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News: Walk The Moon to release Anna Sun EP next week

2 Feb

In anticipation of their upcoming release on RCA Records, I got very excited when I found out Walk The Moon will be releasing a three song Anna Sun EP next Tuesday, February 7.  The EP will feature the hit song, “Anna Sun,” off their independently released i want i want, “Next in Line” and Tightrope” which quite frankly I believe is their best song (and it’s hard not to love “Anna Sun”).

The quartet are mighty talented, bring a ton of energy to the stage every night and there’s a reason they were tabbed as one of MTVs Artists to Watch in 2012.  I’ve been fortunate to have seen the guys perform at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and in Las Vegas as well as interview them and all I can say is you are sorely missing out if you are not listening to Walk The Moon.

Another thing to look forward to besides their upcoming tours with Young The Giant and some dates with the Kaiser Chiefs, is their first-ever live performance on late night television April 5 on Late Night wth Jimmy Fallon. Oh man I can’t wait to see if ?uestlove is going to rock the face paint with the fellas.

 

New Music: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International

24 Jan

If you are reading this and have not at least given a listen to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International, do so immediately after reading the rest of this post.  Released today digitally (next week on CD) and comprised of 80 musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings, this is an amazing collection and tribute to my favorite musician of all time.  While the list of musicians featured on the four disc set is staggering and I have yet to listen to all the renditions, there are a selection that stand out to me:

The Belle Brigade – “No Time To Think”

Michael Franti – “Subterranean Homesick Blues”

State Radio – “John Brown”

Ximena Sarinana – “I Want You”

Cage The Elephant – “The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll”

The Gaslight Anthem – “Changing Of The Guards”

Lenny Kravitz – “Rainy Day Women”

Elvis Costello – “License To Kill”

The Airborne Toxic Event – “Boots Of Spanish Leather”

Mariachi El Bronx – “Love Sick”

Raphael Saadiq – “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”

We Are Augustines – “Mama, You Been On My Mind”

Fistful of Mercy – “Buckets of Rain”

Flogging Molly – “The Times They Are A-Changin”

Of course Dave Matthews Band – “All Along The Watchtower”

And yes, I can’t believe I’m writing this but Miley Cyrus – “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.” See for yourself, below.

You can click here for the official release regarding the album, artists, making, etc. and how you too can support Amnesty International.

RIP Etta James

20 Jan

Sad to get the day started and learn of the passing of Etta James.  The six time Grammy winner was 73.

News: The latest SXSW 2012 Artist Additions (Round 4)

17 Jan

So SXSW just took another turn towards greatness today as they announced the fourth round of artists slated to perform at the festival and can you say holy awesome!

Just look at this list below, I mean you could just have these artists performing and Id be thrilled:

Best Coast, M. Ward, Lana Del Rey, Of Montreal, A$AP Rocky, Danny Brown, The War On Drugs, Counting Crows, Tommy Stinson, The Wedding Present, Andrew WK, Brendan Benson, Hot Water Music, The Fresh And Onlys, Gardens And Villa, P.O.S., Anika, Gauntlet Hair, Youth Lagoon, Tennis, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Dan Deacon, Sharon Van Etten, Zola Jesus, Nicolas Jaar, The Polyphonic Spree, The Drums, Astronautalis, Bear In Heaven, Ceremony, Chairlift, Crystal Antlers, Little Boots, Deerhoof, Dragonette, Gossip, Matthew Dear, Miike Snow, SBTRKT, Oneohtrix Point Never, Thundercat, The Ting Tings, Action Bronson, The Crystal Method, The Black Angels, Blondes, Busdriver, Ezra Furman, Apparat, Freelance Whales, Here We Go Magic, Free Energy,  Eleanor Friedberger, Friends, Memoryhouse, Mikal Cronin, Buraka Som Sistema, Spank Rock, Corrosion of Conformity, Jimmy Cliff, Rye Rye, K’naan, YACHT, Band of Skulls, White Rabbits, Beth Jeans Houghton and The Hooves of Destiny, Supreme Dicks, Caveman, Cerebral Ballzy, Miniature Tigers, Zechs Marquise, Purity Ring, Justin Townes Earle, The Love Language, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Micachu & the Shapes, Grieves and Budo, Imogen Heap, Ingrid Michaelson, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Henry Clay People, And So I Watch You From Afar, Fake Problems, Azari And III, Sleepy Sun, Bahamas, Japanther, The Knux, Carter Tanton, Cassettes Won’t Listen, Jacuzzi Boys, CHALI 2NA, Cities Aviv, Is Tropical, Javelin, Kids These Days, Living Things, Scattered Trees, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

News: Bono Inspired by Temper Trap for New U2 Albums

11 Jan

Saw the below online and wanted to share as it’s not every day a rock legend like Bono gives praise to a band.  Icouldn’t be happier for the Temper Trap and looking forward to their next album!

