Category Archives: Indies, Up n’ comers & Unknowns

Stuff you probably won’t hear on the radio.

The Jealous Kind: A Personal Plea to Help Music I Believe In

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The Jealous Kind

Josh Queen and Dave Wright are The Jealous Kind and they're making a new EP! YAHOO!

My friends, The Jealous Kind, a band very close to my heart, are making a new EP.  And they need your help.  But first, let me give you some backstory.

Before you start reading, go right now over to NoiseTrade and pick up their debut EP for free.  Put it on your iPod while you read.  Settle into “Come Down” and “Imitation Honesty.”

A long time ago … seriously, close to 10 years ago … I went to a Carbon Leaf show here in Charlotte and this crazy-talented fiery red headed kid and his band opened the show.  I know I say I love music all the time, but I say this with all the conviction in my heart: that night, I fell deeply in love with Josh Queen’s music.  So much so that I accosted his manager and asked what I could do to help.  For the next several years, Josh Queen was the center of my musical universe, and became one of my closest friends in the process.  I would have followed – and still would! – that kid off the edges of the earth to listen to him sing. I believe in Josh, I believe in his music, and I love the kid like a brother.  He is truly one of the best “discoveries” of my life.

A couple of years ago, Josh moved to Denver.  He and his buddy, Dave Wright, who lived in Nashville, started writing songs and sharing them back and forth over the computer – a la The Postal Service, but via e-mail.  They’d record audio and video snippets and e-mail them cross country.  That’s how The Jealous Kind was born.  A musical collaboration between two friends, true music lovers, paying homage to the bands that they love.  Bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket and Counting Crows, Better Than Ezra and the like.   They put out their debut EP together.  Two songs that melted my heart and my ears.

My friendship with Josh, and because of him my friendship with Dave, is one truly rooted in music.  They’re not just musicians – they are music fans that love music.  I often get texts from Josh out of the blue that have quoted song lyrics – his way of telling me he loves a song or thinks a line is particularly awesome.  They don’t care about being famous or writing “indie” music that the hipsters will love.  They just write the music that they want to listen to. These are two guys that have full-time jobs and families, and yet they still make time for making music.  And I think that’s awesome.

Now click off on that iPod of yours.  Because I’m about to beg.

My personal plea to all of you:  please help these boys make a new record.  They never ask for anything from anyone and their music DESERVES to be heard.

I was the first one on board today when they announced their Kickstarter campaign to help raise $2000 to record the new EP.  Yeah, I know that us music fans have been bombarded with requests to help out on records, and I’ve personally contributed a number of projects already this year.  But like I said…I believe in Josh, and any music he makes is worth a million 24k bars of gold in my mind.

This holiday season, if music is the love of your life, if you’re a music fan who wants to support a good cause, if you’ve got a couple of extra bucks to spare, or if you want to give me a huge Christmas present, please drop a few bucks into The Jealous Kind’s Kickstarter campaign.  It will be money well spent.  I promise.

‘Tis the Season for More Saints of Valory

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As 2011 draws to a close, I’m starting to put together my “best of” lists for the year, and I can say with absolute certainty that Austin’s Saints of Valory will top a number of them.  They were my favorite new band discovery this year… So, it makes me merry that the fellas put out an original holiday ditty to finish out the year!

“Winter Lights” sparkles with everything I love about this band’s music…questioning, self-reflection provoking lyrics, sticky choruses, lovely guitar interludes (and a striking little organ intro) … and builds to this gorgeous crescendo of a children’s choir and a snappy military snare breakdown.  Of course, Gavin’s plaintive vocals are huge, as always. It’s timeless enough to be played year round, honestly, but definitely wrapped in a great little holiday package, complete with a meaningful message and jingle bells.

And the video is gorgeous, too.  There’s something about the golden light that just lends itself to the song… Love the drummer boy outfits and the paper confetti cannons!

Pick up your copy of “Winter Lights” and get on board this year with Saints of Valory.  By this time in 2012, they’ll be shining for the world to see.

More Saints of Valory:  Web | Twitter | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube

The Thanksgiving Rock Block: The Midnight Youth, Golden State & The Ruse

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I am a sucker for rock n’ roll of all kinds…but one of my biggest weaknesses is Brit rock, or faux Brit rock, as some may call it.  I blame Lee Garrett, really, for introducing me to The Stereophonics a decade ago and making me fall in love… and ever since then, it’s just been an obsession.

I’ve been craving screaming guitar, thrumming bass and pounding drums like a pregnant woman wants pickles lately.  Luckily, I’ve got the cure.  Three cures, actually.  And not a one of ’em British.

To help rock you through your long Thanksgiving weekend, let me introduce you to:  The Midnight Youth, hailing from New Zealand; and two long-time go-tos for blistering rock, both out of California, The Golden State & The Ruse.

You’re welcome.  Happy Turkey Rock.

THE MIDNIGHT YOUTH | Web | Facebook | Twitter
Recently, a New Zealand band I follow on Twitter mentioned The Midnight Youth and how they were releasing a new album soon; said they couldn’t wait for it.  Can’t explain what it was about that tweet that made me click on the link, but I did.  And I tripped into the rock n’ roll wonderland of The Midnight Youth.  After watching their French Girl video, I knew I had to have more.  A week later, their World Comes Calling album was released, and it has literally been on repeat ever since.  I am hypnotized by lead singer Jeremy Redmore’s clean, soaring vocals that are reminiscent of the best 70s rock bands.  If that didn’t win me over, the incredible, beatastic smashing drums and cymbals of Aidan Bartlett would have. This is 2011’s answer to arena rock. The whole album is tremendous, but I am especially in love with “Listen” and the title track – nicely captured in the video below.  Seriously, you need to own this record, people. It is baffling to me that we are not promoting music like this in the U.S.

