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Painting a Diverse Choir

22 May

Of the Painted Choir

 

Invariably, all musicians are inspired by artists who came before them. Those who play any variation of rock will often cite bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and other 60s-70s acts that helped mold their respective sounds. Of the Painted Choir is no different. But, as evidenced by its eponymous debut EP, this Arizona-based rock quartet is able to do something that most new bands cannot. The band effectively taps into the 60s, pulls back elements, and blends these elements with modern electronic instruments and stylings.

Of the Painted Choir was founded by Frederick Huang, a musician who developed a love for song writing and producing in Tucson, Ariz., while working with Tucson-based artists and interning at Wavelab Studios. Huang recruited Darren Simoes, a former guitarist for The Bled, and then added Phillip Hanna (keyboard/synthesizer) and Wayne Jones (bass), formerly of popular Phoenix bands Kinch and Tugboat. The band is completely DIY, and it records, mixes and produces its own music.

My favorite song off the EP is the third track, “The Shame,” which blends late Beatles-inspired folk, southwestern country, and modern indie. Take a listen:

The song begins with a neat acoustic riff that can best be described as Western. The vocals, though, are soft and provide a nice complement to the granular riff. The first minute of the song sounds like Spaghetti Western folk – almost like how it would have sounded if Rome by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi was recorded by a modernized Indie version of a 60s folk troupe. A saxophone creeps into the piece adding an even more eclectic element to it, which, after the initial Sax portion, shifts to a jungle of gritty acoustics and smooth sax sounds. It is an eccentric piece – one that clearly fits into today’s Indie scene.

“A Spanish Mountain” immediately features a different sound. Replacing the rough acoustic guitar is an effervescent, echoed guitar that spills into rapid percussion and a vibrating vocal. This song takes a more modern approach but still employs the classic “wall of sound” to pour sound on the listener.

 

Check out more from Of the Painted Choir: Facebook, Twitter, Website

 

 

DAMEDAS Is All You Need Today

13 May

DAMEDAS

With the eccentric musical flair of Grizzly Bear and a penchant for 60s pop psychedelia, DAMEDAS is about ready to take the Los Angeles scene by storm. Founded in 2007 by musician Felipe Damedas, DAMEDAS has just recently expanded to include a full group of musicians…and words. The transformation from instrumental to lyric-laden psych/pop was not a difficult for the foursome.

What is perhaps most striking about DAMEDAS is its clear appreciation for the roots of rock n’ roll. The art (above) is reminiscent of the Beatles, and, class-style portraits aside, the music bears a neat resemblance to Beatles-style psychedelia – infectiously effervescent, heavily melodic, and elusively organized. Let me explain:

“All I Need is All I Have” is a tight single by DAMEDAS. The music is crowded with drenched harmonies, twangy guitar, and spondaic percussion. The instrumentation combines a wall of sound approach with portions of sincere quiet. Although I already made this comparison, I can best describe the music as a mix between old and new psych/pop. While the synth fits in with newer Indie Psych/Pop, the sing-song swooning melody is much like late 60s psych/pop. Excellent track!

You can download the single for free at DAMEDAS’ Bandcamp. Check out more about the band: Website, Twitter and Facebook

 

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A Historical Waltz by The Rebel Light

30 Apr

The Rebel Light

I’m going to go out on a limb and start this post off with a guarantee. If you like creative pop/rock music, you will enjoy “Goodbye Serenade” by The Rebel Light. It’s that simple. It doesn’t matter if you are from Montauk, New York, Yucaipa, California, or anywhere in between or across the seas; if you like pop/rock music, you will like “Goodbye Serenade.” Why am I so confident?

“Goodbye Serenade” is structured to be successful. The song is effervescently focused on a catchy melody that is accentuated by several instruments like the piano, trumpet and the xylophone. It fits into the rare category of mainstream Indie, where the song is accessible enough to be dispersed to a wide range of audiences but still maintains a strong taste of Indie musicianship mixed with an enviable DIY enthusiasm. Also, the song is a waltz. Yes, I’m not lying, it is in three. Immediate kudos right there to The Rebel Light.

