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Artist of the Month: Roman Holiday

February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment


Seattle is known for producing some great music and Roman Holiday is no exception. Made up of Nick Howard (bass), Shane Lance (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Daniel Collins (lead guitar), and Emerson Shotwell (drums, percussion) this alternative rock quartet will capture your attention at first listen.

The band recently released their single “Fuel The Fire” on iTunes. The song will also be on their upcoming LP Move Your Heart, Shake Your Bones.

The band has been creating buzz in their hometown and abroad, regularly drawing hundreds of fans each night, who passionately sing along with frontman Shane Lance.

Roman Holiday additionally found acclaim overseas when on tour in the U.K. they caught the ear of music industry veterans Dennis Sinnott & Adam Mills, both long-time entrepreneur’s of records, publishing and artist management. Sinnot and Mills quickly coordinated a round of showcases in the U.K, with several major labels and publishing companies in attendance.

Roman Holiday is a trip that you can’t get enough. The heart pounding melodies and group chorus’ have a rock hard, but are light and melodic enough to please anyone. Before you know it you will be singing along to the infectious lyrics.

ESBMusic had the chance to catch up with the band and discuss their background, what to expect from their new LP, and their plans for the rest of the year.

ESBM:: How did you come up with your band name?
RH: Well, first off, we love the classic movie ‘Roman Holiday’ with Audrey Hepburn. But. Truthfully. We were brainstorming band name ideas and really hadn’t come up with anything that we felt like fit us. Somehow in the process we got on the topic of Rome. So really late one night we get a text from our producer, Mark, saying “How about ‘Roman Holiday’?!”. It’s the title of a great classic movie with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. After we all talked about it we felt like it was a name that we could run with. We’ve been Roman Holiday ever since then.

ESBM::How did the band form and start?
RH: We’ve all played music since we were young. About 3 years ago the four of us had been playing off and on together in a different local band, but not really pursuing anything seriously. Shane started to work at a recording studio in the area and began talking with the studio owner, Mark Simmons, about starting a Rock project to pour studio resources into. Shane brought up that he’d been playing music with some guys, then brought us in to play a few songs for Mark. Mark really saw potential in us. At that point we began writing, rehearsing, and recording at the studio along with Marks input. That’s essentially when we became Roman Holiday.

ESBM:: A lot of people have compared your sound to Kings of Leon. How do you feel about that?
RH: Nice! Interesting question. As with any band, people like to make comparisons. There are a handful of bands we get compared to fairly consitently, I guess every once in awhile we hear ‘Kings of Leon’. We don’t mind. They’re a good band who play real music, so it doesn’t bother us when people hear our songs and draw comparisons.

ESBM:: “Fuel The Fire” is your first single off your latest album. How was that song chosen?
RH: “Fuel The Fire” was one of the last songs to be written for our upcoming record “MOVE YOUR HEART//SHAKE YOUR BONES”. As we were writing it, we fell in love with the groove and feel of the song, and felt like people would too. It’s an easy song to ‘get’. You hear it once and you know it. And it’s easy to relate to. That’s what we feel makes a good single. When it came time to choose the first single, that song was the obvious choice.

ESBM::What can we expect of your upcoming LP?
RH: Great songs. We truly feel that way. As artists, not often do you get to the end of a creative venture and look back and feel like you laid it down just right. We feel that way about our new record. From the song writing, to the tones on the record, all the way to the way it sounds and feels coming out of a stereo, we feel great about this one. We can’t wait to get it out to you all. Literally.

ESBM:: You have possible upcoming tour plans. What places are you most excited to play?
RH: Right now we’re internally working on some tour plans, we’ll keep you all posted. We will most definitely be out again soon though! We just returned from Europe and that was a fantasic experience. I think we all have different places that we’re excited to play. But collectively, we cannot wait to tour the entire world.

ESBM:: What is your dream tour? Who do you want to play with?
RH: Our dream tour would be an extesive world arena tour. Who with? Opening for The Beatles, The Stones, Johnny Cash, M. Ward, and Justin Beiber. All true, except for Justin Beiber.

ESBM:: Seattle is a historic place for music. How did this influence your sound?
RH: Growing up here has really given us a great appreciation for good music, and well written songs. So many great artists have been born out of Seattle, and so many great artists have thrived here. It’s a city where music is loved, so it’s an easy place to be comfortable as a musician. We’ve learned to truly appreciate the heritage of the Seattle sound, while also being able to find our own, unique sound.

ESBM:: What’s the local music scene like in Seattle?
RH: It’s very diverse. The singer song-writer/folk scene is really thriving right now. A lot of great music coming out of it. But one best things about Seattle is that the city just has a true appreciation for ‘good music’, whatever the style.

ESBM:: There is an acoustic video of you guys on YouTube. Do you prefer acoustic?
RH: No. But we do very much enjoy it. It’s a fun change up. Our favorite part about doing acoustic sets is allowing people to really connect with the songs in a new way; to connect with the raw, pure, stripped down version of the song.

ESBM:: Who are you listening to right now?
RH: We all have varying taste in music, but some of the records we’re listening to at the moment are:
El Camino by The Black Keys, the new Bon Iver record, Curse Your Branches by David Bazan,Economy by John Mark McMillan, all albums by The Strokes, M. Ward, andRubber Soul by The Beatles.

ESBM:: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
RH: To release our new record “MOVE YOUR HEART//SHAKE YOUR BONES”, to tour as much as possible, and to do whatever it takes to make the whole world fall in love with Roman Holiday.

For more information on Roman Holiday. Check out their official website and Facebook page. Get this single and all their other music now on iTunes.

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Artist of the Month: The Parlor Mob

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Upon first listen to The Parlor Mob, I was instantly taken by their fast paced, angst ridden rock and roll. They are one part mellow, one part rock, one hundred percent amazing. The Asbury Park, NJ quintet is composed of Mark Melicia (vocals ), David Rosen (guitar), Paul Ritchie (guitar), Anthony Chick (bass), Sam Bey (drums). The band has been together for seven years.

In that time they have been through a lot. They released an album by themselves, then signed to a major label, promised the world, and then dropped with only a four song EP.

With nothing left they decided to give their music away for free to anyone who would listen. In 2007 Roadrunner Records noticed the band and signed them. The guys hesitantly agreed, as they were still in the wake of an extremely messy music industry experience.

They traveled to Echo Mountain Studios in September of 2007, and made their first album, entitled And You Were A Crow with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon). They completed it on Halloween and released it in May of 2008. The band toured for the next two years straight. This was the time where we undoubtedly found ourselves as a band.

With all their touring they found the only way to express themselves was through their live show. They found an outlet through performing and in effect the band become stronger than ever.

After tour they went back home to begin their writing for the new album. However, the shift from tour to home proved to be a hard adjustment to make. It was at this time that they parted ways with their bassist Nick Villapiano. Being home was a new pressure they had never experienced. It was emotional stress that gave them an inspiration for their new album. They new they needed to get back to a state where they were fulfilled.

The new album took more time to master, and they all ran out of money. They were broke again, living off of scraps and fighting to exist. It was coming to a point where they weren’t sure if they wanted to go on. However, they forged on. After writing with no bassist for a while, they asked their longtime friend Anthony Chick to help out temporarily, but they ended up asking him to join the band permanently.

In the winter of 2010, they finished writing Dogs. From February through mid-March 2011, they were at Wire Recordings in Austin, TX recording with their friend, producer Matt Radosevich who engineered their earlier album. They had to fight to get Matt to produce the record, and he had to fight to get the job. Together it was an album they both felt strongly about making.

This past October marked the release of their sophomore album Dogs on Road Runner Records. This album is a culmination of all the trials and tribulations the band has been through over the past years. The album is 12 tracks of infectious, charismatic rock songs paired with some slower numbers that have a real rawness about them. Listening to this album you can’t help feel everything they have gone through. This album exudes the passions and struggles the band has had over their career. With this release they are sure to claw their way to the top.

Stand Out tracks: “Into the Sun,” “The Beginning,” “I Want to See You,” “Hard Enough,” “Cross Our Hearts”

ESBMusic had the chance to catch up with the band to talk about their musical

ESBMusic: Describe your sound and your musical influences.

TPM: We are a rock band from Asbury Park, NJ. Our influences vary considering
that there are five of us and we are all writers. My personal influences
fall more on the rock, hard rock, and metal side.

ESBMusic: Your bio describes your struggles as artists, what advice would you
give a band just starting out?

TPM: Just practice and play as many shows as possible. Work on writing the
best songs you can and do what comes naturally.

ESBMusic: You’re from Asbury Park, NJ what’s your favorite venue to play in
your hometown and do you hang out there?

TPM: The Stone Pony is my favorite venue to play in Asbury. I do hang out
there when there is a show, but unless you are going to see a band it’s
not the type of place you just go to hang out.

ESBMusic: October marked the release of your sophomore album, what were some of
your inspirations while working on this record?

TPM: I think a lot of inspiration came from growing up. Things had changed a
lot in my life over the year or so it took to write this record. I
think when the writing process began I was personally searching to find
inspiration in other music, in movies, and art. But in the end I think
what I found most inspiring was just the bond I had with the band and
the amount of material we were all producing for the record.

ESBMusic: What’s your favorite thing to do when with your not working on your
music?

TPM: I like to record/produce other bands. I’ve been doing it for years, and
that is also a giant source of inspiration for me. I also love to cook.

ESBMusic: What artists are you listening to now?

TPM:
Currently I’m listening to:

Graveyard, “Hisingen Blues”
Matthew Sweet, “Girlfriend”
Only Living Boy, “Hide Nothing”
Le Blorr, “Bim Bom Ep”
Witch, “Witch”

For more information on The Parlor Mob check out their official website, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get Dogs now on iTunes!

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Artist of the Month: Aficionado

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Webster defines an Aficionado as a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity; a devotee. This month ESBMusic suggests all you music aficionados become a fan of November’s Artist of the Month Aficionado.

Aficionado is a talented 7 piece band, hailing from Albany, NY with roots in punk music but have developed a unique style that they are happy to call their own. The band mixes organ, flute, and occasional horn arrangements into it’s unorthodox blend of post-punk. Upon their inception in 2004, Aficionado began touring and self-releasing demos, but flew under the radar until signing with No Sleep Records early last Summer. In Fall of 2010, they had their first official release, When It Comes to Creation which included an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink instrumental approach.

When creating their newest record, they drew influence from an array of bands ranging from At the Drive-In, to Cursive, to the Hold Steady. Using these band’s influences combined with their own original sound, Aficionado has crafted a superb album for their self titled full length effort. Produced and recorded by AJ Mogis (Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Cursive), they have crafted 10 songs that are sharp and more compact then previous efforts, with less of an emphasis on wowing people with over the top antics and more of a focus on the songs themselves. Their label tout’s this album as having a lyrical basis that is centered on expositions of thinking for yourself, attaining what it takes to be a charismatic person, heeding to the realities of aging, and acceptance of change.

The record begins with “The Things You Like,” a track with emotionally charged lyrics, a catchy chorus and a tempo that constantly keeps you on your toes. It provides a good introductory track for the band, introducing you to the complementary vocals of Nick Warchol and Laura Carrozza, over a experimental indie-punk instrumentation provided by band member – Craig Dutra (Keys) James Kehoe (Guitar), Chris Tenerowicz (Guitar/Horns), Chris Kehoe (Bass), and Mark O’Brien (Drums).

The opener leads seamlessly into the next track “Stir Like Hell” possibly one of the best songs on the album. Blending piano, pivoting drum beats, quality guitar harmonies, and clever lyrics. The female only vocals that sweep in during the latter half really help the track shine.

“Everything Was Right,” my personal favorite and one of the strongest tracks, has a killer start with soft clean guitars before leading into Warchol’s aggressive vocals with piercing guitars riffs and then building into an energy filled chorus. This haunting ballad best showcases what the band is capable of solid lyrics, incorporating different tempos and a variety of vocal styling’s, with a multitude of instruments (including a stellar flute solo) all while leading you in unexpected directions.

Other standout tracks include: “Honest” a fun, catchy punk rock song with great instrumentals, and guest vocals by Travis Shettel of Piebald. “Confidence is Intimidating” which feature a strong ending consisting of dual vocals and a very interesting musical accompaniment. “Permanent” the slowest track of the album which features stand out lyrics and honest vocals that really make you connect to this powerful track. This song is unlike the other tracks and conveys a Dashboard or Against Me! like vibe really making you feel the emotion especially during the heartbreaking group vocal that brings the heavily acoustic track to a climax. This song also showcases keyboardist Craig Dutra at his best with the keys playing an essential part of the song, really complimenting Warchol’s vocals.

The album closes with “Open Doors” two minute long guitar riffs that fade the record out and leave you with feeling that you just discovered a new band worth following.

Overall the albums production is superb, with guitar tones that are satisfyingly gritty yet clear and good bit of experimentation that is sprinkled throughout the record, including numerous appearances of keys and a flute. The albums vocals are perhaps Aficionado’s most defining characteristic with lead vocalist Nick Warchol nasally (Adam Lazzara esque) voice providing a sense of urgency while being complimented by Carrozza’s airy sound over thought provoking lyrics.

Aficionado has just finished touring with Tim Kasher and are about to start touring the west in December with Fair to Midland. Good news for all you local ESBMusic readers; they are coming back to the east coast for a short stint from December 26th through December 30th where they are opening for Thursday and Mewithoutyou before embarking on an European stint in January.

ESBMusic caught up with the band to talk about getting signed, being a large band on the road, and what they are up to next year.

ESBM: How did you all come together and start playing?

Aficionado: The earliest inception of Aficionado came together in fall of 2004 (God, we’ve been a band for a long time!). A bunch of us were attending colleges in the Albany area and I wanted to start something casual. Six months later we went on our first full US tour. We started off as a 5 piece, just the standard, 2 guitars, 1 bass, drums, and vocals…and at times we’ve had as many as 10 people in the band (we found that to be a bit excessive). The current inception of Aficionado has existed for about 3 years, now, and it has 7 full-time members.

ESBM: With all your diverse instruments in your music, how would you describe your sound to someone who never heard it before?

Aficionado: Generally, I describe it as being “punk infused indie-rock” or something like that. Sometimes people classify it into the “post-hardcore” category. Essentially, it’s indie-rock, but with a punk rock attitude. We incorporate a flute and piano/organ, sometimes in conventional ways, sometimes in unconventional ways. There are male and female vocals, mostly singing in harmony with one another but sometimes switching off lead parts.

ESBM: Last summer you were signed to No Sleep records. How does being on a label now compare to before you were signed?

Aficionado: Before we were signed to No Sleep, we did a ton of DIY touring, released a ton of demos and EPs on our own, but we still weren’t on many people’s radar. Like most bands, we wanted to keep moving forward and reach the maximum possible audience with our music. With No Sleep’s help, we were in a much better position to do this. Especially because the label has become somewhat of a reputable source for legitimate music over the course of the past few years, we were put in really good company, and in a lot of ways, No Sleep really put us on the map for a lot of people.

ESBM: On your tour you’re playing with some great bands, who are you most excited to share a stage with?

