Adult Karate

Plug Research Presents

Adult Karate’s Sophomore Album

My Friends Are Internet And I Want To Break You Open

Genres Spanning New Wave, Electronic and Indie/Dream Pop

Set for Release on July 31, 2020

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Two Advance Singles out June 26 & July 17

Adult Karate (the musical moniker for versatile artist K.C. Maloney) is poised to release his second album, My Friends Are Internet And I Want To Break You Open, on July 31, 2020, on tastemaker label Plug Research. More than a year and a half in the making, this new album is a true expression of the artist’s musical evolution, a culmination of both his personal life journey and the integration of his various musical influences. This dynamic, boundary-crossing release defies genre pigeonholing and seamlessly glides between musical styles while Maloney’s candid, sometimes confessional lyrics and reverbed-out vocals hold the whole picture together. Two singles (both with B-sides) will precede the album release: “Euphoria” will be available on June 26, and expect “Keep Your Love” on July 17, 2020. For more information, please visit https://www.adultkaratemusic.com.

My Friends Are Internet… is Adult Karate’s most wide-ranging effort to date, adeptly mixing and crossing over genres from acid house to disco to indie rock, all the while maintaining the kind of tender introspection that lies at the heart of Maloney’s music. Listening to the album, you get the sense that Maloney has hit his stride after working through a troubled past marked by addiction and issues around sexuality and identity—that there has in fact been a kind of trial by musical fire that’s both inspired and fed the artist’s journey through these personal issues/demons. One might interpret Maloney’s musical growth from the first Adult Karate release LXII, which the artist has said was “mostly an excursion into dark electronic music and slowed-down deep house” to the genre-bending ride that is My Friends Are Internet… as the artist’s finding more confident musical footing and integrating all the various aspects of his musical personality into one enthralling whole. The result is a powerhouse of an album—catchy, haunting, introspective, celebratory. 

Photo:
Natalie Arriola

Lead Single “Euphoria” out June 26

Adult Karate’s first single, “Euphoria" (with "Fighters" on the B-side), which comes out this Friday, June 26, is, according to Maloney himself, “by far the poppiest-sounding music I’ve ever written.” Indeed, its four-on-the-floor drumbeat and catchy, Interpol-esque guitar hook recalls the best indie rock of the aughts more than the dark electronic roots where Adult Karate began, but Maloney’s plaintive lyrics and strong vocal performances, along with the crescendo-ing, electronic-leaning choruses, make this one of his crossover-genre masterpieces. “Euphoria” lyrically mines the process of forgetting an ex, a familiar yet timeless subject that Maloney describes poignantly: “It’s not an easy thing to do, but it’s necessary.” It’s a song for shoegazing as much as it is for taking a long, breezy drive with the top down—there’s something in it for fans of genres spanning electronic, dance and rock.

Second Single “Keep Your Love” out July 17

“Keep Your Love”—with "Those Words/Robot 36C" on the B-side—the second single off of All My Friends Are Internet… was born from an idea Maloney originally worked on for his second EP, Indoors. What started out as more of a deep house track grew into more of a “dark disco kind of thing,” with an infectious groove built from live drums and looped guitars layered in lockstep. Outgrowing the house beat and moving toward the organic drum track changed the feel of the song completely, and opened the door for one of the strongest vocal performances on the album. On the lyrics to “Keep Your Love,” Maloney says, “It’s about the passage of time and how unforgiving it can be. Fear of aging and all that. Partly inspired by some health issues I’ve been going through the past few years.”

• Artist page: https://www.adultkaratemusic.com
• Label’s artist page: http://www.plugresearch.com/2018/08/adult-karate-2
• Artist’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adultkarate
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/adultkarate
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3i8FZ52lJ8BJ7QWHl5xNvs 

Kingdom: The Mixtape

Gratuitous Skin Bought To You By...
David Hernandez

Prick up your eyes & ears, it's time for some David Hernandez!

American Idol’s David Hernandez has released his highly anticipated second studio album Kingdom: the Mixtape through his own label.  Self-produced and recorded in various home studios in Los Angeles, California — proving artists don’t need fancy studios to make a great record anymore — Kingdom: the Mixtape is David’s first full album release since 2011’s I Am Who I Am.  The record displays a fresh sound for Hernandez and includes collaborations with fellow American Idol Blake Lewis and the Grammy winning producer of Black Eyed Peas, Printz Board.  The music video for the album’s first single, “Shield (Coat of Armor)” is available now on Youtube.  Kingdom: the Mixtape is available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and Tidal.

“I’ve been sitting on most of this material for years, waiting for the right time to release it,” says David Hernandez of his new album, Kingdom: the Mixtape.   “I’ve listened to too many people’s opinions about when to release, how, what images and content are appropriate… I was just over listening to what other people think I should do.  One day I finally stepped back and realized I had a great body of work that deserves to be heard, now.”

In Kingdom: the Mixtape, David Hernandez delivers 20 original tracks plus a cappella versions of “Kingdom” and “Where Love Begins” as well as a bonus cover of Hailee Steinfeld’s “Starving,” featuring YouTube star Rajiv Dhall.    Many of the songs reflect on the heartbreaks and loss Hernandez has experienced over the last decade since rising to fame on American Idol. They explore his rebuilding trust and love, his refusal to give up, his persistence to change for the better and to grow as a human.  Other songs touch on forgiveness, joy and fun because as David explains, “Life isn’t always that serious and sometimes you just wanna let go and rage!”

