2015 – INDIE ROCK CAFE

Best Alt. & Indie Rock Christmas Songs Playlist – The Shins, Stars, The Killers, Weezer, Bright Eyes, Eels, Phoenix

Posted on 12/25/201512/06/2023 by Max Hammer

Here’s yet another best of alt. and indie rock Christmas Songs’ Playists series, which has amassed over 8 million visits from 2008-2015. Woah-ho-ho.

Plus, watch some popular videos for the songs on this playlist, including The Shins‘ cover of Paul McCartney‘s “Wonderful Christmastime,” which replaced Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” as the No. 1 most requested Christmas song, according to PlayNetwork, which creates Christmas playlists for more than 400 retail stores. Enjoy and spread peace and love.

Fresh Tracks Mix – The Davenports with ’69 Love Songs’ Singer Shirley Simms, plus Chasing Colors, Hillary Bratton, Eight Belles

Posted on 12/13/201510/17/2021 by flytrap

Brooklyn band The Davenports have released their new single, “Miranda in Her Room,” featuring Shirley Simms of one our favorite indie bands, The Magnetic Fields. The track is the latest in a string of singles the band has released since the beginning of the year.

https://soundcloud.com/motherwest/the-davenports-miranda-in-her-room-2/s-vB7OP

Klass has a wonderful knack for crafting heavily melodic songs that are memorable and poignant, and Simms vocals are, as always, touching and perfectly on key.

Simms, a Boston vocalist well known for her work on The Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs, and all of their releases since then, duets on the new single, “Miranda In Her Room,” with Brooklyn band The Davenports’ singer/songwriter Scott Klass. Klass is best known for “Five Steps,” the theme song to A&E’s Emmy-nominated Intervention.

The song, a country waltz infused with McCartney-esque medlodies, and lyrics reminiscent of Emily Dickenson, had been dormant as a demo for a long time, waiting for the right vocal pairing to bring it to life.

Klass and producer Charles Newman, who has worked with The Magnetic Fields and The Davenports for over a decade, considered an array of singers until choosing Simms.

The next track, “Airplanes” from the reunited Minneapolis band Chasing Colors’ new, self-titled EP, has been on regular rotation in the cafe for at least a week now.

The band members, that include singer/songwriter Louie Paretta, Scott Patton on guitar, Dave Paquette on drums, and Dave Wagner on bass, grew up listening to The Beatles, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, among other classic rock bands, as well as the 1980s new wave sound, with bands like The Cars, and indie bands like Death Cab For Cutie.

Chasing Colors has opened for bands like Crow, Badfinger, Johnny Rey and the Reaction, and Urban Guerillas. Check out the “Airplanes” music video via YouTube.

Airplanes – Chasing Colors from Chasing Colors

Heartbeats – Chasing Colors from Chasing Colors

Chasing Colors official website

Chasing Colors on Facebook

Hillary Bratton – “Fuck It’s Cold Outside”

Hillary Bratton is a talented Los Angeles singer/songwriter who is increasingly on the rise, as demonstrated by her new album, Tears On My Pillow But The Rest Of The Bed’s OK, featuring the

This haunting work is a carefully-chosen collection of songs written by the legendary Barry Reynolds, best known for his work with artists such as Marianne Faithful, Grace Jones, Antony & the Johnsons, Brazilian Girls, and many others.

Bratton’s newest stylistic endeavors are more relaxed and stoic – she’s picked up a few tricks in the eight years she lived in New York City and the two years she spent in Paris. She was inspired to record the album after seeing Marianne Faithful in concert; when she heard the song “Guilt” she was determined to work with Reynolds.

“I wanted to make an album but it was Barry’s songs that were the impetus,” says Bratton. “I wanted to share these songs that I had fallen in love with and for people to know what a great songwriter he is. It’s the only album comprised entirely of his songs”.

Listen to the ironic track, “Fuck It’s Cold”. Ironic because it’s one of the warmest Decembers in the northeast anyone can remember.

Eight Belles – “Darkness In Me”

Three years after the release of its debut album, Girls Underground, Oakland indie folk duo Eight Belles just dropped a self-titled sophomore album.

Vocalist Jessi Phillips, guitarist Henry Aloysius Nagle, and engineer Ross Harris (Emily Jane White) tracked the album over three years, enlisting a cadre of prominent Bay Area musicians, including singer/pianist Joel Robinow (Once and Future Band, Howlin’ Rain); drummer Shaun Lowecki (Painted Palms); bassist Jonathan Kirchner (Con Brio); and singer Katie Colver (Cave Clove).

The duo has arranged an album brimming with intricately woven, almost earthy, folk music, and a variety of other styles and flavors, set against lyrics of a highly personal nature. The backup musicians really fill out the songs and the album as a whole.

The first single “Darkness in Me” tells the “mostly true but somewhat metaphorical” story of Phillips’ return to her native Michigan in an ill-fated attempt to reconnect with a past lover.

Radar Love – Icelandic Synth Pop Duo Jane Telephonda

Posted on 12/08/201512/18/2019 by flytrap

We are always down for listening to new bands from Iceland. Do we need to say – Sigur Ros, Bjork, Olafur Arnalds – that there is something so moving, poignant and joyous in the music of so many artists from the enchanting and mystical northernmost Atlantic isle.

Now there is a new band starting to make headway on and beyond the ancient Nordic land; and we can see why. Jane Telephonda of Kópavogur City.

We love the reverb-oozing vocals, the hard-driving snare and bass drum beats, the soaring synths and the infectious melodies and harmonies from the verses through the uplifting choruses on the new single, “Transmuted Saltness.” It has that put-it-on-repeat quality about it.

Jane Telephonda are the husband and wife duo Ívar Páll Jónsson and Ásdís Rósa Þórðardóttir. Their unique blend of influences are inspired by the sounds of the classics to the contemporaries, including David Bowie, Sufjan Stevens, Wilco, Grizzly Bear, Of Montreal, and Queen.

The couple are not, however, new to the world of music.

Jónsson began playing guitar and recording his own music on a four-track at the age of 16. Fast-forward to 2011: he begins writing for his 2014 concept album, Revolution in the Elbow of Ragnar Agnarsson Furniture Painter, which ultimately earns Jónsson a nomination for the 2014 Icelandic Music Awards. The album received rave reviews in the U.S. coinciding with its theatrical stage adaption at the Minetta Lane Theater in NYC in the summer of 2014.

Along with the undeniably gifts of his wife, who also performed on ‘Revolution’ the duo of Jane Telephonda are bound to make waves of their own with their newest venture.

You’re probably wondering what’s up with the name?

It’s kind of a crazy thing. Þórðardóttir loves Jane Fonda as an actress. So, when the couple’s fourth child came along, they combined the Jane Fonda fixation with Jónsson’s love of phones – and wah-lah – the name Jane Telephonda. But it wouldn’t just be the band name; they named the child Jane Telephonda too.

I know, right?…

It just makes the music all that more inviting to us because it’s so punk. JT: Stay crazy and keep pumping out those melodic, hook-friendly synth pop anti-folk-ish beats.

Jane Telephonda on Facebook
Jane Telephonda official website

Best New DIY Music of 2015, Vol. VIII – The Modern Savage, ness, Gibberish, Storie Grubb, Duals

Posted on 12/01/201507/22/2021 by indierocker

It doesn’t seem possible that 2015 is almost over, but the hard reality is that it’s on the outs. We still have lots of artists and bands with stellar 2015 releases that we want to share with you all.

This is the eighth installment of the popular band profile and playlists series, Best New DIY Music of 2015. Therefore, without further delay, here is the next batch of artists and band’s you need to hear.

In This Installment:

The Modern Savage – Anchorage, Alaska
ness – Long Island, New York
Gibberish – Los Angeles, California
Storie Grubb – Boise, Idaho
Duals – Goleta, California

[zbplayer]

The Modern Savage – Unfazed

Alaskan alternative rockers The Modern Savage‘s new EP, Unfazed, displays the band’s knack for driving, explosive rock, such as on the edgy lead single, “Go,” one of the standout tracks of the five song EP.

Front woman Jenni May Toro exhibits her raw, emotive and sneering vocal work throughout the EP, accompanied by the accomplished guitar and synth work of John Cripps and Matt Eley, Ivan Molesky on bass, and David Devlin on drums.

“As a whole, Unfazed explores the multifaceted aspects of being a woman in her mid-20s,” Toro says.

