Sunday, February 16, 2014

Weekly Musical Spotlight ::: Late Night Television

Monday 02/17/2014 
Conan ::: Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
Fallon ::: U2
Kimmel ::: Silversun Pickups
Letterman ::: Gary Clark, Jr. 
Ferguson ::: Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire

 Tuesday 02/18/2014 
Conan ::: Langhorne Slim
Fallon ::: Lady Gaga
Kimmel ::: Phantogram
Letterman ::: Cole Swindell

Wednesday 02/19/2014 
Conan ::: Fortune Feimster (Comedian) 
Fallon ::: Tim McGraw
Kimmel ::: Switchfoot 
Letterman ::: Little Dragon
Ferguson ::: Krystal Keith

 Thursday 02/20/2014 
Conan ::: NEEDTOBREATHE
Fallon ::: Arcade Fire
Kimmel ::: Jetta

Friday 02/21/2014 
Fallon ::: Justin Timberlake 
Letterman ::: Lake Street Dive

Palladia Highlights

 Monday 02/17/2014
5:00p  Nirvana Live - At the Paramount
8:00p Fitz and the Tantrums - Live
10:30p Live From Daryl's House - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
11:00p Live From Daryl's House - Allen Stone

 Tuesday 02/18/2014
4:00p Coldplay - Live at Glastonbury
6:00p NEEDTOBREATHE - Prove the Poets

 Wednesday 02/19/2014
9:00a Storytellers - Cee-Lo Green
1:00p World Stage - MGMT
1:30p Two Door Cinema Club - 2011 Isle of Wight Fest

Thursday 02/20/2014
2:00a Rockness Festival 2012 - Mumford & Sons, the Drums, Noah and the Whale, Deadmau5
10:00a Warren Haynes Band - Live
12:00p Blackberry Smoke - Live at the Georgia Theatre

 Friday 02/21/2014
11:00a World Stage - EMA 
12:00p World Stage - fun.
7:00p Glastonbury Hour 1 - Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, Jake Bugg, TDCC, HAIM
8:00p Glastonbury Hour 2 -  Phoenix, the Smashing Pumpkins, Chic, Ben Howard
9:00p Glastonbury Hour 3 - Of Monsters and Men, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave
10:00p Glastonbury Hour 4 - Vampire Weekend, Portishead, Bobby Womack, Primal Scream
11:00p Glastonbury Hour 5 - the Lumineers, the xx, Rita Ora, Seasick Steve, Rodriguez

 Saturday 02/22/2014
12:00a Pearl Jam - Twenty
5:00a World Stage - Red Hot Chili Peppers
9:00a Storytellers - Kings of Leon
4:00p Storytellers - My Morning Jacket
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Sunday, February 9, 2014

Weekly Musical Spotlight ::: Late Night Television

With the Olympics in session NBC's late night lineup change over will not take place until Monday, February 24th.

 Monday 02/10/2014 
Conan ::: Rock Candy Funk Party
Letterman ::: The Orwells
Kimmel ::: Eric Church

 Tuesday 02/11/2014 
Conan ::: Toni Braxton and Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds
Letterman ::: John Grant
Kimmel ::: Crosses

 Wednesday 02/12/2014 
Conan ::: Jhene Aiko
Letterman ::: Ellie Goulding 
Kimmel ::: Naughty Boy with Sam Smith

 Thursday 02/13/2014 
Conan ::: Ron Funches (comedian) 
Letterman ::: Eagulls
Kimmel ::: Sage the Gemini
Colbert ::: Pussy Riot 

 Friday 02/14/2014 
Letterman ::: Jennifer Nettles

 Palladia Highlights
Monday 02/10/2014
9:00a Glastonbury 2007- Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Bjork
10:00a Glastonbury 2007- The Killers, Paul Weller, Iggy and the Stooges
11:00a Glastonbury 2007- The Who, Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Streets Preachers
8:00p Storytellers - Ray Lamontagne

 Tuesday 02/11/2014
5:00a Trampled by Turtles - Live in Minneapolis 
9:00a The Live Room - Gary Clark Jr. 
7:30p Disclosure - Live at Central Park
8:00p Radiohead - The King of Limbs
9:00p Storytellers - Death Cab for Cutie
10:00p Storytellers - My Morning Jacket
11:30p London Live! - The Shins

