Milo Greene

Milo Greene is a folk-pop group from Los Angeles, California. The group was originally centered around lead single and only female, Mariana Sheetz, though bandmembers share lead and background vocal tasks. They were formed in California around 2009, and the group included Sheetz, Robbie Arnett, and Andrew Heringer. The group later moved to LA and added Graham Fink and percussionist Curtis Marrero. They released their first self-titled album in 2012. They also released a single in September of 2014.

This group has a very chill, relaxed, acoustic sound. However, they keep their works original through unusual harmonies and oddly morbidly cheery tunes that make you lean in and think, "Huh!". Definitely my kind of music. They also sometimes incorporate more indie-pop influences into some of their songs, such as White Lies. They definitely cover multiple genres with their music, the ties between them being Sheetz's floaty voice and her higher range. However, some of their newer songs do seem to be leaner less acoustic and more towards the indie side. These kind of changes are not to be helped, most bands change their sound over time. Both are distinguishable from your everyday tunes, however, with the high-low harmonies. In almost every song, there's Sheetz's higher voice layered over one of the boy's lower ranges. Usually, they aren't even harmonies, just octaves. Very unusual, and it created a unique sound that is hard to find elsewhere.

Check out their website: http://www.milogreene.com/control
Music: https://soundcloud.com/milo-greene


{for week of Dec. 3}

San Fermin

San Fermin is a band from Brooklyn consisting of Nico Muhly, Allen Tate, Jess Wolfe, and Holly Laessig of the group Lucius. The group was orginally a solo project of Muhly, who had previously worked on big-name groups such as Grizzly Bear and Antony & the Johnsons. He was trained with a classical music background, which is evident in his very orchestral music. Their debut album released in 2013, which was met with praise from many indie critics. They quickly rose the charts and have just released their latest single, Parasites. The band uses alternating acoustic and pianistic melodies, as well as Muhly's deep bass voice and Laessig's high wide one to close in on that folk indie sound. Muhly's deep voice has been compared to artists like Brendan Urie of Panic! at the Disco.

I love the sound of this group. One moment they have a soft acoustic sound going and suddenly you have these outrageous harmonies like the ones in their song Crueler Kind. In some songs like Sonsick, San Fermin seems to channel almost an R&B vibe, or at least those more gospel harmonies that you can find in the genre. I love this group because they're all encompassing. They sort of do it all in one album.  I truly believe there is a song for everyone in this band. They do sort have a jolting sound, because the two lead singers sound so vastly different, so when you first listen to them, you could potentially think, "Is this the same band?" But once you settle into it, you learn to like the quirks. The whole thing is a very soothing sound.

Check out their website: http://www.sanferminband.com/#news-preview
Listen to their stuff: http://www.sanferminband.com/#music

{for week of Nov. 21}

Lucy Rose

Lucy Rose, full name Lucy Rose Parton, is from Warwickshire, England. She started out playing drums, but became dissatisfied and turned to pursue a singing career. In 2008, she met and became close to Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman and performed for their acoustic album Flaws in 2010. She also began collecting her own musical thoughts and attempted to gather other band members, such as former Razorlight guitarist Björn Ågren,  and continued to tour throughout 2010. In 2012 she signed to Columbia Records and released her debut album Like I Used To. She and her bandmates recorded the album in her family's nuclear bunker in the basement, and the local billage hall. The full-length release featured many of her songs she played on tour, such as "Night Bus", and "First". 

This girl's voice is one I aspire to become similar to. Her voice is so sweet, but not necesarrily innocent. Her songs are very stripped down, using mild guitar and ochestra, with emphasis on rhythm and drums, which probably comes from her involvement in drums in the past. A prime example of her extraordinary sense of rhythm is her song from her debut album, "Lines". The tempo changes probably twenty times in the song itself. There's the intro, then it abruptly shifts into the first verse, and then again into the chorus, and another totally different tempo for the bridge. The amazing part is that it's almost a trick question of sorts. Her voices carries the exact sames beats over the entire song. Each note is worth the same amount of beats the entire time. The catch: her drumming and her guitar changes. It's really interesting to listen to; that's what drew me in the first time I heard the song. Parton's amazing ear for technicalities really adds to her music. 

