AltVibe

Alternative Music Blog out of the USA https://twitter.com/AltVibeMusic

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Avid Dancer releases catchy new dance rock single, I Feel It

Artist: Avid Dancer Release: I Feel It Release Date: 28 August 2015 Label: Grand Jury Music For fans of: GROUPLOVE, The Killers, Atlas Genius, Young the Giant, Smallpools

Avid Dancer is the brainchild of Jacob Dillan Summers, a former marine who has had experience drumming for several bands in Los Angeles, moved to Alaska for a girl, and returned to Los Angeles to work with producer Raymond Richards (Local Natives, Ferraby Lionheart) in that order, and has plenty of touring experience under his belt supporting bands like Cold War Kids and Warpaint, in a addition to a full-length release already under his belt.

Crafting honest indie pop textured with alternative rock, Avid Dancer, as their name suggests, evokes feelings of passion and excitement among listeners by means of big hooks, bright melodies, and driving dance beats, creating sunny atmospheres and infectious pop songs in the process.

Summers’ latest single I Feel It is a culmination of all of those things. With the danceability of The Killers and rock sensibilities of The Strokes, I Feel It delivers honest lyrics through shimmering dance rock. “She is love, she is love / More than anyone I know / She feels like the first time” Summers sings without trying to be poetic or clever, professing his love for his other half.

While a bit different from his debut album, 1st Bath, which landed on Grand Jury in April, I Feel It continues to show Summers’ knack for pop rock songwriting and even proves to be his best work yet, which will sit nicely for the new artist as he embarks on an already mostly sold out tour with fellow LA one-man-pop-act, BØRNS, this fall. 

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The Royal Concept release groovy new dance-rock EP, Smile

Artist: The Royal Concept ( theroyalconcept ) Release: Smile EP Release Date: 21 August 2015 Label: Republic For fans of: Foster the People, Better Than Ezra, The Black Keys, The Kooks, Phoenix

Nearly two years since their last release, Swedish indie pop group, The Royal Concept have returned with a new five track EP entitled, Smile. While maintaining their dance rock attitude, The Royal Concept has started to integrate some funk and rock ‘n’ roll textures into their electrifying blend of rock and pop, much like artists like Better Than Ezra and Foster The People have been known to do.

High-pitched group vocals, and sexy basslines drive Smile, while warm distorted guitars flesh the songs out. Clocking in at 17 minutes, the five song EP clearly shows the band’s push into a different, yet still promising direction than that of their shimmering 2013 indie rock full-length, Goldrushed.

Smile is available on all digital media platforms via Republic Records now.

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Interview: LADS - A New York City indie rock band made up of four ordinary (but talented) girls who came together by being apart

Artist: LADS For fans of: Tigers Jaw, Warpaint, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Cayetana, Best Coast

Artwork courtesy of LADS

Forming in August 2014, LADS is a four piece indie rock group based in New York City consisting of Alexa Brightside (Vocals/Guitar), Kirsten Kearns (Bass/Vocals), Matty Cline (Drums), and Mia Schmidt (Guitar). Although the group calls New York City home, its members all live in separate parts of the United States, making their songwriting/recording process a bit different than most artists. Each member of the group records the part of the song they are working on, and sends it to lead vocalist Alexa Brightside who pieces the tracks together to create the finished product.

After releasing their debut EP, Ledge, and a pair of singles, Chester and Standby, in June and July respectively, the upcoming foursome has continued to write and record new material to be released in the future. At a very young stage in this unique bands life, I was able to catch up with Matty and Alexa from LADS to discuss songwriting over Skype, genre classifications, and female personas in rock music.

Okay, so first off, how did all of the members of LADS meet each other?

I think the current story is that we met at a stripclub or something? We definitely found Kirsten in a dumpster. I know that one for sure. - Matty

Our Matty gets all forgetful being super super old. She’s like 28.. - Alexa

Have the four of you actually ever been in a room together?

No, we haven’t. Alexa is actually the only one so far who has met Mia in person. However, me (Matty), Kirsten, Alexa and I did all attend an Arctic Monkeys concert together. That’s the most all of us have been together thus far. - Matty

Your songwriting process is obviously unlike that of many other artists. How do you write songs together while not being with each other in person, and what are the best and worst parts about doing things this way?

We use Skype! I write all the songs with an acoustic and a set of lyrics which I then play for my bandmates, manager, publicist, and producer. If they all like it, Joseph Schmidt (our producer, no relation to Mia!) and I will lay down a basic beat and the guitars and vocals. Then my bandmates add in their parts one by one which Jo mixes to complete into a full song. Ideally I’d like to record everything live in a single take, but I’m also all for making the most out of any situation. We’ve got the technology to still be a team even spread out across the world, so that’s pretty great! - Alexa

Your music has a very grungy, post-punk, indie rock vibe. What artists would you say influence this sound, and which artists have inspired, or still inspire you to want to continue to advance yourself as a musician and songwriter?

