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Guards “In Guards We Trust” [NEW MUSIC]

05/20/13
Steve Rippin
· Album Reviews · Beat-Play, LLC · concert · Europe · Independent Labels · Independent Music · Los Angeles · music industry · Music News · New York · Uncategorized

Is it summer yet? I’m getting amped up for concerts and drinking out side. I’m also getting amped for today’s band of the hour. Guards. I’ve been listening to this record for a few weeks now. Its easy going rock and roll, just in time for Summer.

With this new release I think we are going to be seeing a lot of Guards for a while. It’s exciting to hear new music like this. Yes, it’s a reinvention, but the sounds are original and I really like the vocal arrangements. I’m not sure if everyone who formed a band in the last three years made it a rule to have a female so-lead singer but it’s working for me.

Founded in 2012 Guards consists of Richie James Follin, Loren Humphrey & Kaylie Church. Their most recent “In Guards We Trust” is loud, catchy and easily on of my favorite releases of the last few months. Since February the band has been touring heavily. They are currently in Europe making their way through the festival circuit and then toward the end of the Summer they’ll make their way state side to tour with Best Coast, Alt-J and Portugal, The Man. The tour wraps up with two massive shows at Lollapalooza in Chicago and FYF Fest here in LA.

Guards – Taxi Cab (Vampire Weekend Cover)

By: Steve Rippin | Beat-Play Ambassador Los Angeles | @stevewithMWL|Music Without Labels & Beat-Play, LLC

She & Him “Volume 3″ with Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward [NEW MUSIC]

05/09/13
Steve Harpine
· Album Reviews · Art · Beat-Play, LLC · concert · Events · Independent Labels · Independent Music · Los Angeles · Music · music industry · Music News · Nashville · New Music · Top Posts · Video

Zooey Deschanel is quite the over-achieving artist. Her big break came in the early 2000s, when she began landing support roles in films such as Almost Famous, The Good Girl, Elf, and more. Today, Zooey is widely known as the star in the Fox series, New Girl, but it was over six years ago that her singing career began it’s launch. Fans heard Zooey sing before, most memorably in Elf with “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Three years later, Zooey teamed up with singer-songwriter/producer M. Ward, who encouraged her in the songs she was writing. In 2008, the duo, artily named She & Him, released their debut album, Volume 1. In an interview with Venus Zine, Deschanel described her feelings about starting a career in music.

“I always thought I would be able to sing and act, but at a certain point, it became difficult for me to share the music part. So I was writing a ton of music, but not really doing anything with it. I didn’t really know exactly who to collaborate with … until I met Matt, and everything seemed to fall into place.”

She & Him released a new album, Volume 3, this week with eleven original songs by Deschanel and three covers. Zooey’s voice retains a transparent tone throughout the record, often giving playful melody to lyrics about love and relationships. Have a listen to the first single, “Never Wanted Your Love.”

As you can hear, the record has a totally natural vibe. Crisp drums, tight bass lines, appropriate string and horn additions, and M. Ward’s phenomenal guitar playing give the album somewhat of a throwback feel. There’s a sense of Motown throughout, and the mastering process still left a rawness in the tones and grooves on the record. Sometimes it sounds like you’re right there in the room. Most of the album is a bit of a romantic walk back to a California beach in the 1970s. It even has background vocals tracked by indie pop group, Tilly and the Wall. Have a listen to the first song from the record released on She & Him’s Soundcloud, “I Could’ve Been Your Girl.”

Volume 3 is fun, but classy at the same time. It’s perfect for your summer trip to the beach mix or your playlist for the drive to this weekend’s drive-in movie. Mostly impressive is Zooey Deschanel’s songwriting and composing ability. She truly has a cool sense of melody and a knack for hearing instrumentation. With help from M. Ward, She & Him has become a quaint act for a classy show date. They kick off their summer tour in Nashville at the infamous Ryman Auditorium on June 13th. Get your copy of Volume 3 and check out She & Him’s summer tour stops by clicking on the album art below!