Check out her website: http://www.lucyrosemusic.com
Listen to/watch her music: http://www.lucyrosemusic.com/video/detail/shiver/

Au Revoir Simone

Au Revoir Simone is a Brooklyn indie pop band which features three friends who met on a bus ride to New York.  The girls, Heather D'Angelo, vocals/drum machine/keyboard; Erika Foster, (vocals/keyboard; and Annie Hart, vocals/keyboard, became fast friends and began writing songs together. The band was formed in 2003, and the name Au Revoir Simone comes from a minor hcaracter in the Tim Burton comedy Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Their first album, Verses of Comfort, was released in 2006; and their second, Bird of Music, came a year later. Their third, most acclaimed album thus far: Still Night, Still Light, boosted the trio'd profile immensly. Deciding to regroup, they took a break, but returned in 2013 with their fourth album, Move in Spectrums. 

I cannot say enough about this band. I had the miracluous opportunity to see them live in concert this past summer. To top it off, it was a live show in the gardens of Villa Aperta in Rome, Italy. In case you are unfamiliar with the place, Villa Aperta is this beautiful, massive white marble palace placed on top of a hill, and when you are in the gardens at night, you have an overview of the entirety of Roma, and it is absolutely breathtaking. Now add in great music, and you have where I hope where I will appear when I die and go to heaven. The show was fantastic. 300 people, max. I was in one of the closet rows to the stage. They had three keyboards, one for each girl, and they sang and grooved in place while furiously banging on keys. A dream come true. 

Afterwards, I got the chance to meet the ringleader, Erika. I was super, super nervous. And she came over and we had a fifteen minute conversation, like we were old friends. We talked about everything from hair to what I was doing in Rome (I live there during the summer), to hometowns, and colleges. She even complimented me on my earrings, claiming "You're only fourteen? You're so mature for your age! So pretty!" Just like that. She was one of the coolest, down-to-earth people I have met in my life. It was an expirience I will never, ever forget. Check out this group, please. 

Website: http://www.aurevoirsimone.com

{for week of 10/31}

The Preatures

The Preatures are an Austrailian rock band formed in 2010 in Sydeny. Guitarist Jack Moffitt and bassist Tom Champoion were friends in high school, and they happened upon singer Isabella Manfredi when all three attended the Austrailian Institute of Music. At first, they formed a cover band together, mainly playing Rolling Stones and other rock covers, before they got singer/guitarist Gideon Bensen and drummer Luke Davison to form the Preatures. They signed with Mercury Records in 2012, and released their first EP, Shaking Hands. The second EP, Is This How You Feel? won the prestigious Vanda & Young Prize, placing forever under the watchful eye under many new fans. Their their third album, Blue Planet Eyes, arrived this fall.

Their sound is mostly based off of clasic rock and what they call gothic soul, but in my opinion, they use much more vintage melodies than they give themselves credit for. Songs like "Is This How You Feel?" and "Cruel" especially have throwback sounds that reminisce of the 80's. Coincidentally, the Preatures are commonly compared to Haim, a band I previously touched on. Anyway, this album is pure gold in my opinion. It's very original, and the songs pretty much entirely different form one another, but they all have the specific sound you come to associate with the band after listening for awhile. They have a very unique sound. I am completely in love with the classic guitar and bass hooks that play, as well as Manfredi's low, tonal melodies. You don't often see something so fresh and original,  ever, these days. I'd reccomend this band to anyone I saw on the street, I think it's a sound that everyone can appreciate, which is a good thing.