I think it’s interesting you say it’s like…hardcore or grungy. That’s not a bad thing at all! I always thought we were more like straight up rock with lots of pop sensibilities. But it’s cool to see how others group it. As the songwriter I like to write songs that sound like Oasis or The Killers but it doesn’t always have to be them. Lyrically I’d like to fall somewhere between Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys and Taylor Swift, actually. Storytelling sometimes, confessional sometimes. It’s gotta be really relatable. But overall, I haven’t figured out what my ‘sound’ is. I haven’t written enough songs. It’s gotta get in the thousands, not hundreds.

But speaking of advancing, our next single called “Two” is very Taylor Swift in that it’s simple and straightforward. It’s found a way to be both honest and EXACTLY what people want to hear. I’ve taken a lesson from her. In both pop and rock music, everyone wants to be different and flashy and have a larger than life persona. But my bandmates and I, we’re just ordinary girls good at music. I don’t know any female rock musicians that have that image. I’m not saying they’re dishonest, not at all, but I’m saying they come off in a way that YouTube comments on them will write comments that say “Goddess!” or “Bow down to the queen!” LADS can’t pull that off, but we can stick to being damn good musicians! - Alexa

Who are your favorite artists out there right now?

Other than artists as public figures or as friends, I actually don’t like anyone these days. I’ve been writing songs because there’s nothing out there that I feel represents both me and what masses of people can get behind. - Alexa

I’ve been listening to a lot of Wolf Alice right now. They’re debut album was fantastic, and it’s a good one to listen to on repeat. - Matty

What is one artist you would like to play a show with or tour with in the future?

I want to tour with Wolf Alice, only because we’ve sort of become friends and they always seem to have a lot of fun in the green room haha. - Matty

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say The 1975. The people that love our band seem to hate them and the people that hate our band seem to love them. I think that sort of tour would change some opinions around, maybe bring more fans in together, see that it doesn’t have to be so malicious when it comes to musical preferences. Plus I reckon that LADS as a band could learn a lot from those guys in putting on a show. - Alexa

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Indie pop mastermind BØRNS releases new single, announces debut album

Artist: BØRNS Release: The Emotion Release Date: 19 August 2015 Label: Interscope For fans of: GROUPLOVE, Walk the Moon, Young the Giant, The Griswolds, Halsey

For the past two years, Michigan native, Los Angeles-based Garrett Borns has been using allonym BØRNS to front his indie pop songwriting affairs, and in short time has made impressive progress. Just ten months after being able to legally purchase alcoholic beverages, Borns released his first EP, Candy, on Interscope records which included the single at the time, 10,000 Emerald Pools, and the soon-to-be hit, Electric Love.

After seeing such success from Candy, the wonderpopster has announced his highly anticipated debut album, Dopamine will be released on October 16th via Interscope and has already premiered a dreamy new single from the album, The Emotion.

The Emotion is of the same psych-pop / glam-folk consistency seen on Candy and relies heavily on fingerpicked guitar progressions and Garrett’s signature soaring falsetto vocal melodies.

To listen to The Emotion, pre-order Dopamine, or scope out the group’s fall tour, head over to their official website.

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Portland indie pop outfit, Dresses, return with irresistible new single, Catch

Artist: Dresses ( dressestheband ) Release: Catch Release Date: 21 August 2015 Label: N/A (Unsigned) For fans of: GROUPLOVE, The Colourist, BØRNS, Vacationer, CHVRCHES

Everyone’s favorite independent pop duo from Portland, Dresses is back with a bubbly new single, Catch. Making a bit more use of an electronic element than they previously had, Jared Maldonado and Timothy Heller are just continuing to fire on all cylinders with their own unique blend of indie rock and chill-pop.

Catch showcases vintage Dresses, including infectious vocal melodies, lush synthesizer hooks, warm guitar textures, and the duo’s signature boy / girl vocal arrangements. “This is a two-way street not a cul de sac” Heller explains during the chorus, seeming to question trust issues in a relationship.

Catch is available on iTunes and Spotify today.

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New Politics - Vikings [Album Review]

Artist: New Politics Release: Vikings Release Date: 14 August 2015 Label: DCD2 / Warner Bros. For fans of: The Wombats, Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys, AWOLNATION, Walk the Moon

Copenhagen-bred, New York-based pop rock group New Politics have been enjoying worldwide success over the past few years thanks to their rowdy rock anthem breakout, Harlem, which launched the group to new heights, allowing them to deliver their sophomore LP, A Bad Girl In Harlem to the masses which also landed them another hit, Tonight You’re Perfect. Just a year before the release of said breakthrough record, the trio of Louis Vecchio, David Boyd, and Søren Hansen had been dormant for nearly two years and was about ready to call it quits.

Their 2010 RCA self-titled album  saw some commercial success with songs like Yeah Yeah Yeah and Dignity, and allowed the group to tour the EU and United States extensively, but after wrapping up their 2011 Spring Tour with The Dirty Heads, New Politics had fallen off the face of the earth. As songs like Overcome on A Bad Girl In Harlem suggest, the band decided to continue to push forward with their craft in hopes of gaining a solid-footing in the music industry.

After riding the tidal wave created by “Bad Girl” through 2013 and 2014, and touring with the likes of Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy, and Paramore, in August of the latter year, New Politics signed with Pete Wentz’s re-established Decaydance Records, now known as DCD2, and released Everywhere I Go (Kings & Queens) which marked the beginning of their new, RCA-free era.

It is now one year later, and New Politics have just released their third full-length, Vikings which is as diverse as the band claims they have been since Søren and David started writing songs together in the mid-2000s.

Vikings opens with the rowdy “Everywhere I Go” which sets the tone for the dance infused post-grunge / pop crossover that is delivered throughout the next 10 tracks, but is not to be held as precedent or viewed as the album's archetype as the better content is yet to come. Just as it was on Bad Girl, evidence of New Politics lyrical de-evolution from their debut album is immediate as Boyd sings off-sounding melodies about getting high over Hansen's rhythmic guitar picking.

After trudging through the second track and single, West End Kids, which got decent radio play but did not do that well on Spotify and among New Politics fans despite its Top 40 electronic pop get-up the rest of Vikings is pretty much smooth sailing.

Vikings gleams with majestic pop glitz on tracks like the dance-oriented 15 Dreams while thrashing with gritty post-grunge textured guitars on the larger-than-life aggressive rock banger, Loyalties Among Thieves, which if it hadn’t been for the production, would fit perfectly onto the group’s flawless debut album. Keeping up with the 00’s alternative rock persona is 50 Feet Tall, a dance-rock fun affair that falls somewhere between The White Stripes and The Strokes, and sounds like it could have been ripped from an NHL Gamecube game or car commercial in 2005.

Sandwiched between the grit-pop extravaganza, Girl Crush, and 15 Dreams is track four, Lovers In A Song, which is the album’s standout, or at the very least tied with Loyalties Among Thieves. Mysterious guitar riffs lead the song over it’s sleek bassline, capturing atmospheres and textures similar to the likes of Brika’s debut album Voice Memos, or the early days of Toronto-based indie rock quartet, Metric. Proving to be the least predictable track on the album, “Lovers” grooves along in a low-key fashion until immediately and significantly changing tempos to its high energy bridge before falling back into its gloomy groove.

Lovers also contains some of the album’s best lyrical content as recounts relationship troubles and travelling the world pursuing music. “Saw London rain wash out a Brooklyn night / I’ve seen Copenhagen fading in my mind” he explains, clearly referencing the life he left in Denmark for the life he now leads in America as a musician. “It’s such a shame that morning comes / The sun is yours but I’ll be gone / So dry your tears we’re still lovers in a song” Hansen sings during the chorus, seeming to address the hardships of desire to have a relationship but not being able to because of the touring lifestyle of musicians.

While it is definitely not their first album which was honest, raw, and infectious, Vikings is on par with A Bad Girl In Harlem and shows New Politics continuing to push new boundaries in terms of the music they are releasing, and how their popularity continues to snowball because of their universal pop sensibilities, confident rockstar attitude, and energetic live shows. Above all else, it shows it was best that these Vikings didn’t call it quits a few years ago as they continue to enjoy the success they have deserved for the past decade.

Rating: 7.5/10 Essential Tracks: Loyalties Among Thieves, Lovers In A Song, 50 Feet Tall

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Aer - One Of A Kind [Album Review]

Artist: Aer Release: One Of A Kind Release Date: 14 August 2015 Label: N/A (Unsigned) For fans of: The Dirty Heads, Sublime, Chiddy Bang, RDGLDGRN, Ballyhoo!

The Massachusetts-based independent hip-hop / reggae pop duo Aer have been extremely proactive with releasing new material since their inception in 2010. With two EPs, two full-length mixtapes, and three LPs under their belt to date, the duo has remained independent for their entire career, which despite being only five years long, is packed with achievements and milestones for such a young group. David Von Mering (Vocals/Guitar) and Carter Schultz (Vocals) have impressively hit their stride at ages 23 and 22, respectively, and are showing no signs of slowing down, garnering a larger fan base by the day. Touring with artists such as The Dirty Heads and Pepper, the group has seen widespread organic success with their first two records, The Bright Side and Aer. Both albums have charted respectably and favorite tracks such as Floats My Boat and Feel I Bring, are staple party songs among young adults everywhere, while their 2014 single, Says She Loves Me grabbed the attention of wider demographics, as it made its rounds on SiriusXM’s Alt Nation, and several other alternative radio stations across North America.

Fast-forward to August 2015 and Aer has released their third official album, One Of A Kind which while staying true to their unique blend of hip-hop, indie rock, rap, pop, and reggae textures, demonstrates the band pushing into new directions. The production on this record is definitely their best to date, which in conjunction with their more reserved approach to this album, which is comparable to some of the group’s material that was featured on Water on the Moon,  has created a more refined aesthetic for the duo, causing them to lose some of their headstrong and independent flare which has launched the group to great heights, but nevertheless continues to produce sounds that are unique to the “Fresh Aer Movement”.

