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Showing posts with label Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Songs. Show all posts
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Flamin' Groovies
FLAMIN' GROOVIES To Reissue
"Now" and "Jumpin' In the Night" This Summer
The band that played a major role in the evolution of power pop and are considered a forerunner of punk rock readies two of their most popular albums
This summer they will reissue two classic albums: "Now" on July 10th and "Jumpin' In the Night" on August 7th.
NOW (CD, July 10th)
While it took a long and torturous five years for the Flamin' Groovies to find their way back to an American record deal with Shake Some Action, a year and a half later the band had a follow-up ready, and while 1978's Flamin' Groovies Now isn't quite as cohesive as the album that preceded it, in many respects the band sounds at once tighter and more relaxed, with some time on the road firming up the rhythm section while giving the songs a bit more room to swing (which wasn't one of the strong suits of the British Invasion bands that provided their aural template). The band lost guitarist James Ferrell during the post-Shake Some Action tour, but former Charlatans picker Mike Wilhelm proved to be a more than simpatico replacement on these sessions, and while leader Cyril Jordan didn't come up with another new song as transcendent as "Shake Some Action," "All I Wanted" comes pretty close. But it's significant that most of the songs on Flamin' Groovies Now are covers, and while all of them are played with love, enthusiasm, and the right period flair (especially the Beatles' "There's a Place," Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Ups and Downs," and "Move It," an early U.K. hit for Cliff Richard), they give the album a feeling of being padded, and just because covering the Rolling Stones rarity "Blue Turns to Grey" was a good idea didn't mean the Flamin' Groovies had any business tackling "Paint It Black." All in all, Flamin' Groovies Now is a terrific-sounding record that captures a fine band when it was in great form, but it also makes clear that the gremlins that often dogged the Groovies in the studio (namely their inability to make a 100 percent satisfying album) hadn't gone away.
JUMPIN' IN THE NIGHT (CD, August 7th)
The third and last of the Flamin' Groovies late-'70s albums for Sire, Jumpin' in the Night storms out of the gate with the title song, a top-shelf rocker that brings the muscle of the Flamingo-era lineup of the Groovies to the more style-conscious British Invasion sonics of Cyril Jordan's version. Though Jumpin' in the Night never rocks that hard or that well again, it does sound decidedly tighter and tougher than 1978's Flamin' Groovies Now, and guitarist Mike Wilhelm, a new addition to the Now lineup, is much better integrated into their wall of guitars, with the Groovies sounding more solid than they did a year before. But while Jumpin' in the Night finds the Flamin' Groovies sounding better than ever, the material unfortunately lets them down. It's no wonder why the Flamin' Groovies loved the Byrds -- both were American bands who fell in love with the sounds of British rock and crafted their own variation on the style -- but three Byrds covers on this album is about two too many (especially given how clunky David Wright's drumming sounds on "5D"), and though having the Groovies tackle "Absolutely Sweet Marie" and "Please Please Me" sounds good on paper, the audible results are a bit underwhelming. (On the other hand, their cover of "Werewolves of London" is better than anyone had a right to expect.) The production and engineering by Roger Bechirian is crisp and flattering to the guitars, but lacks the resonance of Dave Edmunds' more layered approach on Shake Some Action and Now. A great band, the Flamin' Groovies often seemed to have a hard time reconciling their best qualities with the record-making process, and Jumpin' in the Night is probably the best example of this dilemma, though it has more than enough worthwhile moments to compensate.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Handwash Jukebox
Free Alexa skill featuring hand-washing songs from Lisa Loeb, Zoey Lilly, John S Hall and others help families protect themselves during COVID-19
“Handwash Jukebox” is a contactless Amazon Alexa skill that uses music to help people wash their hands for the full CDC-recommended 20 seconds
Music and technology join forces to help families protect themselves and fight COVID-19. Handwash Jukebox, the new contactless voice skill for Amazon Alexa, plays a different family-friendly 20-second song every time the user opens the skill, the amount of time the Centers for Disease Control recommends scrubbing your hands. The free skill is available now in the Amazon Skill store in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and India. To use, simply enable the skill and then through your Amazon Echo device, just say “Alexa, open Handwash Jukebox.” To learn more, please visit https://www.handwashjukebox.com.
“We created this skill as a simple and fun way to help flatten the curve.” - Daniel Bremmer, Creative Director
There are thirty songs representing a wide range of musical genres in the skill, with more artists being added regularly. About a third of the artists primarily record music for children, including two GRAMMY® nominees—The Alphabet Rockers and Sonia De Los Santos—and GRAMMY® winner Jon Samson. The skill also includes music by Lisa Loeb, Zoey Lily, The Mammals, GRAMMY® winner Sadler Vaden, Icelandic artists Úlfur Eldjárn and Ólöf Arnalds, King Missile’s John S. Hall and Californiosos, featuring “Farmer” Dave Scher of Beachwood Sparks and others.
