Archive for the ‘Indie Rock’ Category

tps

Indie rockers The Penny Serfs are based out of Iowa and they have just announced they will be releasing their new album, Like Eating Glass on January 20th. The album has been described as “the album acts as a vehicle for which The Penny Serfs search for their identity in this modern world run by money; fueled by sexism and fear. These songs are the band’s way of confronting the conundrums and frustrations that life throws.” Now that should really grab your attention and get you excited for what is to come.

The Penny Serfs include Michael Loy on lead vocals/guitar, Andrew Linley on bass/vocals, Stu Tenold on keyboards/vocals and Kyle Lewis on drums. They have drawn on the inspiration from icons like Ray Davies, John Lennon as well as Kurt Cobain and Ian MacKaye. This album promises to bring to the forefront those inspirations through their songs.

Regarding the upcoming release, The Penny Serfs tell us, “the album is an approach at the idea of a one true love being derailed by the internet paradox: being so connected to everything yet loneliness is everywhere. All of the songs show the painful reality that every battery must have a positive and a negative. With life must come death, with light must come darkness, and as the sun rises it must always set for the world to keep spinning.

We will see if we can bring you an interview with them soon. Meanwhile, check out the track listing for the album and their upcoming shows:

Track Listing:
1. Manic Depressive
2. Dead Love
3. It’s Always Raining
4. The Legend of Jim Falcon
5. Lonely
6. Hot and Cold
Upcoming Shows:
Dec 9             TBD                            Brooklyn, NY
Dec 11           The Empty Bottle    Chicago, IL
Dec 13           Rozz Tox                    Rock Island, IL
Dec 18           White’s Bar               Saginaw, MI
Jan 23             Baby’s Alright          Brooklyn, NY

Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

~ Marisol

Information & Links:

12inch_recordjacket

Davenport Cabinet which first began as a solo project of Coheed and Cambria guitarist, Travis Stever has grown into a full band endeavor. With the release of their third album, Damned Renegades they have been gaining a lot of well deserved high praises. The album was released on Equal Vision Records and is available through MerchNOW and digital retailers such as iTunes,Amazon and more. Davenport Cabinet have released a lyric video for their song, Aneris off the album. Check it out here:

The album takes you on an amazing musical journey and Stever reveals about the album, “Damned Renegades is a very personal record, lyrically and sonically. My relationship with the album was much like that of a mad scientist and his experiment. While writing it, I was anxiously awaiting becoming a new father and focused all of that excitement and energy into the music. As much as I wanted to just center on preparing for the birth, I felt that I needed to record the music we were creating first. The rest of the Davenport guys very willingly came along with me for the ride, adding in their own music styles and flavors all over the record. The record stretches all over musically, showcasing the diversity that lies within the Cabinet.”

Stever adds, “Damned Renegades finds Davenport Cabinet exactly where I have always wanted it musically. With Tyler, Tom, and Mike, I was able to achieve the full band sound and group interaction I’ve always wanted with the project. I couldn’t be more proud of this record.” It really is a beautiful musical gem of alternative, classic and indie rock that you have to check out.

Davenport Cabinet have announced a couple upcoming shows:

  • Nov 26 Warwick, NY @ Tuscan Café
  • Nov 29 Blairstown, NJ @ Historic Blairstown Theatre

Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

~ Marisol

Information & Links:

 

moet

M.O.E.T. are back and are set to play a show at The Bank Club in San Jose, CA on November 12th. I had told you about this young band from the South Bay that have been creating genre-breaking music. Their alternative blend sound carries influences of funk, indie, rock and so much more. Check out their recently released video which they dedicate to the fans who have been supporting them from the beginning:

You can get more details about their upcoming show by visiting the Facebook Event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/731303596957817/

Check out their music video for their song Perfect Night:

Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

~ Marisol

Information & Links:

growingin

I Can Make A Mess (Ace Enders) has released a surprise digital LP, Growing In through his Bandcamp page. This LP captures the raw emotion and highlights such an honesty in the music. The natural feel of the music is so refreshing and will take you on a musical journey. Ace explains, “I was feeling a little bit stuck creatively before doing the Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties record last year. During the process it sparked something in me and while I was finalizing mixes on the last day, I had about for minuets while a track would bounce out. I was feeling very inspired so I decided to try and write a song during each bounce and at the end of the day I had the beginnings of a record. I used the voice memos from my phone as my only outline. No metronome or edits. I just made songs, didn’t apply any rules and had fun with it.

