Timbre Blog

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Gasp! Timbre's a Webby Nominee!!

It’s been an exciting few days over here at Timbre. On the heels of the acquisition announcement, we learned that Timbre has been nominated for a Webby in the Music category! Timbre was selected among hundreds of entries to earn a spot on the ballot.

One award is decided by the people, so please drop us a vote! We appreciate all the support. It’s exciting to be a small company up against some steep competition!

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Secret's Out: Timbre's Been Acquired!

We are incredibly excited to tell you our big news - Timbre has been acquired by Seatwave! Seatwave is the leading ticketing marketplace for fans in the UK, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to work with the brilliant and passionate team there. The Timbre team is working closely with Seatwave to create a brand new best-in-class experience for live music discovery. The acquisition doesn’t mean the end of Timbre; it will continue to deliver concert listings across the globe.

The team behind Timbre’s acquisition, led by Seatwave CEO Ajay Chowdhury, know what it takes to make a successful product and have an incredible roadmap laid out for Timbre in the coming months.

When we created Timbre, we wanted a simple, beautiful way to get people listening to bands they may not otherwise have known about, and out seeing them live. The reception Timbre, our once-internal hackathon project, received from Boston and around the world far exceeded our wildest expectations. We were humbled by the sheer number of friends and strangers who rooted for Timbre’s success from day one, including our investors at Atlas Ventures, Boston Seed Capital, Marco Buchbinder and Joe Caruso and our advisors Michael Yanoff, Bob Cramer, and Brian Interland.

We are incredibly grateful for the journey we’ve embarked on while growing Timbre. We’re proud to have created a product that makes people truly happy. And now, we’re back to the grind at Intrepid, growing our team as fast as possible and building mobile experiences that delight our clients.

We’ve loved every moment of being a part of Timbre,

Mark, Matt, Andrea and the Timbre team

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12 Musical Acts to Follow in 2014

With 2013 coming to a close, we wanted to highlight some of the acts that we think you should catch live or listen to next year. We’re eying some groups with a simpler sound, and have included bands that - if you don’t already know them - you’ll be sure to recognize them when they crop up on the radio in the next few months.

Less is More

Who: Majical Cloudz What: Minimalistic sound with such simple and stark lyrics that you may be taken aback. Why: Lorde has tweeted about this duo before, placed them on her Top 10 Songs of 2013 list and as pop’s queen bee, that’s got to count for something.

Who: Doe Paoro What: Pair heavy bass beats with a clear, piercing voice and add some synth. Why: She’s on this year’s SXSW lineup, was featured on Stereogum in February as a band to watch, and has drawn up comparisons to James Blake and Lykke Li.

Who: fyfe What: Everyone likes a mystery. This bloke may have three different identities but this last one is curiouser than the rest. Luckily, he retains the distinct sound of previous projects. Why: Under David’s Lyre, he won a decent amount of attention before he ditched it for this moniker. His quiet releases, the most recent of which was Lies Pt. II, have not only received many a good word from critics, they’ve also slowly built up buzz.

Who: IYES What: Pronounced “eyes,” Brighton’s co-ed electronic duo has hints of The xx, and MS MR and are simply irresistible. Why: Last month, The Guardian drew readers’ attention to this pair, and they certainly have the potential to be all over music blogs in a few months.

The Bon Iver Sound-Alikes

Who: Ásgeir What: This Icelandic artist and Bon Iver may just as well be twins separated at birth. It sounds like it, anyway. Except this guy is bit less mopey. Why: Looking to our Scandinavian friends for the next big hit is not a new idea, and Ásgeir has proven his worth with a track that stuck at #1 on the Icelandic charts for 6 weeks.

Who: RY X What: A more electronic-y, space-y feel than his folky American counterpart. But he’s got that beard look down. Why: First, nearly all he’s put out has about half a million YouTube hits. Second, we’ve had our eye on him for a while now (he was our Jam back in October) and featured him in our vowel-less moniker post. Lastly, he’ll be touring Europe in February, where we expect him to win over some more hearts.

Who: Luke Sital-Singh What: Hailing from Britain, he’s got a similar multi-layered harmony over soft guitar strumming approach that’s been the winning combination for Bon Iver. Why: The comparisons to Wisconsin’s soft-voiced crooner coming from left and right and a spot on BBC Radio 1’s New Music We Trust back in March all sound very promising for Mr. Sital-Singh.

Tomorrow’s Pop-tastic Hit Names  

Who: NONONO What: Bound to bring you to the dance floor. Why: Another Scandinavian band, they’re so irresistibly catchy and upbeat that BBC’s Zane Lowe premiered their track.

Who: Betty Who What: The kind of in-your-face pop with a taste of 80’s throwback. Why: You know her - you just don’t know it. Her track was the one in that adorable Home Depot marriage proposal you saw a while back. You know, the one with 10.1 million views that got her that RCA deal. And yes, she’s been on multiple up-and-coming lists.

Follow the Leader

Who: Vance Joy What: Taking a hint from Avicii’s acoustic + electric dance hit, Riptide is the next Wake Me Up! Why: He’s won over the folks down under and we think he’s already movin’ on up.

Who: BANKS What: Intense, brooding, and soulful vocals you won’t soon forget.   Why: She’s well on her way to being the next big thing.  Not only is the web done more than its fair share creating buzz about her, everyone from the BBC to Katy Perry is spitting praise about this young lady.

Who: Miriam Bryant What: Sweden’s answer to Adele. Enough said. Why: If her wait-that’s-not-Adele? hit doesn’t take her anywhere, her work with now-household-name Zedd (which is also reflected in her more pop-y numbers) certainly will.

From the soft lullaby sound of Luke Sital-Singh to the dance-floor theme song by NONONO, we think we’ve got a pretty good idea of who we should all be watching out for. Agree or disagree?

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Timbre Staff Picks: San Francisco’s 5 Must-See Shows This Week

Hey there San Francisco! The holidays are fast approaching but it looks like Christmas came early; the batch of shows this week are quite the treat. This post includes a local act, an amazing Malaysian woman, and an electropop duo who seem to create another world on stage.  

Monday, 12.16.2013 Trevor Garrod at Sweetwater Music Hall

You may recognize San Francisco’s own Trevor Garrod as one of the vocalists and keyboardists in Tea Leaf Green. You can expect this solo show to be full of folky tunes - his album features a hefty amount of violin, guitar and piano - and a chill atmosphere, as he usually plays slower-moving stuff.

Wednesday, 12.18.2013 Yuna at Yoshi’s San Francisco She has a voice both music critics and fans are in love with. She rocks a hijab. She has her own clothing line. She describes her music as laid-back positive lush pop and we think that’s an excellent explanation of her gentle but upbeat sound. Need we say more? Don’t miss her.

Thursday, 12.19.2013 Caught A Ghost at Boom Boom Room They describe themselves as indie-electro soul, and they have some instances of a lo-fi rock sound that just screams The Black Keys. Listen for yourself.

Thursday, 12.19.2013 Wild Cub at Rickshaw Shop

This band from Nashville describes their album as a “collection of 13 captured moments” and it seems those thirteen instances have made quite the impression on the music critic community. They may not have yet generated the buzz they deserve, but the coverage by big names like Rolling Stone, Spin and Nylon Magazine makes us certain that this group is anything but a hyped, fleeting moment. Check out their infectious single, Thunder Clatter.

Friday, 12.20.2013 Purity Ring at 1015 Folsom

This Canadian electro-pop duo is DIY all the way down to Megan James’ hand-sewn performance outfits and the tree-like light instrument contraption built by Corin Roddick. The pair was named Best New Band of 2011 by blogging greats like Pitchfork and CMJ but what’s more impressive is that, they followed up the whirlwind of online buzz with even more engrossing live shows. They transform the stage, creating an environment that’s transfixing and mysterious.  

From Purity Ring’s extraterrestrial gadgets to Yuna’s beautiful headscarves, this week seems like it’s not only a delight for your ears but also quite a sight for your eyes. If you snap a picture at any of these shows, share it with us and the rest of Timbre’s users!

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From Music Videos to Album Covers, the Music World is Obsessed with Cats

Cats are the Internet craze that never seems to die down. Music and cats have been combined successfully for years now, perhaps with Nyan Cat being the ultimate face of this pairing. Although a certain fox stole the show over cats this year, we decided our feline friends could do with a bit of attention. Since we’re nearing the end of this year, we collected an assortment of music-cats combos for all our lolcat-loving readers.

Yeah, cats have littered music videos for a while now, from Holy F**k’s “Red Lights” music video, which involves cats driving, a red kaleidoscope of cats, and a cat band (on fire). They’ve made an appearance in Hey Geronimo’s meme-tastic music video and are the star of the show in Midnight Juggernaut’s black-and-white trippy “Systemic” music video, with its gravity-defying kittens. But that’s not the only time cats fly through the air in time to music; they’ve have also taken hilarious leaps set to AWOLNATION’s “Sail.”

Then there’s Debbie’s eHarmony video, which fell in the hands of guys behind Songify. Let’s just say, her bio involved talking about cats. Lots of cats. And now it’s a song on iTunes called “Can’t Hug Every Cat.” You might recognize a famous cat meme featured in the video, one who gained popularity back in 2009 and still has a site that’s full of media. Yep, keyboard cat never grows old on the Internet.

Music and cats were just made to be. The face of Klaxons’ Surfing the Void is a cat. Heck, there’s a whole Tumblr devoted to recreating album covers using kitties. California’s indie rock band Best Coast doesn’t try to hide their love for cats, putting one of their own on the cover of their Crazy For You album. Obviously, the cat is in the music video for the song of the same name, playing the director who leads a camera crew of cats. To top it all off, this summer, Buzzfeed used cat photos and GIFs to show the life cycle of a band. and O Music Awards announced that 2013’s favorite musical cat was Lil Bub.

If we’re so crazy about cats, is adding in a feline friend the way to make band’s music get big? After all, cat videos have a knack for going viral; why shouldn’t the music accompanying it too? We’re not quite sure, so we’ll just leave you with something to keep you occupied until you make up your mind: a video teaching you how to become a beatboxing pro using only boots and cats and the musical meowing of one group of four gals from London.

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Timbre Staff Picks: 5 Gigs Not To Miss in London this Week

This week, we’re eyeing a batch of shows happening across the pond. Yes, this week London is packed with all sorts of exciting gigs. We’ve got you covered from Monday to Monday, from Iceland’s answer to Bon Iver, to London’s own alternative pop group.

PS. Since this week’s focus is on London, we wrote the dates the European way (date.month.year)

09.12.2013

Esmerine at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen

This Canadian group is not your average group; armed with cello, marimba, and various percussion instruments, the band strikes up beautiful soundscapes. You can easily imagine their music trailing behind the protagonist in a movie or soundtracking a journey through foreign lands. Head over to their show and forget, for a moment, why we all hate Mondays.

10.12.2013

Frankie Rose at Roundhouse

She’s a familiar face for fans of Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls. Driving pop, hazy vocals and strong synths make up the core of Frankie Rose. If you don’t catch her Monday, you can see Dum Dum Girls perform later this week, on the 14th.  

11.12.2013

Ásgeir at Bush Hall

Some have dubbed Luke Sital-Singh as the British Bon Iver, but we would argue that Iceland’s Ásgeir comes closer to the charming folk harmonies conjured up by Justin Vernon. This guy’s album has hit the top of his nation’s charts, and for good reason. Listen to his hit song below, which we’d describe as what Bon Iver floating in space would sound like.

13.12.2013

Bombay Bicycle Club at Abbey Road Studios

This may not be the typical gig - you can only attend the show by buying their newest album by entering their contest - but it’s worth a shot. The band has come a long way since their teenage days, but Jack Steadman’s distinct wavering voice is still there and the group has matured without straying too far from their original indie rock sound.

16.12.2013

Bat and Ball at Old Blue Last

Come support London’s own alternative pop group. Some of their material has simple bass lines and soft vocals, bringing about many a comparison to The xx. They’ve also been noted to be similar to London Grammar, and while the two comparisons don’t have much in common aside from their hometown, Bat and Ball could be the artist linking the two.

If you end up going to any of these shows, let us know how it goes! Or better yet, have Ásgeir sign your arm and take a photo. You’ll thank us later.

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Timbre Staff Picks: 5 Nights of Live Music in Atlanta

With Georgia on our mind, we decided to highlight some of the talent that’s playing in Atlanta this week. We’ve got a batch of bands with some interesting stories; everything from an unconventional marriage proposal to a lucky drummer who was a part of the Queen of Pop’s touring band. So what’re you waiting for? See what’s in store for you - we’ve got every night of the week covered!

Wednesday, 12.04.2013

Powerkompany at The Drunken Unicorn

This duo from Athens, GA is quite the pair. They offer up an interesting mix of futuristic electric and nostalgic acoustic sounds, have written for Twitter Co-founders’ blog publishing platform, Medium, and apparently, are a package deal in the eyes of one woman, who proposed to the both of them.

Thursday, 12.05.2013

Kate Morrissey at Moonshadow Tavern

Piano playing with a bit of jazzy groove thrown in, Kate Morrissey’s sound is like a more traditional twist on Regina Spektor. The quirkiness of Spektor may not be there, but Morrissey never fails to entertain. Plus sometimes, instead of an upright bass there’s a cello.

Friday, 12.06.2013

Bombadil at Variety Playhouse

Yeah, they’re playing with Carolina Chocolate Drops, so that should be reason enough to see Bombadil this Friday, but this honest folk opener named after The Hobbit’s Tom Bombadil is not one to miss. Why do we say honest? Well, as they put it, everything they write “is true because lying is too hard.” For their most recent album, these multi-instrumentalists recorded in a cold barn in Oregon.

Saturday, 12.07.2013

Stokeswood at Terminal West

Atlanta-based group Stokeswood sounds like it could just be mashup material done by one DJ. But they’re a 5-man band that mixes traditional rock instruments with synth sounds with a dance vibe. They realize they’re not your typical act; they’ve even dubbed their own genre, “low-endie” rock, to describe it. You can sample their songs (download them for free) on their website.

Sunday, 12.08.2013

The Nth Power at Vinyl

Fancy some smooth soul to wind down your weekend? These guys (and girl) are bringing their New Orleans jazz to Atlanta. The Nth Power has great album material, but we all know this type of music is best heard live. Oh, and did we mention the drummer toured with Beyonce as a part of her all-female band?   

So get away from the rain that’s supposed to dampen the mood in Atlanta tonight and go check out these great acts! We’d love to see photos or hear about any great moments from these shows!

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15 LSR KNWN VWL-LS MSCL GRPS

We don’t know about you, but it seems like a lot of artists have been hit hard by the economy these days; it seems like no one can afford to buy a vowel anymore. From MGMT to MSTRKRFT to SBTRKT, disemvoweling (taking out the vowels in a word) seems to have moved beyond teenage text-speak and infiltrated the names of musical groups left and right. Below is a run-down of some lesser-known consonant-only bands. Oh, and we added pronunciations because, let’s be real, vowels are used in words for a reason; without them it can get a bit confusing.

HRVRD (pronounced Harvard) is actually from Charlotte, NC, not Harvard. An indie rock band who’s DIY from their album artwork, to the screen printing of their T-shirts to the booking of their shows.

MS MR (pronounced Miz Mister) is an NY-based duo that’s gained a lot of attention lately for their vintage indie pop. 

MNDR (pronounced Mander) is a bit confusing because its both the stage name of upbeat synth-pop artist Amanda Warner and a project in which she joins forces with Peter Wade. 

BLK JKS (pronounced Black Jacks) is a South African rock band, who, as you may have guessed, have some pretty great rhythms and beats. 

JMSN (pronounced Jameson) is the stage name for Christian Berishaj, an artist who conjures up minimal, alternative R&B tracks. 

LP (pronounced L P, like the vinyl) is a singer with an epic voice and sometimes wield a ukulele. 

FLWRGN (pronounced Flowergun) is an electronic indie duo hailing from Sydney. 

SLDGHMR (probably pronounced Sledgehammer) is not an intense metal band. It’s a two man electro-techno group from Miami. 

GHXST (pronounced Ghost) is a grungy, hard rock trio whose sound is probably as distorted as your attempt to read their name. 

LYS (pronounced L Y S) is a French rock band, who, despite doubts over the quality of French rock, produce some quality tracks.

JBM are the initials of Canadian singer-songwriter Jesse Marchant, who has opened for acts like St. Vincent, Sondre Lerche and A.A.Bondy, Alt-J and Damien Jurado. (pronounced Jay-Bee-Em)

DWNTWN  (pronounced Downtown?) is a electro-dream pop group from LA with female-lead vocals and some awesome album artwork.

K-X-P (pronounced K X P) is from Finland and was actually first named K-N-P, one for each an initial of the last name of the members, until the drummer (N) kept missing out on live performances and they replaced the middle letter to be a mysterious “X” drummer. 

And if this is one of those “sometimes” when Y is not a vowel...

RY X (pronounced R Y X) is basically what Bon Iver would sound like if he was floating in space. 

XXYYXX (pronounced X X Y Y X X) is the Tumblr-name-turned-moniker for Marcell Everett, a 16-year-old musician and producer who creates electronic lo-fi soundscapes that are just as mesmerizing as his music video. 

Sure, there’s more popular artists like STRFKR and Styx, or bands with number-consonant mash-ups like M83, but we wanted to keep the list a bit tidier and limited to some acts you may not have discovered yet. Anyway, there’s no better way to wrap up this post than to point you towards this Sporcle game, which makes you name bands whose monikers have been stripped down to bare consonants. Also, a Spotify playlist:

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Timbre Staff Picks: 5 Concerts in Austin

Last month, the annual Austin City Limits festival brought in some pretty awesome acts, from Arctic Monkeys and Haim, to Kendrick Lamar and MS MR. But just because the festival’s over doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on concert-wise. We know it can be a chore to figure out who’s worth seeing, so we did a quick round-up of bands that will be in town that you won’t want to miss. Also, Macklemore is coming the 29th. So don’t miss that because, well you know, it’s Macklemore.  But if you’re not digging his work, we’ve got an alternative act for your Friday night.

Tuesday, 11.26.2013 Danny Brooks @ River City Grille Gospel Blues musician Danny Brooks has been performing for a few decades now, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his groove. He describes his origins as “Texassippi,” a mix of Texas and Mississippi.

Tuesday, 11.26.2013 Cast Spells at the Mohwak Cast Spells is actually just one man: David Davidson. You may recognize his name from his work with his other band, Maps & Atlases, or maybe his work on Mountain Lion Mountain. Regardless, his distinctive voice should be enough of a draw for anyone to see his show.

Wednesday, 11.27.2013 Elsa Cross at The Blackheart Bar If you’re looking for upbeat tunes, quick rhythms and the rock-country combination that is rockabilly, Elsa Cross is your girl. She’s living in Austin now, so go support a hometown sweetheart this Wednesday.

Friday, 11.29.2013 Bob Schneider @ Gruene Hall First off, he’s got a sweet design for his website. Secondly, he’s based in Austin. Thirdly, he’s the frontman of The Scabs. And lastly, his crooning is likely to win over the hearts of some ladies, so watch out gentlemen.

Saturday, 11.30.2013 Joe Bonamassa at The Moody Theatre (Austin City Limits Live) Joe Bonamassa is your blues rock fix for the week. He plays guitar, but there’s usually some fiddlin’ and drumin’ thrown in there. He’s a pretty big deal, especially overseas. You don’t want to miss out.

So, Austin, you’ve got quite the week. Escape the in-laws or skip the craziness on Black Friday and catch a show! Who will you check out?

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Win Tickets to Smallpools Before They Only Play Arenas

In the sea of music, Smallpools is no small fish. We posted earlier about a new Hype Machine feature, and it was on that very site where Smallpools first caught the internet’s attention. Hitting number one on Hype Machine’s home page Popular chart, the newly-formed group quickly gained a strong fan base and was named one of MTV’s Buzzworthy Obsessions. Heck, you might have even heard them when Snapchat introduced their Stories feature, because their song was featured in the promo video.

So what’s the deal? We want to give you a chance to see the band before they explode to even greater sizes, because Smallpools has shown us is that time is no obstacle; the band was formed just this year and has already created a huge amount of buzz. They were already touring with Two Door Cinema Club and St. Lucia this October. And now you can catch their show for FREE!

That’s right, we’re giving away tickets to two shows:

12/03 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

12/05 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

It’s easy to enter - in fact, you’re only a few taps away! All you have to do is go on the app and scroll down to the date you’re looking for, click Smallpools, tap win free tickets and and tweet the show.

In the meantime, have a listen to their most popular tune:

Yeah, we know. Irresistibly catchy.

So what’re you waiting for? Open up Timbre and start sharing!

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Timbre Staff Picks: 5 Shows in San Francisco

With winter weather fast-approaching, we’re thinking of our friends in sunny California (yeah, we’re jealous.) So we took a look at which artists are swinging by San Francisco and gathered a list of the noteworthy talent that’s playing this week (yep, still jealous.) Check it out:

11.19.2013

Noah Gundersen at Great American Music Hall

This singer-songwriter is not only a talented artist, he’s also a good brother; Gundersen often performs with his little sister (they’re both in The Courage). His sound has hints of Damien Rice, so expect delicate ballads. Actually, the album artwork of Family is a pretty good visualization of what his music sounds like: calm like the blanket of snow on the rooftops, but with the sharp bite that comes with the cold.

11.21.2013

Albert Hammond Jr. at Slim’s

If you liked our post on side projects earlier this month, check out this show. Another Cali kid on this list, Hammond is a guitarist and keyboardist for The Strokes. Enough said.

11.22.2013

Vin Sol at 1015 Folsom

Yep, it sure is house music. It’s got the funky rhythms, looped samples, and a solid drum breakdown. Vin Sol spins a variety of layers of sounds and beats but at the end of the day it’s house.

11.22.2013

Shwayze at The Independent

Remember back in 2008 when Buzzin’ was a hit track? Or how about the summery Corona and Lime? Yeah, those feel-good, windows-down tunes will be hitting San Francisco this week. Bring back memories of lazy days on the beach with this performance by Aaron Smith.

11.23.2013

Geographer at Bimbo’s 365 Club

San Francisco’s own has toured with a lot of great artists, including Atlas Sound, Foster the People, Stars and Freelance Whales. Two worlds clash in Geographer’s music, best exemplified by Nathan Blaz’s electric cello - a combination of the old and the new. They describe themselves as “soulful music from outer space;” it’s up to you to decide which planet they’re from.

So, who are you going to see? Go ahead, tell us all about how it went, we won’t be too upset we missed it. (Well alright, we will, but we wanna know what we missed.)

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Hype Machine's (Somewhat Secretive) Albums Spotlight: Premiere

You know here at Timbre, we’re all about live music discovery. For us, that takes the form of concerts - finding new artists you love through our simple interface and buying tickets to see them hit the stage.

But among our friends on the interwebs, one music blog aggregator has begun yet another way to discover great artists. Most of you are already familiar with Hype Machine, and this month the site celebrated its integration into the Sonos system. But that’s not all that’s new for the site; they’ve added a feature that may not have been drawn to your attention yet: the Premiere section.

That’s right. It’s got a look that evokes images of Trntbl (a site that lets you listen to all the music posted by any Tumblr user on a simple interface) and it highlights new releases. It’s pretty great. At the top of the page, the album artwork graces the computer screen, drawing our attention to a piece of musical works that are often overlooked these days. The release date and a short review is posted, along with a link to the coverage it’s gotten on music blogs (of course). Underneath, you can stream the album via the minimalistic player. Right now, Jensen Sportag is featured - a funky mix of synth-y sounds, electronic ambiance and dreamy vocals - and you can catch him at his Nashville show this December.

So what do you think? Clearly, the “Popular” feed on Hype Machine already serves as a music discovery platform, but it seems Premiere complements this feature in a more eye-catching manner. (Seriously, you wouldn’t know it’s part of Hype Machine because the slick look of the section is significantly different than the rest of the site.) Will you be using Premiere to hear the latest? We’d like to know!

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3 Ways Technology is Changing the Way We Listen to Music

There’s been a lot of fuss over Google Glass’s new music-related functions this week. Sure, what Google Glass is doing for music is impressive and there will certainly be innovation stemming from these funky pair of frames, but don’t think they’re alone in affecting our music-listening habits. Technology has changed our music consumption experience in many ways, more and more frequently in recent years. Read on to get the lowdown on how our music consumption has been taken to a new level:

Hello Google Glass, (AKA Goodbye Shazam)

The web is abuzz with the new “Listen to” feature of Google Glass. The video introducing the music-friendly command tells the story of DJ and record producer Young Guru, who goes from hearing and identifying (thanks to Google Glass, of course) a track playing at a restaurant to mixing the song and surrounding sounds in his studio. Could this mean the great joys of identifying a catchy song on your own will soon be gone? With Glass, you won’t even have to open an app to find out what’s playing. 

For some, technology like Glass may seem a bit gimmicky, but its potential for creatives shines through in the promo video. A group like The Books, who create all of their musical works using “found sound”, or any musical artist who is looking to sample everyday sounds could really benefit from these features.

Interactive Music Videos, or, the End of the Passive Listener

You can’t talk about interactive music videos without mentioning mastermind Chris Milk, the director who has churned out a series of impressive works for music greats like Arcade Fire, Beck and Danger Mouse. Taking the combination of visuals and sound to a whole new level of immersion, Milk puts the art front and center, rather than simply soundtracking the day of the current multitasking generation. Forget leaving the page - the videos demand interaction on the part of the listener, so it’s impossible to passively listen to the music, just another background tab open in their browsers. Other bands have also embraced this style; most recently, Bombay Bicycle Club put out their newest single Carry Me in an interactive music video format. Listeners can toggle between various positions and movements to make the band and ballerinas dance. Sure, there are many other variations of engaging music videos, but this style has not only stood out - it’s been warmly received.

Apps: the Fan as the Artist

There have been multiple approaches to apps, but the most common is the one that follows Snow Patrol’s 2008 “interactive album” app model: basically, an app that provides lyrics, photos and content typically found on the band’s site.

Others have used the app as the medium of the album itself; Delaware’s Re<ords has released albums that can only be heard in app format. But there are others, that introduce a larger role for the user. Think of some recent apps - Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP, or Metric’s Synthetica - which create completely different content from the app, providing an experience that does not exist outside the medium. For example, in Synthetica, fans are able to remix the album through a series of grids and controls that change aspects of the sound, including the pitch, echo and reverb. In this case, the listener is becoming an artist themselves, creating their own version of Metric’s material.

So that’s a wrap. There are plenty of other music-industry technologies that are blooming - WireWAX’s taggable video technology has made shoppable music videos possible and the new PlayStation4 will bring your own music into video games - so keep an eye out. But for now, know that the days of having to go on extensive searches to find the name of that tunnel song (yes, we just referenced The Perks of Being a Wallflower) are soon to be over.

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Timbre Staff Picks: 5 Shows in Boston + Ticket Giveaways

Well will you look at that? Two great Timbre posts in one! Not only do we have a roundup of great shows to see this week, we’ve also got a great giveaway thanks to our friends at Bowery.

First things first, the free stuff. Let’s get you out to see some shows, namely:

11/11 Native - dark rock will be filling the beloved Great Scott next Monday

11/15 Macy Gray - neo-soul Grammy-award winning artist. Everyone knows her hit single “I Try”

11/16 Sleigh Bells - spitting out noise pop this Saturday at the Royale

11/22 Lissie - we suggest you catch this singer-songwriter before she moves on to even bigger venues

So how do you win tickets? Easy. Go on the app and find the show you’re looking for (they’re easier than ever to find since they’re now highlighted green and have a free ticket icon). All you have to do is tap ‘Win free tickets’ and tweet to win!

Now, moving on to more music! I don’t think we need to tell that Kanye and Kendrick are in town this week. But there are some performances we wanted to draw your attention to, check ‘em out:

11/11 Leagues @ Brighton Music Hall

Nashville’s Leagues pump out infectious indie pop, but it wasn’t always so. The members all came from varying pasts, but the trio has come together to create quite the band. Take a listen, they’ll win you over soon. Fun fact: the lead singer, Thad Cockrell, is the only one out of the three brothers to not become a pastor.

11.12.2013 Hot like Fire @ Darryl’s Corner

Time to get on that reggae groove. Berklee College grad Kelley Bolduc founded this Caribbean-influenced group. Combat the New England weather with some feel-good island tunes.

11.13.2013 Sky Ferreira @ Paradise Rock Club

This LA-born singer-songwriter, actress and model was friends with Michael Jackson, thanks to her grandmother, who worked with Jackson. Her hit song packs a pop-y punch but she also plays some slower and softer guitar jams. And yes, her real name is Sky.

11.14.2013 Young the Giant @ The Red Room at Cafe 939

Their catchy indie pop rock has been all over TV, from The Real World to Glee. They’ve got a new album coming out, so hear their newest work before it becomes a hit - their distinct sound is sure to push their songs to even greater popularity.   

11.15.2013 JMSN @ Brighton Music Hall

Apparently this R&B electronica artist is Usher’s favorite new act. Get a taste of his tunes before you decide you can’t miss this show, because trust us - you won’t want to.

Well, Boston. That’s all for now. Go win some tickets and enjoy a night on us, or check out some of the great acts rolling into town this week! As always, if you’ve got any questions or suggestions, hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.

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25 Side Projects You Need To Know

Embarking on a side project is an interesting move by artists. Sometimes, they end up being more popular than their original band; other times, they serve as a low-key way to create music without the expectations created by one’s already-established reputation. Compare the Blur vs. more popular Gorillaz with Jack White vs. his lesser known band, The Raconteurs. 

It’s possible that your favorite artist has a side project that you might not even know about it (and that would be terrible!) We want to bring to your attention to great works of artists you already know. Inspired by legendary rock star and frontman of the Velvet Underground Lou Reed (RIP), we created a Spotify playlist featuring various solo works and side projects. 

Below find a compilation of some obvious (and some more obscure) groups and artists who’ve put out some remarkable side projects.

Want to know who’s who?

Volcano Choir - Bon Iver

Gold Motel - The Hush Sound’s Greta Morgan

Poor Moon - Fleet Foxes

Discovery - Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, Ra Ra Riot’s Wes Miles  

David’s Lyre - fyfe

Johnny Marr - The Smiths’ Johnny Marr

Jamie xx - Jamie of The xx 

Ducktails - Real Estate

Fistful of Mercy - Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur

The Raconteurs - Jack White

Lou Reed - The Velvet Underground

Jónsi - Sigur Rós

Maximum Balloon - TV on the Radio

Junip - José Gonzalez

Broken Bells - The Shins

She & Him - M. Ward

St. Vincent - Sufjan Stevens’ Annie Clark

Beyoncé - Back when Destiny’s Child was a thing…

Animal Collective - Panda Bear

Destroyer - The New Pornographers’ Dan Bejar

Paul Banks - Interpol

Father John Misty - Fleet Foxes’ Joshua Tillman

Albert Hammond, Jr. - The Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr.

Atoms for Peace - Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Flea, Beck & R.E.M.’s Joey Waronker

La Sera - Vivian Girls 

Which side project is your favorite? Have you stumbled across a different side project you love? Tell us on Twitter or Facebook.

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Timbre Staff Picks: A Week of Live Music in LA

This Halloween, Iron and Wine and Laura Mvula haunted the Orpheum Theatre with their lovely tunes. Did ya miss it? Never fear, this post has a list of not-to-miss concerts (aside from, you know, our app which lists every live music show near you). In fact, there are so many artists in Los Angeles that we decided to feature two each day of the week.

You know that here at Timbre, we keep things simple, so we’ll follow each artist with a super short description. It’s up to you to discover the greatness beyond that.

Monday, 11.04.2013

Phildel at Hotel Cafe - The way she conjures up melodies, you’d never know she was forbidden to listen to music by her stepfather.

-or-

Diego Garcia at Troubadour - This Argentine singer and guitarist has conjured many comparisons, from David Bowie to Julio Iglesias.

Tuesday 11.05.2013

Destroyer at Hollywood Forever Cemetery - The solo project of New Pornographers and Swan Lake member Dan Bejar.

-or-

Camp Counselors at Echo- Soft and dreamy ambient electronica.

Wednesday 11.06.2013

Atlas Genius at The Wiltern - The Australian blokes behind the hit song “Trojans” recently released more great tunes to complement the single.

-and-

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. at The Wiltern - Detroit’s indie pop duo (with an electronic tinge) isn’t named after either member.

Thursday 11.07.2013

The Griswolds at The Satellite - A band that’s brings to mind MGMT, but with more rock.

-or-

Tired Pony at Hollywood Forever Cemetery - A folky feel from a group that includes artists that have either worked with or are members of Snow Patrol, R.E.M, and Belle & Sebastian.

Friday 11.08.2013

Born Ruffians at Echoplex - Yeah, they’re those guys who did “Hummngbird” - their newest album is an exciting crop of indie pop tunes.

-or-

Explosions in the Sky at Staples Center - Cinematic soundtracks, pure instrumental goodness.

Well, which ones will you choose? We’re still trying to decide the ideal lineup ourselves. Tweet us your favorites for the week @timbreapp - we want to hear all about it!

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Win a Pair of Tickets PLUS a Meet and Greet with Parachute and Plain White T’s

Admit it, we were all in love with Chicago’s Plain White T’s. Who could forget how hard we fell for ‘Hey There Delilah’ - a total crowd pleaser? Then there was the catchy ‘1,2,3,4’ and finally, ‘Rhythm of Love’ before the band seemingly took a hiatus from our radar. Well, they’re back with a new EP and co-headlining a tour with Parachute! So prepare to hear Tom Higgenson’s crooning in person.

We’re excited to announce that, not only do we have tickets but also (ok, the title gave it away, we couldn’t hold it in) a meet and greet with both  bands, Parachute and Plain White T's! Amazing, right? 

Check the dates below, and follow the directions below to enter for a chance to win the tickets!

11.05.13 - Wilmington, DE @ World Cafe Live At The Queen

11.07.13 - Salisbury, MA @ Blue Ocean Music Hall (18+)

11.08.13 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony

11.09.13 - Westbury, NY @ The Space at Westbury (16+)

11.10.13 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live

11.13.13 - Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall

11.17.13* - Davenport, IA @ St. Ambrose University

11.19.13* - Sioux Falls, SD @ Augustana College

11.20.13 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

11.21.13 - Reading, PA @ Santandar PAC

11.22.2013 - Burlington VT @ Higher Ground

11.23.2013 - Portland ME @ The Asylum (18+)

* On these dates, only Plain White T's will be available for the meet & greets. 

1. Open up the Timbre app (if you don’t have it, download it for free for iOS or Android)

2. Find the Parachute and Plain White T’s show by typing in your city or using the current location button

3. Click “Win Free Tickets”

  4. Share the gig to enter for a chance to win! 

So, what are you waiting for? Start sharing the shows! 

Contest rules.