Check out their website: http://www.thepreatures.com
Listen to their music: https://soundcloud.com/thepreatures

{for week of 10/24}

alt-J

Okay, alt-J is so well-known now that's it's almost tacky. Not that alt-J could ever be tacky. But I am in love with them, so let me have my moment, and then I'll shut up. For those who don't already know, alt-J is an English indie-rock band, which was named for the triangle that appears when pressing "Alt" and "J" on a Mac. They were formed in 2008, originally called FILMS. All four members met at Leeds University and spent two years practicing before grabbing a deal with Infectious Records in 2011. The group came into play with their singles Matilda and Fitzpleasure. The group's first full-length studio debut, An Awesome Wave, arrived in 2012, earning them several prestigious awards. The following year, they jumped into worldwide tours, before releasing This Is All Yours a couple of months ago.

It is probably impossible to not love alt-J. The flowing rhythm of "Breezeblocks", or the soft tones of "Every Other Freckle," or the hard jabs of "Left Hand Free", there is nothing that this band cannot do or accomplish. They have all their bases covered. Their first album flows perfectly into the second, and they both contain the perfect amount of rock and folk. You can practically tell the record is going to be good by the album art. The more abstract an indie cover is, the better it will turn out to be. Both of alt-J's are shapes, the second more crudely-drawn, and the first seemingly photographic. Also, if an album has intros, you know thought was put into it. You only put intros in an album if you are confident enough to add them, otherwise people will think your album more of a flop.

What more is there to say? Alt-J is a force to be reckoned with, and will continue to be.

Check out their website: http://www.altjband.com
Music: http://www.altjband.com/music/

{for week of 10/17}

Ghost Beach

Ghost Beach is a fairly new band, they were formed in 2013 in Brooklyn, New York; mainly circling the talents of Josh Ocean, who does vocals, bass, and synths; and Eric Mendelson, who does guitars, synths, and samplers. The duo claim to draw inspiration from the 80's, and this is reflected in the music they produce. They cite Peter Gabriel, the Police, and Talking Heads as influences. Fun fact: their name was drawn from a 1994 episode of Goosebumps. They have released two EPs, Modern Tongue, and Miracle, which came before their recent debut full-length album, Blonde. Since then, they picked up speed, attracting the attention of many DJ's, and giving the band many remixes, which they published with different remix albums. 

Out of all of the songs that appear on Blonde, my favourites would have to be Miracle, Been There Before, and Close Enough. They all have really nice hooks in them that make you stay interested, and the overall sound makes you want to get up and dance. Ghost Beach claims to be "tropical grit pop", and while the term sounds pretty abstract, I think that if you think about it, you realise it's true. They do breathe that 80's vibe with their guitar riffs and background electronic slow-burn. Ocean's voice is also very 80's-esque, and I think the combination of the two really makes the band shine. The music is spontaneous, and generally fun. Sometimes I'm against all the electronic club thing that can sometimes occur in bands with a lot of synth, but in this case, it works. It's on the verge of club music, but the guitar saves it and turns it into more indie-rock instead. Also, another key factor: there's hardly any bass. In a lot of these songs, you literally cannot find a lot of background base. In fact, I went so far as to remove all but bass in Garageband, and my thoughts were proven correct. There is some in bridges occasionally, but it's a rarity. This is an extremely smart play by Ocean and Mendelson. This is the saving grace, in my opinion. It turns potential club music into wonderful indie rock hits. Well done, boys. 

Check out their website: http://ghostbeachmusic.com

Check out some of their music: http://ghostbeachmusic.com/music

{for week of 10/3}

Sarah Jaffe Is a Force To Be Reckoned With

Sarah Jaffe, from Texas, weaves electro-soul into her acoustic folk music. One of her lyrics on her debut EP reads "I'm a testament to old and new," and that could never be more true. Her bluesy voice combined with acoustic pluckings created a unique indie sound that gave her credit in the music world. Jaffe burst into the music scene in the late 2000s, playing live shows and recieving recognition in several categories at the Dallas Observer Music Awards. Her initial EP, Even Born Again, dropped in 2008, and sent her spiraling into fame. She went on an international tour and was praised by American and U.K. press. She signed a deal with Kirtland Records in late 2009, and proceeded to release her official debut, Surburban Nature. In 2011, she released a home-recorded EP tited The Way Sound Leaves a Room, and then followed with The Body Wins in 2012. Her latest release has been Don't Disconnect, which came out earlier this year.

Sarah Jaffe started fairly acoustic, but in her latest album, she has turned to more electro-pop, infringing on some R&B. Her voice is suited perfectly for this, with her crooner tendencies and slight lilts in her syllables. She adds creative lyrics with meaningful themes into happy pop loads that make you ponder the true meaning of the song. Also being a self-proclaimed feminist, Jaffe projects her opinions in songs like "Shut It Down" and "Lover Girl". Other songs, like "Vulnerable", reveal some of her darker relationships she's had in the past. All in all, I respect her as a person immensly. Her music is very classic, I think even if you heard it on the radio a bunch, you wouldn't necessarily get tired of it, unlike a lot of things that are on the radio right now.

Check out her music/videos: http://sarahjaffe.com/media/
Check out her website: http://sarahjaffe.com

Hey Marseilles

The band Hey Marseilles, a seven-piece band from Seattle, is my latest obsession. It was formed in 2006 by vocalist Nick Ward and guitarist Matt Bishop. Both were attending the University of Washington. They soon roped in Ward's roommate, pianist/accordionist Philip Kobernik. Their debut album, To Travels & Trunks revealed the band's very unique sound, one that seemed to channel almost the Decemberists and other chamber pop groups. The band showed at many different festivals that year. Starbucks featured them on their compilation, Sweethearts, Vol. 2 in 2010. Three years later, their album Lines We Trace appeared on the Thirty Tigers Label, and they played at Lollapalooza and other festivals, cinching the group as a popular acoustic band.

Okay, this band has two albums out; Lines We Trace and To Travel & Trunks. They both completely go with each other, which is very hard to do nowadays, considering the gap between the two was three years. They both have an indie-acoustic orchestral kind of vibe, with creative melody lines. But the absolute best part of this band is the lyrics. I am such a sucker for good lyrics. And these are so twistingly clever and played so well into the songs that it just makes you happy to hear it. In the song To Travel and Trunks, Ward sings, "If karma could dance, she'd tango forever/ and I'd sell my sleeves for some cloud-ridden weather/ can't you see heaven won't wait for us?/ salutations and and prayers are too laborious".  I don't know about you, but the absolute cleverness combined with the beautiful background melody and the guitar makes me want to cry. So pretty.

If you'd like to try a couple songs, I recommend "Tides", "To Travel and Trunks", and "Elegy." All three are beautiful songs that use piano and guitar but also incorporate more unusual instruments like the accordion or the saxophone.

Listen to some of their music: http://heymarseilles.com/media/
Try their website: http://heymarseilles.com

Pearl and The Beard Surprise

Okay, normally I do indie/electronic types of artists to cover on my blog, but I had to take a moment to appreciate this indie folk band, Pearl and The Beard. Created by group members Jeremy Styles, Jocelyn Mackenzie, and Emily Hope Price, the trio formed in the late 2000's. Blending a mix of folk, acoustic, and gospel, they use beautiful harmonies and eccentric melodies to create a fun sound that makes you want to sing along. They came out with their debut album, God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson in 2009. They instantly became under the watchful eye of the public and soon came out with a sophomore album, Killing the Darlings.

Having sung in choirs for most of my life, I have become very technical about pitches for things on the radio today. And after having listened to Pearl for the first time, I have to admit I was very impressed. The technicalities on their records are amazing. Not a single note off-pitch, and the harmonies are so beautiful. The amazingly low raspy-ness of Styles combined with the higher sweet tones of Mackenzie and Price make the songs that much prettier. I love the gorgeous vocals in 'Swimming' and the brilliant gospel flairs in 'Douglas douglass', as well as the great opening in '40k'.

