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Rave’s Fave: Everything Everything – Duet

everything everything arc

The first time I heard “Station Approach” from Elbow, I fell in love with the track and the band. The same holds true for Everything Everything’s “Duet”. It’s an absolute beauty of a track and the vocal harmonies seem to parallel Elbow at times. Everything Everything’s newest album Arc just hit the UK charts at #5, and the Cough Cough EP sees release here in the US next Tuesday. It’s way too early to start thinking about year-end lists for 2013, but “Duet” is a strong bet to land amongst my top contenders. I haven’t yet gotten my arms and ears around everything by this band, but rest assured they’ll be getting lots more of my attention. By Bruce Rave

Everything Everything – Duet

Everything Everything (Facebook)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
02-01-13

Vondelpark – California Analog Dream

Vondelpark

Vondelpark’s indie informed by R&B (& harmonica) turn on “California Analog Dream” is an absolute win. The pensive evocative track is transportive in the best sort of way; whatever a “California Analog Dream” is to the song’s writer, you no doubt feel as the listener like you’re living inside one (or it). Vondelpark’s debut Seabed LP is out April 1st on R&S Records.

Vondelpark (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
02-01-13

Misty Miller – Girlfriend

misty miller

Say hello to Misty Miller. The South London songwriter’s neat blend of punk, surf, and soul stands out as interesting, different, unpredictable and really really good. Spin below her single “Girlfriend”, which is taken from her EP of the same name due February 25th.

Misty Miller (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
02-01-13

Blaenavon – Into the Night

blaenavon

Teenagers (!) (no, really, they’re 16-17 years of age) from Hampshire UK (!) (no, really, they’re actually from Hampshire), Blaenavon strike with the precision for melody, arrangement, hooks, atmosphere, guitars, menace (pretty much any quality a great band would possess) that blows away just about anybody else in their genre, age group or otherwise. “Into the Night” double A w/ the equally fine “Denim Patches” are very special tracks indeed; involving the sort of thrill, mania & cinema that make for the most powerful & visceral of songs. A+.

Blaenavon – Into the Night

Blaenavon (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
02-01-13

B3SCI Presents: Incan Abraham @ The Satellite in LA on Saturday, 2/9/13

Incan-Abe-2-9-2013

Saturday night February 9th, B3SCI teams up with Mouser and Origami Vinyl for an evening of music with Incan Abraham. The event is billed A Homecoming Rumpus, to celebrate the final show of Incan Abraham’s current Western Tour. Joining them on the night will be Cuckoo Chaos, Mahgeetah and a special DJ set by Honeybear. Get in the mood below with this fantastic new video for “Panama Dry” by Incan Abraham, the track is off the band’s Springhouse release. We’ll see you soon! 

*The Satellite is a 21+ venue, doors open at 8:30, the show starts at 9pm and tickets are $8 presale, $10 at the door. More information can be found here and tickets are available here.

Incan Abraham california (Info)
The Satellite california (Info)

reviewed by
01-31-13

The Flight – Hangman

London production duo Joe Henson and Alexis Smith have just released the first and title track from their forthcoming release as The Flight. On “Hangman”, Keaton Henson guest vocals for a bone chilling re-hatch of the classic folk song “Pretty Polly”. The Flight’s debut Hangman EP will feature a variety of vocalists, all of which assist the duo in telling their dark perspective on that same folk story. Check out the video below.

The Flight (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.7

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reviewed by
01-31-13

HANDS – Exactly Sharp

“Exactly Sharp” the b-side to the (also awesome) “I Want To Know” 7″, new from Los Angeles band HANDS. Although we can’t be sure (it could very well be a chorus effects-laced guitar or some sort of synthesizer), “Exactly Sharp” contains maybe the best indie rock vibraphone hook of all time (ALL TIME!). The rest of the track, with it’s California sunset feel & neat vocal/guitar melodic interplay, is pretty cool too. Get a sample below.

HANDS – Exactly Sharp

Hands (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
01-30-13

Caveman – In The City

“In The City”, the first single from NYC band Caveman’s forthcoming self-titled sophomore LP, is a further more hooks-focused, more tightly-arranged exploration of the band’s warm indie rock sound. The density and stratum that made Caveman’s debut record so good is still intact on “In The City” but with a noted level pop songwriting level up. We love it.

Caveman (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
01-30-13

Gold Fields – Happy Boy

Check out the subdued R&B-informed tones of b3 faves Gold Fields’ excellent latest track, “Happy Boy”. Replete with tidal washes of synth & guitar, 80’s soul-style production, aerophone percussion & a great live strings track “Happy Boy” indicates a further high water mark for the Aussie band. If you’re in the US, and in a place like our hometown of Cleveland (!), get psyched because Gold Fields have just announced their first headlining American dates, which you can scope out below.

Gold Fields U.S. Dates:

02/04: Washington @ U Street Music Hall
02/05: Baltimore @ Rams Head Live
02/06: New York @ Bowery Ballroom
02/07: Philadelphia @ TLA
02/08: Boston @ Brighton Music Hall
02/09: Providence @ The Met
02/11: Toronto @ The Drake Hotel
02/12: Detroit @ The Shelter
02/13: Columbus @ The Basement
02/14: Cleveland @ Beachland Ballroom
02/15: Chicago @ Lincoln Hall
02/17: Minneapolis @ Triple Rock Social Club
02/19: Colorado Springs @ The Black Sheep
02/20: Denver @ Larimer Lounge
02/22: Salt Lake City @ In The Venue
02/23: Missoula, MT @ Elks Live
02/24: Seattle @ Crocodile Cafe
02/25: Portland @ Crystal Ballroom
02/28: Los Angeles @ Troubadour
03/02: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
03/05: San Diego @ The Casbah
03/06: Phoenix @ Crescent Ballroom
03/08: Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Cafe

Gold Fields australia (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

reviewed by
01-30-13

Rare Monk – Drumhead

Portland band Rare Monk announce debut album Sleep/Attack and debut single, the crunchy riff-heavy hook-heavy “Drumhead”. “Drumhead” sounds a bit, at least melodically, of the Jack White school of writing. The comparison and similarity ends there, though, as there’s a definite uniqueness about the mix of sounds and palette of influences Rare Monk employs. Under a different instrumentation “Drumhead” could be an indie pop song, it’s not difficult to picture the track’s chorus on top a Cults or Sleigh Bells track. Give the excellent “Drumhead” your ears below and look for Sleep/Attack February 26th.

Rare Monk oregon (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.4

reviewed by
01-29-13

The ACB’s – Record Store

Little Leaves will be the second LP from KC indie guitar band The ACB’s. The melodic buzzsaw that is second single “Record Store” is a definite must listen. Each of the song’s component melodies (verse, prechorus, chorus) could each be a really great chorus on three really great different songs; but meld and combine the three as The ACB’s have so brilliant done here and you’re faced with a juggernaut of a track that will render your faculty to resist toe tapping, humming along, and nodding your head completely useless.

The ACB’s – Record Store

The ACB’s missouri (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
01-29-13

Dear Blanca – Havana Tonight

Anytime a band can mix in harmonica with a “Besame Mucho” reference as South Carolina band Dear Blanca do on new track “Havana Tonight”, they’re going to (at the very least) have our attention. The Columbia, SC band dial up the grit, rawness, and soul and do indeed “Dance to Besame Mucho” in the track’s irreverent singalong-inviting hook. Dear Blanca have a new album due in a couple weeks called Talker and you can count the b3 team as among the psyched. Spin “Havana Tonight” below.

Dear Blanca (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
01-29-13