NDNA: Life Coded Through Music

NDNA (New Day, New Album) is a daily blog devoted to discovering new music, providing insight, and expanding horizons. Have a suggestion for tomorrow's album? Send it my way in a message and I'll be sure to add it to the schedule!

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NDNA Day 7: Royal Blood - Royal Blood

Royal Blood is the eponymous debut studio album released on August 25, 2014 by the British rock band Royal Blood. The drum and bass duo has a surprisingly full sound, using an octave pedal on the bass to emulate the flashy riffs of an electric lead guitar. The band found huge success following the release of their first album, reaching as high as #1 on the UK and Irish album charts as well as reaching #17 in the US. After hearing the brawny bass riffs, backed up by the pounding drums, it’s easy to see why critics had so much good to say about the new rock band from “Out of the Black.”

Royal Blood’s early singles, which include some of their most famous hits like “Little Monster” and “Come On Over” propelled the band into the forefront of both rock and indie musical circles due to the fact that, even at their simplest, Royal Blood can deliver a sound that is so full, it defies all preconceptions about needing a lead guitar to be a hard rock band. The perfect symmetry of “Blood Hands” showcases frontman and bassist Matt Kerr’s ability to tiptoe his vocal range as drummer Ben Thatcher toys with percussion, precise and calculated, but never afraid to break out. Having seen them live, I can easily say that the duo is more than capable of wowing audiences, as they put on one of the best shows I had seen in 2015.

Recent updates on Instagram point to the band heading back into the studio after their recent worldwide tour - a good sign for all fans hungry for new music from the British rock duo. Saying the band has big shoes to fill after the release of its debut album is a bit of an understatement. Nevertheless, I am more than confident Royal Blood will exceed expectations and surprise listeners with a fresh set of songs that fans will rush to add to their music library.

Royal Blood’s, Royal Blood, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and the NDNA Spotify Playlist.

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NDNA Day 6: Our Own House - MisterWives

Our Own House is the breakout debut album (released on February 24, 2015) by MisterWives, an American indie pop band based out of New York City. The five-piece band, led by singer and frontwoman Mandy Lee, exploded onto the pop music scene with its release of their EP, Reflections, which quickly found its way into the spotlight. With catchy hooks and an uplifting beat backed by Lee’s stunning vocal range, listeners found it difficult to sit still as they jammed out to the EP’s infectious energy. The later release of their debut album, Our Own House, instantly put the on-the-rise quintet center-stage.

The record is brimming with gems, from standout singles like “Our Own House” and “Reflections” to much more calm and relaxed ballads like “Queens” and “Coffins.” The band also isn’t afraid to branch out and address social topics like gender identity and societal roles with empowering lyrics underlining independence and strength for both men and women, alike. From start to finish, MisterWives explores the full range of moods, from fresh dance-floor numbers to deeply emotional melodies.

Finding an original niche in the already stacked-with-talent pop-rock genre is no easy task for any band, yet MisterWives gracefully achieves that by bridging the gap between folk pop and indie rock, simultaneously bringing out the best in both and not focusing entirely on either. Pairing stellar songwriting with an even more impressive stage presence (which I can vouch for personally, having seen them live back in September of 2015 during the Scrapbook Tour), it’s not hard to see why MisterWives was named MTV’s Artist to Watch in 2015, as they will certainly be looking to leave a lasting mark on listeners everywhere. Now that they are settling back down after their tour and heading back into the studio, MisterWives is, without a doubt, the exciting new band that should be on everybody’s radar.

MisterWives’, Our Own House, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and the NDNA Spotify Playlist.

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NDNA Day 5: Crash Kings - Crash Kings (as suggested by @alasmydearmate​)

Crash Kings is the debut album by the American rock band of the same name, Crash Kings, released on May 26th, 2009. The self-titled album propelled the Los Angeles based band into the limelight, with the album opener, “Mountain Man”, reaching #1 on the Billboard Alternative Radio charts in March of 2010. The most noteworthy aspect of Crash Kings, which sets them apart in the already saturated rock-pop bands on today’s radio waves, is the fact that there is no guitar to be found on the entire album - instead, utilizing the range of a clavinet with distortion effects and a whammy bar to emulate the flashiness of a lead guitar. It’s certainly a refreshing novelty that Crash Kings pulls off with grace.

The aforementioned chart-topping hit, “Mountain Man”, kicks off the album with ardent lyrics, supported in the chorus by an equally heavy bassline, which is careful not to overshadow the track, rather adding much needed depth to make it much more than just your everyday alternative rock song. The clavinet, being the bridge to cross the melodic space normally filled with a lead guitar, becomes especially prominent on the track “1985″, where frontman Tony Beliveau works his magic with the whammy bar to fit the job seamlessly. “My Love” closes out the album with a more laid-back atmosphere, leaving listeners much more relaxed (compared to the album’s earlier songs) and still wanting more.

The trio from LA knocks it out of the park with a self-titled debut album that is sure to remain in people’s music libraries for years. From beginning to end, Crash Kings establishes a hard-hitting sound that is both retro and modern - all without even using the harmonic tones of a lead guitar. But then again, who ever said anything about needing one anyway?

Crash Kings’, Crash Kings, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and the NDNA Spotify Playlist.

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NDNA Day 4: White Noise - PVRIS (as suggested by @grill3dch33sus)

White Noise is the debut album by the American alt-rock band PVRIS, released on November 4, 2014. Blending aspects of punk, pop, and electronic into their sound, PVRIS carries a strong post-hardcore vibe into their music, large enough to fill any venue. Starting with their single, “St. Patrick”, PVRIS has established themselves as a standout among the widely popular electro-punk soundscape.

Songs like “St. Patrick” and “My House“ show the raw energy and confidence the band possesses, which is exactly the feeling any band wants to impart on their debut album. Among the much softer songs, examples being “Eyelids” and “Holy”, PVRIS contrasts the others on the album in a way that shows the band’s ability to vary their tone while still remaining true to their genre. When pairing the piercing guitars and a pummeling drum beat with singer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen's smooth yet striking voice, everything comes together for the band that isn’t afraid to take risks in order to achieve their desired tone.

While they could be easily overlooked by some as just a Paramore copycat, PVRIS is definitely on the right track when it comes to developing their own, unique sound. Once they find that, they will certainly be filling stadiums and radio stations, alike, across the world. Overall, White Noise is an excellent album from one of the newer on-the-rise pop-rock bands.

PVRIS’, White Noise, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and in the NDNA Spotify Playlist.

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I suggest to you, Liam NEESON white noise by Pvris

Yay, this suggestion box actually works! Haha as you wish

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NDNA Day 3: I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning - Bright Eyes

I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (chronologically, the 3rd studio album released by the band) is one of two Bright Eyes albums (along with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) released on January 25, 2005. Even after a first listen, one can tell this record was made to be loved, listened to, and obsessed over by some but easily remembered by all, thanks in part to the remarks and social commentary to which most can relate. This album was meant to get scratched and worn out through constant rotation on the living room record player to help you relax while still getting deeply under your skin.

At The Bottom Of Everything sets the stage with a spoken word intro about a man consoling a panicked, newly-engaged woman as their flight plummets into the ocean, letting her know that death is just a doorway into new life.

First Day of My Life captures the feeling of love at first sight and the mutual dependence shared between two people in a relationship (”I think I was blind before I met you. Now I don’t know where I am, don’t know know where I’ve been... but I realized that I need you”).

Road To Joy provides a sobering conclusion for the album with hard-hitting lyrics that fearlessly address some topics nobody wants to bring up, such as religion, poverty, and most notably, war:

“So when you're asked to fight a war that's over nothing, It's best to join the side that's gonna win And no one's sure how all of this got started But we're gonna make them goddamn certain how it's gonna end”

Wide Awake seems to perfectly capture a stage in anyone's life at any given time: from the soul-crushing despairs of heartbreak, to the highest heights of hope, to the sour discontent for political affairs. This is the type of album that touches you one day and sticks around for the rest of your life.

Bright Eyes’, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and in the NDNA Spotify Playlist.

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NDNA Day 2: Tell Me I’m Pretty - Cage the Elephant

Tell Me I’m Pretty, the fourth studio album by American rock band Cage the Elephant, was released on December 18, 2015. Taking a different approach to their latest album, Cage the Elephant reins themselves in to produce an album that’s much more dialed back from what their listeners are used to hearing. Singer Matt Schultz mentioned in an interview that the band aimed to “capture the sentiment of each song, and whatever emotional response it provoked, to be really honest to that.”

With the assistance of The Black Keys’ frontman and producer, Dan Auerbach, “Cry Baby” and “Mess Around” open the album with a strong old school, grunge vibe. Rounding out the middle of the album, “Trouble” harkens back to the melodic tones of earlier albums like “Melophobia”, or even earlier, to their well known single, “Aberdeen.” “Cold Cold Cold” is also very much reminiscent of songs found on earlier albums in terms of gritty sound while at the same time touching on dark themes of depression and comparing the feelings of sadness and melancholy to cold and darkness.

Following their recent Grammy nomination in 2014 for Best Alternative Album for, arguably, the group’s strongest previous record, Melophobia, the timing for the release of Tell Me I’m Pretty couldn’t be better. Whether they decide to branch off of the new, more relaxed vibes found in their latest release or continue to pull from their earlier sound, Cage the Elephant will nonetheless impress audiences with their catchy riffs, solid drumlines, and surprisingly emotional lyrics.

Cage the Elephant’s, Tell Me I’m Pretty, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and in the NDNA Spotify playlist.

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NDNA Day 1: Funeral - Arcade Fire

Funeral, is the debut studio album by the Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on September 14, 2004. The album was named as such after several members of the band lost members of their family during the album’s recording. The six member band, (made up of Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, William Butler, Richard Reed Perry, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara), uses a wide variety of instruments to take the listener on a journey of self-discovery and introspection.

Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) provides a soft introduction into the album with its lyrical imagery and heart-felt vocals (As the day grows dim, I hear you sing a golden hymn, the song I've been trying to say). Songs like Crown of Love and Une Annee Sans Lumiere hammer the message home that while relationships aren’t permanent, feelings can last forever. Wake Up reveals the pain that comes when people repress the scarring memories that haunt them.

The album does an excellent job of grounding its listeners with emotionally rich lyrics while also raising spirits with a quick and empowering beat. While death is an ever-present theme throughout the album, Arcade Fire spins it in a way that both mourns the departed and lusts for life. It’s not often that an album is able to capture the emotions felt while emerging from a dark room, ready to face the day.

Arcade Fire’s, Funeral, can be found on: iTunes, Google Play Music, and in the NDNA Spotify playlist.