Well whatever he did, was perfect and the raw process really carries a weight of emotion. It is when music flows freely as on this LP, that you find yourself drawn to its purity and rawness. No need to sugar coat or edit. It is as if you are sitting there in the room with Ace as he records freely. Check out the track listing:

  • 1. caterpillar
  • 2. get normal
  • 3. keep moving
  • 4. undecided
  • 5. back whoas of lavish glass
  • 6. i’m the man (sarcasm)
  • 7. call me everything
  • 8. chartreuse
  • 9. deciduous
  • 10. i love my wife
  • 11. growing into what you’ll grow out of

This definitely carries a lot of weight and shouldn’t be just considered a side project for Ace. It is a stellar LP deserving of your attention. Some of my favorite tracks are Keep Moving, Call Me Everything, Deciduous and Chartreuse.  He brings a blend of styles to life, everything from pop, punk, alternative and indie rock.  So I hope you head over to his Bandcamp page and pick it up.

~ Marisol

Information & Links: 

donora2

DONORA is an indie pop/rock trio are set to release their album, Ha Ha Heart on December 9th on Rostrum Records. The first single of the album is a truly upbeat pop gem, Always Gonna Be and is newly released. Check it out here:

 

I love this new track as it completely embodies the fun spirited energy of  the brother/sister team, Casey and Jack Hanner.  “We didn’t grow up listening to a lot of the same music,” explains Casey, “but when we started writing together, we realized that we approached creating music in the same way.” The brother sister duo also quickly realized that their shared upbringing could translate to solid pop tunes. Their bassits, Jake Churton was added when a keyboardist they had hired couldn’t make it to practice,   “One day the guy we hired to play keyboard couldn’t make it to practice,” remembers Jake H, “So Jake C started playing the lead keyboard lick with his bass. Casey and I just looked at each other and both knew we had found our third member.” 

Donora‘s third full-length release on Rostrum Records is titled “Ha Ha Heart“. As the band puts it, this album is about letting go of everything that is holding you back; it’s about celebrating who you are. Casey explains, “We wanted to be as honest as we could be with this album. From the creative process, to the music itself, to the artwork… This is us.

Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

Information & Links:

 

 

team

Indie alternative band, TEAM from Texas are gearing up for the release of their new album, Good Morning Bad Day which is scheduled for a release tomorrow, October 14th through South By Sea. The first single off the new album is I Like It and it is a catchy infectiously bubbly track. Check out the new video for it here:

Check out the track listing for the new album:

  • 1. The Man In A Suit With His Eye To The Sky
  • 2. I Like It
  • 3. Alone In My Room
  • 4. Still Don’t Know You’re Wrong
  • 5. All The Time
  • 6. I’m Just Like You (When You Turn Out The Lights)
  • 7. Say My Name
  • 8. Looking For
  • 9. Stay

Make sure to check out the tour dates below and see when you can catch TEAM at a venue near you:

 Tour w/ Colony House and Knox Hamilton

  •  10/8 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
  • 10/9 Bryan, TX @ Grand Stafford
  • 10/11 Dallas, TX @ Prophet Bar
  • 10/12 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits After Party
  • 10/14 New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
  • 10/15 Mobile, AL @ Moe’s
  • 10/16 Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
  • 10/17 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
  • 10/19 Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle Back Room
  •  10/26 Nutley, NJ @ Radiant*
  • 10/30 Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness*
  • 10/31 Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose*

*w/o Colony House and Knox Hamilton

Fall tour w/ Barcelona

  • 11/2 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
  • 11/3 Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
  • 11/4 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
  • 11/5 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
  • 11/7 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
  • 11/8 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

Make sure to pick up the album on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/1qCGLuv. Also visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

Information & Links:

carbon

Carbon Tigers are premiering a new song, Out of Heaven on The 405. The swirling pop track captures an emotional vulnerability yet wraps it in melodic warmth that will draw you in. I love it.  About the band’s new single “Out of Heaven,” Chris Wienke (vocals/guitar/bass) stated “‘Out of Heaven’ is a song about separation. I enjoy the realization that even though I may be physically away from those I love, we are always connected. That bond transcends any momentary attachment and lasts forever.”  Check out the song here:

 

Carbon Tigers will setting out on tour with Jamie Lono & Noble, Boy Blue, and Off & On! The tour kicks off in Milwaukee on October 2nd, and wraps in Dekalb, IL on October 19th. Check the dates below and see if you will be able to catch their show:

  • 10/2 – Milwaukee, WI – Yield Bar
  • 10/3 – Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
  • 10/4 – Wyandotte, MI (Detroit area) – The Rockery
  • 10/5 – Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s
  • 10/6 – Washington DC – The Velvet Lounge
  • 10/7 – NYC – Piano’s
  • 10/8 – Philadelphia, PA – The Grape Room
  • 10/10 – Ithaca, NY – The Nines
  • 10/11 – Boston, MA – T.T. the Bear’s
  • 10/17 – Nashville, TN – 12th & Porter
  • 10/18 – Louisville, KY – The Hideaway Saloon
  • 10/19 – DeKalb, IL – The House Cafe

Stay tuned for more new music since Carbon Tigers are planning on releasing their debut full length record in 2015. Make sure to visit their social media sites so you can stay up to date on their latest news.

