New Releases: Atoms for Peace's album "Amok"

Eclectic percussion and echoing vocals with added in synth/electronic waves--Atoms for Peace's album "Amok" is a dreamy, minimalist world in music.

With Radiohead's Thom Yorke as lead singer, his unmistakable, soaring voice makes for a recognizable tone floating at the surface of each song. Other members, like Red Hot Chili Pepper's bassist Flea, Nigel Godrich on keyboards, and Beck's Joey Waronker help to make this a winning combo of master musicians. The Los Angeles electronic/experimental group was created in 2009 with initially no actual name, going instead by "??????". Having reached a point of distinct style and sound, the band has taken on the name Atoms for Peace and have shown to hold up a unified quality to their songs.

Interesting, ingenious rhythms and ghostly backgrounds create an unexpected juxtaposition that gives this album a complexity that requires a couple listens to really get it. A few run-throughs and you start to really appreciate each of the segments that comprise each song like the sticks of a popsicle tower. Amok is definitely the kind of album you want you take the time to get to know. Buy it now off iTunes and take it out for coffee, soak it in, and reflect upon the many things it has to say.

Now do this: Drexel's Flux presents Tigers Jaw, Modern Baseball, and Suns

The very anticipated concert of this week has got to be Tigers Jaw, Modern Baseball, and Suns playing this Friday at Flux.

Hailing from Scranton, PA, Tigers Jaw is alt. rock/punk/hard to describe with anything but feelings. Their band is the kind of music that tears you apart, that reaches into your insides, and pulls down the veils that hid mirrors. Tigers Jaw is a reflection--of you, of them, of the earthly emotions that tie us all together.

If you don't remember, I previously wrote about Modern Baseball back in November (check out the article here). Perfect counterpart to Tigers Jaw, Modern Baseball is a local Philadelphia band that's getting big. Once, they were playing house shows in the basements of college kids; now, they're the rough diamonds getting national attention. If you haven't heard of them yet, you definitely will in the next few days. Daily events become meaningful lyrics--Modern Baseball transforms facebook and twitter into artful phrases to catch.

The setlist wouldn't be complete without Suns. Overcast punk rock, this band has the sinewy strength to outrace anything. Despite the bright name, Suns doesn't take on the qualities of illumination--it takes on the strength and ability to burn. It's darkened, it's soul ripping, and it's just the kind of band that brings this intense concert into a unified whole.




Admission to this show is five dollars. Unfortunately, this concert is for Drexel students and their guests only, so kidnap one of us and get going this Friday. Jack Sparrow knows how to book it like crazy--you should, too if you wanna make it in time March first before this show gets sold out.

Best of Bandcamp: Walter Cabal

Walter Cabal is more than just an outrageously well-kept mustache--he's an outrageously good singer/songwriter.

Certain, purposeful finger picking and a clear voice combine in the beautiful song, "Between Lines". "I wish that my heart was not divided. I straddle a crack between my feet" --ardent lyrics sung through Cabal's earnest soul are so  genuine that they swing the doors of your heart open; you can't help but be receptive to his meaningful words, so simple but so heavy with feeling.

His first single, "Shadow of a Doubt", continues to carry the thread of heartfelt vocals combined with honest guitar playing. The instrumental use of percussion in the background give movement to the song and carry it on horseback, galloping through the night.

Feel the strength of Walter Cabal's music by checking out his bandcamp and website. 

Baltimore Bands: Roomrunner

When Double Dagger broke up in 2011, I was heartbroken, but with the creation of new bands, I felt hope for the Baltimore music scene. I could see it being evolving and changing, and with bands like Roomrunner, formed by the ex-Double Dagger member Denny Brown, I'm excited to see the results.

A noise rock band, these guys don't mess around. The vocals are on the low-fi side, the drums are not at all shy, and the guitars are dizzying bolts and swarms of sound; this is mosh-worthy music. It's a mess of noise, and it makes you want to lose control in a crowd of sweaty, slightly inebriated 20-somethings. It's a visceral sound, but it's still open. Comparable to Wavves but a little darker, Roomrunner is a return to early 90's feedback screeches but has an energy that makes it new. 

