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[B3SCI Records] Fickle Friends – Cry Baby

Out now on B3SCI Records is “Cry Baby”, the new Mike Crossey (The 1975, Foals)-produced single from our faves in Brighton, Fickle Friends. The track available now on limited 7″ pink vinyl was called “excellent indie pop” by Stereogum and a “pop jam” by Nylon. Further details on the release can be had at B3SCI Records. Added bonus(!) UK R&B heavy-hitters HONNE have remixed “Cry Baby” which is available for your streaming pleasure below.

reviewed by
09-07-16

The Japanese House – Sister

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The yearning pop sprawl of “Sister” is the latest track reveal from Dirty Hit-signee (The 1975, Ben Khan, Marika Hackman, etc) The Japanese House’s forthcoming debut EP “Pools To Bathe In” out April 27.

The Japanese House (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
04-21-15

Review: LANY @ Sayers Club, Los Angeles 02/03/15

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Review by Brian Litwin

Tuesday nights are just done differently in Hollywood. Good looking people, drinks constantly flowing, smiles around and buzz around what the new hottest thing may be. This is the Hollywood norm and LANY at the Sayers Club brought all that buzz to life last night.

Riding a giant wave of Internet love, now LA trio LANY ripped into one of their first live shows. Playing catchy electro-pop tracks like “BRB” and the new single “Bad, Bad, Bad”, the group had the massive industry presence chomping at the bit. Friends and fans were singing along to the lyrics of “ILYSB” and the at capacity crowd vibed to the single “Made In Hollywood” to cap off the impressive showing.

Give these three amigos 2015 to find a home, develop more songs (they only have 7 songs to date and have been a band for 9 months) and hop on a tour (opening for the 1975 would do wonders for these dudes), and check back to see how big they can be.

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LANY california (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
02-06-15

Premiere: Your Underdog – No Swim Zone

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New York City newcomers Your Underdog evoke the A+ pop sensibility of bands like The 1975 and Two Door Cinema Club while mixing in tasteful non-hokey references to artful 80’s pop a la Carousel on debut track “No Swim Zone”. Enjoy the B3 premiere of Your Underdog’s “No Swim Zone” below and look out for more material soon from this very exciting new band.

Your Underdog newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
10-30-14

James Vincent McMorrow – You Know

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World conqueror James Vincent McMorrow is releasing a deluxe version of his acclaimed Post-Tropical LP on November 10th. One extra from the re-release package, which also includes two other new tracks and remixes from The 1975, Atu, and DPAT, is the unreleased rhythm-driven folk gem “You Know”. You can stream “You Know” before and do look out for JVM touring Europe and America this fall (we’ve included those dates below).

Oct 05 – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire – London, United Kingdom
Oct 07 – Kampnagel – Hamburg, Germany
Oct 08 – Vega Musikkens Hus – Copenhagen, Denmark
Oct 09 – Huxleys – Berlin, Germany
Oct 11 – Gloria – Cologne, Germany
Oct 12 – Cirque Royal – Brussels, Belgium
Oct 13 – La Cigale – Paris, France
Oct 14 – Tivoli Vredenburg Grote Zaal – Utrecht, Netherlands
Oct 16 – Theaterfabrik – Munich, Germany
Oct 17 – Biko – Milano, Italy
Oct 19 – Mascotte – Zurich, Switzerland
Oct 20 – FRI-SON – Fribourg, Switzerland
Oct 22 – Sala Apolo – Barcelona, Spain
Oct 24 – Joy Eslava – Madrid, Spain
Nov 01 – The Kessler – Dallas, TX
Nov 02 – The Belmont – Austin, TX
Nov 04 – The Mercy Lounge – Nashville, TN
Nov 05 – The Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Nov 06 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Nov 08 – The Lincoln – Washington, DC
Nov 10 – Town Hall – New York, NY
Nov 12 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL
Nov 13 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
Nov 16 – The Neptune – Seattle, WA
Nov 17 – The Aladdin – Portland, OR
Nov 19 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
Nov 20 – Ace Hotel – Los Angeles, CA

James Vincent McMorrow ireland (Official) (Facebook) (iTunes)

Rating 9.0

brown93

reviewed by
09-26-14

Premiere: CRUISR – Don’t Go Alone

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CRUISR is the latest find of the excellent Vagrant Records (The 1975, Active Child, Ben Leftwich, James McMorrow, etc). The Philly band traffic in forward-thinking and innovative indie pop as evidenced by the infectious but stylistically interesting “Don’t Go Alone”. CRUISR have an EP “All Over”, their debut, due next week on Vagrant (Sept. 23) and you can sample the B3 premiere of “Don’t Go Alone” below.

CRUISR pennsylvania: (Facebook) (Pre-Order ‘All Over’ EP)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
09-18-14

Interview with Circa Waves

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If you still like to rock and roll, then there’s lots (and lots) to love about Liverpool darlings Circa Waves. This young Brit rocker collective know how to jangle their way around a catchy song. Amidst their forthcoming and debut US tour writer Cher Dunn had the chance to chat with band-member Joe Falconer about growing up in Liverpool, their ‘Young Chasers’ EP and forthcoming album, life on the road, and more. Have a look at their conversation below.

B3SCI: Your hometown of Liverpool has been a notable city of great music, tell us what it was like to grow up in the local music scene, as a musician or a fan.

Circa Waves: I moved here about 6 years ago from a small town in the Midlands and the music scene was definitely one of the main reasons I came here. The best thing about Liverpool is that it feels like a big city condensed into a tiny space, so everything creative and interesting coming out of it is happening in a really small area. There’s a lot of independent venues all within a 5 minute walk from each other so it becomes very easy as a fan or musician to become involved and there’s a really strong community spirit. There’s a real diversity to the types of music that people are playing which I think pushes people on to keep trying new things.

B3SCI: When did you start playing music and what made you decide you wanted to try to pursue music professionally?

Circa Waves: I started playing piano when I was really young, but that kind of thing is a very solitary affair which isn’t what I enjoy about playing music. The big thing was when I picked up a guitar for the first time and started to play with other people, and realising that doing that is the thing that’ll make up better. I think moving to Liverpool was my first decision to try and take it more seriously. After that I made sure I played with other people and never resigned myself to a job that would take opportunities away from me, I didn’t want to commit to anything else because I never really saw myself happy doing anything other than music.

B3SCI: So far Circa Waves has released some really strong, upbeat and addictive tracks that seem to have an array of influences. How did the band meet, and what has the writing process together been like?

Circa Waves: We all got together last year in Liverpool. Kieran had just written “Young Chasers” and the rest of us knew that it was something we wanted to be part of when we heard it. The original plan was to give it our best shot, and hopefully (we’d) play at the festival the next year; we managed that, and in the mean time ended up doing things that we never really expected. As we developed as a band, and all brought something to create our sound as a band, we all work on ideas more collaboratively.

B3SCI: You signed to Vagrant Records, an awesome label. How was that experience? What are you most excited for with the release of your self-titled EP this year?

Circa Waves: We’re stoked to be signed to such a cool label, the thing we’re most excited about is getting the opportunity to play shows in the States and tour around, it’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

B3SCI: When can we expect a full-length album, and where did the band record?

