"Red & Blue" is Kind Hearted Strangers' Siren Song for 2020

By: Brody Coronelli

In this current social and political moment, behind the amplified and passionate declarations uttered during conversations between friends, family and acquaintances, most people are quietly wondering the same things: How did we get here? Where did this constant sense of division and conflict arise from? How do we move forward, maintain empathy and connection, and overcome this? 

Kind Hearted Strangers. Photo Credit: Charla Harvey

Kind Hearted Strangers. Photo Credit: Charla Harvey

On their new single “Red & Blue”, the Boulder folk-rock band Kind Hearted Strangers (singer/guitarist Marc Townes, guitarist Kevin Hinder, bassist Marshall Carlson, and drummer Brian Ireland) have set out to address this. Townes emphasizes that they aren't here to tell people what to do or who to vote for; all they want is for people to try to find ways to come together and be kind to each other despite their differences in belief. 

“You have these very polarizing sides of the conversation, and all the news takes each of those ends of the spectrum and runs with them, but the vast majority of us all feel the same way,” frontman Marc Townes says. “We’re all good people, we all know what’s right, and we all have the best intentions. It’s insane that the people who have become the leaders right now got there— they don’t reflect us.” 

The song’s lyrical, elastic verses describing political disillusionment and confusion build into a shimmering pre-chorus where Townes finds himself “Waiting for the signal/Waiting for the go,”  leading to a proclamation of the song’s title over a percussive, windows-down hook that hits like a fireworks show. 

The artwork for the single.

The artwork for the single.

Townes started writing the song during the 2016 election when he was standing around the TV with friends, baffled by what he was witnessing. Describing the moment as feeling like “the Alamo was being taken,” the only thing he felt like he could do was turn to music. It took until 2020, when political and social division heightened and COVID-19 brought the world to a screeching halt, when “Red and Blue” felt immediate enough to release. 

He talks about how the song was inspired by feeling disillusioned by the polarization and antagonization that continues to swell, making it harder to find kindness and peace amongst others. This is who “Red & Blue” is for— the people who feel left in the dust by the ever increasing, unfiltered noise. 

“The people at the farthest end of the spectrum are the ones with the loudest voices, and we need to end that,” Townes says. The people that are inherently good aren’t as loud, and the people that have these loud, polarizing views are dictating everything, and that’s not right.” 

Kind Hearted Strangers has never been a straightforwardly political band, and Townes emphasizes that they still aren’t. During our conversation, he joked that the rest of the band’s upcoming LP East // West is just love songs, and while that’s only partially true, he also described songs like “The Egoist” (off the upcoming LP)  which was written about conspiracy theories. 

“I will always have to write things about relationships. The experiences that you have with other people are all important, and often far more immediate than something you’d watch on the news or experience politically,” he says. 

“Red and Blue” kicks off the release of East // West, due out in early January, with a big, sparkling firework show. The album was recorded with Todd Divel at Silo Sound Studios in Denver, a studio home to locals like The Velveteers, and also a stop for national touring acts like Cage The Elephant, the late Neal Casal, and Todd Snider. 

Townes describes the album and its songs as all embodying different physical places, all circling back to the band’s formation at an open mic night in Colorado. 

“Red & Blue” is Kind Hearted Strangers’ siren song— a plea for kindness, empathy, and reason in a time where people are more divided and antagonistic than any other time in recent memory. 

“I really hope this song puts good into the world,” Townes says. “You have a voice. [Red & Blue] is asking you to use this voice. Everything you do in life makes a difference, and everyone you interact with is important. Recognize that and be good to people. Kindness is everything.” 

You can stream “Red & Blue” on Bandcamp and on Spotify, and you can keep up with Kind Hearted Strangers on their website. 

All photos per those credited. All videos and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Ghost Tapes Bare Their Soul on New EP, 'FIG (Ichumi)'

By: Jason Myers 

Ghost Tapes.

Ghost Tapes.

Despite the lack of live music in today’s world, musicians are still finding ways to stay creative and spread inspiration. Case in point: Denver’s alt-soul group Ghost Tapes. The band has taken advantage of the downtime to release their new EP, ‘FIG (Ichumi)’ to the masses, adding color and flavor to the Denver music scene. BolderBeat recently sat down with the band to chat about the EP and all things Ghost Tapes. Read on: 

Ghost Tapes has a very interesting take on modern soul and rock music. How would you describe your sound? What influences would you attribute to it?

