Get ready for an irresistible new record. “Need Somebody” is the debut song for Parlour Tricks off of their EP: (what I think about when I think about) BODIES, which dropped October 28th.
Parlour Tricks is a New York City based indie band with Lily Cato as the lead singer. There is a certain polish to her voice that is refreshingly charming. She has been described as being a very outspoken woman, which shows through in the tone of her voice and especially the lyrics. The song “Need Somebody,” can be described as almost an ode to her late father, “After my father died four years ago, I found myself constantly thinking about bodies, fragility, bravery, fear.”
Cato goes on to explain that the song is not meant to be a sad track. The song is almost a celebration or admiration of human beings; even strong individuals, such as Cato, need someone in their life. Listeners are going to really enjoy such an honest track, and I’m sure they will love Parlour Tricks new EP: BODIES just as much.
At just 20 years old, Alessia Cara already has three certified singles under her belt, one of which is double platinum “Here,” which rocketed the singer-songwriter to pop stardom. Currently wrapping up touring for her debut album Know-It-All, Cara took some time to talk to Vinyl about her latest single and what fans can expect from her next record.
VM: First let’s talk about “Scars to Your Beautiful.” It’s a great song with a beautiful message. What inspired you to start a sort of self-love campaign surrounding the single?
AC: That’s exactly what the song is, you know, it’s a self-love song. It’s about tough love and embracing yourself and all different kinds of beauty. Of course I’m not 100 percent perfect at it but actions should always match words, which is why I’m doing stuff like not wearing makeup during TV performances.
VM: It’s climbing the charts. Congratulations on that. Canadians are all over the pop charts in the United States right now. You, Shawn [Mendes], Justin [Bieber], Drake, The Weeknd… when you come to the U.S., is there anything you miss about Canada?
AC: Tim Hortons. It’s a better, cooler version of Starbucks.
VM: Are you working on album number two?
AC: As an artist, you’re always creating. I haven’t had time to lay anything down in the studio yet, but I’m plotting it out.
VM: What’s the vibe? Is it more R&B or pop or are you experimenting with your sound?
AC: It’s hard to tell right now because everything is acoustic. A lot of it sounds like my usual stuff, and there’s a lot of soulful stuff too, which is my roots.
VM: When you make your music are there any artists you look to for inspiration?
AC: There are artists who have their own sound, like Frank Ocean, Amy Winehouse, and Drake. They have an identity; you can always tell it’s them. I try to make music so that you would you be able to tell it’s me.
VM: Any new albums you’re into?
AC: There’s so much new music. Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Anderson .Paak’s Malibu, Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book, JoJo’s new album, and Banks’ new album.
VM: What’s an album you never get tired of?
AC: Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black.
VM: If you could bring back one artist from the dead who would you pick?
AC: Amy Winehouse.
VM: Acoustic or electric guitar?
AC: Electric.
VM: Coffee or tea?
AC: Coffee.
VM: Take Care or Nothing Was the Same?
AC: Take Care.
VM: Prince or MJ?
AC: Prince for musicianship. MJ for his presence.
VM: TLC or Destiny’s Child?
AC: Destiny’s Child.
VM: Since it’s almost Halloween we’ll end with this one. What’s your favorite scary movie?
Imagine you’re standing on a jetway, planes soaring above and beside you, the sound of jet engines roaring on all sides–and you might just know what it feels like to be in the crowd at a live Broken Hands gig. Relatively new to the music scene, the British rockers have already received significant U.K. radio airplay with their lead single, “Meteor,” and their debut album, Turbulence, is set for release Nov. 4. With slots at SXSW and CMJ, the band is already making significant headway into the U.S. market.
We sat down with bassist Thomas Ford to talk about the band’s exciting new release, inspiration, and what it’s like when you step foot through the door of a live show.
VM: How would you describe your sound to someone who is unfamiliar with the band?
TF: It’s kind of the sound of jet engines and flights we really tried to convey in the album. A lot to do with escaping. It’s pretty heavy but the song always gets what it needs at the end of the day.
VM: And your debut album is set to come out next month, so what are you most excited for fans to hear?
TF: Really just the whole thing. As soon as people understand what we are trying to say, even if they don’t really like it, that’s not good, but if people hear it and they understand what we were trying to say with the album, understand where we were when we wrote it, then that is kind of big for us.
VM: When you set out to record the album, did you have a set plan or was it more of an experimental process?
