independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
Lettuce continues to lead a groove funk revival with their evolved, 70s-infused acid jazz sound; camaraderie between bandmates flows out to the crowd through every note, creating a synchronicity with their fans. The six-piece group was fresh off two sets at Suwannee Hulaween in Florida where they debuted several new songs, and it was apparent... Continue Reading →
Los Angeles-based enigmatic R&B/soul artist Vector Xing began life as a musical sort, but never dreamed he could make a career of making his own art. After graduating from Princeton, the undercover singer entered the management side of the music industry, working for the legendary Quincy Jones for several years. “I managed artists and saw... Continue Reading →
Fresh off last week’s release of their new album, Feel, New York-based three-member touring machine Wild Adriatic took the intimate stage of the High Watt in Nashville. Feel, inspired by a painful breakup, was written to highlight the band’s evolution both in life and music. With that theme on display, the trio focused on songs from... Continue Reading →
El Michels Affair, the perennial purveyors of cinematic soul who have been churning out records for the likes of Lee Fields, The Arcs, The Shacks, and more, are back with Return To The 37th Chamber, the band's highly anticipated follow up to 2009's underground cult classic Enter the 37th Chamber. The album will be released April 14th via Big Crown Records. Producer... Continue Reading →
Wild Adriatic prides itself on its concert vibe, so the band decided to capture the thrill of their live show on their forthcoming album, Feel; as frontman Travis Gray explains, "These songs align with everything we've gone through in the last year. They highlight hard times, but also underlying hope and optimism. We're people. We're... Continue Reading →
My first listen to the funk finesse of “Appleton,” the new single from Wild Adriatic that invokes the imagery of summer-time humidity and southern-tinged blues rock, I just knew this band and I were kindred Southern spirits. However, my script was flipped when I found out they were from upstate New York. Me: “I love... Continue Reading →
Los Angeles-based matching vintage formalwear-sporting foursome, Chicano Batman, cut their teeth making Brazilian Tropicália blended with early ’70s psychedelic soul and romantic pop, and their reputation grew exponentially. The band will make their boldest statement yet with the release of their third album, Freedom Is Free, out March 3rd via ATO Records. While I questioned whether I was cool enough to... Continue Reading →
“Is it wrong if all we wanna do is dance and sing?”, asks Cherub’s Jordan Kelley in the opening track of the electropop duo’s new album, Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence; the lyrics set the tone for the record’s cover to cover atmosphere of funktastic fun from the fellas that brought us smash hit “Doses And... Continue Reading →
There are countless ways to combine samples, sounds, and samples of sounds to make music, and few, if any, bands uniquely demonstrate that better than The Floozies. Comprised of siblings Matt and Mark Hill, who have been jamming together since childhood, The Floozies have been funkafying concert halls and making folks shake what their mamas... Continue Reading →
If you are familiar with Nashville, you've probably heard of Grimey's, a.k.a. Grimey's New and Preloved Music (owned and operated by Mike Grimes and Doyle Davis), my favorite local record store, located in a big, old, creaky house on 8th Avenue South...and if you've heard of Grimey's, chances are you've heard of The Basement, the... Continue Reading →
