NEW MEGADETH ALBUM COMING
Dave Mustaine, the creative driving force behind original American metal and hard rock crossover giants MEGADETH, and Chris Adler, drummer for the leaders of modern American heavy metal LAMB OF GOD, will join bassist David Ellefson in the creation of MEGADETH’s anticipated forthcoming album. Adler will be appearing as a guest on the album and contributing his thundering, hard-hitting, and technically precise style and skill, adding new blood and drive into the mix while staying true to MEGADETH’s roots.
Dave Mustaine comments, “Chris is a tremendous talent, and an amazing person. He is going to bring a new level of excitement and energy to MEGADETH that the fans are going to lose their minds over. I have nothing but respect for my previous drummers, but this is going to absolutely KILL! Back in 1989, MEGADETH originally worked as a three piece – guitar, bass and drums – when we laid down the framework to our GRAMMY® nominated platinum album ‘Rust In Peace.’ I want to thank the other members of Lamb Of God for allowing this opportunity to take place for all of us in the metal community.”
MONSTER JAW ‘LOVE’ SINGLE
With their UK tour kicking off this April, Bradford’s (UK) alt/garage-rock trio ‘Monster Jaw’ are offering their latest single ‘Love’ as a free download.
Taken from the band’s self-produced EP ‘Basement Sessions’, ‘LOVE’ is the first single release from a collection of tracks recorded using an 8 track tape recorder to capture the band’s live performance and songwriting at its most raw and intimate state.
http://www.soundcloud.com/monster-jaw-music/love-free-download
HONEY BUTTER “TIMES”
That moment of despair when you are losing the person you love, and you can’t imagine all the times you have had together just fading to distant memories. I vibed off Honey Butter’s emotional strings and gritty bass during this exact time of my life. There was not a happy ending, but I am glad I captured this emotion, and that Charlie (Honey Butter) brought it to life.
THE GOLDHEARTS “ON THE RUN”
The Goldhearts are a newly formed band from the Gold Coast and include 2 members of ex-Brisbane based indie band The Dream Poppies who played on the Australian SXSW showcase in 1997 and a New York show case at CBGB’s on the same trip.
Margy previously on bass and vocals had a batch of unrecorded songs, and discovered producer Govinda Doyle (Big Jet Plane Angus and Julia Stone) living in Northern NSW, just down the road from her current base on the Southern Gold Coast. Together they recorded a catchy album that single handedly invents the indie/pop/grunge/twang genre telling stories of life, love, and crime and providing a tantalising salute to times when girl led bands ruled the radio in the 90’s.
NAZB VIDEO “THANK YOU GOD”
NazB Single “Thank You God,” is a brief story of how God changed NazB’s life through his long journey. He says, “It’s been a long, long time I’ve been on the road. It’s time to thank you, God, for saving my life. It haven’t been easy, but somehow I made it…” The song itself is a little more R&B in sound, and doesn’t have the stronger African influences of some of his other material. It does, however, remind me slightly of some older GRITS, stylistically. NazB’s accent is prevalent, but endearing and gives a sound you don’t hear much of in hip-hop these days. While it’s not an earthshattering track, it’s honest and provides and overall enjoyable listening experience.
TRAKSTREAM FOR MUSICIANS
Known as the “beat search engine,” TrakStream (trakstream.com) debuted a cloud-based platform with intuitive search and discovery features exclusively for music creators. TrakStream changes the way musicians collaborate and share their talent with artist and the rest of the world through a subscription-streaming service, which enables veteran and emerging artists, musicians, songwriters, and producers to locate specific styles or sounds from a user-populated database using searchable keywords or terms denoting specific musical characteristics. Imagine Google searches, but exclusively for music creators.
Currently undergoing beta testing, TrakStream is quickly becoming a useful tool for music industry professionals for scouting new talent and supporting indie artists outside of the traditional forms of searching. This application also encourages individuals who are interested in entering the music industry to submerge in the creative process, while connecting with other novice or professionals. TrakStream cuts out a step in the creative process by connecting producers and songwriters within minutes and a click of a button versus the connection of “hit or miss” social network and random Internet searches failures.
