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Shadows on a River: Hunting While Waiting
April 30, 2009
Fresh back from a trip to Hangzhou China and beyond, Chicago musician David B Henson has sent us a handful of tracks from his upcoming debut 12-song LP slated to be untethered in May. The spaceman adorned album is dubbed, ‘Shadows on a River’, a self-titled release from the project of the same name.
The few tracks we heard from this brilliant introductory effort contain musical hints of Elliott Smith, Pink Floyd, Thom Yorke, and even Peasant’s folk stylings – and all the while David drifts near it all on his own shadow-splashed soundscape, “reminded of his own impermanence, that music isn’t life or death; we float through existence and are only as tangible as water or the absence of light”.
The song ‘Hunting While Waiting’ was put together with help from his friend Joey Lemon, with beautiful cover art by Camm Rowland (cammrowland.com) and with mastering by TW Walsh (twwalsh.com).
- Shadows on a River @ MySpace
- SoaR @ Facebook
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Black Label Summer: Blue Eyes Wild
April 29, 2009
Josh Hall is a prolific enigma.
He’s the main singer-songwriter behind Thunderhawk, originally featured on this network way way back on Insomnia Radio #39 highlighting his hometown of Muncie, Indiana. Since then he’s released at least 6 albums, entirely self-produced and self-marketed.
In 2008 he started at least 5 new bands, each with fictional symbolic titles representing a certain genre of music. A fake compilation CD (Thunderhawk VI) was produced encompassing these bands: The Krush Kills, Cigarette Lifter, The Dead Westerbergs, Killer Robots from Space, Touch Me Zoo, and Black Label Summer, the focus of today’s Daily Dose.
I get the impression Josh has so many ideas and melodies running through his head on a daily basis that crafting these fictional bands is his way of squeezing order out of the creative chaos. Black Label Summer is a pure blend of Alt Country and Americana, and my god it’s well done. Strikingly honest and emotional with pure melodies and simple flourishes of banjo and steel guitar, Black Label Summer is literally an undiscovered gem by a fictional band from a musical genius who still exists inexplicably in the shadows just shy of exposure.
By the way? His goal was to have released 5 full length albums by October of 2008. We’re waiting on confirmation of that, but we sure dig his motive:
“I got tired of hearing about bands doing EPs of five or six songs, or waiting three years for the next Radiohead CD that only has 10 songs on it. So I’m trying to put 60 or 70 songs out all on the same day, none of it being demos or throw-away songs. My head is a busy and confusing place. I’m just trying to capture what’s going on upstairs on these albums.”
Help us change that. This post has been difficult to write, because Josh Hall has put almost no promotional effort into his latest two albums, despite the fact that they’re brilliant (you’ll be hearing more proof of this on Insomnia Radio proper soon). I couldn’t find a bio, a discography, album art, nothing to aid in my quest to promote his music to the world.
The mission: If you’re reading this, and you dig what he’s doing, email the man: jhall_10@yahoo.com – tell him you want his music more accessible, you want more information, and you want to see him succeed. If anything else, tell the man hi and that he rocks. He deserves to hear it.
Look for more Thunderhawk & Josh Hall here on the network in the upcoming weeks.
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Black Label Summer: MYSPACE
Thunderhawk: WEBSITE
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Admiral Twin: Phone Call #27
April 28, 2009
Power Pop for the Summer, from Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Well-known for their harmony infused, three-minute rock explosions and eccentric pop experimentation, Admiral Twin’s latest CD, The Center of the Universe, features the singles “In My Veins” and “Good as Gold” with a sound that ranges from Fountains of Wayne to The Beatles to Wilco. [PMN] |
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Links
Immune: I’d Rather Die
April 27, 2009
“If I can’t be someone of consequence, I’d rather die than have to crawl.”
The above quote is part of the notable lyrics to the three song EP that Los Angeles rock band Immune put out a little over a year ago, specifically the song, “I’d Rather Die”. We’ve played some earlier incarnations of some songs from the “Nothing Left to Believe” EP here at Insomnia Radio, and were pleased to uncover this new track which was produced by Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down).
Immune ‘crystalized’ in Rhode Island by bandmember Rob Shulze, who decided to pack it up and move to Los Angeles in pursuit of more opportunities for his music to be heard. He quickly added new bandmembers from Seattle (Johnny Skaare, Drums), Virginia (Drew Worsley, Bass), and Brazil ( Joao Estrella Brandi, Lead Guitar), and with a lot of hard work they managed to put over 20,000 EPs into the hands of their rabid fanbase and gain quite a sizable following.
Check out Immune at the ReverbNation link below where they are currently giving out three tracks from the newest “Nothing Left to Believe” EP. Also, if you prefer, you can support them at iTunes and Amazon… or if you feel like you need to talk to them directly call (818)748-9080 and ask for them by phone!!!
