Frank Wu
New Zac and Josh Song Days After Leaving Paramore
Just days after Zac and Josh Farro were officially left Paramore, a track has surfaced on Soundcloud that is supposedly from Zac and Josh’s new project. Listen to the song here.
Beach House Holiday Song
Do you care for the winter sun? Beach House doesn’t. Grab their new holiday song titled “I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun” for free here.
Review: HoneyChild – Nearer The Earth
HoneyChild – Nearer The Earth
Released: August 31, 2010
Label: Self-released
I may sound clichéd here, but HoneyChild is probably one of the best bands you’ve never heard. The band, currently comprised of Tobias Jesso (Guitars & Vocals), Noah Gersh (Guitars, Banjo, Mandolin, & Vocals), Erik Donley (Vocals & Guitar), Jamie Schefman (Bass & Vocals), Lance Piebenga (Keys), and Rheese Detrow (Drums), hails from Los Angeles, California. Gersh describes, “We’re all very different, and all have incredibly unique things to bring to the table.”
The band’s self-released debut Nearer The Earth was recorded with just two microphones and a laptop, but the eight-track release contains a bright, sunny sound that is filled with brilliant moments of layered melodies and instrumentals.
Opener “The Father” begins the album with a mellow, passionate sound that is both gripping and inspiring. The soft crooning is emphasized by the twinkling guitar in the background and rhythmic clashing of the drums, creating a powerful mix of emotions and passion that is both didactic and contemplative: “I couldn’t leave my land by the deep doors, my eldest son…”
The pace of the album picks up with “Tijuana”, an uplifting anthem that feels suitable for a stadium. The aptly titled “Driving Song” is warm and inviting, with a catchy chorus that begs for a sing-a-long on a long road trip: “Soldier standing with head fake high / What could have been of your life / The fields have grown / We won’t live that long / I got home I got / Take me home.”
“Lonesome Tiger” and “The Owl” are slotted in the middle of the record, with both songs containing metaphoric tales of nature and life: the lonesome tiger finding love and the sage owl calmly watching over the world. “Joker’s Wild” sounds like a clever blend between a natural, folk-roots sound and the indie rock-infused sounds of Portugal. The Man, something the band must have picked up during their shows with P.TM, Alberta Cross, OneEskimo, White Denim and more.
My main gripe with the record is the relative brevity of the songs. The eight track of the album last only about twenty-six and a half minutes, with the longest track (“The Owl”) lasting 3:51. Most of the songs begin by launching the listener directly into the song, which works superbly on “Driving Song” and “Tijuana”, but the more subtle build-ups in “The Father” and “The Owl” are layered perfectly, creating a dreamy, powerful atmosphere. While the head-on approach works well for the band, the slower songs are more engrossing listens overall and, personally, my favorite songs from the album.
8.0
Standout Tracks: “The Father”, “Driving Song”, and “The Owl”
The Dangerous Summer UK Tour
In February of 2011, The Dangerous Summer will be heading to the UK to support Francesga. Read more to see the tour dates.
Tour Dates:
February
11 – Norwich Arts Centre
12 – High Wycombe Bucks University
13 – Wolverhampton Slade Rooms
15 – Nottingham Rock City Basement
16 – Newcastle O2 Academy 2
17 – Glasgow King Tuts
18 – Derry Nerve Centre
19 – Belfast Speakeasy
20 – Dublin Academy 2
22 – Leeds Cockpit
23 – Manchester Roadhouse
24 – London Borderline
25 – Oxford O2 Academy 2
26 – Southampton Joiners
27 – Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
Merry Christmas From Ace Enders
You can purchase Ace Enders/I Can Make A Mess Like Anybody’s Business Christmas songs here.
Bamboozle Lineup Announced
The lineup for Bamboozle 2011 has been released. Lil Wayne, Taking Back Sunday, Motley Crue, The Gaslight Anthem, and Wiz Khalifa will be headlining the two-day festival.
You can check out the full poster with the lineup here.
A Kanye Christmas
Kanye West has released a new Christmas song titled “Christmas In Harlem”. Download the new track here.
Review: Heinali and Matt Finney – Conjoined EP
Heinali and Matt Finney – Conjoined EP
Released: November 20, 2010
Label: Self-released
2010 certainly has been a productive year for ambient post-rock and spoken word duo Heinali and Matt Finney. The Ukrainian composer – Alabaman spoken word poet combination is powerful and intriguing, always powerful and chill-inducing. Where Lemonade tried to be slightly catchier, Heinali and Matt Finney’s third EP release Conjoined, is ever more engrossing and ominous, packing 32 minutes of deep poetic contemplation and orchestration into a single EP.
Heinali’s composition has changed ever so slightly with each additional release, but it’s always for the better. This time around, the ambient-infused post rock style composition is darker than before, with droning synths and methodically-pounding drum lines. Many of the tracks on Conjoined feature menacing, heavy guitar wails with metal roots.
Conjoined is the most developed of the three Heinali and Matt Finney collaborations yet. The production and composition is at its best, complementing greatly with the ominous, angst-driven lyrics of Matt Finney. One of the main strengths of the duo is that the two feed off of one another, creating a final sound that is, if you’ll excuse the aphorism, “better than the sum of their parts.” This time around, the two have blended their styles more noticeably than on past releases, with Matt’s growls sinking into the rises and falls of the Heinali backing composition.
On title track “Conjoined” however, it is actually a bit hard to tell exactly what Matt Finney is muttering. The emotion is there, and it certainly always was, but the words are less clear and harder to make out. “Conjoined” makes up for the lack of clear vocals with some of the best composition on the record.
With that in mind, its important to note that the solo Heinali closer “The Sun Will Rise Yet We Won’t Be Here” feels uplifting and happy in a subtle manner, providing a nice change of sound from the pounding of the rest of the EP. The closer is a beautiful, uplifting piece that will certainly merit repeat listens and is the perfect way to close out the record – eight minutes and twenty four seconds of spiritual ambience.
Conjoined is an aptly chosen title for Heinali and Matt Finney’s third release. As the duo produce more and more music, they are certainly developing more noticeably as a group, evolving to create a fuller, more striking sound. It’ll certainly be interesting to see what direction the two will decide to take with their next EP, expected for a 2011 release.
7.4
Standout Tracks: “Conjoined” and “The Sun Will Rise Yet We Won’t Be Here”
Das Racist Detained and Deported
Das Racist were denied entry, detained for 8+ hours at the airport, and finally deported back to Switzerland. The group was scheduled to perform their first-ever show in the UK.
“We were removed due to paperwork and visa issues that are being enforced more strictly than they had been in the past.”
Jimmy Eat World On Conan
Read more to watch Jimmy Eat World perform “Coffee and Cigarettes” on Conan.
Connect