 

GOLDEN STATE | Web | Facebook | Twitter
Oh, Golden State.  A stumbled upon this brit-esque band a few years back when I was looking for a track to round out one of my mix CDs.  I’ve been following them ever since.  Lead singer James Grundler started in a band called Paloalto that broke up in 2004, and Golden State got together soon after.  They’ve released two full lengths, including their latest album Division, and a number of EPs (some that you can’t get any more), been featured music on “Deadliest Catch” in several seasons (particularly poignant was the use of their song “All Roads Lead Home” during the scenes during and following Captain Phil’s death).  Again, win me over with vocals, woo me with guitar shredding and heartpounding rhythms… These boys have it.  Today, they released their video for “World on Fire” and it just makes me love ’em more.  Graceful, beautiful rock n’ roll.

 

THE RUSE | Web | Facebook | Twitter

The Ruse's Rebellion dropped today...and it's fab!

Years ago, The Ruse came and played at The Evening Muse in Charlotte.  I was instantly sold on them; the influence from Brit and Euro bands like U2 is fairly obvious, but their writing was what won me over.  Absolutely gorgeous lyrics, and we all know I’m a lyrics girl.   Then came their 2008 release Midnight in the City, which made #1 on my Top Ten list… And, might I add, spawned an iTunes free single of the week with “Beautiful Is Gone.” Last year’s Love, Sex, Confusion just added to my minor obsession, especially after the creative video for “I Can’t Stop” came out. They’re simply one of the best unknown rock bands in the U.S.   So I was pretty excited to download their new EP, Rebellion, today… And I’m pleased as punch with it!  This little five song EP is scaled back a bit from their previous records…less “wall of sound,” quieter guitars, softer edges, lots of melodic “whoas” and “ohs”…but it really showcases the songwriting and the individual band members contributions to the music.  My favorite track right now is the hardest rocker on the album, “In Defense of the Rebellion” (quite appropriate given the political climate/Occupy movement going on right now), but I’m also quickly falling in love with “Ten Thousand Years.”  Epic love story, really, and I’m one of those sappy romantic types.  At under $5, you can definitely afford to drop $5 of your Black Friday spending money on this as a gift to yourself!

Hot Young Things: Air Dubai

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In last week’s Sunday Funday Playlist, I mentioned Air Dubai, a group of hot young things from Denver, Colorado who are turning my musical ears around with their fresh take on hip-hop.  Yes, I do listen to things other than singer-songwriters!

Mixing hip-hop with jazz, R&B, and their own funkadelic style, the seven-piece just released a devilish little new EP called Day Escape, just over a year after putting out their full-length album Wonder Age. Guess you can’t keep a band on the rise down!

And an escape is exactly what this new EP is.  The toe-tapping, head-bobbing, booty-shaking, trippy little six-song journey is the perfect cure for your daylight savings blahs.  It’s sonic overload in the best possible way.  Keyboards, trumpets, guitars, drums, claps, insanely ear-wormy rhymes and beats layered on top of gorgeous little melodies… And if the musicality doesn’t grab you, take a good listen to the lyrics: these kids are confident in who they are and the message they’re putting out there.  And they’re doing it well.  Live life to its fullest.  Love.  And have a damn good time doing it.

My favorite track is the young band on the road anthem, “Summer Solstice,” but I’m also deeply in love with the lyrics of “Magazines” (the line “If I return to you a broken thing, then lay me down, down…” just floors me) and the Kool and the Gang-esque 70s awesomeness of “Lights Down.”  And they prove their depth with songs like “Crashing Down,” a self-reflective ditty that contemplates the future of music and the staying power of a band.

Check out this video of the kids doing a little in-apartment performance of “Magazines” from the new EP.  Then go pick it up for $4.99 at iTunes or put money into the band’s pocket by buying it on their Bandcamp page.

More Air Dubai:  Facebook | Twitter

Carbon Leaf Strikes Back for Texas

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What do you get when two of your top 10 favorite bands go on tour and start a YouTube video battle covering each other’s songs? Well, besides a happy Krissie, you get a challenge to help a much needed cause.

After Alpha Rev covered Carbon Leaf’s “Let Your Troubles Roll By,” Carbon Leaf decided to strike back and post a video of them covering Alpha Rev’s “Black Sky.” (video below)

If you’ve been living in the dark, Texas had a severe drought this summer and the excessively dry conditions sparked raging wildfires around the state.  Alpha Rev lent their song “Black Sky” to a couple of causes promoting wildfire relief funds.

And here’s where Carbon Leaf ups the cool factor: They are giving away their cover of the song for free and encouraging fans to make donations to one of two Texas wildfire relief funds if they download the song.

That’s seriously amazing.  So I downloaded the song and donated $5 to the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund (you can also give to Pass the Hat for Texas) I don’t live in Texas.  But, some of my best friends and best bands do and I love the city of Austin like it’s my home.  Not only that, but if North Carolina were to go up in flames, I’d like to think that others around the country would support the firefighters here as they battled to save land, people and property. I challenge all of my friends, fellow music junkies, Carbon Leaf or Alpha Rev fans to make a donation to one of these causes.  A) Because its the right thing to do and B) Because these artists are insanely cool for using their time and talents to bring attention to the cause.

Then go support these incredible artists on tour.