Carbon Tigers is:

  • Chris Wienke (vocals/guitar/bass)
  • Nick Cudone (guitar/vocals)
  • Aaron Sweatt (bass/guitar/keys/vocals)
  • Darien Williams (drums/vocals)

 Information & Links:

Photo Credit: Courtney Pittman

The soulful rock band from Austin, Texas; Taylor & The Wild Now have recently released their debut EP last month.  The band was formed by Taylor Baker (guitar, vocals, banjo) and includes Drew Walker (guitar, trumpet). The Austin area greeted the release with praise and excitement, Taylor explains, “We are so incredibly proud of this EP; it encompasses such a beautiful collaboration of sound, ideas, and styles.  We put our all into it and we can’t wait to share it with the world!”

Check out our Q & A with Taylor here:

* * * * * *

Music Junkie Press: Thank you very much for taking the time out to talk with us here at Music Junkie Press! Tell us about how you two came together and created Taylor & The Wild Now?

Taylor: Hi!  We met through mutual friends during SXSW at a Local Natives concert. Drew would sit in with my band at the time and play trumpet, and it eventually turned into us creating our own project.

Music Junkie Press: We love Wanderlust and were happy to share the great song with everyone. Can you tell me more about the inspiration behind the song?

Taylor: Thank you, I’m glad you like it! I wrote it during a season in my life when I was really growing as a person and longing to figure out what direction my life was heading. It’s about finding your own way.

Music Junkie Press: The EP, which released on August 12th, really brings about a fusion of many sounds and styles and creates such a beautiful soundscape of music and is uplifting. Can you tell us more about the recording of the EP and was it an emotional process?

Taylor: It was such a fun experience! I would love to be in the studio all the time; it really stretches your mindset and view of the music. The whole process was really smooth. We worked with amazing musicians and had a fantastic engineer (Travis Kennedy), so we were in good hands.

Music Junkie Press: You recently performed in Austin,  Any show highlights you could share with us?

Taylor: We recently opened for our friends band, Tahoma, during their EP release show at Lamberts.  It was a blast. Grammy-nominated artist, Andrew Duhon, played as well.

Music Junkie Press: What are your upcoming shows you can tell us about?

Taylor: We have a show September 30th at Empire Control Empire, and we’re playing a festival in Ohio the second weekend in October. Other than that, we’re just trying to write new music and line up bigger shows with other artists.

Music Junkie Press: If Taylor & The Wild Now were to become a comic book, what would each of your superhero names and super powers be?

Taylor: I would be Blueberry Girl and my super power would be to put people under a spell when I sing.  Drew would be Banana Man and his super power would be to melt people with his trumpet.

Music Junkie Press: Your music truly brings emotion to life, do you have a particular song writing process?

Taylor: Not exactly. I rarely sit down and finish a song all at once. I like to write a little bit at a time and let it slowly evolve.

Music Junkie Press: What will you be working on next? We are hoping for a US Tour in support of the EP… California stop please!!

Taylor: We’re just writing a lot of new material at the moment, and trying to play more shows outside of Austin. I would love to play in Cali! Hopefully that will be soon.

Music Junkie Press: Here at Music Junkie Press, we are strong believers about how music can help, heal, inspire, etc. Can you share with us a particular time in which music was most there for you?

Taylor: I agree! Music is always there for me. If I’m going through something difficult I’ll just go in my room and write a song. It’s so therapeutic.

Music Junkie Press: How about your Go To song, what song do you put on to get yourself revved up and ready to go?

Taylor: That’s a good question! It changes a lot, but at the moment I’d say Ritual Union by Little Dragon or Out on the Street by Spanish Gold.

Music Junkie Press: If we could peak into your Ipod, what artist or song might we be most surprised at finding in there?

Taylor: Maybe Stone Free by Jimi Hendrix or Toxic by Britney Spears…don’t hate.