Theses two albums give me a very rare opinion on bands. A lot of times the sound of an artist will change so much between albums because they're swept along by the change in world around them. However, while the time span between the two albums is two years, the sound remains virtually the same. They keep the same qualities and melodic structures; they use the same vocal rhythms. Reallym the only difference is that the first album is a little more towards the acoustic side, and the second more folksy using bass and strings. But however slight the difference is, it is still slight. And that all points to the fact that they know where they are and where they want to be going. Being able to keep your sound, to me, means dedication.

Check out their website: http://www.pearlandthebeard.com
Listen to some of their songs and/or videos: http://www.pearlandthebeard.com/video/

Till next time!

Haim Kills

Okay, I know that Haim's latest album came out almost two years ago. And my title sucks. But, this album is so perfect that I unfortunately cannot bring myself to care. If you haven't heard of Haim by now, you've probably been living under a rock of some sort. Haim, the sister trio from San Fernando Valley in California, the group who released the hit single The Wire, has definitely hit it big. The three sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana started their own band after being a part of a family one, titled Rockinhaim.

In 2013, they came out with their first full-length record, Days Are Gone. They used fun and playful drum patterns with guitar pluckings to create a joyful, upbeat indie sound. The entire album just sort of makes you want to get up and dance. In public. They also cover a large range of sounds throughout their album. They go from If I Could Make You Stay, a synth rock song, straight to Honey & I, which is almost completely acoustic. Normally, such disconnect would bother me, maybe even compel me to turn the album, but the girls' voices are so soothing and similar that the whole thing just kind of slides into place.

Every note they choose to be in that record is calculatingly placed, including lyrics. Sometimes I find that indie rock lyrics can become repetitive, especially bands that lean more towards regular rock or alternative. I'm sure you know what I mean. That one line that is continuously repeated in song, and you think, "Jesus Christ, I just wanted some originality. Is that too much to ask?" However, Haim saves themselves from that unlikely fate by incorporating extra tweaks in the music, like a minor note, or unusual harmonization. And for that, I applaud those girls. Their lyrics are creative and have purpose, unlike much pop music in today's society.

Please, please, please go check out Haim. I promise it will be worth it.

Official website link: http://haimtheband.com
Listen to thEIR MUSIC PLEASE: https://play.spotify.com/artist/4Ui2kfOqGujY81UcPrb5KE?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

Till next week!

Banks' New Album "Goddess" Is A Gigantic Yes

Banks, or if you went by her full name, Jillian Banks, recently came out with a new record dubbed "Goddess". This is the singer's first full-length album, having before came out with a shorter one titled "LONDON". She earlier in the year came out with a single called "Beggin For Thread". Her soulful r&b tunes combined with her synth makes her a unique sound that people like Ellie Goulding are obsessed.

Her new album includes good synth slow-burns such as "Brain", a song about insulting people while managing to sound gorgeous at the same time, which I can definitely go along with. Also, it includes the classic Banks song "This Is What It Feels Like". If you have never heard of or listened to Banks before, I highly recommend starting with this song, because it encompasses her general sound in one gorgeous vocal masterpiece. For those who don't know much about synth, trust me when I say that Banks is very good at incorporating different ranges of sounds into her songs that make it sound very, very cool. Also, Banks does load all her tones manually, which is basically like plotting a graph for every little thing. Very hard.

The album was very much well worth the wait! I have to admit, I am completely in love with her sound. She, like I mentioned earlier, has such a unique flow to it that I literally adore. If came upon someone and they asked me what music I would recommend at that exact second, it probably would not be Banks, simply because she as an artist is so subtle. Her music is subtle. She herself is subtle. She is very hesitant about how she is seen in the public eye. She doesn't partake in social media. And perhaps it's her subtly that makes her so great: you'll never know what hit you until you listen and think, "Wow. That is good music."


To go to her website: http://www.hernameisbanks.com

To listen to her music: http://www.hernameisbanks.com/tagged/listen

Till next week! -Avery

Chet Faker shocks with Built On Glass

Chet Faker became an internet sensation when he released his electronic groove version of The Blackstreet's No Diggity. The flow-y rhythm combined with his gritty low voice, all replicated in a rap song instantly made him a star. He released a full-length record in 2014 titled Built On Glass.