 Wednesday 02/12/2014
9:00a The Kills - Live in NYC
9:30a World Stage - Vampire Weekend
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Monday, February 3, 2014

Live Spotlight ::: February '14 Area Shows

Here is your one stop shop for the shows you need to know about for February. We've linked you to the band's facebook pages, venues, and ticket pages below!

w. Cults
Tuesday 02/04/14
Tickets (SOLD OUT)
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 8.5
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Wednesday 02/05/14
Tickets $37.55-59.50 (including fees)
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 8.25
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Wednesday 02/05/14
Tickets $11
Athens, GA
Recommendation Rating: 7.75
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Monday 02/10/14
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 7.5
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Friday 02/14/14
Tickets $55.50
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 7
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w. LP
Monday 02/17/14
Tickets $13
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 8.75
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Tuesday 02/18/14
Tickets $14
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 8.75
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Saturday 02/22/14
Tickets $25
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 7.75
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Saturday 02/22/14
The Tabernacle
Tickets (SOLD OUT)
Atlanta, GA
Recommendation Rating: 8.5
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Wednesday 02/26/14
Tickets $70
Recommendation Rating: 8.75

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New Music Spotlight ::: January Album Reviews

WARPAINT – WARPAINT
This all female quartet hails from Los Angeles, California where it was formed in 2004 by childhood friends. The original lineup consisted of Emily Kokal (vocals, guitar), Theresa Wayman (guitar, vocals), and sisters Jenny Lee Lindberg (bass, backing vocals) and Shannya Sorsamon (drums). In 2008 Shannyn left the band to pursue a successful acting career. Through 2009 the group had three male fill-in drummers before finding their current drummer and keys player, Australian, Stella Wozgawa. Warpaint lists their genre as ‘smooth – smokey’. The LA band’s sound is very reminiscent of fellow dream pop and former tour mates The xx, but with more dialed back drum/synth bass and the more harmonizing vocals.

Their sophomore release Warpaint shows undeniable growth since their well-received 2010 LP The Fool. For their self-titled second album the four-piece group modified their approach to songwriting by "experiment[ing] and writ[ing] with one another." The current line-up had never worked through the composition process "from the ground up" together. Bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg further indicated that most of the newer songs were written by "just jam[ming] and free-flow[ing] onstage". This new style is evident early in the "Intro" track, one of the best album opening ‘intro’ tracks on any album in recent memory. The ‘misstep’ in the intro track is the perfect welcome note for ‘new’ band member Stella. “Keep it Healthy”, the continuation of the intro track, builds a great foundation for the album. “Love is to Die,” the first single off the record, starts with intricately layered build before releasing into a measured flow, a perfect reflection of the track's content; the beginning and end of relationships.  From here the album takes a regrettable mellow approach through the middle of the album, before picking up slightly with “Feeling Alright”. Warpaint’s, subtle farewell, “Son,” puts a elegant finish to arguably the best release of January.

It is great to see one of the first quality releases in 2014 being put out by an all-female band following the incredible year in 2013 by women in music.  The album does a great job overall of flowing from start to finish and allows you to get lost in it as your mind dances with the waves of the rhythms.

Top Tracks
Intro
Keep it Healthy
Love is to Die
Feeling Alright

B Rating: 80
R Rating: 85
Overall: 82.5
Local Dates: None Announced

Like this album? Try….from 2013
Polica – Shulamith
Widowspeak – Almanac
MS MR – Secondhand Rapture
Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave

YOUNG THE GIANT – MIND OVER MATTER
After their eponymous debut album in 2010, Young the Giant makes their highly anticipated return, now as a household name. Formed in 2004, originally going by The Jakes, the Irvine, California group is fronted by the belting Sameer Gadhin. The band is rounded out with Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata on guitar, Payam Doostzadeh on the bass, and Fraçois Conois manning the drums. The band was able to meld their sound with lyrics that created hit sounds routinely used in TV shows and commercials, without being too insistent.

There is a great deal of pressure and anticipation that comes with a sophomore album, especially one as highly regarded and heavily toured as Young the Giant. It’s easy to ask ‘can they do it again?’ when there was 5 years between their inception and release of their first LP. There is so much that goes into becoming a successful band and one always hopes there’s more magic left. With Mind Over Matter Sameer and gang prove they are more talent than just a flash in the pan. 