By Steve Harpine | Nashville Ambassador | @Steve_MWL | Beat-Play & Music Without Labels, LLC

Andrew McMahon – “The Pop Underground” [NEW MUSIC] [VIDEO]

05/03/13
Chris Cullari
· Independent Music · Music · music industry · New Music · Video

Andrew McMahon isn’t a man who has trouble evolving. From his start as the lead singer/songwriter of early-aughts angst merchants Something Corporate, to his years writing as Jack’s Mannequin, to releasing his new EP The Pop Underground under his own name, the only constants he’s relied on are his words and voice. The result is a discography loaded with stellar songwriting and stylistic changes that keeps even his most ardent fans on their toes.

One of the big talking points on the EP is opener “Synesthesia,” with lyrics that seem to address the success of his friends in fun. Message board dart throwers have theorized the reference is a dig, but it’s a hell of a stretch on a song so clearly about Andrew observing the positive trajectory of those around him. He’s a writer who’s always been enamored with the lives of others and where his path intersects with theirs, so it isn’t like the lyric is out of the ordinary. Musically, the track’s muted, almost funk-y guitar clicks perfectly into the pocket of a fat, synthy, bass line and keeps the whole thing aloft. The candy-coated swirls of noise layered on top conjure the sensation of seeing sound, even for those of us that have never had the pleasure.

“Catching Cold” features one of the biggest missteps in the collection, dropping a vocoder on Andrew’s voice in the first minute of the track. I know, I know, ever since Kanye used a vocoder to give voice to the cold, emotionless robot feelings of emotionlessness or whatever on 808s and Heartbreak, every artist gets a pass, but c’mon. It feels unnecessary – and in addition to the deep wub-wub-wubs around 2:30 – like little more than a “hey, I can use those sounds, too!”

All is forgiven when “Learn to Dance” rolls around. There’s something too Sesame Street about the chorus for it to find itself on repeat, but it’s still impressive that McMahon manages to turn what would be anyone else’s throwaway “have-fun-and-dance” track into an exploration of how two people learned to beat back life’s darkness.

Finally, “After the Fire,” closes things out with a cavalcade of new sounds. Guitar lines sit scrunched in the backseat between drum circle influenced percussion and a half-dozen synth sounds that call to mind everything from Daft Punk to Hall and Oates. There’s even a dancey beat that builds up around 2:15; its snare cracking like it might burst into “Sandstorm.” The moment works much more organically as a nod to EDM than the out-of-place dubstep in “Catching Cold.”

The Pop Underground takes a deeper dip into straight radio-pop than any of Andrew’s music has before, but don’t be fooled: the experimentation is in the sheen, polish and textures he’s working with. Some fans will complain about triggered drums or lack of traditional arrangements, but the man has not turned himself into Ke$ha. His words are sharp, his imagery alive. He’s the same old Andrew, maybe just one step closer to that gold record.

Chris Cullari | Beat-Play Ambassador Los Angeles |@Chris_Cullari | Music Without Labels & Beat-Play, LLC |

New Found Glory – Mania [NEW MUSIC] [VIDEO]

04/26/13
Chris Cullari
· Independent Music · Music · music industry · Music News · New Music · Video

Gus VanSant’s shot-for-shot remake of Psycho is almost universally reviled. Trapped somewhere between a new interpretation by a filmmaker who has little apparent interest in the genre and a shot-by-shot remake of a Hitchcock fan afraid to change anything, it seems, in turn, both pointless and gutless.

I think it’s something else entirely. I think it’s an exercise. Practice. A lark in an art form where practice never happens in public. A sculptor can sculpt a mini Michelangelo for, what, a hundred bucks worth of materials? Then it can go on a shelf in a closet and never be seen again. Somehow, VanSant convinced everyone around him that it would be a good idea to pony up millions and millions of dollars for an art project, one that I think he would’ve been quite happy to never let see the light of day. Unfortunately, the costs of studio filmmaking are too high to justify letting anything sit on a shelf (at least for very long). Thus, VanSant’s Psycho was released on audiences that replied with a shrug.

There’s a similar mindset and value to what New Found Glory does on Mania, their Ramones cover EP that came out as part of Record Day 2013. The seeds were sown on the band’s last album, Radiosurgery, where their cover of Blitzkrieg Bop could be found as a bonus track.

Unlike other covers of the song, the band chose to change…nothing. The production’s nicer than anything the Ramones ever released and there might be a drum flourish or two, but other than that, it’s note for note. It’s not like the band’s afraid to take a song and make it their own – they’ve released two full length From the Screen to Your Stereo cover LPs, and rotate covers through their live show on a regular basis. I mean, they covered Lisa Loeb. They’re capable.

So why keep things so simple? I would bet that most of these were originally rehearsed with Blitzkrieg Bop as the group searched for the stripped back sound that would become the backbone of Radiosurgery. New Found Glory, in their sixteenth active year (fourteenth when they released Radiosurgery), wanted to tear their music down to its core and explore what made their blood rush in the first place.

Thus, a nice and loud “Rock N Roll High School”:

An appropriately snotty “I Wanna Be Sedated:

And a short-as-it-should-be “Judy Is A Punk”:

Look, are these songs really the same without the glue sniffing and insanity? Absolutely not. Should a band from Florida even be allowed to cover music that’s as definitively ”New York” as this? It’s highly suspect.

Still, this new collection of covers says something about NFG, and where they come from as a band. Blink 182 wouldn’t do this. Neither would Yellowcard or Fall Out Boy or The Wonder Years or The Story So Far or Transit. None of those groups are really as interested in where they came from as much as where they’re going. New Found Glory isn’t afraid to look back or practice in public.

I think the results are worth more than a shrug.

Chris Cullari | Beat-Play Ambassador Los Angeles |@Chris_Cullari | Music Without Labels & Beat-Play, LLC |

Phoenix Drops New Album “Bankrupt” Today! [NEW MUSIC/VIDEO]

04/23/13
Steve Harpine
· Album Reviews · Art · Beat-Play, LLC · Independent Labels · Independent Music · Music · music industry · Music News · Nashville · New Music · New York · News · Top Posts · Video

It’s been awhile since I’ve made a post here, but the inspiration has finally come… with loud noise and flashing lights. At least that was what we saw when Phoenix released the title of their new album on their website in January 2013. The announcement came exactly one year after the band had announced that they completed four songs for the record. Another month later, wearephoenix.com was relaunched with the official album release date of April 22, 2013. In proper creative fashion, the announcement came with a touch of creativity, as an invisible hand penned the following message:

Dear all, our new album, Bankrupt!, will be released the week of April 22nd. Here is the tracklisting as well as the album cover. Much love et à bientôt. -Thomas Branco Mazzalai Deck.

This was what Phoenix fans had been patiently waiting for. It’s been nearly four years since their previous release, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, which earned a Grammy Award as well as Gold certification in the US, Canada, and Australia. Today, Phoenix releases my most anticipated album of the year, Bankrupt!, so sit back and listen to the first single, “Entertainment.”

The production on this record is something from another world. The unique synths, paired with orchestra strings and fun grooves, make a perfect accompaniment to Thomas Mars’ unmistakeable vocals. The melodies dive from overlaid hooks to lines that will undoubtedly make you feel accomplished once memorized after a few listens. I think the single “Entertainment” has been an excellent choice for debuting the album. It doesn’t give away all the treats, but it sets up the creativity to come. We hear Phoenix pumping the groove on the verse, but dropping out for the chorus. The synths are heavy, but engaging. The groove is mastered with just enough of everything to keep you wanting more. And more is exactly what you’ll get throughout the rest of the album. It’s good to hear a band that knows who they are and continue to push the boundaries of making music. Get your copy today by clicking on the album art below!

By Steve Harpine | Nashville Ambassador | @Steve_MWL | Beat-Play & Music Without Labels, LLC

Jimmy Eat World – “I Will Steal You Back” [NEW MUSIC] [VIDEO]

04/12/13
Chris Cullari
· Independent Music · Music · music industry · Music News · Video

I hate criticizing gifts.