“The song ‘Comet’ confronts the predefined archetypes for women in music, and songs like ‘More’ and ‘Unfazed’ touch on the lonely aspects of millennials, who are never fully satisfied.”

The new EP was produced, engineered, and mixed by NYC based producer and recording engineer James Frazee (Radio Music Society, Sharon Van Etten, Patti Smith).

The Modern Savage has been moving up in the Anchorage rock scene in recent years, and plan to make their way down into the lower 48, where the band already has a growing and loyal fan base.

They’ve shared the stage with powerhouse acts like Jane’s Addiction, Foster The People, Silversun Pickups and Owl City. TMS was also featured in YouTube’s celebrated series, American Hipster Presents, which focuses on art and culture in 10 American cities.

Now, with their sophomore effort out, the band has much more material to perform live with for their growing base of fans.

“Go“ – The Modern Savage from Unfazed

The Modern Savage official website

The Modern Savage on Facebook

ness – Behind The Couch (official lyric video)

During the summer, we featured the Long Island DIY electro pop duo, ness’ hazy song, “Behind The Couch,” from the debut EP, A Second To Think.

The reverb-heavy acoustic pop track with uptempo mandolins, twinkling xylophone notes, and light beats, was favorited so much by listeners that it easily became the No. 1 song in July on IRC’s Top Ten Songs.

Now the duo are back with the official lyric video for “Behind The Couch,” which is already attracting kudos from fans. The track, since its release, has received over 17,000 plays on Soundcloud and the EP more than 55,000 streams on SC and Spotify.

The band members, Ethan Peck and Jesse Weisberg, are also currently writing and recording songs for their next release expected in the spring of next year.

Ness on Soundcloud

Gibberish – Winter Coat

One of our favorite releases from 2015 comes from the Los Angeles duo of Derek and Lorie Bromley, aka Gibberish. Their wild, glitchy, and rattly psych pop tracks on their debut EP, Winter Coat, has been rotated on the cafe’s speakers many times over the past few months.

If we had to pick one track to represent the band’s Animal-Collective-meets-Brian-Eno sound, it would be the song, “Colonies.” It stomps along with a hard bass drum; clattering drum sticks; waves of warm, soaring synth riffs; and layers of hazy reverb-heavy vocals, oozing with rich melodies and sweet harmonies, creating a weird and wonderful psychedelic feast of sounds, samples, effects, rhythms and beats.
“Colonies“ – Gibberish from Winter Coat

“Everything on Winter Coat was done by myself on my laptop, using gear I’ve accumulated throughout the years,” says Derek Bromley. “We recorded most of the album using one or two mics at a time, which is how we got the percussion sounding psychedelic and glitched out.

“I used a vocal effects processor and looped drum parts one at a time and then added them all up to give the rhythm section a lush, full, textured sound. I used this technique on a lot of instruments and vocals to varying degrees, so the album would have continuity between songs.”

Gibberish official website
Gibberish on Facebook

Storie Grubb –The Length of Tomorrow

The prolific Boise DIY musician and visual artist, Storie Grubb, has just released his fifth album in the past year. The LP, The Length of Tomorrow, is a tour de force of emotive and introspective anti-folk indie music, and a sobering tale of modern times, with elements of punk woven into the fabric of Grubb’s music.

“It is album that for me is totally appropriate for the times we are living in,” Grubb writes on his official website.

It is full of themes that I love bringing to light, like war, death, love and life…as well as religion and the relationships one has with fellow human beings on this beautiful planet.”

Completely written, composed, performed, recorded, produced and mastered by the talented extraordinaire multi-instrumentalist Sean Kelly (aka, Storie Grubb), the new LP features would-be indie hit songs like “Milky Way,” “Never Coming Back,” “A Cloud in the Sky,” and a magnificent cover of Beck‘s “Jack-Ass”, featuring backup vocals from Amber Pollard.

“Milky Way“ – Storie Grubb from The Length of Tomorrow

“Jack-Ass“ – Storie Grubb from The Length of Tomorrow

Grubb’s melodic, heartfelt, and at times, angst, music consists of dabbling in various genres of indie music – including folk, rock, pop, punk, and psych – and is inspired by musical influences like Elliott Smith, Neil Young, Belle and Sebastian, and The Magnetic Fields.

Last fall, before the dissolution of his previous band, Storie Grubb and The Holy Wars, Kelley and his band were asked by Built To Spill frontman Doug Martsch to open for the legendary, trail-blazing indie rock band at a benefit concert in Boise.

We have been big fans of Storie Grubb since we first heard the fascinating album, The Jewel and The Germ.

Fans will likely dig into his discography once they take the time to listen to a true unsung musical and lyrical indie hero of our time who is just a few blog reviews from underground stardom.

Storie Grubb official website

Duals – Honesty Is Mandatory

Duals is the moniker of Goleta, California DIY artist and producer Aphiah Cey-Jude. Drawing inspiration from artists like Cat Power, Eyedea, Bob Dylan and James Brown, Cey-Jude created Duals in 2000 as an outlet for musical expression, dabbling in everything from hip hop and rock to ambient and electronic.

Those influences and tastes, and his own traumatic childhood, have translated into art rock songs like “Life Is A Paradox” and “Big Sisters And Stuffed Animals,” from Duals debut LP, Honesty Is Mandatory, released earlier this year. He asserts that the moniker is to reflect “the duality of depravity and love that the concept of man is tied to.”

Mixing analog instruments, finely produced vocals and electronic samples, Duals has set himself up as an artist to watch in 2016.

“Life Is A Paradox“ – Duals from Honesty Is Mandatory

“Big Sisters And Stuffed Animals“ – Duals from Honesty Is Mandatory

Dual’s Growth of Culture homepage

Duals on Facebook

Artist of the Week – New Jersey’s Lifeguard Nights

Posted on 11/13/201512/18/2019 by flytrap

The prolific DIY New Jersey indie rock band Lifeguard Nights, have, for the most part, flown under the radar when you consider just how many recordings they’ve released; stunning when you think about it, the band has dropped some 19 to 23 – depending on where you start counting – EPs and albums in the past 15 years.

At the helm the whole time has been the band’s founder and frontman, Vincent Brue, who booted up his musical career back in 2000. Since then, he has overseen a revolving door of band members that have come and gone over the years.

The one constant has been Brue’s insatiable appetite to write and record music, and get it out, by any means necessary. No wonder he wrote in his profile that he loves to record. And it’s been for the benefit of music lovers that he has. Although too many have yet to hear the music of Lifeguard Nights.

Perhaps there is no more meaningful, and genius, recording in Brue’s discography than Lifeguard Nights latest release, the poignant album, Do Rock, which dropped in May. The entire album was inspired by, and written about, the life and death of the band’s drummer, John Dorocki, who passed away in November of 2013.

“Writing these songs was not only a way for me to express to John what I was feeling at the time, it was my way of keeping him right here with me,” Brue wrote on Bandcamp.

“John’s spirit will always be a part of me and a part of my music and I hope that those of you who knew him can hear that in these songs. I also hope for those of you who never had the chance to meet him, that you’ll get a sense of how great a loss this was and how much love we have for our old friend.”

Do Rock is truly a musical and lyrical experience, and in its own ways, somehow magical. Brue and the band have created something truly special. The songs are brilliant and represent a multi-dimensional ode to their friend and band member’s life with stunning variation in styles, sounds and emotions that come from one song after another.

There are sombre songs; celebratory songs; inspirational songs and gorgeously beautiful songs. Listening to the entire album uninterrupted is heart-breaking at times, whimsical at others, and altogether a spell binding and totally authentic sonic journey of humanity and love, loss and coping, friendship and honor.

We didn’t know John, but in listening to Do Rock as many times as we have, we feel like we are able to play a little part in honoring his life, his contributions to this unique band and to giving a thumbs way up for an album that is as raw and wonderful as they come.

[zblayer]

“Your Ghost” – Lifeguard Nights from Do Rock

“The Dream” – Lifeguard Nights from Do Rock

Other Recent Releases from Lifeguard Nights

In recent years, Brue simplified the band’s name from the original mouthful moniker of The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band to simply Lifeguard Nights.

In 2014 alone, the band released two albums that are nearly polar opposites when it comes to sound and style. The May 2014 release, Bruetown, was more pop and folk oriented, while last October’s release, Beastmaster, is “a fast and furious excursion into the world of (punchy) art rock with prog tendencies,” Brue commented.

