XSARA - Are There Dragons in Your Heart?

You may remember way back in February of XSARA's debut feature on the blog sharing her EP and news of her album on the way... well, said album Are There Dragons in Your Heart? is available now and I've been invited to take a listen...

In typical XSARA style, it's rich in sultry tones and jazz-influenced feels which suit her mature voice perfectly. Kicking off with She's a Monster, a rocking, upbeat circus-sideshow of a track that is sure to sound even better live, the album takes a step back on Moving On, a heartfelt piano-ballad. It runs around a simple chord progression and is led by the lead vocals, providing a real showcase early on in the album. Strange Love hints at the first full-band jazz feel with smokey, stabby piano chords and a classic ride line, the vocals with a real Paloma Faith-esque tone whilst Sticks and Stones once again dips down slightly with another, slower, piano-led track which soon picks up with a real Nina Simone backdrop to the music.

Sitting pretty in the middle is Business of Bodies, a pick-me-up if ever there was one with great live-sounding drums and sax, vocals and the lower register of the piano picking up the ostinato at the start of each bar. The vocals remain as interesting, with a nod to Anthony Keidis' spoken-word/singing style at times, before It's Not Me drops, dimming the lights on its way past. It's another piano-ballad but there's a certain fragility that isn't present in its predecessors, a certain vulnerability that really sparkles. I'm Your Animal has a nice feel and pace whilst maintaining the classic XSARA sound.

Leading us into the final stages is the frantic One Eyed Man that would be at home on one of the smaller Glastonbury Festival stages in the obscure outer fields in the small hours of Saturday morning, whilst the great-sounding drums pick up where they started, leading the charge in the final track You Got a Problem? It's the perfect summary of the album with breezy sax, sexy vocals and lazy jazz bass.

Are There Dragons in Your Heart is XSARA at her best and is, I'm sure, exactly what her fan base are both hoping for and expect. If you're intrigued, you can preview and purchase a copy for yourself from her Bandcamp page, and be sure to keep up to date with XSARA on Facebook. Enjoy :)

New Artist Alert: Los Waves

When We Were Beautiful is proud to announce the feature of London-based psychedelic pop duo Los Waves whose debut single, Got A Feeling, was recently released last month. The band describe their music as an 'intricate and harmonious meltdown of their [the members'] experiences from months living in tents on deserted beaches in South America'. It's certainly a colourful background and one that is sure to influence the musical output of any artist, and Los Waves seem to be no exception.

Got A Feeling has been released under indie label Summer Filth Records and features 'sunshine fuzzy guitars' of which I'm very excited to hear. I've had a listen to the single, for which the video is available to watch below.

Kicking off with a hazy fuzz of electric guitars and lo-fi sounding drums, a glockenspiel picks up a simple melody on top of the mix throughout the intro before the main guitar riff continues into the first verse. The drums remain lively throughout as a synth takes over the spotlight in a brief interlude between the first two verses in what seems to be a radio-friendly pop track with a life of its own. The glockenspiel returns with a little momentary restbite as the video remains as psychedelic as the music; both vocally and musically the track is rather repetetive though this is complimented by the eclectic mix of sounds and instruments. It could be just at home on a TV advert as on the radio as on stage and promises a lot of potential from the London-based duo.

You can keep up to date with Los Waves on Facebook, and also purchase your own copy of the single via iTunes. Enjoy :)

Afterlife Parade - Breakaway

I can't believe it's been over two years since Afterlife Parade were featured on the blog but it's been a busy time for Nashville's Quinn Erwin who has since been named a local lightening artist by Lightening 100, his local independent radio station. The break has also seen the recent release of latest single 'Breakaway' last month which I've had a chance to listen to myself.

Of the track, Erwin says: “We hope this song lays the ground work for what we’re planning for the future. We have a bigger vision than just the music that we’re starting to communicate about although the music is the integral part of what we do...we’re looking forward to sharing that with our fans and further cultivating community with them.” 

The track eases gently into life before quickly establishing an upbeat feel and showcasing the reverb-laden lead vocals. A nice feature is made of harmonising Erwin's vocals before the chorus stirs into life briefly, and then the track takes a slight left-turn as it dips into the second verse, the texture ever-thickening. Both the message and arrangement are simple yet effective with the key spotlight shining on Erwin's vocals throughout. There's a tense bridge section which pulsates below the surface, again building as it heads for the final chorus. An effective electro-pop track which fans of Afterlife Parade are sure to enjoy.

With a plan to tour in support of the track focussed on smaller intimate settings, you might be hard-pushed to see Afterlife Parade live however be sure to keep up to date with the band on Facebook. You can both listen to, and purchase your own copy of, the Breakaway EP from the Afterlife Parade Bandcamp page which also features an instrumental version of the track and a live offering.

A. Jude - 'Plush' soundtrack

It's been a long time since Julian Shah Taylor has featured on the blog but, under his new alias A. Jude, Tayler has written and recorded three tracks, which are soon to feature in the sets of his live band The Singularity, for a the hit-motion picture Plush which stars Emily Browning (Suckerpunch) and Xavier Samuel (Twilight). The erotic thriller is set for release this month, and A. Jude had a hand in the initial recording phase for the soundtrack to the film.