And really, that’s what a new Jimmy Eat World single feels like – a Christmas present from a significant other. There’s the tingle; the anticipation. Year after year, this person comes through with your favorite gift. It’s the one your friends see and wonder who knew you well enough to come through with something so spectacular. Someday, they tell you (or themselves), it’s not gonna be so great. Not everyone can be perfect all the time. But these people are cynical and jealous. Maybe they’re dying alone and/or living in Bushwick and/or writing for Pitchfork. They are not to be trusted. The gift will be AWESOME.

Okay, the wrapping’s a little lackluster, but it’s the thought that counts. Assuming the thought wasn’t “Ah, one of you dudes has Microsoft Paint, right?”, it’s forgivable. There’s a light 80′s influence at work, a playful airbrushed quality. Maybe it’ll be reflected in the music with a bouncy synth rhythm or some electronic percussion. Zach Lind’s a killer drummer, he can pull that off, right? That’s probably what it is.

Enough guessing! Open it! Openitopenitopenit!

::That shot in Jaws where Roy Scheider sees blood in the water and sits up while the camera zooms in::

Since it’s never okay to scream “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?”, there’s a terrible silence as your brain filters out the proper phrase. The feelings come in a deluge, an assault of conflicting emotions. No, you shouldn’t have. You force it out with a smile, but c’mon. Like, really. Should not have. I want to like the warmer drums, I want to like Jim Adkin’s less produced vocals, I want to like the cloying chorus (It’s the title OH RLY?), but, alas. Not feeling it.

It’s not even that it’s awful. I’d almost prefer it to be awful, like when Weezer came out with “Pork and Beans,” and it was a total coked out car wreck but at least Rivers seemed to actually be into the idea of being a cheese-ball hawking Oakleys and Best Buy. That’s not the case here. Jimmy Eat World didn’t wrap up a dead bird in newspaper or anything, but they didn’t make an effort. You can hear it in the playing, and you can hear it in the “hook.” You can hear it in the lyrics “Here we go/Here we go/We’ll take on so much pain.” Pro tip: unless the album’s called ”So This Is How We Support Our Families Now I Guess,” it would really behoove you to try harder.

The guitar solo’s cool. I guess. Thumbs up, Jim. No, it is. It is. Keep slayin’, axe man.

No, of course we’re not gonna break up. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just one song, and we’ve been in this too long. I know you; you’re better than this. I’ll give you another shot, but make good on your promise: steal me back.

Chris Cullari | Beat-Play Ambassador Los Angeles |@Chris_Cullari | Music Without Labels & Beat-Play, LLC |

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Release New Album “Specter at the Feast” [NEW MUSIC/VIDEO]

04/01/13
Steve Harpine
· Album Reviews · Art · Beat-Play, LLC · Independent Labels · Independent Music · Los Angeles · Music · music industry · Nashville · New Music · News · Top Posts · UK · Video

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is a rock n’ roll band based in Los Angeles that’s been killing it as an independent for most of their 14 years as a band. Their new record, Specter At The Feast, dropped two weeks ago on March 19 through their own label, Abstract Dragon, and indie label, Vagrant Records. Fans around the world have been anticipating the release since BRMC’s acclaimed 2010 album, Beat The Devil’s Tattoo. Starting in December 2012, the band released a short film every week that chronicles the making of the new record, filmed and directed by Malia James. You can start here with the first of six videos:

I don’t need to say much here because, as you can already see, there’s plenty of content to go along with this release. It won’t be long before you begin to hear these songs in film, TV, video games, and essentially most places that music is heard. The first single, “Let the Day Begin,” is actually a cover of hit from 1989 by The Call. It’s available on a free EP download at blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com along with another new song, “Returning.” Have a listen to the single here:

You can get Specter At The Feast by clicking the Amazon links to the left or visit blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com by clicking on the album art below. Composed of Pater Hayes, Robert Levon Been, and Leah Shapiro, BRMC also happen to be incredible live, so make sure you check out their upcoming tour dates while you’re there. I want this record to be something special for all who listen, so I’m going to shut up and let you do just that… listen.

By Steve Harpine | Nashville Ambassador | @Steve_MWL | Beat-Play & Music Without Labels, LLC

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