Hey, blogspot readers, are you looking for new music to spice up your hot summer party or iPod? Well, SouthSide has been busy listening to new music just for you. She highly recommends checking out the following artists.
Abandon
The Rose Phantom (Salt Lake City, Utah)
http://www.therosephantom.bandcamp.com
Described as "...dramatic ...emtotional ...moody ...intense...", this reviewer recommends fans of electronica/darkwave/piano-driven powerpop checking out this dark composer of music for the night known as The Rose Phantom. SouthSide found his music quite moving as if he was a tortured poet who essentially wears his heart on his sleeve. According to The Rose Phantom (sorry, this reviewer has been sworn to secrecy about his true identity), his lyrics are personal to which she could clearly hear it in such songs like All I Want, Emotional Closet and Once In A While. "...you could say they are straight out of my diary ...but it's the mood of the music that conjures up the lyrics for me..." states this artist in a recent interview with SouthSide, "...If the music holds a melancholic feel it will naturally conjure up the lyrics. So the mood of the music has a great impact on how I write the words..." SouthSide definitely could see when reading the lyrics to track 5 - Destiny Wants My Heart where he painfully sings "...I feel alone and scared / I watch the walls and stare / I need to run straight out / And stare at the sun to blind my doubt..." She was moved by the symphonic downtempo that nicely complimented the phantom's deep vocals before subtly switching to rhythmic powerpop/synth pop dance vibe taking his vocals to a falsetto tone. If you're looking for dramatic haunting music of the night, check out Take Me where whispers gradually end the song into a lullaby-like lull. *shivers* Track 6 - New Dreams, SouthSide could this particular song rockin' the next Nocturna meeting to which she enjoyed the attention-grabbing "Wake up" amidst the energize momentum of rhythmic synth pop/darkwave sound. The Rose Phantom is planning a west coast tour with possible stops in Seattle/Portland area ...also places in California in mind.
Abandon
The Rose Phantom (Salt Lake City, Utah)
http://www.therosephantom.bandcamp.com
Described as "...dramatic ...emtotional ...moody ...intense...", this reviewer recommends fans of electronica/darkwave/piano-driven powerpop checking out this dark composer of music for the night known as The Rose Phantom. SouthSide found his music quite moving as if he was a tortured poet who essentially wears his heart on his sleeve. According to The Rose Phantom (sorry, this reviewer has been sworn to secrecy about his true identity), his lyrics are personal to which she could clearly hear it in such songs like All I Want, Emotional Closet and Once In A While. "...you could say they are straight out of my diary ...but it's the mood of the music that conjures up the lyrics for me..." states this artist in a recent interview with SouthSide, "...If the music holds a melancholic feel it will naturally conjure up the lyrics. So the mood of the music has a great impact on how I write the words..." SouthSide definitely could see when reading the lyrics to track 5 - Destiny Wants My Heart where he painfully sings "...I feel alone and scared / I watch the walls and stare / I need to run straight out / And stare at the sun to blind my doubt..." She was moved by the symphonic downtempo that nicely complimented the phantom's deep vocals before subtly switching to rhythmic powerpop/synth pop dance vibe taking his vocals to a falsetto tone. If you're looking for dramatic haunting music of the night, check out Take Me where whispers gradually end the song into a lullaby-like lull. *shivers* Track 6 - New Dreams, SouthSide could this particular song rockin' the next Nocturna meeting to which she enjoyed the attention-grabbing "Wake up" amidst the energize momentum of rhythmic synth pop/darkwave sound. The Rose Phantom is planning a west coast tour with possible stops in Seattle/Portland area ...also places in California in mind.