STEVE HACKETT’S STUNNING NEW VIDEO “WOLFLIGHT”
Fans of progressive rock around the globe can click here to check out the premiere of world-renowned guitarist/composer Steve Hackett’s new video “Wolflight” on Planet Rock. The stunning and epic video is for the title track of his forthcoming album of the same name, WOLFLIGHT. Hackett commented, “This video for my new album title track “Wolflight” captures the atmosphere of the song beautifully. The story it presents is poignant, wild and powerful. It has a strong epic feel…I flew to Serbia to take part in the film and it was great to be involved. Enter the world of “Wolflight” and enjoy!”
http://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/video-exclusive-steve-hackett-wolflight/
NEW ALBUM BY TEN MAY 20
British hard rock giants TEN announced that the release of their eagerly awaited 12 studio album is scheduled for May 20th 2015 via Rocktopia Records. The new album is titled ‘Isla de Muerta‘ and follows hot on the heels of their ground-breaking and highly lauded 2014 opus ‘Albion‘. The album cover was illustrated by Gaetano Di Falco, can be viewed below.
Named after the mythical ‘Island Of The Dead‘ from Pirate legend and as the title would suggest, this time around the album has a very ‘piratical, seafaring‘ feel. In true classic TEN style, the album opens with the atmospheric ‘Buccaneers‘ instrumental and segues straight into the cinematic ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales‘. Any fans of TEN and their expanding catalogue will not be disappointed.
COUNTING CROWS TOUR
Counting Crows are following up their critically-acclaimed seventh album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, with the US leg of their 2015 worldwide tour after the band returns from sold-out shows throughout Europe, Australia, and Canada. The multiplatinum band will begin the domestic run of the Somewhere Under Wonderland tour in Miami, FL on July 30, continuing on through Chicago, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and other major cities, before wrapping in Oklahoma City, OK on October 11. Joining as the tour’s special guests will be Citizen Cope, known for his trademark mix of soul, folk, and R&B during his commanding live shows, and Outlaw Road Show favorites Hollis Brown.
Pre-sale and VIP tickets for the band’s US dates go on sale Wednesday, April 15, and tickets will be available to the general public starting Friday, April 17. For more information, visit countingcrows.com.
CANOPY CLIMBERS “POTION”
Check out alternative-pop rockers Canopy Climbers! They recently announced the release of their newest single “Potion,” from their forthcoming EP Fever, set to release in April. This track is garnered with pop-fresh beats, 80’s inspired synth and a touch of rock.
THE ILLUMINATION NEW LYRIC VIDEO
Anthem Rock group The Illumination has released a new lyric video for their song “A Chance To Change My Ways”. The song was originally on the band’s 2013 InVogue Records release “Departures”, but the group decided to re-invent the song acoustically. This track marks The Illumination’s change in genre from a post-hardcore band to a style that would be recommended for fans of 30 Seconds to Mars, Imagine Dragons, and PVRIS.
TIM MCGRAW: A CONCERT FOR SANDY HOOK PROMISE ANNOUNCED
Tim McGraw has announced that on July 17, 2015 at XFINITY Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, he will headline a Concert for Sandy Hook Promise. One-hundred percent of the net proceeds of this special event will benefit Sandy Hook Promise, an organization founded in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, with a mission of protecting children from gun violence.
Tickets for “Tim McGraw: A Concert for Sandy Hook Promise” go on sale this Friday, April 17, 2015 at 10 a.m. through LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster. Charge By Phone 800-745-3000. Featured performers will include current tour mates Billy Currington and Chase Bryant, along with special surprise guests to be announced later.
http://www.sandyhookpromise.org/
CILLIE BARNES MEW SINGLE
Stereogum described the track by saying “Barnes has a scratchy, warm voice that sticks in your head, and her free-spirited embrace of crystals and their powers in the midst of a natural disaster is indicative of the secluded, spiritual corner of Los Angeles where she lives.”
Cillie Barnes told Stereogum, “During the bridge part of this song – which we called The Crystal Countdown – my intention was to alphabetically list crystals and their properties from A-Z. I only got to Q because we ran out of space. So for the curious. A list of the ones I was going to name from that point on: Rhodocrosite, Shaman Stones, Tiger’s Eye, Unakite, Vanadinite, Xenotime, Wolframite, Yellow Apatite and Zincite.”
