Songwriter powerhouse quartet The Rescues are prepping fans for their sophomore release with a free download of the new single, “Arrow,” on AmericanSongwriter.com.
L.A. songwriter supergroup The Rescues has been in the studio recording, and I know I’m one of thousands anxiously awaiting their new effort Blah Blah Love and War. After seeing them live at Charlotte’s most intimate little venue, The Evening Muse, in 2009, I became a huge fan. Four extremely powerful vocalists whose voices blend together to send tingles up your spine easily made it one of my favorite performances of that year. Their 2010 release, Let Loose the Horses, was a finely-crafted work of harmonies and lyrical wonderment that just reinforced that live experience.
In anticipation of their upcoming release, Kyler, Adrianne, Rob and Gabriel teamed up with American Songwriter to give away a free download of their new song “Arrow.” It’s a gorgeous song and has me salivating to get my hands on the new album. It is definitely worthy of the Friday Awesomeness!
The Rescues are running a PledgeMusic campaign to record this new album and it’s not too late to contribute. They’ve already reached their goal, but they still have some cool supporter packages available. If you dig what you hear, think about chipping in!
Nashville-based band The Rouge set my musical heart on fire on Saturday night. I’m still a little at a loss for words to describe it.
I listen to and like a lot of different music. And recorded music is great, but the magic…the magic, for me, lives in the live performance. Every once in awhile, I see a band live for the first time and it’s like having an encounter with your crush – you get butterflies and you feel that unmistakable magnetism of connection. Sometimes, you go into a show expecting it or hoping for it to happen. And sometimes, it takes you unaware, hitting you in your ears and heart hard enough to make you dizzy.
On Saturday night, I got completely gobsmacked when I went to see The Rouge from Nashville, TN (by way of Denver, CO). This is not an exaggeration – I walked out of The Double Door weak in the knees.
I first got introduced to this band in early 2010 when my dearest Christopher Jak produced a track for them at The Blasting Room. As with anything that Jak touches, I check it out because the dude has impeccable musical taste. With a sound that is distinctly modern rock, heavy on the keys and with a great raw vocal, I liked them enough to put them on my Spring 2010 mix. I listened to the EP occasionally here and there. A few weeks ago, I noticed that they were playing a gig in Charlotte. “Cool,” I thought. “I’ll go check them out.”
So I went. By myself. And got there way too early. So I sat and watched a college football game with the bartenders. At one point, the lead singer and drummer from The Rouge bellied up to the bar next to me and I asked them if they would play my favorite song of theirs, “Six Shooter.” Since this might be the first time they’ve ever played in Charlotte, they seemed genuinely surprised that someone was there to see them and actually knew their songs. Josh, the lead singer who was incredibly gracious, chatted with me for a bit, gave me a handwritten, burned copy of some new songs. Two thumbs up, I thought, nice guys.
They’re a lean four piece that’s seen some lineup changes since I first heard them – guitar player Steve doubling as keyboardist, Nick on drums, Jack (the only member I didn’t meet) on bass, and of course Josh singing and playing guitar.
They climbed on stage quietly, amidst a crowd that had slowly filtered in – most of them didn’t know the band, several were there to see the openers. Josh stepped on stage last with just an acoustic guitar. When the music started and the four of them were playing together, it was instantaneous – I knew right away that this was going to put to shame the recorded music I’d heard of theirs up until now.
And after one song, the crowd was paying attention.
They played mostly new songs…I was totally caught up in it. Seriously, I don’t think I saw or heard a single thing happening in the room for the next 45 minutes. Josh’s voice has a powerful depth and emotion live, and he and Steve perfectly play off one another. Jack and Nick work together to form this incredible backbone. It was just good, solid rock n’ roll music, complete with really strong songwriting. Their connection with the intimate crowd was electric, and by the end of the show, other people in the room were buzzing about them. The chemistry was right – with them, with the audience, the venue, everything.
Sometimes I get a little bummed that I go to so many shows on my own, but sometimes, being alone at a show makes the experience so much more intense, and that was definitely the case with The Rouge. I’m such a huge dork that I took a poster that one of the bar staff was taking down off the wall. Like someone saving a wine cork from a great first date, I just wanted to have a souvenir from the night, something to remember the show by.
Yup, it’s official. New band crush in full effect.