TF: The songs in themselves, it was like one main songwriter. And then we found almost the concept, the vehicle we wanted to write with. It was very easy to write together and to achieve the same kind of goal. So the songs we worked on for a good six or seven months, and then we got into the studio, and that’s a great place to check creativity because we are very like-minded. So once we kind of built the song and everything up around it, then we went mad with the sounds. It was pretty straightforward, but then we went mad at the end.
VM: So the music video for “Meteor“ was captured at one of your sold-out shows, and the whole venue is covered in silver foil. Is this something you do at every show? What’s the inspiration behind it?
TF: We were playing shows and the album wasn’t actually out yet. So we couldn’t have people see the cover and instantly see all of the information, what was there to convey the concept. So it was really important to us that when people came into the shows, they weren’t just guessing to what we were trying to get to. We wanted to really build the experience up. So we got these huge parachutes of silver foil and then draped the entire venue. Because you could be in a really normal, everyday club in London and then step through the door and suddenly you’re in this capsule, and light reflects off all the walls. And I think it tied into our concept. They hadn’t heard it yet, so they got to hear the concept before they had a copy of the album.
VM: Speaking of live shows, how would you describe the vibes from a Broken Hands gig?
TF: We really try and extend how we wrote the album over into the room. And embody each song as it comes. We’ve got quite a big energy. So it’s hopefully kind of the feeling of getting sucked into a vacuum and then popping out the other end, a very kind of loud, windy experience. It’s almost like hearing it sounds like you’re near an airport, hearing a jet engine go, hearing things soar from one side to the other. For us, it’s all about extending and embodying that and trying to bring people as close into that as possible.
VM: Since forming, you’ve landed spots at festivals including SXSW and CMJ, was this your first time playing in the U.S.?
TF: Yeah, SXSW was the first time. That was one of my favorite weeks, ever. The states are just fantastic. I’ve only been to a few places yet—New York, Boston, and Minneapolis is another favorite, and it’s so different every single time. So many different people. Pretty much everyone is very vocal. They tell you exactly what they want to say. Whereas in England, it doesn’t matter if they like it or not, they might just walk away from the show. Which is really odd. But I love it out there, it’s crazy and there’s always a whole bunch of people to talk to afterward, which is huge. SXSW is truly something. It was really up there for us.
VM: Do you have any dream venues to perform at?
TF: We like the look of Red Rocks, and there’s a really cool place in Minneapolis, I think it was called First Avenue. And then I think Terminal 5 in New York was one. But every single room we get to play in is going to be exhilarating.
VM: What kind of artists are you listening to at the moment? Are there any you look to for inspiration?
TF: We all live together in one big house, we moved in together to write the album. It’s kind of a strange thing because if one person really gets on something, then everyone else is drawn in on it. This week has been Depeche Mode, and they just announced a tour which is absolutely wicked. I think in terms of a show, a band that has longevity and composure, My Morning Jacket, are really big for us. Really admire what they do, especially on stage. The energy they put out, but at the same time, it’s so composed. It’s ridiculous. I would love if we could get anywhere near opening for them.
VM: Circling back to your new album, out of all the tracks on Turbulence, which lyrics resonate with you the most? Or do you have a favorite track, one you’re most excited for fans to hear?
TF: Funny enough it is “Turbulence.” It just embodies the most what we were going for in the album. I think it was the first track we wrote, and we were coming back through the old tapes, and things change in the recording process, but when we put on “Turbulence,” it hasn’t changed since the day we put it together and arranged it in rehearsal space. Every time we play “Turbulence” it really reminds me of the beginning of this whole thing. The beginning of the album, the beginning of getting out to the world.
Check out Broken Hands’ debut album, Turbulence, out Nov. 4 via SO Recordings.
Athens, GA, is full of many great bands so it’s hard to pick a favorite one, but this week I’ll introduce you to Honeywheel. This four-piece rock band consists of Blake Kole (Drums), Jacob St. Amand (Guitar, Keyboard, Production), Jake Pokalsky (Bass, Vocals, Production), and Shubbham Kadam (Guitar, Vocals). The band recently released their EP Shadowboxing, and my current favorite song off of it would be “Velvet Diver.” Check out the interview below to find out more about the band and what music they are currently listening to.
VM: First off, tell me about the band. How/when did it come together, where did the name come from, etc.