The aptly named first single, 'It's About Time,’ hit airwaves in late October 2013. The song has a bigger feel than anything off their first album, which led many to question whether they’d be making a transition to a louder type of rock. Instead, the album provides a perfect balance between this fresh massive sound and what made them so popular with the first album. The intro song, ‘Slow Drive’ grabs the listener's attention and builds anticipation for what's to come before abruptly cutting off like awaking from a dream. With eyes [and ears] now fully open the listener is welcomed by ‘Anagram’ a song that is the YTG everyone has grown to know and love, danceable alt-rock with belted choruses.
The second single, Crystallized’ is the perfect meld of Young the Giant's new fuller sound and beautiful airiness that captured everyone's attention on their debut. The album’s namesake ‘Mind Over Matter’ provides unadulterated bellowing from Mr. Gahin, a song that was made for his great stage presence and death grip on the microphone. ‘Firelight’ is the first glimpse at the slower, dulcet sound prevalent throughoutYoung The Giant. One of the album's highlights, ‘Eros,' carries a very European alt-rock sound, stemming from the cutting complex guitar riffs that dance in between an irresistibly catchy drum line before breaking down into an impromptu jam session.  Rest assured 'Eros' will highlight many set lists on Young the Giant's immense upcoming tour.

The album as a whole flows very nicely and translates wonderfully over headphones or a living room stereo. The new repertoire of songs sound even better live. Will Mind Over Matter be as successful as Young the Giant? Only time will tell, but this is no sophomore slump.   

Top Tracks
Anagram
Eros
Teachers
Mind Over Matter

B Rating: 85
R Rating: 82
Overall: 83.5
Local Dates: Saturday, February 22nd at The Tabernacle with Cayucas

Like this album? Try….from 2013
The Last Royals – Twistification
Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull
Local Natives – Hummingbird
Free Energy – Love Sign
Haim – Days Are Gone
Morgan Taylor Reid – A Minor Heartbeat


SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS – GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT
This ten-piece veteran band is everything that funk and soul music was at its apex. Lungs the size of Texas and a group of Dap-Kings behind her Sharon Jones has conquered soul, gospel, fuck, disco, and most recently cancer. During the months of battling pancreatic cancer, she continued to write and record resulting in the appropriately named Give the People Want They Want. It is no surprise that Ms. Jones hails from the birthplace of the Godfather of Soul, Augusta, Georgia. Her story is very similar to that of another throwback funk/soul breakout Charles Bradley. Searching for musical success before it came in waves at an older age. 

With their sixth album, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have put together possibly their most complete and best yet. Over the ten tracks on Give the People What They Want, Jones & the Dap-Kings quickly find their groove and don’t let up. Regardless of the emotion Jones is emitting you can instantly feel the tone in her voice and the rhythm of the song. The themes of this album: love, loss, and maturation, are timeless and make it easy to let the sound take you back to the 60s and 70s.
  
Top Tracks
You’ll Be Lonely
Stranger to Happiness
Long Time, Wrong Time
Now I See

B Rating: 79
R Rating: 79
Overall: 79
Local Dates: Saturday, February 15th at Variety Playhouse

Like this album? Try…from 2013
Charles Bradley – Victim of Love
James Blake – Overgrown
Aaron Neville – My True Story
John Legend – Love in the Future
Janelle Monae – Electric Lady
Justin Timberlake – 20/20 Experience


HOSPITALITY – TROUBLE
January was a month of sophomore releases and indie pop trio Hospitality kept the theme going with the release of Trouble. Calling Brooklyn, New York home, there is a definite Kings County vibe projected in their sound. Hospitality’s 2012 self-titled released drew glowing praise from music critics far and wide. This high praise made increased anticipation for Amber Papini (vocals, guitar), Nathan Michel (percussion), and Brian Betancourt’s (bass) latest release, Trouble.

Best described as east coast’s Best Coast, the group’s new album has a more spacey feel from the opening track, ‘Nightingale’. Trouble marks a move away from the more poppy sound of Hospitality and towards dark synth (lite) indie rock. Amber’s vocals are on display throughout the album, no song highlights this better than ‘Sullivan’ where she could be mistaken for the former Pixie, Kim Deal. It’s no coincidence that the song evokes Kim’s ‘Are You Mine’ the way her voice lightly dances around a melodic tune. Last Words is a beautiful track that showcases the album’s 80s synth sound with an opening build that holds a ‘soundtrack’ feel to it; allowing the listener to effortlessly paint a picture in their mind.