From the Herald Sun:

BONO has cited Melbourne band the Temper Trap as an inspiration on the new U2 album.

Talking on the U2.com site to fans, Bono said the band was working on three albums with different musical directions.

“Something really exciting is that finally the rock band is melting into clubland and experimenting with sounds that are not normally deemed authentic for the rock band – synthesizers, experimental sounds – which you can hear in an album by the Temper Trap,” Bono said. “That’s exciting, a new hybrid.”

The Temper Trap, whose hit Sweet Disposition was compared with the sounds of U2, has been recording its second album, due for release mid-year, in LA and London.

Coachella 2012 Line-Up & My Initial Thoughts

10 Jan

Another year of anticipation has come and gone as the 2012 Coachella line-up was released and while it’s pretty awesome they secured all the acts for back-to-back weekends on April 13-15 and April 20-22 I have to say my initial reaction was meh.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a ton of phenomenal musicians slated to play the festival but I personally feel they lacked in the bigger acts category but did a stellar job with the smaller ones.

Headliners: Radiohead, great score and definitely one of the most sought after acts this year, The Black Keys love ‘em but bumping them up one slot from last year into the headline act…., Dre and Snoop, ok I get it and Cali kids will probably love this but is this how you really want to close out three days of music (I’ll probably be eating my words as this may end up being the most talked about performance)?

Also this year has so much more EDM and on the main stages, I know its music of the present but I wonder if/how it will influence and change the dynamic of the festival since it’s thrust to the top.  I’m a big fan of EDM and these artists but Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, Avicii, Kaskade, Afrojack, Justice, Sebastian Ingrosso and Madeon all as “main acts” it could get interesting just look at how many other EDM acts are booked.

Now what really excites me about Coachella:

Friday: M83, Jimmy Cliff & Tim Armstrong (oh wow this is going to be awesome), GIRLS, The Rapture, Madeon, Yuck, Dawes, WU LYF, GIVERS, Wolf Gang, Ximena Sarinana, Band of Skulls, honeyhoney

Saturday: Miike Snow, St. Vincent, Manchester Orchestra, AWOLNATION, Azealia Banks, Kaiser Chiefs, The Head and The Heart, Laura Marling, tUnE yArDs, The Black Lips, Childish Gambino, The Vaccines, Grouplove, Gary Clark Jr., We Are Augustines

Sunday: Beirut, The Weeknd, The Hives, Real Estate, Wild Flag, Fitz & The Tantrums, araabMUZIK, Lissie, Gardens & Villa

Something else that I love and hope is a trend for all the festivals this year is the addition of acts from outside the United States.  Bands like WU LYF, Wolf Gang, M83, The Vaccines, The Hives and others that are extremely talented will get introduced to so many new fans.

All in will it be fun, heck yeah but what else will be fun is Coachella East aka Las Vegas.  With a week in between you better believe Las Vegas is going to be a mid-week retreat with acts popping up for DJ sets in clubs and concerts peppered all over the Las Vegas Strip.

2011 in Photos via ErikKabikPhoto.com

28 Dec

Thanks to friend, photographer and music lover, Erik Kabik, I have been able to feature some stellar photographs from concerts throughout the year and as we close 2011, here are some images Erik tabbed as some of his highlights from the past 12 months. Hope you enjoy!!

2011 in Music: Some of My Favorites

21 Dec

Another year has come and (just about) gone and as we approach day 365 of 2011, there is a lot of great music and music moments to reflect on.  In keeping with something I started last year, here is a list of items that made MY year in music.  While I know I’ve forgotten some moments, at least it’s a snapshot of what my ears and eyes were gravitating towards.  Enjoy and here’s to an incredible year of music in 2012.