HW: We formed the summer following our freshman year of college. Jacob St. Amand and Jake Pokalsky (longtime friends) met Shubham Kadam at a Semi-Formal for Sigma Kappa. After talking with each other and realizing a common love for music and performance, they decided to meet up and jam. Shubham brought his longtime friend Blake Cole to the jam as well, and the rest is history.
VM: What is the writing/music making process usually like?
HW: Some songs start off as jams in a band setting while other songs are built around a “skeleton song” (basic structure and chord/ideas) that one of us brings to the table. Sometimes the process is very quick, while other times songs can take several weeks.
VM: Who are your biggest musical influences?
HW (Jacob): Hard to say because the influences are so widely varied. I’ve always been a big heavy metal fan, bringing in influences from bands like Gojira (Blakes also a fan) and Intronaut, as well as influences from artist like Pink Floyd, Chon and Philip Glass to name a few. I know Shubham is a huge Radiohead fan and Blake loves the band This Town Needs Guns (aka TTNG). Jake likes Funk and Soul music a lot (Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Vulfpeck), as well as most of the bands I just listed for everyone else. He also really likes Led Zeppelin and Matt Corby.
HW (Blake): I draw inspiration from a sort of eclectic pool of styles as well, with a common element being a creative rhythm section. Groups that do it for me: Hiatus Kaiyote, TTNG, Flying Lotus, Toe, Gojira, and Tool.
VM: If you could only recommend one song off of your EP to someone which would it be?
HW: It’s impossible to say. The EP tries to capture a lot of different styles and sounds within four songs, so depending on what the listener is into, he/she may prefer one over another.
VM: Tell us a little bit more about the EP.
HW: It was a completely independent project. Jacob St. Amand and Jake Pokalsky handled all of the recording and mixing of the EP, which was both a trying and rewarding process. We went to Tom Lewis for the mastering who did an incredible job, mastering the EP at 1093 Studio.
VM: I know your EP was just released last week so it may be too soon to ask, but is there any new music in the works?
HW: We have actually never stopped writing new music! While the focus in the coming months will be to promote the EP, we are also thinking ahead about a full length album.
VM: Out of the venues you’ve played so far as a band, which was your favorite and why?
HW: We all have different preferences, but we always seem to have a fun time at Caledonia and Live Wire. Caledonia has that grungey rock and roll feel, while Live Wire has an incredible stage, with top notch live production.
VM: Any shows coming up?
HW: We just had our EP Release Party in conjunction with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Lite the Night Walk at Live Wire on Friday October 21st. We’ll be playing with Orange Constant and Funk Rex at the Caledonia for Medlife’s benefit concert on November 17th.
[tps_header]UPCOMING SHOWS:[/tps_header]
November 17th @ Caledonia Lounge in Athens, Georgia
[tps_title]FOLLOW THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA:[/tps_title]
New York-based vocalist/songwriter/producer Billy The Kid (Billy Aukstik) is dropping his dreamy new 7-inch, Pullin’ On My Heartstrings, available now on vinyl and digital download.
“I wrote and recorded the Heartstrings 7-inch after studying the early demos of Sly Stone and countless arrangements by Allen Toussaint and other soul legends,” says Aukstik of the track. “Using the Maestro drum machine and an 8-track tape machine as my foundation enabled me to create simple yet honest arrangements and gives the record a very intimate feeling. The backing band, The Soulful Saints, is an all-star squad hailing from the crews of Charles Bradley, The Shacks, Mark Ronson, and many others.”
“Both ‘Pullin’ on My Heartstrings’ and ‘Love at Hello’ are inspired by the game of love and use many of my own experiences navigating that game as references,” Aukstik tells us. “I came up with the chorus to ‘Heartstrings’ first and then continued to paint a picture around those lyrics. Even though that song begins on the darker side, I wanted to write about the journey of love and why people come back around even after the hard times. I wrote ‘Love at Hello’ from a much more idyllic perspective, speaking to that moment when you lay eyes on someone for the first time and get swept off your feet. It was largely inspired by one of my friends who met someone at a show and then became totally enamored from that point on.”
The third and final track, a smooth instrumental piece, showcases both Aukstik’s influences and production skills.
‘Hit and Run’ was not inspired by love, but by the early instrumental recordings of Allen Toussaint, specifically the song ‘Tampin’’ which features The Meters under the pseudonym of The Rhine Oaks. I went for that gritty New Orleans sound of the ’60s by writing a simple jazz-themed melody and filling out the arrangement with piano, organ, drum machine, and a big horn section. I even recorded a call to prayer from my local mosque and included it in the song’s intro, attempting to recreate those ‘sound on sound’ techniques that Toussaint and other producers of that era were known to utilize.