Circa Waves: The album is going to be coming out next year, we spent 5 weeks down in London recording it.

B3SCI: You guys seem to be touring non-stop. Tell us some of most memorable moments while on tour and what you look forward to with your upcoming UK tour.

Circa Waves: Because touring is mainly spent in the van, the secret of staying sane is trying to make the most of each place in the shortest amount of time. If we have a couple of hours before a gig we’ll try and walk around a city and see something worthwhile and then afterwards we go find a bar and drink something worthwhile. Europe has been great for that even if you risk wandering around desperately trying to find a cab at 4am in an area that may or may not be a shady part of town.

B3SCI: What has been your favorite city on tour and where would you like to go?

Circa Waves: At the moment we’ve yet to go out of Europe, but we’ve got some dates lined up in Japan which I’m really excited about. I really love Berlin too, we were there for Record Store Day and played a couple of gigs. It’s one of those cities where you can feel like there’s something going on, everyone there has a really accepting and creative mind set.

B3SCI: How has the festival circuit been for you so far? Have you had any memorable moments?

Circa Waves: Festivals have been a great experience, the crowds so far have been amazing. The first one we did at Best Kept Secret was one of my favourites; we didn’t know what to expect when we showed up but the reaction was great and the crowd put so much energy into it throwing each other.

B3SCI: How do you pass the time while traveling on tour? Is there anything you are reading or listening to you can recommend to your fans?

Circa Waves: Sleep. Read. Listen to Music. Play Fifa. I’m currently reading a biography of a Indian Mathematician called Ramanujan who grew up in a remote village and came to England to study and then went home to die a tragically young death. It’s a good van read, but sometimes the drier bits of the book coupled with the movement of the road make me real sleepy.

B3SCI: What are your goals for the rest of the year?

Circa Waves: More Rock, More Roll.

Circa Waves england (Facebook)

Circa Waves On Tour

8/07 Norway @ Oya Festival
8/09 Sweden @ Way Out West Festival
8/16 Japan @ Summersonic Festival
8/17 Japan @ Summersonic Festival
8/23 Reading UK @ Reading Festival
8/24 Leeds UK @ Leeds Festival
9/21 Manchester UK @ Apollo (w/ The 1975)
9/22 Manchester UK @ Apollo (w/ The 1975)
9/24 Glasgow UK @ Barrowlands (w/ The 1975)
9/25 Glasgow UK @ Barrowlands (w/ The 1975)
9/26 Manchester UK @ Apollo (w/ The 1975)
9/27 Manchester UK @ Apollo (w/ The 1975)
9/28 London UK @ Alexandra Palace (w/ The Libertines)
9/29 Wolverhampton Uk @ Civic Hall (w/ The 1975)
9/30 London UK @ Alexandra Palace (w/ The 1975)
10/01 London UK @ Alexandra Palace (w/ The 1975)
10/20 Washington DC @ DC9
10/21 Allston MA @ Great Scott Allston
10/28 Los Angeles CA @ The Echo’s Pop Shop West

reviewed by
08-16-14

Premiere: Secret Company – Saviour [Video]

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Essex UK four-piece Secret Company debut the official video for their breakout track “Saviour”. Blending just enough pop sensibility shine (a la The 1975 or Bastille) to give the track the accessibility its anthemic ambitions require, “Saviour” still keeps it c-o-o-l with its of-the-moment layered rhythms and inventively textured atmospheres. We’ve got your B3SCI World Premiere of “Saviour” below.

Secret Company england (Official)

Rating 8.2

brown93

reviewed by
02-18-14

B3SCI Best of 2013: Staff Top 20’s

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It takes a village to build a B3SCI. That, and an exceedingly dope team of music mavens and cool bros & bras (girls). Check out Team B3’s favorite tracks and albums from 2013.

2013mikealbums

*Mikey C.

Albums:

01. Disclosure – Settle
02. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
03. The 1975 – The 1975
04. Kanye West – Yeezus
05. FOALS – Holy Fire
06. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
07. HAIM – Days Are Gone
08. Jake Bugg – Shangri La
09. Lorde – Pure Heroine
10. Drake – Nothing Was The Same
11. The Neighbourhood – I Love You
12. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
13. Tom Odell – Long Way Down
14. Rudimental – Home
15. London Grammar – If You Wait
16. Phoenix – Bankrupt!
17. PAPA – Tender Madness
18. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience
19. David Bowie – The Next Day
20. FIDLAR – FIDLAR

Songs:

01. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
02. BANKS – Before I Ever Met You
03. Disclosure – White Noise
94. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
05. Jungle – Lucky I Got What I Want
06. Rihanna – Stay
07. James Blake – Retrograde
08. Mausi – Move
09. Justin Timberlake – Suit & tie
10. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
11. The Orwells – Other Voices
12. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
13. Jaymes Young – Wondering
14. Mapei – Don’t Wait
15. John Newman – Love Me Again
16. James Vincent McMorrow – Cavalier
17. Little Daylight – Overdose
18. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19. Josef Salvat – This Life
20. London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years

2013troyalbums

*Troy Meyer

Albums:

01. Kanye West – Yeezus
02. Disclosure – Settle
03. Pusha T – My Name Is My Name
04. Volcano Choir – Repave
05. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels
06. David Bowie – The Next Day
07. Darkside – Psychic
08. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
09. Iceage – You’re Nothing
10. Drake – Nothing Was the Same
11. My Bloody Valentine – mbv
12. Danny Brown – Old
13. Oneohtrix Point Never – R Plus Seven
14. James Blake – Overgrown
15. HAIM – Days Are Gone
16. A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord
17. Phosphorescent – Muchahco
18. Arctic Monkeys – AM
19. Jon Hopkins – Immunity
20. King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

Songs:

01. Banks – Warm Water
02. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
03. Kanye West – Blood on the Leaves
04. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
05. James Blake – Retrograde
06. Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home
07. Rihanna – Stay
08. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
09. Disclousure – You & Me
10. HAIM – Falling
11. Ariana Grande – The Way
12. MS MR – Fantasy
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Sacrilege
14. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
15. Josef Salvat – This Life
16. Phantogram – Fall in Love
17. Jungle – The Heat
18. Raleigh Ritchie – Stay Inside
19. Pusha T – Numbers On The Board
20. MO – Waste of Time

2013brucealbums

*Bruce Rave

Albums:

1. Arctic Monkeys – AM
2. Johnny Marr – The Messenger
3. St. Lucia – When The Night
4. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
5. Of Montreal – Lousy With Sylvianbriar
6. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
7. Bastille – Bad Blood
8. Muse – Live At Rome Olympic Stadium
9. Foals – Holy Fire
10. Beady Eye – BE
11. Tribes – Wish to Scream
12. Soft Swells – Lifeboats
13. David Bowie – The Next Day Extra
14. Savages – Silence Yourselves
15. Fidlar – Fidlar
16. Portugal the Man – Evil Friends
17. Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
18. Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Untamed Beast
19. Jake Bugg – Shangri-La
20. The Virginmary – King of Conflict

Songs:

