Band Wagon

 So I know my blog is all over the damn place.  But, my first love is MUSIC.  Without it, my life would be pointless.  Well not completely pointless but a lot less existential and meaningful.  Music is my heartbeat and provides me with an endless soundtrack.

So I will share with you a few bands that I've been into lately.  

BAND #1-  M83.

I've known about them for a few years.  Their first song that I discovered was 'Kim and Jessie' off their album, Saturdays=Youth (2008).  M83 is French and was formed in 2001 with Nicholas Fromageau (by far the coolest French last name I've heard) and Anthony Gonzalez.  If ever I have a soundtrack to a movie that I'm in and/or direct, then I hope to hell it's M83.  I hope they write the soundtrack for that movie.  I will commission it to be done if I ever become a hot shot director.  In the dream version of my life, that's what I'd do, direct music videos and work my way up to film.  And be a band promoter on the side, like band PR.  I love directing but that's a topic for another post.  But most of all, I love music.  I fucking love it!  Hey, it brought my wife and I together.  Music is a passion and a muse for my essence of living!  So...

M83 has this dreamy synth/electro pop quality.  Their music is ethereal and like a reverie.  Dreamy and light yet electric and alive.  I cannot get enough of this band.   I haven't had a favorite French band since Air who kind of petered out of the scene, though they last released an album Late Night Tales came out in 2006.  Air did the soundtrack for the 1999 Sofia Coppola film version of the 1993 book 'The Virgin Suicides' (by Jeffrey Eugenides).  Back to M83.  They are boss!  Seriously!  I cannot imagine what it would be like to hear them live in concert.  Probably like being in a cloud drifting over the South Pacific during a kaleidoscopic sunset.  M83 has six albums, the last, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming having been released in 2011. 

What I like even more about M83 is that their music videos tell a story.  I cannot stand it when I envision a music video for a song that's better than what actually gets made.  My mind always dreams up stories for songs that I listen to.  Once, I wrote a play based on music.  The music wrote the script.  That's just how my mind works.  Anyway M83 puts time and thought behind their videos.  What's cooler is that many of their videos continue the story line much like our (my) dreams often do.  One time I had a week's worth of dreams that were in scrambled order all about the end of humanity.  So, yes I relate to M83 and their visuals.  See for yourself:

video for 'Midnight City' (#1)

                                   

Video for 'Reunion' (#2)

                                   

video for 'Wait' (#3)

Video for 'Kim and Jessie'

                                  

They are expert storytellers.  Their music is amazing on its own but with their videos, it is transformed and given a new meaning altogether.  I don't know a lot of music that does that.  One, there are a lot of bands that suck.  But, to have a band that stands on its own two feet with its music and then become transformed and transcribe upon itself a brand new meaning, well that's special.  That, my friends, is art!


BAND #2- Foxygen

If David Bowie and the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack combined to have a baby, well then Foxygen would be it.  They fuse that late 60's, early 70's glam rock sound so well into a new thing.  I love it!  They formed in 2005 with Sam France and Jonathan Rado from the sunny state of California.  They have two albums, their debut Take the Kids Off Broadway (2012) and an upcoming release, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors.  We all know that I fucking love 60's/70's rock.  So this band is going to be a given win for me.  They recreate that 60's avante garde sound so well.  They recently had a sold out show in NYC.  They are on Fuse's list of must see bands of South by Southwest.  I have a feeling that in a year or two (maybe sooner), that Foxygen will blow up.  They'll get gigs on Jimmy Fallon and SNL.  They're not a taste for everyone, though.  It's a niche, for sure.  But I'm part of that niche.  I feel like I'm going back in a time machine with this band.  Get out your paisley polyester, bell bottoms, and make sure to get some glitter platforms.  And it'll be one hell of a fun, fun, trip.

                                            'San Francisco' (from upcoming album)

                      

Foxygen's full debut album 'Take the Kids Off Broadway' (from Bandcamp)

                           

Band #3: Susanne Sundfør

Susanne is Norwegian so that's a first reason why she rocks.  She is only 26 but she is a rising star (for America).  What she does is poppy but has an indie/electronic hint to it.  She is a singer/songwriter and gets props for that.  So, she rose to fame with her 2006 single 'Walls' which apparently topped every Norwegian radio chart.  I found out about her because her song 'White Foxes' appeared on my Songza playlist (it's a kickass Iphone app).  I hate how music from abroad is always hazy and is slow to reach our shores.  What's more is that a band or artist can have huge success in another country/continent and be virtually unheard of here.