And yet it sounds nothing like the Lifeguard Nights of just six months earlier – that release, Bruetown, demonstrates perfectly that point, with melodic hooks, thumpy bass rhythms, angular guitar notes, crashing drums and triumphant choruses on the single, “Overtired,” and the more serious, keyboard-laden, uptempo track, “The Break,” that proves just how hellbent Brue is not to allow his band to get pigeon-holed by one sound or genre. Many of the elements of an under-rated DIY band apply here, even though they’re something of an institution in the south Jersey indie scene.

So what were Brue’s early musical influences? “I grew up in Jersey in the 80’s with an older brother and sister, so I was frequently forced to listen to glam metal with a can of hair spray and a lighter pointed at my head,” he told Deli. “Call me ‘Stanley Stockholm Syndrome’ if you want, but I loved every glamorous coke-fueled-sex-orgy minute of it.”

From the Motley Crue’s of the 80’s to the explosion of grunge in the early 90’s with bands like Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and Nine Inch Nail, and then Primus, Porno For Pyros, Pavement, Sugar, and Rocket From the Crypt, Brue’s musical influences were many and varied.

“In college some friends turned me on to Frank Zappa and that’s literally all I listened to for a couple years. I lost a lot of friends during that time. I moved on to Tom Waits and gained some friends back,” he said.

7 Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, Vol. VI – Analog, The Lukewarm, Bee Caves, The Post Age, The Revies, Stereo Off, Danny and Caroline

Posted on 11/08/201507/22/2021 by flytrap

It’s hard to believe Bands You’ve Gotta Hear is at Vol. VI. We’re regularly amazed just how much terrific music is being churned out every day under the radar from indie bands and artists worldwide. We do our best to sift through the hundreds of songs we receive every month via our music submission form from musicians throughout the United States and around the globe.

We are not just another copy-and-paste-it’s-done or follow all the popular shit indie blog – there are hundreds of those. We used to cover all of the ‘popular’ indie music (and there’s still a lot we love), but everyone is doing that, and over time, we didn’t feel like we were adding anything new or original to the indie music dialog, if you will.

So, earlier this year, we decided to make almost all of our coverage DIY, small and indie label related. The reason is because there is just way too much great music being made, and new artists and bands ready to break out, that people are not hearing.

For all of you out there who have followed us for any number of years (we love you too!), you know exactly how much sick music has been posted on this site in the past six years in particular (much of it is actually still available in our archives), and how many artists and bands got their first big boost being featured on IRC.

This post playlist highlights another 7 Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, from the popular, on-going series. We’re jumping all across the country today to profile bands from the biggest city to the southern most city – Miami – all the way across to band-saturated Austin, laid back Tulsa and sunny Los Angeles with sweet tracks spanning electro-pop, alternative rock, and folk pop, among other genres, from bands that deserve to be heard. American Idol? Suck it! You ain’t never heard music this good; this original.

In This Installment:

analog – Miami, Florida
The Lukewarm – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Bee Caves – Austin, Texas
The Post Age – Miami, Florida
The Revies – Los Angeles & Mexico
Stereo Off – New York, New York
Danny and Caroline – Bedford Hills, New York

[zbplayer]

analog – Miami, Florida

Miami has a promising new alternative rock band on the DIY radar screen. It is analog, a four-piece band from the “sandy beaches and plastic atmosphere of a city notorious for its partying scene…not alternative rock.” In a little more than a year together, analog has made a big leap forward with the release of the debut LP, Extended Pleasure.

We are big fans of this new band, including the stellar guitar work and percussions on the foot-stomping rocker, “Working Man,” and the undeniably infectious, “Old Joy,” that has to be the closest likeness to 90’s Dinosaur Jr. that we’ve heard in some time, even though the band doesn’t even list Dinosaur Jr. as one of their most influential bands; those are, according to frontman and guitarist Albae Camino, Radiohead, Nirvana, White Stripes, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors.

Christian left the band in June, and was replaced by Tekilla. Arthur sometimes jams with us , but he is now focusing more on his studies. the official lead-guitar is Estevan Gomez.

The other band members in addition to Camino are Christian Avla (drums, percussions); John Manu (bass, vocals); and Arthur Filio (guitars) obviously all share a common love of rock and roll, and they play so well together that we really hope they continue to work hard and grow. Avla left the band in June and has been replaced by Tekilla and Filio has been replaced by Estevan Gomez.

More than likely, they’re going to need to branch out, or even move, from Miami to get much traction since there really is not much of an alternative rock scene there. In a city dominated by dance, Latin-fusion everything and hip hop, it’s going to be hard to get the foot-holding they need as an alternative rock band (which is exactly what they should stay).

We can’t wait to hear what they got next, but in the meantime, get yerself a copy of Extended Pleasure via Bandcamp and help seed yet another promising band.

“Old Joy“ – analog from Extended Pleasure

“Working Man“ – analog from Extended Pleasure

The Lukewarm – Tulsa Oklahoma

The Tulsa DIY indie psych rock band The Lukewarm got into our bloodstream with their minimalistic, atmospheric, stony, post rock-like single, “Gone,” from the band’s self-titled debut EP. This song shows a band that is ready to take it all to the next level. In addition to nearly 10K plays on Soundcloud, the song received hundreds of hearts and dozens of enthusiastic comments from fans.

The five members of the band were friends back in 2010 when they decided to start up a band, unified by their love of music, most especially bands like Radiohead, The Doors, Pink Floyd and The Strokes. The guys were young teenagers (13 and 14) when they started The Lukewarm – named after the Radiohead song, “2+2=5 (The Lukewarm).” During the past five years, it’s obvious they have worked hard to achieve the sound they have been shooting for.

Frontman and bassist Caleb Campbell‘s vocals are truly refreshing; his vocals sound incredibly mature, well-honed, and wonderfully emotive, especially on songs like “Gone,” “Blue Dream,” and “With You.” It’s just more evidence The Lukewarm are one of the promising new bands happening in Tulsa.

The Lukewarm members also include Lars Gardner on keys, Noah Beal on drums and James Connelly on guitar. In fact, Campbell and Gardner learned their respective instruments solely to complete the coalescence of the band. Connelly has done an impressive job on mixing and mastering considering his youthful age.

Consider this: almost every song from their debut has earned more than 8,000 plays on Soundcloud – no small achievement for a band that dropped its debut EP less than a year ago.

“Gone“ – The Lukewarm from The Lukewarm EP

“Blue Dreams“ – The Lukewarm from The Lukewarm EP

Having been compared to a darker version of Capital Cities, the Miami duo The Post Age have made an impression with us thanks to their finely produced debut EP, Shapeshifter, released in April. Sweet sounds.

The duo features Jack Addicott and Nick Greene, who met while in graduate school in Miami. Addicott and Greene discovered similar interests in music and began to work on song writing, recording and mixing together.

Combining twirling synths and booming electronic beats with acoustic and electric guitar riffs, the duo’s music comes across as intricate, thoughtful, and is full of crafty hooks, suave melodies and impressive vocal mixes.

Songs like “Fools Gold” and “The Remedy” sound like indie hits every time we play them, and recommended for fans of Florence and the Machine, Broken Bells, Foster The People, The Shins, Muse, Phantogram, The Neighbourhood and MGMT, among others. The Post Age’s biggest influences include The Doors, Phantogram, Ratatat, The Killers, Chromeo, and Spoon.

“Fools Gold“ – The Post Age from Shapeshifter

“Indie rock is, of course, independent rock music. That is, any unsigned rock. But the term, “indie” has grown to encompass more. It is a sound of its own, and it is very diverse but usually includes stripped down guitar riffs and a focus on song-writing and lyricism. ” – Nick Greene

The Post Age on Facebook

Bee Caves – Austin, Texas

Reed Calhoun and Sam Kearney first began their music collaboration ten years ago. But it was short-lived experience; the two were kicked out of their rehearsal studio after a week for being ‘too loud’ according to the landlord. Soon afterwards, Kearney joined the popular band Alberta Cross as a guitarist.

But after a few years of in-fighting and the hardships of constant touring, Kearny decided to leave the band. The first person he called was Calhoun. Though the two had previously collaborated for only a short time, the musical bond they formed was strong enough to bring them back together to pick up where they left off, and Calhoun, who also left a turbulent band, settled in Austin and the Bee Caves were formed. We’re so glad the guys got back together.