Ishka: Tough question. It’s soul, but it’s not. It’s an alternate version of soul; if OG soul had an evil twin, that evil twin is our music’s weird uncle.

Will: We’ve been using the term alt-soul for awhile, and it covers most of the ground we tread. “Alt” is typically associated with darker tone colors and effects like distortion, “soul” being a genre historically based in Black experience, the expression of struggle on top of the catalyzing grooves of R&B, funk, and gospel music. Since we draw a bunch of inspiration from music of that era, it’s important to recognize the lineage of those sounds and the messages they still embody. Our music is certainly a departure from normalcy, and I believe every member of the band feels like our sound reflects our “divergent” individual personalities.  

Nick: I describe it as elements of the 90s contemporary soul movement (artists like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, D’angelo, etc.) combined with production and tonalities a bit more chaotic, like The Mars Volta. I really credit our producer, Vago, with the latter half of that. While we were in the studio his whole mantra was “embrace the distortion.” As far as other direct influences, I’d say Hiatus Kaiyote for sure. Their music was a guide for us in the very early days of the group.

Tell us about the new EP, ‘FIG (Ichumi)’. Where was it recorded? How was it different from the process of creating your first album?

Ishka: It was different from our first album because this time we had a big ol’ studio space and a real live producer to argue with instead of just Nick in his bedroom.

 Nick: We were able to find Vago through a mutual friend, and he mixed the first record. He liked the music and said that he’d be down to work with us again in the future. So after a couple of years, we set up some studio time and bought him a plane ticket. He ended up producing, engineering, and mixing the record. We recorded at Swingfingers Recording Studio, just outside of Fort Collins. Aaron Youngberg is the studio owner and he couldn’t have been nicer and more welcoming. He really allowed Vago the freedom to experiment with the studio and try out some crazy ideas.

Will: It was much more professionally done with good gear. Being together for that week was also an experience that helped cement the attitude that we were there as a unit to accomplish a goal. There was no opportunity to “go home,” as it were. 

COVID-19 has obviously brought a halt to live shows for the time being. What are you guys doing to keep busy during these times?

Nick: Not a whole lot, really. The plan for this time was to be out playing shows and pushing the release; getting in front of new people in new places. We had to scrap our tour and all of our festival appearances were obviously (and rightly) cancelled. We were able to make it down to Durango for the IAM Music Festival in mid July. It was amazing being able to perform again, and honestly just felt really natural and like no time had passed at all. It was bittersweet when the weekend was over, not knowing the next time something like that would even be possible again. The festival was really on top of it with social distancing and mask requirements. It was all outdoors as well.

You guys have played some awesome shows in and around Denver over the past few years. Are there any favorites that stand out?

Nick: So many fun ones! A few that come to mind are pretty much any at the Fox/Boulder Theatre. The Z2 team has an awesome crew and they’re a blast to work with. Last year we had the opportunity to play with some of our besties (Ramakhandra, Moonglade, Kaitlyn Williams) at the Bluebird, and that felt like a really special night. There was a show we did last fall at a cidery in this tiny town outside of Durango called Mancos with our pals in J. Calvin. I think we played for three straight hours with no breaks. It was the last night of our tour and the band felt tight. That was a fun one too.

Ishka: The first time we played the Fox in Boulder, some drunk dude asked if he could have some merch, and he would trade me the shirt off his back for it. I didn’t think he was serious. He was. I still have it. It’s really big and comfy. I wear it to sleep [in] sometimes.

Will: My personal favorite was in early May of 2019 opening for the Revival - a supergroup composed of Cory Henry, Isaiah Sharkey, and Taron Lockett - at the Fox Theater in Boulder. We had just played the Boulder Theater earlier that week in support of Khruangbin, and it was certainly not our best live presentation. I think that fresh trauma fueled us, giving [us] extra incentive to pour our hearts into the performance at the Fox.

Are there any current artists you all are excited by? Any music recommendations? 

Nick: On a Colorado level, my favorite bands are Ramakhandra and Dandu. I feel like both of them really push the boundaries of modern instrumental music and I can’t give them enough praise for that. I think that Wes Watkins and Venus Cruz are pioneers of this incredible scene that’s still being built here, and I can’t think of the Denver/Colorado music scene without them. Joseph Lamar is another artist that has left me speechless with their art. There’s so many Colorado artists that inspire me, it’d be hard for me to list them all.  