Get their LP, "Super Vague" or get a taste of their next album by checking out their bandcamp. 

PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK: SOUNDCLOUD'S BEST

It's been a while since I made one of these, so I put together a playlist to start off your week on an upbeat, kick-their-teeth-in mood (because I finished my exam 30 minutes early!!!! YEAH)

Finishing off with a mellower lobsterdust mashup, I hope you'll enjoy this playlist as much as I enjoyed putting it together. 

New Release: Tegan and Sarah's new album, "Heartthrob"

Released January 29th, "Heartthrob" makes a turn away from the alternative indie sound and takes a dip into the pop side of musicality. With newly introduced soft synth sounds mixed with punchy beats, this album is made up of catchy songs laced with emotion ridden lyrics.

"I can't stand it, all of these things I've let go"--lyrics from the song "Goodbye, Goodbye" hit home for anyone who's ever felt heartbreak. They're as relatable as they've always been. Tegan and Sara just know how to share their lives while breathing their musical lungs.

Their first song on the album, "Closer", has a softer synth feel that moves into bouncy melodies with layered vocals that give it that pop taste. Their official music video can be seen above. Give their album, "Heartthrob", a listen and hear Tegan and Sara's new musical transformation.

Now Do This: Sea Patterns, Arab Spring, The Under Sixteens, and Ryan Phillip

This Saturday at the Kung Fu Necktie are some of the best bands Baltimore and Lehigh Valley have to offer; please welcome to the stage Sea Patterns, The Under Sixteens, Arab Spring, and Ryan Phillips. Sea Patterns and Arab Spring both hail from Baltimore, and have played multiple shows there previously in places like the Charm City Art Space. The Under Sixteens and Ryan Phillips are bands from Lehigh Valley, and prove to be fantastic additions to this lineup.

Perhaps you remember a past article I wrote up on Sea Patterns. Let me refresh your memory: a power-indie group of rock with a beachy sound and echoing vocals, Sea Patterns is a gritty but fresh icy wave of ocean into your face, so remember to hold your breath when you dive in. This band has what it takes to tear out your insides with its bare teeth; it's raw youth at its finest, and it's exactly what you need this weekend.

Arab Spring is Mac McCormick's solo project, made up of distorted power chords, synth tunes, and a drum machine. It's got that Adam and His Package kind of feel in its one-man-band kind of deal, but it's definitely its own creature. Arab Spring is loud and in your face; it takes you prisoner in its noise-rock and pulls you down a tunnel in black and white vision. 

Kind of weird surf rock with slanted vocals make up most of the songs by The Under Sixteens. Songs like "Simplify" roll along like a sailboat from shore. Their newer songs like "Stale News" have more of a rough fuzzy quality to them where sounds overlap just enough to create a sense of blended noise. The Under Sixteens are collision course rock with a dash of swingin' drums.

Ryan Phillips is synth wave with bouncing drum beats; his music is that feeling you get after you wake up and you try to put together the bits and pieces of your dream from that night. The synth shines through softly in this blur of memories kept tied together with steady drums. This is the kind of music that counterbalances the rest of the bands on this setlist, the kind of music that pulls everything back into equilibrium.

Just a heads up: this is a 21+ event. Definitely head out Saturday to Kung Fu Necktie--you don't want to miss this. Get ready, get pumped, and go NUTS.

Best of Bandcamp: Born Gold

Oldie but goodie, Born Gold is one of the catchiest electro-pop bands out there on bandcamp (trust me, I'm a doctor). It's album, "Bodysongs", came out in 2011, but it's still got the intensity of now.

Made up of solely Cecil Frena, Born Gold, formerly known as Gobble Gobble, is ridiculously fun--that's all there is to it; it's the kind of reverberating electronic melodies and head bobbing bass that catches you and takes you for a spin in the bat-crazy-mobile.

Songs like "Lawn Knives" and "Morning Bath" are the kind of songs that used to get you jumping on your bed, singing into a hairbrush. They're dance-worthy, they're insane; they sparkle with a kind of flashy danger that only says one thing--you're going to be humming these songs for the next 3 days.

The best part? "Bodysongs" is available for download for FREE--get it now on Born Gold's bandcamp and start losing your mind.