The pair locked themselves in a room and performed over and over with a freestyle approach, mixing genres including experimental, folk, psychedelic, rock and avant garde. Eventually they produced a handful of terrific songs for their DIY debut EP, Animals With Religion. Standout tracks like the folksy “Running Home To You” and the placid “Black Mason Hills” prove just how important Bee Caves is to the DIY scene.

The EP also features White Denim drummer Josh Block with mixing and mastering by Jim Vollentine (Spoon, Trail of Dead, Alberta Cross, White Denim, Heartless Bastards). Kearny lists the the duo’s musical inspirations to include Nick Drake, The Beatles, Bjork, David Bowie, Radiohead, and My Bloody Valentine.

The Revies – Los Angeles & Mexico

For a DIY band that plays straight-up American southern-tinged rock, it’s interesting that The Revies have performed most of their gigs over the years in Mexico, while living in the border town of Brownsville, Texas. The band took advantage of the many benefits available to them, including cross-cultural musical influences.

Formed in 2007, two of the band’s members still live in Monterrey, Mexico, which is why they’ve played most of their shows there. Earlier this year, The Revies relocated to Los Angeles and they’re currently working on a new album to be made available in Spanish and English.

Since forming, the band has released four EP’s. Their debut album, Through The Nine, was recorded for free in Austin after the band won a Battle of the Bands competition. The Revies have shared the stage with bands like Molotov and Kinky at the Hellow Festival in Monterrey. Their major musical influences include The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Weezer.

The Revies have a terrific range of musical abilities and interests as this cover of The Beatles’ “Oh Darling” demonstrates.

Stereo Off – New York City

New York City DIY quintet, Stereo Off, weaves indie rock and electro sounds to create sharp, catchy riff-friendly tracks that straddle the line between experimental guitar rock and dance-friendly synth sounds, as exemplified in their new single – from their upcoming second EP – “Hotel Mirror.”

Comprised of experienced musicians from the band scenes of New York and London, Stereo Off fuses electronic music with classic and alternative 90’s rock. The band was first formed in 2013 by producer, vocalist and keyboardist Sebastian (no last name provided).

He set about recruiting musicians from the two music scenes separated by the ‘big pond. Some of the band members were imported from England to achieve the lineup that Sebastian was looking for. In 2013, with only a couple of singles out, the band started gaining attention and getting booked for gigs at venues like the Knitting Factory and Bowery Electric.

Two tracks from Stereo Off’s five-song, self-titled debut EP, “Photographs” and “Bullet Time,” have been on regular rotation here in the cafe for some time. The band lists among their top musical influences artists such as The Faint, Foals, Friendly Fires, and Justice.

“Photographs“ – Stereo Off from Stereo Off EP5

“Bullet Time“ – Stereo Off from Stereo Off EP5

Stereo Off on Facebook

Update : The band just released a pair of new songs, including the awesome 80s-influenced track, “Hotel Mirror”

Danny and Caroline – Bedford Hills, New York

In upstate New York, the husband-wife pop duo Danny and Caroline Golub, from Bedford Hills, have been writing, rehearsing and producing upbeat, cheery pop songs with big hooks since 2011. Danny plays guitar, writes songs and sings, while his wife Caroline plays keys, writes and sings.

Their irresistible new single, “OMG You’re Killing Me,” from the duo’s upcoming debut full-length album, Beauty and the Beard, is set to drop officially on Friday. The album was produced by Wil Farr (Hurrah! A Bolt of Light) who also played bass. Drums were performed by Dan Wintersteen.

Since forming in 2011, the duo have dropped a trio of EPs. The song, “Better Days,” from the EP, Bee’s Kneez EP, was featured in a Coca-Cola commercial promoting the Olympic Games in Sochi. This gave them a nice boost of publicity and legitimacy with a loyal group of fans and followers, mainly from New York State, and particularly in New York City, according to Caroline and Danny.

The duo enjoy experimenting with instruments, writing and recording songs and making ‘fun music videos’. The newest video for “OMG You’re Killing Me” exemplifies the duo’s unique character. They’ve opened for bands like Hurrah! A Bolt of Light, Hee Young, Swear and Shake and include among their top musical influences artists like Ben Folds, Imogen Heap, Kings of Convenience, Broken Social Scene, and Feist.

Radar Love – Houston’s Silver Blueberry Straddles The Line Between Punk and Post Punk

Posted on 10/30/201512/18/2019 by indierocker

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No matter what anyone says, a catchy band name makes a difference in the type of attention a band attracts. But, ultimately, it’s the music that matters. Based in Houston, Texas, the DIY rock band Silver Blueberry have both of those checkboxes clicked.

The four member band creates garage rock music that reminds us of a killer mash of punk and post-punk from the 70’s and 80’s, as heard on the fiercely rhythmic, hand-clapping track like “Walk With Me,” one of the best songs from the band’s debut, Twin Reverberation.

Founded in the summer of 2013, Silver Blueberry was formed by twin brothers Tyson Rinker and Shaun Rinker, both of whom sing and play guitar. The duo started out writing and performing rough cut songs in their garage. Shortly afterwards they met a German diplomat, Philipp Kleiner, who loved their songs and decided to join as the band’s drummer.

The brothers then met Jasmine Martinez at a Thermals’ concert and discovered a common love for raw rock music. Martinez didn’t need a lot of convincing to join Silver Blueberry as bassist after he heard some of the trio’s songs. His inception into the band completed the quartet’s percussive sound and they were off and running, performing gigs throughout Texas and attracting attention from rock fans and the press. They also got the notice of a number of labels, soon signing with the small Austin label BooBo Records.

The lineup has undergone some changes in the past few months, acquiring a new bassist, Chris Casas, and drummer, Nick Little. It’ll be interesting to see with the new lineup whether the Rinker brothers continue to edge the line between punk and post punk. There is no question that there are also influences of garage, alternative and psychedelic rock; at times, the band’s songs remind us of a hybrid between Dinosaur Jr., Tame Impala, The Beatles and The Clash, like on the irresistible track, “I Land in the Desert.” Interestingly, part of the main guitar riff in the song reminded us automatically of the riff in The Clash’s “Spanish Bombs,” from the epic album, London Calling.

“Walk with Me“ Silver Blueberry from Twin Reverberation

“I Land in the Desert“ – Silver Blueberry from Twin Reverberation

Silver Blueberry has opened for Quilt, Sic Pop, and Little Joe Washington. Some of their biggest musical influences include Black Lips, The Thermals, Tame Impala, Ty Segall, and The Beatles.

Silver Blueberry on Facebook

Recovered Recordings of Cold War KGB Transmissions Inspire EP and New Band, Thin Blue Line

Posted on 10/23/201512/18/2019 by Max Hammer

A few years ago, veteran Montreal musician, photographer and filmmaker Toby Andris was sifting through boxes at a Budapest flea market when he came across quite a find. It was a box of quarter-inch tapes together with a notebook filled with numbers and names scribbled on the thin blue lines of the ledger paper inside.

As the story goes, references inscribed to the 4625 kHz frequency lead Andris on a months-long investigation during which he was able to trace the tapes to “the now well-known, though poorly documented, ‘buzzer’ number station transmissions, used to transmit covert messages to spies during the Cold War.”

The tapes contain recordings of short wave radio station scans from the KGB’s Cold War era. Andris believes the tapes are from the late 60s or early 70s. On some tapes, as he discovered, there are sections where the scanning pauses long enough to capture an unknown piece of music “obscured by hiss and dirt and the tape’s natural demagnetization and decay.”

Hauntingly affected by this mysterious music, Andris set out to replicate, interpret and expand on the the dusty, bygone era recordings in order to create all new sounds, styles and other audio and musical influences. To take his vision to the next level, he needed help.

Andris set out to create a band, simply named Thin Blue Line, that featured himself on guitar, synth, and sampling, and veteran indie and alt rock musicians Greg Paquet (The Stills, Peter Peter), Mathieu Dumontier (Kiss Me Deadly, Le Husky), and Michel Aubinais (Hey Hey My My, FareWell Poetry, SAF).

“Matt and Michel I’d played with in my previous band, Statue Park, and they’re incredibly talented and inventive musicians,” he said. “I also knew they’d be open to trying something different like this.”

Much of the EP is of course music composed by Andris. In fact, the tapes serve mainly as an inspiration for the songs the band recorded for the EP. And yet it’s a rare musical project that actually incorporates snippets from actual Soviet spay transmissions.