Will: Other than Ramakhandra and Dandu, I have mostly been catching up on music that’s been on the to-listen-to list. What I’ve been spinning lately: Björk, Alexander Scriabin, Northern Cree, Chica Libre, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Billy Strings

Ishka: My friend’s daughter Esmeralda makes up killer songs on the spot, about all kinds of things. Jean jackets, her feet, wearing earrings on the beach, how dad’s dinner is better than mom’s. She has no chill. She has this attitude that really gives me hope for the future. It’s an “I don’t owe you shit” kind of vibe, complete with side-eye and everything. She’s six years old, and already a true artist. So as far as music recommendations go, I recommend you listen to your inner child right the fuck now.

 If you all could send a single message out that reached everyone in the world right now, what would you say?

Will: Start spending more time with people who don’t hold the same beliefs or political ideologies as you. Not to fight, or to convince them why they’re wrong or you’re right, but to find commonalities, shared experience, empathy. Fuck all this forced division and animosity. Time to make friends, not enemies.

Ishka: In time, the trash always takes itself out.

Nick: Vote.

The ‘FIG (Ichumi)’ EP is available to stream or purchase HERE

All photos per the author. All videos and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Lief Sjostrom's Newest EP Is Another Perfect Winter Listen

By: Norman Hittle

Denver cellist and multi-instrumentalist Lief Sjostrom has released one more handful of songs for us before the end of the year. Check out his new six-song EP, Boyish Dreams of Heroic Deeds:

I love listening to Lief’s discography through the winter. Naturally, his Christmas EP, The Longest Night, resonates with me for this reason, but so too do all his other releases, which collectively could be considered somber neo-classical or celtic folk. There’s something about the ancient sounding dirges that takes my mind to a dark medieval era with snow-blanketed villages and smallfolk huddled around fires telling traditional myths; a fantastic departure from the oversaturation of modern Christmas music that is heard nearly everywhere.

Artwork per Melanie Steinway.

Artwork per Melanie Steinway.

Boyish Dreams of Heroic Deeds brings those same feelings to the table, and Lief holds little back while delving us into the haunting progressions and counter-melodies that are signatures of his sound. In contrast with the April 2019 release, Impossible Parade, this EP seems to provide a deal more movement and speaks more melodically. According to Lief, this is his best and most progressive work to date, and whether or not that seems true to his fans, if nothing else, this release adds to the growing integrity of his already strong array of work.

Lief will be supporting this release and his discography at a house show tomorrow, December 21st; event details here. He also has a performance on December 28th at the Broadway Roxy in Denver; grab that info here. Keep up with Lief and his upcoming events on his Facebook.

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Templo's New 'Mountains Can’t Cry' Features Naturescape Vibes, Reggae Beats & More

By: Mirna Tufekcic

Agreeing to review Templo’s newest EP Mountains Can’t Cry was a bit of a stretch for me; a test to see if I could get down with dub. Generally, I do not subject my ears to dubstep of any kind, but I made an exception this time out of pure curiosity, and to give the genre another chance because this EP was presented to me as an “ethnic dub album.” I like CloZee and I really like Beats Antique, Bonobo, Ott, and Dynohunter, none of whom are dub, but all of whom definitely know how to throw down some gooey good ethnic sounds. So here I was with Templo, and it did not disappoint!  

Though Mountains Can’t Cry certainly falls into the dubstep category, it is subtle, and filters through the ears without leaving you feeling like you just lost brain cells huffing glue, which is how most of the genre has left me feeling before. At the forefront of each of the six songs are naturescape vibes, reggae beats, and the aforementioned “ethnic” sounds.

The first two tracks on the EP have a Middle Eastern flare. “Magnetics,” has a more up-beat, daytime feel and “The Owl Watches,” turns a little darker and is seductive, with calls from night creatures accompanied by mesmerizing sounds resembling far-east wind instruments and maybe even a bit of Balkan folk. 

Templo.

Templo.

The third track, “Shot in the Dark,” is probably the most traditionally “dubby” track on the EP, with heavy reggae beats and a lot of record scratching. Not long after that, the fourth track reawakens the spirit with a playfulness reminiscent of video games from the early 2000s, and mixes in what sounds like Native American or African tribal chants. “They Gone,” the next to last track on Mountains Can’t Cry, is heavy with reggae vibes. The final track on the album, “RedShotScandal,” incorporates a lot of everything heard in the previous five tracks, but like a fireworks finale, it creates a loud explosion of light and sound only to fade into silence, smoke and gratification at the end. 

