| CURRENTS
AT COMMERCIAL SPECIALTY
|
|
|
TRIBES
"We Were Children" | We Were Children EP | Universal
Republic
If the past couple of year’s have
been rock’n’roll’s radio iceage, right now our toes are teetering on
the brink of a lush new dawn. The question is; beyond the s#it-storm of
supposed saviour bands whose name-drops christened the New Year, which of
the lauded gangs of axe-wielders are the genuine sculptors of tomorrow?
Well, of the few promised Next Big Things, none have actually earned their
hype more than Camden’s Tribes. “When you’re a kid you want
to be cool, so you make experimental weird music. But for us, I think
there just came a point where we couldn’t be bothered messing around
anymore,” prophesises singer Johnny Lloyd. “I realized that there’s
no point being in a band if you’re not gonna be one of those
life-changing bands. Not the one’s you stroke your chin too, the one’s
you beat your heart plate to.”
It’s this unabashed manifesto of anthemia that’ve taken the rag-tag
four-piece from prodigious debutant slots opening for idols The Pixies, to
relentless grassroots grafting of the UK’s dives, to being christened
“The future of rock’n'roll” by fanboys The Mystery Jets, a sentiment
chimed by everyone from NME to Radio 1's Huw Stephens and Zane Lowe, the
latter of whom named their debut single Hottest Record In The World amidst
an airwave airstrike that saw it tear through most of the BBC and XFM.
They’re a shining testament to the blood, sweat and tears so many buzz
bands seem to bypass these days, at their peril. Joining the dots between
Nirvana and The Libertines, their debut album, including lead single
‘Sapho’ is a fittingly heart-racing call-to-arms for a generation left
crying out for band name worthy of being Tip-Ex’d onto a satchel.
RIYL: Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Libertines, Girls
|
|
|
NADA SURF
"Waiting For Something" | Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy |
Barsuk
www.nadasurf.com
Barsuk Records is excited to announce the release of
the new Nada Surf record, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy,
on January 24, 2012. Stars is Nada Surf’s seventh record, and fourth for
Seattle indie Barsuk, following the successful and critically lauded Let
Go (2003), The Weight is a Gift (2005), Lucky (2007) and
their self-released covers record if i had a hifi (2010). This is
their first album of new material in four years. The band will perform a
day-of-release show at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom.
“We've always
played faster and a little harder live," Caws says, "but we'd
play so carefully in the studio. So with this album, we made a
conscious decision to preserve what it felt like in the practice room,
when you play with that new-song energy. Just embrace it and not
worry whether we’re overdoing it, kind of get
all the thinking out of the way." The tempos are high, but the
songs bristle with hooks, breathtaking changes, and Nada Surf's trademark
genius bridges. The educated ear will hear the influence of many
bands from '60s Brit-pop to post-punk and vintage indie, and yet there is
an unmistakable Nada Surf sound: a certain rhythm section groove,
introspective chord shapes and the unique emotional weight to Caws's
voice, both boyish and very soulful, a combination of wisdom and
vulnerability.
The high energy lead single, "Waiting For Something," is now
available for airplay. Physical singles will land next week.
|
|
|
THE
DEAD MILKMEN
"Fauxhemia" | The King In Yellow
Legendary
Philly punk rock band, The Dead Milkmen, have returned! Fully energized
with their first album since 1995, the original band members, Rodney
Anonymous, Joe Jack Talcum,
Dean Clean along with new bassist Dan Stevens culled together seventeen brand new songs with the
release of The King In Yellow. This collection feels both
familiar and new to the Dead Milkmen Fan. Songs like "Meaningless
Upbeat Happy Song", "Commodify Your Dessent",
"Solvents (For Home and Industry)", "Quality of Death"
thematically feel like the band’s first three albums. Where songs like
"Caitlin Childs" or "Fauxhemia" (a song that exposes
a sense of feeling alienated from those who listen to Norah Jones and NPR),
come from a new but not unfamiliar place.
Originally
formed in the Philadelphia area in 1983, the band solidified their place
in American music with their upbeat and energetic punk rock always with
satirical and clever lyrical ammunition.
Classic examples from their catalogue include Bitchin
Camaro and Punk Rock Girl, the latter of which gained major MTV
video play in the early 90’s.
“The
Dead Milkmen took junior-high-level brattiness and combined it with
genuine wit and songwriting chops”-The
Onion
|
|
|
THE
MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES
The Magic of
Youth | Big
Rig
Since
their inception in 1984, The Mighty Mighty BossToneS have been one
of rock music’s most prolific touring and recording bands. During their
27 year career they have played thousands of shows all over the world and
released a slew of ground breaking albums.