1. Frank Turner – Four Simple Words
2. Tribes – Englishman on Sunset Blvd.
3. Temples – Shelter Song
4. Pet Shop Boys – Love Is A Bourgeoisie Construct
5. Everything Everything – Duet
6. Teleman – Christina
7. Bastille – Flaws
8. Local Natives – Ceilings
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito
10. Vampire Weekend – Step
11. Champs – My Spirit’s Broken
12. Moby – The Perfect Life
13. The Jim Jones Revue – Where da Money Go
14. Foals – Providence
15. The Record Company – Feels So Good
16. Placebo – Too Many Friends
17. The Strypes – Blue Collar Jane
18. Cage the Elephant f/ Allison Mosshart – It’s Just Forever
19. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Let the Day Begin
20. St. Lucia – Call Me Up

2013brianalbums

*Brian Litwin

Albums: (no particular order)

SAVAGES – SILENCE YOURSELF
TORO Y MOI – ANYTHING IN RETURN
CHRVCHES – THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE
THE 1975 – THE 1975
DISCLOSURE – SETTLE
ARCTIC MONKEYS – AM
DAFT PUNK – RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES
KANYE WEST – YEEZUS
AUTRE NE VEUT – ANXIETY
DRAKE – NOTHING WAS THE SAME
HAIM – DAYS ARE GONE
CHARLES BRADLEY – VICTIMS OF LOVE
VAMPIRE WEEKEND – MODERN VAMPIRE OF THE CITY
DANNY BROWN – OLD
BEACON – THE WAYS WE SEPARATE
LORDE – PURE HEROINE
BOARDS OF CANADA – TOMORROW’S HARVEST
ODDISEE – THE BEAUTY IN ALL
FUCK BUTTONS – SLOW FOCUS
A$AP FERG – TRAP LORD

Songs: (no particular order)

STEP ROCKETS – KISSER
CHRIS MALINCHAK – SO GOOD TO ME
JUNGLE – THE HEAT
WAVE RACER – ROCK U TONITE
THE CHAIN GANG OF 1974 – SLEEPWALKING
FRACTURES – TWISTED
JAI PAUL – ANYTHING OFF THE LEAKED ALBUM
THE 1975 – CHOCOLATE
KANYE WEST – BOUND 2
TORO Y MOI – HARM IN CHANGE
KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS – RECOLLECTION
WALLA – NATURE
MAJOR LAZER – BUBBLE BUTT
CHRVCHES – GUN
PHOSPHORESCENT – SONG FOR ZULA
MOUNT KIMBIE – YOU TOOK YOUR TIME (FEAT KING KRULE)
RYAN HEMSWORTH – AGAINST A WALL
VALENTINA – LADDERS
BANKS – THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE
HOLY GHOST! – DUMB DISCO IDEAS

2013desiree

*Desiree Autobee

Albums:

1. Mansions – Doom Loop
2. Small Black – Limits Of Desire
3. Haim – Days Are Gone
4. The 1975 – The 1975
5. Sombear – Love You In The Dark
6. Tegan And Sara – Heartthrob
7. Jessie Ware – Devotion
8. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
9. Kisses – Kids In LA
10. Ms Mr – Secondhand Rapture
11. Caroline Smith – Half About Being A Woman
12. Guards – In Guards We Trust
13. Wild Ones – Keep It Safe
14. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
15. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
16. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City
17. Sharks – Selfhood
18. Joywave – 88888
19. Flagship – Flagship
20. Robby Hunter Band – Magic City Hippies

Songs:

1. The Chain Gang Of 1974 – Sleepwalking
2. Shy Girls – Second Heartbeat
3. Body Language – The Chasing
4. Wild Cub – Thunder Clatter
5. The Limousines – Love Is A Dog From Hell
6. Donora – Under The Lights
7. Gauntlet Hair – Human Nature
8. Phantogram – Celebrating Nothing
9. Ra Ra Riot – Dance With Me
10. Sky Ferreira – You’re Not The One
11. Shout Out Louds – Blue Ice
12. Tennis – Mean Streets
13. Wet – Dreams
14. Josh Ritter – New Lover
15. Glacier Face – Last Days
16. Best Coast – This Lonely Morning
17. Kate Boy – Northern Lights
18. Andrew Belle – Dark Matter
19. Kitten – Graffiti Soul
20. Lazerhawk – The Video Craze

2013joanne

*Joanne Lam

Albums: (no particular order)

Quadron – Avalanche
Bill Callahan – Dream River
Rhye – Woman
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
Nils Frahm – Spaces
Tim Hecker – Virgins
King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath The Moon
Mount Kimbie – Cold Spring Fault Less Youth
Forest Swords – Engravings
Theo Parrish – Black Jazz Signature
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk
Oddisee – The Beauty In It All
Lubomyr Melnyk – Corollaries
Joomanji – Manj
Jackson C. Frank – Forest of Eden
Grouper – The Man Who Died In His Boat
Derrick Hodge – Live Today
José James – No Beginning, No End
Georgia Anne Muldrow as Jyoti – Denderah

Songs: (no particular order)

Tim Hecker – Black Refractions
José James – Make It Right
Bill Callahan – The Sing
Jungle – Drops
Quadron – Crush
Moonchild – All The Joy
Thundercat – Tenfold
Rhye – The Fall
Diggs Duke – Cause I Love You
James Blake – Our Love Comes Back
King Krule – Ocean Bed
Nils Frahm – Says
Hiatus Kaiyote – Nakamarra
Joomanji ft. Lindsay Olsen – Spread Too Thin
Derrick Hodge – Night Visions
The Spandettes – Sweet and Saccharine
Danny Brown – Lonely
Blu – Keep Pushinn
Shintaro Sakamoto – Don’t Know What’s Normal
Omar ft. Pino Palladino – There’s Nothing Like This

2013eliana

*Eliana Segal

Albums:

1. We Are the Same – Tallhart
2. Talon of the Hawk – The Front Bottoms
3. Common Courtesy – A Day to Remember
4. Save Rock n’ Roll – Fall Out Boy
5. Pythons – Surfer Blood
6. You Are Here – Magic Man
7. What You Don’t See – The Story So Far
8. Magnolia – Turnover
9. The Hands That Thieve – Streetlight Manifesto
10. The Greatest Generation – The Wonder Years
11. Ordinary Silence – Mixtapes
12. Adding up the Wasted Hours – The Lonely Forest
13. Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die – Panic! at the Disco
14. Tape Deck Heart – Frank Turner
15. Selfhood – Sharks
16. Doom Loop – Mansions
17. Youth – Citizen
18. Jar – Daylight
19. The Hurry and the Harm – City & Colour
20. True Trans – Against Me!