Social Focus
Social Focus
http://www.socialfocusmusic.com
FINALLY! That's how this reviewer felt upon hearing the news this local bands was finally doing a debut album - LONG OVERDUE in her opinion. For a couple of years, she has been exclusively rockin' to one particular track off their demo that she found at Elbo Room yet that version pales in comparison to revised version off Social Focus' self-titled debut album. This 11-track album features fan favorites like Classic Me, Safe Word, Telephones In The Skies (TITS for short) and her favorite, Merry-Go-Down which receives a fresh electro-pop intro and vocal harmonies in a softer tone but still keeping the rhythmic beat and programmed voice-overs ...yes, it's even dreamier than the original. Compared to the live performances, she found the production side of Social Focus' retaining that same hint intense energy of psychedelic rock while adding more electro/powerpop sound like in Dreamcatcher (love the thrilling shrill of the guitars) or Safe Word (in which you will definitely hear that angst in the vocals). Picking which song to highlight proved to be difficult since the entire album is rockin' good but she did like the downtempo ballads of By Your Side and Solitaire which demonstrates the "softer" side to Social Focus in which harmonizing vocals are the main focus at the chorus. Actually in most songs off this album, harmonies are the main focus to Social Focus' rising local success, blogspot readers, amidst a varying range of music genres interwoven in the songs. Like Merry-Go-Down - you just night hear a bit of The Beatles psychedelia ...or intense electric/powerpop rock in Of Mice and Men ...hint of guitar rock in Telephones In The Skies. If you're in Chicago, SouthSide highly recommends heading out to the Double Door on Tuesday June 4 when Social Focus rocks the stage with a live performance of their album along with Fersher and Blue Eyed Jesus.
"Give It Up"
Another Day
Black City Lights (New Zealand)
http://www.blackcitylights.bandcamp.com
All the way from Wellington, New Zealand, this duo (Calum Robb and Julia Catherine Parr) is making pop music with a dark twist, blogspot readers especially in this track off their debut album - Another Day - which is due on August 6. Though haven't hearing the entire album, this reviewer could easily deduce that Black City Lights' music was made for creatures of the night while listening to the dreamy electro wave track amidst the aria-like toned vocals dramatizing the lyrics. The intro did have that sci-fi-like starry entrance to instantly enwrap you inside its floetry of dance electronica sound. If the rest of the album is similar to this, it sounds quite promising that she might hear a track or two at the next Nocturna after its release.
"Satellites"
Satellites
We Are Temporary (Brooklyn, New York)
http://www.wearetemporary.com
If you're a fan of dreamy, blissful, electronica music that's quite ambient ...almost meditative, then you should check out the title track to We Are Temporary's Satellites, blogspot readers. It was a relaxing soundwave to which SouthSide could hear a bit of Crystal Castles influence within the music as the music allowed her to float along with We Are Temporary haunting yet deep vocals of Mark Roberts. Besides previewing this particular song, this reviewer did check out his two versions of the demo song - Carry On. It's not as dreamy or blissful like Satellites but in a pop alternative way, it does have that same effective while listening to his "quiet" vocal tone.