Best of Bandcamp: Bowmont

Pop rock never sounded so good.

Based in Brooklyn, Bowmont is breaking waves with their EP, "Euphorian Age". Songs like "Ruphmiup" get your head nodding along to the beat as you get lost in the bouncy electro beats popping in the background amid buzzing bass lines and soft, Coldplay-esque vocals. 

Dreamy, celestial inspired melodies pull you into an illustrated world when you listen to "Look Closely", another song on their debut EP. Icy waves overtake you as you get lost in the music.

If you think they sound good now, you've got to check out their EP on vinyl--the sound is excellent. It's only nine dollars on sale on their bandcamp; you can also get the digital version for five dollars. Check it out now.

New Releases: Toro y Moi and his new album, "Anything in Return"

Toro y Moi has changed since "Freaking Out". In this new album, "Anything in Return", released January 22nd of this year, Chaz Bundick has expanded his musical reach by creating more r&b style songs rather than his usual mellow synth disco-lounge tunes.

Unlike his past works, this album features Bundick's vocals prominently, adding a depth and soul to each song. With shimmering synth tones and rippling drum beats, songs like "Say That" shine their way to your ears. Other songs, like "So Many Details", are more darkly lit--slouching, groovin' its way to you to take hold of your hand and kiss it gently. 

The entire album, overall, feels a little darker than his previous work. There's a heavier theme to it that remains billowed upwards by gently bouncing drums and smooth vocals. Overall, it's different, but a good different. Buy it off iTunes here or visit your local CD store to get "Anything in Return"; Bundwick has truly made a masterpiece. 

Outside Forces: Little Red Lung

Murky instrumental waters start off the album's first song with a mysterious anticipation, broken by lead singer Zoe-Ruth Erwin's pure voice, strong and powerful.

Comparable stylistically to Florence + The Machine, Little Red Lung is dramatic--dark red curtains in a dimly lit theater, pierced with echoing vocals and wrapped in threadlike instrumentals.

Little Red Lung is a Los Angeles based band, something that I never would've expected California to produce after all the ska-punk bands I've heard that originated from there. But this little puff of fresh air comes out like a blooming night-rose; it's haunting and takes the stage with a sweep of its arms. Formed originally as a solo project, the band has since grown into a quartet of musicians working together to produce    quietly theatrical songs that will move you.

Check out the stop-motion music video for "50 Fingers" here and stop by their bandcamp to give the rest of their self-titled album a listen. 

Best of Soundcloud: Black Swan Runners

One of the perks of working at MAGNET is that I get to rifle through their collection of unsolicited CDs and records and pick whatever I want to keep. It was during this search that I came across some cool looking albums that I decided to check out. Black Swan Runners' album, "An Aside" caught my attention when I gave it a listen. It's the kind of echoey guitar and the interesting synth percussion, like in "West of the Ten", that makes Black Swan Runners chill, grey day music.

Hailing from both sides of the Carolina's, Black Swan Runners is a four member band, all dudes, all cool. They've spent time working hard on this album, and the effort shows in the final product.

With vocals that are caught in a dream, the songs on the album each have a kind of cloudy but upbeat quality to them. Check out more of Black Swan Runner at their website and sit back on your easy chair with that cup of coffee this overcast day. 

Anticipated Album of 2013: Matmos

After a five year hiatus, the fantastic Baltimore experimental music mind warp, Matmos, is coming out with an album this February 19th. Having jumped from Matador to Thrill Jockey, Matmos releases "The Marriage of True Minds" as a new start to 2013.

In this album, the duo has collaborated with some of Baltimore's best, including Dan Deacon and Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner, with anticipated fantastic results. Matmos, known for their creatively unusual concoctions of music, blend together electronic sounds with ethnic beats, haunting synth, and nightclub techno, makes a dizzying swirl of musical mastery that can only be expected to be continued in their new album.

Pre-orders are available now at thrilljockey.com for those who can't wait six more days (which is totally understandable. I'm excited for this album, too). In the meantime, check out Matmos' website. 

Electro Dance

Electro Dance, also referred to as Tecktonik, is probably the dance style that I most desperately want to master. Here're two dance gladiators in action, Yarus and Loony Boy.

Philadelphia Bands: Skeleton Lipstick

Electronic 3-D lenses through a neon world lead you by the ears to Skeleton Lipstick's insane music.

Put on your headphones and be immediately encompassed in a world of 80's vibes floating around in their bright legwarmers and holographic images play on the walls. Self described as "an existential synthwave project from Philadelphia, USA," Skeleton Lipstick delivers fresh flashing lights in a deep kiss. Equipped with beat up, ancient synthesizers and samplers from 25 years ago, CM Smith, the creator and sole member of Skeleton Lipstick, brings reverberating vocals and laser gun drum machine beats together for a more than fantastic result.

It's just catchy. That's all there really is to it. Skeleton Lipstick makes an effort to produce creative timewarp music, and it delivers, shoulder pads and all.

Check out more music here and start getting lost in electronic fireflies.

Best of Bandcamp: Firecracker Jazz Band

Straight swinging and sashaying from North Carolina, the Firecracker Jazz Band has the pizzazz to add a little pepper to your life.

A bunch of talented musicians, the Firecracker Jazz Band is exactly what it sounds like: a pop and spark and sizzle of sweet sweet jazz. It's a time machine back to a smoke filled cabaret from the days of black and white cinema.

Excellently composed while still free and heavy like a Carl Sandburg poem, "Wildman Blues" has a flavor that morphs ever so slightly throughout the song, creating a finishing product of speakeasy rhythm.

Check out more of their swinging beats at their bandcamp and stop by their facebook page.

Best of Bandcamp: Deep Sea Diver

Submerged yourself in super-pop melodies with Seattle's own Deep Sea Diver. This collective group of three musicians and a hodgepodge of artists creates some of the most excitable, bubbly music in the acrylic painted world.

Their song, "You Go Running", is definitely the kind of song that can take you down a forested path at a rapid heart pace. Expect foliage flying into your face as you jump over mossy, fallen trees.


"History Speaks," one of a collection of their albums, is a watercolor sketchbook you don't want to pass without giving it a quick flip through its crinkly pages. Only seven dollars on sale at their bandcamp and ten dollars in CD format, it's a price that's worth paying for. Don't forget to stop by their website to check out more tour dates and to buy tickets if you're in the area.

If you don't have the moolah to go to this year's SXSW, where Deep Sea Diver will be performing live, keep an eye out for their upcoming shows as they tour the west coast:

• The Media Club,Vancouver, BC, Canada:  Wednesday 27 Feb 2013
• Aladdin Theater,Portland, OR, US:  Saturday 2 Mar 2013
• The Chapel,San Francisco, CA, US:  Tuesday 5 Mar 2013
• The Satellite,Los Angeles, CA, US:  Wednesday 6 Mar 2013
• 35 Denton Music Festival,Denton, TX, US:  Saturday 9 Mar 2013

Best of Soundcloud: DJ Topsider

Mashup master DJ Topsider has crafted some of the best tunes out there since he began. Blending together combinations and compositions, he concocts creations that will blow your mind.

"Neon", a mashup of six different pop artists, is one example of his fantastic work: catchy ear-candy. This is the kind of music you play at full volume, bass turned up, seats reclined, windows down as you drive through the night. This is the kind of music that gets you on your feet, making a fool of yourself on the dance floor shamelessly. "Far Away" is another one of DJ Topsider's works, and it doesn't fail to live up to expectations. The mix of pop artists with more indie artists, Two Door Cinema Club, work together perfectly in this unexpectedly well put together song. Make a visit to his soundcloud and download his mashups--they're free!

Outside Forces: Bread Club

Pattern-and-rule-breaking music describes the tracks on the San Jose based band Bread Club's self titled album, "Bread Club".

At times dreamlike and other times holding a sandpaper-rough quality, Bread Club has a way of scratching out the internal monologue in your mind and taking it on a bumblebee path through music. Songs like "Metallicat" will bring you back to the days when you rocked out in someone's basement to a friend's band. The screaming vocals to "Metallicat" break up the otherwise unplanned drawing quality that seems to epitomize Bread Club's music.

