Category: FEATURES

Feature stories and artist interviews

STOLI CAN’T KEEP UP WITH AYANA JOHN

I will tell you one thing, its a winter wonderland where I am. All you can see is snow. I am not complaining but its is cold out here! So that being said, I had to have an artist that would bring the heat. It is my pleasure to introduce coming from Barbados is the…

JIMMY RAE CHECKS ALL V.I.T.A.L.S. ON NOEL VINSON

Noel Vinson is his name, but V.I.T.A.L. Emcee is his alter ego who aims to conquer the hip-hop world.   V.I.T.A.L. is a rapper, songwriter, artist and activist from Long Beach, California who looks to revitalize music and even life itself.   He sums it all up very nicely here: “Noel Vinson thinks and speaks,…

KRADDY OFFERS MP3 TO ANNOUNCE LABYRINTH TOUR

Kraddy announced his 2011 Winter tour in promotion of his latest EP release, Labyrinth. Fresh off recent appearances with Pretty Lights and a sold-out CD release party that packed L.A.’s infamous Low End Theory nightclub to fire brigade levels, listen for the Kraddy “Led Zeppelin 3000” sound at clubs and festivals through North America in…

‘THE VERY BEST OF THE RAT PACK’ LISTENING PARTY

Iconic entertainers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.–the Rat Pack, a sheer force of nature on stage and film that defined suave masculine brio in the early 1960s. To commemorate this legendary act, Reprise Records will release an essential collection: THE VERY BEST OF THE RAT PACK on January 25.

STOLI THINKS WE COULD ALL USE SOME CIRCLE OF SANITY NOW

Before we get started today I just want to share a moment to honor those that were killed & injured in Tuscon, AZ on Saturday. It does not matter whether you are conservative or liberal, black or white, whatever you are please try to find a better way than violence on innocent people. Now lets…

COLLIE BUDDZ IS BACK WITH FREE EP & VIDEO

Collie Buddz announces January 18th 2011 as the release date for his highly anticipated EP “Playback.”   The single and music video, “Holiday” sets the tone for the first official Collie Buddz release since his critically acclaimed self-titled debut which hit the top 100 on the Billboard charts in 2007.  

RAT WAKES RED OFFERS “ALWAYS” MP3

Rat Wakes Red is in a constant state of mourning and wonder   and 2010 brings “Acres”. The new LP is   an elegy to the dead and awakening which is very fitting since singer and multi-instrumentalist James Raftery happened to star in the 1993 cult-film Night Owl as a murderous vampire.

SHARON BURCH & FREDDIE THE FROG NURTURE CHILDREN THRU MUSIC

As a parent and a music fanatic I was very excited to bring on my next guest. Music is an amazing form of expression. It can do everything from putting you in a good mood to getting you up and dancing. Did you know that music can also help children develop intelectually? My next guest…

MIDDLE BROTHER OFFERS “ME ME ME” MP3

Partisan Records is excited to offer the first song from the highly anticipated debut album from Middle Brother. Middle Brother is Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, John McCauley of Deer Tick and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit, and the song is called “Me Me Me.”

A.M.P. RECRUITS RICK ROSS FOR NEW SINGLE / MP3

A.M.P., Rick Ross and Steven Day Guy jumped in the lab together to bring this track to life. “What U Expect” is out now on A.M.P.’s project Streets Need Me and is produced by Epidemic Music production team, Dope Boyz. More is to come from A.M.P. and the entire Fetti Records family.

JANUARY 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.

COLE JONIQUE RELEASES NEW SINGLE MP3 “WHEN”

Influenced by the likes of Billie Holiday, Sade, Mary J. Blige, Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle and Maxwell, her songs like those who influence her take you on an emotional roller coaster ride.   A ride of ups and downs twists and turns and starts and stops with vocal creativity.

SIMS RELEASES “BURN IT DOWN” VIDEO

Sims, a Minnesota native and member of Minneapolis rap collective Doomtree (P.O.S., Dessa, Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Cecil Otter, and Mike Mictlan), is set to drop his second full length album Bad Time Zoo on February 15, 2011.

