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May 2013 Music Roundup

Brandon Schmidt — Fri, 31 May 2013 10:37:29 +0000

You take one little two-week hiatus and suddenly the floodgates open. After a slow April, the rock gods woke up and directed our attention to a slew of bands and solo artists. In particular, the great white north (Canada) provided us with enough music to keep us entertained for days and weeks. If you don’t find something you like then keep looking. It was quite a diverse month.

WTCHS – “Mr. Hands”

Described as a “basement recording made for vinyl”, the new track “Mr. Hands” from Canadian band WTCHS is almost like two songs in one. Released back in late April, the track begins with a heavy punk influence and finishes with a turn towards alt-rock. The band compares the latter sound with Queens of the Stone Age and I couldn’t agree more. “Mr. Hands” was released on a 7″ split with “Harness” from Thoughts On Air. You can check out both tracks below.

Oh, Admiral – Breaking Free

The 5-track album Breaking Free is the first to be released by Oh, Admiral under the Painted Ox Records label. The acoustic collection is the creative output of Mike Berean, formerly of Verse The End. Of the five tracks, I particularly enjoyed the instrumentation of “Here and There” with its combination of acoustic guitar, flute, and percussion work.

Pete Van Dyk & The Second Hand Band – “Rise the Falling Sun”

Another Hamilton, Ontario band joins our news ranks and this time it’s Pete Van Dyk & The Second Hand Band. Not only has the 4-member group recently released a new track, “Rise the Falling Sun” also has a music video showcasing who the band really is. I really dig the blues influence the band manages to mix into their sound. Have a listen for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

Ketch Harbour Wolves - Queen City: Volume 1

It’s always interesting to find out what musicians use for the inspiration in their work. In Queen City: Volume 1, Ketch Harbour Wolves used different locations of Toronto to create a tone in each of the seven tracks. At the same time, the album tries to make a more universal connection by touching on the emotions all of humanity share. The sound really changes from track to track including everything from the instrumentation to the vocals. If I had to pick a favorite, I think “Should Have Learned” would top that list. The entire album is included below for you to find your own favorite, and “The Good Blood” is currently a free download.

Harvey Dinero – C.T.G.E presents: Harvey Dinero’s A Day in the Life

We step away from the Canadian and alt-rock theme to present Columbus, Ohio native and hip hop artist Harvey Dinero. The 11-track album A Day in the Life (released under C.T.G.E. ltd.) is the first from the musician. It’s not just a solo act, as Harvey includes a handful of the tracks featuring other artists such as “Sunshine ft. Noel Gaines”. The full album can be listened to here (Warning: NSFW).

AStar - Any Given Moon*

A*Star is the first band to make a second appearance in our monthly roundup feature, having previously gained our attention back in February. The shoegaze/dreampop duo from Chicago is back with 2-track EP Any Given Moon. The two tracks complement each other well with the slightly grittier “Any Given Sunday” leading into the more ethereal “Catch the Moon”. Both tracks are available to listen to below.

Rob Green – Soul Dancing

Some musicians get their start early, others spend a lifetime crafting their talents before accomplishing their dreams. Rob Green falls into the latter category, releasing his first album - Soul Dancing - at age 62. The 12-track album is a work developed over 37 years and a features an eclectic mix of styles including R&B, jazz, soul, rock, and folk. Green’s folkish vocals combine with acoustic guitar and sax and play against lyrics that generally hold a positive outlook on life (though there are exceptions). It’s an enjoyable mix and a sound we don’t hear a lot of around here.

DAV!D&CLARA – Untitled album

Electronic music made a big showing in last month’s roundup and we’ve seen a bit more of that influence again in May. DAV!D&CLARA isn’t your typical duo though. David is a musician from the American southwest, specializing in industrial dance, electronic, and electro/electro pop music. In an interesting twist, Clara is his laptop. Although the album in progress has yet to receive a title, 10 tracks of poetic lyrics are available to listen to right now.

DAVIDS – 0613EP

I can’t calculate the odds of this happening, but if you wanted more electronica and more David, well, it’s your lucky day. I present to you DAVIDS and their electronica/new wave/synthpop EP 0613EP. The full album hasn’t released quite yet, but the band has put together a music video for single “Dead Walkie”. The video was directed by Christopher Mills who has worked with such notable bands as Interpol and Rush. Have a listen to the track below, hit the link for the video, and sit tight until June 4th when the album comes out.

Calgary James - Indian Summer

Combining acoustic guitar, synthesizers, piano, and more, Indian Summer is another eclectic mix of sounds wrapped up into a neat 6-track EP. Calgary James is particularly fond of the second track, “Hammock”. I have to agree that I really like the vocal harmonies which produces a sound that hearkens back to the 50s and 60s. This album also comes with a music video, a psychedelic offering for “4AM”. The experimental album really does go all over the place, but that isn’t a bad thing as it’s consistently entertaining throughout.

Air Marshal Landing - You Used To Be Me

Last month I had the pleasure of discovering Air Marshal Landing and their single “Little Town”. Well, come June 4th the Canadian trio is releasing the rest of that album, You Used To Be Me. The 11 tracks will be offered in both digital and CD form, and the band is making the first track “Move With You” free to download all summer. I’m eager to hear the full album, but you can hear the first track below.

Weekend Riot Club - PSYCHOTROPIA

Another band we spotlighted last month is back with a full album release. Weekend Riot Club is set to release Psychotropia on June 4th. The alt-rock group from Hamilton, Ontario has put together a 12-track album featuring Melissa Marchese on lead vocals, Mike Chetcuti on guitar, and Paul Fontes driving the band’s high energy on drums. The full album can be obtained in digital format or via CD. Have a listen below to track “Give It All” or hit the link to listen to the full album.

This may have been our most musically diverse month yet. Summer’s heating up, everyone’s headed outside, and it’s a great time to listen to some new music. Did you have any favorites from the list above, or do you have any recommendations of your own? Hit us up with a comment, and be sure to check back in a few weeks for next month’s edition.

Alt Rock Band M8ME Releases Debut EP

Brandon Schmidt — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 02:36:08 +0000

It’s not often we get news of bands from as far away as Russia. So when alternative rock band M8ME contacted us about their debut EP releasing, I of course was interested in checking them out. Their debut EP, Mate Me EP, includes four tracks.

The first and third tracks, “Don’t You Know” and “Forever”, respectively, have a driving tempo and sound that really took me back to the alt-rock chart-toppers of the mid-to-late 90s/early 2000s. The band slows things down with the second track, “The Last Talk”, which they remix for the EP’s finale.

You can have a listen to “The Last Talk” in the video below, or you can check out the whole EP on Bandcamp or SoundCloud.

Glass Bottom Games announces Jones On Fire

Brandon Schmidt — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:46:50 +0000

Denver-base indie development studio Glass Bottom Games has announced its latest project, Jones On Fire. Initially started as part of Colorado’s 2012 BlazeJam charity event, the game is now on the verge of releasing for iOS devices with an Android port planned for later.

Described as a “run-and-jumper”, Jones on Fire tasks players with doing what every good firefighter should do: save kitties. Doing so unlocks new abilities for lead hero Emma Jones as she tries to outrun the pursuing pixel-art wall of fire. And if saving furry friends along the way isn’t enough incentive to be a hero, leaderboards are included for bragging rights. The retro art style and “cute factor” certainly make this game look like it’ll be appealing to a wide audience. The price tag of $0 can’t hurt either.

Although no official release date has been announced, Glass Bottom Games is hoping to have it out within a few weeks. For meow, erm now, you can check out the latest trailer below.

Matt Paxton releases Factory Town teaser

Brandon Schmidt — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:38:54 +0000

Canadian musician Matt Paxton has announced his latest single “Factory Town” will be available on July 31st only through iTunes. “Factory Town” includes performances by Paxton and fellow Other Songs Music Co. labeler Scott Orr, as well as guest vocals by Allison Geleynse.

