Within a year of releasing her first mixtape, Domination, 19-year-old Tampa Bay rapper Dominique Young Unique has gone from rapping in the courts of her Robes Park Projects to playing a world-wide stage. We caught up with her in Austin and decided to share the photos following the release of a most-worthy music video. Definitely One To Watch in the days and weeks ahead!
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Dominique Young Unique at SxSW 2011
17-Jun-11 Sonar Festival (Barcelona) SPAIN 18-Jun-11 Casa da Musica (Porto) PORTUGAL 21-Jun-11 Sub Club (Glasgow) UK 24-Jun-11 Glastonbury UK 25-Jun-11 London (TBC) UK
Thoughts from our Photographer: A combination of Indie Rock and Chamber Pop, Cloud Cult brought their powerful and deeply emotional performance to The Paradise. It was a brilliant show and one that you should be sure to catch if you missed them this time around.
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Cloud Cult at the Paradise - May 5, 2011
FILLIGAR - You should find it very telling that out of the hundreds of live shows I have seen the last year and the (literally) thousands of CDs and downloads I received during the same period, I have somehow managed to see this fierce young Chicago act play live six times over the last 24 months.
It actually doesn't seem possible, but they just keep getting better and better. That's how they earned the christening "One of the Best Young Bands in America" last year and how they won a much-deserved and highly sought after invitation to play the Smoke & Sand showcase in Austin during SxSW - playing before a couple thousand people. This is definitely a group you will be hearing about more - and soon. Check the video for "Health"
DATELINE: BUFFALO, NY - On Saturday, June 25th, Son of the Sun will be releasing their brand new six song EP (the first track of which, My Best Mistake, is above). The show featuries Boston's own big-time band Kingsley Flood as well as Here Come the Comets. Portion of the proceeds will benefit the Stella B Foundation. Great songs, Great Show, Great Cause! Even if you can't be there in Buffalo, you can find pick up the album online or at a show on tour. There is so much promise with this band - do not miss out!!
• Thursday, Jun 2 FREE Thursday at the Square Buffalo, NY w/ Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
• Saturday, Jun 11
Lovin' Cup Rochester, NY
• Tuesday, Jun 14 FREE Artpark Lewiston, NY w/ Blue Oyster Cult
• Wednesday, Jun 15 Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, PA
• Thursday, Jun 16 The Grape Room Manayunk/Philadelphia, PA
• Friday, Jun 17 Arelene's Grocery New York, NY
• Saturday, Jun 18 Great Scott Allston, MA w / Mieka Pauly, Kingsley Flood and McAlister Drive
• Saturday, Jun 25 Nietzsche's - EP RELEASE SHOW Buffalo, NY w / Here Come The Comets and Kingsley Flood
• Saturday, Jul 2 FREE Hard Rock Cafe's Summer Concert Series Niagara Falls, NY
• Friday, Jul 22 FREE Molson Canal Concert Series Lockport, NY
If you're looking for a left-field album, an album that seems to shout its peculiarity from the roof-tops, the Cat's Eyes project clearly has the credentials. Cat's Eyes is a collaboration between Faris Badwan, the lead-singer of The Horrors, and Canadian opera singer Rachel Zaffira. Listening to this strange album prompts a question for me: What makes a successful side-project? It's a interesting question to bring up in reference to this album because, whatever mysterious concoction the good side-project does consist of, Cat's Eyes is certainly made of it.
To start with, Cat's Eyes has a number of elements that made The Horror's two albums (so far – number three is on the way this summer!) so compelling. It keeps up a powerful sense of drama in the vocals for example, and the reverb on tracks like "I'm not stupid" recalls that slightly scary falling sensation you can get from having Horrors-like music wash over you. The Horrors are, unsurprisingly, always a little un-nerving. Cat's Eyes too make things which should be innocent seem dark and abnormal.
But that's not the whole story - and even if it were, you would still be entitled to feel cheated if the Cat's Eyes was merely a new Horrors album. The side-project must always be a step into the musical unknown, where you use the trust you have developed in the original band to leap into something that is very much its own. This album, born of what I understand is Badwan's deep interest in 60s pop, is very slight and sedate, where The Horror's music is often driving and even violent.
