Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing’s 72nd Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards® were announced today by Tony and Grammy Award-winner, Leslie Odom, Jr. and Katharine McPhee, who is currently starring in the Tony nominated musical Waitress, at the Tony Award Nominations ceremony, sponsored by IBM, held at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 43 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The 2018 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. (The list of nominations follows.)
Marking 72 years of excellence on Broadway, The Tony Awards, hosted by Tony Award Nominees Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban, will be broadcast live from the Radio City Music Hall on CBS, on Sunday, June 10th, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT time delay).
THADEUS GONZALEZ RELEASES “A MURDER WHEN I SING” SINGLE
Oakland-based artist THADEUS GONZALEZ released “A Murder When I Sing,” the second single and video from his debut Spectra Music Group album, Silver Inside. Additionally, summer tour dates have been announced. The artist will be bringing his critically-acclaimed live show to the Midwest for the first time.
Filmed in San Francisco, the video for “A Murder When I Sing” was conceived by Gonzalez and shot and directed with Scott Richards and Andrew J Card. Gonzalez explains that the song is simply about “doing what you do and being proud of it.” It features Richards on bass, Nick Hernandez on guitar, and Rob Tucker playing drums.
Dizzyride Shares “Chinatown” Video Via Culture Collide
With the help of very talented filmmaking friends, Dizzyride shot a series of videos featuring unsigned material. You can stream them as they come out on all digital streaming platforms and watch the videos on YouTube.
Hysterical Kindness to Release Debut Album, “Simple Things,” on June 1
Simple Things could not be more complex. Whimsical yet melancholy, spare yet sophisticated, not-quite-roots and not-quite-pop. The band began when the three members met on a film set to compose music for the movie All Nighter. Hirsch, the singer and chief songwriter, is best known as an actor but is grounded in old-school hip-hop. His bandmates, Chris Sayre and Brian Cohen, are a pair of producers best known for their R&B work (Ciara, Flo Rida). Together, they find unique ways to combine disparate styles, creating a sound that is new and fresh, personal and deeply affecting.
New single from CO SONN
CO SONN is a one man project carried by an intense sound, hailing from Vänersborg, Sweden. After eight self-released EP:s/albums on Bandcamp and a couple of singles, it’s time for the second release with a label by his side. His first official album “VBG trash ensemble vol.1” received great reviews from magazines and blogs in Sweden. ‘why’ is the second single from the coming album “VBG trash ensemble vol.2” that will be released on cassette and all digital platforms on May 18th by Lazy Octopus Records from Stockholm.
MY PLEASURE ‘Fluorescent Jacket’ single & video out today
My Pleasure says of the single: “Fluorescent Jacket is a ode to the feeling you get when you put on any kind of uniform, and instantly become part of group purely based on the clothes you happen to be wearing. The track features a lot of my home made instruments, including a modified Casio SK-1 which is my pride and joy, and also features in the video.”
CHANTEL JEFFRIES Announces First Single “Wait” ft. Offset and Vory
DJ, producer, and content creator CHANTEL JEFFRIES announces debut single “WAIT” featuring OFFSET and VORY to be released worldwide on Friday, May 4. The track produced and co-written by Chantel is the first of many to follow as an up and coming producer in the music world. Using mathematical sequencing to create tracks and pulling influence from the Islands, French and European house, Chantel creates a signature sound embodying her musical taste and top notch production. Chantel teased her single, “Wait” at the Apple Music x Beats 1 party at Coachella. This was the perfect introduction to ignite the world with her unpredictable and undeniable sound as she taps into the music industry. Chantel plans to release her own line of merchandise to be released simultaneously with her upcoming debut EP, Calculated Luck due later this year.
Stadiums & Shrines share new Bing & Ruth track from ‘Dreams’ compilation, “Quebec (Climber)”
For the Quebec dream: “Peripheral maroons, blues, and ecrus stretch beyond the sled’s icy spray. Accelerating downward, cascading slope, past cheers, speed’s climbing silence. The children glide through unknown clearance, piercing the cavern, the illustrious halls of Perce Rock illuminated by temporal projections. Witness to their time-lagged descent broadcast onto the arched rock face interior, seeing their locale moments before, as they skim through time, touring new and absolute fantasias.”
Slim Loris release brilliant video for anthemic new track ‘Hideaway’
As one of the leading lights of Scandicana, the Swedish cousin of Americana, Slim Loris have already received glowing tributes from the likes of Huffington Post and AXS, but now embark on a new chapter in their career which sees them moving away from the melancholia of their first three full-length releases and into more uplifting pastures.