Take the band Silverchair for instance.  That Australian mid 90's alternative rock band?  Heard of them?  They are still a favorite of mine.  I love Neon Ballroom (1999) and it's my fave album of theirs. But, the success they had in Australia and Europe did not even do anything for the marginal success they had in America.  I think Americans don't have that good of taste in music.  I mean, c'mon.  American Idol?  The times that I've watched it, Adam Lambert, Crystal Bowersox, and James Durbin, the lot I rooted for, did not win.  The winners, in my opinion were not the 'best' singers.  I just don't think Americans have good taste in music.  Yes, I'm a music snob, and Americans are tone deaf dolts when it comes to anything of musical worth.  I digress.

Back to Susanne.  Some of her songs are electric pop and some are more country twang.  She has versatility.  She seems like one of those artists who you just don't know what to expect next from.  And I don't mean like Jewel who went from cool, soft folksy poet to seductive pop/country sexpot.  Jewel's first album is golden, by the way.  And I have no problem with an artist who reinvents himself/herself.  However, with Susanne you can guarantee that you'll have something special every time.

I haven't been THIS excited about a foreign female artist since Garbage debuted back when I was in middle school around 1995.  Seriously, Susanne Sundfor has some major talent.  She has pipes and I like that she's an outspoken feminist.  She once said, 'I am first and foremost an artist, not first and foremost a woman' in response to a host's introduction of women artist nominees at a 2008 music awards show.  There was discussion about having a totally separate category for women, but as Susanne says, why should she be singled out?  See how being hyper PC can actually turn into borderline bigotry?  I agree, Susanne.  I agree with you completely!  She has five albums, her first being Susanne Sundfør (2007) and the latest being The Silicone Veil (2012) Give her tunes a listen:

                                                      Walls (2007)

                        

The Brothel (2007)

                       


                                               White Foxes (2011)              

                       


                                             Running to the Sea (2012)
                        

                    
So that's it for this cold and wet Wednesday.  Some new musack for ya.  I have to put in though that lately, I've been crazy about this fusion of late 70's early and 80's synth pop/electronic music into the indie scene.  I even listen to some of those bands like Ultravox, B-Movie, and Kraftwerk.  I love the idea of taking robotic, non-human sounds and giving them life.  We live in a robotic world, plugged into our machines, after all.  Are we even human anymore?  Beep beep buzz tsszzz....

I am excited to see what keeps cranking out of the scene.  I have not, sadly, been to any live shows lately.  But, hopefully as the weather improves and money comes my way, I can find my way to some cheap/free shows in and around Brooklyn and NYC.  I'm always on the lookout for new tunes.  So if you have any suggestions, hit me up.  E-mail me.  Let me know so I can give my Ipod a rejuvenated state of being.

Musically yours,

    ~R~

The March Hare: SEE the music!

Magical March Music Manic Madness

Yep, you have fallen down the rabbit hole and now you're at an epic tea party. The music is everywhere; you cannot escape. I will take you on a journey that will leave you feeling numb and dumb; wait did I say numb and dumb, I meant sublime. For the next three consecutive posts, I will be blogging about music. In celebration of March ending and spring beginning; call it Magical March Music Manic Madness! The next three posts are all about music! And, just so you know, good things come in threes, so I will now introduce three new(ish) artists!!!

FILTHY DUKES

Not surprisingly, this band is from London; we all know I have an affinity for all things British. Filthy Dukes is comprised of: Olly Dixon, Tim Lawton, and Mark Ralph. Polydor Records describes them as: "electroacidhousenuravetwisteddiscopunkfunk"! Their only album is Nonsense in the Dark (2009). I describe them as 80's synth-pop indie electronic vintage dance-o-teria disco-teque on lithium/zoloft. I mean that sincerely though. This music is so catchy and hip that you cannot help dancing or bobbing along. It is urban, hip and when I walk the streets of NYC, this IS my soundtrack. It is edgy and tough but also quirky, fun and flirty music. It doesn't take itself too seriously, really. Plus, if 2011/2012 has a soundtrack, this is it. Our times are raw, scary but at the same time we all want to forget ourselves and unravel in a good club/scenester dive. Do what the Israelis do to unwind; turn off your thoughts and DANCE! DANCE, damnit, DANCE!


PS: I will only analyze one song from each artist and leave it up to my readers to leave comments on/hypothesize about the rest.