If I was pushed I'd have to admit that I'm not in love with Cat's Eyes music as much as I am with The Horrors, but you'd have to push me, because Cat's Eyes stands as an entrancing mix of things you might have heard before, and things that are altogether new.
I am one proud dude. I love talking about local music and it gets easier and easier to do these days. Boston has been entering a new golden age of indie rock and the scene is as supportive as it's been in years right now. It all really started moving forward about 12-16 months ago and what we find ourselves with now are full music halls, people talking about their weekend plans on Tuesdays, and emerging bands with big talent and sizable dreams. And that bring us to The Fatal Flaw. Their sound dances the fine line of power pop and indie rock. Their songs are lyrically bold and it all gets played out on stage: they throw one hell of a party!
Joel Reader - Vocals, Bass Glen Fant - Guitar, Vocals Al Bigelow - Drums Aaron Spransy - Guitar, Vocals
UNFOLDING UP ON STAGE - This will all be put to the test as the band takes the stage in Cambridge to unleash a new album. Narrow Hours is the result of many months of toil but the easy-going, oft light-hearted songs speak to carefree days. The band wants to put the record in your hands. There are a few ways to get this done... If you are reading this in the greater Boston metroplex (and many of you are) you can be one of the first 100 people through the door tonight and you get one for free. Or you can buy one at the show. Far more of you out there reading this are not in New England. The Fatal Flaw have opened the floodgates... Head over to their bandcamp page and download the album at the price of your choosing. Just go and listen.
Tonight's Lineup: The Fatal Flaw (11:45-12:45) Sidewalk Driver (10:40-11:30) Hot Protestants (9:45-10:25) The Future Everybody (8:55-9:30)
Upcoming Shows:
Jul 22 - Boston, MA
Brighton Music Hall Aug 11 - Cambridge, MA T.T. the Bear's Place
The Fatal Flaw Album (Name Your $) / Web (all new) / Fb
"Weird Pop" - Grimes is influenced by R&B, Industrial, goth, hip hop and Western medieval organum. She is noted for simple but strong percussion, vocal virtuosity, and addictive melodies. Despite having little acquaintance with music before the age of 18, Grimes (she is now 23) has overcome this barrier and used it to her advantage, exploding onto the music scene with a sound that is that is far different from that of her peers, and extremely broad in it’s references.
What You Are Hearing Is Her Own - Grimes cannot read music and has no understanding of theory or notation, so her attempts to imitate often fail. Rather, the result is particularly unique, strangely beautiful, sometimes scary, frequently melancholic and catchy as hell. Definitely "One to Watch."
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Grimes at the House of Blues Boston
TONIGHT 5/26 SEATTLE, WA Showbox FRI 5/27 VANCOUVER, BC Vogue Theater SAT 5/28 PORTLAND, OR Wonder Ballroom MON 5/30 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Regency TUE 5/31 LOS ANGELES, CA Wiltern
the new album: beautiful, whimsical, quirky indie folk
ANIMALS WILL BE STONED - Somewhere along the way, when allotments for don't-give-a-shit lyricism and swirling empathetic tone were getting handed out - Justice of the Unicorns got a double-helping. And where this artistic bonus may have cost Russell Dungan and the band, that huge mainstream success, it has helped secure them a place as one of the better indie folk rock bands of this decade. Beginning back in 2008 when the band produced their self-titled debut, there was something clearly different about the Brooklyn act. Again, they made the songs they liked and performed them well. But they weren't clean and it didn't seem to bother them. In this way the band have a foot in modern indie folk rock and another in anti-folk.
The plugging in, the unusual side projects and wildly creative music videos produced in their name of their art... And the online presence, Russ and fellow JOTU player Jason Lam have been making funny clips for years now. Lam is, interestingly, a dedicated food blogger in his spare hours... Well, let's just say this could be one of the most unique bands in North America right now.
Whether singing about flawed characters, pill-popping high school teachers ("Old Man Jesus") or producing tongue-in-cheek celebratory songs for gun-toting rednecks ("4x4 Parade") who want to kill for trophy, Justice of the Unicorns appear to have no maximum or minimum. The new album embraces all audiences and reject just as many in turn. That's fine once you get in the spirit of things. Creativity is the thing...