- Immune @ MySpace
- Immune @ Twitter
- Immune @ ReverbNation (3 free downloads!)
- Immune store | amazon | itunes
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IR: UK #66 – Kids & Men
April 26, 2009
Episode Number 66 of Insomnia Radio UK
Six songs from UK artists, one French and one UK/French. Includes a prototype Ska segment.
Recording Date: Sun 26 April 2009
TRT: 34:36
Rating: Work Safe
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What’s in this episode
Other links
Capsula: Sun Shaking
April 26, 2009
Psychedelic-tinged Rock from Buenos Aires Argentina via Bibao Spain
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Released 25 April 2009, Rising Mountain is the eleventh Album from Capsula, who formed in 1999.
This prolific band are originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina, and have now relocated to Bibao in Spain. They are aout to embark on a tour of Spain and France, have previously toured extensively in the US and Europe, over the years. For lovers of dark and psychedelic rock ‘n roll punk such as The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, early David Bowie or Television. |
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Links
IODA Links
Capsula
”Sun Shaking” (mp3)
from “Rising Mountains”
(BCore Disc)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody- Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album
Sister Suvi: Claymation
April 25, 2009
Yes, folks, another band from Montreal deserves your attention. (checks notes…damn, the whole “great musicianship is in the water” thing has been done to death…)
Formed in 2005 with a strong DIY ethic, and much ukulele love, Sister Suvi began touring immediately. In 2006 they released “The Colour EP” with engineer and friend Mark Lawson (The Unicorns, Arcade Fire). The rest of the obligatory bio is a laundry list of indie superstars, perfectly timed strokes of brilliance and luck, and tons of touring.
Cut to April 14th, 2009: Their new album “Now I Am Champion” is beyond buzzworthy, the harmonies are delicious, the melodies are simultaneously abrasive and catchy, and the 3 piece take several sonic risks that pay off with repeat listening.
Best of all, Sister Suvi and their label Common Cloud have adopted a “donate what you want” mentality for the new full length – but rewards await the more generous donations…
Find out more right here.
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Links
Mr. Anonymous: One Pretty Woman (feat. Ranking Jr.)
April 24, 2009
Four years after travelling to Jamaica with an acoustic guitar, “echo box” and megaphone, Mr. Anonymous is back with “Mr. Anonymous 2″. For this mission, boundaries were pushed to “the extreme” into the “Dub” world and new contacts were made with key liasons in London England as well as Kingston Jamaica.
Agents include Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling of The English Beat organization as well as Pinchers and Mega Banton (both in Kingston) and an agent from the West Coast of Africa, Boubacar Diabate – not to mention reggae greats Sly & Robbie!
The Mr. Anonymous 2 album was released on 4/16 and we’d like to toast this occasion with an introductory track by Ranking Jr, son of Ranking Roger who has taken part of the torch from his father and branched out with his own rapid fire yet smooth vocal delivery, backed by the sound production genius of Jeep MacNichol. Just in time for summer:
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IR:Detroit #24 – Great Motor City Music
April 23, 2009
More great music from the S.E. Michigan Area (and one from Lansing, Michigan)!
Thanks to Charles @ IR:SoCal for the nudge on Thunderbirds are now!
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Review of Detroit Music awards from Billboard.com
Music From:
Thunderbirds Are Now!
The Detroit Cobras
VOMF
Ace Noface
Crud
Blood Brothers
Tom Smith
Freakstar
Bands from the Metro Detroit area – I’m looking for your submissions! Email them to me at Detroit AT InsomniaRadio DOT net !
Her Vanished Grace: Blue
April 23, 2009
Reviewed by Sarah Morrison
New York based four-piece Her Vanished Grace have created a sound which is really something special with their newest album ‘Blue’. They describe themselves as dream pop (incidentally one of my favouritely named subgenres ever), and mix sweeping guitar-led soundscapes with gorgeous wistful vocals harmonies, inventive textures and a pop-y undercurrent.
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The album’s title track, featured on today’s IR Daily Dose, seems to encompass everything that HVG are all about. It’s a dreamy sonic landscape filled with the male-female vocal harmonies that this band use to their full advantage throughout the album, with a gloriously dischordant chorus sandwiched between lulling verses, all played out over a densely layered, guitar-heavy backdrop.
However, don’t think that this song entirely represents their music; the album weaves a tapestry of power pop, indie rock and new wave elements, and is as upbeat as it is pensive. |
As a side note, I actually had quite a hard time writing this review, because all I wanted to do was sit back, close my eyes and enjoy the music instead of thinking of clever ways to describe it. I personally recommend that you get your hands on this record, listen to it whilst lying down in a grassy field on a sunny day, and feel the world melt away beneath you…
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