The BossToneS are credited as a progenitor of the ska-punk genre, and the
creators of its sub-genre ska-core, a form of music which mixes ska with
punk and hardcore. Since the release of their 1989 debut album Devil’s
Night Out, the band has toured and recorded extensively. They were a key
figure in the development of the mid-90’s “Third Wave” ska scene and
one of the first bands to popularize the genre in the musical mainstream
with their platinum-selling 1997 album Let’s Face It, and its hit single
“The Impression That I Get.” They have also earned the reputation as
one of the hardest touring bands in rock. The band released seven studio
albums, three EPs and a live album by the time they announced a hiatus in
December 2003.
In the fall of 2007 the BossToneS reunited to resume touring and
recording, releasing their eighth studio album, Pin Points and Gin Joints,
in December 2009. Their newest album, The Magic of Youth, will be released
on December 6, 2011.
Focus Track: "Like A Shotgun"
FULL ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE FOR
DOWNLOAD. LET ME KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE A PHYSICAL.
|
|
|
CHILDISH
GAMBINO
Camp (Clean Edits) | Glassnote Records
www.iamdonald.com
Childish Gambino, the moniker for actor Donald Glover, has joined
Glassnote Records as the first hip-hop Artist on the roster and just put
the finishing touches on the debut full length LP, CAMP, due
out in early November. Childish
Gambino has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in music.
With a unique blend of hip-hop with multiple genres, combined with lyrical
genius, Childish Gambino has gone from a viral cult following to a mega
sensation. Spin Magazine praises, "...[his EP's] all have
showcased Glover's fiercely clever, plugged-nose flow, which recalls both
Lil Wayne's verbal skywriting and Kanye West's vulnerable-braggart
defensiveness."
"There's a tremendous sense of rock 'n' roll about Childish
Gambino, an irreverence and an authenticity," says Glassnote
President Daniel Glass. "He fits in with our roster because
he's alternative."
Recommended Tracks: "Sunrise", Heartbeart",
"Bonfire"
RADIO CLEAN EDITS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM OUR DOWNLOAD
PAGE.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED A SPECIFIC TRACK.
|
|
|
WU
LYF
"We Bros" | Go Tell Fire To The Mountain | LYF
Recordings
ON TOUR NOW | www.wulyf.org
WU LYF
(an acronym of World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation) have recorded one of
the year’s most highly anticipated debut records. The band – a quartet
from Manchester UK aged between 20 and 22 – spent much of 2010 purposely
avoiding the glare of the UK music industry. Turning their back on all
media attention, they instead spent the year honing their live shows and
perfecting the songs and story that would become Go Tell Fire To The Mountain – an album that has already won
them critical acclaim from Pitchfork and Stereogum. Fiercely independent,
WU LYF turned down a host of record deals and decided to self-record,
produce and release their debut album around the world on their own L Y F
imprint. The result is a band who have total freedom and a record that is
uncompromising, free of pretention and totally pure. The genre, coined by
the band themselves, is ‘Heavy Pop’.
RIYL: The Clash, Yeasayer, Fugazi
FCC Clean
|
|
|
M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming | Mute
"Midnight City" voted Pitchfork's Song of The Year!
Hurry
Up, We're Dreaming
is the newest endeavor from Anthony Gonzalez, better known under the
moniker M83. An ever ambitious, 74 minute long, double disc recording,
Gonzalez's latest music journey is straight "bedroom pop," with
the slightest twinge of three decades of carefully studied varied musical
influences. Looking at this record as an imaginary adventure that brings
you back to your most nostalgic moments while propelling you forward into
the future of digitalized music; it containing sultry sweet and
patronizing ballads alongside sudden bursts of ramped up feelings
and lyrical truths that are bound to captivate any listener.
Recommended Tracks: 2, 8, 3, 6 (Disc One), 6, 8, 9, 2 (Disc 2)
FCC Clean
|
|
|
DEER
TICK
"Main Street" | Divine Providence |
Partisan
http://www.deertickmusic.com
The title of Deer Tick's new album, Divine Providence, is a pun:
The band hails from the capital of Rhode Island. But the other side of the
pun is sarcastic. There's little on the album concerning divine providence
or care. Nor is the band provident — frugal or prudent — about its
talent and music. Group frontman John McCauley continues to sing as though
the primary idea is to shred his vocal cords. And on this album, the idea
is to convey something of the band's live performances, a headlong mixture
of loud guitars and cover songs, plus originals that remind you of songs
it might cover.