  • My favorite album of 2011 is GROUPLOVE’s Never Trust A Happy Song
  • After finally attending Bonnaroo, I totally see why my friend said “when you go, you’ll understand why it’s the best music festival”
  • Lollapalooza was an amazing experience with incredible bands, amazing friends and killer access
  • Being asked to write concert reviews for Vegas SEVEN which parlayed into band interviews as well – something that to this day I never thought would happen from a little blog I started about my love of music
  • Continuing the writing by being asked by Vegas Rated, a national publication to write a few music columns each month
  • Seeing Mumford & Sons at The Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan, easily one of my favorite live shows ever
  • I’m a lucky one living in Las Vegas since The Cosmopolitan and C3 Presents booked too many bands that I love for four night stints playing Book & Stage for FREE – to give you an idea, we’re talking Young The Giant, Foster The People, Aloe Blacc, Ryan Shaw, Fitz & The Tantrums, Allen Stone, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Walk The Moon, Robert Randolph, Mayer Hawthorne, Tennis, and the list goes on and on
  • Frank Turner, where you been all my life – England Keep My Bones is a album everyone needs to have
  • Finally seeing The Strokes live(twice this year) and realizing just how badass they really are
  • My blog post from March when Foster The People were coming to town
  • The discovery of bands like The Apache Relay, The Belle Brigade, Ruby Coast, GIVERS and Smith Westerns
  • Thank you Walk The Moon for providing some of the most fun of the summer with your spirited sets
  • RedBull Soundclash with Cee-Lo and The Ting Tings, look it up if you don’t know what I’m talking about
  • Marquee Nightclub Boom Box Room with Eric D Lux
  • The return of Dispatch
  • Middle Brother
  • One more Furthur show in the books
  • Saying goodnight to the bad guys with a final concert, oh man how I’ll miss The Black Crowes
  • Stumbling upon Childish Gambino’s set at Bonnaroo and being blown away
  • Gary Clark Jr.
  • Late Night with Jimmy Fallon taking over as the king of late night performances thanks to The Roots as the house band and a great booking team
  • Brands like Chevy and Nissan using indie bands for commercial music
  • CC from Little Hurricane
  • The Dirty Guv’nahs
  • EDM grabbing America by storm
  • Thankful for Avicii creating hit after hit after hit
  • Spotify
  • Seeing a late night Cults show in Chicago that completely blew me away
  • Going to see a favorite of mine, Brett Dennen and having DAWES who opened just own the evening
  • Seeing G. Love yet again and having him break into Freddy King Jr.’s “Look Over Yonder”
  • Allen Stone, what a young talent
  • Alabama Shakes, if you didn’t see my post on them, search, listen and become infatuated with Brittany Howard’s voice
  • Finally seeing Lupe Fiasco in concert again, had to wait too long since the last time
  • Robert Plant still rocking it like he was in his 20s
  • Seeing The Black Keys in a nightclub, a ballroom and with 60,000 ppl and still getting the same feeling of rock and roll no matter the size or venue
  • The Head and The Heart
  • Catching Lil Wayne in concert, something I never thought I’d do, same with Eminem
  • Buffalo Springfield, yes I can say I never thought I’d see them live but did
  • My Morning Jacket won me back over after giving up on them
  • Seeing Widespread Panic for what could be the last time
  • Anyone else catch The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan at the GRAMMYs?  Sick performance and totally put M&S on a whole new level
  • The music from across the pond is quite amazing, lots of new bands and artists to be on the lookout for
  • Big Troubles
  • How incredibly awesome Daytrotter.com is
  • In my opinion, one of the best singer-songwriters of today, James Morrison quietly released his third album, The Awakening
  • Aloe Blacc, yes “I Need A Dollar” thrust him into the spotlight last year but damn, what an artist – incredible stage presence and one of the most talented musicians today
  • O.A.R. dropping a new record that everyone needs to own
  • IAMDYNAMITE  – before it’s too late, go get SUPERMEGAFANTASTIC, these fellas are going to blow up, just wait and see in 2012
  • The music video for Maps & Atlases’ “Israeli Caves”
  • Welcome back Ryan Adams
  • The sophomore release by Girls probably hasn’t gotten too much attention but WOW
  • Youth Lagoon
  • Thank you Damian Marley for getting everyone together to form SuperHeavy
  • NewVillager, the videos may be a bit to artsy for me but the music, genius
  • WU LYF chances are about 99% you have never heard of them but you need to know them pronto
  • Uncle Mountain
  • Nashville is for righteous music to me what Brooklyn was for a throng of indie bands
  • If you get a chance to see the Black Lips, don’t pass it up
  • Gimme Some by Peter, Bjorn & John
  • “Up Up Up” was like a soundtrack for my year, big things coming for GIVERS
  • ·         Fight For Your Right Revisited
  • ·         I was thrilled to see Fitz & The Tantrums hit it big in 2011
  • ·         Food is the New Rock blog
  • G. Love’s latest, Fixin To Die which was recorded in North Carolina and produced by The Avett Brothers
  • Seeing a mob of people at 1 p.m. on Friday of Lollapalooza for Young The Giant
  • Catching Lynyrd Skynyrd perform for 200 people at the opening of their BBQ & Beer joint in Vegas
  • Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revelator
  • Another knock-out by Trombone Shorty
  • The Cinema
  • Paul Simon’s So Beautiful or So What
  • Benjamin Francis Leftwich
  • Wolf Gang
  • Our little Book & Stage fan club, thanks for making the past year pretty damn incredible
  • Skylar Grey I was truly impressed with her live show
  • Raphael Saadiq did it again
  • Tinie Tempah finally made it Stateside
  • Ryan Bingham, thank you – great interview and your show definitely backed up your words, a true pleasure to catch a couple live shows this year
  • Seeing the legend, Dr. John
  • Scottish rockers Kassidy, definitely a band everyone should be listening to
  • Audio, Video, Disco – love love love the approach by Justice on the new album
  • Remixes of “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall”
  • And waking up every day to listen and discover new music

