Stephen Paul Smoker “Green City”
Incessant stomp, gutter guitar that evolves to squall, psychedelic canyon vocals and elements of disco all appear in ‘Green City’ by Chicago act Stephen Paul Smoker. The song could be influenced by Sonic Youth, maybe some stuff on AmRep, but there are also Bay City Roller handclaps and something that calls to mind Julee Cruise‘s “Falling” (AKA The song from Twin Peaks.) Maybe Six Organs of Admittance attempting to make an industrial album is an adequate summation? The video itself fits somewhere between something Trent Reznor envisioned for a single from The Downward Spiral and The Ring, and kinda scares me in a good way.
Buttonhead “Champion Bread”
Buttonhead, a rampaging rainbow of noise-pop with a penchant for polymesmeric song structures and fractured melodies, is a multi-headed beast with one shivering b’glittered body; comprising Ross Blake, Tobias Warwick Jones, Valentina Magaletti, Eloise Goulder and Daniel John Boyle.
Niré AllDai “Inside Out”
NiRé AllDai has crafted songs and sung hooks for Grammy-winning producers like Dr. Dre, Scott Storch and Stargate, written lyrics for Mary J. Blige, Keri Hilson, KeKe Pamer, Demi Lovato and wrote “Superluva” by Blige protégé Starshell, produced by hitmaker Fernando Garibay. But NiRé is much more than a stunning résumé, and her debut album, due out on Virgin Records in 2012, is the sound of a true artist coming into her own. Her sound is as bright and iconoclastic as her look, and both are self-made.
Nirealldai.com | Download ‘Inside Out’ on iTunes: http://itunes.com/nirealldai
Alisa Boniello “Lovestruck”
Boniello is a native New Yorker, who began recording her EP last fall and will debut next month. Boniello collaborated with Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer Barry Eastmond (Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Anita Baker) on co-writing all four songs, “Lovestruck,” a retro-soul/pop ditty, “(When Will) Love Feel Real,” a love saga, the whimsical ballad, “Why,” and the pulsating and edgy “That Kind Of Girl,” co-written and co-produced by Wendell Hanes, ( Mya, Cheri Dennis) and Dan Kramer. Eastmond also produced all the tracks except for, “That Kind Of Girl,” which he co-produced with Hanes and Kramer.
Conduits “Last Dirge”
Conduits’ debut video for “Last Dirge” is gorgeous, haunting, magnetic, engaging, and all-around fantastic.Beautifully shot and epically, dreamily directed, the video finds Conduits’ Jenna Morrison in the midst of a somnambulant-feeling day/nightmare. Conduits is looking to take on the rest of the U.S. and beyond with the release of their debut self-titled album. The eight-song dreamscape flows with a cinematic ambition. Songs like “Top of the Hill” and “Limbs and Leaves” provide the soundtrack for slow motion dance scenes, while “Last Dirge” and “Misery Train” are all fast edits and racing hearts.
LAZYgunsBRISKY “B.O.Y.”
LAZYgunsBRISKY is an all-girl hard rock quartet from Tokyo. Comprising members Lucy (vocals), izumi (guitar), azu (bass, vocals), and Moe (drums). The band draws influence from 60s – 80s rock and roll, great songs full of fat guitars and sludgy basses. Often described as an updated Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith, while some of the older songs possess the brutish simplicity of The Stooges, the band delivers straight ahead rock n roll with a sassy Japanese twist.
sample all 8 songs from the record at: http://www.goodcharamel.com.
Meital Dohan Interview
Meital Dohan Interview
Israeli actress Meital Dohan (Weeds) is moving into the world of dance pop music. Meital is an Israeli actress know for her supporting role on Showtimes’s Weeds as Yael Hoffman. She’s also done several episodes of the Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) series Woke Up Dead and a couple movies. However she also has a 2 new singles Yummy and Yummy Boyz.
She’s got a style that is similar to both Madonna and Gaga, with some really inventive videos to her credit for both Yummy Boys and Yummy. Visit www.meitaldohan.com to see all things Meital.
We talk about her musical influences, the new album and her tiger, Charlie. Without a doubt, she is a colorful personality entering the world of pop.
Real Estate “Its Real”
Real Estate is on tour now, with the focal point of the tour being the band’s first appearance at Coachella, this weekend and next. The band has also just added a trio of East Coast shows opening for The Shins, including Terminal 5 in New York. Real Estate will also grace the main stage at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago as well as the annual Woodsist Fest in Big Sur, CA — the band will also stop by the Belly Up in Solana Beach and The Fonda in LA on their second West Coast trip of the year.
Orbital “Wonky”
I see cats… everywhere!
Undefeated champions of British electronic music, Orbital get back in the ring in 2012 with Wonky, their first new album in eight years. Wonky reached number 11 in the UK charts midweek, adding to the anticipation of its release in the US on Itunes via Downtown Records on April 17, 2012.
Recently reunited following a long sabbatical, Paul and Phil Hartnoll are back on fighting-fit form and ready to reclaim their title. Both timeless and contemporary, Wonky puts a vividly modern spin on their signature blend of richly melodic, deeply emotive electronica. The cat crazy video includes a guest appearance by hotly tipped Birmingham grime MC Lady Leshurr on the album’s irresistibly vibrant electro-rap title track.
C-Horse “Tongues”
Songwriter Cecilia Enriquez formed C-horse in 2007 as an avenue for her original pop songs. A demo of the first C-horse songs was circulated among a close-knit group of Los Angeles musicians, and Enriquez’ accessible songwriting style, influenced by 60s and 70s rock and pop, quickly attracted local support. C-horse has evolved into a solid unit, with the help of some of Enriquez’ musical friends: bassist Lindsay Mancha, drummer Courtney Olsen, and keyboardist Mack Marquard. As new material flourishes, the band continues to play shows throughout the Los Angeles area and plans to record the second C-horse album this year.