'This Rhythm':

This song and video for 'This Rhythm' seem to reflect a bit of the idea that we CAN lose ourselves in the music from time to time. Sometimes that's what we need. Honestly, at seeing the video, I want to go out to a club and just dance the night away with strobe and neon lights blurring out the people around me. You know, have some sort of existential experience with strangers in an unfamiliar atmosphere, yet feel like you've been there before. Then you realize all the strangers are people you know and you're at your favorite club. A total out of body experience! Let's look at the video for this song. The woman in the video turns into some sort of creature with alien eyes. She appears zombie-like and vampiric. She looks at everything as if noticing it for the first time. Then, she walks around a hallway, seeing others 'like her' with large black pupils dilated to cartoonish size. I don't really know what to make of it, as she ends up levitating by some water and then transports back inside her 'club persona'. What I take away is the idea that music has the power to make us see things differently and can give us all a transformative experience. Music can heal, uplift, and provide a catharsis (fyi- one of my favorite words in the English language)!

'Nonsense in the Dark':

'Messages':

BIRDY

This new artist, whose real name is Jasmine van den Bogaerde, is a sure soon-to-be rising star. Her vocals are so crisp and melodic. It reminds me of a mixture of Leona Lewis, Norah Jones, and Adele. It isn't surprising that she channels some of these other female artists, as she is also British (only Norah Jones is American). Her debut album, Birdy (2011) was just released at the end of last year. Oh, and did I mention she is ONLY 15 years old?! Birdy's first known track/hit was with 'Skinny Love' a Bon Iver track on their album For Emma, Forever Ago (2007). Bon Iver is like THE indie/hipster band right now, and have fallen into the mainstream; this is especially true after the band, just recently, won two Grammy's. Birdy will also be well-known for her singer-songwriter talent and piano skills. She is on the 'Hunger Games' soundtrack and has a recent performance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Birdy was also signed onto a label with Christian Tattersfield (a chairman of Warner Brothers UK), who also manages the singer-songwriter, David Gray. If you don't know who she is now, you will soon!

'Without a Word':

This song opens up with a haunting piano melody. It's either a break-up or a starting over song. The lyrics start "You can tell the world that you're leaving...spread your wings...and you can tell them all that it's over. While you wave goodbye, I'll be getting closer." It is definitely a sweet ode to starting a new chapter in one's life, literally shutting the door on one's past and pain. As the song progresses,I pick up, however, Birdy's request at asking whether she should stay or go. I realize it IS indeed a break-up/starting over song. Breaking up/moving on is a painful decision for any relationship. You cannot help but kind of tear up a little at the beautiful melody and lyrics. Birdy sings: "You can tell the world that you're tired. Your excuses they won't work 'cuz I know that you're lyin'. Every time I see your face, I notice all the suffering." However, she relays that comfort and solice will be 'in her embrace', in her love and trust. Birdy doesn't come off as a suffocating, obsessive female though. She will loosen her grip if that's what the other person wants. Fate is left up in the air. She's really only 15? This song seems so wise and sagaciously poignant. She belts out, 'without a word' and you're left not knowing whether these two lovers will be together or not. The decision is left up to the pursued, not the pursuer. 'The answer my friend is blowing in the wind'.

'Skinny Love':

'People Help the People':


TANLINES

This band is not only American, they are from Brooklyn! Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm make up this band; it is hard to believe that only two guys make all of these sounds. It fuses world music with synth indie/pop. It fuses high energy dance music with 80's pop/New Wave and background world music beats. You can tap your foot to it and let the music surge your whole body into motion like an 'electric Jesus' (remember that, Colleen?) Their debut album, Mixed Emotions was LITERALLY just released this month (on March 20th). They are as 'hot out of the studio' and 'shiny plastic new' as you can get! Listen and let your face melt right off!

