What Model Citizens (Rock/Electronic) Brooklyn, NY

What Model Citizens, the project of songwriter Alex Musto, was created towards the end of 2009 as a means of exploring noise and feedback-heavy music grounded by a foundation in synth-rock. The band’s music is perhaps best described as a fusion of the noisy jagged guitar of The Gang Of Four with electroclash melodies of The Faint.

2010 saw the release of What Model Citizens debut, semi self-titled, album OH What Model Citizens We Be, followed shortly by 2011’s You’ve Been Set Up. Both albums defined Musto’s sound as grinding juxtapositions of tender synthesizer tones and heavily distorted guitar that beg ears to dissect the layers of sound while daring hips not to shake to the beat. Gritty and driving, OH What Model Citizens We Be and You’ve Been Set Up introduced Musto’s reverb-laden guitar heavy electronic sound with a driving tenacity.

Coming for Me marks the release of What Model Citizens latest single in advance of a full-length album later this fall. A faster, more aggressive, beat than previous tracks, Coming for Me drives with along with sharp synth punctuations and an overbearing sense of paranoia. Accompanied with a video, shot by Brooklyn film collective Nerd Rage Films, Coming for Me places What Model Citizens firmly in the traditions of New York electroclash.

LINKS:

http://www.whatmodelcitizens.com/

http://www.facebook.com/WhatModelCitizens

http://www.twitter.com/#!/WhatModelCitzns

Jet Black Sunrise (Rock/Pop) Boston, MA

Jet Black Sunrise, known by fans as JBS, is a Boston-based rock band with a background in modern composition, an avid propensity for songs stuck in the 90s, and an unapologetic obsession with foot-tapping pop hooks.

Described by the press as a fan-oriented experience, the band’s live show has fans singing along and connecting with band members, while their recorded music lets listeners take those vibes home. With a growing resume of buzz-worthy accolades on the heels of a regionally acclaimed debut LP, JBS is ready to share an eclectic new EP of upbeat music that offers everything from an electro-infused pop anthem to an in-the-round folk shout. Keep an eye out for the new EP Capture, available March 2013.

LINK:

http://www.jetblacksunrise.com/

http://www.facebook.com/jetblacksunrisemusic

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Interview w/ Aoede – (Pop/Singer/Songwriter) San Francisco, CA

 

When did you realize you wanted to play music?

 

I’ve always been musical! Since being a kid and singing on stage as part of Children’s Young People’s Theater, through junior high and high school drama classes and theater productions. I didn’t try my hand at being a “singer-songwriter,” though, until I was an adult: I was “finding myself” after a separation and was a lead singer in a cover band in 2002! After I started taking voice lessons and writing my first song, my muse started flowing and hasn’t stopped…

 

What is some of the music/artists that influenced you?

 

Over the years there have been many pop, top 40 and British bands, from 80s and 90s bands like The Church, Chameleons, Pixies, Nick Cave, New Model Army to blues such as Billie Holiday to many modern women singer-songwriters such as Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor, Feist, Lily Allen, Sam Phillips, Adele, and even bands such as Keane and Muse.

 

The name, Aoede, is that a middle name or something you came up with?

 

“Aoede” was the first muse of song in Greek Mythology, and the name means “song.” I wanted affiliation with the muse and a reminder to continually inspire and be inspired. Aoede is quirky, child-like, folky-pop and musical stories for kids of all ages. Ingrid Michaelson meets Regina Spektor or Feist. Aoede is compelling pop for your heart by an Award-Winning San Francisco-based Singer-Songwriter with an enchantingly quirky soprano voice…

 

Tell us about your songwriting process. Do you write lyrics first or music?

I usually write music first, but it goes hand in hand with lyrical ideas. I might have some ideas for a song lyrically, but I don’t often realize them until I hear the music. I most often compose on guitar. My musical ideas can suggest the lyrics too.

 

What is the best experience, as a musician or being on stage, that you’ve had so far?