Paste Magazine – 50 Best Albums & 50 Best Songs of 2011

30 Nov

First and foremost, this stuff is hard. The amount of music that is released each year and narrowing it down to 50 is damn tough but I have to give Josh Johnson at PASTE Magazine much credit for his solid lists of 50 Best Albums and 50 Best Songs of 2011.  There are definitely more than less bands/artists on his lists I have been jamming out to heavily over the past year.  Again, I love this list, tons of great music but a couple names I didn’t see that personally I think should have been included, GROUPLOVE, Girls, Justice, Allen Stone, SuperHeavy, NewVillager and Boy & Bear to name a few. What’s missing that you fell in love with over the last year?

50 Best Albums
50 Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones
49 Mates Of State – Mountaintops
48 Drake – Take Care
47 Real Estate – Days
46 Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost!
45 Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
44 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
43 The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
42 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
41 James Blake – James Blake
40 Portugal. The Man – In The Mountain, In The Cloud
39 Gillian Welch – The Harrow And The Harvest
38 Over The Rhine – The Long Surrender
37 The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
36 Mister Heavenly – Out Of Love
35 Childish Gambino – Camp
34 Seryn – This Is Where We Are
33 The Head And The Heart – The Head And The Heart
32 Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
31 Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
30 Tom Waits – Bad As Me
29 Feist – Metals
28 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
27 Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
26 The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
25 The Antlers – Burst Apart
24 TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
23 The Belle Brigade – The Belle Brigade
22 The Black Keys – El Camino
21 Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming
20 Beirut – The Rip Tide
19 Cults – Cults
18 Wye Oak – Civilian
17 The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
16 Yuck – Yuck
15 Deer Tick – Divine Providence
14 Adele – 21
13 Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
12 Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
11 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
10 The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
09 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
08 Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
07 Wilco – The Whole Love
06 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – It’s A Corporate World
05 Middle Brother – Middle Brother
04 tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l
03 My Morning Jacket – Circuital
02 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
01 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver

 

News & Notes: George Harrison, Jimmy Cliff & The Roots, RHCP and more

29 Nov
  • Today marks the 10th anniversary of George Harrison’s death.  Do yourself a favor and listen to some of his works today
  • Did anyone catch THIS sweet Jimmy Cliff & The Roots performance of “The Harder They Come” last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
  • Read this little piece on Frank Ocean and his recent NYC performances
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justice, Laura Marling and Grimes announced some of their tour dates for next year
  • And props to Rolling Stone for their new issue featuring the Top 100 guitarists of all time.  Great list, awesome group of voters and some really powerful print as to who and why they were selected