Gang Gang Dance

Gang Gang Dance is an American experimental music band based in Manhattan, NY. The band is known for its distinctive sound which features synthesized electronics and percussion, plus the varied vocal styles of singer Lizzi Bougatsos. The band consists of Lizzi (vocals/percussion), Brian DeGraw (keys), Josh Diamond (guitar), Jesse Lee (drums), and Taka Imamura (vibes manager/muse/shaman/roadie). Tim DeWitt and Nathan Maddox were founding members of Gang Gang Dance. Tim Dewitt was the original drummer and Nathan Maddox was a vocalist. Maddox unfortunately was killed when he was struck by lightning while watching a thunderstorm on a rooftop in New York's Chinatown in 2002. "He had always wanted to be struck by lightning," DeGraw later wrote, "[and] when this particular storm rolled into the city, he made a point of going to the roof and offering himself to the sky, as he always did, and this time the sky obliged." The band seemed to gel and really start to take things a bit more "seriously" after the death. It was in 2004 that they released two LPs, but it wasn't until 2005 that they released their defining album. They recently released their newest album Eye Contact, this past May and this is "Mindkilla" from that album.

www.ganggangdance.com

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Futurebirds

Futurebirds are a psychedelic country rock band from Athens, GA. The cast and crew of the band include Carter King (vocals/guitar/banjo/keys), Payton Bradford (drums/banjo/vocals), Thomas Johnson (mandolin/guitar), Brannen Miles (bass), Daniel Womack (guitar), and Dennis Love (pedal steel). Their name is derived from an old Native American legend. While sitting in a University of Georgia poultry science class “down at the chicken factory in Athens,” King learned that Native Americans believed birds could read and tell the future, and thus the name Futurebirds was born. Futurebirds are known for their high energy shows and country rock infused sound. Their music incorporates reverb-soaked four-part harmonies supported by pedal steel guitar, rhythmic percussion, banjo, mandolin, and acoustic and electric guitars with heavy feedback. I am real excited to see this band in October at the Larimer Lounge in Denver. This is "Ski Chalet" off of their 2010 release Hampton's Lullaby.

www.futurebirdsmusic.com

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Evaline

Evaline is a rock band from Turlock, CA consisting of Richard Perry (vocals), Christian Lewis (guitar), Dominic Di Ciano (guitar), Steven Pedersen (bass), Greg Petersen (drums), and Daniel Petersen (baritone guitar). Evaline have existed, in one form or another, since the summer of 2003. Fresh out of school, they caught their first break when a friend of the band slipped a demo to The Used’s guitarist Quinn Allman following a show. Shortly after, Allman got in touch with the group and invited them to take a break from playing shows around their home in California, and record an EP with him in Salt Lake City, UT. For the following two years, the group tirelessly toured in support of the EP, but their relationship with Maverick ended after the label was bought out by Warner Music Group. While on tour, Evaline played in countless cities across North America and were included on the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour and Rockstar’s Taste of Chaos. During those two years, friend of the band, Greg Petersen, was added to the lineup. In 2008, they went home, reevaluated their sound, and began to write again. The band reemerged with a host of songs that were layered, passionate and thoughtful. In this time, Greg’s older brother Daniel was added on baritone guitar. Daniel studied sound engineering in school, and his inclusion has helped expedite the recording process. This is "Beneath The Fire" off their latest album (released this past June) Woven Material.

www.evaline.co.uk

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Happy Birthday Ben Gibbard!

Benjamin Gibbard is an American musician known as a member of several successful indie rock bands. He is the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, and is also known for his project ¡All-Time Quarterback! and his first band, Pinwheel. He is married to Zooey Deschanel of the duo She & Him. You may have also seen her in such films as Almost Famous, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and (500) Days of Summer.

Death Cab for Cutie is an American Emo/Indie band formed in Bellingham, WA in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard (vocals/guitar/piano), Chris Walla (guitar/production/ keys), Nick Harmer (bass), and Jason McGerr (drums). Gibbard took the band name from the title of the song written by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall and performed by their group, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, in The Beatles' 1967 film, Magical Mystery Tour. Death Cab for Cutie began as a solo project of Ben Gibbard while he was the guitar player for the band Pinwheel and was recording under the name All-Time Quarterback. As Death Cab for Cutie, Gibbard released a cassette titled You Can Play These Songs with Chords; the release was surprisingly successful and Gibbard decided to expand the project into a complete band. This is their tune "I Will Possess Your Heart" off of their sixth release Narrow Stairs.

www.deathcabforcutie.com

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The Lines

The Lines (not to be confused with the 1977 English post-punk band) are a four-piece indie rock band from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England who are signed to Amboy Road Records, although previously had released their debut single on Weekender records in February 2008. The band members are Dean Bate (lead guitar), Dave O'Connor (drums/samples), Alex Ohm (vocals/guitar), and Danny Pease (Bass). The Lines formed in 2006 with lifetime school friends Dean Bate and Alex Ohm. Following a few early line up changes, drummer Ryan Edwards joined in 2007 and completed the groups most successful line. The Lines released their debut single "Domino Effect" in 2008, and achieved number ten in the UK Charts. Edwards left the group shortly thereafter, as he felt he needed a career change from music, Chris Titley also left the band due to personal reasons, and was quickly replaced by Danny Pease. This is "Circles" off of their debut album The Lines.