Fans of Paxton’s music won’t have to wait to get a listen as a teaser for the song has been released. Be sure to check out the teaser below before heading off to Matt’s official website for more ways to keep up with future announcements.

Matt Paxton – Factory Town – Single Teaser from Other Songs Music on Vimeo.

Ragtag Studio Releases Unstoppable Fist

Brandon Schmidt — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:55:39 +0000

Chicago-based developers Ragtag Studio have launched their latest title, Unstoppable Fist, for iOS. The 16-bit graphical style and chiptunes soundtrack – the latter free to download through Bandcamp – set the tone for this “infinite attack game”.

Featuring wave after wave of demonic enemies, Unstoppable Fist challenges players to correctly tap HI, MID, and LOW touch zones to pummel the hordes of possessed wildlife that attempt to overwhelm our mulleted hero. The game obviously has a sense of humor, and the Loafers of Light and Unstoppable Fists you wield help further that tone.

Harness the power of the golden mullet

The game is advertised as easy to pick and play for a few minutes on the go, but it also offers a few extras for the more committed, hardcore players out there. A robust achievement system will challenge the best players to bring their skill level up to the next level. Game Center leaderboards will also give friends bragging rights over one another.

Check out the trailer below, then head on over to iTunes to pick up the game today. For additional news from Ragtag Studio, you can Follow them on Twitter and Like them on Facebook.

Album Shipwrecked Commotion Released

Brandon Schmidt — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:36:40 +0000

Brian Bringleson, working under the project name Paul Starling, has released a new album titled Shipwrecked Commotion. While the first single, “All of My Heart”, was released back in July 2011, the full 12-track album finally made its debut in May of this year. Paul Starling has previously released albums Nautical Rarities and Aimed Arrows among others.

In Shipwrecked Commotion, Starling creates a sound self-described as ‘nautical pop’ that is intended to “sail, float, skip, and even dance to”. After listening to the full album, I can definitely understand the summery, poppy comparisons being drawn to Brian Wilson and The Zombies. Check out a couple of the tracks below and you may find yourself wanting to grab a beach chair and a 6-pack of your favorite summer brew.

Paul Starling is currently on an American west coast tour including stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Portland among a number of other cities. If you can’t make it out to a show, you can find the album available for purchase through the official Bandcamp website and through iTunes.

Gateways Released on PC

Brandon Schmidt — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:54:50 +0000

Smudged Cat Games’ quirky spin on Portal has finally released. Gateways has wrapped up the beta process and flown the coop. There’s an updated demo available, and if it tickles your brain the right away you can purchase the full game for just $10 through the official website. Gamers waiting for Gateways on XBLIG are going to have to wait a bit as the developers have announced that version won’t be coming until later this year.

Check out the trailer and full press release below for more details on Gateways.

Gateways is a 2D, Portal-inspired platformer set in the lab of an inventor called Ed. Alongside the traditional platform elements such as jumping on enemies heads, spikes and moving platforms are the gateway guns.
The gateway guns allow you to place two gateways on the walls, floors and ceilings of the lab so that when you pass through one you emerge out of the other. As progress is made through the game different types of gateway gun are introduced with different effects. After the basic gun, you acquire a gun that creates two gateways of different sizes, passing through one way shrinks Ed to half his size and the other way makes Ed grow to twice his size. Then you find a gun where one gateway doesn’t just connect to the others location but also its time, allowing Ed to travel back in time and encounter earlier versions of himself. Finally, the last gun manipulates gravity so passing through allows Ed to walk along walls and on ceilings.
Gateways takes place on a single sprawling map rammed with puzzles and challenges. As power ups are acquired more and more of the map opens up containing more power ups and secrets. In addition to the gateway guns Ed will also find a torch letting him light up the darker areas of the map and a mirror which can be used to deflect lasers.
A sophisticated help system helps Ed along throughout the game. Every puzzle has a help point next to it where Ed can use power orbs to find out if the puzzle can be solved using his current power ups and abilities. If it can be solved and you’re still stumped then spending more power orbs will provide you with the solution.
-Smudged Cat Games