Listen to the exclusive premiere of Pullin’ On My Heartstrings right here.
Just like the holiday it embodies, Hulaween has become a beloved annual tradition. A celebration of Halloween, all things String Cheese Incident, music, art, and community, Hulaween has quickly become the festival not to miss.
The expansion and mass appeal of Hulaween was apparent last year with over 20,000 attendees, a tripling in size from the previous year. With such exponential growth in three years, new regulations and modifications to the festival are being put in place for Hulaween 2016. This year ticket sales are capped at 20,000 weekend passes, vehicles entering the campgrounds will be limited and must purchase a car camping pass, and a brand new stage has been added.
When it comes to car camping at Spirit of Suwannee this year, Hulaween has hired 40 extra parking attendants in order to help with the flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Attendees will be relieved to know that, just as in years past, you will still be able to camp wherever you choose. “All we are doing is limiting the number of cars that are coming in,” stated Michael Berg, Producer/Promoter for Silver Wrapper. “We are taking measures to help the overall experience. Attendees who have been coming to Suwannee for all of these years and have their special camping spots will be able to come in and still get those spots just as easily as they would have at any other event at Suwannee.”
By limiting the amount of cars coming in, the hope is to create more opportunities for space closer to the venue and creating more room for tents and communal areas for large groups camping together. Those who do not want to purchase a car camping pass will park in a lot just outside the grounds and will be taken into the campsite via Hulaween’s new and free shuttle service.
“We are doing this to enhance the entire experience. It’s not to make things difficult, it’s not to make things more complicated. It’s honestly quite the opposite and a lot of thought went into it,” Berg said.
The brand new stage, The Patch, is another element of Hulaween that has taken a lot of thought and planning. The Patch will be the second biggest stage of the festival and will be located behind the Meadow Stage (main stage area) near the horse stable camping area. The idea behind The Patch is to help reduce congestion at the Amphitheater Stage.
“The whole idea is to keep people moving around the site and not have everyone in one place all at the same time,” said Berg. “There will be no more mass exodus from the Meadow as this stage provides a way to split up the crowd. After a show at the main stage, you’re either going towards the Amphitheater or you’re going towards The Patch.”
Artists playing The Patch includes Gramatik, Snarky Puppy, STS9, and Oh Wonder.
Additionally, The Patch was added because of the ever expanding music lineup. In order to book more acts, an extra stage was needed.
Way before there was a need for more stages, a limits on tickets, or even a stacked lineup,Hulaween had originally been The String Cheese Incident’s Halloween celebration. Bouncing around the country for many years, Hulaween never quite found a permanent stable home, until now.
“The original plan was to do three years at Suwannee because it started with Halloween on a Thursday and by last year Halloween landed on a Saturday.” stated Berg. “We all felt that if the festival wasn’t to the point where we wanted it to be by the third year then maybe it just wasn’t mean to be. Luckily, the festival has gotten to that place for us. Hulaween is not just another blip on the radar and we feel confident that we have created something in conjunction with the community that supports it and hopefully it’s here to stay for a really long time.”
It is beyond exciting to find a band that captures a new niche in the music industry. The trio JERK, backed by their label Very Jazzed, is not just a pop band with pop songs, but one in which they encompass deep and eerie tracks that make it impossible not to tap your foot to. With the release of their debut EP entitled Jerk on November 11 you will not be disappointed. In the meantime, you can listen to their first single “Delicacy” out now!
The key musicians include Austin Smith, as a multi-instrumentalist; Zach Alderman, drummer from his band Deep Cuts; and Vicki Lynn, keyboardist and vocalist from the band Black Kite. Austin Smith is the man to creatively put the three together and come up with the idea behind the music. His goal was to attack this record in a different way than he had before by experimenting with limitation. “Before, I’d use anything at my disposal to fill maximum room in a song, so for JERK I worked inside a set of rules where I couldn’t do that, which forced some inventive creativity on my end.”
I am incredibly impressed with the vocals throughout the entire EP. The dynamic between a mixed-head voice with a very low chest voice flow nicely with their transitions. These fluctuations, however, may or may not be in sync with the feel of the background music which can have a listener have back-and-forth experiences throughout one track.
The contributions from each person in JERK, set the stage for incredible rhythms, large synthesizer swells and carefully placed guitar riffs make each track unique but highly identifiable. The use of a constant beat on a majority of the tracks make the record feel like a single on-going track.
