Renowned producer, lyricist, director, and Abbott of the Wu-Tang Clan RZA has contributed significantly rare memorabilia to the upcoming interactive music exhibit ISLAND SOUNDS: A 500 Year Music Mash-Up. The exhibit, which will take place at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden in RZA’s native Staten Island, is set to feature never-before-seen photos…
“DEVIL” VIDEO FROM NAJUAH
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Toronto’s Najuah releases the stunningly beautiful Yorgos Karakostas-directed video for “Devil”, the electrifying single from their upcoming album “Misery & Love” Don’t put Najuah (Nahj-oo-ah) in a box. The Toronto-based sextet, fronted by sisters Hanifa and Juliet, takes the fiery burn of R&B and mashes it with arena-rocking guitars, playing like classic Hole being mashed…
EVA SIMONS’ VIDEO FOR HER DEBUT INTERSCOPE SINGLE
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Dutch-Born singer and songwriter, EVA SIMONS –who has collaborated with will.i.am, Chris Brown, LMFAO and Afrojack — has just released the video to accompany her debut Interscope single, “I Don’t Like You.” It is the first single from Simons’ upcoming debut album which is scheduled for release this year. “Been having great fun with…
DAVE GROHL TO DIRECT AND PRODUCE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
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Confirming widely circulated rumors, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana announced today that he will direct and produce a feature Documentary film, SOUND CITY about the infamous recording studio in Van Nuys, California. The film was conceived by Grohl after purchasing the legendary Neve 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. The…
BOHÈME RE-EMERGES WITH SOULFUL NEW POP SINGLE AND VIDEO FOR “BLIND SPOT”
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Singer/songwriter Cassidy, former lead singer and main songwriter of hit-making rockers Antigone Rising and now known as solo act Bohème, is gaining growing buzz on a new single, “Blind Spot,” from her debut solo album, FOLLOW THE FREEDOM. Radio stations have jumped on the song, with impressive airplay in Baltimore, Norfolk, Tampa, St. Louis…
RED RED RECORDS SIGN UP AND COMING SINGER-SONGWRITER NIKKI LANG
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Los Angeles-based, independent record label, Red Red Records has recently signed up and coming singer-songwriter Nikki Lang, it was announced today by Val Garay, President Red Red Records and George Woolverton, CEO Red Red Records. Under the terms of the deal, Red Red Records, distributed by BDG/RED/Sony, will represent and release Nikki’s future recordings. “Nikki…
NEW EP FROM PK MAY 29
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High-energy, scrappy indie-pop quintet, PK, have announced that their sophomore studio project, The Lost Boy Sessions EP will be released on May 29th. Sonically described as “The Killers meet Vampire Weekend,” PK has been compared to such acts The Cure, U2 and The Gaslight Anthem. After the band’s debut full-length, Into The Roaring, garnered…
KEN LEWIS LAUNCHES ONLINE STUDIO SCHOOL
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Acclaimed producer/mixer/writer/arranger Ken Lewis is proud to announce the launch of his latest venture www.AudioSchoolOnline.com . Here producers and engineers of any level can learn tricks and pick up tips from the man who ‘s work graces 59 Gold & Platinum albums for artists including Kanye West, Mary J Blige, Drake, Eminem, Lana Del Rey…
KWES NEW VIDEO “BASHFUL”
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To celebrate Kwes’ meantime EP, we are pleased to present a video for lead track “bashful.” The video, filmed in an elevator, is a humorous and touching insight into the mind of Kwes “I had a wonderful time doing the video for “bashful.” Everyone involved did a fantastic job and Ian Pons Jewell is a…
JACOB JEFFRIES BAND NEW ALBUM MAY 18
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South Florida’s resident pop rockers, the Jacob Jeffries Band,is set to release their fourth studio album, Tell Me Secrets on May 18th. Once south Florida’s best-kept secret, the Jacob Jeffries Band is now breaking into the scene with widespread accolades about the band’s piano-driven rock. With its unique blend of explosive energy and soulful songwriting,…
Jes Falcon, Fake Bluff
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Jes Falcon is celebrating his first full length CD release, “Fake Bluff”. Jes seems to have a knack for networking and keeping focused on the business at hand. He is a talented musician with a brain for business and he knows how to get the job done. “Fake Bluff” is a perfect example of his…
DROPPING THE BOMB ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY THE BAND FROM “DOWN UNDER†DROP TANK
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In 2012 the landscape of the music industry has changed drastically in every facet of the business. From the swift shift from CD to digital music the only prayer for recording artists to earn is to perform constantly. Unless you are a house hold name like Bruce Springsteen or Lady Gaga making a profit just…
THE AMAZING WALLACE RONEY
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Wallace Roney is having a career that many jazz musicians would envy. He is the protégé of Miles Davis, played with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, but has worked hard to create his own sound. He recently shared his thoughts with me on where jazz has been and where he thinks it could go.
