Photo courtesy of Misra Records We are pleased as punch to feature Water Liars for Hometowns today on Speakers in Code. Reminder: the Hometowns mission is twofold. 1) We wanna let our favorite musicians play homage to the places they hold near and dear to their hearts and 2) we strongly believe that roots have … Read more
Whenever I listen to Vanaprasta’s 2011 debut album, Healthy Geometry, I think to myself, “these dudes deserve a round of applause.” Basically, you know, for being mega-awesome. And also for being themselves, not necessarily obsessed with being “different,” which is one of the greatest things I can say about a band. We wrote about Vanaprasta … Read more
A couple of weeks ago, Boston trio Carousel had our bodies movin’ with “Games,” an ebullient dance-rock Jam of the Day. We’ve been in touch with the new group and are pleased to bring you a Hometowns feature that has us ready to head east, hang at seedy bars, and nurse the resulting hangover with … Read more
Welcome to Hometowns, a new feature we’re debuting today at Speakers in Code where we ask artists about where they grew up. The Hometowns mission is twofold: 1) we wanna let our favorite musicians play homage to the places they hold near and dear to their hearts and 2) we strongly believe that roots have … Read more
Photo by Graham Tolbert “Baby Missiles” perfectly illustrates everything I adore about musical juxtaposition. ’80s synth pop mixed with country-rock? Yes, please. I’ll have that. The War On Drugs frontman, Adam Granduciel, has a purposefully wobbly delivery on “Baby Missiles” that reminds me a little bit of Mark Knopfler on Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life.” … Read more
Photo by Elizabeth Weinberg Tonight, Madi Diaz will be bringing her songs to the Old Rock House ($8), playing a show with Keegan DeWitt and St. Louis buzz band Union Tree Review, and there’s plenty to get excited about. Diaz will be releasing a three-song EP titled Far From Things That We Know on September … Read more
The dog days of summer were built for bands like The New Mastersounds. Their overall sound – something straight out of ’60s and ’70s funk – is jammy and twisted in all the right ways, perfect for that needed second wind or backyard BBQ pick-me-up when the buzz is starting to fade. Their new album, … Read more
Recently, Josh Sickels and Nic Snyder of the awesomely awesome 1,2,3 took the time to answer some questions for us about their hometown of Pittsburgh, or “The Burgh” as these resident Pennsylvanians have earned the right to call it. I think this just might be my favorite Hometowns ever. The guys show their The Steel … Read more
Back in May, we introduced you to Chicago synth-pop rockers Hey Champ and offered up a deliciously free download of the groovy dance inciter “Anything At All,” the lead single from their EP bearing the same name. Following the EP release, the fellas released Volume 3 of their Winner’s Circle Mixtape series. Entitled “Cool in … Read more
Birds and Arrows formed in the musically rich town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2007, as a creative outlet for wife and husband duo, Andrea Connolly and Pete Connolly. Together they quickly released two EPs. The first, an eponymous effort documenting the strained conditions under which the two first met, was followed by the Woodgrain … Read more
Back in July, we were introduced to singer-songwriter Nerina Pallot, and made her song “This Will Be Our Year” our Pajammy Jam of the Day. And while we’re still fond of that song, that’s not the only gem in the platinum-selling artist’s arsenal. Nope, just have a listen to “Turn Me On Again,” which will, … Read more
Although Buxter Hoot’n is now based in San Francisco, I don’t think of sunny California when I listen to their music. It’s much too grounded, too declarative in nature; when they sing “We’re miles and miles outside the line, traveling outside our minds,” I think of open-all-night truck stops and lonesome, cracked highways, the kind … Read more
Back in April, we first espoused the musical virtues of Air Review when the engaging, rustic, and immeasurably listenable, “America’s Son” was our Pajammy Jam of the Day. Since then, these Texans have been quite busy, as they have been recording, rationing, and releasing the America’s Son EP, one track at a time. Check out … Read more
Photo courtesy of Expunged Records Back in June, we were first introduced to Portland’s Priory, and we instantly made the single, “Lady of Late” our Jam of the Day. The band’s self-titled debut album is spending a lot of time in our speakers, and so we were very excited to talk with Greg Harpel, lead … Read more