“The tapes mainly contain what sounds like someone scanning the radio airwaves, probably listening to intercept other spy transmissions,” he says “But the operator [of the Budapest station allegedly] was also transmitting secrets via the airwaves. In his case, it sounded like an intermittent buzzer for an intercom, and every once in a while that was interrupted by lists of names and numbers.”

In April, after months of recording, mixing and mastering, the band dropped it’s self-titled EP, Thin Blue Line.

The collection of mixed genres and styles – instrumental, post rock, post punk/C86, and krautrock – like the glistening and dreamy, “Tungsten Fields,” and the fragmented, radio intercepts of “Telegraph 3am,” are unique and original, especially when you consider how amazing it is that the tracks are inspired by, and featuring, excerpts of rare Cold War-era KGB radio transmissions.

“Tungsten Fields“ – Thin Blue Line from Thin Blue Line EP

“We still have a lot of tapes to sift through,” Andris added, “so it wouldn’t be surprising if future installments of our recordings should eventually surface.”

This past summer, Andris moved to Paris, which he plans to use as a home base while “scouring the former eastern bloc for more tapes.”

“Telegraph 3am“ – Thin Blue Line from Thin Blue Line EP

Thin Blue Line on Facebook

Best New DIY Music of 2015, Vol. VII – Bill and Murray, The Bread Brothers, Skyhound, Sports, Third Brother, Break The Bans, Aüva

Posted on 09/01/201507/22/2021 by indierocker

Throughout the year, we have been putting a lot of work into reviewing 2015 releases from DIY artists and bands across the country and around the world. We’ve labored over the flood of submissions we’ve received this year (most of them submitted to IRC via our submission form) from every type of artist and band, genre and style, you can think of, and from totally terrible to brilliant music that needs to be heard from talented musicians.

Over the years, since 2008, artists and bands featured on IRC have received all kinds of new fans, more coverage and reviews, gigs, licensing deals, recording contracts with labels, bookings on tours and festivals, and their music featured on television and film soundtracks as a result of being featured on IRC. Nowadays, bands need to hustle to make a living like never before, and harnessing the power of the web is one of the best ways to do it.

In this installment of the crazy popular series, Best New DIY Music of 2015 (which has received hundreds of Likes on FB), we’ve got rock, blues, synth, pop, folk, psych and more – as well as mixes of one or more genres, which is more typical of indie anyways – from bands in Tel-Aviv and London, Kiev and Petrozavodsk, Falun and Truro, and from Boston to Athens, Spokane to Tulsa and Squamish to Omaha.

Click on the player below to stream all of the songs uninterrupted or listen to them one by one by clicking the song links. Enjoy and please Like, Tweet, Insta, Pin and whatever else to show your love. We appreciate it y’all!

In This Installment:

Bill & Murray – Tel-Aviv, Israel
The Bread Brothers – Athens, Georgia
Skyhound – Kiev, Ukraine
Sports – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Third Brother – Falun, Sweden
Break The Bans – Petrozavodsk, Russia
Aüva – Boston, Massachusetts
Dismal Beeches – Tel-Aviv, Israel
Boat Race Weekend – Spokane, Washington
Colourshop – London, England
Sperry Alan – Truro, Nova Scotia
Battling Giants – Omaha, Nebraska
Slunq – London, England
Adam Hill – Squamish, British Columbia, Canada

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A new synth dance pop trio from Tel-Aviv, called Bill & Murray, is bound to turn some heads on this side of the globe. The grooving synths and beats of “Rabbit Hole” are irresistible, as are the gorgeous vocals and acoustic beauty of the more subdued single, “The Silence Grows.”

Vocalist and keyboardist Stella Goshtein has a terrific voice that hopefully will gain greater recognition in the U.S. Other cornerstones of the band’s presence are the guitar playing and vocals of David Blau and drum kit work of Ran Jacobovitz.

The origins of the band trace back to 2012 when an experimental collaboration between Blau and Gotshtein quickly turned into an full on band with the addition of Jacobovitz in 2013. The trio have performed all over Israel and music festivals in North America and Europe. They also wrapped up a tour of Europe and have opened for artists like Gary Numan.

Bill & Murray debut album, A New Kind of High, officially drops August 30th. The band’s top musical influences include Joy Division, The Cure, The Stone Roses, Gary Numan, My Bloody Valentine and Bauhaus greatly influenced the album. Though the album combines synth-pop and post-punk influences, the bands personal touch and their unconventional choice of musical instruments and pedal effects created a unique and distinct flavor.

“Rabbit Hole“ – Bill & Murray from A New Kind of High

“The Silence Grows“ – Bill & Murray from A New Kind of High

Bill and Murray on Facebook

The Bread Brothers – The Bread Brothers

Rock legends REM’s hometown of Athens, Georgia has produced many fine artists and bands over the years, including indie and DIY that are unknown to the mainstream. For 2015, we’re adding The Bread Brothers to Athens’ growing list of impressive, home ‘bread’ bands. Earlier this year, the brothers dropped their self-titled, debut album. And it’s one hell of an album for a band that few people outside the city have heard of.

But what started as a standard rock outfit has now progressed into a solidified sound; a melodic, yet hard-hitting, signature with many colors reflecting the band member’s musical backgrounds, including experiences with playing folk, country, rock and pop. In fact, fans of The Strokes are probably most likely to be attracted to the talented quintet’s sounds.

It’s hard not to think of The Strokes with the wonderfully jangling, jamming electric guitars, the radical chord shifts; the coarse, yet melancholic vocals, and driving percussions of the standout single, “Milk and Honey.” The brothers weave elements of folk rock with pop rock on the mostly uptempo single, “Dirty Deeds,” with its hard acoustic guitar playing and glittery piano swirls.

The ‘brothers’ of bread include Aaron Campbell (vocals); Cody Provost (rhythm guitar); Remington Rehklau (bass); Cameron Kelly (drums), and Alex Magee (lead guitar). They have opened for bands like Stop Light Observations, Voodoo Visionary, Lindee Link, and Chasing Jonah. Their top musical influences include The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and Needtobreathe.

“Milk and Honey“ – The Bread Brothers from The Bread Brothers

“Dirty Deeds“ – The Bread Brothers from The Bread Brothers

The Bread Brothers on Facebook

Skyhound – Dreamcatcher 7″

It’s not often that we come across a smoking hot band from the Ukraine. While the former Soviet satellite has been garnering worldwide attention as Russian separatists battle Ukranian loyalists, two Ukrainian friends and musicians – Farid Mbaidin and Daniel Hryhoriev – from the capital city, Kiev, have been writing and recording high energy synth/electro dance pop songs in their spare time under the moniker Skyhound.

Mbaidin and Hryhoriev have been working on their music since forming Skyhound last summer. The result are the two singles, “Dreamcatcher” and “Till We Fall.” The first track, “Dreamcatcher,” is an emotionally-charged, subdued song with a big, booming bass drum beat throughout, dark pop synth embellishments and haunting, layered vocals. The second track, “Till We Fall,” is epic-sounding with its driving rhythm, charged melodies and full throttle dance synth pop flourishes.

“We are in charge of everything in our band,” Mbaidin says, “starting with songwriting and lyrics, through designing artworks; mixing and producing songs, and finishing with music videos shooting and editing.” Mbaidin cites bands like Linkin Park, The Knife, M83, Howard Shore, Broods, CHVRCHES, and Evaline as top influences. The Dreamcatcher 7″ officially dropped on July 7th. The duo are working on their debut LP.

“Dreamcatcher“ – Skyhound from Dreamcatcher 7″

“Till We Fall“ – Skyhoundfrom Dreamcatcher 7″

Watch the ‘Dreamcatcher’ video via YouTube

Skyhound on Facebook

Sports – Naked All The Time

Heavy bass lines, steady, grooving rhythms and beats, soft vocals and layered choruses, and dreamy psych synth pop melodies are the hallmarks of singles like the swaggering “You Are The Right One” and the sunny, breezy “Panama.” Both tracks are from the new album, Naked All The Time, by the Tulsa, Oklahoma DIY band Sports. These guys delicately weave synth pop with tinges of psychedelia and dream pop.

Throughout junior high and high school, members Jacob Theriot (bass, keys), Christian Theriot (guitar, keys), and Cale Chronister (vocals, keys, guitar) have written and recorded music together under various project names . Not surprisingly, they are fans of bands like Tame Impala, as well as Prince and Fleetwood Mac (that’s an interesting range, chronologically and genre-wise).