The skill is an all-volunteer effort led by advertising creative director Daniel Bremmer and creative technologist Layne Harris with GRAMMY®-winning children’s artist Lucy Kalantari. Dublab veteran Derek McNeill serves alongside Kalantari as Music Supervisor. Katherine Choi is the Design Director and Frank Verderosa is the Sound Engineer.
“Given that Alexa is natively a shared household experience, it was the perfect platform for an idea like Handwash Jukebox.” - Layne Harris, Creative Technologist
Full List of Artists (so far!):
Alphabet Rockers, Ólöf Arnalds, Azalia Snail, Californiosos, Clark Chimp, Dog On Fleas, Shana Falana, John S. Hall, Andrew Koestel, Joanie Leeds, Zoey Lily, Lisa Loeb, LoveyDove, Kent Lucas, The Mammals, Marsha And The Positrons, Mi Amigo Hamlet & Alina Celeste, Music With Michal, Nicolas Pacheco, Rithma, Snowflakes, Sonia De Los Santos, Jon Samson, The Slackers, Sweatson Klank, Úlfur Eldjárn, Sadler Vaden.
“Our mission is to remind families the importance of joy, community and resilience–even in times of great difficulty. It felt right to be part of something that would turn an immensely important activity, like hand washing, into a light and fun experience.” – Lucy Kalantari, GRAMMY® winning artist and Music Supervisor
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Tunesday Tuesday!
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| No Explanation Needed |
I have seen them and heard them in concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA - they were real and spectacular. Front woman Shirley Manson's vocals are the bomb!
So, here comes one of my favorite songs (actually all of their songs are my favorites) that really hits a home run as to what's happening now in the world.
"Yes" I, like all of us do, sometimes "I Think I'm Paranoid" - well, seriously. Hey given everything that's happening now. I rest my case.
Mic Drop... "You can look but you can't touch, I don't think I like you much, Heaven knows what a girl can do, Heaven knows what you've got to prove"
Hit the timely video after the jump, yeah, I said jump.
Garbage on IG -
https://www.instagram.com/garbage/?hl=en
Friday, July 5, 2019
"Cactusville"
THE HANGMEN set to release "Cactusville"
via Acetate Records on August 23rd
The L.A. underground Rock legend's 7th studio album
"It's The Hangmen he wanted to kill... we got run out of Cactusville," laments Bryan Small on the album's title track of The Hangmen's seventh album. Flanked by longtime members Jimmy James (guitar), Angelique Congleton (bass) and newcomer Jorge Disguster (drums), Small recollects the harrowing tale of a gig in Tuscon promoting their major label debut. "It was such a formative trip for us as a young band. There was death, drugs, booze, guns, girls and rock n' roll... and we met some new friends along the way."
One friend in particular, Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers remembers the gig well, "They pulled up in a perfectly shitty van and proceeded to literally fall out of it. I know that one of them immediately puked in the parking lot. Combine all the L.A. coolness of the dudes with the songs and, oh my god, no one could touch them. The fucking SONGS. Right out of the gate I was struck by the patient, laid back-ness of their rock-n-roll ways. They changed a lot about the way I thought about what a band should be and how songs should be delivered. They instantly became our heroes."
The Hangmen were formed in Los Angeles in 1986 and immediately caught the eye of Black Flag/Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris. Morris managed the band, and along with Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz, produced the demos that landed them a deal with Capitol Records. They released their self-titled debut in 1987, but things soon came crashing down. A switch to DGC Records (the newly formed subsidiary of Geffen who's roster included The Nymphs, Nirvana, etc) seemed like the perfect landing spot for the band. Unfortunately, the album Suicide Doors was shelved and the band dissolved into addiction.
Not one to be down for long, a newly sober Small started writing again, the result was 2000's Metallic I.O.U. Tours with longtime fans Social Distortion and the Supersuckers followed. Ness would later produce The Hangmen's 2007 release In the City. "I totally feel like we're kindred spirits," Small says looking back, adding that both bands emphasize "simplicity, and doing what you do and staying true to that."
In 2010, the Finnish label Hype Records, Lost Rocks, an 18-song Hangmen retrospective. Shortly thereafter, former Supersucker, Rontrose Heathmen joined the band for 2012's critically acclaimed East Of Western.
