I FOUND MUSIC is an independent, add-free music blog, masterfully chronicled by Stefan Ferencz.
In this feature, Stefan has supplied three excellent recommendations from the Swedish indie scene.

This Is Head
Malmoe, the largest city in the southern parts of Sweden is this year’s host of 2013’s Eurovision Song Contest, but thankfully the local music scene is far from being any form of cheesy spectacle. The city has a blossoming indie scene were the four-piece outfit This Is Head might be its brightest shining stars. After the successful debut of 0001 earning them nation-wide radio play and some minor international success, the band recently released the follow-up The Album ID. This is a record were they’ve embraced ad darker tone, experiment with more complex structures while still keeping the singles on a more pop friendly side.

Nude Party!
The decadently named Nude Party! are currently one of the most promising bands in Malmoe’s buzzing indie scene. Their name suits them since the lads are known for removing a garment or two during their performances. Their newest EP Ingratitude Is the World’s Rewards is a joyous encounter and slightly different from their usual style of faster-paced folk meets punk rock. “Indie” is a bit of sunlit cheer-pop, presenting a band wanting to reach out to a wider audience than before.

Syket
Syket (Swedish for Asylum) is one of the most prominent bands of the Swedish indie scene. Following the nation-wide success of their debut, the seven-piece from Umeå are freshly out of the studio with their sophomore effort Can You Keep A Secret?. The album shows the band digging even further into dreamy electronic ambiance. Their latest single, “Yes Pinkie!” is an elegant glossy soft pop leaving an impression of a sun-bleached postcard from the late 70’s or perhaps the early 80’s, floating effortlessly over layers upon layers of wistful synthesizers.

So just who are these golden youth? In addition to Mitchelmore, the group features fellow SMUS alum Matthew Lyall on lead vocals and guitar, Murray McKenzie on rhythm guitar and backup vocals, and Louise Burns on bass, vocals and keyboards. (Though the three singers have a habit and switching places – and occasionally instruments – on stage). Lyall started off the set a little flat, but both he and the band recovered nicely. They are in their infancy as performers so I’m sure audience members are more forgiving.

Lyall has stated that “we write pop songs, but we’re not a pop band.” How very right he is. Instead, what Gold & Youth are can be described as a millennial infusion of post-rock and chillwave complete with a solid skeleton and cohesive internal organs. Lyall and Mitchelmore stated that they are fans of electronic music, but that they don’t know how to create it. I would slightly disagree with this, as Lyall’s liberal use of the synthesizer showed the beginnings of a possible electro-funk extravaganza and some of the songs came out sound very Gorillaz-esque. Their backdrop also played an important role. Filled with lights, Louise took centre stage for once song and the entire band became silhouettes. It was a breathtaking image, and reminded me of a Maynard James Keenan performance I was once saw.

For me, the most interesting about the show was that G&Y are the audience in which they play for: late twenty-early thirty-somethings, many of whom are recent post-secondary graduates just starting their careers. While there were a lot of family and friends in the crowd at Fortune that night, the fact that so many people whom they didn’t know were around the same age as the band members gave the whole show a sense of oneness. Also, hardly iPhone recording of the concert. This crowd knew the meaning of living in the moment. The audience even gave the band their first-ever encore. Clearly we are witnessing the germ of something that has the potential to be quite lovely. Another thing that stood out, was how Lyall gave way to Burns on a couple songs, letting her take centre stage and allowing the band to really showcase her voice. Even McKenzie got in on the action. But not Mitchelmore. Because, you know, he’s the drummer.

They are doing a mini-tour – Toronto, Hamilton, New York, among others – including a stop at NXNE. Not bad for a band who just released their debut LP. They are signed to the Arts & Crafts, which has been host to some of the best Canadian music and artists in recent times. Hopefully, Gold & Youth will continue that trend.

Beyond The Wilderness was released May 14th on Arts & Crafts.

RIYL: Gorillaz, MS MR, Sigur Ros, Sade

In something completely un-related: I have been two tickets to give away to see Atlas Genius in Vancouver on Sunday May 26th at Venue. First person to answer this questions wins: What was the name of Atlas Genius’ first single?