There have been a few! As a musician, I have been so privileged to receive multiple awards over the past few years and industry recognition from being a Winner for Children’s Music in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition, Finalist for John Lennon Songwriting Competition, to receiving multiple awards for Artists in Music Awards (2012) and Indie Music Channel (2013, 2012), as well as LA Music Awards and my albums being considered for the Grammys. They have all been amazing experiences for me as a musician and very empowering and affirming of my life path and dreams. In terms of being on stage, the highlight was playing a festival for CureJM in Oregon in 2012 , for children afflicted with a skin and muscle disease, the same condition that I have as an adult. It was so empowering to show them that despite what life throws at them, they can still dream and live their dreams, and I was living proof of that! I also really enjoyed a CD release/music video premiere multi-media show I put on in June 2012. It was so much fun to combine live music, readings and video!

 

What is the worst? (We all have our moments!)

 

I was about to go on stage back in 2006 for a benefit show at 12 Galaxies in San Francisco. There was a riser that I didn’t see and I hit my head on it hard. I knew I had hit it but just continued onto the stage, started playing and singing, and the audience started gasping and pointing. Apparently, I had blood dripping down my face! My boyfriend and bass player Dave (now my husband) scooped me up and brought me upstairs to stop the bleeding, and I actually played a set about an hour later (with minimal bleeding)!

 

What do you hope to achieve with your music? Any specific goals?

 

Yes! My big dreams are Grammy Awards for Children’s Music and placements in film, tv and advertising. 

 

My ongoing dream? I want to continue to write and record music for my albums, musical stories, a web series, and singles and for advertising, film and tv. I am in production on my next musical story: “What Are Dreams Made Of?” I hope to complete it and have it considered for the Grammy Awards in 2013.

 

Tell us three artists that you have been listening to lately.

 

Greg Laswell, Erin McCarley, Lisa Mitchell

 

As we can all hear, you are a very talented musician. What else does Aoede do well? What are your other trades?

 

Writing! I wrote my first script and musical story “Is Love A Fairy Tale?” last year and enjoyed the process so much I am writing my next story: “What Are Dreams Made Of?” now as a follow up. I have started a few books as well. Also, I was an Environmental Scientist for 10 years focused on coastal water quality protection. I have always had a passion for water!

 

Finally, tell us about your upcoming show/shows and why everyone should be there!

 

I am mainly focused on production of my new album this month, but I do have a show coming up: a momentous multi-day RipStar Productions Red Cross benefit at Live Worms Gallery for their 10th Anniversary. It is on SAT JUNE 22nd in San Francisco in North Beach. Aoede is on early for FOLK Night. I will be playing some acoustic songs and also doing some fun multi-media stuff. I always like to mix it up, so you never know what I might do next! If you are in the SF Bay Area, come on out and say hello!!

 

LINKS:

 

http://www.facebook.com/aoedemusemusic

http://www.aoedemuse.com

 

Various Hands (Indie/Dance/Rock) St. Louis, MO

These days, when it comes to music, few artists have standards for the music they perform and few listeners have standards for what they want to hear. St. Louis, Missouri’s Various Hands is setting out to change all that. Their music is catchy and appealing and will make you want to move your body in a convulsive type of way that might otherwise be considered “dancing” while at the same time it touts uniqueness and fresh energy that is becoming a lost art in today’s industry. Various Hands combines an indie dance rock style of music with singer/guitarist Jeff Nations’ signature life-is-good lyric motif. Guitarist/vocalist Zach Meier, drummer Ben Pitts and bassist/vocalist Adam Wirth round out a lineup of experienced, seasoned musicians. Their debut EP, This Party Will Be Fun., solidifies Various Hands’ feel good message, upbeat rhythms and otherwise unorthodox views on what life (and music) should consist of and be recognized for these days. 

This Party Will Be Fun., that’s the title of indie dance rockers Various Hands’ independent debut EP and that is the best way to describe the music that comprises this record. The EP (on which founder Jeff Nations performed all instruments and voices with some guest appearances) is chock full of upbeat, bouncy drum beats combined with smooth, well crafted guitar parts, slick basslines and just the right amount of keyboards topped off with Nations’ life-is-good lyrical attitude. The music makes listeners want to be more than just listeners. It makes them want to join the party. 