From Pop to R&B, with influences of soul, no one song on Kingdom: the Mixtape is the same.  The title track, produced by Mikal Blue (Jason Mraz, Colbie Caliet, One Republic) is a mid-tempo power ballad that soars with electric guitars, triumphant drums and a grand piano.   “Beautiful” produced by Mark Grilliot, is a pop anthem while “Last Supper” and “Animal,” produced by Printz Board, are beat driven dance numbers. 

Then there’s “Break,” an introspective mid-tempo song, produced by Alex Teamer, where David Hernandez opens up about his struggles with addiction.  “I wrote the song at a time when I was drinking a lot and popping Xanax. It was an awful time. We were being evicted from our apartment and everything was going to shit. I ended up in rehab and eventually got clean of prescription drugs and life became much better.”

He admits it is a daily struggle that he prefers to battle privately but felt compelled to put the song on the mixtape because prescription drug addition has become an epidemic among youth. “Young people are dying and committing suicide.  They need to know there is help,” he says.

David Hernandez began singing at age six, starring in musicals and performing with various theatre companies. At fifteen, he started writing original music and recording his arrangements.  In addition to American Idol, he has showcased his talents on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, MTV’s TRL, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Teen Choice Awards, Idol Tonight, FOX-TV’s Idol Gives Back.  He was also named among TV Guides’ Sexiest Stars.

At the start of his recording career, Hernandez was signed to a major music label but couldn’t meet the high expectations of its executives. “Labels were always telling me to be me but then expected me to fit their mold of what David Hernandez was supposed to be.  It was impossible.  I felt powerless and lived in constant fear that I would get dropped.”

His feelings about the music industry are reflected in the cover art for  Kingdom: the Mixtape.  It depicts a crown, symbolizing David and his music, being held by a robotic hand:  the music industry.  It is intended to illustrate an industry that is fake and how it holds and controls an artist’s work and career. 

“I hope listeners hear a piece of my soul in Kingdom: the Mixtape,” David Hernandez wraps up.  “I hope they get where I am coming from, really see me for who I am, and that they, too, can relate to the songs. I want the Mixtape to be healing, enlightening, and revelrous.”

Gone Too Soon, Scott Weiland

Scott Weiland
Keep On Rockin'

Addiction is an all to real thing. Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver were two of the best bands ever!

Of course do in no small part to one Mr. Scott Weiland. Who recently passed from cardiac arrest brought on by his addiction to drugs.

Such a great talent, cut short at age 48. Here is a musical memory of his legacy below. Plush by Stone Temple Pilots.

R.I.P. Your talent will live forever.

If you know someone who has addiction issues, please direct them to help. It's out there. Peace.

American Horror Story: Hump Day

It's In His Kiss
Finn Wittrock & Lady Gaga

Happy American Horror Story: Hump Day Everyone! It's that time of the week when we all tune into FX and get our freak on with American Horror Story: Hotel.

Personally I am loving this season, the shows best since Murder House and Asylum. To all of you out there who thought Lady Gaga couldn't make the grade, suck it!

The story has been unfolding slowly, it is one you had to stick with until around episode three for the motivations, addictions and flaws of the characters truly started to be revealed. Wow! Is all I have to say, and this is the first season since the first two that I have actually found the material to have visceral and truly disturbing undertones. 

Here is an image from an upcoming episode of Lady Gaga and Finn Wittrock producing steam for their AHS: Bad Romance, hey is there ever such thing as a Good Romance in the "Horror Story" world? I think not!

Enjoy your check in to the Cortez tonight!

Get Your "Horror" on at: 

https://www.facebook.com/americanhorrorstory/

R.I.P: Lisa Robin Kelly

Lisa Robin Kelly

Lisa Robin Kelly passed away from problems having to do with addiction today, although she had only copped to alcohol addiction in the past, judging by the recent photo I have seen of her, I suspect drugs might have been involved.

She will always be known best for her role as Laurie Forman - Eric Forman's older sister on "That 70's Show".

Creative people in general tend to be predisposed to alcohol and drug abuse and Lisa was no exception. The lucky ones are able to beat their demons, unfortunately her demons got hold of her before she tamed them.

Let's remember Lisa as the vibrant human being she was, someone who entertained us all as one of the best "Mean Girls" on TV.

The "That 70's Show" Gang

Thank You, Lisa Kelly for bringing Laurie Forman to life, the character and the show will live on in syndication and our memories forever.

Peace.








Lisa on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0446605/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

R.I.P. Cory Monteith Of "Glee"

Wow! Cory Monteith "Finn Hudson" of Ryan Murphy's "Glee" is gone....although I was not a fan of the show, I respected the Actor/Singers on it, they are/were major talents. He was only 31 years old.

Cory had a history of being in and out of rehab - something that thousands of Americans can relate to in this crazy world we live in.

While the final autopsy has yet to determine what The Amazing Cory passed away from, I suspect it has something to do with his addictions.

He had everything, success and talent, but sometimes that is not enough to fill the hole in someone's heart, and Cory had a lot of heart.....

Rest In Peace....Sweet Prince, despite what happened, I hope you truly enjoyed the ride...xoxo....

Enjoy "Glee's" signature song featuring Cory on Oprah covering Journey's: "Don't Stop Believin"

                                                      "Don't Stop Believen" On Oprah