Aficionado: Lately we’ve been getting to go on tour with some pretty awesome bands. Some of which are bands that have been HUGE musical influences on me throughout my life. Recently we did a tour with Tim Kasher, who might be a little better known for his other musical projects, Cursive and The Good Life. That tour was unreal. In about a week we’re doing a bunch of dates with TS and the Past Haunts, which is the new project from Travis Shettel (of Piebald). They’re actually flying out from Los Angeles and we’re ALL sharing a van together for the dates. Getting to share the stage (and the van) with people that I’ve always sort of looked up to is a really rewarding and cool experience.

ESBM: You are a rather large band, does it get hard when you’re on the road, and you find yourself in close quarters?

Aficionado: Yes and No. We definitely find ourselves in closer quarters than we would if we were a smaller band, and sometimes that can get a little annoying. But for the most part, I think it’s actually more of a blessing than a curse. If you’re constantly socializing with the same couple of people, that can get boring, and then, out of boredom people fight and bicker about nothing. But with our band, there are so many people that we can rotate around. So if you’re ever starting to get sick of someone, you can just hang out with someone else! It’s great!
Also, we’re all great friends, and while I’m sure we all get sick of one another from time to time, we all know each other well enough to know exactly what we’re signed up for. This makes for mostly happy travels.

ESBM: You have been touring all over the country, which areas have the best crowds? Where do you like to play the most?

Aficionado: Mind you – the best crowds don’t always mean the biggest crowds. It’s quality over quantity with this sort of thing. Attitude is everything.
One of our favorite places to play in the country is Greenville, South Carolina. They have a great DIY scene there, and the people there are always amazingly hospitable to us. We just like to play for REAL people who don’t give a fuck about “looking cool”, who aren’t afraid to let their guards down and have a good time.

ESBM: You recently released your self-titled debut album, how does it compare with your earlier releases?

Aficionado: Prior to this record, we’ve only had one other official release. It was an EP called When It Comes to Creation, which we put out on No Sleep last year. Comparatively, our newest record is a lot more focused. We’ve really honed in on our sound. In the past couple years, we’ve been playing together a lot…touring, etc., and I think this has really helped everyone in the band stay on the same page. Hence, the result is a record that’s a lot more centered and cohesive.

ESBM: For Laura, what is it like being on tour with a harem of men?

Aficionado: Very used to it by now! I thoroughly enjoy the rambunctious nature of my bandmates; someone is always getting into a hilarious predicament. However, I can definitely feel an imbalance sometimes. I love to make friends with fellow estrogen-possessors along the way and read girly graphic novels.

ESBM: What are you plans for next year?

Aficionado: In the next year we want to just keep touring, writing, and growing as a band. We already have a bunch of new musical ideas that we’re going to start messing around with. Other than that, I think we’re just gonna see where the road takes us.

For more information on Aficionado check out their official website, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get their debut album now on No Sleep Records!

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Artist of the Month: Sleeper Agent

September 2, 2011 By 1 Comment


With their effervescent and charming garage pop, Sleeper Agent is a band that should be on your playlist. Made up of Scott Gardner (keys), Alex Kandel (vocals), Tony Smith (vocals/guitar), Lee Williams (bass), Justin Wilson (drums), and Josh Martin (guitar), this Bowling Green, Kentucky sextet has been causing a storm with their debut single “Get It Daddy,” and it’s high intensity music video featuring a slew of piñata carnage. Described as “a dizzying school’s-out anthem about growing up,” the song features joyful choruses and excitable rocking riffs.

September 27th marks the release of the band’s debut album. Entitled, Celebrasion, the album was produced by Jay Joyce (Emmylou Harris, The Whigs) and is a raucous is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Listening to the album you will love every track on here. The dual vocals of Smith and Kandel are pure delight. She sings her heart out and Smith provides the perfect. Songs boast joyous youth, growing up, hardened love, featuring some sick licks.

ESBMusic caught up with singer-guitarist Tony Smith to talk about their upcoming tour, their musical inspirations and influences, and what brought them together:

ESBM: How did you come up with your band name?

TS: In 2006, as sophomore at Western Kentucky University, I sitting on my bed doing some last minute Algebra homework while watching Battlestar Galactica. The character’s were throwing around the term “sleeper agent” continuously as a reference to an unaware Cylon (a race of cybernetic
robots… NERDGASM!). I thought it sounded like a great name for a rowdy rock band. Two years later, I got the chance put the two ideas together.

ESBM: How did you guys all come together?

TS:Justin and I had come up in different bands over the years but were always aware of each other. We bonded over beers at Tidball’s (a local bar and music venue) because we were some of the first kids in our friend circle to turn 21. This lead to us envisioning what would become Sleeper Agent.
Alex opened for us in 2008. She was 15 at the time and we never imagined that she would play with us eventually. A couple of years later she uploaded some original songs onto her Myspace and I sent her an email. We picked up her from school, had lunch and began talking about we wanted from music and what we wanted to do. Luckily, our ideas and aligned. She didn’t start playing with us till several months later after she pestered me on Facebook, almost demanding that we get this thing going. Scott and Lee were the rhythm section from my previous band, Downtown Handshake. Instead of seeking out new players, I just invited them into the Sleeper Agent family. We met Josh while recording Celabrasion. He came in the studio to do some session work with us. We liked him so much that we decided to keep him on board.

ESBM: Who are your influences?

TS: Our influences range from folk twee music to lo-fi sludge rock. We’re all pretty big hip-hop fans too. Andrew WK was a big influence when it came to energetic anthems. Jay Reatard showed us that pop and punk could co-exist without that dreadful 90′s connotation. Marc Bolan taught us how to be
sexy and The xx showed us how male/female vocals could feed off each other.

ESBM: What inspires you to write? Will you write a song and then the lyrics or the other way around?

TS: I usually write the riffs and melodies months before there are lyrics. If I try to write lyrics immediately, it feels contrived and dishonest. Lyrics usually flow from one on one conversations with we’ve had with friends, loved ones or “enemies.”

ESBM: After putting together your first demo in 2010 things started to happen pretty quickly for you guys with getting signed and everything. What was that experience like?

TS:Hectic. Overwhelming. Amazing.

ESBM: In many of the songs you write from Alex?s perspective, being a guy do you find it easy writing from a girl’s point of view?

TS:I wouldn’t necessarily say I write from a girl’s perspective. I write from one my best friend’s perspectives. Since most of the topics are androgynous, it’s not too far off from writing for myself. She gets final say though.

ESBM: If you weren?t playing music what would you be doing?

TS: Looking for a job in the graphic design field. Justin, Alex, Lee and Scott would still be trying to get their degrees.

ESBM: You’re heading on the Weezer Cruise next January. Have you ever played on a boat before? What destination are you looking forward to seeing?

TS:Can’t say I’ve ever played on a boat. Should be very exciting. The stage is the destination I’m most looking forward to see. Whether it’s us, Yuck, Wavves, Dinosaur Jr or Weezer.

ESBM:On October 16th you?re going on tour with Circa Survive what stops are
you looking forward to the most?

TS: Being on the road is better than being home. Anywhere but here.

ESBM:What is the next single you guys plan to release?

TS: No idea.

ESBM: You guys have a lot of fun videos on the road. Will there be another band vs. Food challenge?

TS: We’re hoping there’s a 72 ounce steak challenge in our future.

ESBM: “Get It Daddy” was named iTunes single of the week and you also offer a free download on your website. Do you feel that spreading free music helps to get more fans and encourages people to buy more of your music?

TS: Absolutely. When I download a song from a blog that I really enjoy, sometimes I’ll go out and buy the record. I’ve found some of my favorite bands that way. Just don’t give it all away too soon, you want fans to be able discover more for themselves. It makes it more gratifying.

ESBM: Alex, what is it like being the only girl in the group?

TS: She’s treated equally like another dude and acts accordingly. The only real special privilege she gets is that she doesn’t have to haul the heavier equipment.

