A co-ed quintet
from the outskirts of Bath, England, the Heavy draw influence from funk, soul,
blaxploitation film soundtracks, and the gritty garage rock of the Sonics.
Guitarist Dan
Taylor and vocalist Kelvin Swaby became friends in the 1990s, bonding over a
shared appreciation for vintage R&B and Jim Jarmusch films. Joined by
bassist Spencer Page, drummer Chris Ellul, and keyboardist Hannah Collins, the
two launched their own act — the Heavy — and began combining Taylor's distorted
guitars with lo-fi samples, horns riffs, stomping percussion, and soulful
Prince-styled vocals.
The photogenic
band made its studio debut in 2007, releasing several singles on the
London-based Ninja Tunes label before issuing the full-length Great Vengeance
and Furious Fire that fall. An American release followed in early 2008 on the
newly minted +1 Records. The Heavy returned with its sophomore album, The House
That Dirt Built in 2009. In 2012, the band delivered the self-produced The
Glorious Dead
"Proving once again that downtown New York City is still the world's greatest incubator for awesome rock music, along come dynamic duo known as Naked Hearts. The twosome of Amy Cooper (guitar and vocals) and Noah Wheeler (bass, drums, and vocals) have done things the good old-fashioned way by playing lots and lots and lots of shows in tiny clubs and bars all over the city.
In less than a year after forming, the band had already managed to establish itself as a formidable live act and a songwriting force to be reckoned with. Two-piece bands might be all the rage now, but Naked Hearts put a fresh spin on things, crafting songs that are equal parts tough and sweet." - Soundgirl
"Live and in person, Naked Hearts are explosive, charming, and something exciting. The impeccably turned-out pair ooze a fuzzy rock sincerity; every song is a stripped-down challenge to cut loose" - PopMatters
"Then there are the enthusiastic newbies Naked Hearts, who explore the various ways in which a boy/girl duo can make you dance, fall in love, and cry all at the same time." - Interview Magazine
"The skillfully shaded indie-rock band Naked Hearts has an impressively versatile sound, partially due to the fact that members Amy Cooper and Noah Wheeler take turns singing lead" - Time Out NY
"...to ignore this band would be to ignore what is going on in New York these days. This band has catapulted themselves into a New York spotlight thanks to their streamlined sound and constant playing throughout the city." - Pop Tarts Suck Toasted
We're just two dudes who really enjoy
playing acoustic music together.
After a year of writing and playing shows together we've finally released our
first ever cd which is available online.
Currently we are writing for a new release and will be sharing plenty of demos
and such with you guys along the way so keep an eye and ear out for those!
In the mean time - keep safe and thank you for your ongoing love and support!
We wouldn't be able to do this without you guys!
In search of new thrills, Keith & Ronan
Mulligan left Ireland for San Francisco, all the while missing both the
economic upturn and subsequent downturn.
A dodgy rehearsal space in the Tenderloin
furnished The Hooks with inspiration for an album in 2010. Recorded by friend
and mentor Jamie McMann at Hyde Street Studios. The album “Everything Is
Golden” received wide acclaim and secured us a European Tour.
What followed were countless tours of the
US, playing with such notables as X, The Pogues, Shane MacGowan, Flogging
Molly, The Stiff Little Fingers and Cheap Trick to name a few.
Here and 3 records later is where they met
Colin, Chet and Lance. We are currently working on the follow up record, soon
to be recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley.
Ravin'wolf is
known for their energetic live performance of pre war blues selections and
original acoustic rock-blues work on 2 acoustic guitars. In the tradition of
the old male/female blues duos of the early 1900's and with the improvisational
musicality of the 60's & 70's jam band era they bring to the stage a fusion
of the old and the new into a phenomenal live experience for the listening
audience. They are accustomed to performing in either a concert/dance hall/old
barrelhouse setting, or, simply as background music.
Home-based out of
Seattle, Ravin'wolf was recently honored with a Taster's Choice Award for
"Best Band" at the 2012 Leavenworth Alefest and a with nomination by
the Washington Blues Society as the Best of the Blues: Best Blues Duo. They
have been appearing on music festival stages and small concert venues
throughout the Northwest from Oregon to Montana, performing their own blues
& folk rock influenced originals and showcasing pre-war blues performers
such as Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Bessie Smith, Skip James, Charlie Patton
and more. Their new live CD "Long Live Live Music", is receiving
radio play and great reviews from blues critics. Their instrumentation features
dual guitar work & improvisation, swampy-slide, stand up bass, full
percussion & male-female vocal harmonies.
"If you've
never seen this phenomenal duo, you owe it to yourself to make a special effort
to get out and attend Ravin'wolf's next appearance! Jamey and Heather are the
real deal. True Blues aficionados."
- George Boswell, Wa Blues Society Blog, January 2012.