Product Description

Peace and Love Twin Bed in a Bag – Multi (NEW in Original Packaging) The spirit of the ’60s lives on in this fun and funky Peace and Love complete bedroom ensemble! The face of the comforter features a dense, horizontal stripe design featuring a wide band of cartoon drawings of iconic peace signs filled with stylized flowers and the words peace and freedom in vibrant shades of petal pink, magenta, amethyst, orange and lime green on a turquoise ground. Other horizontal bands feature stylized flowers and peace signs in shades of petal pink, magenta, amethyst, lime green and orange on a white ground; another band highlights a diagonal stripe in amethyst and white; a narrow band spotlights small hearts in amethyst, white and petal pink on a lime green ground; and another narrow band sports stylized daisies in magenta on petal pink. The reverse of the comforter and the standard flanged pillow shams features an all over tossed design of stylized flowers, hearts, peace signs and the words peace, love and freedom in the same bold color palette on a white ground. The coordinating 180 thread count sheet and pillowcases feature a dense, all over design of small stylized daisies in magenta and petal pink on a white ground. All components are constructed of an easy-care blend of 60 percent cotton and 40 percent polyester and are machine washable. Bed in a Bag includes: One Twin Comforter (66 in. W x 86 in. L) One Standard Sham (20 in. W x 26 in. L)One Twin Flat Sheet (66 in. W x 96 in. L)One Twin Fitted Sheet (39 in. W x 76 in. L x 10 in. pocket)One Standard Pillowcase (20 in. W x 30 in. L)Comforter and Sham: 60% Cotton 40% PolyesterComforter: 100% Polyester FillSheet Set: 60% Cotton 40% Polyester, 180 Thread CountMachine Washable Imported

Tag : @$@Peace Signs Multicolor Girls Comforter Set, $Peace Signs Multicolor Girls Comforter Set, #Peace Signs Multicolor Girls Comforter Set, *%Peace Signs Multicolor Girls Comforter Set

Acoustic performance of ‘Every time we kissed’ by Jake Isaac at Soulive Birmingham live music event by SoulFeatures and Grey Cotton.

The Strive is a five piece pop/rock group from Kansas City, Missouri.  The band is made up of lead singer Brendan Stevens, guitarists Luke Davis and Greg Dowd, bassist Michael Zenk, and drummer Nick Stacy.

The band has recently released their third EP, “Caught Inside.”  Their previous releases include the 2011 release, “Anything Goes,” and 2012′s, “Design The Road.”  In addition to their EP’s they have also released three singles: “Sleepless,” “Patience,” and “The Way It Goes.”

Most fans of The Strive first became familiar with the band through Nick Stacy’s YouTube account where he would post drum covers to rock and Top 40 songs.  He instantly grew a large following.  He currently has 14,885 subscribers and over 3.6 million views.

Check out some videos from the band below:

“Patience” live music video.

“Sleepless”

“I Knew You Were Trouble” Taylor Swift cover

Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
PureVolume

One thing you have to know about me is: I like indie rock. How hipster of me. But no, really, Rock has always been my baby but there’s something about banjos and drums that drives me crazy. But don’t worry, apart from the odd weird band, I do have good taste in music.

That being sad, it is only natural that I would mention the The National documentary that has come out. The name is Mistaken for Strangers  which is also the name of one of the singles of Boxer – my personal favourite album so far but alas, I still have the new one to listen to,

It is basically a movie based on the tour that The National made in 2010 adter the released of the High Violet. On this big tour, Matt’s brother (Tom) goes with them and documents it.

Now, I haven’t seen it yet but it’s on my list.

For all of you not aware, The National is a rock band from Ohio. They have 6 albums (Trouble Will Find Me has just been released) plus EP’s.

Here is the link for the movie website:

http://mistakenforstrangersmovie.com/

Hope you will enjoy it as much as I am sure I will.

Claudia

Starts at 9.00pm

£2.00 Members

£3.00 Non-members

  Atlantic Crossing Show Videos

   

Colin plays 6 string guitar and this is all complimented by electronic backing instrumentation produced by me to suit. A full repertoire comprises of a variety of pop music from the 50′s, 60′s (including motown/soul) & 70′s (of course) to the present and he aims to keep people dancing and having a good time.

Colin believes that his musical blend provides a good evenings entertainment for all mixed audiences.

Starts at 9.00pm

£2.00 members

£3.00 non-members

Me in high school

Greetings From the Musical Stepping Stone

My name is Sean Muldoon. I was born on September 30, 1989 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 8 years old and I have been living here for 15 years. On my father’s side I have a stepmother and on my mother’s side I have a stepfather and two step brothers. I have lived in more dwellings than I can count on all of my fingers. I currently live with my girlfriend, Britta in an apartment within a small neighborhood named Linden Hills. I work 30 hours a week for Globe University as a social media marketing intern.

My hobbies and interests include playing music, drawing, exercise, travel, technology, eating out and cooking food. Music, drawing and cooking are things that I naturally was drawn to and continue to try to challenge myself with as often as possible. Exercise, travel and technology are all things I want to adapt to understanding better because I believe they are integral to who I want to become in my future.

I originally introduced myself to playing music through trombone in 4th grade but near the middle of high school I started to fade away from it when I discovered drums and guitar. During high school I experienced a stepping stone with music through taking drum lessons and playing guitar in a band. We were a weird rock band called Honeybuggers and there were four of us. We spent most of the time playing for fun in our basements and garages and some songs adapted into being suitable enough for a live show setting. We performed in our houses and friend’s houses and once played at The Depot in Hopkins. This time in my life taught me that music was something I could do.

Honeybuggers in my step-cousin’s basement

Honeybuggers is no longer active but it instilled a place of passion for me to continue to pursue music. I have continued to practice instruments, write songs and record ideas. The reason I am attending IPR today is because I want to incorporate music into my life daily in a vocational way. It is an opportunity to expand my musical knowledge, connect with people who have similar paths and create in a higher capacity.

Related articles

• New Music Video – Foxygen “Shuggie” (thescenestar.typepad.com)
• Song of the Day: Foxygen – No Destruction (kexp.org)
• FOXYGEN ‘WE ARE THE 21st CENTURY AMBASSADORS OF PEACE & MAGIC’ (dgstrachan.wordpress.com)
• Sweetlife Preview: Foxygen (rhymeetreason.com)

English: This closeup of The Cloak of Conscience, prior to completion, illustrates the fine craftmanship required to create the illusion of fabric and soft material from rock-hard marble. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Three key tracks from the new album Excavation, by the band The Haxan Cloak.

BEWARE! Dark ambient sounds will consume your room

Maybe is the love for the music, expensive guitars, rock n’roll at its pureness and huge masses of people raising their hands at the same time that makes this movie special. The controversy of having a rock band composed by teenager girls who’s habits at the age of sixteen are drinking, smoking taking drugs and playing guitar is what makes The Runaways, as a rock band, simply amazing.
The argument is good, the music is good, and the cast is good. The main characters: Dakota Fanning, Kristen Stewart and Michael Shannon are perfect for their roles. Definitely a must see.

The Tunnels, Carnegie brae, Aberdeen, the place to be for a night of Prime Scottish Beef Metal on Saturday 18 May.

First up are Aberdeen band Death Watch, having the task of warming up the crowd for the night ahead. Straight away Death Watch has a decent amount of hairy metal heads congregating at the front of the stage, ready to be hit by a wall of Sludge Metal. These guys play slow, very slow and are technically brilliant musicians that work as a very tight unit. They could have a lot more movement on the stage, but Chuck on vocals and guitar makes up for it with his big personality. There is something quite intriguing about a bearded, bald headed man grinning like the Cheshire cat as he growls his way through a set of low, sludgy metal. Arron (Bisongrass) also showed his appreciation with a cameo appearance or stage invasion, which made for a different ending to their set.

