What would we expect from the Scholars in the wake of the tragic shootings from a couple weeks ago? A thought-provoking song reminding us that this shit happens all the time… The difference in the media coverage is dependent on where it happens. I tip my cap to you, Geo.
MAY DAY
Just a quick one… Thanks to everyone who has supported our blog over the past year, we just accumulated our 10,000th view. Amazing.
In celebration:
Like, woah! Look at the dudes from River Giant already on KEXP! It was only a few months ago that they contacted putabirdonit with news of their initial release, and now they’re on KEXP? Well, shit. Way to go for the guys. Watch the videos and you’ll understand why KEXP was so stoked to have them in the studio.
Guante is a Minneapolis hip-hop artist, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, social justice activist and educator. His work, “explores the places where progressive politics, magical realism, working-class identity and the power of perspective”. I was fortunate enough to see Guante preform (and be blown away) his poetry at the Occupy Minnesota opening day. After a few listens, you’ll realize that Guante possesses the amazing quality and ability to be relentlessly genuine and honest through his art. It’s a damn shame that guys with this amount of talent aren’t bigger than this… but that’s how things work. So do your job and spread the word on Guante if you dig this. Enjoy!
“Dragons” (Live on 89.3 theCurrent)
The Damp Foggy Night
“Reach” (Live)… some of his slam poetry
Of Monsters & Men is an increasingly popular 6-piece indie folk band from the wonderful country of Iceland. We’ve covered numerous Icelandic artists here at putabirdonit, such as Sigur Ros, Bjork, & Snorri Helgason, and the commonality between all of the music seems to be the humble, unique, and genuine nature of the art. I’m not quite sure what or why it is, but Iceland seems to be producing wonderful music. The capital city of Reykjavik is considered to be a sister city of music with Seattle, and KEXP puts on an annual concert featuring artists from both cities (see our post on Snorri). The bands first official album, titled My Head is an Animal, was released in the US exactly one month ago, was received well by numerous critical sources, and peaked at #1 on US rock and alternative charts. Due to the success, the band was recently signed to Universal Records and has embarked upon a US tour (Catch them at Sasquatch this year!). The video for the lead single from the album, “Little Talks” is below, as well as a live video from KEXP. Enjoy!
“Little Talks”
“Dirty Paws”
Hailing from the East Coast, hip-hop duo Tru Fam has a catchy and fresh sound. Having just finished the Vans Warped Tour last year, the future looks bright for these young guns. Their style has a nice balance between being serious and fun, all the while holding on to an undeniable swag and joy for their music. The duo is working hard to get into the rap game, and if you dig their tunes, go and support them by liking them on Facebook and spreading the word. Below is the video for the song “Denim Cashmere”. You heard it here first!
Math-Catch? What the hell is that? Well, it’s This Town Needs Guns. Super catchy math rock. Trust me, from listening to enough math rock, it can be nearly impossible at times to find a math rock band that doesn’t give you a headache by the end of a few songs. That being said, TTNG has created a beautiful meld of melody and intricate musicianship. A three piece band hailing from Oxford, TTNG was formed back in 2004 and has since released one album, two EPs, and four singles. A fun fact about these guys: their drummer Chris Collis was a librarian and guitarist Chris Collis was a primary school teacher before the start of the band. Moral of the story? Don’t sleep on random people with seemingly insignificant (I argue against this of course, but some say so) jobs. They may be tomorrows rock stars!
Illuminatrz is a Seattle-based hip-hop duo that consists of Brodcast & Wittman that centers itself around a laid back and genuine northwest vibe. I’m personally a fan of the relationship between Wittman’s subtly musical beats when they’re coupled with Brodcast’s conscious yet not corny lyrics. When I get a chance to play some of the Illuminatrz tracks it immediately takes me to that classic northwest cloudy day when it’s not really raining at all, but the streets always seem wet… if you’re from the nw you get what I’m saying. Point is this, these guys tap into their hometown, and they create something meaningful and authentic out of that inspiration. It seems like the constant rain allows for young artists like Illuminatrz to get inside, focus on music, and grow. Enough of my talk… you be the judge.
New music video for their single “HoRiZoN (New Era)”
“Crash”
So, you know what’s pretty fucking rad about bands like The Lonely Forest? Well, they care about their fans. Plain and simple. And most importantly, they let their fans know it. These guys have been so great to their fans over the years, and even through getting bigger and more famous, they still seem to maintain a genuine connection with random individuals who love their music. An example of this? Well, the guys just started a contest, and the winner will get a ton of TLF stuff including vinyls, autographs, limited edition stuff, etc. What do you gotta do? Just record a cover of “Go Outside” and make sure you specify that your cover is for the contest, and shazam! The video with the most views win. Here is an example of such a cover:
Here is the link to all the official details in case my semi-coherent description didn’t suffice…
http://www.facebook.com/thelonelyforest/app_331839823541028
Alright, best of luck!
Alright everybody, a brand new (I’m talking like… 24 hours old) along and music video from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. It was featured on the XXL 2012 Freshman Mixtape, and after a listen you’ll understand why. The song is titled “Victory Lap” and it tells the story of Macklemore’s last 10 years in the music industry. Enjoy!
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