When Russ sings about twisted love; about being caught in a situation where you are caught in love but are not being treated right... ("Stairway to Hell") he puts into words what we all know: love is hell. It's just never been said quite so well; "Well I don't want your love, cause it's all fucked up. The way your lover feels like a rabid skunk, you know the kind that everyone tries to hide from... Like a fish that figures out it's been hooked. I'm on a Stairway to Hell - with you, babe... But I ain't gonna wear these heavy boots." There is no expiration date to this kind of straight-forward lyricism. You can't make this kind of stuff up... Well, unless you are these guys.
This spring, Dungan hit the road as a solo artist under the JOTU name. But with the release of Animals Will Be Stoned, the band will be looking to be perform East Coast dates this summer with the full crew. Justice of the Unicorns is Dungan, Lam, Dan Forbes, Anthony Cangelosi, Jody Bilinski, Christa Molinaro; a gifted and fun bunch.
Fresh on the heels of a series of shows in the UK (their first there in nearly two years) our friends from Hey Rosetta! arrive in Boston this week to play what is sure to be a soaring evening of voice and instruments at Great Scott tomorrow. These shows have all come in support of Hey Rosetta's amazing new record, Seeds. This week's show in Boston will be their last scheduled date in the US before the band takes a short break, attacking festival dates across Canada this Summer.
Hey Rosetta! played Smoke & Sand (usethis link for photos from the show and to download mp3s!) the 21-Act Free Outlaw Showcase at this year's SxSW Music Festival. About 2,000 people saw them play, basking in the warm glow of this band's sound. One of my favorite bands in the world right now!
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Hey Rosetta at SxSW 2011 - March 19th - Austin, TX
May 25 - Boston, MA
Great Scott July 1 - Toronto, ON
Downsview Park
(w/ The Tragically Hip, Weezer, Broken Social Scene) July 7 - Winnipeg, MB
Shaw Park
(w/ The Tragically Hip, Broken Social Scene) July 8 - Ottawa, ON
Cisco Bluesfest July 14 - Edmonton, AB
Northlands Grounds
(w/ The Tragically Hip, Broken Social Scene) July 15 - Vancouver, BC
At its core, BRIDESMAIDS is the story of one woman trying to pick herself up from the bottom. Annie, played brilliantly by Kristen Wiig, is feeling the pinch of life. She has a job she hates, unbearable roommates, a busted-down car and the bakery she co-owned with her ex-boyfriend stands as a monument to her failures. Her one bright spot is the relationship she shares with her best friend, Lillian, (Maya Rudolph), who has asked her to be Maid of Honor in her upcoming wedding. However, their lifelong friendship is threatened by Helen, (Rose Byrne), a beautiful socialite looking to usurp Annie’s title as “best friend.”
Annie is also struggling to find her way romantically, but is stuck in a perpetual booty-call rut with a pretty face and no personality. That is until she’s pulled over by state patrolman Rhodes, (Chris O’Dowd) for driving erratically with no tail-lights. She sob-stories her way out of a ticket and the seed is sown.
Whenever I try to find an adjective for their relationship, the word I keep coming back to is charming. Wiig and O’Dowd are very charming, and not “gorgeous” by Hollywood standards, but their banter is playful and believable which is something that is usually absent from romantic-comedies.
Kristen Wiig
DirectorPaul Feig does a good job of intertwining the budding romance with the rivalry of Annie and Helen. There’s a nice balance and though we can see Annie’s breakdown coming, it’s earned, and as far as meltdowns go, the bridal shower scene is one of my all-time favorites.
I did have some problems with the film though. It’s a perfect example of what is wrong with Hollywood. I imagine the original script was charming, peppered with clever dialogue and heartfelt moments, propelled by strong female characters. Somewhere along the way, the marketing geniuses decided it just wasn’t broad enough, so they dropped in a gratuitous scene of full-contact puking and shitting-in-the street jokes, as well as some secondary characters who say off-the-wall and outrageous things. This is surely meant to draw in a more masculine audience. The sad thing is that none of those things are needed.
The story is good on its own. The main characters are fully recognized and acted superbly by Wiig, Rudolph, Byrne and O’Dowd.
I’ve seen BRIDESMAIDS touted as “THE HANGOVER with chicks”, but it’s not, and really, it doesn’t need to be, because it’s good on its own merits. It’s a film about a woman struggling to overcome the same speed-bumps in life that everyone endures while still trying to maintain the relationships that make her life worthwhile.
