Barcelona

Barcelona are considered hometown heros to their native Seattle, WA fans. Within three years the band has grown from an independent solo project, to one of the rising artists on the Universal Motown label. Piano driven ballads control the sound for Barcelona on their debut album "Absolutes." The song "It's About Time" is reminiscent of Keane with the full band components of Coldplay. The three piece band has created their mark on the music scene with their work on "Absolutes." Currently Barcelona works tirelessly in the studio on their followup album with a yet unknown release date. A sneak peak into the recording process has been provided by the band with future updates to soon be revealed.

RIYL: Copeland, Aqualung, Lovedrug







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Dawes

If Dr. Dog is the future of classic rock then I would add Dawes to that list of bands as well. Straight out of the North Hills of Los Angeles, four california guys recreated the music of their childhood. While other bands overdub recording sessions into computers, Dawes records their entire album live onto 2' tape. Critics call their efforts a desperate attempt to be retro but their sound weaves together their sound and identity. "North Hills" invites you into their personal practice space letting every nuance be detected. Even occasional wrong notes and going off pitch only add to the album's experience. Some vocals are reminiscent of Neil Young mixed with the harmonies of The Thorns, while others range from Motown Soul to Classic Folk. Iconic songs like "America The Beautiful" by Ray Charles come to mind listening to the power of "That Western Skyline." Taylor Goldsmith's voice invades your soul and takes hold. Dawes are playing shows throughout the entire country this summer so check them out, odds are they are going to be in a town near you.

RIYL: Neil Young, Dr. Dog, The Thorns







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Sky Larkin

Indie pop riffs and just the right amount of repetitive shout-outs have international fans flocking to UK trio Sky Larkin’s first album -“The Golden Spike.” Lead vocalist Katie Harkin showcases Sky Larkens energy and style in songs like "Antibodies" and "Beeline". And in an off-beat way Harkins channels (a) Sheryl Crow-esque melody/style/vocals on “Molten.” No need to pace yourself. Feel free to wear out “The Golden Spike.” Sky Larkin has been busy recording a followup "Kaledie," which releases in August on Wichita Recordings worldwide.

Sit back with your fedora and margarita because the trio’s summer jams go perfectly chilln by the pool. Look for one of their tracks on my Summer Playlist coming out next week.

RIYL: Rilo Kiley, An Horse, Tegan and Sara







If you would like information about where to get this album email BloginHood@Gmail.com

Suckers

Brooklyn, NY appears to be the breeding ground for up and coming artists on the verge. The town hasn’t lost its muse-like appeal because the band “Suckers” are about to be the next powerhouse. Move over Dirty Projectors and MGMT because is the highly anticipated debut album“ Wild Smile” surpasses the hype. I was able to catch Suckers when they opened for Local Natives in Atlanta about a month ago and they put on one of the best performances I have ever seen. Even without hearing one of their songs prior to the show, the band's energy and melodies in each of their songs becomes contagious. Every member displays their abilities as a multi-instrumentalist swapping instruments mid performance. The massive amounts of alternative percussion combined with screaming chants and a trumpet left chillbumps long after I first heard this album.

"Wild Smile" will definitely be on my best of the year list.

RIYL: Local Natives, Yeasayer, Vampire Weekend







Extra: Black Sheep Video Premier



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Gayngs

Minnesota based band Gayngs is the latest supergroup to be breaking onto the indie music scene. The band is the combination of various artists from bands Solid Gold, Bon Iver, The Rosebuds, Megafaun, and many more. Gayngs' eclectic sound is to be expected from the amount of artists collaborating together. Each track on the album can easily stand on its own as a testament to what the band represents. With its haunting harmonies from Justin Vernon and a smooth R&B groove, the first track "The Gaudy Side of Life" screams sex. Many references have been brought up comparing this song to a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony classic. Another must listen from the album is Gayngs' cover of a Godley & Creme song "Cry." The song and video are tributes to Godley & Creme and 10cc, two bands that heavily influenced the sound of Gayngs. The soft-rock dynamics combined with larger than life harmonies allow Gayngs to separate themselves from any others. Too bad this didn't come out in the 80's or early 90's because they would've been huge.

Update: The final track on the album entitled "The Last Prom On Earth" is unbelievable. Justin Vernon brings back the auto-tune that he used on "Woods" and then he starts spitin' some rhymes. It is a must listen for sure.