Bread Club has a sound and creates a melodic tune that lets you wander through your thoughts without too much distraction. Though it has an alternative, punk sound to it, there's something about the music that just is so complex and entrancing. Check them out at their bandcamp and visit their facebook to show some love.

Best of Bandcamp: Everyman of Parts

The sweetest songs are the ones that are soft hands, reaching out to touch your heart and plant a little seed there. Sometimes these songs come in the shape of a lullaby; today, this song comes in the shape of an acoustic melody with the sweetest vocals. Ladies and gentlemen (and gender nonbinaries), please welcome Everyman of Parts.

Based in Brooklyn, New York, this band marks the typed pages of your life with a thin pencil and circles all the vowels of an unknown poem. Intricate starlight instrumentals combine with brushed singing to create a river of music.

Contrasting with this is the gentle tune of "Handlebars," a composition made to play as you lie on the floor, staring at the light reflecting from a glass prism, flashing strange ghostly glowing shapes at the ceiling. Catch a shard of this light with your hands as you listen to this song in the peace of your bedroom.

Check out more of Everyman of Parts' music at their website and support them by buying their album, on sale now. It's definitely worth every penny.

Free stuff: Music from Paste Magazine

Who doesn't like free shit? Online music publication, Paste Magazine, is offering a free album download from the Paste Festival Sessions, featuring artists like Apache Relay, Trampled by Turtles, First Aid Kit, Of Monsters and Men, and MORE. Check it out below and, if you like it, leave a little something. A tiny bit goes a long way, dudes, and supporting musicians is one of the best things you can do to promote the continuation of awesome tunes.

Now do this: Lottery Film Fundraiser

One of the local concerts of the week is happening this Friday at the Buddha Lounge in Philadelphia. Performing at that night's show will be Oh Bree, NarK, Placeholder, and Triceratopolis, two of whom I've already written about previously, so hopefully you already know of their awesome musical powers to shake you down and wring you up.

A recap of Oh Bree: happy show tunes meets the absurd and melodic. They're definitely not something you want to miss.

NarK, a pop punk band made up of members Lucas Kozinski, Ben Mink, Sam Palumbo, and Tyler March, gives you a kick in the shin with their up tempo jams. Give them a listen above and download the mp3.

Based in Harrisburg, PA, Placeholder adds some weight to this concerts set list with their heavy, dark guitar riffs and emotive vocals. A duo of Marco Florey and Brandon Gepfer, this band is the striking undertone to Friday night's concert.

And who could forget Triceratopolis, the chiptunes punk one-man-band? Solely made up of singer/songwriter/coffee aficionado, Ed Spinelli, Triceratopolis' signature silly songs are lighthearted enough to make you want to dance off your little dinosaur tail. 

Excited yet? The facebook event can be found here, and you definitely should show up ready to party hard like this guy over here:

SEE YOU THERE.

Where did Joe Go?: BBC Xmas Party 2012

Roofeo


Big Mouth (I'm the red headed girl next to the guy in plaid!)


Le1f

Unfortunately, despite my desperate attempts to find pics of The Death Set's performance, I was unable to locate any. If you happen to see any, please let me know so that I can update this post. I have the feeling, though, that the mosh pit was too insane for any photographer to get a good picture. (I'll have you know, though, I was in the very front, hands on the stage, and I touched Dan Walker and Johnny Sierra's guitars. I even stage dived, against the desires of the tech crew, and briefly crowdsurfed. 'Twas one of the best concert experiences I ever had.)

Now Hear This: Soko

I first discovered Soko years ago with her debut song, "I'll Kill Her," a song that struck a chord with me after a rough break up. It was the kind of song that spilled out from a bleeding heart and reeked of a bitterness that only an unrequited love could give.

(I couldn't find a good stream of the song, so this'll have to do)

It was a few weeks that I rediscovered her and her recent album, "I Thought I was an Alien." Lonely songs sway on an empty swing set in this collection of original songs that sweep away ashes of a broken heart. Soko is actually a French singer as well as an actress, though her songs are in English. She has played in various French films which you definitely should check out as well as her album, which can be found at her website here.

Fill your empty mornings with a beautiful musician's voice playing from your speakers; let Soko into your heart and never feel alone in the universe again.