2019 marks the release of Cactusville and another chapter of The Hangmen legend continues. Small has taken his brand of songwriting to another level, putting him in an artistic class with the likes of Tom Petty and Neil Young as purveyors of honest and simple songwriting.
Side 2 of the LP features the Best Western Players, Bryan Small's countrified side project. In the same vein as Neil Young's "American Stars and Bars," the songs take on a different feel, with vocal harmonies and haunting pedal steel echoing throughout. It's familiar territory for Small, who grew up in rural Montana before making his way to Los Angeles. "The 'country' side of The Hangmen has been there from the start, it stems from the love of Gun Club, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, etc.," explains Small, "the Best Western Players were brought in to realize the songs as they were conceived."
The Hangmen will join Acetate Records label mates the Supersuckers on a rare East Coast US tour in September. Additional dates TBA.
THE HANGMEN w/ Supersuckers (unless otherwise denoted *)
- 08/23 Los Angeles, CA @ Redwood Bar Record Release Party *
- 09/02 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
- 09/04 Greenville, SC @ Radio Room
- 09/05 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
- 09/06 Wilmington, NC @ Reggie's 42nd St. Tavern
- 09/07 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
- 09/08 Nashville, TN @ Little Harpeth Brewing
- 09/10 Richmond, VA @ The Camel
- 09/11 Washington DC @ City Winery
- 09/12 Harrisburg, PA @ 10th St. Stage
- 09/14 Harrisonburg, VA @ The Golden Pony
- 09/15 Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
- 09/16 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
- 09/18 Portland, ME @ Geno's Rock Club
- 09/19 Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally's
- 09/20 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
- 09/21 Amityville, NY @ Amityville Music Hall
- 09/22 Brooklyn, NY @ El Cortez
Cactusville Pre-sale - http://acetate.com/the-hangmen/
The Hangmen Website * https://the-hangmen.com
Facebook * https://www.facebook.com/hangmen.usa/
Instagram * @the_hangmen * https://www.instagram.com/the_hangmen/
Twitter * @the_hangmen * https://www.twitter.com/the_hangmen/
Saturday, March 3, 2018
ONAMANIA
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| Never Fear ONA is Here! Let the mania commence! |
Sultry singing sensation ONA is set to kick off her ‘Undisclosed Location’ tour in support of her forthcoming debut album, ONAMANIA, launching March 13th in Austin, Texas at SXSW Music Festival.
The tour will spotlight the sizzling star in a very provocative stage show across the U.S., an innovative ‘virtual concert’ model that is just one part of ONA's overall revolutionary NSFW music monetization lifestyle. Her second tour date is scheduled for March 24 in Hawaii, with further dates to be added throughout 2018.
The singer’s debut album, co-produced by ONA and KB2, a production team based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York, will be released on June 8 and continue to explore the various musical forms touched on in ONA’S 2016 EP Sex Rock - hard-driving rock, lush bedroom ballads, dirty grind funk, and epic orchestral pop.
ONA is quickly becoming a major media phenomenon, and she’ll be capitalizing on her momentum by spending the year traveling - a year-long road trip across America digitally broadcasting photos, videos and a live show to her 1.5 million+ fans via Snapchat, Instagram Live and her personal webcam.
On the night of each tour date ONA will perform songs from ONAMANIA via Instagram Live, and then she'll perform the rest of the album for ticket holders at a private (NSFW) webcam link - a night of chatting, dancing, stripping and a happy ending for ONA (and hopefully her fans).
Tickets are available for purchase at onamania.com.
Find out more about ONA at the following:
Monday, November 24, 2014
Paging Katy Perry For Superbowl 2015
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| Who's That Girl? Katy Perry That's Who |
Now I am not saying Katy Perry sucks, I have liked a few songs she has done, Firework for one comes to mind. But she, at least to me, does not really have the cache of a Beyonce' or a Madonna. Her career is pretty feather weight by comparison.
Oh well, not my company not my choice of who to use. While I am sure her performance will be entertaining I'm just not sure it will reach the potential high that viewers expect from this yearly extravaganza.
Tune in and find out when Superbowl 2015 airs!
Hang with Katy and kiss some girls at: http://www.katyperry.com/
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Go Daft Punk! "PTX Volume 2" Drops Today!
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| PTX Go Daft! |
Pentatonix new album "PTX Volume 2" drops today and in honor of their latest the gang has let loose with a hot new video for a track on the CD of them doing a medley of Daft Punk songs..!
PTX Go Daft, Yes!
Happy PTX CD release day!
Get your PTX on and order their new CD here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ptx-vol.-2/id723084990
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