Local band Deadfire, Fudge Awards 2013 best newcomer were second up. They might not be Metal but what they are is a very impressive Hard Rock band. They hit the stage running with a set bursting with old school rock inspired tunes, with a hint of Nirvana thrown in for good measure. A welcome contrast in a night otherwise full of Metal. Charlie, the bands front man has masses of stage presence and quite often looks like he could start a riot at any minute. A few unexpecting punters at the front were given something to worry about with Charlie’s stage diving antics towards the end of their set. An all round great performance in what could be described as a difficult fixture for Deadfire, being the least Metal on the bill. Their song ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Like That’ is also one of the most memorable tracks of the night, with its great dynamics and sections that even the most hardcore of Metal fans would appreciate.

Roll on Three from Edinburgh are the first out of town band on the bill and they are electric!  Full on, fast paced Metal, exploding from the stage from four guys that obviously love what they do.  You can hear a definite nod to Pantera through their guitar and vocal, mixing it up with more of a New Metal edge.  The vocalist is like Duracell bunny on speed!  Throwing everything and more into his performance and interacting with the crowd like a pro. Not only do Roll On Three sound the part, they look the part too and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them on a much bigger stage in the near future.

Atragon, also from the capital are the next on the bill.  You can sense a slight nervous tension from the band as they take the stage, especially from their front man.  He also wins the award for the nights best faces, although followed closely by their lead guitarist.  Settling into the gig by the second half of their set, they started to relax and enjoy themselves, with the vocalist even stepping into the crowd to soak up the atmosphere.  Atragon have a big Doom sound with some good riffs and strong vocal parts, however sometimes this gets drowned out with so much going on.  They have touches of brilliance and on their night could have something exceptional.

Bacchus Baracus from Glasgow, a really professional sounding outfit that know exactly how to play to a live audience, are the nights penultimate band.  For a Metal band they have one hell of an amount of groove, and a big bluesy influence coming through in their music similar to that of ZZ Top.  Also unusual to see the lead vocal coming from a drummer with a growly, Lemmy like voice, but it works well and has the strong backing vocals of the guitarist beefing up the sound at just the right times.  They have a set full of seriously catchy tunes with massive hooks, delivered in perfect sync that would fit well in any Metal or Rock  fans playlist.  These guys are a must see live act and not an easy one for Bisongrass to follow as Headliners.

Last but not least, Bisongrass the nights Headliners and Fudge Awards 2013 Best Album, Best Live Act and Best Band winners take the stage.  Before the band start to play, a well oiled audience push against the front as the energy starts to build, ready for the best in your face Beef Metal that Aberdeen has to offer.  The unmistakable big sound of Bisongrass then kicks in and like a smack to the face with a large T-Bone steak, sends heads banging and hair flying into a frenzy at the front of the stage.  These guys have great riffs and like Bacchus they also have truck loads of groove.  You can instantly hear sounds reminiscent of early Soundgarden and more than a hint of Kyuss through their guitars, adding extra interest on top of their heavy beats.  The bands experience is obvious with how well they deliver their music with the tightness that every great Metal tune deserves.  You would be forgiven for thinking that this band would have a stereotypical, deep, death growl like vocal, however with Bisongrass this isn’t the case.  Mark, the band’s vocalist oozes confidence on stage and delivers a raw and powerful vocal that has a Hetfield meets Cornell type quality to it, helping transform this good Metal band into a great one.  The song of the night also goes to Bisongrass with ‘Sounds Like Trouble’, with punters singing or shouting along to its punchline and starting off the nights first mosh pit in front of the stage.  An excellent end to a fantastic night and a few hangovers to be nursed the following day, of that I am sure.

Here is another favorite album of mine from 2012, its Swans with The Sheer

Here is the song ‘Peace of Mind,’ from Mikal Cronin. Off his new album, MCII, out now on Merge Records

Related art

icles

• Mikal Cronin – “Change” Video (stereogum.com)
• Mikal Cronin made a new video, expands tour (updated dates) (brooklynvegan.com)
• Mikal Cronin – Weight (sexbeatlondon.com)

Lead singer Ellie Roswell’s velvet voice is laced with soft riffs and catchy rhythms. I first heard of this band with the release of fluffy and I was hooked.

The band are currently playing a number of gigs so watch out for them coming to a town near you.

