Browsing Tag

neil young

“It’s Music” – The HiGrounds’ Latest Rock And Roll Hit

Posted on 30 November 2017

Based in Manhattan Beach, CA, The HiGrounds are a band with a very particular sound that is essentially rock and roll with an evident contemporary flair. These guys share a passion for this type of music in particular, and this is shown in their music which clearly has a vintage character with a modern touch that only true dedicated musicians are able to create. With funky guitar progressions, punctuated by percussive piano and Hammond organ sounds backed by a solid rhythm section, their music is just one of a kind.

“it’s Music,” which is taken right off of their latest album “Wouldn’t Hurt To Show,” is a true reflection of what sounds and stylistic choices these guys are passionate about. The instrumental arrangement and texture do indeed provide that special vintage feel, particularly through the use of the organ, but this is not all the song has to offer. It has no shortage of catchy choruses and it also presents a feel-good sound suitable for pubs and bars, providing an authentic warm atmosphere. “It’s Music” is not only a song which is enjoyable to listen to. It is well crafted and performed. So if you like what you hear, make sure to check out the rest of the album too, and you will not be disappointed !

-Sarah Marie Bugeja

Annika Brown: Amanda Palmer Meets Steampunk (Only for The Brave)

Posted on 27 November 2017

Annika Brown’s Latest track Apocalypso is a theatrical spectacular. Nothing quite could prepare me for what was about to unfold over the next three minutes as I hit play on YouTube. It’s hard to pay attention to the actual sound of the track after watching the official music video in which she embraces Kate Bush style dramatics. I certainly won’t be forgetting what I’ve just heard in a long time.

Annika’s sound Is definitely an acquired taste, I’m not sure tracks such as Apocalypso will ever fair well in the mainstream, however she’s created an eclectic mix of sound which she imparts her Emily The Strange demeanour within. Even when she’s playing an acoustic guitar in the woods her unique charm is never dampened. . But that’s just part of it’s charm. Alternative music fans are in for a treat with this act. With operatic vocals, doom riddled melodies and classic piano backing track. There’s a hint of Victorian hysteria within her music, which she reincarnates through her Gothic Soprano vocals. The Same as can be heard with acts such as a Emilie Autumn and her signature Fantasy Rock styling.

Head on over to her website where you can keep up date with her musical ventures. Her latest album The Devils Story Book featuring Apocalypso is available to download or stream now!

 

Anglo-American Indie Rock Blind Atlas Release “Space Americans”

Posted on 26 October 2017
Space Americans/Titch by Blind Atlas

Some songs make you wait for the payoff and are all the more effective for it. A David Gilmour solo just isn’t the same without the bitter anticipation that drags us there. The art of letting a song build without putting half the audience to sleep is a worthy endeavor. People forget how dynamic the greats were when we fixate too much on how loud they eventually got. Blind Atlas knows how to use silence and let their instrument layers breathe during verses. Their song Space Americans is a performance that’s intimate and welcoming for anyone passing by, all the while hiding the true nature of their potential energy.

When you’ve finally become enthralled in the shallow, minimalist mix of the song, you feel as if you’ve been slowly pulled out to sea by an ever-pulling tide. This is when the party finally starts and you’re abruptly hit by wave after wave of fast-paced rock instrumentation that does feel like a callback to those awesome louds and highs of some of rock’s greatest. This masterful use of dynamics energizes the song in an infectious way. Even when you know the push is coming, you still find yourself settling into the softer side of the song every time.

-Paul Weyer

A&R Factory Present: Gabriel Kelley

Posted on 26 February 2017

Gabriel Kelley from Nashville, TN covers the hit Swedish song “Shoreline”.

Gabriel Kelley has a unique music story to tell. It all begins in earnest when he as a professional songwriter in Nashville got tired of the industry behind it all. He moved to Guatemala and started a music school for children and then return to Nashville. At the same time, he kicked off a solo career as a singer-songwriter, appeared twice in the hit Swedish TV Show, Jill’s Veranda, wrote songs Jill Johnson and toured around Sweden. But the story of Gabriel Kelley actually has its beginnings somewhere else:

“The first time I left the United States was when I lived for a year myself in Gothenburg. I was 16 and it was an era of exploration and to grow up. During that year came Broder Daniel to be a big part of my life.”

It was especially Shoreline (Broder Daniel cover song) that got stuck.

“It’s a song that gave me comfort and courage ever since the first time I heard it. As I have expressed song in Sweden, I think it surprises people that I as an American feel to it. There are probably more things that I know and love with Sweden than people realize.”

The video was filmed at Gabriel Kelley Farm Six Boots Collective located in Tennessee. The little boy Reuben is our neighbor and I have always seen a light in his eyes and had a hunch that he would portray me as eight / nine year old perfectly. “We wanted to show a perspective of a more traditional American South childhood when I was growing up in the South, says Gabriel Kelley”.

Gabriel Kelley, along with Jill Johnson nominated for a Swedish Grammy for the song For You I’ll Wait, they composed together.

gabrielkelley.com | Instagram.com/gabrielkelley  |  facebook.com/gabrielkelley