Hollywood Heavyweights Launch New Christian Music Label
Hollywood heavyweights Joel Weldon and Tom Mgrdichian have announced the launch of their new Christian Music label, Firma Music Group. Their debut release, Firma Collective – Songs for Every Soul, produced by Mgrdichian and mixed by the legendary Brian Reeves (U2, Elton John, Danny Elfman, Janet Jackson, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez), will be released on May 4 and is available now for pre-order at iTunes.
Despite the ongoing tabloid reports of never-ending morality meltdowns in Tinseltown, there are still faithful Christ-followers working in the mainstream music, media and movie industries based in the entertainment capital of the world. Two of those professionals, Joel Weldon and Tom Mgrdichian, have set out to connect entertainment industry talent to the local worship community to create music that blesses the Church. The result is the impressive new Christian Music label, Firma Music Group.
Kevin Krauter Premieres New Video for “Keep Falling In Love”
Indiana’s Kevin Krauter today premiered his video for new song “Keep Falling In Love” via Gorilla vs. Bear, and the charming, carefree clip can also now be seen HERE @skopemag. Of the clip, Krauter shares: “This video was created over the course of 2-3 weeks while my partner and I were visiting some close friends around the Midwest.
IDLES side-project The Plainviews release new single
The Plainviews have announced that their debut EP ‘A Million Different Ways of Saying Nothing At All’ is due out on May 11th via Bristol DIY label Invisible Llama Music. The Plainviews feature members of IDLES (Adam ‘Dev’ Devonshire+Jon Beavis) and The St Pierre Snake Invasion (Damien Sayell) and were formed through friendship, some form of functional alcoholism, and a proclivity for the inane.
Rocky Morningside Releases Parody Video for Single “Sweep Ya Leg”
“Sweep Ya Leg” is a B-side track that was to never be released, but when the news of a YouTube Red series was announced for Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid saga continues, “Sweep Ya Leg” was pulled from the archives. The script was quickly written and the video, which was recently filmed in New Orleans, was co-produced/directed by me and produced by Chris Ganucheau” says Rocky.
Rocky continues, “Sweep Ya Leg” is a fun filled, action packed video about two guys Rocky Morningside and One Touch, walking through the streets of New Orleans. As they go about their day they habitually stumble upon pesky guys awkwardly harassing women as well as relationship conundrums that they can’t seem to turn a blind eye to. Their unconventional heroism catches the attention of a local gang leader whom doesn’t take kindly to the commotion that’s affecting business as usual in Nola.”
Otzeki Share “Foreign Love” Track On EDM Sauce
EDM Sauce has premiered the new single from Otzeki entitled “Foreign Love”. It is the third single from the duo’s forthcoming LP entitled ‘Binary Childhood’. It follows the tracks “Pay The Tax” and “Angry Fix”.
Otzeki Delivers “Foreign Love” Ahead of Album [EDM Sauce Premiere]
Maelstrom releases new video with director Piotr Matejkowski
French producer, DJ and label owner Maelstrom has revealed the video for his single ‘Snow Falls’. It follows the success of his 2017 album ‘Her Empty Eyes’, and the release of a remix package for the single featuring PTU, Interchain and Clatterbox.
Spanish songwriter Odina unveils evocative cut ‘I’m Not Asking’ from forthcoming EP
Spanish songwriter Odina unveils I’m Not Asking, the latest evocative cut from her forthcoming EP out this summer.
Heavily influenced by the likes of Bon Iver and Keaton Henson, the rising talent displays a degree of complexity in this newest effort with her lyrical prowess and captivating, stripped-back sound coming to the fore once again.
Robbie Gennet’s “The Camera’s On” music video targets surveillance and patriarchy
Singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist Robbie Gennet’s new music video, “The Camera’s On,” was just released exclusively via Facebook this past Friday, and has already garnered 35K views (and counting). Not too shabby for a burgeoning artist!
“The Camera’s On” is a frenetic, multi-layered piece of music that reflects the constant state of surveillance we all live in now, while also connecting with the recent anti-patriarchy #metoo movement. “There are cameras in most public spaces, and we are increasingly captured on video,” he explains. “There’s the concept of Big Brother watching us, which I wanted to touch on by showing that through our collective cameras, we are the Bigger Brother watching back. As the lyrics state: ‘Watch what you watch-they see what you see. Don’t leave a trace if you want to be faceless in the crowd when you’re not allowed anonymity.’”
Brooke Annibale Releases Radiant New Single “Glow”; New Album Out on 6/8
Singer-songwriter/guitarist Brooke Annibale will release her third full-length album Hold To The Light on June 8th. The new record marks Annibale’s return following her 2015 critically acclaimed album The Simple Fear and features several major departures in terms of both songwriting and production. Annibale sheds a few layers of her folk-acoustic skin and introduces a new indie-pop direction offering a fusion of textured electronic and traditional instrumentation centered around Brooke’s stunning voice and keen, soulful lyricism. Today, she released her radiant new single “Glow,” debuted yesterday by Billboard who called it “another musical sea change that’s echoed throughout Hold To The Light.”