Songs:

1. Four Simple Words – Frank Turner
2. Twin Size Mattress – The Front Bottoms
3. Passing Through a Screen Door – The Wonder Years
4. City of Ocala – A Day to Remember
5. Lovric’s – The Lonely Forest
6. Paris – Magic Man
7. Follow Your Arrow – Kasey Musgraves
8. Clairvoyant – The Story So Far
9. Young Volcanoes – Fall Out Boy
10. I Was Wrong – Surfer Blood
11. Still Into You – Paramore
12. Roam the Room – Citizen
13. A Ring a Reason – Tallhart
14. Carry You Over – Tigers Jaw
15. A Life Less Ordinary – The Bronx
16. Cannonball – Diamond Youth
17. Conventry – Old Gray
18. Climbers – Mansions
19. Vegas Lights – Panic! at the Disco
20. It’s About Time – Young the Giant

2013charlie

*Charles Walker

Albums:

1. A Color Map of the Sun – Pretty Lights
2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
3. Unorthadox Jukebox – Bruno Mars
4. Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Jay Z
5. Corsicana Lemonade – White Denim
6. Smoke and Mirrors – Brett Dennen
7. good kid m.A.A.d city – Kendrick Lamar
8. The 1975 – The 1975
9. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – Eminem
10. Like Clockwork – Queens of the Stone Age
11. Yeezus – Kanye West
12. The Bones of What You Believe – CHVRCHES
13. Love Lust Faith + Dreams – Thirty Seconds To Mars
14. The Paradigm Shift – Korn
15. The Electric Lady – Janelle Monae
16. Free The Universe – Major Lazer
17. Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
18. Reflektor – Arcade Fire
19. Amok – Atoms For Peace
20. Disclosure – Settle

Songs:

1. Royals – Lorde
2. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
3. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
4. Fuckin Problems – A$AP Rocky, Drake, and 2 Chainz
5. Wrecking ball – Miley Cyrus
6. Bubble Butt – Major Lazer
7. Holy Grail – Jay Z
8. Safe and Sound – Capital Cities
9. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke
10. Bezerk – Eminem
11. Chocolate – The 1975
12. So Many Details – Toro Y Moi
13. The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES
14. Who Got It – Break Science
15. The Lottery – The Stepkids
16. Afraid – The Neighbourhood
17. Ashtrays and Heartbreaks – Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus
18. Falling – Haim
19. Happy – Robert DeLong
20. City Of Angels – Thirty Seconds To Mars

reviewed by
12-17-13

Looking Back: The Great Escape 2013

The Great Escape 2013

By Bruce Rave

For years, the UK has had smaller versions of Austin’s SXSW. Several continue to thrive, and none more so than The Great Escape. It takes place in Brighton every May. 300 bands play in this charming party town, which is located on the English Channel. The event is more of a regional European festival with attendees and bands arriving from far and wide: Australians came to play even US bands like The Orwells, Phosphorescent and Parquet Courts, not only showed up, but blew people away in the process. A few established Brits such as Billy Bragg and Everything Everything played for those willing to shell out extra pounds to see them. For me, it was all about the up and coming peeps… just as it is at SXSW.

I saw about two dozen bands over the course of three days. If I were to give you one group that hit the biggest home run for me, it was The Strypes. These Irish mid-teens hammer out an intense R&B/garage blend of early Stones and Yardbirds. If you like this kind of music as much as I do, their live show is a “10” and it will be impossible not to have a smile on your face. They have amazing poise for their age, on and offstage. I interviewed them during the weekend, and that chat will soon be posted on B3SCI – stay tuned. Strypes hope to hit America next March for SXSW 2014. Another band that I interviewed was Tribes, who are also great live. Look for that post in the near future. This London band borrows more from the 70’s glam period and just released a new album in the UK. It follows up their top ten debut. They had the misfortune of following The 1975, who flashing-back had dazzled us at the B3SCI SXSW party in March. With two serious UK hits now under their belts, The 1975 drew such a huge throng that many Tribes fans gave up waiting in line. Temples matched the keen expectations I had for them, of which were mostly based on their first single “Shelter Song”. Their set contained several more songs with hit potential, and Temples absolutely deliver live. All four guys in the band ooze stardom, and front man James Bagshaw sports a perfect Tommy Bolan hairdo (bonus points). Temples played two unannounced shows, one being a few hours in advance of the also secret 2am set from Palma Violets. I didn’t see PV that night, but I recall they killed at SXSW.

Some other highlights among a slew of strong artists: Catfish and the Bottlemen came highly recommended to me by BBC honchos, and I loved their melodic, guitar-driven energy. Echotape are up and comers with huge potential that remind me a bit of The Horrors and even Temples. The Family Rain are three brothers, including two twins, who play like Wolfmother’s second album should have sounded. Owen McGarry is a promising Irish singer-songwriter with a crystal clear voice and lots of potential. Merchandise hail from Tampa and have become NME darlings with their dark and dirty post-punk power. An added bonus for me was at one point winding up in a private courtyard where Little Green Cars were taping a beautiful cover of Neil Young’s “Philadelphia” for VEVO. A major buzz artist was London Grammar. Her sweet voice attracted a huge outside line. I got in and can see why people are excited, even if her softer, slower style isn’t quite my glass of white wine.

While TGE is smaller than SXSW, it’s still impossible to cover everything due to schedule conflicts. One US band I hated to miss was electropop band Feathers from Austin. They definitely cut through the clutter and were on lots of lips. For SXSW, 6th Street in Austin has become such a shitshow that attendees avoid the street at all costs at night. Not the case in Brighton. Sidewalks, bars, and cafes were filled with college types and other mellow locals who seemed unfazed by the festival, so walking between venues was a real pleasure. We really lucked out with the weather. Brighton had endured ten consecutive stormy days, but not a drop of rain fell during the festival. One downside shared by both TGE and SXSW: As both events grow, there are more and more lines that make it impossible to gain admittance to certain showcases. Both festivals now have the task of trying to grow without being too big for their own good. I hope TGE can retain the casual intimacy that it still has at this point. I highly recommend it to anyone who can attend, but I’d do it within the next couple of years.

The Great Escape england (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
06-01-13

Looking Back @ SXSW 2013

THE 1975 SXSW 2013 Matt Healy

We divided and we conquered. Team B3SCI took to the streets of Austin, TX this past March for the annual SXSW Music Conference. Among the seemingly infinite amount of shows we caught by bands from all over the planet, B3 was there with non-stop coverage including exclusive interviews, take-away performance sessions, and even our B3SCI Presents first ever SX-party! So check out from SXSW 2013 some of what you missed, you remember, and what you straight up forgot about with this firsthand look back:

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Sunday, March 10th
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Seryn @ Holy Mountain

I must confess that I had never heard of Seryn before SXSW. On Sunday night, after a long day of trekking about, I ended up walking into Holy Mountain. As I walked in, and took a gander at the surroundings, the bar was about half full and easily navigable. As I made my way in, the band began to play; I could feel the pulse of the kick drum as the sound waves of the low end penetrated the walls, the layered vocals came through with a bright passion, the accordion mixed with the guitar and bass and complemented the percussion, creating a powerful sound that instantly grabbed me. The growing attentive audience seemed to be in on something that I’ve been missing out on. Seryn has an appreciation for skilled musicianship, that can not be replaced by a programmed loop, and their thoughtfully crafted songs are more orchestral than folk-like. It’s not hard to become a fan of Seryn. By Desiree Autobee

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Monday, March 11th
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Poolside @ Mohawk