Most of the time, Deer Tick is happy to summon up the influences of The
Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Replacements. (A bonus track buried a
full half-hour after the disc supposedly ends is "Mr.
Cigarette," written by The Replacements' Paul Westerberg.) Then
there's Deer Tick's Phil Spector-meets-Rod Stewart mash-up, a fine
mid-tempo rocker called "Main Street."
RIYL: The Replacements, Spoon, Nirvana
|
|
|
THE
LONELY FOREST
"Go Outside" | Arrows | Trans
Records
After building a rapid fanbase in the Pacific Northwest, The Lonely Forest
became Death Cab For Cutie guitarist/producer Chris Walla's
first signing to his Trans Records label. In addition to producing their
debut album, Walla also mixed three tracks, with the remainder of the
mixing by John Goodmanson (Girls, Nada Surf). At its core, Arrows
features brilliant pop songs with soaring vocals and keyboard melodies
wrapped tightly around expansive guitar work, anchored by a heavy yet
nimble rhythm section. This past year, the band has also toured with Death
Cab for Cutie and The Joy Formidable.
RIYL: Nada
Surf, The Joy Formidable, Death Cab for Cutie, Maritime
|
|
|
KATHLEEN
EDWARDS
"Change the Sheets" | Voyageur
| Rounder
Records
Voyageur, the anticipated follow up to Asking for Flowers, is
Kathleen Edwards' fourth studio album and a new route for her as an
artist. Edwards, who has kept her writing process personal and very
private in the past, has now let others join in on the creation of her
music and has created an album that fully showcases her as an artist.
Co-produced by Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver), Voyageur is an album
whose main focus in the strong, soulful voice of Edwards - a powerful
voice which takes center stage in songs like “For the Record” and
“House Full of Empty Rooms.” The album also features Norah
Jones, Phil Cook (Megafaun) and others; all of whom join Edwards in
creating the beautifully intricate characters and tales we find weaving
throughout her tracks.
RIYL: Bon
Iver, Fleetwood Mac, Feist
Recommended Tracks: "Change The
Sheets", "Mint", "Chameleon/Comedian",
"Sidecar"
|
|
|
CHERRI
BOMB
Stark | Hollywood
Records
Although sharing the same name as The Runaways’ song, the band
name Cherri Bomb was actually inspired by the 2009 book titled “Cherry
Bomb” which features many contributors, including drummer Samantha
Maloney, (Hole, Motley Crue, Eagles of Death Metal, Peaches) who, in
the summer of 2010, decided to put down her own sticks to manage the
young, all girl band. Samantha recalls, “Cherri Bomb opened for my band
Chelsea Girls in February of 2009, and they blew me away. They played
exceptionally well, sang 3 and 4 part harmonies, and left myself and the
crowd speechless. I knew these girls were destined for greatness.”
Cherri Bomb has since played the Sunset Strip Music Festival opening for
Filter, toured with Smashing Pumpkins at the request of Billy
Corgan and recently signed with Hollywood Records. They’re already being
called one of the hottest up-and coming bands to come out of L.A. This
summer, they were the youngest band to play some of the biggest European
festivals: Oxegen, Sonisphere, T In the Park, Reading and Leeds among
others, and opened for the Foo Fighters in Cologne, Germany, where they
played in front of 15,000 people.
Recommended Tracks: "Mirror Mirror", "The
Pretender" (Foo Fighters cover)
|
|
|
VARIOUS
ARTISTS
Twilight: Breaking Dawn | Chop
Shop/Atlantic
Even if you’re not a fan of Kristen Stewart
swooning over a mysterious, apparently “sparkly” Robert Pattinson for
hours at a time; the Twilight Saga soundtracks have made their own niche
in the Twilight woods. This new installment for Breaking Dawn: Part One
is guaranteed to provide some of the year’s best songs - featuring new
tracks from mainstream artists and underground treasures such as The
Joy Formidable, The Noisettes, Theophilus London, The
Features, and Iron & Wine. With its diverse roster, the Breaking
Dawn soundtrack will take you on your own emotional rollercoaster;
from kicking someone to the curb, to recognizing eternal love, to
accepting the fear of the unknown. And if crazy personal storylines
aren’t your thing, at least this soundtrack guarantees you an excellent
soundtrack to your day!
Recommended Tracks: #1,
#11, #8, #5, #2
|