www.wearethelines.com

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Gloria Cycles

Gloria Cycles is an English indie rock band consisting of Kenny McCracken (vocals/guitar), Jen Dalby (vox/bass), Julian Ward (guitar/vocals), and Jack Hannan (drums). Founding members Kenny McCracken and Julian Ward, first met at Brighton University, a south coast petri dish breeding creative talent. Both were studying photography, achieving their own merits along the way and it wasn't until degrees were done and dusted that they decided to enter into a musical partnership. This was sealed in the Brighton boozer The Basketmakers Arms, where the name was taken from a tin sign on the wall advertising an "Agency for Gloria Cycles." Kenny's first musical experiences were on a piano in his parents' garage in Glasgow, aged 4, while Jules, who grew up in Sussex, had always carried a passion for music heavily influenced by his father's vinyl collection and acoustic guitar. Both progressed through teenage bands. Through mutual friends the pair later met Jen Dalby, who had moved from Newcastle to Brighton to study fashion. Raised on her father's record collection, she had recently taken up the bass, but unknown to them all she also had a beautiful, harmonic voice. Lastly, they found drummer Jack Hannan and the picture became complete. Born in Abu Dhabi, he spent 10 years in Boston, MA before returning to England. His drumming experience is very comprehensive, from musical theater to punk rock, urban hip-hop and everything in between. Far from being another run-of-the-mill indie guitar band, Gloria Cycles songs are as diverse as their characters and musical references. Many Cycles songs are conceived without their author even being wholly conscious. "I often record them while drunk, go to bed, find them in the morning, then work on them," says Kenny. Gloria Cycles is a musical democracy with Kenny penning the lyrics, and every member twisting, turning, and manipulating a melody with guitars, drums and bass until it reaches its final glorious form. This "Vegas" off their debut album Campsite Discotheque.

www.myspace.com/gloriacycles

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French Films

French Films is an indie rock band from Helsinki, Finland. The current lineup consists of Johannes Leppänen (guitar/vocals), Joni Kähkönen (guitar/vocals), Mikael Jurmu (bass/vocals), Santtu Vainio (keys), and Antti Inkiläinen (drums). The young band is attracting a lot of attention already. The group got started in 2010 by putting couple of home demos on their myspace page, which led to largely positive feedback and interest all over the world. The musical style of the band varies between garage, surf rock, post punk and new wave pop. They bring a breath of fresh air but at the same time there is something old school in their style and that combination makes them stand out in a very positive way. Their debut album Imaginary Future is set to release this September. This is "Golden Sea" off their EP of the same name.

www.myspace.com/frenchfilmsofficial

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Abigail Washburn

Abigail Washburn born in Evanston, IL, is an American clawhammer banjo player and singer. She performs and records as a soloist, as well as with the old-time bands Uncle Earl and Sparrow Quartet. She spent her elementary and part of her junior high school years in a suburb of Washington, D.C.. She attended high school in Minnesota, then attended Colorado College (Colorado Springs), where she was the school's first East Asian studies major. Following this, she spent some time living in China, where she had dreams of being a lawyer (having first visited that nation in 1996). She then spent three years in Vermont before moving to Nashville, TN. In 2007 Washburn entered a songwriting contest at MerleFest (a bluegrass music festival in North Carolina), winning second place for her song "Rockabye Dixie" and gaining the attention of the Nettwerk record label. Also in 2007, Washburn was reported as being the "girlfriend" of Béla Fleck. In September 2008, Fleck was alleged to be the "boyfriend" of Abigail Washburn. In May 2009, the Bluegrass Intelligencer satirized the upcoming wedding of Washburn and Fleck, joking that the couple promise to have a "male heir" who will be the "Holy Banjo Emperor". In February 2010, The Aspen Times reported that Washburn had become Fleck's wife in the previous year. In a July 2010 interview, Washburn said she first met her husband in Nashville at a square dance where she was dancing and he was playing. This is "City of Refuge" off her 2011 release of the same name.

www.abigailwashburn.com

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Happy Birthday Kaz & Happy Birthday Katy

I want to give a shout out to my boy Kaz, because today is his birthday. This video should put a smile on his face and possibly a tear to his eye. A little back and forth between Eyedea (1981-2010) and Slug from Atmosphere. Enjoy buddy! Hope your day is just beachy!

www.micheallarsen.com
www.myspace.com/atmosphere



There is also another birthday today that I must recognize and that is Miss Katy. She just saw this band last week up in the good ole state of Wyoming. I hope this adds an extra slice of specialness to your day!

www.zacbrownband.com

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Smith Westerns

Smith Westerns are an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Smith Westerns consists of Cullen Omori (vocals), Max Kakacek (Guitar), and Cameron Omori (Bass). Their musical influences include David Bowie, Marc Bolan, T. Rex and Brit Pop. All members range in age from 19 to 20. Since forming in 2007, Smith Westerns have managed to tour both the United States and Europe while supporting the likes of MGMT, Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian, Girls, and Passion Pit. Their self recorded “lo-fi” debut Smith Westerns released in 2009, garnered critical acclaim for their youthful and glam rock tinged approach to pop music. In 2010, Smith Westerns teamed up with Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TVOTR, Beach House) and current record label Fat Possum to record their sophomore effort in a proper studio. The result was a cleaner and higher quality recording of lush, layered timeless pop songs. This is "Tonight" off the aforementioned album.

www.smithwesternsmusic.com

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Julianna Barwick

Louisiana-bred, Brooklyn-based recording artist Julianna Barwick crafts ethereal, largely wordless soundscapes, all of which are built around multiple loops and layers of her angelic voice. Barwick, who credits a rural, church choir upbringing for her unique sound, begins most tracks with a single phrase or refrain, then uses a loop station and the occasional piano or percussive instrument to build the song into a swirling mass of lush, ambient folk. She released her first two collections of songs, the full-length Sanguine and the EP Florine, in 2009 and 2010. She recently signed with Asthmatic Kitty Records. This is "Prizewinning" off her debut LP Magic Place.  Hopefully this tune will not put you to sleep as you begin the week on the ever tough Monday.

www.juliannabarwick.com

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