I’d say the best time to go to SXSW, and not feel pressure, is the day before the music portion is officially set to start. The place to be that Monday evening was Mohawk – it was a breeze to get in and it was slated with a really great lineup. The perfect band to compliment the calm before the SXSW storm was Poolside. With chill beats and solid bass lines, their songs are ripe for a groove or two. It seemed like the entire crowd sunk their bodies into each song, willingly giving up their control for the opportunity to be transported into the rhythmic world that Poolside has so expertly created. By Desiree Autobee

Vacationer @ Mohawk

If ever there was a way to escape a bad day or a general need to have a relaxing good time, I’d recommend seeing a Vacationer show. Their midnight slot at Mohawk on Monday night was packed and it set a great tone for the remainder of SXSW. Vacationer sounded just as good live as they do on the album. Kenny Vasoli does a great job as a frontman, translating Vacationer’s subtly subdued electro-pop sound into a performance that is every bit as energetic as the music is laid-back. Vasoli was genuinely appreciative of the crowd that night, mentioning the band had played SXSW the year before without much notoriety; extensive touring since then with bands along the likes of Tennis, Body Language, and Niki & The Dove, as well as music placements and coverage by the music community has catapulted Vacationer’s fan base – deservedly so. By Desiree Autobee

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Tuesday, March 12th
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Dan Croll @ Cheer Up Chalie’s

Dan Croll hit it out of the park Tuesday afternoon at Cheer Up Charlie’s. His electronic-fused singer/songwriter pop was truly infectious and took hold of the audience. He and his band played tight, sounding great in addition to being charming with banter in between songs. Croll has become a true professional in the short time that he’s made an impact on the music scene. By Desiree Autobee

Zak Waters @ Cheer Up Charlie’s

Zak Waters is a force to be reckoned with. From the moment go, he and his band made you almost forget it was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday. Waters’ high energy matched the high danceability to his soulful music and the crowd couldn’t move from stage-one (previous performance) to stage-two (where he was) fast enough; Cheer Up Charlie’s turned into a midday dance party. I saw many bands play at SXSW, Zak Waters was a standout. By Desiree Autobee

Guards @ Empire Control Room

New York’s Guards have been creating a stir. They delivered a stellar set at the Empire Control Room on Tuesday despite crappy sound in a room that seems mostly perfect for hardcore punk or metal bands. In a live setting Guards have a straight forward, energetic, hard pop approach that supports consistently good songs. Their debut album is yet to drop, but last song of their set, “Ready to Go” is a single that is putting people on notice that this is a band to watch. By Bruce Rave

Young Girls @ BD Riley’s

Roaming about on 6th St., I followed my ears into BD Riley’s Irish Pub. The scene was a bit strange at first, as I walked in and felt as though I had interrupted a PTA dinner convention, but the music was in wonderful stark contrast to the visual before me, and sounded like it should have been coming from a sun-kissed Levi’s commercial (or similar,etc). It became easy to forget about the people around me and the chaos outside, and to focus on the warm, retro-garage pop being played. Young Girls aren’t young girls, rather they are a quartet of young men, and their music makes you want to take a sick day and head out to the beach. Song after song, they played their hearts out and created a hazy west-coast vibe in the middle of SXSW. This Texas band is one to watch. By Desiree Autobee

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Wednesday, March 13th
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Blondfire SXSW 2013

Blondfire @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

Amidst non-stop touring in support of their numerous successful and recent releases, around noon, Blondfire kicked off the B3SCI Presents dayparty at Maggie Mae’s with a line out the door. Erica Driscoll took charge of her four-piece band, initiating the first daytime of SXSW music with a high energy output of hits and fan favorites like “Where The Kids Are,” “Waves” and “Trojans.”

NO CEREMONY SXSW 2013 2

NO CEREMONY /// NOC @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

For their first ever show in the United States NO CEREMONY /// delivered a stirring representation of ambient pop music without hesitation. The Manchester collective performed as a trio, and their electronic set up was accompanied with live vocals, guitars, bass and a variety of percussion. Stunning graphics displayed via mounted projector on stage with the band, accenting yet another layer of depth behind the elusive band. I went on to see /// NOC three more times during SXSW and thus are one of our favorite take-aways from the festival.

Ghost Beach SXSW 2013

Ghost Beach @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

Having seen Ghost Beach perform before, I knew to expect a high energy, electro-pop blow out from the band at Maggie Mae’s for B3SCI’s showcase. The New York duo absolutely rocked the house and have since become a favorite of mine. Playing different songs from their self-titled EP and 2012 release Modern Tongues, Ghost Beach proved to be on the lips of a lot of people at SXSW. It also helps that they would go on to play 8 showcases during the conference. Worth noting, the band had recently taken an ad space in Times Square promoting a social experiment of theirs that asks artists if they are for or against piracy. It’s pretty cool, check it out here. By Brian Litwin

phil beaudreau SXSW 2013

Phil Beaudreau w/ Dawaun Parker @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

Phil Beaudreau took to the rooftop at Maggie Mae’s with Grammy Award winning producer Dawaun Parker for a first time ever live performance on Wednesday at SXSW. You wouldn’t have known it though. The LA based duo root back to Berklee U in Boston and they had a certain chemistry on stage. Performing early tracks surfaced from Beaudreau’s anticipated debut, Ether, like “This Is Why,” “Anyway,” and “Take It High,” in addition to unreleased material, the two worked the stage. The group’s collaboration of progressive urban beats and new school soul is a winning sound for pop in our books. You can check some footage of their performance here.

Gold Fields SXSW 2013

Gold Fields @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MGGIE MAE’S

Gold Fields didn’t merely play the B3SCI Presents SXSW party, they stormed it. The energy of their live show surprises those who only know their Black Sunday album, which the band toned down to display their electronic nuances. Their set-closer “Moves” was the most dynamic single song I heard played all week in Austin, and many people were talking about this band’s live shows. By Bruce Rave

SKATERS SXSW 2013

SKATERS @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

SKATERS seemed to have a lot to say in Austin this year. The band is hot off the heels of their “I Wanna Dance” single with some major press surrounding it. Live, the band is loud, tight and singer Michael Ian Cummings was as charismatic as dare we say.. Julian Casablancas. But more than anything, the self described plasma-punks delivered the goods. Not like your too-frequent NYC guitar band, SKATERS have a direct quality. A sound that’s to the point, one that will last well beyond most basements in Williamsburg. A recently announced national tour with Portugal. The Man might serve as some indication of this bands potential and future trajectory.

THE 1975 SXSW 2013 2

The 1975 @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

One of the most exciting acts of SXSW 2013 was Manchester’s The 1975. Being big fans of this band from their early days, it was surreal to see them headline the first ever B3SCI Presents SX-event. It became clear that The 1975 raise the bar when it comes to performing. With live shows a big part of their message, the band spared no expense showcasing their major festival ready material, intricate arrangements, explosive performance and impressive musicianship. Besides the musical inclination, there is a timelessly dramatic quality to their sound, offering elements that a diverse climate of fans can relate to. With their pleathera of jukebox ready tunes, and a capitivating live performance to boot, The 1975 were a standout of SXSW for many that we talked to. Keep an eye out for a debut album from the lads dropping later this 2013.

Trails and Ways B3sci SXSW 2013

Trails & Ways @ B3SCI PRESENTS @ MAGGIE MAE’S

Passion & belief, the two things that, for us, define a lot of Trails & Ways live show… and really much anything about the Bay Area band’s trajectory up to now. The band’s connection to their (excellent) material and to their performance is really remarkable. A singular and unique mix of indie pop, Brazilian music and R&B; songs like single “Nunca” and the sunny yet literate “Border Crosser” come off in comparable quality to the records, but with that added art-as-experience (and aforementioned) belief and passion. Trails & Ways are a band that has to make (this) music and has to make records like this. To experience it is really very powerful.

FLUME SXSW 2013

Flume @ Red 7

21 year old producer Harley Streten, has garnished a lot of attention in recent months. From releasing tracks that have exploded all over the internet and in turn making his self titled album Flume a platinum record in his home country of Australia, the hype behind him has been large. The line to see Flume at Red 7 was huge, and a lot fans waiting knew they weren’t going to get into one of the evening’s hotter showcases at the venue as well (CHVRCHES was playing just 30 minutes after in the larger patio area). Harley came out a bit slow, but things picked up quickly. He dropped familiar tracks to those who follow him like “Insane,” “On Top,” “Left Alone” and a crowd favorite “Holdin’ On”. By Brian Litwin

Autre Ne Veut SXSW 2013

Autre Ne Veut @ Empire Auto Club

Arthur Ashin aka Autre Ne Veut has made waves with his new release Anxiety on Software Records. With a lot of hype comes a lot of expectations and at the Empire Auto Club Autre Ne Veut met all of them. Ripping through the album’s two singles “Counting” and “Play By Play,” he had the entire audience in awe. Though the experimental pop singer’s music is not very intense, the live performance is. Autre Ne Veut was all over the stage literally throwing himself into falsettos and dropping down to the ground with the heaviness of the lyrics. I can easily say that this was the best performance I saw at SXSW. By Brian Litwin

CHVRCHES SXSW 2013

CHVRCHES @ Red 7

Of the last to be announced by SXSW, CHVRCHES (pronounced churches) might have won ‘the most buzz’ award at this years SXSW. The Glasgow three piece is an electropop group, consisting of Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty. The trio fulfilled much of the hype surrounding them at Red 7 that Thursday night. Having gained numerous fans online and the attention of indie all-stars Glassnote Records, CHRVCHES came out calm and collected. Bouncing between the select amount of songs they have, they had the Red 7 crowd grooving, playing hits like “Recover” and “The Mother We Share.” By Brian Litwin

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Thursday, March 14th
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SIR SLY SXSW 2013

SIR SLY @ HYPE HOTEL

Given the explosive success for bands like Foster the People following SXSW 2011, Sir Sly were high on my list of bands to see in Austin this year. Like the aforementioned, the trio are from Los Angeles and only had 3 songs out before the conference. The differences are though plenty still, and definitely in tone and image. Sir Sly have a darker sensibility to their pop music. Near equally as melodic, their live show is also more refined. Sir Sly delivered a solid set of new material proving that they too are ones to be watched out for in 2013.

HAERTS SXSW 2013

HAERTS @ RED EYED FLY

There was little known about Haerts leading into SXSW 2013. With no pictures of the band available on line, and only one song, “Wings” (of which is great) available, the packed back patio at the Red Eyed Fly anxiously awaited the band’s set. And the multi-cultural collective based out of NYC Hearts delivered on expectations, doing so with a dynamic performance of new material. With enough contemporary elements to maintain a progressive sound in today’s musical ecosphere, my favorite elements of the band harkened at their classic rock roots, summoning CSNY, Fleetwood Mac, and Neil Yong to name a few.

MØ SXSW 2013

MØ @ RED EYED FLY

MØ (pronounced meh I’m pretty sure…) was a favorite surprise of the week. Also, with only a few tracks released to her name, the Danish female indie popstar in the making took to stage with an attitude that beemed nothing short of confidence. Her music is almost as unique as her name and presence: high energy, tons of odd contortions, and really really good. Excited to see what the future holds for this young artist that definitely knows how to operate outside of the box.

Phosphorecent SXSW 2013

Phosphorescent @ Willie Nelson’s Ranch

I had the incredible opportunity to get away from the chaos of SXSW and join some of the locals at Willie Nelson’s Luck, Texas ranch for the Heartbreaker Banquet showcase. Topping the bill for this small capacity outdoor venue were Jim James and Michael Kiwanuka. Though buzzing artist Phosphorescent is who caught my eye. The booze was free that day, the weather was incredible and the fans came by the mini-van full, making a perfect setting for the Matthew Houck lead group. It was more than appropriate for Phosphorescent to play at Willie Nelson’s Ranch considering his 2009 release was titled To Willie, and his most recent album Muchacho, is getting rave reviews. The single off Muchacho, “Song For Zula,” might just be one to see some radio play in 2013. By Brian Litwin

TOY SXSW 2013

Toy @ Cedar Street Courtyard

This was the first-ever US gig for this Brit band. They had just arrived in Austin the late night before. Their single is “Motoring” and that is a perfect description of Toy’s live show, which literally motors along. They play tight and are capable of longer jams, for example their performance of tracks like “Kopter”. Toy anticipate an extensive US tour upon approval of longer-term visas. By Bruce Rave

The Neighbourhood SXSW 2013 1

The Neighbourhood @ ASOS Lounge

Having exploded as one of the most talked about bands of the past year The Neighbourhood came well equipped to their first ever SXSW. Cohesive is actually a good way of putting it. The Neighbourhood is a band without identity crisis. Their look is as dapper punk as their music is similarly pop. Indie rock with the lush overtones of the pacific coast crashed through The Neighbourhood’s set of most spectacular, alternative radio friendly songs. Much more to come from The Neighbourhood.

Peace @ The Mohawk

The Birmingham, UK band Peace are still very new to the rock and roll limelight. They have a compelling, slightly dark, slightly off kilter style and look that totally works. Peace had some tight songs such as “Wraith” and “Bloodshake,” but also stretched out on a dark jam every now and then. Peace are psychedlic Brit rockers for the radar. By Bruce Rave

Palma Violets SXSW 2013

Palma Violets @ The Mohawk

These UK newbies showed that their pre-album NME hype was well deserved. Palma Violets had NME’s #1 track of 2012 with “Best Of Friends”. This band has an onstage confidence that would lead us to believe they’d been topping the charts for 5 years. They completely nailed “Best Of Friends” live, while the entire set hammered us with consistency, power, and intensity. By Bruce Rave

Disclosure SXSW 2013

Disclosure @ 1100 Warehouse

The Disclosure duo, consisting of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, was a must see at this year’s SXSW. Everyone was at this show, industry players, fans, bloggers and even fellow DJ duo Bondax. The set was pure fire, blasting their singles “Latch” and “White Noise” and at the same time infusing live elements like drums, vocals and bass. People didn’t care that it was well past midnight for the beginning of their set, and that the venue was far removed from the more congested 6th street. They all came to see one the top draws of the whole festival, and Disclosure didn’t disappoint. By Brian Litwin

JAKE BUGG SXSW 2013

JAKE BUGG @ HYPE HOTEL

Jake Bugg took to arms with just his acoustic guitar at the Hype Hotel for a brief set late Thursday night. Possibly because things were delayed, and it was something like 2am, but the young lad from Knottingham brought his mod folk song sensibility to the eager crowd. The writing wisdom of the 18 years old Bugg is pretty incredible, combining influences from Dylan to Ashcroft. Only a microphone and a guitar is all Jake Bugg will ever need.

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Friday, March 15th
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Alpine @ Red 7

The debut LP from Alpine was released in their native Australia last year. It’s not often that a band can make a quality album from beginning to finish, but Alpine has done just that. The band apply that same level of craftsmanship to their live performance as well. During one of their SXSW shows at Red 7 on Friday, I noticed a few fans up front (myself included), the band played to a mostly fresh crowd, as the troves poured in during their set. Each song Alpine played built upon the previous, gaining momentum and energy as the set went on, turning a room full of unsuspecting ears into a room full of grooving SX-goers. Alpine have a unique formula for blending rock, pop, vocal and synth elements, seemingly creating new song forms altogether. Frontwomen Phoebe Baker and Lou James artfully combined demureness with high energy, for a dynamic performance that the band and the audience came alive from. By Desiree Autobee

MERCHANDISE SXSW 2013

Merchandise @ Red 7

Punks turned Artful Punks, Merchandise most definitely brought the Punk to SXSW. They rather fortuitously (or not, depending on your perspective) also brought pieces and parts of the more updated elements of their sound to their brief late afternoon set at Red 7. Aside from the weirdness (read hilariousness) of the band members accents sounding EXACTLY like some of my family from Tampa, FL., Merchandise’s performance was loud, noisy, fast and really really good.

Different Sleep @ Hudon’s on Fifth

If you read B3SCI, then you know that Different Sleep’s name pops up on the frequent. There is good reason for that. For being a sophomore in college, Rafa Alvarez amazes us constantly with his downtempo, chillers. I got a chance to chat with him and catch his set at Hudson’s on 5th. His set was dope and expect to hear my exclusive interview with him on the streets of Austin via B3SCI sometime soon. By Brian Litwin

San Cisco @ Maggie Mae’s

Keeping it in the British Commonwealth, Australia’s San Cisco has improved exponentially every time I’ve seen them perform. This very young band scoarched an onlooking crowd with tightness and energy at Maggie Mae’s on Friday. Highlights included “Awkward” and “Rocket Ships” from their Awkward EP. With talented 19 year old singer Jordi Davieson at the helm, San Cisco are proving themselves highly popular with the young girls, and they also did very well playing just before The Vaccines at a show that I had caught in LA not too long ago. By Bruce Rave

Beware of Darkness @ Blackheart

Beware of Darkness is a young LA trio that rocks hard. For a power trio this band is inventive. Think Zeppelin meets early Bowie. Like many of these more promising bands, they have yet to release an album, but their song “Howl” is a winning single. Frontman Kyle Nicolaides shows major star potential. By Bruce Rave

Bondax SXSW 2013

BONDAX @ LA ZONA ROSA

Things got down really quick at La Zona Rosa when UK DJ duo Bondax, George Townsend and Adam Kaye, took over the decks. At this venue near the river, fans got to experience what the UK has been digging for quite some time. Switching between who was at the helm, George opened the set with Moon Boots’ remix of “Gold,” which set the party off right. Throwing in some deep house and smooth samples and closing the set with the original version of “Gold,” Bondax really put their foot down on Austin. Review By Brian Litwin

SAVAGES SXSW 2013

Savages @ 1100 Warehouse

We’ve heard “Husbands” a lot. It’s one of those “buzz singles” that’s not easy to miss. “Husbands, husbands, husbands”, it’s all right and ok; the single plays fine enough. The walloping we got with the London band’s 1100 Warehouse set, though, was a complete surprise, and most definitely one of the strongest sets we experienced during the whole of SXSW. Heavy, and in the best sort of highly focused, highly compressed, highly syncopated kind of way; Savages live set deviates tremendously from their records. And most notably, the instinctiveness of crop-cut singer Jehnny Beth, and the quietness, rage and laser intensity through which her performance and vocal is really special, and easily one of Savages’ best assets.

FIDLAR SXSW 2013

FIDLAR @ FILTER CLIVE BAR

I can’t think of a better place for FIDLAR to have played late Friday night than FIlter’s Clive Bar on Rainy Street. The house party vibe is all set. It’s a house, the band is in the back yard, the beer was flowing everywhere, you could barely move an inch in any direction and the band tore the roof off (if there was one). A rock and roll band for another generation of musical youths, FIDLAR bring the party wherever they go. See this band live.

Charlotte Church SXSW 2013

Charlotte Church @ VEVO Control Room

Yes, that Charlotte Church. The PBS “Girl With The Golden Voice of an Angel” turned trashbag pop star/tabloid pariah’s return to music ran through SXSW and a performance at the oddly named VEVO Control Room. Well… the set, the material, the performance were all phenomenal (really phenomenal). The notion that Ms. Church can sing has never really been questioned and the vocal she gave during this show was truly something special. Charlotte’s new Bjork meets Earth Mother meets Portishead meets ? sound, and the structure of her songs, really gives her the ability and opportunity to perform and showcase the outstanding quality of her singing. It’s almost as if singing in a pop format is something that she’s only now first realizing.

RYAN HEMSWORTH SXSW 2013

Ryan Hemsworth @ 512

We made it rain Pokemon cards in the club. Though beat dropper/rainman Ryan Hemsworth didn’t repeat that deluging down of Charizards & Bulbasaurs for the crowded 512 Rooftop, the Halifax native did well to translate to a live setting his realer than Real Deal Holyfield mix of electro booty rap mixes and Legend of Zelda-referencing space bass jams.

RUDIMENTAL SXSW 2013

Rudimental @ Hype Hotel

You could spot all the real Britons assembled at Hype Hotel for electronic/R&B crossover act Rudimental’s late night set by who knew how to dance to drum & bass and who didn’t. Moving in time with a drum & bass rhythm is something that has alluded us Americans for what seems like millennia. Rudimental, who went 9-deep on stage, did well enough to keep all the Solange (next act on stage) kids checked into the Hype Hotel engaged and interested in material they were likely hearing for the first time. The energetic 30-40 minute set was definitely highlighted by the big energy (these Brits work on stage) performance of new single “Waiting All Night” and the impressive vocal of singer Ella Eyre.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH
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Blue Hawaii SXSW 2013

Blue Hawaii @ HYPE HOTEL

Riding a wave of chill infused daytime disco, Blue Hawaii are at the front of a movement that is only becoming more popular. The male/female duo did an exempilary job of delivering their material in a live setting. Their combination of live sampling manipulation and vocal performance was both exciting and intriguing in a live setting.

Shlohmo, Mount Kimbie, Baauer @ 1100 Warehouse

Things got down right dirty at the 1100 Warehouse for the Ray Ban – Boiler Room sponsored party on the last night of SXSW. With a lineup such as the one that the Boiler Room had curated, things were bound to get weird and possibly blow up in everyone’s faces. Chief Keef was supposed to be a main draw for the show, but knowing his history and legal issues, he did not show up. The reason is still up in the air, but really, who cares. Before things even got started, you could tell the production team and people from the Boiler Room looked worried at potential technical difficulties bound to happen. Unfortunately, this was the overall theme.

Hitting the stage first was the young LA based, oddball producer Shlohmo. With all that was going on at the venue and with visuals all over the walls, Shlohmo’s beats were a perfect soundtrack to the night. Flipping through different mixes, the crowd already excited just by being in the Warehouse started really feeling it. Joining Shlohmo on stage for a track were The Underachievers, sharing only one mic.

Lunice then hit the decks, throwing together a monster set, making way for Mount Kimbie. The London duo of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos had been ‘the’ electronic act in 2010. On this night, with again all the technical issues, they played some old tunes and some new tunes. The Austin audience started to feel their unique and “post-dubstep” sounds. For their only performance at SXSW this year, they definitely made it worth it.

The smoothest set out of all of them was Baauer’s and RL Grime’s back to back. The bass was extra heavy and as the decks switched back and forth, the crowd got rowdier and rowdier. Harry Rodrigues, Baauer, and Henry Steinway, RL Grime, are both young, talented bass engineers who have incredible futures in front of them. Of course, Baauer has seen more fame with the viral craze of his hit “Harlem Shake,” while RL Grime has made a nice name for himself in the music community as well.

This party, on paper, was one for the ages, and it was, but all the issues it had hampered the overall success of it a bit. Skream closed out the show with a set, and this video [above] kind of says it all… Review By Brian Litwin

Haim SXSW 2013

HAIM @ STUBBS

One of the most exciting acts that I’d seen come out of SXSW 2012 was Haim. Low and behold, a year later, and the sisters lead group were packing the house at one of SXSW’s largest capacity venues. Haim have done justice to their hype. There songs are anthemic and have the perfect new wave of pop, indie production and classic rock sensibility. Speaking of classic rock – ehemmm, Fleetwood Mac, the collective even shamelessly, and appropriately, covered them during their set. Haim delivered the perfect cap to a SXSW festival that had been most insightful and musically rewarding.

*See below for more pictures and a mix of tunes from our favorite artists at SXSW this year!

Kids these days SXSW 2013
Kids These Days @ Hype Hotel

MS MR SXSW 2013
MS MR @ Hype Hotel

TOY Guitar SXSW 2013
TOY @ Latitude 30

CITIZENS SXSW 2013
Citizens! @ Tap Room

NO CEREMONY SXSW 2013
NO CEREMONY /// @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room

NO CEREMONY SXSW 2013 1
NO CEREMONY /// @ Latitude 30

FIDLAR SXSW 2013 1
FIDLAR @ Clive Bar

HAERTS SXSW 2013 1
HAERTS @ Red 7

Trails and Ways SXSW 2013
Trails and Ways @ Club DeVille

WILDCAT WILDCAT SXSW 2013
WILDCAT! WILDCAT! @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

THE 1975 SXSW 2013
The 1975 @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

THE 1975 SXSW 2013 1
The 1975 @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

Little Daylight SXSW 2013
Little Daylight @ Brew Exchange

Marika Hackman SXSW 2013
Marika Hackman @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room

Tashaki Miyaki
Tashaki Miyaki @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room

Giraffage SXSW 2013
Giraffage @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

LVLF SXSW 2013
LVLF @ HOB Tent

Mayer Hawthorne SXSW 2013
Mayer Hawthorne Listening Party @ W Hotel

SOLANGE SXSW 2013
Solange @ Hype Hotel

Rush Midnight SXSW 2013
Rush Midnight @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

ST LUCIA SXSW 2013
St. Lucia @ Hype Hotel

Dawaun Parker Phil Beaudreau SXSW 2013
Phil Beaudreau w/ Dawaun Parker @ B3SCI Presents. Maggie Mae’s Rooftop Patio

GOLDROOM SXSW 2013
Goldroom @ Hype Hotel

Foxes SXSW 2013
FOXES @ Hype Hotel

The Neighbourhood SXSW 2013
The Neighbourhood @ Club DeVille

SXSW 2013

reviewed by
04-24-13

Interview w/ Pixel Fix

pixel fix

Indulge in new band smell. Resident writers Brian Litwin and Erin Feathers recently caught up with hotly tipped Oxford, UK act Pixel Fix. They chatted about the band’s new self-titled EP, their unique sound, time travel and more. Check it out below:

Pixel Fix – Rosa

B3SCI: Can you tell us a little about Pixel Fix come to be?

PF: All of us had been in bands or had been involved in other musical activities in the past, so that’s how we all met and got to know each other… At the time, we (Clem and Marcus) were producing electronic music. We had been in guitar-based bands before, so this was just a little project we were working on, but as the electronic music we were making began to progress we thought, why not mix the two together? We were both really into electronic and guitar music, so it probably made sense for us to blend between the two… we spoke to the other guys and we all seemed to be on the same wavelength, so we thought we would give it a go.

B3SCI: With such an array of sounds in Pixel Fix, give us an idea of your live set up, both electronically and acoustically.

PF: It’s a pretty standard band set up, just with a load of synths and samplers that we play live, and about a thousand cables. We try and make our live shows as close to the recordings as possible. Although you can imagine we don’t have the most exciting time setting it all up.

B3SCI: Tell us what it was like to play with The 1975, Disclosure and Everything Everything, three of the hottest acts out right now?

PF: It was great thank you, although the Everything Everything show was a DJ set. We’re really grateful to have had the opportunity, and it was sick to share a stage with them and play to more people than we normally do.

B3SCI: Your sound seems experimental with unabashed guitar and impeccably polished electro. Do you consider your style of music experimental? How do you like to describe your style of music?

PF: Thank you, that’s very kind. Yeah we guess so; we don’t really think about it when we write though, we just make music that we would personally love to listen to in our own time…. We like to describe it as a load reverb, beats and guitars.

B3SCI: What electro are you currently listening to?

PF: We find our selves listening to Andrea, Luvian, Kadugodi and Stumbleine a lot at the moment.

B3SCI: What rock/pop are you listening to?

PF: Recently we’ve been listening to Tangled Hair, Coasts and Peace. We’re also really liking Frank Ocean’s stuff.

B3SCI: How does it feel to have a new EP being released?

PF: We’re feeling pretty excited. We’ve been sitting on these tracks for a while now, really since the band started, so we’re just eager to show people the music we love making. We’re a little apprehensive of how people will receive our music because we just hope people like it. We guess that’s pretty normal though.

B3SCI: The video for “Rosa” is a clever nod to 80’s SCI-FI flicks with subtle references to “E.T.”…

PF: ‘E.T’, it’s a classic.

B3SCI: We’re hooking you guys up with a ride on our B3SCI time machine. Where are you guys going?

PF: We’re gonna head back to one of the first Woodstocks to see what it’s all about. I bet it was mental.

Pixel Fix (Facebook)

reviewed by
04-14-13