NEON TREES SUMMER TOUR
Neon Trees today announced their next tour “An Intimate Night Out With Neon Trees” will kick off June 6th in Seattle, WA at the Showbox and cross the country before winding down on July 25th in Boston, MA at Paradise Rock Club. A full list of tour dates can be found below.
“At the end of last year we had made plans to take this year off, but honestly we got bored at home. We just love touring that much,” said front man Tyler Glenn. “We’re going to play songs from all three albums and it will be an entirely new show. We chose smaller clubs and theaters to make it a communal, fan driven experience for us and the audience.”
THE BLOAKES NEW SINGLE “BHAGAVAN”
The Bloakes were formed two years ago by guitarists David Silverlid and Petter Kroon alongside vocalist Isak Smårs. Together with bass player Herman Eriksson and drummer Arvid Engdahl they have created a contemporarily interesting sound that captures the listener live aswell as in the studio.
The Bloakes are now referred to “The new psychedelic 70´s rock band”.
JIM JONES & THE RIGHTEOUS MIND NEW VIDEO
Singer/ guitarist Jim Jones’ distinctive musical history has spanned several incarnations including The Jim Jones Revue, Black Moses and Thee Hypnotics. Now, with his new band, Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind, Jones and crew are sailing further into dark musical waters in search of rare and exotic beasts.
http://thequietus.com/articles/17612-jim-jones-new-band
SHINEDOWN ANNOUNCES SUMMER TOUR
Atlantic recording artist Shinedown has announced plans for a very special summer tour, the multi-platinum certified rock band’s first major trek in more than two years. The dates will see Shinedown visiting theatres and other intimate venues across the country, performing a unique set that will include classic hits, deep cuts, and best of all, new songs from the band’s hugely anticipated fifth studio album.
ANTIX “COME HOME”
Antix is a London-based hip-hop artist who has seen support from the likes of Clash Music and Record of the Day, and was recently added to the line-up for Field Day 2015. Antix’s acclaimed videos (1M+ views) have also seen recognition from numerous hip hop enthusiast sites such as K-Mag and GRM Daily, in addition to his inclusion in the MTV Brand New 2014 shortlist.
New release ‘Come Home’ shuns the bravado and materialism of many of his contemporaries, and the music draws from everything from World Music and Classical instruments to golden-era hip hop acts such as Nas and Wu Tang. Antix has always proudly stood outside the norms of his genre, and is finally a UK hip-hop artist with a real message.
https://soundcloud.com/globalantix/come-home
FLAW ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW STUDIO ALBUM AND VIDEO
Flaw has announced plans to release a new album, and a return to the road after a decade of being dormant, Chris Volz (Vocals), Jason Daunt (Guitar), Ryan Jurhs (Bass / Backing Vocals) and Corey Sturgill (Drums) are poised to begin the next chapter of the band’s career. Singer Volz shares, “I’m so excited to announce the soon-to-come release of our first full length album in over 10 years! We are locking down a record label as we speak with our manager Scott Frazier, and have been recording with Grammy winning producer Skidd Mills. We embark on a nationwide tour May 1st with our good friends Seasons After, and I am happy to say that we will be hitting a lot of cities we haven’t played in for quite some time. Words can’t express how psyched we are to be back and how proud we are of the recordings. See you guys soon!” Guitarist Daunt adds, “After several years apart to work out personal issues we have reunited. The time apart has given us clear heads and a new appreciation for the music we are capable of creating together. We are stoked about our renewed musical relationship and can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Flaw has selected friends Seasons After to serve as direct support for the upcoming tour. The Wichita-based band recently released Calamity Scars And Memoirs (Pavement), which follows Through Tomorrow. The band premiered the video for the lead single “Lights Out” via Loudwire which can be viewed here:
http://loudwire.com/seasons-after-lights-out-exclusive-video-premiere
SHARK? PREMIERE “HANGNAIL” ON IMPOSE
The difference in guitar style between Chris Mulligan, their previous guitarist who was an avant-noodler of the highest order, and Jared Hiller, a pedal builder and feedback enthusiast, has lead to a change in sound for Shark?, bringing out a harsher edge then previously presented by the band. “Hangnail” is the perfect manifestation of this grittier and more direct songwriting approach. The band is also taking this opportunity to announce their first tour in support of Becky And Debbie.
