Category: FEATURES

Feature stories and artist interviews

JIMMY RAE CATCHING SOME SHADE WITH JANE GOWAN

Are you ready to learn more about Jane Gowan who is the founding member and lead singer/songwriter of the pop/rock band Shade?   I hope so because Jane has lots to say about this and that.   Find out about the new album ‘Highway’ or how “If you don’t know how to play hockey in…

TREVANTE “BE MY GIRL” DEBUT SINGLE VIDEO

Seventeen-year-old Trevante Halliburton is no stranger to the hard work demanded of him by the notoriously competitive music industry. While most teenage boys were worried about grades and girls, Trevante was perfecting his craft on the road to stardom.

STOLI FINDS A BAND FROM LA CALLED STRIPPER

So what do you think when a band calls themselves Stripper and their logo is a hot young woman exposing her breasts (look inside)? Well you do like I do and turn the music on. Obviously at first we thought, attention whores, but the music is real good rock music with a f$^& you attitude.…

RACHEL PLATTEN NEW VIDEO “1000 SHIPS”

New York City-based musician Rachel Platten has signed with Rock Ridge Music and plans to release an album, entitled “Be Here,” on April 26, 2011.   With music that the New York Post says “blends sweet delicateness with pluck.”  

DARK DARK DARK “WILD GO” VIDEO

Dark Dark Dark are also excited to share the video for the title track from Wild Go. Shot in South Africa by Santiago Mostyn. It opens with a chorus of “oooohs” and unfolds into a foggy, dream-like landscape.  

ROCKY ROCKS POUGHKEEPSIE

Rocky Votolato spent years singing in the band Waxwing with his brother Casey and friends, before shying away from the post-hardcore and establishing himself as a singer-songwriter. His latest album True Devotion was released on Barsuk the record label in 2010.

THESE BOYS ARE STRANGE

What a great way to explore the music scene in a new city. Recently relocating to Portland Oregon from Austin Texas, The Strange Boys, a four piece from Austin, made me feel right at home. East End, in Southeast Portland was the host for said event. A steamy basement venue with black walls and low…

STOLI FINALLY GETS TO ASK AUGUSTANA ABOUT “BOSTON”

Okay I can hardly contain myself today. The weather is perfect, NBA playoffs are starting, 3 day weekend, and I get to feature & interview my friend Daniel Layus of Augustana. Dan & the guys are gearing up for the release of their new album on April 26 & a massive tour starting in May.…

CAROLINE JONES SHINES ON NEW RELEASE ‘FALLEN FLOWER’

Singer/songwriter Caroline Jones chose Fallen Flower’s 11 tracks from over 45 songs recorded at New York’s Avatar Studios and Nashville’s Loud Studios in 2010. Caroline singlehandedly wrote and produced the album in addition to playing guitar, 6-string banjo, harmonica, and singing both lead vocals and harmonies.

THE SHIVERS RELEASE NEW SINGLE “USED TO BE”

On May 10th, The Shivers will return with their latest record More, set for release on Silence Breaks. Recorded in Manchester, UK early last year, the album finds Queens, NY songwriters Keith Zarriello and Jo Schornikow exploring everything from shambly garage rock to melancholic barroom ballads.

FAT BEATS SIGNS CSC / MP3

Fat Beats Records is proud to announce that their first funk signees, CSC Funk Band, will release their album, Things Are Getting Too Casual, on June 14th, 2011. Recognized by the Village Voice as Brooklyn noise-punk scene’s very first funk band, CSC Funk Band is a random, diverse, and eclectic 11-member band hell bent on…

KAT MCGIVERN REPRESENTS WHAT STOLI LOVES ABOUT POP MUSIC

I will admit that I can be pretty tough on pop artists. Its not that I do not like pop music, I just don’t like when it sounds forced & manufactured. That being said, some of my favorite songs have come from the pop genre for their authentic & genuine sound. My guest today, Kat…

HUGO GEARS UP TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM MAY 10th

Roc Nation’s “gangsta-rocker” Hugo, will release his highly-anticipated debut album Old Tyme Religion on May 10th. To coincide with the launch of the album, Hugo will perform on The Late Show with David Letterman. The British-born, Thailand-raised rocker will be on tour this Spring for a headline tour beginning April 11th   and then joining…

THE INSPIRING AARON LYRD

Aaron Lyrd is a man who overcame enormous adversity and has become a one man band writing and recording everything from guitar to percussion to vocals.   He has a huge fan base on myspace and he is catching attention of promoters.