'Brothers':

More synth-pop but with a world music twist. The song opens, and you imagine an ocean. You are near the beach; you can see and hear the waves. That's what I envision at least. Then, as the beat and melody start in, you want to start dancing, slowly at first, one body part at a time until your whole person is into the song. (whisper) Electric Jesus! The upbeat, fast tempo of the song counteracts the lyrics: Minimal big mistakes, and the last one: "In the car or the store, you didn't ask for it. Take your time, take the place, and react." We are bombarded by decisions on a daily basis. What looks better: red or beige? Should I get whole milk or skim? Oreos or Chips Ahoy? Venti or Grande? Bus or walk? Paper or plastic? Eat at home or out? You could go crazy with all the constant quick thinking that a person must do! The camera motion literally backs up that notion. In the video, the camera literally slowly spins around and around giving us a bird's eye view of an apartment. What should you do? What choice should you make? The lyrics say: "Indecision overload is only chance figures. Change my mind, make mistakes.." Okay, so it's okay to make mistakes and fall down. Hindsight is only 20/20. Take risks; take the leap. The song seems to be about changes and gives us comfort that close relationships can resist the transient nature of time. I get this, as the song is titled 'Brothers' and think on how I've had many friends and acquaintances come and go in my life. There are many friends who you do not see literally for years, and then when you do talk or see them, the relationship picks up where it left off. There are years of time between you but your kindred connection hasn't melted away.

'Newflowers':

'Reinfo':

'All of Me':
This is my favorite video by Tanlines. I LOVE that all of these bored, zombie looking business men/women slowly get up to dance while watching a video of a band (Tanlines) playing the song. They look like whack-a-moles and bounce in beat to the song. HILARIOUS! They dance like robots, like their humanity is only reanimated at hearing this song. Creepy and awesome at the same time!

I hope you have enjoyed these new music recommendations. Download on Itunes/Bandcamp and plug in your Ipod. A world is waiting out there. And music will help you (re)connect and tune in to something new and unusual.

Music is therapy. Long live rock n' roll!

Muse-ically inspired,

~R~

Music IS the food of love!

MY IPOD IS MY MUSE:
Brand Spankin' New Musack, Some Bitchin' Tunes

1) NEW LOOK:

This a new band I just found out about, New Look. They are Canadian but moved/live in New York City. They have such a nice blend of retro and new. They fuse the sound of the late 80's/early 90's R&B/synth-pop into a blend of electronica/dance/indie underground. It sounds like something we may have heard before but only as an echo. This is something fresh! The vocalist, Sarah Ruba, is a former model but even her looks don't match the beauty of her haunting, melodic voice. This band fits right into the indie scene, yet they are not pure rock or pop. They blend genres unabashedly; though they are big in the UK, and the Brits are brilliant at choosing great music! I mean, one of these songs could fit into an episode of Skins UK (which always has great, new music to sample).

ALBUMS: New Look (2011)

'The Ballad': The song opens and you don't know if it will be upbeat or slow. Then comes the haunting evocative voice and lyrics of Sarah Ruba. The video matches up perfectly. You see a car driving through a rainy fog. Lyrics: 'Although this is hard for me to say. It's breaking my heart to, but hear it anyway. This is the part where we embrace. Come out of the dark and into the day.' At first, it sounds like some kind of passionate break-up song. However, at second glance it seems that it's a song about helping a friend coming to terms with the truth of something painful, perhaps addiction (ie. drugs) or one's sexuality. The lyrics: 'And all I want is to reach out and give you a hand to hold...And all I want is for you to know that you're not alone.' As 'you're not alone' repeats in the distance it really seems to be a song about advice and unconditional love. The friend could be addicted to drugs or faced with coming out. Whatever the case may be, the truth is hard; 'coming out of the dark' is never easy. When a person is faced with addiction and pain, they only wish for that one friend to rely on. This seems to be an anthem to friendship and soulfully so.



'Nap on the Bow': This song is a slow dance song but could also serve as background music to any great wine and cheese shindig. It is sophisticated and sexy, yet alluringly hip. You hear the perfect blend of synth-pop and R&B here. It is trippy and sobering at the same time. This is the perfect song to crank on your Ipod as you cruise the streets of NYC. For some reason I picture a woman, alone, in a trench coat walking the streets of any urban jungle. She looks behind her every now and again to make sure no one is following her as she makes her trek to her lover's apartment to spend some alone time with her secret beau. She is trapped between a relationship she despises and one she desires. The lyrics: 'I’m forever in the memory, all about you and me. I’m alone in the dark it's only us on this ark.' It's a love song but not in a mushy, dopey puppy way. The woman dreams of the day that she can escape her current relationship and only be in the arms of her lover. They can plan an escape. The lyrics: 'You and I on an island'. The woman and her lover are now in a boat, escaping to freedom; this is the woman's fantasy, a dream. She wakes up. Lyrics: 'Trying so hard to keep it away. We come, always the sunlight.' The song seems to suggest the pull of reality and fantasy. The dreamy vocals contrast to the rhythm and bass.