THEIR BIG BREAK - Boston's Gentleman Hall will play before a massive internationally-televised audience at tonight's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. People everywhere around the globewill be watching. [Tune in at 10:30 pm EST for their performance.] The world may never, ever be the same...
Spitchild consider themselves to be a poser band with a mastermind piano player who has porn star abilities on the keys.... "el Friede is the Angus Young of the piano - there is no body position in which it seems impossible to perform, and this death-defying attitude can be felt in every second of both live and on record."
And then with a video like this... Well, I don't think it will be long until they are a household name. Get in on the ground floor on this one.
Two of our favorite acts, both of which were astutely added to rslblog.com's SxSW Showcase Smoke & Sand in Austin this March (here's our photos & some mp3 downloads!), will play a free set this upcoming Wednesday night in Cambridge.
There's a ton going on that night (and I mean it - there's like seven solid options that evening for your listening pleasure) so what'a a band to do? Well you produce a video that lets you speak to your fans and will fire up interest... Without further ado...
So, spring is here and RSL Favorite (and EP Machine) Matt Pond has delivered us another new one. Man, its sweet to get something spring-related besides rain these days.
The Spring Fools EP is now available and the lead track "Love to Get Used" is a great one. Spring Fools is peppier and lighter than the somewhat more moody LP Dark Leaves, which was an RSL Best of 2010. It is quintessentially Matt Pond PA with all the poetic lyrics and meandering lead lines that make him great. I love it and you should get your hands on it.
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Matt Pond PA live at Great Scott
Since we're talking seasonal Matt Pond EP's, I'll take this opportunity to remind you that if you don't have the "Winter Songs" EP you are missing something truly great. "Snow Day"" is one of my all-time favorite MPP songs and the covers of "Holiday Road" and "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" are transcendental. Check them out.
The Return of Architecture in Helsinki - There was a time you could have snuck a talented group of quirky pop multi-instrumentalists under my nose and I wouldn't have batted an eyelash. Then I had a chance to see this act for myself a couple of times. Touring the North America in June in support of their new album, Moment Bend, this modernist act from Melbourne could be one of the best live tickets of 2011. And while we haven't heard much of the new album yet, what we do know (watch the video) is engaging, light and entertaining. One of the most incredible, unpredictable shows I have ever seen is coming to North America and that's cause for celebration.
As hot as Iron & Wine is these days, it’s surprising that those of us in Boston have had few opportunities to see them perform live. The recent show at the House of Blues was only the second time that I have seen them in the flesh, even though I have been a fan for many years. The first time was at The Newport Folk Festival in 2009.
At the 2009 Newport Folk Festival, Iron & Wine was Sam Beam accompanied by nothing other than his guitar. The tent was filled to capacity and people were pressed around 10 deep to be part of the moment. The dead-silent crowd punctuated the performance with outbursts of thundering applause as he paused between songs. This intimate and emotional affair lingers as a highlight of the festival.
At HOB in Boston, you had another packed space. This time the sold-out crowd met Iron & Wine as Sam Beam, along with another guitarist, bass & drums, keys, horns and back-up singers. (Hell, at the show I said the only way they could have been more different, was if he started spinning records). Despite a full band you could still hear a constant yammering of the crowd, who seemed more interested in being there than listening to the music.
I have never seen two shows by the same artist that were so different, while at the same time, (fundamentally) the same in their greatness. This is no mystery when you compare the Around the Well double album compilation from 2009 and the most recent album, Kiss Each Other Clean.
Both of them are “Best of” for their respective years. However, one is a brilliant compilation and continuation of the folk tradition, while the other combines that folk with some sort of 70s electronic-inspired R&B with a dash of smooth jazz and funk and occasionally something Fleetwood Mac-ish....or something.
RSL STREAMING PHOTO ALBUM Iron & Wine in Boston, MA - 04/19/11
I won’t say it is like Dylan going electric--that would be hyperbole. However, I will say this: Sam Beam demonstrated a true mastery of his music. He delivered the new stuff with the passion and expertise that you would expect. Then, he took his earlier work and performed it (with this new vibe) as if it had been written for the latest album (Holy Crap! That’s “Boy With a Coin!!”) while never losing the essential character and power of those songs.
It was something truly special. If given the chance, do not miss Iron & Wine.