Music Junkie Press: Lastly, is there anything else that Taylor & The Wild Now would like to share with our audience and your fans?

Taylor: Hugs, not drugs. Chocolate is good for you. Happiness is a choice.  Also, be sure and check out our website for more information. www.taylorandthewildnow.com

* * * * * *

Take a listen to their song, Wanderlust which has soaring vocals, a great melodic guitar solo, sweet guitar tracks and creates the perfect feel good vibe. Check out the track here:

 

You can pick up their self titled EP here on iTunes. Make sure to check out their social media sites so you can stay up to date on their latest news.

~ Marisol

Information & Links:

team

Indie alternative band, TEAM from Texas are gearing up for the release of their new album, Good Morning Bad Day which is scheduled for a release on October 14th through South By Sea. They have premiered a new song, I’m Just Like You (When You Turn Out The Lights) with PureVolume. You can take a listen by visiting the following link: http://www.purevolume.com/_iframe/audio_button_player.php?songId=3555210

The first single off the new album is I Like It and it is a catchy infectiously bubbly track. Check it out here:

Pre-order for the album is available now on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/1qCGLuv. Check out the track listing for the new album:

  • 1. The Man In A Suit With His Eye To The Sky
  • 2. I Like It
  • 3. Alone In My Room
  • 4. Still Don’t Know You’re Wrong
  • 5. All The Time
  • 6. I’m Just Like You (When You Turn Out The Lights)
  • 7. Say My Name
  • 8. Looking For
  • 9. Stay

Make sure to check out the tour dates below and see when you can catch TEAM at a venue near you:

Upcoming Tour Dates: 

  • 9/26 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
  • 9/27 Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum w/ Mutemath and The Get Up Kids
  • 9/28 Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard

 Tour w/ Colony House and Knox Hamilton

  •  10/8 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
  • 10/9 Bryan, TX @ Grand Stafford
  • 10/11 Dallas, TX @ Prophet Bar
  • 10/12 Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits After Party
  • 10/14 New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
  • 10/15 Mobile, AL @ Moe’s
  • 10/16 Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
  • 10/17 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
  • 10/19 Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle Back Room
  •  10/26 Nutley, NJ @ Radiant*
  • 10/30 Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness*
  • 10/31 Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose*

*w/o Colony House and Knox Hamilton

Fall tour w/ Barcelona

 

  • 11/2 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
  • 11/3 Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
  • 11/4 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
  • 11/5 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
  • 11/7 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
  • 11/8 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

 

Information & Links:

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midnight

This past Sunday, we made it down to San Francisco to catch Midnight Cinema as they performed at The Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. I have been waiting to catch them live and was so glad because all that waiting, was well worth it. They played to a packed crowd as they recently released their debut album, Lightning in a Bottle last month.

It was great to see the crowd sing along to favorites like Hurricane, Back to the Butterflies, and Lightning in a Bottle. Another highlight is when they performed a dare I say…… cover… of Angel’s on the Moon, the big hit from their previous band Thriving Ivory. I must tell you that I was not expecting them to play that song and it really took me to a very special place and time and brought me the bittersweet memories of my daughter whom I lost many years ago. It was a song that I used to play that helped me get out from under the dark place I was in and return to the light of the world and the living. So it was so refreshing to hear it performed live once again and this time, be completely in the present and such a better place in my life. It was an absolute gift. Check out photos by our Rockin Ryan of their set:

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The set list for the night:

  • Back to the Butterflies
  • Hurricane
  • Burn Me Now
  • Perfect Stranger
  • Angels on the Moon
  • Lightning in a Bottle
  • Edge of the Earth

I hope you had a chance to pick up the new album since it is filled with passionate songs, emotionally driven lyrics, wrapped in catchy choruses and infectious melodies. It has been one of my favorite since first getting it last month.  The album once again highlights the art of their music that truly connects a listener to their emotions through song.  Pick up Lighting in a Bottle  by visiting: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lightning-in-a-bottle/id906066537.

“We really feel like we’ve come a long way over the past couple of years. We’ve had a lot of time to sit and think about the kind of music we want to make and who we are as musicians. In the end, we’re still the same guys who just want to write good songs that revolve around themes that people can relate to. The difference now is that we have the freedom to explore different sounds while still remaining true to ourselves. I think Midnight Cinema is modern, thematic, and catchy in a way that has staying power. We’re excited for everyone to hear the music and hope that they discover something special for themselves,” notes Midnight Cinema vocalist Clayton Stroope.

Make sure to visit their social media sites so you can stay up to date on their latest news. I will leave you with several videos from their set.

~ Marisol

Information & Links: