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Rock

Rave’s Fave: David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight) [Video]

david bowie

Here is the first official single from Bowie’s return album, The Next Day due March 12th. The single follows up the slow-moving track “Where Are We Now”, which some loved and and some didn’t. “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” sounds more like what you’d expect from a mid-tempo Bowie song, and the title is of course appropriate for a single that dropped on the night following the Oscars. By Bruce Rave

David Bowie england (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
02-26-13

Heathers – Teenage Clothes

heatherswinona

Join the b3 team in falling in love with L.A. band Heathers’ beautifully simple and beautifully visceral (really, this song will go straight at your guts) indie rock debut “Teenage Clothes”.

Heathers (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
02-25-13

Rave’s Fave: Johnny Marr – New Town Velocity

johnny marr

Johnny Marr’s The Messenger album is out Tuesday and it’s an early 2013 highlight for me. The signature stamp of his guitar style is unmistakable just as you’d expect, and it dominates throughout just as you’d want it to. Marr’s vocal style often reminds of Morrissey, leading me to ponder how their many years together might have made an impact. Much of the album is upbeat, but there is a more melancholy track that will please many Smiths fans. That is “New Town Velocity”. It is easy going with a beautiful flow. Marr will embark on an 18-date North American tour in April that will include Coachella, with shows in Las Vegas and Santa Barbara with New Order. By Bruce Rave

Johnny Marr – New Town Velocity

Johnny Marr england (Official)

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

reviewed by
02-23-13

Review: The Vaccines w/ San Cisco Live @ The Fonda in Los Angeles, CA.

england

If you like The Vaccines… even a little bit, then you should make a point to see them live. It’s surprising that the band haven’t gotten much US radio support, and like so many other succesful acts in the UK, their stateside ascendency hasn’t happened nearly at the same rate. The Vaccines’ recently performed for a sold-out crowd of 1,200 excited fans at the Henry Fonda Musicbox in Los Angeles on Thursday night this past Valentines Day. What the band has lacked in airplay, they clearly make up for with fans and sizzling live shows.

The Vaccines perform with power, and they play fast. They were originally labeled an indie band but they have said they’d rather be considered a rock group. That’s exactly what they acted like that night at the Henry Fonda. Freddie Cowan’s guitar playing shined that night, especially on the second encore track “Bad Mood”. Vocalist and guitar player Justin Young proved a strong, confident front man. The band’s set focused mostly on their two albums, without touching on the individual singles that were released in-between. Fan favorites “Post Breakup Sex” and “If You Wanna” from the first album closed the main set, receiving the best initial reactions. The girls especially took kindly to the band with many in rows in front singing along, and forcing the mosh pit to the back of the floor. Even those in the balcony were dancing up a storm. It seemed that even the band’s mid-tempo songs were played at a faster tempo that night, all except for the popular ballad “Wetsuit”.

Earlier in the evening, Australian collective San Cisco made a strong impression by more than holding their own as the evening’s middle support band. Their song “Awkward” was a hit in the land down under and was familiar to many in the LA crowd that night. “Rocket Ship” and a new song called “Fred Astaire” were also highlights. San Cisco is on the rise and will return to LA for in April for a headlining gig at The Troubadour. They will also be at SXSW. By Bruce Rave

The Vaccines (Official)

* 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
02-22-13

F Y F E – St Tropez

FYFE f y f e

F Y F E remains a somewhat mystery, having created quite a buzz in the blogoshphere with his January single, “Solace” followed by a solid month of silence. He is back now with a new track, “St Tropez”. and the song shows the work and time put in. FYFE’s simple vocal and lovely lyrics like “take me home, is this not home dear?” are drenched in twisty drums and with delicate synth and guitar. Though “Solace” did set the bar high, “St Tropez” is not far behind. By Phoebe Anne Severin

FYFE england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

reviewed by
02-22-13

Desert Noises – I Won’t See You

desert noises

Desert Noises are a new favorite among the b3 squad. The band’s jangly melodic sound evokes for us open space, possibilities, the upper quartile best of Middle American summer days. If you listen to “I Won’t See You” and close your eyes super tight and think of England (or in our case Ohio) the imagery and cinema of the track become transportative, which is indicative of only the best sort of music. (At least we think so).

Desert Noises utah flag (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
02-21-13

New Gods – Razorblades

new gods

Aussie exports New Gods impress with the sunny fuzz of their new indie pop track “Razorblades”. Sounding somewhere between what Lindsey Buckingham’s cool band might sound like if he were 23 today and more modern psych-informed indie rock, the band works from a tasteful balance of both old and new (and awesome). Check out “Razorblades” below.

New Godsaustralia(Facebook)


Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
02-21-13

Secret Son – Friends

secret son

The soul-influenced UK band Secret Son hit b3 square in its rock and roll sweet spot with “Friends”. The genre “UK guitar music” is in a bit of a hype cycle nadir as of Feb 2013 with great upstart English bands like Secret Son all too uncommon. Secret Son’s “Friends” EP is due March 25th.

Secret Son england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
02-20-13

Rave’s Fave: Foals – Providence

foals

Foals’ Holy Fire album came out last week and this third album of theirs rocks. Since dropping the well-received single “Inhaler” their lead up to the release of the entire album has seemed nothing but strong. Holy Fire delivers the goods. The guitar-oriented dance dudes in Foals explore oft different directions in their compositions, and they do so nicely with “Providence”. After a strange, dark lead-in vocal, the song kicks into one of the finest grooves I’ve heard in recent memory as momentum increases into a climax that is perfectly over the top. It will be fun to hear what Foals do with this song in concert. Be sure to catch them at Coachella this year. By Bruce Rave

Foals – Providence

Foals england (Official)

* 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
02-15-13

LULS – Sympathy or Love

luls3

London band LULS impress again with new single “Sympathy or Love”. The soaring UK rock track comes rammed to the gills with all the anthemic rock trappings; big sing-a-long choruses, oceansize guitars and Pangaea-dimensioned drums (it is really big). The band have scored some A-list support slots in England including opening for Crystal Castles on their latest tour of the country. LULS have a handful of dates upcoming next month including a bunch of shows with Theme Park which you can examine below.

Tour
03.04 London Shacklewell Arms (free entry)
06.03 Nottingham Spanky Van Dyke’s
07.03 Leeds A Nation Of Shopkeepers
08.03 Sheffield Bowery
09.03 Cambridge Portland Arms
11.03 Bristol Louisiana (supporting Theme Park)
12.03 Southampton Joiners (supporting Theme Park)
13.03 Brighton The Haunt (supporting Theme Park)
14.03 London Heaven (supporting Theme Park)
15.03 Manchester Ruby Lounge (supporting Theme Park)
16.03 Newcastle The Cluny (supporting Theme Park)

LULS england (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.2319

brown93

reviewed by
02-14-13

On-The-Go – Deception

on-the-go

Russian band On-The-Go return with new single “Deception”. The track, which may remind a bit of a more pop-on-their-sleeves version of Foals (souful, dreamy, bass-driven) and is the band’s first UK release, is definitely of a strong enough quality to tick radars in that country. The band have an LP in the works November that will released later this year.

On-The-Go – Deception

On-The-Go russia (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
02-14-13

As Elephants Are – Youth Blood

as elephants are

“Youth Blood”, the b-side to the also excellent “Lucifer”, will see a UK release as part of the “Lucifer” single, March 10th on Once Upon a Time records. As Elephants Are uniquely blend the pop sensibilities of bands like Two Door Cinema Club & the theater of The Maccabees through a slightly darkened more visceral lens. We are loving it.

As Elephants Are england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown93

reviewed by
02-13-13