Sidebar: One thing worth mentioning – and advice for other new bands – is that picking such a common and diluted word, ‘sports,’ puts the band at an immediate disadvantage because it is nearly impossible for potential fans and followers to quickly find more information about the band in a Google search. Lesson 101 in band naming/branding in 2015: Create a totally original band name that will guarantee that all of the web pages and social media links with your band name will come up first and dominate Google search results. For example, a band name like The Radically Sonic Bandits.

Now, back to regular programming. These two hot tracks from Tulsa band to watch, Sports, are sah-wheet!

“You Are The Right One“ – Sports from Naked All The Time

“Panama“ – Sports from Naked All The Time

Sports on Facebook

Third Brother – No Mind Police

In Falun, Sweden, a new DIY band called Third Brother released their debut EP, No Mind Police. The title track from the EP has a bit of a foreboding tinge to it even though it’s an otherwise uplifting track that weaves folk and rock elements. It’s a standout song, rich with melodies and choruses. The story behind the song seems to be a love song about the emotional struggles love inevitably encounters.

The follow-up single, “Boxes and Old News” is a mellow, folksy acoustic number that somehow sounds so amazingly woodsy, almost like you can smell decaying leaves in November walking in the forest after a rainfall, or old newspapers in an aged shoebox – from notes of music. That’s a unique talent.

It turns out that Albin Carlson, Third Brother’s songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, retreated to a small cabin ‘deep’ in the woods of Dalarna near his home in Sweden. There he wrote and recorded demos for the songs and set out to form a band, bringing together Anton Klasson (guitar and backup vocals), Axel Widmark (bass), and Philip Stjernberg (drums) to complete the band line-up. Not surprisingly, Carlson’s major influences include artists like Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Nick Drake, and Radiohead.

“No Mind Police“ – Third Brother from No Mind Police

“Boxes and Old News“- Third Brother from No Mind Police

Third Brother on Facebook

Break The Bans – Okay, Okay

Based out of Petrozavodsk in the Karelia region of Russia, the garage/punk rock band Break The Bans, formed in 2007, rip out raw, raunchy rock on their debut album, Okay, Okay. Songs from the album made their way on to radio stations in Spain, England, the U.S., Finland, Italy and Portugal by popular request. In fact, the song featured below, “How Can I Love Her?” was featured on a commercial for Hudson Jeans.

Unfortunately, the band did not have the resources – including cash and visas – to tour in order to build on the momentum. But there is still the band’s amazing kick-ass discography. The single, “How Can I Love?” is amazing; we’ve spun it countless times in the cafe. It’s dark, disassociated and different. The second single, “Sexy Lady,” is raw angst the way we like it, and not like we have heard from an overseas DIY band in a while. If you like angry, non-conformist punk rock, you might just want to give this Russian band a shot.

It’s also worth noting that the songs from the band’s album were featured in the indie movie, Drive-In Movie, at a film festival in Belgium.

Last year, the band dropped the EP, Propaganda, which made it to No. 24 on Starfrosch Top 100 Hot Download Charts in Russia. Band members include frontman Alex Fry on vocals; guitarist Vadim ‘Bad’ Bogorodski; Tim Romanse on bass; Louie Zipper on drums; and Tom Rise on guitar.

How Can I Love Her? – Break The Bans from Okay! Okay!

Sexy Lady – Break The Bans from Okay! Okay!

Break The Bans Facebook

“In Russia indie-rock is freedom and poverty. You can make the music you want. But it does not makes money.” – Alex Fry

Aüva – Light Years

Among its many prestigious universities, the Berklee College of Music is one of Boston‘s most respected educational institutions, and one of the top music schools in the world. And consistently over the years, it has spawned many great artists and bands. A new DIY band, Aüva, is among the latest to join the ranks of bands born at Berklee.

The four music students who make up the band arrange complex and sophisticated tunes that feature cross breeding and layering of garage surf rock and dream psych pop. Their tracks from the band’s new debut EP, Light Years, are wild, idealistic and full of energy as glimmering, glam pop tracks like “Into Place,” with it’s layers of harmonies, demonstrate. The second single, “Nothing Else,” is a more dreamy song, while still maintaining somewhat of a driving beat and rhythm.

All of the band members – Miette Hope (vocals and piano); Jack Markwordt (guitar, vocals); Jake LeVine (guitar, vocals) and Michael Piccoli (drums) – are students at Berklee who decided earlier this year to form a band.
The band’s surfy, dream pop tracks, like “Into Place” and “Nothing Else” are catchy and hard to forget.

Recently, friends and fans of the band have titled the band’s music as, ‘dolphin music,’ because of its watery driving guitar, over up tempo and dance-influenced drum set parts. “If dolphins made rock n roll, this may be what it would sound like,” Piccoli said.

Auva has previously opened for bands like Bay Faction and Elizabeth Color Wheel; the band’s top musical influences include Tame Impala, Wild Nothing, Diiv, Beach Fossils, Mammas and the Papas, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

“Into Place“ – Aüva from Light Years

“Nothing Else“ – Aüva from Light Years

Aüva on Facebook

Dismal Beeches – Into The Woods

We’ve been coming across a series of artists and bands this year from Tel-Aviv. While Israel is not considered a hotbed for indie or alternative music, bands like the dream folk rock outfit, Dismal Beeches, are doing their part to create a local scene. This ‘dark wave’ duo is comprised of long-time collaborators, Stephan Friedman and Ronnie Slogun, who aspire to “create somber, intimate aural portrayals dedicated to the sacred mysteries of Nature.”

The eerie title track, “Into The Woods,” from the band’s debut EP, is something you’d expect to hear on the soundtrack of an indie horror track – and that’s not minimizing the song at all. It’s genuinely creepy. The same is nearly true for the song, “A Tramp’s Tale Told Late At Night Near The Salvation Army Homeless Shelter,” a poignant and hauntingly beautiful piece with expressive, echoey vocals, aqua-like psych guitar and glittery but tame synth melodies galore – a strikingly rich and complex song. The guys favorite artists are Cocteau Twins, David Lynch, Lustmord, and The Cure.

DIsmal Beeches describe the story behind their debut EP as “a mystic journey in the depths of the Forest told through four different stories. We start off at a recluse’s retreat in the woods, then proceed through an enchanted woodland as twilight shadows lurk behind the trees; stop by a rural asylum to hear a dreary tale of a beggar; and finally step into the heart of the black forest to meet the spirits of old.” Friedman plays electric guitar, e-bow, kantele, harmonica, synthesizer, sings, and programs drums and effects. Slogun adds bass and vocals to the lineup of instruments.

“Into The Woods“ – Dismal Beeches from Into The Woods

“A Tramps Tale Told Late At Night Near The Salvation Army Homeless Shelter“ – Dismal Beeches from Into The Woods

Dismal Beeches on Facebook

Boat Race Weekend – The Talisman

Boat Race Weekend is a new alternative/pop punk trio based out of Spokane, Washington. Comprised of three childhood best friends – Evan Kruschke (guitar, vocals); Collin Price (bass) and Jay Orth (drums) – the band officially formed in spring of 2013 when asked to perform at the college they attended, Gonzaga University. The band caught attention of many students and began playing packed house shows in the college neighborhood. Soon, the three started playing venues throughout the city of Spokane and the greater Pacific Northwest.

Their demo, “Beautiful Days,” caught the attention of Identity Recording Studios where they recorded their debut album, The Talisman, which was released DIY-style in March 2015. Boat Race Weekend music is characterized by pop punk verses, airy post-rock breakdowns, and heartfelt lyrics. BRW rages through like a hurricane on songs like “The Welcoming,” with blazing guitars, storming drums, frantic bass lines and angst-filled vocals. The band has since grown in popularity in Spokane and more recently in Seattle.

The trio has opened for artists like Dan Smith, Hank and Cupcakes, Heart by Heart (founding members of Heart) and include among their top musical influences Brand New, Blink 182, The Wonder Years, The Story So Far, and Have Mercy.

“Beautiful Days“ – Boat Race Weekend from The Talisman

“The Welcoming“ – Boat Race Weekend from The Talisman

Boat Race Weekend on Facebook

Colourshop – 3PM

The acoustic, experimental folk pop of London‘s bro duo, Colourshop, is captivating, spirited and uplifting on songs like “My World” and “3pm,” the title track from the duo’s debut album that dropped officially in May. “My World” is a powerful, heart-wrenching song; vocalist and guitarist Alfredo Salvati sings his heart out, backed up nicely by glimmering keys and backup vocals from his brother Diego Salvati. The brothers have a wonderful synchronicity that is unmistakable, and an originality that is encouraging. Colourshop is definitely on our Best Overseas DIY Bands to Watch.