Other resources: ~http://newlookmusic.com/ (official band site)
~http://www.vogue.com/culture/article/band-of-the week-new-look/
(article on the band in Vogue)
~http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/gxgw (review on BBC)
~http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/14/new-band-new-look
(article on The Guardian)

2) WHITE LIES:

This band is one of my favorites now. They are British (go figure) but blend this 80's synth/underground rock into a new era. The band is from Ealing, London. The members of the band include: Harry McVeigh, Charles Cave, and Jack Lawrence-Brown. They very much sound like whisperings of Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, and Ultravox. I LOVE THEIR SOUND! It cuts into your soul like razors into skin. The vocals bleed onto the instrumentals and you are left feeling hollow inside. Not only that, but the songs are catchy and smart. It isn't dribble, and you know this band can produce great art; you can count on them to NOT let you down. Usually, I HATE synthesized music, but since both this and New Look use them smartly, I think I have an addendum to make. Synthesizer is fine as long as you use it correctly and not use it as boring filler or unnecessary fluff. If it helps paint your picture, then by all means, it is okay.

ALBUMS: To Lose My Life (2009) and Ritual (2011)

'Unfinished Business': The lyrics of this song are really catchy once you listen to it for a few go's. However then you find yourself walking down the street singing 'just put down those scissors baby on this single bed' or 'you've got blood on your hands and I know it's mine'. Then people look at you like you're nuts (yes, I've had this happen before). The opening melodic synthesizer is like a funeral dirge. You know something strange is about to happen. I imagine that this song is something about a lover's quarrel possibly. It seems that the woman that is being sung to has just killed her lover. What else would she be doing with scissors? Also, why would the singer not see his reflection, have cold skin, and not be seen by his lover. Lyrics: 'A voice beckoned gently now it's time to go. A requiem played as you begged for forgiveness.' I have teetered between thinking that the man was murdered in front of or by his lover. I go with the latter though, as it seems that this woman in the song is guilty of the blood on her hands. But then again, maybe it is a murder. Whatever the case, the man is definitely dead and moving 'into the light'. Lyrics: 'There's a light in the distance waiting for me, I will wait for you.' It is a very romantic song in a Shakespearean tragedy kind of way.




'Bigger Than Us':
The video for this song is brilliant. This is a little more rock n' roll and less sleepy than the other songs by Whites Lies, though no less haunting. The video seems to tell the story of a scene reminiscent from those 80's alien flicks like 'ET' or 'Flight of the Navigator'. A boy is hooked up to medical equipment surrounded by doctors and nurses. Then, the strangest part of all, a little girl is rescued out of a large candy bar that says 'Bigger Than Us'. Then, the girl is carried/walks into a crowd of concerned onlookers and police. She is pursued by the boy. At her finding a billboard of herself with the candy bar, the boy grabs her and kisses her passionately. I don't really get it, but I'm not sure we're supposed to get it. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who seems lost and out of reach. Her lover is disconnected and cannot find her. Lyrics: 'You took the tunnel route home. You've never taken that way with me before. Did you feel the need for change? However, it seems to be not only a story of longing and loss but also of fate. There are some things in life that are too large for even love to conquer. Lyrics: 'I feel like I'm breaking up and I wanted to stay...this is bigger than us.' I'm not sure if the girl is abducted, or if the man suddenly dies. Perhaps the 'lights on the hillside' are aliens and he is taken away on a spaceship. Whatever the case might be, we are to assume there is a tragic loss; the lovers are separated forever. Not a song/band to play on your first date!



Other resources:
~http://www.whitelies.com/ (official band site)
~http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/White+Lies (bio on music emissions)


3) CULTS:

I'm sure by now you're like, damn, this kid must only pay attention to rock/pop charts in The UK. Well, yes, this band, though not directly from the UK, is a big deal there (I first heard their music in an episode of 'Misfits'.) . I can't help it! There are so many awesome bands/artists coming out of the England/UK music scene. I also watch tons of British shows. Don't worry, I have some suggestions of artists purely/mostly unknown in England, at the end of this blog. The Cults, however, hail from Manhattan, NY. Brian Oblivion (real name?) and Madeline Follin formed their band while they were at The New School Anyway, Cults seems to fuse some 50's/60's retro doo-wop pop with 80's synth-pop and some indie upbeat rock. It is so upbeat, that the lyrics don't seem to match the meaning of the lyrics to the songs. It reminds me of Leslie Gore's 'Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows' where something sinister seems to lurk in the background. Is everyone really this happy? Hell no!