The Rebel Light released its debut EP last year, which was independently recorded and mixed. Vocals for each song were recorded in a bathroom and the drums were tracked in a wood shed. The band is made up of two brothers from Montauk, New York and a cousin from Yucaipa, California. The Rebel Light is currently based in Los Angeles.

“Goodbye Serenade,” as is expressed in the praise above, is my favorite piece off of the EP. The video paired with the song was also created by the band, and it provides a spine-tingling trip into history. This historical waltz flashes images and video as the song builds in the background. The strength of this song resides in its climactic chorus; a true diapason of harmonic instruments mixed with potent vocals. It has an empowering effect on the listener. The song is puissant. The melody is delightful. It all meshes well. The Rebel Light may have a big hit on its hands.

Keep up with the Rebel Light on Facebook, Twitter, and Website

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The True Meaning of Galore Rock

25 Apr

The Rockers Galore

Galore means abundance or plentiful amounts. If you have food and drinks galore, you have a party on your hands. Hopefully, you also have some music by Blayer Pointdujour & The Rockers Galore to accentuate your bacchanal! Most bands stretch the truth with a band name (they are not really Eagles), but The Rockers Galore truly serve a massive helping of every facet of rock: pummeling electric guitar, swift percussion, hip/hop vocals, and potent horns. And, most importantly, the music blends together and goes down smooth like a toasted lager and some chips and salsa.

The Rockers Galore, a Reggae/ Hip Hop band from Philadelphia, PA, was founded in 2008 by multi-instrumentalist Blayer Pointdujour. The Rockers Galore recently released their new album The Bull (mixed and mastered at Milkboy the Studio formerly Larry Gold, The Roots, Common, Kanye West).

“1804″ combines horns borrows from The Skatalites’ “Rock Fort Rocks” with a panoply of guitar and percussion. The lyric is genuine and it helps form a puissant piece. Perhaps most impressive is the effective balancing act that The Rockers Galore are able to achieve in this song. The wide array of sounds can be intimidating if not organized well, and The Rockers Galore are able to provide a “controlled madness.”

“Mansion Party” features constant rhythm – a fun mix of horns and rock – almost Mexican influences. The music plays like upbeat Ska.

Check out more about The Rockers Galore by visiting the website and Facebook of the band.

 

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Don’t Sleep on Sleeperstar

9 Apr

Sleeperstar

Let’s start with the basics; Sleeperstar will not put you to sleep. It’s more likely they will open your eyes. Hailing from Dallas, TX, the five-piece group plays a passionate blend of keys-heavy alternative rock that focuses on emotional vocal and instrumental crescendo. Like a good story, Sleeperstar is able to balance moments of inaction and quiet with well-placed melodic climaxes. Led by powerful vocals and Snow Patrol-like echoed harmony and percussion, the band is a must-listen for fans of Coldplay, Matchbox 20, and similar Alt/Rock bands.

Following the release of Sleeperstar’s first album, Just Another Ghost, in 2010, the band toured extensively with several dates throughout the United States before returning to the studio to record the most recent EP, Blue Eyes, which was released back in January of this year. Just Another Ghost will be a difficult album to follow. The incipient effort for the band featured songs that landed multiple major media placements, including the TV show “Vampire Diaries” and the movie “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

The band – which consists of Nick Box, Chris Pearson, Shaun Menary, Jake Lester, and Geoff Ashcraft – seems up for the challenge. The opening track on the new EP is sure to find its way onto a TV show or movie soon. Take a listen to “Replay.”

The rich vocals dance over wavy keys and sweeping percussion – giving off hints of OAR. The chorus hits hard with echo-driven, enthusiastic harmonies. The vocal precision of Sleeperstar is perhaps its greatest strength. The music itself is more than satisfying, catchy and potent, but the vocals are almost penetrating. Simply, the vocals stick with you.

Here is “Everything Must Find Its Place,” which was featured in “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

The song emits a 90s Brit/Alt pop feels with its focus on impassioned keys and heavy vocals. This permeates the song and helps it become more effective. Sleeperstar’s music goes down smoothly like a craft beer. It is satisfying, hearty, and well-made. I, for one, am looking forward to the next round.

Find out more about Sleeperstar: Facebook, Twitter, Website

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