ESBM: We love the thrashing of the pinata’s in the video for “Get It Daddy,” how did you come up with concept.

TS: Director Ryan Reichenfeld wrote up a treatment that we absolutely adored. Thus, the video was born.

ESBM: September your album is coming out, it is also the 20th anniversary month of Nirvana’s Nevermind. Were you fans of the band? What does the album mean to you?

TS: As young teenagers, I think we all had our “Nirvana-phase”. It’s a great
pop record that opened several doors to other great bands for me in junior high. However, at 24 I find In Utero to be more gratifying and rewarding. Nevermind is what got my attention though.

For more information on Sleeper Agent check out their official website, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get Celebrasion now on iTunes.

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Artist of the Month: Dalal Bruchmann

August 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment


This month ESBMusic is featuring Dalal Bruchmann. Dalal is NYC based and is a rising international star from Austria, where she began her career as a singer, model and actress. She just released her first single “Taste The Night” which went to #5 on the Billboard Dance Club Chart and received over One Million plays on YouTube in the first 2 days.

A certified musical prodigy, she taught herself to play both piano and violin by age 4 and was composing her own scores by age 5. Earlier this year, Dalal premiered her debut music video for her first dance/pop music single, “Taste The Night” on AOL Music. She is a true inspiration for making the term “follow your dreams” actually happen. Dalal has a lead role in the upcoming film, “Into the Darkness,” alongside Mischa Barton and will be filming another horror movie,”OLD 37,” with Brandi Cyrus in the fall.

Her music is sure to catch your ears. With the kickin’ beats and fun dance rhythms on “Taste the Night,” it’s once song that should be on your summer playlist.

ESBMusic caught up with Dalal to talk about her upcoming movies roles, who inspires her music, and what her plans are for the upcoming album.

ESBM:Your single “Taste The Night” went to #5 on the the Billboard Dance Club Chart and received over One Million plays on YouTube in the fist 2 days. What was your reaction?

DB: Yes, it was #5 on the Breakout Billboard Dance Club Chart. I’m thrilled!! I’m so very happy that people enjoy the song! :) And I’ve gotten so many many nice responses to the video! I never thought that it would go viral and I couldn’t believe when it was the most watched video on YouTube for a couple days. :)

ESBM: You self taught yourself both violin and piano at age 4, will either of these instruments be featured within your music?

DB: I went to music school to learn violin and piano at the age of 4. I love these two instruments and yes, you will definitely find them in my music! :) I usually write all my songs on the piano and I always have my violin very close.

ESBM:Who are your influences? Are you a big dance music fan?

DB: I grew up listening to basically everything! Of course, classical music took up a large part of my musical education and my introduction to music but I was exposed to a lot of different musical genres. I listened to a lot of musical theatre, lots of Broadway tunes, Kate Bush, The Beatles, Elton John, lots and lots of Soundtracks, there was definitely a lot of Disney around! I loved listening to Michael Jackson, Irish folk, Celine Dion, The Rolling Stones, Dave Brubeck, lots of Jazz. I think there is great dance music out there and I think especially now it is going through a rejuvenation period! So I’m very happy to be part of that!

ESBM:You have a lead role in the upcoming film, “Into the Darkness,” with Mischa Barton , and another film “Old 37” with Brandi Cyrus in the fall. What was that experience like? What genre of movies do you like acting in the best?

DB:We are still working on “Into The Darkness” but so far it has been a great experience, we are shooting a lot on location, which is wonderful. We will start shooting “Old 37” in September. I’m very excited about that! I love Drama and I love good comedy, but I especially enjoy acting in Dramas.

ESBM:This past March your single “Taste the Night” was released digitally, what can we expect from your debut album and when will it drop?

DB: We are currently working on the next Single as well as the Album! It’s going really well and I can’t wait for everyone to hear what we are working on in the Studio right now. I grew up with classical music and I spent a big part of my life playing violin in the orchestra…so that will definitely come through in some of the songs, as well as my love for R’n'b mixed with Dance and Pop. There will definitely be more News about when the Album will drop in the next couple months.

ESBM:You have had a lot of views on the video for your single, do you credit that to your active social networking with fans?

DB: I love social networks! Although, I’m still trying to figure out how to really use Twitter! Some people are amazingly good at it!!! I think social networks are wonderful tools to practice a closer relationship to your fans and I love to communicate with fans all around the globe! If the success of the video can be traced back to my communicating through social network I’m sure glad I signed up and would love to take this opportunity to thank everyone!!

ESBM:If you had to choose only one profession, which would you choose, modeling, acting, or singing?

DB: Hahah! I would probably choose to do Musical Theatre…just to escape that decision!

ESBM: Do you plan to tour in support of your music soon?

DB: Definitely! We are starting shows in August and I can’t wait to get out there and perform for you all!

For more information on Dalal check out her MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get her single now on iTunes.

Filed Under: Artist Of The Month Tagged With: , ,

Artist of the Month: The Obvious

July 5, 2011 By 1 Comment

Photo by Kristen Driscoll Photography

 

The Obvious is comprised of Angie Sugrim (guitar/lead vocals), Dan Astorri (guitar/vocals), Kevin Conroy (drums), and Mike Smith (bass/vocals). This quartet has been a prominent part of the Asbury Park music scene over the last five years and Eat Sleep Breathe Music had the pleasure of sitting down with their sensational front woman Angie Sugrim. We talked about working on a new EP, recording with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls, what its really like to be a woman in rock, and her wildest show to date.

Its a humid summer night in June and I’m heading over to the legendary Hot Dog House rehearsal space in Asbury Park, NJ. I meet Angie out front and we head up the stairs to the 2nd floor practice room she shares with her bandmates. We sit down on the worn-out couch and dive into conversation with a neighboring room’s percussion practice in the background.

ESBM: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
AS: Me and Dan meet in high school when we were about 14 or 15. We went to different schools, but we had a mutual friend. We meet and started hanging out, we cut school and played music. It was awesome because we were into the exact same music and it was just a lot of fun. We were just starting to get our freedom and driver licenses, so we would go to school and then cut in the afternoons, head back home and play music.
I meet Kev and Mike in early 2010, they were in different projects. They were in Captain James and the Pain and Last Perfect Thing and I also just knew them from going to local shows. Me and Kevin both had some downtime and we wanted to jam so we just figured we would jam together. Then like two weeks later we were like, “OK lets have these guys be in the band”.

ESBM: How did you get your name?
AS: I picked the name back in 2005, that was when we actually started being committed to having a band. You know doing much more then just messing around at home. That quote is from one of my feminist theory classes. I’m a Women’s Studies minor, I took Women’s Studies at Rutgers and I have a degree in Political Science so everything has always been really political for me even music. That quote comes from an essay and the author says that “people like us we fight for the obvious” we fight for things that seem obvious to other people. Like equal rights or peace or social justice, those things seem obvious to some people, that’s where I took that from.

ESBM: Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
AS: Number one I’m going to say Nirvana and anyone that’s know me from the age of 14 will know that I’m obsessed with them.
ESBM: Did you hear that they are reissuing Nevermind?
AS: Oh no I didn’t know that. That’s awesome. I was just talking to someone the other day about that album and how well its aged. Its in the library of congress actually… As far as music its definitely Nirvana, Hole – the first version the early version from the 90’s. The later one I can’t speak for too much… Kim Deal and her being in The Breeders and The Pixies, that was huge. Imperial Teen is a big one, cause that was was a band where it was two guys and two girls and that was the first rock band I saw that was mixed gender and they would switch off and play different instruments so that was a cool example of what a band could be and that you didn’t have to follow all the rules. The Thermals, who I love, from Portland, OR they play a lot of the same type of music. They came up on a lot of the stuff that we came up on and I can really identify with their sound. The Afghan Whigs – they are probably my biggest musical influence I love Greg Dulli so much!