I looked around for videos of them playing my new favorite of theirs, “Sleepwalking,” but the only video I could find was with some of the older band lineup when they were still living in Denver (it’s a killer song, and a video recorded in a tiny little bedroom – so worth watching). They do have a rather eerie video of Josh and Steve performing their song “Cocaine Hero” acoustic from a few weeks ago…So I’m posting that, but go check out their Facebook page for some others.
After a long hiatus in which my weight grew almost as fast as my music collection, I’m back to working out regularly again. We’re less than six months away from The Rock Boat, and I am determined to love myself in the pictures from this cruise! Thanks are due to my roommate and general partner in crime, Shelia, for giving me a swift kick in the ass and making a workout chart that keeps me accountable to me. And, since I’ve lost 5 pounds in my first two weeks, I’m feeling mightily inspired. Which, of course, has led to the need for a new heart-thumping, booty-moving workout playlist.
My music buys as of late have been leaning toward the mellower side – not exactly what one needs when doing the impressive overhead press weight of 10 lbs (hey, don’t judge!). So I’m turning to my loyal readers to help me bulk up (get it?) my rad new workout playlist. I’ll share mine if you share yours – what gets you fired up to get your work out on?
Radioactive – Imagine Dragons (iTunes | Amazon)
Won’t Stop – Midnight Youth (iTunes | Amazon)
Anybody (Featuring Zeale) – The Soldier Thread (iTunes | Amazon)
One More – Jimmy Cliff (iTunes | Amazon)
Kids – Saints of Valory (iTunes | Amazon)
Anarchy Fire – Lovedrug (Bandcamp)
Howl – The Gaslight Anthem (iTunes | Amazon)
We Are What You Say – Dead Sara (iTunes | Amazon)
Turntable – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (iTunes | Amazon)
Tightrope – Walk the Moon (iTunes | Amazon)
Let’s Go – Calvin Harris (featuring Ne-Yo) (iTunes | Amazon)
Tattoo Girl – The Hundred Days (iTunes | Amazon)
Six Shooter – The Rouge (iTunes | Amazon)
The World Is Over – Red Wanting Blue (iTunes | Amazon)
Here’s to whipping my butt (and yours) back into shape!
Last year, I wrote about a Berlin, Germany-band I discovered on BalconyTV called Mighty Oaks. With lilting acoustic guitar, crystalline vocals and gorgeous harmonies, this international band is comprised of an American, an Italian, a Brit and a German. If you believe in fate or destiny, it’s impossible to deny that Ian Hooper, the ex-pat on vocals, and Claudio Donzelli, the Italian who seems to be the master of all strings, were meant to play music together – together, they are the heart of this marvelous little quartet.
The band recently began recording new songs for an album that will be released later this year. They filmed a series of videos for the tunes at stunningly beautiful sites in the Italian countryside, and they’ve been sharing them online for the past two weeks. Combine the lovely surroundings with the simple, artfully crafted music and you have a recipe for magic.
Don’t believe in magic? You will after you watch this video for a song called “The Pacific Northwest.”
If you dig what The Mighty Oaks are doing, check out the latest video they’ve posted, “Picture.” Need more? Watch for more news about their new album on their Facebook page or pick up a copy of their first EP over at their Soundcloud Player on their website.
Jonah’s no stranger to the music biz, having been out and playing professionally for a dozen years or so. He remains criminally unheard in my opinion, despite work with Relix Records and playing a slot at Bonnaroo in 2007.
I first stumbled on Jonah’s music in 2009 – randomly on iTunes, if I remember correctly – and wore out his Lights On album, which was released in 2008. Found the music just in time for him to go into relative solo silence for a few years. Last year he emerged with a little side project called The Statesman with musicians that he has regularly played with over the years – Josh Dion, Scott Metzger and Ben Rubin (pick up that whole album for free here).
Now, finally, Jonah is back with this new record, and with the opening track of the pre-order, you know right away what you’re getting. “Blues Sideways” says it all. These three tracks dive deep with bluesy guitar, sexy percussion, and Jonah’s gorgeous smoky vocal. Try the back-alley, ominous soul of “Buzzing Flies.” It’ll knock your socks off. By the time you get to the piano-rich stunner “I Came Here to Love You,” YOU will be in love with Jonah Smith.
Little Known Cure is out August 18th on digital outlets worldwide. The pre-order includes physical CD option, as well. $9 for digital only, or $13 for the physical CD and digital copy.
jrzygyrl.com 