Their new indie song, ‘Bros’ is about to be released in May. Listen to their tracks below.

]]>

1. Prepare to fail. Wow. Uplifting, inspiring, advice, right? One of the most important lessons to learn as a solo musician is to overcome your fear of failure. Failure shouldn’t paralyze you. When things go wrong, never externalize: always try to find a way to turn things into a learning experience. Did you break a string? Learn to properly restring and maintain your instrument so it never happens again. Sound guy not doing his job? Prepare to perform a capelle and/or completely acoustic. People talking all over your performance? Watch how effective performers rally an audience and demand attention.

Things will go wrong that are completely out of your control, but if you’re able to prepare yourself for any obstacle that comes your way, you’ll not only be a better performer, but you’ll also be on your way to impressing your audience: “Wow! She was so into her music that she broke a string and STILL continued to play!” or “And then he jumped off the stage and played right to the audience! I’ve never seen anything like it!” or “Right from the beginning, he had our attention!”

2. Prepare to go it alone. As nice as it is to play for your unconditionally supportive friends and family, they won’t be able to follow you everywhere you go. Going to an open mic by yourself will free you to get around and talk to the people there instead of staying in your warm, familiar, comfort circle.

3. Time your set. If an open mic asks for 15 minutes, know that you aren’t going to go over. It’s better to play less than what’s asked and leave audiences hungering for more than overstaying your welcome.

4. Rehearse everything including stage banter. Know what you want to say about each song and practice it as you would a difficult solo or slippery lyrics. Make sure that you factor this into your set time. Sure you might have three 5-minute songs, but if you spend 2 minutes talking about each of them, you’ll already be going way over.

5. Have all of your promotional materials at the ready. No one’s going to remember to go to your Facebook Page when they get back home. Have your business cards, mailing list sign up, stickers, CDs, etc., in an easily accessible place (AKA not the trunk of your car/in a van down by the river). Have a promotional goal with each open mic whether it’s to get more Twitter followers, sell CDs, or promote a show you’ll be playing in the area. Don’t assume people will remember things you tell them. They’ll be much more apt to remember to help you out if they bring something of yours home with them (business card, event flyer, CD, etc).

6. Prepare to stay for the whole night. It’s not just about you. Other people like playing to an audience too. Be courteous and applaud everyone. Not everyone will be great, but open mics are often beautiful, tightly-knit communities. You probably like feeling welcomed, so treat others similarly. Even if you don’t buy into that, there are many other benefits to sticking around!

Someone playing after you could be a great candidate to share a bill with. You can be your own talent scout. Similarly, sometimes, people go to open mics to scout for local talent. If you impress people night after night and make yourself available for conversation afterwards, opportunities will come your way (see story below). Always be on the lookout for opportunities to learn. See how good performers work a room. Study a virtuoso’s technique up close. Take note of what crowds respond to and see if you an incorporate those elements into your own music.

Take every opportunity you can to channel your inner extrovert (or outer…) and introduce yourself to everyone you can. Look them in the eyes. Smile. Shake their hands. Remember their names. Exchange contact information. Talk to them about their favorite music, their jobs, their interests. Build friendships. If you have a way you can help them, don’t keep the advice to yourself! This is the kind of hustling you’ll have to do when you start playing solo shows, so consider this free on-the-job training!

7. Brace yourself for the necessary follow-up. If you exchanged contact info with people, send a friendly email within 24 hours. Tell them about how much fun the open mic was and what you liked about their performance. Ask about any shows they’ll be playing or whether they’ll be at next week’s open mic. Basically, act like a good friend would. If the venue had food/drink you tried, write a review online. If you found out about the open mic through http://www.openmikes.org, post a review. Doing so will provide another potential source for traffic to your website or page.