UPTOWN PRAISE BAND TURNS THE DEVOTION UP LOUD
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Christian light rock act Uptown Praise Band are bringing their brand of country and jazz-tinged devotional music far and wide, including the upcoming Cornerstone Festival at the Michigan Stage July 2 – 7, where their performance will be part of a collective aiming to benefit the Kids Feeding Kids Ministry. Festivals are nothing new for…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, MAY 2012
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Florian Hoefner, Songs Without Words (OA2 Records) Sometimes strengths could be construed as weaknesses, as here, wherein this jazz-piano New Yorker-by-way-of-Germany stretches out in rabidly improv mode on his opening track, then does a 180 and heads in the direction of chill modern prog, stuff that comprises the bulk of the album. Only reason…
LAWRENCE ARABIA NEW ALBUM TEASER VIDEO
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New Zealand songwriter / producer Lawrence Arabia returns with The Sparrow, the follow up to the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Chant Darling. Venturing away from the harmony-laden, classic pop production of that release, The Sparrow is a more measured and minimalist work, drawing particularly on the influence of the symphonic late-sixties work of Scott Walker and…
HALESTORM UNVEILS MASSIVE WORLD TOUR
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Atlantic recording group Halestorm has slated an epic touring schedule in support of their chart-topping new album, “THE STRANGE CASE OF…” The new dates comprise a wide range of shows, including a U.S. headline tour, high profile festival appearances, a much-anticipated European trek, and a series of support slots alongside Avenged Sevenfold. Meanwhile, Halestorm…
KELLY CARUSO NEW SINGLE RELEASE “BORN DAINTY” AND OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
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Kelly Caruso, who grew up in Pittstown, New Jersey has just released her first single on the Bongo Boy Record label with a great music video. Kelly who has been singing since a very young age, has made it twice to Hollywood as an American Idol, first on season 6 in 2007 and again on…
Xenia Dunford & The Eastern Exile, Lonely Streets
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Are you ready for a pure voice that needs to be heard? Well then you’re in luck because I have got just the right singer/songwriter for you and her name is Xenia Dunford. The talented indie artist along with her band The Eastern Exile invite listeners near & far to find peace…
Ash Gray And The Girls, Born In The Summer
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Ash Gray and The Girls are back with their famous oldies sounds on the new album ‘Born In The Summer’. Just as this group brought the 60s to life on their first EP ‘This Could Be A Wild Night’ (http://skopemag.com/2010/02/12/ash-gray-and-the-girls-this-could-be-a-wild-night), they take a trip through time once again. Many people might think that…
No Blitz, Never Satisfied
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Get ready for the band No Blitz as they come fast & furious on their 4-track EP. The four songs on this recording are in anticipation of the group’s full-length, debut album titled ‘Never Satisfied’. No nonsense and No cheap imitations is what No Blitz is all about. The Virginia-based band is made…
ROGER WATERS THE WALL SMASHES ATTENDANCE RECORDS IN SOUTH AMERICA
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Roger Waters’ extraordinary production of The Wall has smashed attendance records in South America with a record breaking 15 open-air stadiums shows in Chile, Brazil and Argentina, playing to over 750,000 fans. This is the largest number of stadium shows ever played in South America by an international artist on one tour. The South…
LEIGH MARBLE ADDRESSES BREAST CANCER IN VIDEO “WALK”
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Portland, Oregon-based artist Leigh Marble celebrates the national release of Where The Knives Meet Between The Rows today. The album is a ten-track follow-up to Red Tornado, which Portland alternative weekly Willamette Week proclaimed “a burning, angst folk-rock masterpiece.” Further extending beyond the pop-rock and folk of Red Tornado, Where The Knives Meet…
BRIDGE NINE ADDS THE UK’S GOODTIME BOYS TO LABEL ROSTER
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Bridge Nine Records is excited to welcome another amazing addition to the family: The UK’s Goodtime Boys. As announced today, the label will be releasing new material from the band in Fall of 2012. Goodtime Boys will start recording five new songs that will become the What’s Left to Let Go EP this…
HAVE YOU HEARD OF MURFIE.COM?