Non-musical I would say definitely James Dean, I’m a big fan of any kind of rebel. I really actually like Carl Jung he’s like a a neo-freudian, psycho analytical psychologist. I love John Steinbeck and Kurt Vonnegut they are my two favorite authors of all time. So all that sort of social/political commentary I get from my intellectual side and all the music stuff comes together and that all goes together to make the sound that we have.

ESBM: Over the past year or two The Obvious has gone through some changes (new band members, new EP, etc.) how has this helped the band evolve?
AS: Before we had got Kevin and Mike in Jan/Feb of 2010 we had Matt Guzda on drums and Joy Bellamy on bass and that was a great band but we had different [goals]. I had always wanted to make the band a way more serious thing and try to make a career out of it and that’s not a very sane thing to do (she laughs) that’s one of the hardest things you could do with yourself, to try to be in a successful band.  I didn’t want to hold people back cause you know people want to have their own lives, relationships and careers. Joy had always wanted to be a front person, so when we got Kevin and Mike they were more on the career tip and they had enough attention to focus on this one thing so that was just a better fit.  And then the sound, the way that those guys play they have a lot more of the same influences as us and it just came together. As soon as we got them in the band a couple of months later we were recording with Pete from The Bouncing Souls and we made our EP Bringing Wreck. From having Kevin and Mike join and having the record release was only like 6-7 months of them joining and learning the songs. Now writing together with them is definitely the rhythm section I was waiting for my whole life. We are just all on the same page and headed in the same direction and the sound is exactly where I want it to be so its really great to have them in the band. I feel really lucky.

ESBM: Are you working on new material?
AS: Yeah, we have about 10 new songs, there are 6 that we actually recorded with Pete from The Bouncing Souls and that’s going to be released on another EP probably in September of this year. We got 1 more song to lay down with him and then we will have it all pressed and ready to go.

ESBM: Are you planning on doing a full length album?
AS: We were talking about that we have enough material to do that, but its interesting because a lot of my friend’s bands and a lot of bands in general still put out full lengths but I feel like what people want now is more single songs or EPs so I’m trying to be conscious of the way people consume music cause I don’t want to spend all the energy and all our resources putting out a 10 song album and its not going to hold people’s attention because they are now used to shorter formats, just the way people got used to vinyl changing into cassette tapes changing into CDs, MP3s. I think we are back to [that] instead of full lengths like in the 60s when pop music was big they had more singles…so thats why I’m more focused on shorter formats.

ESBM: So there will be 6 tracks on the new EP?
AS: Yeah, they are all brand new and some of them are songs that all four of us have written together. So its cool that we are all in it together.

ESBM: What’s your writing process?
AS: It changes, usually one of us, either me, Mike, or Dan will bring in a piece of music and sometimes it could be as simple as just a riff or sometimes we have an entire song done. Usually I always write the lyrics, but the guys contribute to the vocal melody. Its pretty organic we just bring an idea in and then everyone works together to make the song as good as it can be, which is great because its not about one person having an ego and they have to control everything the songs come together way better when we are all working on them together.

ESBM: Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls produced your EP Bringing Wreck, can you tell us how that came to be and what the experience was like?
AS: That was great, it was an excellent experience. It was my favorite couple of months of all time. We met with Pete through our drummer Kevin, he has an uncle who is really close to the Souls and his name is Jim Norton, he’s helped us out by putting in a good word for us and introducing us to Pete.
Pete’s great he just hangs around the Lanes cause he is a totally normal person, but he’s completely accessible. If you see him and walk up to him he’s always really, really nice and meeting him was great, and working with him was the best experience ever. He’s really patient and he doesn’t put a lot of pressure on you and he knows how to get a good performance out of you. I would sing or I would play a line and we would record it and he would just give me two or three well put critical comments and it would change everything about what I was doing and make it a hundred times better. He’s really great because he knows as a musician what its like to be in the studio and be under pressure. The more you tell somebody not to screw something up or you start yelling at somebody and getting upset obviously the recording is going to start going bad. People don’t react well to pressure, especially when they are trying to be creative. That was really, really cool. He just got us in there, and he was patient with us and I was…sometimes when your a girl and your in a rock band, guys can be really weird. Either guys are normal, they’re creepy, or they just don’t take you as seriously because you are a girl and when I was recording with Pete he treated me like 100% like his equal. You would never get from hanging out and recording with Pete that he’s plays to 4,000 people and sold out crowds all over the world. He just treated me completely, completely equal and recognized my position as a front person and it was just a really great experience. I’m really grateful that it happened. We just recorded with him again and that went really well too. He’s a great guy.

ESBM: Your live shows can get pretty wild; I’ve seen you walk off the stage with cuts and blood running down your legs. What’s been the craziest thing that’s ever happened?
AS: (She Laughs) It does get pretty wild. Half the songs I sing and play guitar so I’m jumping around pretty much a lot then, but when I take the guitar off and its just me singing (she chuckles) it gets pretty wild. I always liked performers like that – Iggy Pop or Kurt Cobain. If they are having fun playing then I have fun as an audience member. You get more into it and the band is feeding off the audience’s energy and the audience is feeding off the band’s energy. I always liked performers like that best. The craziest thing that has every happened is we were playing The Court Tavern in New Brunswick and I was just going wild, like I usually do and I stood up on a monitor, a wedge monitor and because of the shape of the monitor, it tipped over while I was on it and I fell flat cracked my head, knocked my head really hard on the tile floor and I didn’t miss a note. Nobody in the band missed a beat. I had a pretty good knot on my head the next day, but it was fine.

ESBM: What is one thing people don’t know about your band that you wish they did?
AS: I would like people to know…. this is like an egotistical thing…I feel like you pretty much get it when you see our band, but I think I would like people to know that I write a lot of the music that we play. I’ve had people stop and they are like “oh you write the music too?” and I’m like “yeah I write the music, most of the songs are my songs”. I think sometimes when people look at you and that’s just because there are not a lot of examples of female singers/songwriters. There used to be Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde and Bonnie Raitt but you don’t see that anymore so I think now in this generation when people see a woman playing music they are used to it being a performer where somebody else supplies the music and the woman just performs. I think its important for people to know that a lot of our music comes from me directly. I’m not a tyrant in the band, but I definitely am a front person and do a lot of the managing and organizing of the band. I think its hard for women to say they have a leadership position without being a controlling bitch, but I think its important for people to know that women care about music that much and its just as important to me as it is to any other front man.

ESBM: What’s the best thing about being a woman in rock? What’s the worst?
AS: I love it when other girls walk up to me and they say “Now I’m going to be in a band”, “I want to be in a band”. Or they say “I’ve never seen a girl do that before, thats so cool!” That is the best feeling. Its pretty cool too, like when we had our record release we were lucky enough to have Pete deejay that show. He saw that show after he had been working on the album with us and I remember he said “Angie, it was on fire!” Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls said I WAS ON FIRE! This is the greatest day of my life! When people look at you and you’re a women of color they don’t expect you to be in a kick-ass punk rock band and you blow their mind. Not only are you in a kick-ass punk rock band but you are in a better band then a lot of guys are in, you know, that is a really good feeling. Changing up what people expect from somebody just by looking at them.
The worst thing is definitely like I said before when you get creepy guys or guys that are like “oh whatever you’re in a band”. Sometimes when you’re a women in a band guys assume that they can hit on you or somehow you become public property a little bit and they say stuff to you and its like “why are you being so gross?” That’s probably the most unpleasant thing, the pleasant part far outweighs that.