“My World“ – Colourshop from 3PM

“3pm“ – Colourshop from 3PM

Colourshop on Facebook

Sperry Alan – Hold On Tight

In Truro, Nova Scotia, musician John Alan Sperry has been writing, recording and releasing albums DIY style since 2004. He crafts alt. rock/folk tracks with introspective lyrics and musical conviction, like on the lo-fi single, “Hold On Tight.” A bit of work on mixing instruments for a master is needed to create a more full sound. His influences include Matthew Good, Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, and Sean Panting. There is a youthful inspiration to his music, and attention to artistry and tradition.

“Hold On Tight“ – Sperry Alan from Hold On Tight

“Give Me A Warning“
– Sperry Alan from Hold On Tight

Sperry Alan on Facebook

Battling Giants – Birth/Death/Reckoning

Battling Giants is an alternative hard rock blues band from Omaha that formed in 2014. In May, they dropped their sophomore album, Birth/Death/Reckoning, featuring songs like the raunchy, kick-ass rocker, “Hell Water Blues,” and the dark and menacing, “Dr. Dealer,” a track about prescription drug abuse and the doctors who ‘deal’ out such drugs (especially with the nationwide problem of opiates and subsequent heroin abuse when opiate addicts can find or afford the pills). The band is currently touring. The band members are Lucas Smith vocalist and guitarist Lucas Smith, bassist Matt Limberg, and drummer Scott Peterson.

Battling Giants have opened for bands like All Them Witches ( Nashville), The Well (Austin,Tx) Crushed Out (NY), among many others. Their top musical influences include Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Clutch, White Stripes, Black Rebel Motrocylce Club, and Motorhead

“Hell Water Blues“ – Battling Giants from Birth/Death/Reckoning

“Dr. Dealer“ – Battling Giants from Birth/Death/Reckoning

Battling Giants on Facebook

Slunq – Eel World

From London, the alternative noise rock band, Slunq, is the collective brainchild of brothers Peter Dahl Collins (bass, drums) and Chris Collins (guitars), and their friend, singer and songwriter, Daniel Knowler. We first featured the band back in 2013. Now back with new material, the singles, “Farming Equipment” and “Angeldirt,” from the band’s new EP, Eel World, Slunq’s music feels more menacing and tighter.

The dark, haunting hard rock of “Angeldirt” is riveting, with mind-blowing riffs, mini guitar solos and thunderous percussions. The trio’s musical influences include Cardiacs, Killing Joke, Oceansize, Future Of The Left, and The Pixies.

“Angeldirt“ – Slunq from Eel World

“Farming Experiment“ – Slunq from Eel World

Slunq on Facebook

Adam Hill – Old Paint

You can’t really appreciate, and love, the every expanding ‘indie rock’ genre without respecting, and listening to, the new releases of music that comes from indie and DIY aritsts and bands of all kinds, whether they are rock, folk, pop, folktronic, synth punk, new wave, C-86 and so on. That’s why we can appreciate the folksy music of Adam Hill and friends from Squamish in British Colombia, Canada.

We don’t normally hear southern rooted folk/country mixed with tinges of blues and bluegrass. “[I perform] new and timely indie folk music… on acoustic instruments and [sing the songs] the way they were meant to be sung – address the present without betraying their roots in the past,” Hill writes. He has traversed the United States and lived in states like Ohio, Tennessee, Wyoming, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington before making his home in Squamish, BC.

The tracks, “Three Hundred Miles” and “The Cuckoo,” are rambling and festive, but with a bit of darkness lurking between the notes. Hill writes all his songs, plays all of the instruments – including guitars, bass fiddle, mandolin – sings, records, mixes and masters DIY style. Stephanie Dawn provides additional vocals. Hill is a fan of the Punch Brothers, Sam Amidon, Frank Proffit Jr., and Ola Belle Reed. The album Old Paint dropped in June.

“Three Hundred Miles“ – Adam Hill from Old Paint

“The Cuckoo“ – Adam Hill from Old Paint

Adam Hill on Facebook

Nirvana’s Self-Titled, Double LP Debuts on 45RPM 200-Gram Vinyl and Other Formats With Previously Unreleased Track

Posted on 08/26/201512/18/2019 by flytrap

This Friday, August 28th, Nirvana’s self-titled, double platinum-selling, seven-time platinum-selling posthumous collection titled simply, Nirvana, makes its debut on 45RPM double LP, pressed on 200-gram heavy weight vinyl and packaged in a furnace black gatefold sleeve with liner notes and a digital download card for 96kHz 24-bit HD audio. There will also be a 33rpm single LP 150-gram standard weight vinyl edition with a download card for 320kbps MP4 audio. Nirvana will also be released as a Blu-Ray Pure Audio in high resolution 96kHz 24-bit and is available in three stereo audio formats: PCM, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD stereo.

Originally released in 2002, Nirvana features the rare and previously unreleased studio version of “You Know You’re Right,” the last song the band ever recorded, available exclusively on this compilation. Also among the 14 classics on Nirvana: 1991’s breakthrough “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and fellow Nevermind singles “Come As You Are,” and “In Bloom,” In Utero singles “Heart-Shaped Box” and “Pennyroyal Tea,” as well as deep cuts including “About A Girl” from the band’s first album Bleach, “Been A Son” from the Blew EP, the non-LP single “Sliver,” and live acoustic versions of “All Apologies” and David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” from the GRAMMY-winning MTV Unplugged In New York.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, Nirvana is one of the most influential rock bands in history. Selling over 43 million albums worldwide and returning unaffected rock’n roll integrity and passion to the top of the charts, Nirvana would prove a singular inspiration to fans and musicians alike over the last two decades – and will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.

Basically the songs below where the anthems of the early 90s (and forever)

Nirvana: Official Track Listing:

01. You Know You re Right (previously unreleased)
02. About A Girl
03. Been A Son
04. Sliver
05. Smells Like Teen Spirit
06. Come As You Are
07. Lithium
08. In Bloom
09. Heart-Shaped Box
10. Pennyroyal Tea
11. Rape Me
12. Dumb
13. All Apologies
14. The Man Who Sold The World

5 New DIY Debuts You’ve Gotta Hear, Vol. III – PUNT, Balloon Ride Fantasy, That’s Right!, The Masonry, Repel The Robot

Posted on 08/11/201507/22/2021 by flytrap

In case you’re looking for some great music from debuting DIY bands, you’ve come to the right place. Continuing with the 5 New DIY Debuts You’ve Gotta Hear series, this third installment kicks off with a debut from an exciting new duo from New York.

In This Installment:

PUNT – Tivoli, New York
Balloon Ride Fantasy – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
That’s Right! – New York, New York
The Masonry – Los Angeles, California
Repel The Robot – Dallas, Texas

[zbplayer]

PUNT – OIL EP

Tivoli, New York DIY duo PUNT kick out powerful, lo-fi garage punk rock on their debut album, OIL – an impressive accomplishment from a promising new band. And they do it without using one guitar.

Bassist Eli Frank aptly describes PUNT’s music as “lo-fi garage punk, with a classic rock/metal undertone and a psychedelic influence,” adding, “the Wurlitzer organ and tambourine are on many tracks. Simple punk song structure, short and sweet tunes, upbeat and loud.” He can mimic the sound of guitars, and does, through the organ and effects, particularly apparent on “All The Way.” While Frank is buzzing along on bass and organs on standout songs like “Black and White,” drummer and co-PUNTer, Bill Butts, keeps a solid back beat and rhythm, hitting the skins and tins with fervent passion.

The chemical reaction that became PUNT is a relatively recent creation. The duo first got together this past February for an ad-hoc jam session, expecting nothing to come of it. By the end of the weekend, they had a bunch of new demos and a chemistry that sowed the seeds for PUNT. “We started out playing one weekend to mess around,” Frank says, “and came out of the jam with a handful of solid original tracks after a quick eye opening session.”

In just a couple of months, they wrote and recorded, mixed and mastered, 11 songs for a triumphant debut album. OIL is raw, energetic, lo-fi, unique and a nice DIY surprise for 2015.

Frank distorts his Fender Precision bass to produce the romp and bump with punk riffs with psychedelic notes. Butts plays his heart out on a simple kit; his style has a “jazz influence and is heavily inspired by Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Ginger Baker (Cream), and other monumental drummers.”