TOKYO CALLING – BEIJING ROAD

One of the great things about living in a large metropolitan area, such as Tokyo, is that due to the size, you can find almost as much musical variety in one city, as you might find in another small country. Japan, specifically, is currently the second largest consumer of purchased music, so this also adds…

CASSETTES WON’T LISTEN & BISCO SMITH ARE FREEZE TAG / VIDEO

The Freeze Tag, the newly formed duo of Los Angeles-based producer Cassettes Won’t Listen and Brooklyn MC Bisco Smith, is happy to announce the release of Hamster Kid, a five-track concept EP and animated musical collaboration brought together with the help of world-renowned street artist Bishop 203 and director Mike Vidoli. Hamster Kid will be…

THE TREWS OFFER MP3 OFF NEW ALBUM ‘HOPE & RUIN’

THE TREWS’ fourth full-length studio album, Hope & Ruin, due on Bumstead Records on April 12, is a level-raising evolution for the Toronto-based rock band with two gold records, ten top-10 singles and 800-plus concerts logged. Recorded live-off-the-floor, they captured lightning in a bottle, resulting in a sound that is raw, electric and igniting.

APRIL 2011 SONICBIDS “ARTISTS 2 WATCH”

Welcome to another amazing month of music from the incredible musicians that make up the Sonicbids.com community. We have chose a select group of amazing musicians that will be speaking directly to the Skope readers. As always we encourage readers to dig deeper and check out their EPK’s.

MEHRAN SHOWS STOLI THE POWER OF THE FLAMENCO GUITAR

I know I need to stick to music but I am freaking out that Japan is dumping radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. I know they have no other options but jeez! Sometimes I just want to lock myself in my basement with cans of food, water, and the soothing & relaxing CD by Mehran.…

THE JOLLY BOYS OFFER MP3 OFF NEW ALBUM

For nearly sixty years, the Jolly Boys have been integral to the fabric of Jamaica’s musical landscape and culture heritage.   Yes, you read that correctly, sixty years!! Masters of mento, one of Jamaica’s original musics, this band has rocked innumerable private soirees, charmed the traveling elite and toured the world, leaving an indelible mark…

ANTIGONE RISING PREVIEW “EVERYWHERE IS HOME”

Antigone Rising, the all female rock band from Long Island have paired with Rock Ridge Music for their upcoming release of their newest album, 23 Red.   The album is a Kickstarter success story and is to be released in mid-May.   A preview of the album is the first release track “Home is Everywhere.”

JIMMY RAE GETS IN TUNE AS JAMES EVANS SETS THE TONE

Get ready to learn more about a musician who lives, breathes and thrives for the guitar.   James Evans is a Canadian artist who writes his own music and even works with other local acts in Canada.   His new group instrumental album ‘ZepOcean’ has some excellent guitar riffs and solos you just have to…

DOUG RATNER & THE WATCHMEN LAUNCH NEW SINGLE “I STILL FALL”

Doug Ratner & The Watchmen have been described as one of the most promising and exciting rock bands to emerge on the New England music scene. According to The Noise, Boston’s oldest independent music magazine, their music is “a bold array of garage/power pop/classic rock with loads of harmonies, psychedelic mind twists and dirty bar…

SCAMS BREAK OUT WITH NEW SINGLE “YOUNGBLOOD”

Whether playing to expectant audiences in their adopted hometown of Leeds, or showcasing everywhere from Europe to the US, Scams are rapidly establishing a reputation as genuine purveyors of a unique sound and a dynamic and infectious live act.

KYLE RAPPS NEW VIDEO “ME”

The month of March has been a busy one for Kyle Rapps. The hip-hop artist took a break from the 15 shows he has booked this month alone (!) to be the sole host and to perform songs from his debut EP, Re-Edutainment, at SXSW for Audible Treats’ annual showcase.

ALEX MARKOW INTERVIEWS DJ ANTHONY PISANO OF BRASS KNUCKLES

It’s 10 pm and the guys of Brass Knuckles are just sitting down to game plan their studio session.   DJ Anthony Pisano looks over their agenda of tracks to work on. “Now that I look at it, that is a mean list. They’re gonna be bangers” Producers Danny D’Brito and Tony Livadas along with…

D. CHARLES SPEER & THE HELIX DEBUTS 2 MP3’S FROM NEW ALBUM

D. Charles Speer, also known as Dave Shuford of the No Neck Blues Band, is a dynamic player fluent in many styles, a fact willfully demonstrated in two dramatically different records hitting the shelves. Arghiledes, his latest solo effort, is an attempt at working within the Greek tradition of hasiklidika, hashish songs which spilled from…