The aforementioned story:

I got hooked-up with a touring Motown show band simply by bringing my keyboards out every Friday to an open mic, playing my butt off, lending my gear to others, and sitting in with anyone who wanted a keyboardist. The bass player for the band was scouting open mics to find a new keyboardist. He noticed me and kept his eye on me for a while but didn’t speak to me until he felt he had a good grasp on my character, reliability, and, of course playing. One day, he offered to take me out to dinner at a 24 hour diner after the jam. I didn’t know it at the time, but the dinner was my interview, and I passed! The manager called me and did her round of questions (I knew it was an interview that time). I came in, played with the band, and was hired on the spot and was given a list of 20 dates over the summer, each paying $300+. Within a few months, I got promoted to the band’s musical director. Not bad for a guy who was just going to open mics!

Tried these steps but still don’t feel ready to head out to an open mic? Share your concerns in the comments section! To support this blog, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrive!

Henry

http://www.shelteredturtle.com
http://www.twitter.com/shelteredturtle
http://www.facebook.com/shelteredturtlemusic

4. Getting signed doesn’t guarantee anything. It still surprises me how many emerging musicians’ end goal is to get signed to a record label. Yes, major label record deals are very lucrative, but there’s a high turnaround rate of artists which isn’t very conductive toward a long-lasting, stable, career. It’s fine to strive for those deals, but don’t assume that you’ll have everything taken care of once you’ve signed a record deal.

3. It’s easier than ever to “make it.” Really? Really. It just requires you do broaden your definition of “making it.” We live in an age where more resources, more information, and more opportunities to network are available than ever before. Just about any question you can possibly have can be answered with a quick search. It’s about knowing where to look. For example, you’ve found this blog! And there are countless other resources with a wealth of information (CD Baby DIY Musician’s Blog and MusicBizAcademy.com for example). In future posts, I’ll be discussing the various options you have available to you as a solo musician.

2. Embrace who you are. It’s cheesy and cliched, but who you are is the most powerful thing you have as an artist. Don’t give into the pressure of becoming someone you’re not because it’s trendy. If you want to continue being happy doing music, take the advice of Joseph Campbell and follow your bliss. You can’t make people like what you do, but you can certainly present the parts of yourself that make you unique and be the best in that tribe or niche. You’ll be happy, your fans will be happy, and you’ll be contributing to a richer, more diverse cultural landscape. Be super into whatever you’re into. Like minded people will follow.

1. Being a positive person will make you successful. I’m not talking about changing your personality entirely. That would contradict the the previous message. What’s important is being a positive influence on the lives of others. Never burn bridges. Always be respectful to everyone, even if they’re not returning the favor. Be easy to reach and easy to work with. Open your eyes to spot opportunities to help people. People are much more likely to help those that helped them. Here’s an example.

Musician A comes out to all of your performances big and small, stays until the end of the night, and even helps you break down your gear. He talks about you all the time over social media, always tell you how awesome your music is, and have even turned some of his friends into fans of your music.

Musician B lives in a bubble. You met him once (maybe?) a while back and see his plugs pop up over Facebook. Aside from show invites, you never really communicate with him.

Now say that Musician A and Musician B are both releasing an album. Who would you support? If you have a shred of decency, you’d unquestioningly support Musician A. Most likely, you’ll ignore most anything sent by Musician B. However, going back to the point of being a positive person, it might be worth your while to support Musician B too! Perhaps then, he’ll be more inclined to help you along as well.

Have any other thoughts on today’s music market? Write them in the comments below, tweet me (@shelteredturtle), or post to my Facebook page.

Thrive!

Henry
http://www.shelteredturtle.com
http://www.twitter.com/shelteredturtle
http://www.facebook.com/shelteredturtlemusic

Andrew Seward has been with Against Me! for just about 11 years and has decided to part ways. “I’ve left AM!. No drama here. I reached a point where I need to focus on other things. Respect to Laura and James. The last 10 years ruled.” – Andrew.

The band continues on saying that it has been a privilege to stand on stage with Andrew and they are sad to see him go, they have no hard feelings and they wish him the best of luck on his journey. Against Me! will continue on with-out Andrew and release their new album they have been working on called Transgender Dysphoria Blues, it is due out sometime this year. Against Me! canceled their tour with Bad Religion after drummer Jay Weinberg left the band earlier in 2013, Against Me will return on September 13th – 15th for Riot Fest Chicago. Tickets are on sale now on Riot Fest’s website.