ESBM: What bands are you listening to now?
AS: Right now I just got a record from The Crash Engine from Portland, I was just there last week. We had played with that band at The Saint in 2008 when they toured to the East Coast and they just released a new album this year. I’ve been listening to that its called Beautiful Blood, its really good. Today I was listening to… I still love all my 90s bands… today I was listening to Blur, Dinosaur Jr., and Fugazi. I also have been digging into the classics lately – The Beatles, The Pretenders, I was listening to The Clash today too which I really like. Usually on any given day you can find me listening to 70s punk – Buzzcocks, The Clash, or 90s alternative. From more recent decades the bands I listen to most are The Thermals, The Breeders. I just got to see Mark Lanegan play in Portland, the guy from The Screaming Trees, he did a solo show out there and that was really, really good. More than recorded music I go to a lot of live shows – tonight Chemtrail and Give Me Static are playing in Red Bank at the Downtown. A lot of my friend’s bands – Chemtrail, Give Me Static, Sikamor Rooney, Atlantic Atlantic, those kind of local bands I really enjoy catching whenever I can. I highly recommend them to everyone out there.

ESBM: What’s your favorite venue to play?
AS: My favorite venue to play has to be The Asbury Lanes, not that I don’t love all my Asbury venues and we’ve played in NYC too, but I really love the Lanes. The room is amazing, I’ve traveled to Austin, Portland, I’ve been to Europe and I have to say that The Asbury Lanes, that punk rock club, is probably one of the only places on the planet that is just straight up devoted to punk in all its forms. That’s what we are is a punk band so we fit there perfectly and plus Jenn Hampton and Laney Lanes the two girls who manage it, and all the great people who work there Little Mike, Lori, Sarah Potter, Christina, Pete Pederson, they are all really amazing people and its such a good community feeling when you go in there. They are always great to the bands, they know how to build shows the right way, so there are bands who make sense on a bill together and they are just really good people and really always a pleasure to work with. Its not only one of my favorite venues to go hang out at but one of my favorite to play. My favorite to play of all time.

ESBM: Where would you love to play?
AS: Oh My God, I would love to play at Roseland Ballroom or Irving Plaza something where its a big show with hundreds of people but still intimate enough so that no matter where you are in the room you can see the band and be a part of it. I don’t really like arena rock shows too much, because when you are paying like a million bucks to see a band and the you cant even really see them, you just see them on a TV cause they are so far away. That stuff has its place but definitely those mid-size venues would be ideal for us. So call us and book us!

ESBM: What will The Obvious be up to this summer?
AS: This summer we are trying to get some regional touring going. Eat Sleep Breathe Music and Bands On A Budget have been kind enough to put us in touch with some other area bands so that we can bring them down to Asbury and have them see what’s going on here and bring us out there and expose us to more people. We are trying to get a good Northeast following. We are going to finish recording the EP with Pete in July and have it out for September. We will have a release party then and I’m trying to figure out how to get us in front of as many people as possible in ways that make sense. Thats our thing. To come to a town near you soon.

ESBM: Do you have a name for your new EP yet?
AS: We didn’t decide on anything yet, we have a couple of things but nothing serious. When I was with Pete we were recording one of the vocals and its funny cause when I record its screaming and singing, so even though its like two or three in the afternoon, he says “Are you drinking whiskey? Did you drink your whiskey?” By the time we are done with a couple songs I’m wasted because we are drinking straight whiskey at two in the afternoon. By the time four or five rolls around I’m drunk. Its funny when he’s like “OK drink some more now so we can record.” We were done recording and he said “I’m not going to find you at the train station with a one way ticket to Newark or anything like that right?” So we were thinking about calling it One Way Ticket to Newark… (she laughs) which I thought would be funny.

The Obvious is playing at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn on Thursday, July 7th be sure to check them out and if you can’t make it check out their Facebook and Soundcloud pages.

Filed Under: Artist Of The Month, NJ Artists Tagged With: , , , ,

Artist of the Month: Ida Maria

June 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Ida Maria has been turning heads stateside with her humorously, audacious rock since the Norwegian songstress released her debut album Fortress Round My Heart in 2008. It was her debut single “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” that made waves in the US. The song made waves reaching the Top 40 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart and was featured on NBC’s Friday Night Lights.

Following her first song, she made headlines again with the video for her second single, “Oh My God.” The video shot in New York and in Miami Beach, featured punk icon Iggy Pop. The song was also featured in Gossip Girl TV promos and on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

Ida Maria intensively toured America in support of Fortress’s release, starting at the SXSW Conference in March, then California’s Coachella Festival in April. Another two months of shows climaxed with two weeks of dates with Scottish alt-rock darlings Glasvegas, leading up to Ida Maria’s heroic performance in 100-degree heat at the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago’s Grant Park. She went on to headline the fall’s all-star PerezHilton.com tour, and was picked to play at Betsey Johnson’s New York City’s Fashion Week show at The Plaza Hotel.

Today marks the release of Ida Maria’s sophomore album, KATLA. This album is 8 tracks of raw and tender emotion. It’s sad, angry, and humorous, all of which what a relationship can be. Whether it’s the slow ballads like “Quite Nice People” and “My Shoes” or the upbeat rock numbers “Cherry Red” and “Bad Karma” there is a lot of intensity and excitement in her music. While the album is short in length, it is big in the impact you will have after listening. Ida Maria is a big, bad rock chick with a lot of chutzpah. Her music is hilariously, honest. She isn’t afraid to show her sexual nature as a woman. Romance, lovers, people sucking, these are the real themes of life with a punky rock edge.

Stand out tracks: “My Shoes,” “Cherry Red,” and “10,000 Lovers”

ESBMusic got to sit down with Ida Maria to talk about her new album, and what her plans are for this upcoming Summer.

ESBM: You have been described as a culmination of various women rockers being called “A cross between Courtney Love, Karen O and Avril Lavigne.” Who would you cite as musical influences?
IM: I´m influenced by The White Stripes, Roy Orbison and Amy Winehouse.

ESBM: Your first album was released in 2008, have you been working two years straight on the album? What is your process for song writing? how long was the writing process for the album?
IM: Well first I spent some time trying to land after three years solid touring around the planet. I never landed..after a while I got bored trying to live a normal life and started making a new album and it went pretty fast, writing and recording took maybe three months. It was a creative explosion and I think I already have a third album ready to record.

ESBM: How do you get inspiration for your songs?
IM: Inspiration is for amateurs! I go in the studio and start playing. I don´t control the music, the music controls me.

ESBM: “I Like You So Much Better When Your Naked” is hilarious and a great song. I know I have felt that way in a couple relationships that went on too long. Was the relationship long?
IM: The relationship with that song has been quite long, yes.

ESBM: Your first single “Bad Karma” has a big, rock feel different than some of your previous work, will the rest of the album be similar or different?
IM: All the songs on this album are different, I think I counted eleven genres. I wanted to make an album about sex. Turned out it´s about hot sauce and evil too.

ESBM:You have streamed a few singles so far, will you stream the full album prior to the release?
IM: Hopefully! I have put out a couple demoes on soundcloud, stuff that probably won´t be released elsewhere.

ESBM:How do the crowds here in the states differ from Europe and other countries?
IM: I love playing in the states, people are usually crazy. I´ve had some pair of tits in my face to put it that way. Also it is a very exiting country to travel around in.

ESBM: What is your favorite place to play?
IM: One of my favourite places to play was in Kansas City, Missouri, manic crowd. But also I just love dirty dark clubs where it´s really intimate and hard.

ESBM:You had a whirlwind tour schedule for your first album release, will you do the same for this upcoming album?
IM: Who knows, when I first start rolling it´s hard to stop.

ESBM: What was your favorite festival that you have played?
IM: Probably Træna festival in the north of Norway.

