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Rock

Fossil Collective – Wolves

fossilcollective

The hour is drawing ever closer to Fossil Collective’s debut album; so here is one final cut before it’s officially time to pour yourself a warming beverage and sink into your life long companion of a listening chair, eyes closed while you carefully breath in every soothing moment of David Fendick and Jonny Hooker’s wonderfully crafted collection of songs. “Tell where I lie” will be released April 8th and can be pre-ordered from Dirty Hit here and in the meantime stream the next single “Wolves” to your hearts content. By Nathan Hetherington

Fossil Collective england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-28-13

Lab Coast – For Now

labcoast

Check out the wonderfully acoustic strum-driven (there’s definitely been a dearth of these sorts of tracks recently) and melodic “For Now”, excerpted from Calgary band Lab Coast’s upcoming Walking On Ayr LP, which is due in May on Mammoth Cave Records.

Lab Coast (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
03-27-13

Mikal Cronin – Weight

mikalcronin

New Merge-signee and Ty Segall broham Mikal Cronin releases possibly his strongest track to day with the shimmering West Coast pop of “Weight”. A sharply focused mix of disto guitar, Wilsonesque harmonies, and one world beater melody after another, “Weight” is a major step forward in class for the Laguna Beach, CA native. Cronin’s MCII LP is due May 7th.

Mikal Cronin (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
03-26-13

Niagara – Seal

niagara

We’ve been into “Seal” from Italian artists Niagara since the vid for the track dropped back in January. Today marks the release of the band’s Otto LP, from which the aforementioned “Seal” is lead track. Reminding a bit of Foals & Junip on the clattering soulful indie pop of “Seal”, the balance of the record veers quite a bit from this sound; covering varying genres from synth pop to bossa to stomper indie rock. Stream Otto on Soundcloud here.

Niagara italy (Facebook)

Rating: 8.4

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reviewed by
03-26-13

Rave’s Fave: Portugal. The Man – Evil Friends

Portugal The Man - Evil Friends

The new single from Portugal. The Man is, for me, a pleasant surprise. “Evil Friends” has a quirky, melodic bounce that stands out very nicely, and my ears can’t resist. While PTM have a sturdy following, I’ve since felt the band needed an extra boost to rise above the upper middle. This just might be the track. By Bruce Rave

Portugal. The Man – Evil Friends

Portugal. The Man alaska (Facebook)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
03-25-13

GRMLN – Teenage Rhythm

GRMLN

You feel that cool rush of air emanating right now from your laptop’s speakers? No, it’s not your DVD burner freaking the f out, it’s the sound of something fresh and interesting infiltrating your eardrums. GRMLN a/k/a Californian via Japan rock musician Yoodoo Park is the responsible party for all that freshness. Mr. GRMLN’s debut LP Empire will be released on June 4th. You can learn how to blog just by checking our fresh.

GRMLN (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-21-13

In The Valley Below – Hymnal

inthevalleybelow

In The Valley Below, whom we featured on a B3SCI Presents gig in L.A. back in July, announce their debut EP “Hymnal”. The somber, Los Angeles at nightfall with the Santa Ana winds rolling in, title track is our pick from the set. You can stream the rest of the (also great EP) on the band’s Soundcloud here.

In The Valley Below (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-20-13

Rave’s Fave: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Hate The Taste

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Luckily enough, their new Spector At the Feast album drops March 19 and just as our SXSW recoveries are underway. It’s a typical strong album for the BRMC crew, sometimes fast and hard, sometimes more mellow and on the slow side. Fans appreciate both styles from the band. “Hate the Taste” from the album is emerging for me as an early fave, and I know they’ll kill this one live as well. By Bruce Rave

BRMC – Hate The Taste (Official)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
03-10-13

Review: Gold Fields @ The Troubadour in LA on February 28, 2013

Photo via Debi Del Grande

Photo By Debi Del Grande
Review By Bruce Rave

Over the past year, Australia’s Gold Fields have proven themselves to be one of the most compelling new bands on the touring circuit. On Thursday, February 28th, the night following their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel, and a new album release for Black Sun, The Troubadour in West Hollywood was sold out for a blazing set from the band.

The performance that night was solid. Lead singer Mark Robert Fuller and his bandmates blended hooky melodies and instrumental parts with their rather unique percussive style. Gold Fields’ playing was airtight as they moved in two gears. There were mid-tempo songs such as the successful single “Dark Again”, and all bets were off when Gold Field’s turned things up and keyboardist Rob Clifton joined drummer Ryan D’Sylva on percussion. Their perfect set closer was the blistering “Moves”, which was one of the most effective finales in my recent memory (the track was also the Jimmy Kimmel bonus track, check it out below). Other highlights that night included the softer, pretty “Happy Boy” and the band’s powerful cover of Underworld’s “Born Slippy” from the Trainspotting soundtrack. Somewhat surprising, given the dynamics of their music, Gold Fields have an unassuming way to their performing. With a certain confidence, the band and their fans let the music speak for itself.

Earlier in the night, I hung out with Mark and Ryan of Gold Fields backstage at The Troubadour for an in-depth chat. We talked about their music, touring, Jimmy Kimmel telling them “don’t fuck this up” just before the band went on the air, and of course their upcoming appearance at the B3SCI Presents Day Party during SXSW. You can check out that interview below.