Trouble is full of songs that allow the listener to get lost in a daydream. ‘Sunship’ continues the last winter, early spring feel of the album that whispers for hope before finishing with the short stripped down ‘Call Me After.’

Top Tracks
I Miss Your Bones
Sullivan
Last Words
Sunship

B Rating: 83
R Rating: 87
Overall: 85
Local Dates: Friday, February 21st at 529

Like this album? Try….from 2013
She & Him – Volume 3
London Grammar – If You Wait
Radiation City – Animals In The Median
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – We The Common
Best Coast – Fade Away
Born Ruffians - Birthmarks
Cults – Static


DUM DUM GIRLS – TOO TRUE
Born out of the LA bedroom of frontwoman Dee Dee Penny this fearsome foursome returns with their third studio release Too True. Dee Dee (Kristian Welchez), Jules, Sandy, and Malia record and perform under the moniker Dum Dum Girls as an homage to a Vaselines’ album (Dum Dum) and an Iggy Pop Song (‘Dum Dum Boys). After forming in 2008, the group released their first album I Will Be in 2010 to positive reviews. Despite making the move from The Golden State to Brooklyn the band continues to carry a strong California sound and vibe to their music.

The dream pop band have put together a solid album in Too True. This 2014 release does a great job of transitioning from faster paced spurts to slower waves of The Cure-esque tracks. A throwback to 80s noise pop it captures so many characteristics of that decade of music while making it current and their own. Fans of earlier Dum Dum Girls albums won’t see much change in their tried and true formula, but will still find new favorites to enjoy.  All in all this is good album that could have been better with some risks and ultimately falls a little short of the lofty expectations set on previous material.  This has always been a group where the more adventurous EPs tend to outshine the full length albums.  Hopefully the trend continue and we get something wonderful soon.

Top Tracks
Too True to Be Good
Rimbaud Eyes
Trouble is My Name

B Rating: 75
R Rating: 74
Overall:  74.5
Local Dates: Thursday, March 20th at The Earl
  
Like this album? Try….from 2013
Smith Westerns – Soft Will
Yuck – Glow and Behold
Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt
Bleached – Ride Your Heart
Crocodiles – Crimes of Passion


PEGGY SUE – CHOIR OF ECHOES
After battling between Peggy Sue and the Pirates and Peggy Sue and the Pictures, this trio from England found the answer in simplicity, Peggy Sue. Consisting of Rosa Slade, Katy Young, and Olly Joyce may have slipped under many people’s radars since their start in 2005, but they have not gone unnoticed in the music world, having toured with the like of Mumford & Sons, Jack White, First Aid Kit, The Maccabees among others.

Behind the innocence evoked in Rosa and Katy’s voices they could be talking about death and corruption and it would be hard not smile along. Choir of Echoes, the groups fourth studio album, steers its themes more in the direction of growing up. The band recently described their recording as“…an album about singing. About losing your voice and finding it again. Voices keeping each other company and voices competing for space. The call and response of the kindest and the cruelest words. Choruses. Duets. Whispers and shouts.”

Top Tracks
Two Shots
Figure of Eight
Idle
Esme

B Rating: 86
R Rating: 83
Overall: 84.5
Local Dates: No local shows announced

Like this album? Try….from 2013
She & Him – Volume 3
Lay Low – Live at Home
Hayden – Us Alone

JANUARY RELEASES PLAYLIST
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Weekly Musical Spotlight ::: Late Night Television

Monday 02/03/2014 
Conan ::: Neko Case
Leno ::: Bonnie Raitt
Letterman ::: Broken Bells
Fallon ::: No Musical Guest
Kimmel ::: Zedd
Daly ::: No Musical Guest

Tuesday 02/04/2014 
Conan ::: J Roddy Walston and the Business
Leno ::: Lyle Lovett
Letterman ::: Sting performs the Beatles
Fallon ::: Vintage Trouble
Kimmel ::: The Lone Bellow
Daly ::: Cutie and the Boxer

Wednesday 02/05/2014 
Conan ::: Daniel Sloss
Kimmel ::: The Head and the Heart
Leno ::: Vintage Trouble
Letterman ::: Lenny Kravitz
Fallon ::: The Muppets
Daly ::: Jake Bugg