ESBM:You played at Betsey Johnson’s NYC Fashion Week party, how was that experience? Are you a big Fashionista?
IM: Betsey was a rock an roll girl. Cool girl, rad clothes and exiting to get to do a real fashion show. When it comes to fashion, I don´t love all the demands on a perfect body, I´ll never get there with my rock´n roll diet, haha! But i do love killer clothes, colors, shapes.

ESBM:What are your plans for this summer?
IM: I´m gonna head to California soon and stir it up, and then head back to Norway to play under the midnight sun.

ESBM:Thank you for the interview :D
IM: Thank you!

For more information on Ida Maria check out her official website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Don’t forget to get album when it drops this month on iTunes.

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Artist of the Month: The Postelles

May 2, 2011 By 1 Comment


Photo Credit: Harper Smith

This month ESBMusic is featuring one of NYC’s own, The Postelles. June 7th will see the release of the band’s self-titled debut album on 1+ Records. The record, co-produced by band and The Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr., exudes explosive and exciting rock that takes you back to the sweet sounds of the 50’s and 60’s.

Comprised of Daniel Balk (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), David Dargahi (vocals/lead guitar), John Speyer (bass) and Billy Cadden (percussion) the quartet formed in high school and started playing shows around Manhattan by the time they were seniors. Along the way, they ran into Albert Hammond, Jr., who provided encouragement and co-produced their debut EP, White Night. The EP created a buzz both in the States and in the U.K., where influential Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe began playing the title track.

With their EP gaining traction, they took to the road and were soon sharing a stage with the likes of Kings of Leon, Interpol, Free Energy, The Kills, Vampire Weekend, The Wombats and Jack Penate. In addition to playing major festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo (twice) and CMJ, The Postelles performed at The Who Tribute Concert at New York City’s Carnegie Hall and even recently supported the legendary Chuck Berry. Looking to harness the energy of their time on stage and parlay it into their full-length, they headed back into the studio with Hammond in 2010.

Throughout their career, the band has seen their music getting mainstream exposure. Songs “123 Stop,” was featured in the trailer for How Do You Know, which starred Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson, while “White Night,” another track from the album, was tapped by Fox’s Raising Hope and the CW’s Vampire Diaries and 90210. Additionally, their video for “White Night” was named Video of the Day by FUSE and Paper Magazine and “Sleep on the Dance Floor,” premiered on Nylon this past March.

While I wasn’t around in the 50’s and 60’s, listening this band I feel transported back in time. With the first notes of “White Night” I was instantly charmed by their old time rock n’ roll sound. Their geared up, retro rock is something that you will want to listen to over and over again. The album never fails to disappoint; song after song flows into the next giving the listener head bobbing and dancing melodies featuring slick guitar licks and drums that will keep you dancing and put a smile on your face. Fans of artists like Buddy Holly and Same Cooke are sure to fall in love with this record.

Stand out tracks: “123 Stop,” “Boys Best Friend,” and “Can’t Stand Still”

ESBMusic has the chance to touch base with the band to talk about their musical influences, what is was like opening up for Chuck Berry, thoughts on the music industry and what their plans are for the upcoming summer.

ESBM: How did you come up with the name “The Postelles?”
Postelles: It was a few days of going through a lot of ridiculous names that brought us to The Postelles. It was a throwback name, a nod to the Motown era.

ESBM: The Video for “Sleep On The Dance Floor” has a 50′s type theme to it. Your songs have been described as 50′s esque rock, who are some of the bands from that era that have influenced you? What is it that draws you to this era? What did you grow up listening to?
Postelles: The 50′s was when it all began, in terms of rock n’ roll bands getting together to create a sound. Before that it was more one person, in terms of early blues players like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters but than all of the sudden Buddy Holly formed the Crickets and Elvis had his amazing band featuring Scotty Moore. It’s very inspiring to hear how they created this amazing sound so early on without thousands of bands to listen to as you can nowadays on the internet.

ESBM: You had the chance to open for the legendary Chuck Berry. What was that experience like?
The Postelles: It was like going back in time. For one night we felt like we were there with Chuck when Rock n’ Roll began. Chuck is one of the only people around who people like Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton would be amazed to play with, so for us to say, “Hey, we did it!” is pretty amazing.

ESBM: You have a tour kicking off in June with two nights in your hometown. Being from NY and having played here, what is your favorite venue to play? Does NYC have the best audience?
Postelles: NYC has a special audience for us, because it’s our hometown but I know the New York audience can be harsh on bands coming in from out of town, so it’s all relative. I would say our favorite venue to play is the Bowery Ballroom. We’ve played there so many times, we almost feel like the house band.

ESBM: Your music have been featured in movie trailers and television shows like Vampire Diaries and Raising Hope. Do you like the mainstream exposure?
Postelles: Sure we do. We want as many people as possible to hear our music. When our songs were featured on those shows, it was tasteful and fun, so we were down with it.

ESBM: New York Magazine’s “Vulture” entertainment blog recently featured the video of the track “Hold On.” What will be the next music video?
Postelles: We are working on a few as of now. We are hoping to do a video for “123 Stop,” so that’ll probably be the next one.

ESBM: You guys offer a free music download on your website, what are your thoughts on the future of the music industry? Do you feel like giving away free music is a way to get more people exposure and create a larger fan base?
Postelles: Giving away music for free is definitely going to make people more inclined to listen to your music. But at this point, if any listener wants music for free, they can have it. Its unfortunate that music has lost it’s value, but that is why more bands like us are having our music in television shows and all that. Touring and syncs are the ideal ways to make money. The future of music is bright, there will always be great bands around, but the music industry is a different story. There will have to be a drastic change in the industry’s strategy to promote music and thrive as well.

ESBM: This June you are going out on a tour in support of your new album, are there any other plans for a further summer tour?
Postelles: We are planning our summer right now. We will definitely be playing more shows this summer, where and when is what we are figuring out now, but keep checking up on our website and hopefully we’ll be coming to your town.

For more information on The Postelles check out their official website, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. The band is giving a download of their song “Hold On” FREE Get it below and check out the full album when it drops this June.

Filed Under: Artist Of The Month Tagged With: ,

Artist of the Month: The Twees

April 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment


This month ESBMusic is featuring the NYC quartet The Twees. Comprised of Jason Abrishami (guitar and vocals), Daniel Edwards (drums), David Kaplan (bass and vocals), and Jon Zuckerman (guitar and vocals) the post-punk band has a sound that will instantly catch your ear.

This past January The Twees released their latest EP entitled These Girls. The five track compilation that you will want to listen to over and over. Songs like “These Girls,” “Give It Up,” and “Wishful Thinking Youth” feature high intensity action packed melodies featuring high, speedy guitar riffs making you wanna kick it and hit the floor.

I had the opportunity to see the band live earlier this year and their magnetism blew me away. There was an intensity and fervor that crept out into the crowd. Their distorted, garage pop rock has an 80’s post-punk inspiration that could appeal to any music lover.

ESBMusic caught up with The Twees to discuss their musical influences, what’s behind the meaning of The Twees, how they come up with songs, and their plans for the summer.

ESMusicWhat is the meaning behind your name The Twees?
Jason: My friend came back from London during the Summer of 2008 & was constantly using the slang that they had over there. I was interested in learning some of it so I Googled “British slang.” The word “Twee” popped up and grabbed my attention. It means someone who is disgustingly cute.

ESMusic: This past October you guys played CMJ. Have you played it before? Did you find that it has increased your presence on the music scene?
Twees: We haven’t performed at CMJ before, but it was quite the interesting experience. It did help as a good reference to tell people we’ve done CMJ, but getting onto a good bill can be a little tricky.

ESMusic: You guys released a video for “On the Spot” featuring you playing. What is your next video release going to be? Will it be the same format or will you put in a story line?
Twees: We’re working on doing a new video really soon, but it will have more of a story line.