One Of A Kind shimmers with squeaky clean guitar licks and perfectly engineered vocal tracks, but has lost a lot of the edge seen on the group’s past two releases. The album’s lead single, I Can’t Help It, serves as the flagship for Aer’s push into new musical territories. While the track holds true to the band’s reggae influenced guitar progressions and melodic style of rapping, muggy atmospheres created by warm guitar textures and subtle bass lines move the song along in a laid back and borderline mellow fashion. Also continuing with the band’s feel good, refined, laid back pop attitude are tracks like the sun-soaked title track, and the vaguely electro-pop Keep You Here.

Despite the too-produced-for-an-indie-band theme that is central on One Of A Kind, there are a good amount of numbers that if they hadn’t been produced in the way they were, and were recorded with a little bit more of a rock-and-roll or hip-hop attitude would fit nicely into Aer’s 2014 self-titled release.

With the exception of track four, Position, Von Mering and Schultz don’t appear to hit their stride until the album’s latter half. A good amount of the minor-sounding, mysterious guitar riffs seen on previous Aer songs such as, Ex and Spades, Clubs, and Diamonds are heavily prevalent on the album’s second half. The darker guitar textures used on Position are reiterated on Make Do, and used in flanged out rhythmic fashions on I’m So Gone and Trust Fund.

Lyrically, the album is on par or better than most of Aer’s past releases, except their most recent, self-titled record, which has proved to still be their best work to date, as songwriters and lyricists. As expected, many of the album’s lyrics are about partying and women, and while the duo’s poeticism has taken a step backward, they have continued to mature more, in the way that a higher percentage of songs are about serious relationships as opposed to hook-ups. This is showcased on the album’s final track and possibly standout, The Rain. “Another chance given / another mistake that doesn’t seem to trouble me at all… / …This rain is erasing the past we shared so let it fall… / …A new days coming with the presence of the sun / And lately I’ve been looking nowhere but up / Let it all fall, let it all fall for a better tomorrow” Carter Schultz pours his heart out, addressing the difficult stage of falling out of love with someone.

When all’s said and done, One Of A Kind appears to be a step backwards from their 2014 LP and has taken a fair amount of the edge off Aer’s indie hip-hop sound that was dominant on that album, but is still undeniably Aer and has high potential to be an album that grows on the listener over future months and years. No matter what opinions can be formed on their most recent work, Aer are still a totally independent artists and are putting out the music they genuinely want to release and getting huge responses as a result, keeping David Von Mering, Carter Schultz, and their newest album truly one of a kind.

Rating: 7/10 Essential Tracks: The Rain, Position

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Glasgow synth-popsters, CHVRCHES, premiere anthemic new single, Never Ending Circles

Artist: CHVRCHES Release: Never Ending Circles Release Date: 12 August 2015 Label: Virgin / Glassnote For fans of: Haim, Tove Lo, Naked and Famous, MS MR

To follow up their immensely successful 2013 debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe, Scottish synthpop trio, CHVRCHES, are making way for their sophomore LP, Every Open Eye, which will see it’s release on September 25th. After releasing the album’s second single (but first in nearly a year), Leave A Trace, just a few weeks ago, today the group has premiered another new track, Never Ending Circles, which is available as an instant download for those who have pre-ordered Every Open Eye on iTunes.

Keeping up with the same consistency of upbeat, yet emotionally impacting electronic music seen on “Bones”, Never Ending Circles shines with shimmering synth progressions and impacting arpeggiated synthesizer hooks. “Here’s to never ending circles / And building them on top of me” lead vocalist, Lauren Mayberry roars, in regards to several stages and cycles of relationships.

Every Open Eye tracklist: 1. Never Ending Circles 2. Leave a Trace 3. Keep You on My Side 4. Make Them Gold 5. Clearest Blue 6. High Enough to Carry You Over 7. Empty Threat 8. Down Side of Me 9. Playing Dead 10. Bury It 11. Afterglow 12. Get Away 13. Follow You 14. Bow Down

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Australian pop duo, Bag Raiders, release majestic new single, “Waterfalls”

Artist: Bag Raiders ( bagraidersblog )

Release: Waterfalls 

Release Date: 17 July 2015

Label: Modular Recordings

For fans of: Daft Punk, The Knocks, Passion Pit, Empire of the Sun

In an effort to follow up their self-titled 2010 debut full-length, Australian electro-pop extraordinaires, Bag Raiders, have been writing and recording and abundance of new material for their highly anticipated sophomore album. Today, the duo that is Jack Glass and Chris Stracey has premiered three new tracks off of said album, in the form of a deluxe single, Waterfalls.

While fully maintaining their electronic identity, the Aussies have strayed a bit away from immediately attempting to infect the listener with captivating riffs, and gravitated towards the idea of a song that is wholly captivating by focusing on creating strong verses, and stronger choruses that build on each other each time around. Bag Raiders are just running plays from the pop playbook during Waterfalls, which is brilliant nonetheless, while still showing their creative approaches to songwriting and non-traditional song structure on Vapour Trails and Wonderland.

To no surprise, Bag Raiders seem to be headed in a promising direction with their new material, which will likely sound even better once the whole album is out, and the popsters have showed their clear intent, not to reinvent the wheel, but to push it faster.

You can stream Waterfalls right now via the band’s soundcloud page.

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Philadelphian indie pop quartet, CRUISR, release new single, Throw Shade

Artist: CRUISR ( cruisrtheband )

Release: Throw Shade

Release Date: 17 July 2015

Label: Vagrant

For fans of: Bad Suns, The Griswolds, Third Eye Blind, OK GO, San Cisco

Upcoming Philadelphian indie pop group, CRUISR, has been making significant gains since their signing with Vagrant records last summer, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. After a slew of singles, a nationwide tour supporting The 1975, a spot for the second year in a row on the Firefly Music Festival lineup, and a gig opening for Imagine Dragons at the Wells Fargo Center in their hometown, the duo is back with a new single, Throw Shade, which they debuted live at Firefly, just last month.

Not unlike anything the quartet has released prior to it, Throw Shade is downright infectious and profoundly sun-soaked, demonstrating songwriter and lead vocalist, Andy States’ expertise in power pop songwriting. Punchy drum beats dictate the synth-tinged, “you fucked up” break-up anthem, that is textured by States’ undeniably fun vocal melodies and feel-good guitar licks.

Also being released as the B-side to Throw Shade is a new recording of Moving To Neptune, a song from the band’s days as “Cruiser” that is still a staple in their live show today.

Throw Shade and Moving To Neptune are available on all digital media platforms today.

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Interview: Kenny Vasoli (Vacationer, The Starting Line)

On day three of Firefly Music Festival in Delaware as the sun set and the winds from Hurricane Bill rolled in, Philadelphia based chill-pop act Vacationer shut down The Porch stage, marking their 300th show together as a band. The backlit silhouette of songwriter, bassist, and vocalist Kenny Vasoli grooved along to the group’s self proclaimed “NuHula” (Think Hula as in Hula Dancing and Nu as in Nu-Metal) as darkness fell on Dover, Delaware. During their hour time allotment, the quartet ripped through fifteen tropical pop numbers as Vasoli made comments between songs like “You’re about to get smashed with the Chill Hammer reallll hard”.

Vasoli is my single biggest inspiration as a musician, and his work has spanned my whole life, from his early days with the pop punk / alternative rock band The Starting Line, to his current, warmer and trippier endeavors with Vacationer. Personally, it was my favorite set of the entire weekend, and I would say many who were there would agree as they were the only band I’ve ever seen at a festival that wasn’t a headliner and got an encore chant. (Not to mention, Sublime with Rome was playing just a few hundred yards away as the crowd begged for more Vacationer). After the chants subsided and the majority of the crowd dispersed, about fifty people hung around to talk to Kenny, who had then come down off the stage to appease those who stuck around. Being the gentleman he is, Kenny agreed to chat for a bit about what Vacationer’s so-called NuHula is, what fans of both The Starting Line and Vacationer can expect in the near future, and more.

Me: First off, I would like to say that that set was one of the best I’ve ever seen. I almost skipped you guys to see Foster the People, because I’m a fan and haven’t seen them before, but coming here was definitely the right move.

Kenny: Oh thanks so much! That means a lot to us. I was worried about the turn out because I knew if we weren’t playing at the same time I definitely would have been seeing Foster the People tonight.

Me: Describe NuHula in five words.

Kenny: [Pauses to think] Let’s see… Exotic.. Chill-Hammer-Smashing.. Hip-Sway.. Palm… Weed.

[We both laugh]

Kenny: I don’t know, I lost count.

Me: Who is your favorite artist right now?

Kenny: [Without hesitation] Unknown Mortal Orchestra. So good. We went to go see them live, me and Rhino did, like a week ago, and it just, it like hurt - You play music?

Me: Yeah, you’re a big influence of mine.

Kenny: Oh, thanks man. You ever see a band and it hurts because it’s that good?

Me: Yeah.

Kenny: That’s what it was like.

Me: Do you have any new material for Vacationer or The Starting Line in the works?

Kenny: Yes. Yes to both.

Me: Do you want to go into detail about that, or no?

Kenny: Well they haven't really laid out for me the rules for this yet, but we have plans to record at least a couple songs this summer for both.

Me: We’re halfway to the holiday show, that’s a good thing.

Kenny: Yep! We’re getting ourselves prepared.

Me: For both Vacationer and The Starting Line, what is your favorite song to play live?

Kenny: Good As New is really nice because it’s a song we’ve had for a while and I don’t really get sick of it.

Me: A big crowd reaction for that one too.

Kenny: Yeah, it’s great! We all like it. I like it. They like it. That’s a nice thing, but I really enjoy playing all of them.

Me: How about for The Starting Line?

Kenny: Let’s see. That kind of bounces around. I really like playing Are You Alone, because it’s a straight rock and roll song.

Me: The bass line in the bridge of that song is nuts. It’s impressive that you sing and play that line at the same time.

Kenny: Yeah, that one took a bit to get down.

Me: Ok, I’ve got one more. What is one artist you would like Vacationer to tour with within the next year?

Kenny: Beach House. That’s a dream tour for us.

Me: Alright, that’s all I’ve got. Thanks a ton dude, I appreciate it.

Kenny: No problem man! Thanks for hanging around.

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Indie Pop Supergroup Nekokat Release Elating Debut Single “Gimme a Break”

Artist: Nekokat

Release: Gimme a Break

Release Date: 2 June 2015

Label: Washington Square Records

For fans of: The Ready Set, The Summer Set, Night Terrors of 1927, Passion Pit, Charli XCX

Just in time for Summer 2015, an alt-pop supergroup consisting of Jordan Witzigreuter and Cameron Walker of The Ready Set, and Jess Bowen of The Summer Set has appeared out of thin air, already making waves with their new single, Gimme a Break. After working with Los Angeles based producer Eric Palmquist (Bad Suns, Night Riots, LA Font) sometime in early 2015, the indie pop trio is here and ready to soundtrack your summer.

Not too different, but just different enough from the artists’ previous catalogues, Gimme a Break is a sun-soaked summer jam that is shrouded by the same euphoric atmosphere as Bad Suns’ Matthew James, and is teeming with samples and melodies that would fit snugly into the Night Terrors of 1927’s full length record, Everything's Coming Up Roses. Pounding drum beats, and gritty guitars drive the shimmering pop anthem, while tropical xylophone samples and infectious vocal melodies from Witzigreuter give the song its rapturous flare.

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Cheerleader - The Sunshine Of Your Youth [Album Review]

Artist: Cheerleader ( chrleader )

Release: The Sunshine Of Your Youth

Release Date: 19 May 2015

Label: Bright Antenna Records

For fans of: Walk the Moon, Young the Giant, The Strokes, CRUISR, Catfish and the Bottlemen

A self-proclaimed indie haze pop quintet, Philadelphia’s Cheerleader has been quite busy lately. Currently in the middle of a lengthy North American tour supporting British dance rock greats, The Wombats on their first run of the states since 2012, Cheerleader released their highly anticipated debut album, The Sunshine Of Your Youth, on Tuesday via Bright Antenna Records.

As the five-piece suggests, the album is hazy and poppy, filled with majestic, arena-ready hooks, cloudy vocals, guitar distortions, and catchy bass lines. The opening track, New Daze, and the second and title track, The Sunshine Of Your Youth, immediately set the tone for what the record sets out to accomplish and outline the limits to which the album pushes; New Daze, a fuzzy, and at times somewhat melancholy, lo-fi pop tune, and The Sunshine Of Your Youth a larger-than-life rock anthem with immediately impacting and relatable lyrics, steady chord progressions, sing-a-long choruses, and tasteful lead guitar hooks.

Songs like The Sunshine Of Your Youth and A Million Ways showcase Cheerleader firing on all cylinders. Guitars dominate, while piano chords and synthesizers echo them in the background on both tracks, which are rounded out by drummer Carl Bahner’s driving drumbeats. During the title track, lead vocalist Joe Haller delivers soul-touching lyrics that are as straightforward as they are deep, “You know that it’s useless looking back / There’s no redemption there for you”, which only begin to highlight the moving lyrics heard throughout the record.

Leaning away from the big rock songs, and more towards the fuzzy pop side of the album, like New Daze establishes from the start is track five, Perfect Vision. Perfect Vision, which served as the band’s debut EP’s lead single, is an anthemic, fuzz pop fun affair that thrives on its infectious guitar hooks, sleek, yet jumpy bass grooves, and atmospheric synthesizer melodies.

The Sunshine Of Your Youth is a very strong, and well thought out debut effort from a young band, who is really just starting to hit their stride as songwriters. Straddling an array of soundscapes within the pop rock domain, the album approaches what many young artists fail to from the beginning, implementing sentimental lyrics and motifs hidden by cover of brilliant pop melody and energy,while showcasing their wisdom and wit, artistically and as normal human beings.

Rating: 7/10

Essential Tracks: The Sunshine Of Your Youth, Perfect Vision, A Million Ways

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Priory - Need To Know [Album Review]

Artist: Priory

Release: Need To Know

Release Date: 7 April 2015

Label: Warner Bros.

For fans of: Dresses, Night Terrors of 1927, San Cisco, Magic Man, Passion Pit, Youngblood Hawke, The Griswolds

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Priory, the indie pop duo of Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears, has made several changes to their project since the release of their debut album in 2011. After shaving a few members, leaving just themselves remaining, Sears and Rush got more serious about making music for a living. The two quit their day jobs, and focused full-time on producing the highest quality of music for their sophomore effort. Before signing to Warner Bros Records, the two had gone to some extremes for survival, including donating plasma twice per week to raise money to eat, while honing in on their craft. Sears now has a tattoo of a dollar sign on his arm over his plasma scars to show that is where he made his money when he had nothing else. Priory's work and passion has clearly paid off on their new record, Need To Know. Released on April seventh via Warner Bros Records, their anthem-loaded sophomore LP is as grand as it is charming, and provoking thought among the listener both lyrically and musically.

Opening on the dance-friendly Call To Arms, Need To Know provides thirty four minutes of hook-filled, low-key, polished pop music. While the band has clearly taken a more electronic, and radio-ready approach to their newest record than their previous one, the progression from independent folk pop, to major label alternative pop seems natural as ever, as the band as the band has maintained their admirable, relatable, lyrics, and several of the songwriting elements seen on their self-titled debut, which shine especially shine through on the last track of the album, Mother Mary, a track that would sound perfectly in place on the aforementioned first record.

Priory's niche for pop melody and feel-good groove is heavily prevalent throughout the whole record, especially on the laid back party anthem, Weekend, which served as the album's lead single, and the Night Terrors of 1927-esque, Big Love, which asserts itself with confidently sung verses, booming bass lines, and exploding, hook-drenched choruses.

Accompanying Call To Arms on the dancebeat heavy side of the record is the rational thinking, New Thing, which rides catchy guitar picking, club-sounding synth hooks, and a massive slap-in-the-face chorus, and contains the album's biggest guitar solo.

The standout of the album, which is most likely to be single number two for the Northwest popsters is the Pro-LGBT anthem, Put 'Em Up, which presents Sears and Rush in top form, firing on all cylinders as songwriters, musicians, lyricists, and overall people. The most tasteful of guitar work, intertwines with perfectly-placed keyboard hooks, synth progressions, and clever, yet extremely meaningful lyrics, which show the duo's depth in the art of pop music and culture, as well as showcasing their musical intellect and songwriting skills.

“I don't care if you're a Christian / or Hare Krishna. / Who gave you the right to / judge another’s lover?” Rush rhetorically questions the world in the final verse before the song escalates into the final chorus.

With Priory's pop sensibilities, charming vibes, infectious guitar hooks, hard-hitting; thought-provoking lyrics, and ability to write a truly coherent and solid full-length album, they are poised for a breakout in 2015, as Weekend has already seen a fair amount of commercial success since its release last year. And while Priory will probably never sell out an arena, they already possess the discography, resources, and skills to make their rounds as full-time musicians for years to come, and more importantly have a truly authentic and awe-inspiring product that will capture the attention and hearts of many in the next few years to come.

Rating: 8/10

Essential Tracks: Put 'Em Up, Weekend, New Thing

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Smallpools - LoveTap! [Album Review]

Artist: Smallpools

Release: LoveTap!

Release Date: 24 March 2015

Label: RCA

For fans of: Walk the Moon, Phoenix, The Royal Concept, Passion Pit, Youngblood Hawke, San Cisco

After riding the tidal wave created in 2013 by their debut single, Dreaming, through 2014, Los Angeles alternative pop quartet Smallpools have finally returned with their first full-length album. Clocking in at forty-four minutes and thirty seconds, LoveTap! supplies the listener with fourteen tracks of indie pop goodness that are driven with electronic flare, and polished with tasteful guitar licks, a songwriting approach that is being seen more and more in today’s alternative music.

LoveTap! is figuratively and literally an extension of Smallpools' self-titled EP, as it contains the entire EP plus ten new songs, that all keep up with the same consistency of jubilant and infectious pop heard on the EP.

The album opens on the synth rock extravaganza American Love that drifts in and out of dreamy atmospheres and aggressive progression-driven choruses before diving into the singles portion of the record consisting of the Walk the Moon-esque Killer Whales, the dangerously catchy hook-ladden Dreaming, and Karaoke, a feel-good pop rock anthem with massive sing-a-long choruses, and gritty guitars. Outlining the rest of the record and Smallpools' LoveTap! era aspirations, the first four tracks set the tone for the rest of the album, that tugs back and forth between 80s-tinged indie and 00s-induced power pop.

Numbers like Street Fight and Admission To Your Party showcase the four-piece firing on all cylinders with irresistible guitar licks, charming piano charts, sexy bass lines,  and steady drum grooves while tunes like Mason Jar and 9 to 5 set the mood for humid summer night campfire parties in the jungle.

Coming to a close with (Submarine), LoveTap! finishes where it began on American Love with moody synthesizer auras and atmospheric trances.

Smallpools is currently gearing up to head out on their North American headline tour in support of LoveTap!, where they will be receiving support from fellow indie rock acts Grizfolk and Vinyl Theatre.

Rating: 7.5/10

Essential Tracks: Dreaming, Street Fight, Mason Jar, LoveTap!

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Twenty One Pilots release infectious new single, Tear In My Heart

Artist: Twenty One Pilots ( twentyonepilots )

Release: Tear In My Heart – Single

Release Date: 6 April 2015

Label: Fueled By Ramen

For Fans Of: Jukebox the Ghost, AWOLNATION, Matt & Kim, The Zolas, fun.

Ohian pop duo Twenty One Pilots have announced they will be releasing a new album on May 19th, and a tour with California indie rock group Echosmith will follow this summer. Tear In My Heart, is the second single from the new album, Blurryface, and was released on Monday via Fueled By Ramen.

Contradicting the first single from Blurryface, Fairly Local, Tear In My Heart is an upbeat power-pop extravaganza that relies heavily on powerhouse piano progressions from vocalist and songwriter Tyler Joseph, that deeply resembles Vancouver pop extraordinaires, The Zolas, and bounces along with charm, jangle, and grandeur.

With meaningful lyrics and a plethora of different sounds used throughout the track, it is a vintage Twenty One Pilots tune, resembling a cross between their previous three LPs.

Catch the band on tour with Echosmith this summer.

[altvibemusic]

[Album Review] San Cisco - Gracetown

Artist: San Cisco

Release: Gracetown

Release Date: 17 March 2014

Label: Island City Records

For fans of: The Griswolds, The Jungle Giants, Vacationer, Bad Suns, GROUPLOVE, OK Go

Western Australia indie pop outfit SanCisco are back with a new record to follow up their summery 2012self-titled LP. Gracetown, clocking in at thirty-eight minutes, delivers an array of hard-hitting indie pop music ranging from shimmering electronic pop grooves to quirky indie rock anthems.

Clearly avoiding the sophomore slump, San Cisco’s songwriting attitude has shifted noticeably since their previous releases. Immediately present on the opening track and lead single RUN, the band has grounded themselves from their former sound, which was clumsy at times, vertiginous at others, while still holding tightly onto their boldly tropical flare.

Opening with a tight bass line from Nick “I Literally Shot Myself in the Foot” Gardner and hazy vocals layered over beatboxing from lead vocalist Jordie Davieson, RUN serves as the flagship for the album, ridden with big hooks, atmospheric guitars, and love (or lust) driven lyrics, like vintage San Cisco, while implementing newer, darker textures. “You’ve never ever been the one chasing me / But you’re just having fun girl / you got me on the run”, Jordie pleas to his Isabella, attempting to describe the dangerous relationship between them.

The second track and single on the album is the jubilant bubblegum rock anthem, Too Much Time Together. Discussing a “messed up relationship”, as described by Davieson himself, Too Much Time Together rides a dominantly giddy, but definite rock vibe that would fit snugly on the band’s previous record, but proves its belonging on Gracetown with its tight guitar driven tempos and anthemic rock choruses.

Keeping up with the sun-soaked atmosphere presented on Too Much Time Together, track three, Magic, features lead vocals from drummer Scarlett Stevens as well as guitar progressions that stick to your mind like the bubblegum they are and charmingly feel-good synth lines. Also on the giddy pop side of the spectrum, is the laid back summer-pop jangle Wash It All Away. Frequently referred to as “Projection” by the band when played live, Wash It All Away delivers a good portion of Gracetown’s finest moments. From the dangerously catchy and clever lyrics delivered in the chorus, “Could you tell me if its love or lust / be honest / be honest”, to the supremely infectious guitar licks from lead guitarist Josh Biondillo, the song showcases San Cisco’s undeniable flare for exciteable pop music and lust-driven lyrics.

Coinciding with the quartet’s matured songwriting skills are deeper lyrical motifs, which shine through with brilliance, while crowded with mystique on tracks like Snow and About You. Snow features some of the album’s most heartfelt lyrics, as Davieson describes the hardships and relationship consequences that come along with being in a touring band. “Touched down from New York Back to LA / Forgot to get you flowers on your birthday / Told me not to bother, called you anyways  / Forgot I didn’t have any words to say” he sings, attempting to tackle the saddening reality of sacrifices that come along with pursuing a dream, halfway around the world, away from loved ones.

In addition to the shiny pop tune Magic, lead female vocals are also heard on the electro-hop induced Jealousy, featuring a verse by Isabella Manfredi of fellow Australian indie act, The Preatures, and the pre-True Romance Charli XCX-esque iTunes bonus track, Flashbang, which features more lead vocals from Scarlett.

When deciding on which is a more enjoyable collection of music, there is no clear victor between both of San Cisco’s full length albums, as they both glisten with awe-inspiring moments of unique and downright good music from a band who has a true knack for pop hook and indie vibe. However, San Cisco has undoubtedly shown a continuous pioneering of their indie pop brilliance, featuring different textures, elements, songwriting approaches, and executions on Gracetown that will continue to invigorate their already widespread and die-hard fan base, while pushing boundaries to the limits, and capturing the hearts of millions of new fans around the globe.

Rating: 8/10

Essential Tracks: RUN, Too Much Time Together, Wash It All Away