Thursday 02/06/2014 
Conan ::: White Denim
Leno ::: Garth Brooks
Letterman ::: The Flaming Lips
Fallon ::: 2 Chainz


Palladia Highlights
Tuesday 02/04/2014
9:00a World Stage- Franz Ferdinand
10:00a Austin City Limits Music Fest Flaming Lips, Muse, Phish, Sonic Youth, Spoon

 Wednesday 02/05/2014
1:00a Field Day Festival 2013 - Palma Violets, Animal Collective, CHVRCHES, Everything Everything
2:00a Disclosure - Live in Central
3:30a World State - Vampire Weekend

Thursday 02/06/2014
8:30p Life is Good Festival 2013 - Hall and Oates, Jack Johnson, Dawes, Trampled by Turtles


Saturday 02/08/2014
1:00a Hangout Festival 2013 - Hour 1
2:00a Hangout Festival 2013 - Hour 2
3:00a Sara Bareilles - Brave Enough

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Sunday, February 2, 2014

City Spotlight ::: Super Bowl Music Matchup ::: Denver

It's hard to go head to head with the amazing catalog of musicians that Seattle has given us, but Denver has produced enough to make a game of it. Like the Super Bowl matchup itself there is a clear difference in styles that seem to match their cities well. Denver is rooted in folk music and indie music with a slightly pop feel to it. Colorado is also home to one of the best venues in America, Red Rocks Amphitheater.

The Lumineers
This three piece indie folk band hit the scene in 2012 when their hit song, 'Ho Hey' was used in a Blue Moon commercial. As soon as people heard it they instantly moved to find out who this band was. It was clear once hearing their self-titled album they were more than a one hit wonder. Since then they've played countless festivals and their freshman release has gone certified Platinum.
Lumineers ::: Stubborn Love

Pretty Lights
One of the biggest names on the EDM circuit has Derek Vincent Smith, better known as Pretty Lights. Getting his start by producing hip hop music while in high school, he gained momentum and ended up dropping out of UC as a freshman to focus on his craft. He has quickly become one of the biggest acts in the American electronic music scene selling out headlining arena shows and will also be a headliner for this year's CounterPoint Music Fest.
Pretty Lights ::: I Know the Truth (Live at Bonnaroo)

The String Cheese Incident
One of the most diverse acts in the world of jam bands has to be another Denver product, The String Cheese Incident. SCI incorporates many elements across music including bluegrass, funk, rock, electronica, folk, and even a little latin flair. 
String Cheese ::: Rollover (Live at Red Rocks)

Other notable acts: Paper Bird Band, John Denver, Churchill, Big Gigantic, Dead Kennedy, DeVotchKa

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City Spotlight ::: Super Bowl Music Matchup ::: Seattle

There's no denying that the NFC representative, the Seattle Seahawks, come from a city rooted deeper into music than coffee beans. Not to mention possibly the best musician of all time, Jimi Hendrix was Seattle born and raised. In the 90's Seattle was a hotbed for musical acts, almost single-handedly starting the grunge movement birthing bands such as; Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, and Alice in Chains. As great as that decade was for the Emerald City the past 10 years has been flooding out. Not to be done by Red Rocks a short drive from Seattle is another picturesque venue, The Gorge, home of the festival Sasquatch.


Below is a snapshot of some of my Seattle favorites.

The Head and the Heart
I feel pretty confident in saying this six-piece indie-folk band is currently my favorite band. They're amazing live and their self titled album is perfect for any mood. In late 2013 the group released their second album, Let's Be Still, an amazing followup.
The Head and the Heart ::: Rivers and Road
(Live at Lollapalooza)
The Head and the Heart ::: Homecoming Heroes
   

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
I've been lucky enough to have know about and been listening to Macklemore for some time and now and his latest album with producer Ryan Lewis, The Heist,  did not disappoint.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ::: Same Love
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ::: And We Danced
   

Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty
Both acts are from Seattle and share Joshua Tillman, an American folk singer, guitarist, drummer, and songwriter, currently performing under the moniker Father John Misty.
Fleet Foxes ::: Mykonos
   
Father John Misty ::: Full Performance from the KEXP (Seattle) studios
   
Other notable Rain City acts: Minus the Bear, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, The Lonely Forest, Modest Mouse, Telekinesis, Grieves, the Hoot Hoots, Allen Stone, Bing Crosby
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