JERK definitely captures a new experience of pop music that will excite anyone.
The soulful girl who provided the soundtrack to preteen breakups in the mid-2000’s is grown and has a new album to prove it.
JoJo, who was thrust onto the mainstream music scene in 2004 with the anthem “Leave (Get Out),” dropped her third album Mad Love on Friday – a decade after her previous LP The High Road – trading in her signature stripped-back R&B style for a more refined pop sound. As expected, JoJo has done some maturing since her last effort. Sonically and lyrically, this album marks a turning point in her career.
In honor of JoJo’s much anticipated return, here’s a track-by-track breakdown of Mad Love.
Track 1: “Music.”
Perhaps the most vulnerable song on the album, this ballad is an ode to her late father, who passed just last year. It features JoJo laying bare vocals over a faint piano, crooning the line, “Tell me who would I be without you?” in the song’s chorus. “Music” grabs your attention and sets the tone for the rest of the record.
Track 2: “I Can Only.” (feat. Alessia Cara)
“I Can Only” introduces the theme of self-awareness that carries throughout the Mad Love. The song embodies the pop genre with its simple arrangement and effortlessly charming hook. Cara, who is also on the track’s writing credits, appears in the second verse and takes on the following chorus by herself, adding her unique vocal flavor.
Track 3: “F*** Apologies.” (feat. Wiz Khalifa)
As the lead single from Mad Love, “F*** Apologies.” has been the face of the record thus far. It’s a fun, catchy track that encapsulates everything a pop song should be. Enlisting the ever-imaginative Wiz Khalifa to feature doesn’t hurt either. Check out the Francesco Carrozzini-directed music video below.
Track 4: “FAB.” (feat. Remy Ma)
“FAB.” (which stands for Fake Ass Bitches) is a metaphorical middle finger. Terror Squad alum Remy Ma, who was recently at the top of the charts with her and Fat Joe’s summer smash “All the Way Up,” lends her rhymes to the track in her typical no-nonsense fashion.
Track 5: “Mad Love.”
If you only listen to one song off of Mad Love, make it this one. A nod to her R&B roots, “Mad Love.” earns its position as the title track. While the instrumental bears similarities to Beyoncé’s “All Night,” the song is a vocal treat, with JoJo hitting almost every note in her repertoire.
Track 6: “Vibe.”
Very much a radio-ready hit, the song’s defining feature is its bumping bass. “Vibe.” is produced by Rock Mafia, the same hit-makers behind acts like Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this song climbing the Billboard Hot 100 in the near future.
Track 7: “Honest.”
With its confessional lyrics, ‘Honest.” is true to the album’s themes of growth and acceptance. In it JoJo unapologetically tells her significant other that she is who she is, no exceptions or façades. Once again, her seemingly boundary-less range shines
Track 8: “Like This.”
JoJo has outdone herself with this one, which is equal parts endearing and sexy. The adult-oriented theme is accompanied by slick, low-key production, letting the ambiance of the track speak for itself.
Track 9: “Edibles.”
“Edibles.” is complementary to the previous track. Although more fast-paced than “Like This.” the subject matter remains the same. Both songs are standouts on the record.
Track 10: “High Heels.”
This track is so ruthless it almost makes you feel bad for the guy it was written about. “High Heels.” chronicles a situation of infidelity and how JoJo intends to come out on top. She belts the chorus over larger-than-life production, promising to “look damn good for all of your friends.”
Track 11: “I Am.”
The most stripped-back song on the record is reminiscent of the first track, consisting only of JoJo singing over a piano. It’s a proclamation of her worth both as an artist and as a person and a powerful message of self-love.
Track 12: “Clovers.”
The first of the bonus tracks on the deluxe record, “Clovers.” is an electropop track that proves JoJo isn’t defined to any genre. She ad-libs over her own distorted vocals in the chorus, which is as fun as it is infectious.
Track 13: “Reckless.”
“Reckless” draws inspiration from new wave R&B, taking stylistic cues from artists like Miguel and Bryson Tiller. While the lyrics have a serious undertone, the production is impossibly alluring.
Track 14: “Good Thing.”
“Good Thing.” is an up-tempo dance tune. The club-ready track is certainly a departure from the sound of the rest of Mad Love, but it holds its own.
Track 15: “Rise Up.”