“I’M WAITING” FOR SKOPE READERS TO HEAR FRANK PALANGI

This is an exciting feature to help kick off 2011. I heard my next guest’s single “I’m Waiting” on Skope Radio for the first time last year and since then I knew I had to have him on. It is with great excitement that I bring on Frank Palangi. Frank is from upstate NY and…

RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, JANUARY 2011

Goose, Symrise (K7 Records) Being that this Belgian electro-rock quartet’s 2006 debut album Bring It On had plenty-enough comparisons to Depeche Mode, it’s a mystery why they decided to force-feed themselves Speak & Spell every morning on the commute to the sessions for this album.   But then again, like everything else from everyone else…

DIRTY ROCK & ROLL: AUTOMATIC LOVELETTER

“It’s a dirty… rock & roll song.” This is how Automatic Loveletter frontwoman Juliet Simms describes the sound of one of the band’s flagship tunes, “Heartsong.”   Her same words could just as easily describe herself: dirty rock & roll chick.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM STOLI & BUFFALO SOLDIER

Although I am very excited for New Years Eve I always get alittle nostalgic around these times. I want to wish all my readers a very happy & healthy 2011. While many of us are still digging out from the blizzard I wanted bring on a guest that would bring that Caribbean heat & sound.…

NOTTZ RAW & ASHER ROTH PROVE IT ON FREE EP

In just 8 short tracks, Nottz demonstrates his wide-ranging production talents to match Asher’s honest and clever lyrics. Featuring guest appearances from D.A. of Chester French, Rhymefest, and Kardinal Offishall, the album deftly combines the sonic influences, lyrical abilities, and subject matter from a rare mix of talents to create the ideal album.

KHLEO “BURN IT DOWN” VIDEO

Here is a new video from actor and musician, Khleo Thomas.   The video is titled “Burn It Down” and was shot independently with director Kiarash “fuXor” Behain of TheRundown.TV.  

RING IN 2011 WITH REMEMBER SEPTEMBER

Remember September is just a cool Connecticut band that brings it all together through great music. Their good-sounding tunes consist of an array of styles from jazz & rock to even funk & country.   The group is made up of: Jay Schod on lead vocals & acoustic guitar, Chris Schod on electric guitar &…

STEVE PALMER BAND OFFER “IN LOVE” MP3

In the spirit of Christmas, Steve Palmer Band (SPB) and Arythmia Records are offering fans a unique way to help two great children’s charities. SPB’s new original holiday single “In Love” is now available for a free download which will help raise money for charities Save The Children and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

GIANNI RELEASES “WHERE YOU AT” VIDEO

Superhuman ENT Presents to you Gianni… the UK’s Answer to the Young Money’s Lil Twist. Gianni fell in love with music after purchasing a cheap microphone from the high street brand that is Maplins. He then began recording bits and pieces and going to friends home studio set ups and eventually recorded his first mixtape.

STOLI’S GIFT IS ROSS ROYCE “LIFE WORTH LIVING” MP3

A very Merry Christmas to all Skoped Out readers all over the world. Even if you do not celebrate the holiday you can still get in a jolly mood. I have been saving this next feature for the perfect time to unleash a band that is making industry insiders & music fans take a second…

WONDERVISIONS: A CONVERSATION WITH DELICATE STEVE

Delicate Steve is a band–at least, it’s a band in terms of live performance, where psychedelic guitars and tribal drums are brought to life in a melodic sugar rush of band energy.   On album, though, Delicate Steve=Steve Marion, producer/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/arranger/lover of weird noises.  

MIDNIGHT SPIN VIDEO FOR “TRIGGER FINGER ITCH”

“Trigger Finger Itch” is Midnight Spin’s second music video, filmed with a crew from Comedy Central Studios.   It chronicles the investigation and arrests of the notorious drug dealers known as the Cereal Killers Cartel who are making Mojo City unsafe for breakfast.

SAM PREKOP RELEASES “THE SILHOUETTES” VIDEO

Sam Prekop’s first solo record in five years is a vast departure from his previous solo work and that of his main band The Sea and Cake, an album of dark and mysterious beauty comprised almost entirely of modular synthesizers. Meanwhile, Prekop is currently in the studio with The Sea and Cake working on new…

TORI ALLEN SPEAKS ON THE 2010 HOSSEY AWARDS

Eighteen year old Tori Allen released her first album January of 2010 with mixed reviews, but a small independent radio station www.hosstheboss.com reviewed a few of Tori’s songs and decided to put her in to the HTB Music Awards show. Posting her song, “Divorcionism”, in the April contest, Tori came in just three votes short…

RHYMEZWELL KEEPS IT TRUE TO HIP HOP & THE KIDS

If this week is not one of the most exciting weeks of the year I do not know what is. Being that Christmas starts on Friday night I wanted to bring on a guest that is real hip hop but he speaks to the kids. When I first heard of Rhymezwell I had my doubts,…

STOLI GETS TO HANG WITH CHAD TAYLOR & THE GRACIOUS FEW

Although it is only Thursday, I will be starting my weekend today. So I wanted to go out with a bang and that is where my next guest comes in. I am so excited to have Chad Taylor of The Gracious Few. The Gracious Few is an American rock band featuring guitarist Chad Taylor, bassist…