The show they
gave they other night was positively brimming with high energy and enthusiasm
and unceasing respect for their audience ...they played with a sort of
unbridled heart and soul and power... and as the night wore on, they seemed to
only get better and more determined than ever to give their loyal audience the
(musical) ride of their life -- and that they did!!!”
- John Pluntze, Sun Valley Online (March 2011)
“...this
one-of-a-kind acoustic blues pair slips in and out of the genre with ease to
explore its edges and defy its boundaries, taking audiences on an enthusiastic
journey on only two guitar - Vashon Island Beachcomber (January 27, 2010)
"...They make
a lot of music with just two acoustic guitars..." - T. Clift (Arbor Crest
Cellars)
Park grew up in
Morrison, Colorado. He was exposed to the arts at an early age: his mother was
a published poet, and his father was a doctor who enjoyed playing folk and
blues records and the guitar at home. Park himself began to write songs in his
early teens and played in bands starting in middle school.
He moved to New
York City to try and start a music career, but left after less than eight
months for Los Angeles, working numerous odd jobs that ranged from clothing
store retail clerk to karate teacher to support himself.
In 2000, Park
completed his first demo collection, now known as The Basement Tapes. He
recorded the songs in the back of a store owned by a friend's girlfriend since
he did not have enough money to use a studio.
Park befriended
producer Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Earlimart) later that year. He and Trumfio wrote,
recorded, and mixed material for Park's debut album during the summer months of
2002 and has since worked very closely with him on various EPs and LPs.
Singer/songwriter Tim Easton, pedal steel player Eric Heywood, and drummer Dave
Kostiner joined them in the studio. During this time, Park also played live
concerts as the opener for Julia Fordham, Gomez, Beth Orton, and Richard Buckner.
He signed a deal
with Hollywood Records in 2003, and Under the Unminding Skies EP was
released that February. Park's first studio album, Loneliness Knows My Name,
followed in 2004. Disappointed by low sales, he later commented:
"[Hollywood Records] had no idea what to do with me. They're a pop label,
so they were always trying to fit a square peg in a round hole." He has
since moved to Curb Appeal Records and released his second full-length album, Everyone's
in Everyone and his EP Songs of Peace - Songs of Protest, while
continuing to tour across the U.S. For his third full-length album Come What
Will (2010), Park moved back to Badman Recording which released his EP Under
the Unminding Skies in 2003.
Park received
moderate attention following airplay for "Life Is a Song", which was
chosen as the final song on the series finale of the Fox teen drama The O.C..
Patrick Park
opened for Grammy Award winning artist Shelby Lynne at a one night only charity
event to benefit Alzheimer's research on September 1, 2011 at the Yost Theater
in Santa Ana.
All the Times We
Had, Ivan & Alyosha’s first full-length album, encapsulates the
personalized blend of rousing songcraft, infectious melodic hooks and
thoughtful lyrical introspection that’s already endeared the band to just about
anyone who’s witnessed one of their effortlessly uplifting live shows, or who’s
heard either of their two prior indie EP releases.
The Seattle
combo—which borrows its name from a pair of characters from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers
Karamazov—delivers its songs of struggle, perseverance and spirituality with a
resilient, upbeat attitude that’s reflected in their bubbly brew of stirringly
strummed folk-rock guitars, surging instrumental interaction and a bright,
buoyant blend of voices that reflects the band members’ family-style
camaraderie, evoking a timeless pop ideal that’s as affecting emotionally as it
is pleasing to the ear.
The intrepid
ensemble—comprised of core members Tim Wilson (lead vocals and acoustic
guitar), Ryan Carbary (guitars, piano and vocals), Tim Kim (electric guitar and
vocals) and Tim’s brother Pete Wilson (bass and vocals), plus a revolving
assortment of friends and collaborators on keyboards, drums and other
instruments—has spent much of the past two years on the road, traveling the
highways and back roads of America, often with wives and children in tow,
building a loyal fan base with their joyous, high-energy live performances.
Ivan &
Alyosha’s prior releases and live shows have won the band copious critical
acclaim. They’ve also done successful stints opening for the likes of Aimee
Mann, Brandi Carlile, the Low Anthem, Rosie Thomas and John Vanderslice. Since
early in its existence, the group has been embraced enthusiastically by
alternative radio, performing multiple on-air sessions for NPR as well as
receiving notable support from such key stations as KCRW, KEXP, WFUV and WNYC.
The same
qualities that originally won Ivan & Alyosha media attention and a devoted
grass-roots audience are apparent on All the Times We Had, which the band
co-produced in collaboration with keyboardist/engineer Chad Copelin, and mixed
by Jesse Lauter (The Low Anthem). The 11-song album effortlessly captures the
warmth and immediacy of Ivan & Alyosha’s live performances, lending added
resonance to such lyrically compelling, melodically arresting tunes as “Be Your
Man,” “Running for Cover,” “Don’t Wanna Die Anymore,” “The Fold” and the
album’s’ bittersweetly reflective title track, which features guest vocals by
the band’s frequent touring partner and longstanding admirer Aimee Mann.
“We didn’t get it
perfect, but I definitely think we got it right,” Tim Wilson says of the new
album. “We really worked hard to get a live vibe, and to capture that
inspiration that we get when we’re on the road, when everybody’s together and
feeding off of each other. You can nit-pick and edit everything until it sounds
perfect, but we were more concerned with just getting the best performances we
could. I think that it’s more mature and more focused, and closer to what we do
live, than the records that we’d done before. We definitely had moments in the
studio where it like, ‘Oh, wow, this is special.’”
Ivan &
Alyosha formed in 2007, when Tim Wilson met Ryan Carbary. Both had been in
various Seattle-area combos, but the songs that Wilson was writing at the time
seemed to call out for a new musical approach. The pair spent nearly a year
writing material for their debut EP, The Verse, The Chorus. Released in March
2009, the EP generated an unexpected level of national exposure, with the
charming tune “Easy to Love” (reprised on All the Times We Had) receiving
considerable airplay. The debut EP won the band an interview on NPR’s All
Things Considered and coverage in NPR’s All Songs Considered SXSW 2010 preview.
A subsequent appearance at the SXSW festival generated considerable
music-industry word-of-mouth.
By the time Ivan
& Alyosha recorded its second EP, Fathers Be Kind, in February 2011, the
group had expanded to include Tim Wilson’s bass-playing brother Pete, whose
songwriting abilities contributed considerably to the band’s creative arsenal,
and Tim’s high school friend Tim Kim, whose distinctive guitar work added a new
dimension to their sound. Fathers Be Kind’s majestically jangly title track became
a favorite of fans, critics and DJs, and reappears in a newly recorded version
on All the Times We Had.
“When we recorded
The Verse, the Chorus, we’d never really played live as a band,” Tim Wilson
notes. “By the time we did the Fathers Be Kind EP, my brother Pete and Tim Kim
had come on board, and we had done a west coast tour or two, and some dates on
the east coast, but we were still figuring out how to play together. After
Fathers Be Kind came out, we went out and spent year and a half touring, and became
a real band. I think that’s reflected on the new album.”
Indeed, All the
Times We Had demonstrates the positive effects of the band’s extensive
roadwork, underlining just how far Ivan & Alyosha has progressed since its
humble origins.
“I think that we
all feel pretty strongly that this is what we’re supposed to be doing, playing
music, trying to write good, timeless songs, and trying to connect with
people,” Wilson states. “I think that we have a pretty deep sense of purpose,
that this is not just some accident. I guess that the essence of faith is
having felt or experienced something that maybe you can’t hold in your hand,
and I think that’s how I’d describe my attitude towards music. And it’s OK if
it’s hard, because anything in life that’s worth doing is hard.
“I’m guilty as
guilty as anyone, of wanting certain things or wanting to be in a certain place
right now,” he concludes. “But we’re building something, and building something
takes time. I’m learning to enjoy the journey, and I think we all are.”
Parisian Lead singer Nina Courson met
British guitarist Phil Honey-Jones in 2009 in the now defunct venue Punk in
Soho, both of them were in separate bands at the time. It wasn't long before
ideas were bouncing around and they began to write songs together, the shared
influences of the likes of Iggy Pop, Nirvana, Blondie, Killing Joke,Sonic
Youth, Bauhaus and Bowie playing a big part in the direction of the music.
Inspiration has come from far and wide and lyrically the lines between
autobiographical and fiction are blurred and merged. I suppose if there was a
specific aim it would be to capture and bottle the essence of certain music
from the past and release it kicking and screaming into the now.
They have played now with many different
drummers and bass players along the way, the line-up seems to be in a constant
state of flux but the spirit remains the same.. They played their first gig
together at an all day punk festival in Brighton in September 2010 where the
promoter ran off with the money and Healthy Junkies only got to play about 15
mins before the festival shut down.. Since then the band have played many gigs
all over the U.K. including a slot at the mighty Rebellion punk festival in August
2012 and 2013 and will be back there on Friday 8th August 2014. The band
continue to play at their self-hosted monthly night at The Unicorn, Camden
London as well as travelling all round the UK whenever possible. A 2 week tour
of Britanny, France is scheduled for November, so its busy busy busy on the
road.