Christley Block
The Differents
http://www.thedifferents-chicago.bandcamp.com
If you're looking for something light, airy and basically quite different within your eclectic music taste, then you should turn to the melodic third album, Christley Block, by The Differents. Featuring 13 tracks, the band name truly says it all, blogspot readers, since this was unique kind of alternative/pop rock heard by this reviewer while enjoying the simplistic rhythms and upbeat groove of Prettiest Face (track 2) before rockin' to lively fun summertime song - Summer School (track 9) and Here For Me (track 10). SouthSide liked the Christley Block sample to which she went to the band's bandcamp website to preview the other selections in the album and recommends checking out Mi Lagro (like the Latin-influence meshing within their alternative rock sound ...danceable groove in this song and Cold Caring Man (a downtempo acoustic-like track spotlighting a heartfelt range of falsetto vocals). You can see this band perform live on June 14 when they will be rockin' Beat Kitchen.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Social Focus
http://www.socialfocusmusic.com
FINALLY! That's how this reviewer felt upon hearing the news this local bands was finally doing a debut album - LONG OVERDUE in her opinion. For a couple of years, she has been exclusively rockin' to one particular track off their demo that she found at Elbo Room yet that version pales in comparison to revised version off Social Focus' self-titled debut album. This 11-track album features fan favorites like Classic Me, Safe Word, Telephones In The Skies (TITS for short) and her favorite, Merry-Go-Down which receives a fresh electro-pop intro and vocal harmonies in a softer tone but still keeping the rhythmic beat and programmed voice-overs ...yes, it's even dreamier than the original. Compared to the live performances, she found the production side of Social Focus' retaining that same hint intense energy of psychedelic rock while adding more electro/powerpop sound like in Dreamcatcher (love the thrilling shrill of the guitars) or Safe Word (in which you will definitely hear that angst in the vocals). Picking which song to highlight proved to be difficult since the entire album is rockin' good but she did like the downtempo ballads of By Your Side and Solitaire which demonstrates the "softer" side to Social Focus in which harmonizing vocals are the main focus at the chorus. Actually in most songs off this album, harmonies are the main focus to Social Focus' rising local success, blogspot readers, amidst a varying range of music genres interwoven in the songs. Like Merry-Go-Down - you just night hear a bit of The Beatles psychedelia ...or intense electric/powerpop rock in Of Mice and Men ...hint of guitar rock in Telephones In The Skies. If you're in Chicago, SouthSide highly recommends heading out to the Double Door on Tuesday June 4 when Social Focus rocks the stage with a live performance of their album along with Fersher and Blue Eyed Jesus.
"Give It Up"
Another Day
Black City Lights (New Zealand)
http://www.blackcitylights.bandcamp.com
All the way from Wellington, New Zealand, this duo (Calum Robb and Julia Catherine Parr) is making pop music with a dark twist, blogspot readers especially in this track off their debut album - Another Day - which is due on August 6. Though haven't hearing the entire album, this reviewer could easily deduce that Black City Lights' music was made for creatures of the night while listening to the dreamy electro wave track amidst the aria-like toned vocals dramatizing the lyrics. The intro did have that sci-fi-like starry entrance to instantly enwrap you inside its floetry of dance electronica sound. If the rest of the album is similar to this, it sounds quite promising that she might hear a track or two at the next Nocturna after its release.
"Satellites"
Satellites
We Are Temporary (Brooklyn, New York)
http://www.wearetemporary.com
If you're a fan of dreamy, blissful, electronica music that's quite ambient ...almost meditative, then you should check out the title track to We Are Temporary's Satellites, blogspot readers. It was a relaxing soundwave to which SouthSide could hear a bit of Crystal Castles influence within the music as the music allowed her to float along with We Are Temporary haunting yet deep vocals of Mark Roberts. Besides previewing this particular song, this reviewer did check out his two versions of the demo song - Carry On. It's not as dreamy or blissful like Satellites but in a pop alternative way, it does have that same effective while listening to his "quiet" vocal tone. Christley Block
The Differents
http://www.thedifferents-chicago.bandcamp.com
If you're looking for something light, airy and basically quite different within your eclectic music taste, then you should turn to the melodic third album, Christley Block, by The Differents. Featuring 13 tracks, the band name truly says it all, blogspot readers, since this was unique kind of alternative/pop rock heard by this reviewer while enjoying the simplistic rhythms and upbeat groove of Prettiest Face (track 2) before rockin' to lively fun summertime song - Summer School (track 9) and Here For Me (track 10). SouthSide liked the Christley Block sample to which she went to the band's bandcamp website to preview the other selections in the album and recommends checking out Mi Lagro (like the Latin-influence meshing within their alternative rock sound ...danceable groove in this song and Cold Caring Man (a downtempo acoustic-like track spotlighting a heartfelt range of falsetto vocals). You can see this band perform live on June 14 when they will be rockin' Beat Kitchen.Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