PUNT has opened for bands like Gym Shorts and Vulture Shit and count among their top musical influences bands like Black Sabbath, Cream, and Thee Oh Sees. PUNT is currently in the midst of a run of shows in New York and as far south as DC. Check out their gig schedule, listen to more songs, buy OIL, and follow the band on PUNTMUSIC.com.

“Black and White“ – PUNT from OIL

“All the Way“ – PUNT from OIL

PUNT’s Official Website – PUNTMusic.com

PUNT on Facebook

Balloon Ride Fantasy – Balloon Ride Fantasy EP

Pittsburg synth pop, ‘fantasy rock’ sextet Balloon Ride Fantasy recently released their debut, self-titled album inspired by “80s pop nostalgia, science fiction and such artists as David Bowie, Michael Jackson and Prince.” In ‘indie’ terms, they’re somewhere between Flaming Lips and Of Montreal sound-wise.

Soaring synth flourishes, vocal dubbing harmonies and choruses on the song, “Balloon Ride Fantasy,” are the elements of the band’s sound within the synth pop/art rock – sub genre, sub genre – which makes them even more fascinating. Additional songs like the entertaining “100101” are crowd favorites when the band gigs in Steel City and the region. We definitely expect to hear more from the band in the next year. Their self-titled DIY debut EP is one of the top synth pop debuts of the year.

BRF members include Chris Olszewski (vocals, guitar); Phil Conley (guitar, keys); Brad Schneider (bass); Jordan Wood (keys); Bethany Berkstresser (vocals) and Brian Ganch (drums). The band has previously opened for Jeff Tweedy and they’ve been well covered in the Pittsburgh alternative press. In addition to the artists mentioned above, the six band members have many musical influences, including Hall and Oats, Phil Collins, Bloc Party, Tokyo Police Club, The Kissaway Trail, At The Drive-In, Boards of Canada, Cursive, The Strokes, Interpol, and Wolf Parade. That’s an awesome list of bands!

“Balloon Ride Fantasy“ – Balloon Ride Fantasy from Balloon Ride Fantasy

“100101“ – Balloon Ride Fantasy from Balloon Ride Fantasy

Balloon Ride Fantasy official website

Balloon Ride Fantasy on Facebook

That’s Right! – Tiger 7″

Three friends from New York City who grew up going to summer camp together decided last summer to form a band called That’s Right! and plunge into the world of DIY rock. The long-time friends – guitarists and vocalists Griffin Novie and Tyler Kamen, along with drummer Dylan Bressler – recruited bassist Artie Greenberg, and started playing shows all over NYC and Long Island, building a local following.

The single, “Tiger Lily,” is amazing – a drifting, jam-heavy track that cuts through everything else with such authority, or as the band puts it: “a muscular but nimble journey that builds to a climactic four-part harmony.” And yet, on the ‘B-side,’ the second song, “Pillar of Salt,” sounds like a track from a completely different band because it is so folksy.

Blending the haziness of psychedelia with the energy of progressive and alternative rock, and layered with harmonies, their music spans across decades of sonic influences but with a firmly contemporary aesthetic. The band really know where they want to go and obviously have a united passion.

“There’s such a sense of family and friendship that informs our process,” Greenberg said, “and we just flat-out enjoy spending time with each other. I feel like a lot of bands that are put together on Craigslist and through friends of friends are more than capable of emulating that bond, but with us it’s really the driving factor in continuing to play music together.”

That’s Right! are influenced mainly by “classic and progressive rock, but also modern jam bands and psychedelic rock,” including bands like
Tame Impala, Rush, Love, Radiohead, Muse, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles. The Tiger Lily 7″ dropped in April.

“Tiger Lily“ – That’s Right! from Tiger 7″

“Pillar of Salt“ – That’s Right! from Tiger 7″

That’s Right! on Facebook

The Masonry – As We Fall In

A DIY debut album that should not be overlooked, As We Fall In, from Los Angeles band The Masonry, is one that has been a favorite in the cafe this summer. Our top picks from the LP include “Arrows,” with its seamless chord progressions, soaring guitar solos, thunderous drums and bass, and ultimate climax.

The band’s musical skills and experimentation are showcased in stretches of free form jamming (big fans of this style that has been making a comeback) on the track, and throughout the album as well. By combining complex rhythms, folk inspired male/female vocal harmonies, post rock guitar tones, and accessible melodies, the band has created its unique sound.

The song, “Tired Wars,” is also a little gem that keeps beckoning us back to listen again and again. We love how the band weaves elements from Indie rock, shoegaze, post rock, psych, and alternative rock into their overall sound. The band members include guitarist and vocalist Matt Tye, keyboardist and vocalist Krissy Tye, guitarist Jason McKay, bassist Evan Pegler and Hunter Michael on drums.

The Masonry hold a lot of promise. But LA is tough. It’s a sprawling urban megalopolis overflowing with talented artists and bands vying for some recognition. The band has a good shot at building a following in the LA area, and beyond, with the right mix of publicity, branding, promotion, and plenty of gigging. Raw talent still counts for something. And right now, The Masonry have raw talent, a handful of awesome songs and the drive to succeed. The Masonry has opened for artists like O’Brother and Native, and list their top musical influences to include Brand New, The National, The Dear Hunter, and Abilities.

Tired Wars – The Masonry from As We Fall In

Arrows – The Masonry from As We Fall In

The Masonry Official website

Repel The Robot – Why We Are Who We Are

The Dallas alt rock/pop duo Repel The Robot formed in 2013 “after a long period of musical exploration,” between friends Jarrett Shaffer and Sean Trauth. They’ve opened for bands like The Vaccines, Slow Magic, Mew and Carnage before they even had a debut record.

The duo started out writing music together via Google hangouts and Skype while attending college. After graduation, Shaffer and Trauth teamed up to finish working on their debut DIY EP, Why We Are Who We Are, featuring standout songs like “Feels Damn Good,” and “This Time Tomorrow.” The debut EP dropped in April.

The first single, “Feels Damn Good,” is definitely the most memorable track from the EP with dream pop spliced with rock elements, including uptempo riffs, synth embellishments and big vocal harmonies. In fact, the song earned Repel The Robot a winning spot in JanSport’s 6th Annual Battle of the Bands competition to play at SXSW. The second track, “This Time Tomorrow,” is an acoustic pop love song, and further evidence of the duo’s talents as songwriters and musicians. Their top musical influences include Coldplay, Taking Back Sunday, Deadmau5, MuteMath, Linkin Park, and Atmosphere.

“Feels Damn Good“ – Repel The Robot from Why We Are Who We Are

“This Time Tomorrow“ – Repel The Robot from Why We Are Who We Are

Repel The Robot on Facebook

Artist of the Week – MITYA

Posted on 07/25/201512/18/2019 by flytrap

[zbplayer]

Grinding, heavy beats, psych and space pop keys, groovy, soul-inspired samples, sensual vocals, and even some funky guitar licks on singles like “Boat” are proof positive that DIY Russian artist, MITYA (pronounced ‘MIT-yah’ with emphasis on MIT), is ready to be heard in the States.

The 20-something, Mitya Burmistrov, captain of Russia’s beatbox team is a programmer, composer, songwriter and vocalist. He obviously has a range of musical talents, having also served Russia in other electronic/beats oriented roles, including OneBeat fellow, RBMA bass camp fellow, and Universiade Ambassador worldwide for Russia.

As far as we can tell, this is his first premiere in the U.S.. His debut release, Crest, dropped officially on June 10th.

MITYA has amassed over 40K Likes on his Facebook page in less than a year. That’s 40,000! It’s not easy to get 40K Likes in less than a year without some publicity and ‘music love’.

The organic, semi-viral online love for MITYA is not surprising after listening to his spins. In fact, we’re already streaming the full release for a third time, and that’s a really good sign when you besieged by hundreds of releases every month.

Burmistrov lists his top musical influences as Supertramp, Damon Albarn, and The Beatles.

That’s an interesting selection.

We would have expected Prince to be in that list considering how ‘Prince-like’ MITYA’s hooks and grooves are.

The single, “Spontanka,” adds to the fascination of MITYA’s sensual and tantalizing sounds; he’s not just laying down beats, he’s doing a lot of experimentation with percussions and samples, straddling the boundaries of hip hop and electronic music.

“Boat“ – MITYA from Crest

“Spontanka“ – MITYA from Crest

MastaMicBeatbox on YouTube

Mitya Burmistrov on Facebook