The record ends on a positive note with “Rise Up.” The track is symbolic of JoJo’s legal battle with Blackground Records and the other struggles she faced in the making of this much-overdo album.
Overall, Mad Love is a breath of fresh air and solidifies JoJo’s presence in the pop scene. We can’t wait to see what she does next.
Cruise Director is an Atlanta based band that describes themselves as “new-wavey, surfy indie psych rock.” The band consists of Evan Hynes (drums), Spencer King (guitar/vocals), Andy Harrison (lead guitar), and Josh Brook (bass). After meeting them recently in a recording session for a music production class, I decided to reach out to them and get to know them a little better.
Spencer and Evan met in high school where in their senior year they jokingly formed a band named Static Attic which was supposed to be a cover band of Social Cellar, a band Spencer was a part of at the time. They thought it was a funny idea but a couple days later they decided they wanted to actually start playing music together. However, they only ever played one show at an old bowling alley in Decatur and had merely two or three complete songs.
Later during their time in college Evan and Spencer continued to play music together whenever they were back home. After they graduated in December 2015 and moved back to Atlanta they decided it was time to form a band that actually had some substance to it. While studying acting at Kennesaw State University, Evan met Josh and Andy who later became a part of what is now known as Cruise Director. It was actually after a night of all four of them playing music together that Spencer and Evan felt like they had found two people who would complete the band. At that time however, Spencer and Evan had already recorded their EP, In the Driveway After It All.
VM: How did you decide on the band name?
Spencer: My sister, brother-in-law, and I really enjoy coming up with band name ideas, usually just based off of random phrases or words we see around. In January we went on a family cruise – in the lobby on one of the doors engraved on a gold plaque were the words “Cruise Director” and I had an “aha!” moment. Evan and I had been brainstorming band names for a bit, and when I pitched him Cruise Director, he emphatically agreed that it should be the name.
VM: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Spencer: (As a band) Band of Horses, New Order, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys (Duh)
Evan: Can’t forget The Beatles. All four of us had huge Beatles phases in our youth. Also maybe Velvet Underground, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem to go a little broader. Personally I’m really inspired by reggae stuff, old “Highlife” jazz like E.T. Mensah, the early Modest Mouse records, and (Athens shout out) I f*cking love The Whigs –I’ve seen them a million times.
VM: Tell us about your EP.
Spencer: Most of the songs on In the Driveway After It All were written over the course of a few months that were exceptionally stressful and heartbreaking for me and for people that I care about. I hope that doesn’t translate to the EP though. Writing and playing music at that time were some of the rare moments of escape that I had – so rather than anxiety and stress reflecting onto the songs on the EP, I hope the absence of those things is what’s taken away from it.
VM: If you could go on tour with any artist, who would it be and why?
Spencer: Band of Horses. They put on such an incredible live show, and I feel like our sounds would match nicely with theirs.
Evan: Dude, that’d be so rad.
VM: Any exciting news or new music in the works?
Spencer: We’re writing a lot and really getting into what feels like the right places for us musically. We’re going to be booking more shows coming up soon.
Evan: Yeah pretty much since we finished Driveway we’ve been looking ahead to “LP ONE” which we’re all pretty excited about!
Check out what Spencer and Evan are currently listening to!
Since the debut of their single ‘Into the Night’ in 2013, Blaenavon (pronounced Bly-nay-von) has evolved their sound to have an identity just as recognizable as long-established bands. Their sound has been described in a variety of ways from indie-rock to alternative-pop, but the three members identify themselves to be an ghostjazz band.
The members; Ben Gregory, Frank Wright, and Harris McMillian; started their journey as teenagers in school which makes it an obvious and exciting development to see the evolution of their records as the members have grown older. Ben Gregory, the front-man and songwriter, has honed his creative process to be a meticulous analysis of each work as it compiles a relevant story to things happening in their lives. It all comes down to three maturing individuals telling their life story.
Transgressive Records has debuted Blaenavon’s Miss World EP and Koso EP which have gained rave reviews from fans and others in the industry. Their latest release ‘My Bark Is Your Bite’ was released on Spotify on October 3 this year and is no less than captivating than the rest of their song portfolio. The conveyance of each track’s story can be heard through the fundamental technique and underlying grit of the vocals. As they continue to take the UK by storm on their first headlining tour, it can be assumed that Blaenavon will continue to tell their story through music for a long time.
UPCOMING NYC DATES:
11/01 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right 11/02 – New York, NY @ Berlin