Gold Fields australia (Facebook)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
03-08-13

Lionlimb – Bound Widths

Lionlimb Rot Cover

The catchy disto-rock of “Bound Widths”, Chicago band Lionlimb’s front single from their “Rot” EP has been on blast here at B3 pretty much all week. Sort of reminiscent of early 2000’s Nada Surf if they were a bit more into beer and chasing girls, Lionlimb’s sound is one will certainly be on watch for in the coming year.

Lionlimb – Bound Widths

Lionlimb (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
03-08-13

Interview w/ Misty Miller

misty-miller-girlfriend-ep

B3SCI fam Erin Feathers recently caught up with hotly-tipped British singer-songwriter Misty Miller. Having just released her Girlfriend EP last week, Miller has made her track “Little Drummer” available as a free download (grab it below) ahead of UK tour dates this March supporting both Jake Bugg and Tom Odell (on different stints). Check out what Misty Miller had to say about musical influences both past and present, her various side projects, and a blossoming career…

B3SCI: You list your key musical influences as Patti Smith, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Irma Thomas, The Sonics, and The Gories. Surprise us with a couple random artists who color your musical outlook in a significant way…
Misty: Depends what you mean by surprise. A band called The Fat Whites who my drummer plays in. Blondie, maybe thats a surprise? Listen to “One Way Or Another” .. or “Dreaming”. She was so cool.

B3SCI: We’ve heard you mention that your musical palette varies from listening to performance. Do you think something like rap music could ever permeate your writing and performance?
Misty: Not in a really obvious way. If I saw someone do it and do it really well it would inspire me to perform with the same passion (or whatever it was about their performance that i liked).

B3SCI: Do you have a songwriting process and does your ukelele always play a role?
Misty: I havn’t written a song on my ukulele for about 2 years now. When I finished that album I was already starting to write songs on the guitar and have ever since. I don’t have process as such. It depends on the song and time.

B3SCI: Is there an instrument that you hope to learn someday?
Misty: I just wanna get better at guitar, really. Maybe play a few solos one day..

B3SCI: What has most influenced your musical evolution an vision as an artist?
Misty: The music scene I got involved with. I left college and started playing shows and meeting people around South London. The bands and people that I met influenced me a lot.

B3SCI: Tell us something quirky about Misty Miller…
Misty: Quirky eh?! I don’t like having clean hair. Or, I like to book bind.

B3SCI: What is your favorite place to jam and play music, aside from your gigs?
Misty: I have started rehearsing with my band at a mate of mine’s studio in peckham. It’s a small room but we work way better in there than in some fancy rehearsal studio. Or i just like play on my own if there is a guitar lying about in someones house or something.

B3SCI: If you could live somewhere other than London where would it be?
Misty: I don’t really have an answer to that as of yet. I would love to travel around America soon. Maybe after touring I’ll fall in love with a particular place.

B3SCI: What do fans need to know about Slit Lizard?
Misty: It’s a band I started with my friend Olivia. I couldn’t really play the guitar and she couldn’t really play the drums but I hadnt enjoyed playing and writing music so much until Slit Lizard. Heavily inspired by our friends band, The Midnight Barbers. A few of the songs off the EP were origonally Slit Lizard songs. “You Know What I Mean” and “Little Drummer”. My label weren’t too keen on the whole thing but without Slit Lizard (and Olivia) I wouldn’t have gotten away from playing music I wasn’t actually that happy with.

B3SCI: Tell us about the Girlfriend EP and where it leading Misty Miller…
Misty: I can’t tell you how good it feels to finally have this music out there and to be playing it in front people that actually want to listen now! It took a while to get my label to ‘get it’ and I’m so glad I didnt give up and decide to do something that I wasn’t really passionate about. Hopefully the next EP will sound as good and lead on to a killer album. I am not a natural in the studio yet but my band help me a lot.

B3SCI: How has your history growing up in an artistic family affected your experience as an artist?
Misty: Having music around me from a young age, being in the studio and backstage as a kid. All things those sorts of things. Making music my natural habitat.

B3SCI: It sounds like you dabble a bit with inking your own tattoos. What tattoo is next on your list?
Misty: Yeah i have about 6 or so now, all pretty shit, and all hand done. I have no idea what the next one will be.

B3SCI: We’re hooking you up with a ride in the B3SCI time machine. Where are you going?
Misty: Stonehenge “where the demons dwell!” But if i can’t come back to now then i aint goin’ anywhere.

Misty Miller (Facebook)

reviewed by
03-07-13

The ACBs – Television

We’re way into The ACBs. The Kansas City guitar band’s delicious and well executed mix of soul-as-inflected-through-an-anglo-lens indie rock and A-1 pop songwriting skill, as exampled here on “Television”, makes for great repeat listening material. The band’s sophomore LP Little Leaves (the follow-up to the excellent Stona Rosa) is out now.

The ACB’s – Record Store

The ACBs missouri (Bandcamp)

The ACBs – Television from Brook Linder on Vimeo.

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-06-13