Jude is no stranger to working with big names, having collaborated in the past with Joaquin Phoenix and Courtney Love and is excited to add Browning and Samuel to this list. Speaking of the project, Jude tapped into the unique side of his writing and recording techqniues that features the electronic/rock 'hybridisation' of bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, flavours of which are both evident in the new tracks.

This is an excellent opportunity added to the repertoire of a very talented artist who gives a lot back. Tayler is also directing the LA-based charity 'Art Angeles' that provides musical intsruments and education for inner-city children which sounds like a wonderful initiative. Somehow he also manages to find time to place his music in up-coming Australian film 'The Messenger' and is the musical director and composer for web series 'The Mysfits' for which he has written the theme.

You can listen to samples of the new album from The Singularity here, and watch the official trailer for Plush below.

New Artist Alert: Bobaflex - Bad Men

It's been a while! Apologies to readers who may expect posts on a more regular basis, but I've just started my first teaching job which is exceptionally full-on at the moment (and doesn't show much sign of slowing either!). Considering this, all I can promise is that I'll post when I can. And, as with waiting for a bus, a quiet inbox has recently been inundated with requests for features, so I'll get through things as quickly as I can.

Starting things off is Bobaflex, veteran American rockers who are currently promoting the release of their sixth studio album Charlatan's Web, the follow-up to 2011's Hell in my Heart. There's a lot of history to the band, and the angsty, feudal past still spills into the feel of the music, as lead-single Bad Man, for which you can see the official video for below, stands testament to.

The intro is fairly tame; a quick progression that wastes no time in kicking off whilst foot-tapping metal lead by a strong lead-guitar riff takes us quickly through the verse. The vocals hit a low-fi feel for the succinct pre-chorus before the main-event, a driving melodic chorus that fills my ears. It's written and performed confidently and, with a huge open sound and some great melodies tracking the lead vocals, is just as short as its predecessing sections; a real tease of what's to come. The band opens things up further with an extended musical section, intended as either a post-chorus or pre-verse helping, and it's here you realise we're only a minute in and have been already been treated to so much. Countless bands will while-away with unnecessary intros and extensions of sections, but Bobaflex mean business and they want you to know about it. The video is fairly simple yet effective with a great lighting rig and pyro set-up; the band look as if they've been around a while but know how to perform - the production and performance is awesome. The track lasts just over 3 minutes but after the second chorus there's still time for a guitar solo before we go around a slick final chorus and outro. This track is a real rocker and, if it's anything to go by, the whole album is sure to be a pleasure to listen to.

Bad Man is currently doing the rounds on American radio and the album is available from the merch section of the band's official website here. Be sure to keep up to date with the guys on Facebook, and you can catch the official video for Bad Man below.

Great Sound for Musicians

                                   

    For me, choosing the right pair of headphones is really important. For me as a musician, it's crucial I can rely on headphones that work for me in ensuring I'm hearing exactly what I need to and, just as importantly, exactly what I don't. For me as a commuter, wherever I might be going, if I choose to listen to music on the move I've made that decision knowing that that's all I want to hear, without any frustrating background noise accompanying the tracks in my ears.


    Sony's latest range of headphones ensure that I can make the right choice depending on my lifestyle. So much effort goes into music production yet this is wasted on so many who play music directly from their mobile phone, laptop, or through low-quality headphones. The Prestige headphones from Sony's latest range are perfect for someone like me who doesn't want to have to sacrifice sound-quality but wants to remain subtle with comfortable in-ear headphones. For the commuters on the Underground, in noisier environments, or just for those who like to show the world they love their music, I love the simple design of Sony's 'Travel' headphones which boast a 99% noise-cancelling feature - perfect for blocking out the world around you and enjoying music for its sole purpose, and the reason it was created in the first place.


    As a musician, working in either the studio or when playing at home, the quality of sound should not be lost due to a poor pair of cans. That's where the Prestige Headband model comes in. As a top-end market contender without the painful price tag to go with it, no quality is spared in these musician-suited headphones; I was particularly impressed that they had been developed in a unique partnership with music engineers, which offers the piece of mind that people from my industry have put their stamp on something that's so important when I'm working.


    It's so easy to settle for a cheap pair of headphones, but where Sony is so appealing in price really doesn't affect the quality of the product, and there's such huge variety in their range to suit not just every pocket but every requirement. I think that's what's so impressive; Sony understand the many different expectations consumers have when they listen to music these days, and the different environments this may be in. If you're in the market for a pair, why not see what Sony's latest range has to offer.


    What's important to you when you go about buying a pair of headphones? Have you recently bought a pair of Sony headphones? What did you think? If you still need some convincing, check out the video below!


   


   






    Sponsored Post

                               

Maycomb Release 'Dynamiter' Music Video

This just in! I Am Mighty Records are pleased to announce the release of Maycomb's music video for Dynamiter, which you can view below. You may remember the band's last post back in December last year in my New Artist Alert feature and they have since been busy touring and promoting the same album which features Dynamiter; the album is available for purchase from iTunes.

The band had the following to say about the video:

“Loosely based on “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand, ‘Dynamiter’ is about keeping your integrity and staying true to yourself, especially when presented with the option of taking the easy way out and caving in to other people’s expectations. The video is a continuation of these themes, along with the idea of destroying something fundamentally flawed in order to start anew; the books that are discovered and eventually burned representing miss-steps, failures, and the naivety of past decisions”

The video has barely been up a week and has already amassed  over 1,500 views! Enjoy :)