ALBUMS: Cults (2011)

'Go Outside': The video starts with vintage video news footage of the Jonestown massacre. Right away, you know what's coming (that is if you know the background of this issue). The song starts very upbeat and seemingly carefree with a xylophone over a loop of Jim Jones speaking. CREEPY! Yet also poignant. The lyric, 'I really want to go outside and stop to see your day And of course, we get footage of Jones's followers dancing and writhing in his church. They look full of good cheer and glee. We then see footage of Jim Jones's cult/commune in Guyana. The most disturbing image of all is the children's choir (you know their cyanide Kool-Aid fate awaits). The song shows the need to get out and see the world and not be tied to another individual. Lyrics: 'You really want to stay inside and sleep the light away.' There is a warning: don't let another persons negativity drag you down or define you. Lyrics: I think that you should wake up. I think I want to live my life and you're just in my way.' If only the members of Jones's cult knew this information. The video doesn't show the massacre and carnage that unfolded. However, at reporters visiting Jonestown, they tried to get the truth about these people and if they wanted to leave. Jim Jones used bullying and threats of violence to scare his followers into submission. So it was never clear whether most of Jones's followers were using free will or were brainwashed. Moral of the story is, think for yourself and don't let others define you.



'Abducted': This song is just as creepy as 'Go Outside'. Again, the beginning sounds upbeat but then you hear the lyric 'I knew right then I'd been abducted.' Yikes! The video is even more terrifying, depicting a woman dressed in a thin nightgown tied up in the middle of a desolate winter road. The reel plays backwards, and we learn that she was dumped out of a trunk of a vintage muscle car. The song brilliantly switches between male and female vocals, presumably the victim and victimized. The song is raw and dangerous. The melody starts slow but crescendos into rock n' roll fervor. It seems to match what the song is saying, that in many relationships one person gives/loves more than the other. Lyrics: 'I knew right then that I would be taking her heart. I knew right then that I'd never love her.' Sometimes love can leave us feeling 'abducted' as if we get too deep into a relationship, a person can become obsessed and pour all emotion into another person. When that person is a void and doesn't reciprocate love, it leaves a person 'scarred'. Lyric" 'He tore me apart because I really loved him. He took my heart away and left me to bleed out.' The video shows what many victims of hapless circumstances dream about, being able to inflict their pain on the person who caused it. All too often though, the 'abducted' is left as bereft and hollowed out as their 'kidnapper'.



Other resources:
~http://cultscultscults.com/us/splash/ (band site)
~http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/06/new-band-cults


Some other bands/artists to check out:

A) Cameron Stenger: a nice blend of folk/90's alternative. Ray LaMontagne meets Smashing Pumpkins (the earlier days).
albums are 'Fool's Day', 'Where You Are' and *'Lovers' *(release due in April 2012)

http://cameronstenger.tumblr.com/
http://cameronstenger.bandcamp.com/



B) Doran Danoff: blend of blues/funk/ragtime/barber shop/country roots. I really have nothing to compare it to; it stands on its own.
-albums are 'The Icarus Suite' and 'The Ghost and the Scratch'

http://www.dorandanoff.com/
http://www.livingroomny.com/artist/doran-danoff



C) Cuddle Magic: definitely well versed on the hipster scene but a good folky/indie/acoustic. They remind me of bands like The Peaches or Department of Eagles. Smart and ironic lyrics!
-albums are 'Cuddle Magic', 'Picture' and (soon to be released) 'Info Nympho'

http://www.cuddle-magic.com/
http://cuddlemagic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cuddlemagic/cuddle-magic-to-release-info-nympho-an-analog-reco



D) Bosco Delrey: A rock n' roll/synth-pop fusion and haberdashery of wild sounds (60s, 90s, now); have been compared to Beck and The The. I think they sound like bands like Papercuts or Black Lips (on acid). YEA!
-albums are 'Evil Lives/Wild One', 'Space Junky/My My Racecar', and 'Everybody Wah'

http://maddecent.com/artists/bosco-delrey
http://www.spin.com/articles/meet-bosco-delrey-diplos-new-rocknroll-whiz
http://blogs.kcrw.com/musicnews/2011/06/bosco-delrey-artist-you-should-know/



All of the artists at the bottom of this post are bands/artists who I have personal connections with, and I am friends with! I hope they all find success and personal satisfaction in their music! They are all majorly talented and I wish them the best!

Keep on rockin' in the free world!

~R~