THE WEEPIES RELEASE NEW SINGLE “NO TROUBLE”
Indie folk/pop duo The Weepies have released single “No Trouble” from their forthcoming album Sirens, out April 28. “No Trouble” premiered on The Wall Street Journal, and is now available on iTunes, Spotify and other digital service providers. The pair will hit the road with their three kids in tow on May 29 for their first full band tour in five years.
SAN FERMIN ALBUM STREAM
In case you haven’t heard of San Fermin, they’re an 8-piece baroque-pop band based in Brooklyn, NY. Their upcoming record “Jackrabbit” will be their second and has already been getting coverage with everyone from XM Radio to the NY Times to NPR. “Emily” reached #5 on the Hype Machine charts and they’ll be headlining a national tour that will include stops at Sasquatch Festival, as well as, Hangout Music Festival and a turn at both Reading and Leeds Festivals.
http://www.npr.org/2015/04/12/398114825/first-listen-san-fermin-jackrabbit
MILKY CHANCE ANNOUNCE 2015 SUMMER TOUR DATES
Expanding on their already stacked North American tour schedule, MILKY CHANCE have added a string of summer dates in the U.S. – full routing below. These dates add to the first leg of their tour, whose 39 dates sold out immediately, along with confirmed festival appearances at Coachella, Sasquatch, Osheaga, Outside Lands, and Squamish Valley Music Festival. Pre-sale tickets for their new summer tour dates go on sale at 10:00AM local time on Tuesday, March 31st, via milkychanceofficial.com/northamerica, with public on sales to follow on Friday, April 3rd.
http://milkychanceofficial.com/northamerica/
INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION (ISC) ANNOUNCES 2014 FINALISTS
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has revealed its finalists for the 2014 competition. Selected from over 18,000 entries from 118 countries all around the globe, the 345 finalists represent all genres of music, including Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, Country, R&B, Hip-Hop, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, and much more. Finalists include a diverse group of artists such as Daniel Duke, Adam Eckersley, Tommy Castro, Hopium, Kimbra, Vance Joy, Paul Mac, Moana Maniopoto, Shunzo Ohno, The Okee Dokee Brothers, San Cisco, and many more.
“This year, ISC continues the legacy of highlighting some of the very best talent of emerging artists throughout the world,” says Candace Avery, Founder and Director. “Our mission is to create opportunities for artists and make a significant impact on their career by recognizing their talent on an international scale.”
Renowned as the most prestigious international songwriting competition in the world, ISC recognizes excellence in the field of songwriting. Winners include an overall Grand Prize winner and First, Second, and Third Place winners in each of its 22 categories. More than $150,000 in cash, merchandise, and services (including a Grand Prize of $25,000 cash and $40,000 in additional prizes) is given away to winners. ISC is open to amateur and professional songwriters from all over the world, including bands and solo performers.
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners
DIRTY FENCES NEW VIDEO
Satisfying a youthful obsession with early KISS and Mötley Crüe, then discovering the fortunate truth of The Dictators and The Ramones, DIRTY FENCES have finally slammed into the Slovenly path with the “FULL TRAMP” LP. Brooklyn is the launching pad, and following a previous full-length, a handful of singles and a few transcontinental tours, Dirty Fences got their shit on lockdown.
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/03/dirty_fences_go.html
SAMUEL FORD SHARES NEW TRACK ‘BALLET’
Hailing from the medieval Sussex cinque port of Rye, Samuel Ford intertwines immediate melodies and literate lyrics with intricate rhythms that soar from the darkest chasms to atmospheres of uplifting melancholy, and this week sees the release of his new track entitled ‘Ballet’.
He spent his childhood immersed in music and was a cello player in a local orchestra until at 15 years old he picked up a guitar and has not looked back. He also plays double bass and piano/keyboards and writes/arranges/notates all his own music.
