and spacey tune "Plans Only Drawn" has lifted me to cloud 9 with its warn and fuzzy sense of purpose. Fucking brilliant! I'lls just signed to Yes Please and are set to release their new A Warm Reception EP on May 21. Most likely we will not be able to purchase it in the US for a minute - so we'll just have to stream away! Can't wait to see what's next from I'lls!
NEW MUSIC: JESSE RUINS - LAURA IS FADING
CommentJesse Ruins, started by Nobuyuki Sakuma as a solo endeavor, has since expanded and is now known worldwide. Jesse Ruins released an already sold-out cassette with Cuz Me Pain, an independent label in Tokyo, and then proceeded to join in Cuz Me Pain’s first compilation LP the same year. In 2011, Nah joined Sukama as the second member in Jesse Ruins. Music blogs such as Gorilla vs Bear, The Guardian and many others picked up on Jesse Ruins' unique sound and were hooked. This led the band to release their first 7" with Double Denim Records. In December 2011, the band signed to Captured Tracks and released an EP. Most recently, the support drummer, Yosuke Tuchida, became an official member. Jesse Ruins is planning to release their first LP in 2013.
NEW VIDEO: NEONFAITH - ESCAPE
CommentMysterious Queens-based trio Neonfaith premieres their impressive new video for blog favorite jam "Escape", the first visual release from a project which up to this point shared only a handful of tracks and remixes. The video, directed by Darin Quan, follows a group of kids in Brooklyn passing around flyers to an underground party that ultimately ends in a smokey twist.
Neonfaith emerged last year on the internet, sharing very little personal information but flooding their soundcloud with badass original tracks like "Escape", "Tied Together" and "Mercury" and remixes of pop gems like Little Dragon and Lana Del Rey. With a background in hip-hop production and a ferocious love of everything from electro-pop to indie rock, Neonfaith is an amalgamation of a true music lover's brainwaves. The trio have new material and an EP in the works due out later this year
NEW VIDEO: NIGHTMARE AIR - ICY DAGGERS
CommentThis band is going to be one of your favorite bands of 2013 - that's a promise! If you are not in love with Nightmare Air by the end of this video then you really have a problem recognizing great music and you probably shouldn't be reading this blog! They come from LA and they are the loudest band I have ever heard, and I love it!! In 2012 Nightmare Air took the stage at the my SXSW showcase for their first live show ever.... bananas!! Now they are 1/2 way through a sold out West Coast tour with Airborne Toxic Event and have released an amazing debut record a few weeks back called High In The Lasers via Saint Marie Records.
Nightmare Air's new video for "Icy Daggers" reminds me of what life is like living within the music community in Los Angeles - not so much the part about setting things on fire - and for the first time since my move to the bay area, I actually kinda missed my old LA life! Let's talk cameos as well, in this video you can catch glimpses of Marc Sallis of The Duke Spirit, Travis Shettle of Piebald, and Brian Aubert from Silversun Pickups - I think I have actually been to this party! The song is great, the video is great, and I am so stoked for my friends in Nightmare Air - so go buy their record on iTunes HERE! They will be playing the bay area next Thursday at the Warfield - but the show is sold out so you may be able to find tickets on craigslist or outside the venue, just don't play over face value because scalpers suck!
NEW MUSIC: ROYAL CANOE - TODAY WE'RE BELIEVERS
CommentMany months ago I decided to move Beautiful Buzzz and all its glory up to the bay area for a myriad of reasons - but mostly because San Francisco was calling and it was time to respond. Los Angeles had been my home for the past 8 years and I had such a blast running around in the music scene on the east side, and the bands I worked with and became friends with are still dear to my heart.
I first met Royal Canoe in Los Angeles at The Satellite during my going away party. They were on the bill with my amazing friends The Californian, and that night you could say I was drinking just a bit....only a little. Perched in my usual spot at the back bar, I hear this incredible music coming from the downstairs room and immediately got up and left all my friends to check out the band. I was totally blown away! It is a rare thing that a band I have never heard of could leave such a great impression on me. After their set I stumbled up to them and introduced myself, most likely went on and on about how great I thought they were, then I found out they were Canadian and I love Canadians, so I told them they must play my SXSW showcase. A few weeks later I received an email from their beautiful manager, and BAM! Royal Canoe....booked!
Scheduling a 4 day and night SXSW event with over 100 bands is really hard, and Royal Canoe played pretty early in the day on that amazing Friday line-up, and when singer Matt Peters came strolling down the hallway I was so sidetracked over the kick drum head that had just broke and trying to sort out that issue I didn't even recognize him. Eventually I got it together and was over the moon about seeing my new friends again. There was a common theme of ginger frontmen this year too which is always OK with me! Unfortunately I did not get to see much of their set because running the showcase was keeping me pretty busy, but I could hear the music ..... and it still had the same effect over me. Royal Canoe are one of the most original sounding and thought provoking bands I have been exposed to in years, they are so fucking amazing that I have a hard time putting it into words.
Check out their new single "Today We're Believers" - it's amazing! Their album comes out June 25 via our friends at Roll Call Records - can't wait for that!
NEW VIDEO: VINYL THIEF - FACES (OURVINYL.TV SESSION)
CommentIn the months leading up to SXSW, I must have listened to 500 or more bands who submitted to play the Beautiful Buzzz showcase, it was quite overwhelming. However, my production assistant Christine and I did listen to every submission that came in, and selecting bands was a taunting and time consuming task, but I believe we chose the best of the best..... I mean did you see that AMAZING line-up?
Vinyl Thief reached out to me first, then another band from Nashville, TN who were already playing the Beautiful Buzzz showcase sent me a text about Vinyl Thief, then their manager hit me up and he works in a department at a record label where I used to work so we had that to bond over..... so I started to think that maybe this band is a gem, and I absolutely had to book them because their name is coming from every direction.... and I am so so so glad I did.
When Vinyl Thief arrived on the Thursday night, I was on like beer 10 which made things all the better. They stuffed their gear onto my little stage - they even got the keyboard stand that is shaped like a fucking upright piano on there - I don't even think you can call it a stand, but it's brilliant either way - and proceeded to slay that room to teeny tiny pieces. I mean they were murdering that room with their Cold War Kids / The Killers amazing dance rock sound! Know what I was doing during their set.... dancing my ass off on the side of the stage! From what I was told by the band and management , apparently that set was the best set they have ever played! It was perfect, they were on fire, the vibe in the room was on fire..... perfect! The set was full of energy and exploded off the stage - Vinyl Thief is a band you must see! Look, it also never hurts to have an adorable ginger front man.
This OurVinyl.TV Vinyl Thief session says it all! Expect many more great things from this band in the future, and I will be counting down the days till they come to the best coast!