His birth name being Nick Murphy, he grew up listening to his dad's compiliations of electronica mixed with Chet Baker, a great Australian jazz musician. To avoid confusion, he changed his name to Chet Faker when he released his first single, No Diggity in 2011. Once the song became quite popular on the internet, he released an EP, Thinking In Textures. Later, he partnered with another Aussie, Flume, to create the EP Lockjaw.

Built On Glass combines electronic slow-burns and playful snippets such as the song /, which is the sound of a record playing along wiht a man's voice claiming, "That was the other side of the record. Now relax, still more, and drift a little deeper as you listen." The entire song is nineteen seconds long.  Another favorite would have to be Gold, a slow-burn that speaks of sacrifice, along with the sounds of records scratching. Or, you could easily enjoy 1998, a great upbeat tempo that makes you want to dance, no matter the setting.

This record is so original, it almost makes me want to cry. Having played with songwriting and synthesizers and compiling myself, I have some experience with the genre, and let me tell you: this entire collection is a goldmine. It's the perfect combination of jazz and electronic. Not to mention his brilliant voice. Murphy knows he is good at what he does, and clearly has no problem showing it off to the world with his new record.

One thing should be mentioned: this is not the album you can just hit shuffle and be fine. This isn't a boy-band album, it's art, and you should treat it as such. The songs are in a specific timeline, and if you didn't listen to them in order, or even all of them, you won't be able to appreciate the beauty of Murphy's intellect. Don't worry about the length of the record; you'll be glad you listened the way you did afterwards.

Check out his website: http://chetfaker.com

Check out his music: https://play.spotify.com/artist/2Q0MyH5YMI5HPQjFjlq5g3?play=true&utm_source=google&utm_medium=growth_paid&utm_campaign=CommercialActionsArtist_US&gclid=Cj0KEQjwhLCgBRCf0fPH043IlJwBEiQAf8P8U1LVoTdJbOPYRsn3x6HeiMiPKLkzvKgY7s4gkqT5jsAaAgQa8P8HAQ

Till next week!

Griswolds' New Album "Be Impressive" Grabs Attention

The Griswolds' newly released album, only their second, is shaking up the grounds of indie rock.

The band is a four-piece outfit from Sydney, Australia, and took off when they debuted their hit single, "Mississippi" online. They formed in February of 2012, and started off as being only famous nationally, as well as being popular in Northern European countries such as the Netherands (where their debut song reached #3 on the iTunes charts), but when their second album was released August 25th, dubbed "Be Impressive", they began to take off. The album includes hit singles like "16 Years" and "Beware The Dog", one they had released earlier as a single. 

My personal opinion of the new album? I love the variety it brings to the table, a mix of slow-burn rock songs to peppy pop. The album has a good quality to it; you can almost see how much sweat and blood was poured into the making of this album. The whole album just makes you want to get up and dance. The band has that certain kind of sound that when you hear it, you know it's going to be special. It's the couple chords that strike you just so, or maybe the crooning tenor voice of the lead singer, but whatever it is, it makes you stay on the free streaming link just a tad bit longer. I didn't even mind when I had one of their songs stuck in my head for more than three days, it was just that good. 

I personally have always been into indie music as a whole, especially indie rock. I've enjoyed The Arctic Monkeys even before they were popular among teens, if you can believe it (a story for another time, but my dad was into them for years and years). I think indie rock, or even indie music itself is largely misunderstood as a whole, or turned down by the masses, because it isn't as popular as the Top 100, and they automatically assume that the music must not be as good. The Griswolds are a darling example of how untrue that statement is- just listen to their music, and you see how easy it is to fall in love with the music that's playing.

If you'd like to listen to the new album, "Be Impressive", please go here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/be-impressive/id893226734

If you'd like to visit their personal blog, please go here: http://blog.wearethegriswolds.com

Until next week! -Avery