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE ANNOUNCE FALL HEADLINE TOUR
Atlantic recording group Death Cab for Cutie has announced details of their upcoming fall tour. The dates – which see the 8x GRAMMY® Award-nominated band playing intimate venues and theatres across North America – begin September 24th at Eugene, OR’s Hult Center for the Performing Arts and travel through mid-October (see attached itinerary). Death Cab for Cutie pre-sales begin Wednesday, May 2nd at 10am (local). One dollar from each ticket purchased through the band’s website will go towards The Aurora Commons – a Seattle based non-profit organization which offers a safe space for unhoused neighbors to rest, prepare a meal, connect to resources, and collectively create a healthy and vibrant community. All remaining tickets will be released to the general public on Friday, May 4th at 10 am (local).
Rising Appalachia Premieres “Resilient” via American Songwriter Magazine
Rising Appalachia, the Southern-based folk band lead by sisters Chloe Smith and Leah Song, are thrilled to announce the single release of “Resilient,” an uplifting and fortifying folk song for today– an anthem for seeking calm in the chaos-storm that has descended upon American and the world at large. Today, American Songwriter Magazine exclusively premiered “Resilient,” praising the track as “…simple, beautiful music.”
Video: Cee Knowledge (aka Doodlebug of Digable Planets) – SpaceMan
Cee Knowledge, also known as Doodlebug of the Grammy-winning hip-hop trio Digable Planets releases the first single off his upcoming album “AlienAided”. The song “SpaceMan” featuring Cookie Rabinowitz comes along with visuals in the form of a cartoon space odyssey.
Hear Wussy’s “Cake” off their upcoming album
One of the most hopeful songs on Wussy’s upcoming seventh studio album What Heaven Is Like, Gloria is, at its most specific, a spoiler-free(!) narrative tribute to ‘Fargo’ Season 3’s heroine, Gloria Burgle of Eden Valley played by Carrie Coon. In a larger sense, though, it paints a portrait of an inscrutable everywoman who dares to stand up to an omnipresent, almost supernatural, villain. Moving with little fanfare, and only recognized by a stranger who heralds her arrival like a mysterious John the Baptist type figure, announcing her name over a patchwork grid of rural American fields.
Listen to “The 1 Bad Man” by Remember Sports
Remember Sports (fka SPORTS) will release their third album, Slow Buzz, on May 18th. Today, BrooklynVegan premieres “The 1 Bad Man” calling it “a trip right back to ’90s indie rock.” Listen to it HERE.
COBY BROWN’S BRAND NEW VIDEO “CANNONBALL”
Of the achingly beautiful track, Coby Brown commented, “The idea for the music came out of a different project I was working on. There was a scrap of a marimba line that I couldn’t get out of my head, so I kept it and developed it into the structure for the song. I had an image of cannonball that had its inertia overcome by gravity and was starting to free fall from way up high. To me, the music takes the panic out of the drop and puts it all into a different context of being a kid and doing cannonballs into the water.
Skope Magazine: Octave One presents Random Noise Generation ‘Endustry’ album out now
Fresh for 2018, pioneering Detroit techno legends Octave One are set to release some exciting new music this spring via their much loved Random Noise Generation alias, their first new music since 2006, as well as announcing two North American shows. Known for their incredible live analog sets, the duo have been busy in the studio with their upcoming album Endustry due for release on April 27 via their highly-respected 430 West imprint.
Reese LAFLARE share’s “Big Mad” feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Vory
Biz 3 welcomes Atlanta rapper Reese LAFLARE to our roster and today Reese shares a new track featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Vory titled “Big Mad”.
Apollo Brown & Locksmith Announce Project: “No Question”
West Coast Berkeley grad, battle rapper and musician Locksmith has hammered out a reputation as one of Hiphop’s most enlightened no punch pulling emcees. From his early appearances on MTV’s Freestyle Championship to his frequent Shade 45 appearances, Locksmith always brings cutting lyricism that not only questions the status quo but offers deep truths for reflection. Meanwhile Detroit’s Apollo Brown has built his illustrious career on emotive production that draws the best out of already legendary mic kings. From his work with Ras Kass and OC, Skyzoo to Ghostface Killah, Apollo repeatedly creates eyes shut, head nodding, soul stirring perfection for our greatest storytellers to lay their truth bare.
Banfi Release New Video from RAK Studios!
The music video for ‘Future’ is the first in a new partnership between RAK Studios and Communion Records designed to capture the ever-evolving arrangements of their artists and their bands in high fidelity. Each session in the Communion + RAK series will be recorded at the Legendary studio in London with artists performing several of their original tracks as well as a cover from the RAK publishing archive.