RIYL: Bon Iver, 10cc, Kenny G







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Justin Townes Earl

Justin Townes Earl is a Nashville based troubadour with an old soul. He was raised in a songwriting household where he honed his skills by playing in local and touring bands throughout the nineties. Justin's signature sound is reminiscent of other great songwriters like John Prine. He is even contributing a cover of John Prine's "Far From Me" to the Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows collection of John Prine songs. Justin will be included on the album next to other artists Justin Vernon, The Avett Brothers, and Conor Oberst to name a few. Justin Townes Earl's country voice is rich with emotion and heart that can be heard on songs about his past loves and family. Songs off "Midnight At The Movies" are what country music was meant to be. This album marks Justin's third album release but he should be releasing another by the end of the year. These songs are rich and they should enjoyed while sipping whiskey on a hot souther night.

RIYL: Josh Ritter, Griffin House, City and Colour







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The Cinematic Orchestra

The Cinematic Orchestra is a music project formed by Scottish born, Jason Swinscoe, in 1999. The band's sound was heavily inspired by jazz and film scores. For this album Jason wrote his own scenes to a fictional film where each of these songs could be used. This gave him a better direction on how he wanted to form the album's emotions. The Ma Fleur album was written and recorded almost entirely in Paris which Jason claims was a large factor in the album's sound. When trying to determine what this album is comparable to there is a range of influences and dynamics to notice. Many of the piano and songwriting could be compared to Coldplay, while the jazz percussion forms the songs into something closer to Tenebre. The eclectic sound on The Cinematic Orchestra is one that can be easily appreciated and not to be missed. In fact you may have even heard this band without knowing it on television shows Grey's Anatomy, Without A Trace, Ugly Betty, and many more.

RIYL: Coldplay, The Album Leaf, David Gray







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Angus & Julia Stone

Angus & Julia Stone is the brother sister music group that has taken Australia by storm. The duo have recently released their second full length album "Down The Way", just months after Angus released his first side project Lady of The Sunshine. The sound of the Stone siblings can be described as acoustic alternative with the accompaniment of haunting vocals. Both Angus and Julia have eerily distinctive voices that shine through on songs like "Big Jet Plane" and "And The Boys". In my review of Lady of The Sunshine I compared Angus' sound to that of Coldplay and I can still hear these similarities in this band as well. Angus & Julia Stone is definately one to keep a look out for as their sound slowly makes its way overseas.

RIYL: Lady of The Sunshine, Mat Costa, Greg Laswell







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First Aid Kit

Homely harmonies and meaningful songwriting are the backbone for the Swedish sisters that make up First Aid Kit. Klara and Johanna Söderberg first gained attention when they posted a cover of the Fleet Foxes' song Tiger Mountain Peasant Song. Since then the duo released a debut Ep "Drunken Trees" and have recently released their first full length album "The Big Black And The Blue". Every song on both albums prominently features the sister's beautiful harmonies on each delicate ballad. The band claims that the wilderness of Sweden provided much of the inspiration for their songs. This can be seen in some of their YouTube videos where they are performing acoustic in their native woods. While campfire tales and Kumbaya seem like the proper venue for First Aid Kit you can see them live this June in one of their first US tours. For more information check out their Myspace.

RIYL: Fleet Foxes, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Elliot Smith







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Boy & Bear

Australia is home to some of the latest rising artists breaking onto the music scene. From Lady of the Sunshine to The Temper Trap the Australian Outback is creating musicians that each have a sound all their own. The latest band to debut their music from Australia is Boy & Bear. This five piece of young musicians have managed to create elegant harmonies on top of down home folk. Each song has its distinctive hook to bring you back for more. With their three part harmonies and acoustic driven lyrics listeners are sure to notice similarities reminiscent of the Seattle based Fleet Foxes. Boy & Bear have found success on Australia's Triple J radio station by winning the Unearthed Homebake Competition. This station is where artists like Mumford & Sons gained a lot of ground by debuting their singles. Boy & Bear's debut Ep "With Emperor Antarctica" was recently released in Australia but is currently unavailable in the US. Hopefully an overseas release will occur soon. In the meantime you can stream the five song Ep on Boy and Bear's myspace. While you are there you can also sign up to receive a free download of their first singe "Mexican Mavis".

RIYL: Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear