With a name like that we’d be expecting fireworks and while ‘Blankets’ is more a slow burner it does have a lasting effect. To a degree in fact that I needed to return a couple of times to get the full haul of those lingering harmonies. And on closer inspection there is some longevity to the piece, it is an even spread of delights rather than periodic highlights. This Arkansas trio reminded me of Frightened Rabbit, right down to that slow bit of quaintish unfurl at the end. KH
No you haven’t been party to a trip on your local delorean, which set the dial to 1994 and stuck in a cassette tape from the music of the time. That’s because the Lylacs’ (from LA) and their ‘Bliss’ has created that aura all by themselves, a song fuelled by high dreampop drama, vocals descended from heaven and guitars attuned to breaking the heart of those of us who thought the art of the chord was on the wane. The kind of fare that will always stir the heart of this old blogger, a song that so effortlessly lives up to its title. KH
What a wild electronic ride this is, like a random doorbell that has been kidnapped with loads of others and arranged into formation to a degree that we may well be able to dance to it. And how it manages to continually invent itself to a degree that it becomes our world for several minutes. Superior work then from Dublin mover Kevin Blake, him like an AI god with admin access to all the lesser machines but not here for their domination, just here to dance. I wouldn’t have been surprised if fellow Dubliner Kormac had come out with this, one of our fave electronic artists and now after this it seems he has limber competition. KH
A Funk Rock band from Chicago, Babybrutha defines as a throwback with modern elements. Their music is fun, edgy, soulful and exactly what you need to be listening to. The band has just released a new album titled AllDayFunkShine! that features ten incredible tracks. This project is filled with a variety of songs and an incredible energy.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out this amazing addition to the Midwest Rock scene, now is the time to do it. AllDayFunkShine! is sure to have something that you’ll love, no matter who you are. It is a seriously fun album created by some truly talented artists.
Stream now on Soundcloud:
Follow Babybrutha:
The post Babybrutha – AllDayFunkShine! appeared first on Upstream Indie.
WINTERSTATE is led by singer-songwriter Kelvin Killmon (Seattle, WA) and multi-instrumentalist Alex Ortberg (Rochester, MN). The pair met as students at Berklee College of Music’s campus in Valencia, Spain and have continued to write and record new songs together inspired by feel-good bands like The Killers, Mae, Anberlin, Incubus and Foo Fighters.
Read our full interview with them below.
For those who don’t know, how long have you been making music and how would you describe your style? We met at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain in 2015 – and we’ve been making feel-good rock music together ever since. We’re inspired by a lot of the energetic bands we grew up listening to, like The Killers, Mae, Incubus, Foo Fighters, and Jimmy Eat World.
Could you briefly describe your music making process? Our creative process is pretty unique. We work long distance most of the year, and co-write online. Sometimes I (Kelvin) come to Alex with an acoustic song, and he arranges and produces the instrumental. Other times, Alex has an entire instrumental track recorded, and I contribute the melody and lyrics. It’s been really essential for us to have that collaboration and feedback from each other during the writing process. When we perform our songs live we work with a rotating lineup of very talented musicians who join us on stage.
What can you tell us about your latest release, “Technicolor”? “Technicolor” is our sophomore album, and I think we struck a good balance between fun sing-along pop rock songs and some more serious and introspective material. There’s definitely an underlying political message to the second half of the album. We’re trying to encourage people to get out and make their voices heard through activism. I’ve tried to address issues related to social justice and the climate crisis through my lyrics without being too transparent or heavy-handed.
We’ve also included interludes in three different languages throughout the record. The only way to understand the entire message is to connect with people who can translate those sections for you. We hope it encourages our listeners to reach out and connect with a broader community.
For our album’s lead single – “On Top of the World” – we enlisted the help of legendary Grammy Award-winning mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge (responsible for classics including American Idiot – Green Day, The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance), and mastering engineer Ted Jensen (Come Away with Me – Norah Jones). It’s been amazing working with industry heavy-hitters like that, and I think we’ve learned a lot from the process.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would you choose? I know Alex would probably want to collaborate with Switchfoot. We’re both big fans of their music. Personally, I’d like to work with more artists from outside our genre. On our last record we featured a rap section from our friend Brail Watson, and I think it added some great variety.
What do you have planned creatively for the upcoming year? Along with our release, we are hosting a contest through January. Anyone who would like to cover or remix one of our songs can enter to win a cash prize of up to $500! It’s a fun way to give back to the indie music community, and hear some interesting new takes on the music we’ve written. To enter, check out the rules posted on https://winterstateband.com/contest
Follow Winterstate:
The post An Interview with Winterstate appeared first on Upstream Indie.
mp3hugger’s best new music in 2021 playlist!
mp3hugger’s best new music in 2021 playlist!
mp3hugger’s best new music in 2021 playlist!