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Who doesn’t want free music? Murfie.com, THE destination for music collectors, and a friendly place to buy, sell and trade CDS, is offering consumers a chance to win one free album per week for the rest of their lives during the “Free Music 4 Life” sweepstakes. With more than 200,000 discs – and…
IDENTITY FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS SUMMER
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North America’s first and only touring electronic music festival experience, IDENTITY, will return this summer, visiting major amphitheaters in fifteen cities throughout July and August. IDENTITY will kick-off in the afternoon, running through into the night, and will be centered on each venue’s central amphitheater stage. A full list of cities and dates are listed…
MUSICIANS FROM ISIS AND DEFTONES FORM NEW BAND: PALMS
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Meet Palms, a newly formed Los Angeles based quartet featuring three former members of ISIS (Aaron Harris, Clifford Meyer and Jeff Caxide) with Deftones’ vocalist Chino Moreno. “Clifford, Jeff and I started Palms a little over a year ago out of a desire to continue making music together after ISIS ended,” explained Harris. …
Rat Wakes Red, Acres
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Harmony, harmony, harmony and musicianship at its finest is what you will get from Rat Wakes Red and their new release titled ‘Acres’. Just from the name of the band alone, I am already very intrigued and I so badly want to get to the bottom of this Rat Wakes Red. Their story…
George Cahill, Relevant
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George Cahill has been rocking the Philly scene for awhile and is now celebrating his latest release, “Relevant”. It is 9 tracks of brutal honesty accompanied by some tight instrumentation to drive his point home. Cahill does a nice rendition of Bob Seger’s, “Still the Same”. He has a unique portrayal of the song and…
SKOPE EXCLUSIVES: NATSTAR “DON’T TAKE MUCH”
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We at Skopemag.com get hundreds of exclusive tracks via various vendors on a daily basis. The goal for us is to share with our readers as many tracks that come in. Please note that some of these links expire so you got to get it while it’s hot! NATSTAR “DON’T TAKE MUCH”: [youtube ZyjQfpLv3RY nolink]
ERIC PRYDZ TO HEADLINE IDENTITY FESTIVAL IN 15 CITIES
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In conjunction with his forthcoming Astralwerks release Prydz Presents Pryda on May 22nd, Eric Prydz is excited to announce his first live dates in the U.S. since 2007 by joining the IDENTITY festival in 15 cities across the U.S. in July and August. The IDENTITY festival is North America’s first travelling electronic music festival and…
HE IS WE “GIVE IT ALL” ON TOUR
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HE IS WE are set to hit the road on the “Give It All Tour”, commencing May 2, 2012 in Minneapolis, MN at the Varsity Theater and including an appearance at the Bamboozle Festival. Supporting their recently released EP, SKIP TO THE GOOD PART, the duo’s shining folk-infused pop will cast a spell over audiences…
ASH KOLEY NEW VIDEO “MARY THE INVENTOR”
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Canadian alt-pop duo Ash Koley–Ash Koley and Phil Deschambault–will release debut album Inventions in the U.S. and rest of the world on May 8, 2012. The album, which was previously only available in Canada, was produced by Deschambault and mixed by Grammy Award-winning mixer Tom Lord-Age. In anticipation of the release, the band has unveiled…
WIZ KHALIFA IS BACK WITH “WORK HARD, PLAY HARD” AUDIO
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Rostrum/Atlantic Records artist, Wiz Khalifa has released “Work Hard, Play Hard,” the lead single from his upcoming, sophomore album, “O.N.I.F.C.” The track, produced by Stargate and Benny Blanco, is available at all digital retailers today. [youtube 13Gu9p0fM5w nolink] What’s more, the companion video for “Work Hard, Play Hard,” was shot earlier this month in Khalifa’s…
FREE LP BY KOOL A.D.
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Kool A.D. / Victor from Das Racist came home to California from tour in December and recorded an album named after the Oakland bus he rode to school. 51 is his love letter to The Bay Area, with almost exclusively Bay collaborators- Main Attrakionz, Young L, Trackademicks, and even Boots Riley from The Coup are…
ALABAMA SHAKES ANNOUNCE SUMMER HEADLINE TOUR
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Alabama Shakes will extend their U.S. tour with a headline run that kicks off July 29 at the Paper Mill in Syracuse, NY and includes a show at Los Angeles’ Music Box on August 14. A ticket pre-sale for the newly added dates is currently underway at: http://alabamashakes.com Tickets will go on sale to the…
I FIGHT DRAGONS LIGHT THE FUSE ON NEW 3D VIDEO
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Photo Finish/Atlantic recording group I Fight Dragons has teamed with Nintendo to create an extraordinary 3D video available exclusively to users of the Nintendo Video service for Nintendo 3DS. The premium 3D video for “Save World Get Girl” premiered yesterday, April 23rd — for complete details, please visit www.nintendo.com/3ds/nintendo-video. “Save World Get Girl” is…
Rodney Jensen, Truck Dog and Me
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Rodney Jensen is the sole singer/songwriter on the new album ‘Truck Dog and Me’. Scott Andrews produced and mixed the record while also supplying all of the other instruments. If you like some country mixed with rock, then you might like Rodney’s latest CD. Jensen has been singing and playing in bands for…
KEPSTAR: KEEPIN’ IT REAL
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Born Christopher Gonzalez, 21 year old Kepstar, isn’t just another hip-hop artist from New York. His poetic and lyrical melodies have deep and real feelings based on what is going on in the world today. He has a refreshing, crisp sound and tells it like it really is.
ERIK BRANDT IS READY FOR SUMMER AFTER HIS ‘LONG WINTER’
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Before I get started today I have to get something off my chest. If you are in a band and you put out a album/EP we applaud you. But when you want to have that piece of music reviewed you must realize that some writers will love your music and others will not. You must…