On stage lead singer Nina Courson interacts
with the other band members and entices her audience in the theatre that has
become the trademark of their live shows. Its all in the songs really, make what
you will of any messages you may find either hidden or glaringly obvious,
Healthy Junkies are here to entertain, they play what they feel like playing
and don't feel the need to compromise or fit in, The world right now is not
necessarily a better place but this is where we find ourselves and so stay
Healthy if you can and if you're going to get addicted to something, make it
music that means something, not prossac/mind numbing pharmaceutical corporate
rip off pills intended to kill individuality off and turn us into lobotomized
robot slaves.
They self released their debut album
entitled Sick Note in 2011. The follow up 'The Lost Refuge' is now available on
STP Records and an E.P. entitled 'Hair of the dog' is now available only at
gigs or from the band themselves online.The third album is currently being
mixed and due for release later this year on STP Records.The current line-up
for the band now includes Dave Renegade on bass guitar and Tony Alda on drums
playing alongside Nina and Phil.
Oh, my love, this is the beginning… It
certainly is the beginning of a new chapter for Josh and Nicole Johnson as they
combine their passion and raw talent to form Elenowen (pronounced “ellen-owen”)
after their national debut on NBC’s “The Voice.” Hailing from Nashville, TN,
Josh and Nicole pursued individual careers before forming the indie/pop duo
that sings through the journeys of everyday life and the many battles it
brings. Their music emphasizes heavy harmonies, raw acoustics, and ambient
elements that combine to create a unique mood and sound that comes as an honest
breath of fresh air in an overly manufactured music world.
After about a year of living
paycheck-to-paycheck working at the same local coffee shop, Josh and Nicole
started pursuing their dream by creating their debut album, Pulling Back the
Veil (released January 2010). Pulling Back the Veil is a collection of eight
original songs, written both individually and collaboratively to paint a picture
of the road they have been on for the past year – a road filled with internal
struggles to know truth, joyous triumphs through desire, and the awakening
adjustments to married life.
In forming Elenowen, Josh and Nicole felt
called to not necessarily give answers or guide the listener, but to be honest
and as real and vulnerable as possible. One quick listen to their music reveals
Elenowen’s uncanny ability to move past the surface and into the heart. The
combination of Josh and Nicole’s powerful melodies, smooth harmonies, and
insightful lyrics distinguish this husband and wife duo from the magnitude of
other aspiring artists. In an industry hungry for something new, raw, and
beautiful, Elenowen distinguishes itself as an up and coming act that completely
and refreshingly satisfies its listener.
Growing up in the
rich literary and religious environment of Mississippi, and then moving
straight into the country-soaked musical world of Nashville, Trent Dabbs has
many stories to tell. Like Flannery O’Connor with her short story collection, A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Dabbs pieces his own spiritual and relational
questions into well crafted folk-pop albums. The ghosts of Johnny Cash, old
gospel-choirs, Neil Young, and Nick Drake are heard roaming the halls of Trent’s
songs.
This is
especially true with Southerner, Dabbs' sixth full-length record to date. This
album is both a return and a departure. The album is a return to Trent's
heritage, and recalls how the South has shaped his art, but the tone is also a
slight departure from his previous pop and rock-driven songwriting. The track
titled, “Leave To See”, the first song written for the album, fittingly
describes the paradox of more clearly seeing your home from a different place,
a different perspective. Trent says that on Southerner he, “wanted
to peel back the layers . . . and portray ten separate stories that have been
woven into my southern life”.
An artist with a
unique business sense, Trent Dabbs has forged his way through an ever-changing
music industry by uniting some of Nashville’s best up-and-coming musicians in a
touring and recording collective called, Ten Out of Tenn. Many of these artists
such as Erin McCarley, Andrew Belle, Katie Herzig and Joy Williams (The Civil
Wars), among others, have gone on to have critically and commercially
successful careers as performers and songwriters. Trent’s own songs have been
featured on television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Hawaii Five-0, One Tree Hill, Pretty
Little Liars, Vampire Diaries and many others as well as in feature films. Despite these successes, Trent remains a humble and avid supporter of his
fellow musicians, and anyone who is looking to create authentic art. As noted
in Athens Blur, “as beautiful as the talent Trent Dabbs
helps introduce to the masses, it’s his own music that merits the most
attention.”
The Band was
created in the autumn of 2007 when a drummer Željko Stanisavljević responded to
an add by a guitarist Sava Jović, concerning the foundation of a serious band.
The band was intended to be in the realm of progressive rock/metal genre,
mostly influenced by bands such as "Pain of Salvation" and
"Dream Theater". The search for musicians started as well as
rehearsals. During the period of one year, the band was working hard and as a result,
a mini EP “Leaving Behind” was recorded in the winter of 2008/09. The EP
contains four songs. Even though there were serious problems with stability of
the line-up (a guitarist, a bassist and four keyboardists were replaced), the
band is now in a stable setting and a promotional tour across Serbia has
recently started out. Also, the band is still searching for an adequate
keyboardist and vocals, so that they can present themselves in the best
possible way.