ESMusic: You performed on Break Thru Radio this past year. What was that experience like?
Twees: It was awesome! Those guys are really nice & dug our stuff. They still help us out here and there by giving away free tickets to our shows/promoting them.

ESMusic: At your live shows you have everyone come up on stage during “Wishful Thinking Youth,” what started you guys to do this? Who came up with the idea?
Twees: It all started last Summer (2010) at Lit Lounge where Jason was a little intoxicated and thought it would be a fun idea to have the crowd join us in dancing to that song. Thank god it worked then, and basically every time after that.

ESMusic: Your sound is reminiscent of older punk pop music, who are your main influences?
Jason: My main influences include: The Velvet Underground, Television, The Clash, Bloc Party, The Beach Boys, The Strokes, etc
Daniel: The Clash, Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Kings of Leon
David: Queens Of The Stone Age, Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters

ESMusic: When you write a song do you write the melody and lyrics together or one then the other? What inspires you?
The Twees: One of us basically comes up with the idea of the song and we work on it all together piece by piece until we’re comfortable with what we just made.

ESMusic: You’ve played around the tri-state area lately. What is your favorite place to play? Are the crowds the same?
The Twees: We love playing everywhere so this question is a little tricky. Personally I (Jason) really liked performing in New Jersey at The Stanhope House – it’s a cool spot. The crowds are different though.

ESMusic: You recently released your EP, any plans for a full album in the future?
The Twees: We plan on releasing new material in the near future, whether it be a LP or EP – expect some news real soon!

ESMusic: What are your plans for this summer?
The Twees: To tour a bit, get our music heard more, and write some new material.

For more information on The Twees check out their official website, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get their EP These Girls now on iTunes!

The band is also currently in the running to play the 2011 Warped Tour. To Vote for them click here!

Filed Under: Artist Of The Month Tagged With:

Artist of the Month: The Naked And Famous

March 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment


With a name like The Naked and Famous they’re sure to get attention, but it’s their music that will keep you remembering it. This month ESBMusic is featuring the New Zealand band who has been gaining buzz with their exciting, yet emotive and ominous electro-pop.

It’s this awesome musical dichotomy that has landed them success not only in their homeland (their single “Young Blood” debuted at number one in the NZ chart in 2010), but stateside with their music featured on a number of shows: the CW’s hit series Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl along with Covert Affairs, NBC’s Chuck, The Almighty Johnsons.

The quintet is made up of Thom Powers, Alisa Xayalith, David Beadle, Aaron Short, and Jesse Wood. Powers and Alisa met at music college in 2008. The duo started writing and playing songs together that would go on to be the life blood of TNAF. Aaron, a high school acquaintance of Thom’s, was also studying at the same college and started doing production for Thom and Alisa as they worked out song ideas. These went on to become TNAF’s first releases, the twin EPs No Light and This Machine.

With their heads in the studio, forming a live band was an afterthought for Thom and Alisa. After a few tries with backing musicians, the couple persuaded Aaron into getting on stage as their electronics overlord. Rounding out the band and the rhythm section was another two of their high school mates, Jesse and David. With the band in place they set out to work furiously throughout 2009 on developing a new live set and dozens of demos. Their experimentation and expansion is what shaped and defines their sound today.

This Tuesday, March 15th the band will invade North America with their debut album Passive Me Aggressive You.

The 13 track album hits you hard from the get go. Opening with the upbeat yet poignant “All of This” and follows suit with a vibrant and bouncy electro-pop (“Punching in a Dream” and “Young Blood”) to distorted guitars and dance beats that is reminiscent of Sleigh Bells (“A Wolf In Geeks Clothing”). TNAF’s music varies from track to track but overall it holds true to some some kickin’ dance beats and all the while being an intensely profound and thoughtful record.

Stand out tracks: “Punching in A Dream,” “Frayed,” “Young Blood,” and “Girls Like You”

ESBmusic caught up with the Aucklanders to talk about how they got their name, who they would love to collaborate with, and what they are up to for the next couple months:

ESBM: How did you come up with your band name? What is the meaning of Naked and Famous?
TNAF: Naked And Famous is a lyric from the Tricky song Tricky Kid. It’s a bit of a jab at celebrity culture and all the things we are not about.

ESBM: Who are your influences?
TNAF: We’re all huge fans of Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Massive Attack, M83, Chemical Brothers, Holy Fuck, Crystal Castles and all grew up on 90′s alternative music. Some of my personal favorites are Foals, Meshuggah, Boards Of Canada, Deftones and Grizzly Bear to name a few.

ESBM: You were the first New Zealand band to debut a #1 single in 3 yrs. Why do you think that is?
TNAF: When we got the phone call from our manager we really had no idea what it meant. We were only familiar with college radio charts and the national chart was foreign to us. It took a while before it sunk in but it gained us a lot of attention which in turn got our music out to more people which is amazing

ESBM: Your first studio album was released in September of 2010. What did you do before this?
TNAF: We all lived at our parents houses in middle class suburbia and spent too much time on our computers.

ESBM: You played Big Day Out Festival, how was it?
TNAF: I’ve been to plenty of Big Day Outs in the past so to do the whole tour was incredible. It’s referred to as the Big Day Off by a bunch of artists but we had plenty of side shows which meant we only had one day off over the two and a half weeks. We had such a positive reaction and had massive crowds for an early slot which was a pleasantry.

ESBM: Any festivals in the summer?
TNAF: So far we have a couple in Germany, Ireland and we’re playing at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan which is going to be a highlight of the year. I’m going to eat enough sushi to hibernate for a month like a bear.

ESBM: What band would you love to play with?
TNAF: I saw Crystal Castles a few times at Big Day Out, I got over stimulated each time so I might need nappies if we played a show with them.

ESBM: What music fest/venue would you love to play?
TNAF: Fuji Rock Festival, Coachella, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza. We already did Big Day Out.

ESBM: What are your plans for the next couple months?
TNAF: Right now I’m sitting in a venue called Digital on Brighton Beach looking out over the freezing ocean, Paris will be the next and last stop on our first UK/European tour. We fly to Texas shortly for a mechanical bull competition and we might play 1 or 8 shows at SXSW while we’re there. After that it’s back to Europe then back to the US then back to Europe then back to the US etc.

For more information on The Naked and Famous check out their official website, MySpace, and Facebook pages. Be sure to pick up their debut album Passive Me Aggressive You when it drops on March 15th and check out their other music now on Itunes See the band live this week at SXSW this week and when they tour alongside British Band Foals and Brooklyn’s Freelance Whales starting April 10th in Vancouver, Canada BC (see dates below)

The Naked and Famous On Tour:
SUN 4/10 VANCOUVER BC Commodore Ballroom
MON 4/11 SEATTLE, WA Showbox
TUE 4/12 PORTLAND, OR Wonder Ballroom
THU 4/14 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Great American Music Hall
FRI 4/15 SAN DIEGO, CA House of Blues
TUE 4/19 HOUSTON TX Fitzgeralds
WED 4/20 DALLAS, TX Granada
THU 4/21 AUSTIN, TX La Zona Rosa
FRI 4/22 KANSAS CITY, MO Beaumont
SAT 4/23 ST. LOUIS, MO Firebird
TUE 4/26 CHICAGO, IL Metro
WED 4/27 COLUMBUS, OH Outland
FRI 4/29 CLEVELAND, OH Beachland
SAT 4/30 TORONTO, ON Pheonix
SUN 5/1 MONTREAL, PQ National
MON 5/2 BOSTON, MA Paradise
WED 5/4 NEW YORK, NY Webster Hall
THU 5/5 PHILADELPHIA, PA Theatre of Living Arts
FRI 5/6 WASHINGTON, DC 930 Club
SAT 5/7 BALTIMORE, MD Ottobar
SUN 5/8P PROVIDENCE, RI The Met

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