Music

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jarrod Gorbel has been through the “band thing.” His successful indie outfit The Honorary Title proved a fixture among savvy listeners with an ear for heartache served straight up, no twist. Gorbel’s vocal delivery could shatter glass, his pain and passion translating seamlessly into tracks any red-blooded guy or girl could relate to. Last November, Gorbel and crew played a final farewell show, gathered before a packed house, filled to the brim with fans. Everyone wondered why the talented team was disassembling. The explanation, for Gorbel anyway, unfolds nine months later, and, to followers’ relief, this comeback includes an album. Former lamenters can take comfort knowing that our 31-year-old boy wonder returns with a full-length, Devil’s Made a New Friend, which hit shelves Tuesday. Continue…

Archie Bronson Outfit is an intense band from the UK that has really come into their own in their latest album, Coconut.  This album is filled with heavy guitar riffs, reverberating vocals and crazy electronic/techno sounds.  Insert alien sounding, effected guitar solos and you have quite the album. Continue…

The Octopus Project (love the name) is an Austin based experimental indie/electronic band. Some of their stuff is akin to a more electronic Explosions in the Sky, but there is a lot more to them than that. Continue…

Sometimes it can be hard to find oldie, melodic vocals in today’s music. With The Antlers you get this on top of up beat, Post Rock/Dream Pop. Hospice is an album that tells the story of a man who is witnessing a loved one succumb to cancer. It was independently released in March 2009 and was received with critical praise. Their small time operation was no match for the demand it garnered as they sold off all their stock and had to produce more. Continue…

It never hurts to inject a little soul into your diet. Enter Andre Wililams to the rescue. The Chicago based blues recording artist has made a name for himself with sweet guitar rifts and a deep, enchanting voice kicking you great lyrics that touch the heart. I should probably stop writing now and let you have a listen for yourself.

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If you’re ever in a mood for some music that’s relaxing and entertaining, The Album Leaf might be just what you need. This Post-Rock band takes melodic synths and great, soothing beats to carry vocal patterns that are repetitive and not especially melodic, but never dull. Continue…

Oppression can do funny things to an artist – its either gonna crush you, or make your stronger and more focused. Imagine growing up loving to play music but your government would throw you in jail for playing it. Now, we aren’t talking about your neighbors yelling “turn that s— down!” we’re talking about religious police busting your door, beating you and your friends down, smashing your house and equipment, then dragging your bleeding ass to jail where you may or may not be heard from again. Yeah, exactly like that. So all the couch surfers in L.A. looking for a record deal take note, this is paying your dues. It should come as no surprise that now they can “rock in the free world” Hypernova explodes with so much power and heart. Their lyrics ooze with soul and their hard hitting music makes you want to move. Catch them at Webster Hall in NYC tonight, but before you do, download this free track off their debut album aptly titled Through the Chaos.  Continue…

There might be something in the water at the Navy Yard, because Brooklyn based band Phosphorescent is onto something. Since debuting in 2007 with Pride, their break out album, they have been on our radar. Their futuristic country sound is enchanting and invigorating at the same time. Phosphorescent’s second album To Willie, was a dedication to the great Willy Nelson. It’s been three years since we heard any new music from Matthew Houck and Phosphorescent, and the wait was well worth while. Here’s To Taking It Easy comes out to the world on May 11th and might be their best album as of yet. With a sound that is both sweet and infectious, Phosphorescent took their music to the next level. This is one of the best albums we’ve heard this Spring, and can’t wait to catch Phosphorescent on tour soon. Try a song for free and tell us what you think. Continue…

A Living Soundtrack is an experimental band from New Orleans. They use an assortment of different instruments, and put the different sounds through a variety of effects to achieve their waking dream sounds. This album manages to be relaxing and at the same time completely engaging. It is generally a very peaceful album, one that you really have to pay attention to in order to capture the full effect; listening to this music in the background can sound random at times. But if you take 20 minutes to listen to this music it will all come together and really make you think. “The Consolidation of Exponential Growth” is a song that really captures the feel of the entire album. I first heard it on the L train running late to work and noticed that it really is A Living Soundtrack. Continue…

Hip Hop great Guru of the dynamic duo Gangstarr has passed away. Since falling into a coma nearly a month ago Guru has been struggling to stay alive and was pronounced dead a few hours ago. The two videos below represent prolific styles. The first is from his first solo project called Jazzmataz and represents a more mellow Guru influenced by the Jazz he grew up around. The second video Full Clip showcases Guru’s work with DJ Premier as part of Gangstarr. R.I.P. Guru, one of Hip Hop’s greatest. Continue…