“That has been my mantra for most of my life”, Nations says about the album’s title. “Life is fun, it’s here for us to enjoy. Everyday is a party and yeah, you have to do your job and earn your living but if you’re not having a good time doing that then something’s wrong”. The EP’s opening track “Wedding Night” sets the tone for Nations’ views on human existence while the first single, “Blackout Weekend”, along with “Blame It On The Night” and “The Universal Dance” keep the hips moving and the mood light. “You Should’ve Thought Of That Before” and “Everything You’re Doing (Is Bad)” are simply a look at the way people live in today’s world. “People are really being dumbed down these days, especially by the music that’s being force-fed to them”, says Nations. “This is simply my rebuttal to it, both in the style of the music and the messages in the lyrics. Hopefully you hear this album and it makes you smile and want to move in some way…and not just physically”. This Party Will Be Fun. was released on November 22, 2011 and is distributed by MondoTunes, a subsidiary of INgrooves/Universal Music Group.

 

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/varioushands

Madam West (Electronic/Chamber Pop) Brooklyn, NY

 

Todd Martino and Sophie Chernin met in the spring of 2011 and began to create innovative compositions with several keyboards, some (totally legal) software, various hardware, pots and pans, a ukulele and a couple of guitars. A dark Bushwick cellar (aka the Batcave) became the perfect headquarters for writing and recording. Mike McDearmon joined the band in early 2013. The trio is working towards an E.P. and a full-length album. They are currently booking shows in the NYC-Metro area and all over the east coast.

Madam West writes orchestral pop music with an electronic bent. Their first single, Epic Love Song No. 107, was released last year, rave-reviewed on StereoPirate.com, and is currently available for free download on SoundCloud and BandCamp, along with their newest single, Symbols.

 

LINKS:

Tweets by madamwestmusic

https://www.facebook.com/madamwestmusic

http://madamwest.bandcamp.com/ (Get their music!)

 

Cherries on a Blacklist (Rock) Hamburg, Germany

 

Cherries On A Blacklist is a rock band currently located in Hamburg, Germany formed by Andreas (Guitar/Vocals), George (Guitar Vocals), Malapert (Drums/Vocals), and Gonzo (Bass). Three of the band members originate from Rhodes/Greece and one from Monterrey/Mexico. Gonzo replaced former bassist and vocalist Sebastian Knop in 2009.

The band recorded their first EP titled “14” in the summer of 2008. Their debut album “Lakafigo” was recorded in winter of 2010 with producer Olman Viper (Null Zwei Studios in Hamburg) who has worked with bands such as Caliban, Jupiter Jones, and Emil Bulls. In August 2011 the band founded their own label named “Grey Ham Records” and through that released their first single “Goat in the Yard” on October 14th, 2011. The single was followed by their debut album “Lakafigo” on May 4th, 2012 and their second single “Astoria Nights” on October 12th, 2012.

Their debut album was well received by the media (reviews, interviews, airplays, etc.) from all around the globe (Germany, France, U.K., Greece, Italy, Spain, Holland, India, Canada, U.S.A, Australia, etc.).

They have shared stages with bands such as Die Happy, Ohrenfeindt, Astreroid, Sturch, Sinew and Zen Zebra, and have played a few shows in Greece and Italy as well. In 2012 the band went on tour as a support act for the danish rock band D-A-D in Germany. On February 8th, 2013 Cherries On A Blacklist headlined the VIT Riviera Festival in Vellore, India.

 

LINKS:

http://www.cherriesonablacklist.com

https://www.facebook.com/CherriesOnABlacklist

 

Oklahoma Cloud Factory – Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma Cloud Factory:

Cameron Morris – Vocals, Guitar, keys
Ben Brazil – Bass, Glockenspiel.
Taylor Gary – Vocals, Guitar, keys
Blake Burgess – Banjo, Guitar, keys, mandolin
Dylan Jordan – Vocals, Drums

Oklahoma Cloud Factory formed in 2007 by high school friends Cameron Morris and Dylan Jordan. OCF has caught and held the loving gaze of their local music scene. Incorporating tight harmonies, emotional storytelling, and an upbeat vocal driven sound with a sly native twang, OCF reveals their talent and musicianship through dynamic blends of indie rock, folk, and country. The result is a romantic and subtly intricate sound that refuses to be imitated.

Get the latest from OCF, ‘Petroleum Rodeo’ EP.

https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaCloudFactory

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