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Mountains Can’t Cry is built like a journey through naturescapes. It’s an easy and enjoyable listen that doesn’t even take thirty minutes to complete, and even as someone who wasn’t a fan before, I am confident you’ll like it whether you’re winding down the summer, or catching Templo live on tour this fall. 

Keep up with Templo here.

-Mirna

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artist featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Colorado Springs' Audible Release Debut EP 'First Contact'

By: Norman Hittle

Colorado Springs hip-hop group Audible released their debut EP First Contact recently. Mixing traditional hip-hop with the setup of an alternative rock band, HoTT (vocals) and Jeb (guitar/vocals) are the faces of the project that bear a nod of resemblance to The Roots and underground hip-hop legends Atmosphere.

The debut is a solid effort of strong instrumentation and vocals that flow through the speakers like a river through a diamond canyon. Well-rounded lyrical topics and a divergence from typical hip-hop vocals with some strong singing points and lush vocal harmonies can be found throughout the debut. The record’s engineering by drummer Ryan May, pulls First Contact’s lively experience together.

Along with the vocalists, the rest of the band members featured on this debut are none other than the indie-alt rock trio Sound|Studies, known for making some solid waves in the Colorado rock scene over the past seven years, and broadening their horizons in joining with the guys in Audible.

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Audible has a performance in Colorado Springs on April 19th in the basement of Oskar Blues. Their live sets have been said to be stellar, so if you have the time, try to make it!

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Prep Rally's 'Head Rush' Is Full of Synthy Experiments & Light, Luscious Vocals

By: Julia Talen

Electronic indie pop duo Prep Rally will release their inspired sophomore EP Head Rush this April, full of vulnerable themes paired with instrumentalist Drew Norris’s catchy beats and vocalist Tatum Russo’s delicate voice.

The first track “Phoenix” kicks-off the EP slowly, with a soft, easy melody. It’s joined by Russo’s enthralling vocal harmonies, crooning lyrics indicative of the transformative and inquisitive questions sewn into this record like “will be born again” and “transcending from who I once was”. As the track progresses, Norris’ instrumentals build in complexity and the tempo ascends and shifts, lifting listeners into the tenacious and seemingly effortless layers of this record.

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“Roll With The Punches,” the second track, begins with an addicting piano beat evoking a throwback vibe. Similar to many of Prep Rally’s tunes, this song builds and expands. There is a nice bridge in this track with a round of voices singing lyrics like “roll with the punches” and “everyday is a rematch,” followed by what Norris calls a “sparkly arpeggio outro” which is mesmerizing. The band’s single, “Break In,” released at the beginning of the year, succeeds this tune and remains to be one of my favorite tracks on the record.

Another noteworthy tune off this EP has to be “Mean Girl,” a noble, feminist exploration into societal pressures on women and how impactful they can be. In considering this track, Russo states, “There is a mean girl in all of us,”  provoked by a society. Lyrics like “whoever gave a damn about what’s inside/and were put up to fight by the shape of our bodies,” parallel this sentiment as does Russo’s echoing vocals on this track which reflect the insidious and obsessive mean girl in our minds. The pop-like nature of the track allows listeners to digest some of the heavier concepts on this record, including dark, societal pressures. The next track, “Cloud Nine,” also explores anxiety and mental health, but through this pop duo’s delicious bops. Prep Rally’s EP overall destigmatizes such subjects.

Prep Rally.

Prep Rally.

The EP comes full circle with “Coffins in the Attic”, a song that explores facets of change and transformation, much like “Phoenix.” The tune is slower, like the first track. I like the risk the duo takes in the middle of the song in which everything breaks for a beat, followed by a breath and the ding of a triangle. Then listeners melt back into the folds of Prep Rally’s piano diddles, synthy experiments, and light, luscious vocals.

“Head Rush” explores heavy, important themes balanced by captivating patches of instrumentals quilted together to create a really nice, cohesive and interesting record. Prep Rally’s EP drops April 2nd. The dynamic duo will host a release party at downtown Denver’s Walnut Room on April 6th.

Keep up with Prep Rally here.

-Julia

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Race To Neptune Are Either the Black Sheep of Fort Collins or It's Next Big Thing

By: Brody Coronelli

With a new lineup, the band’s heavy, technical, and invigorating new EP Abandon Fashion showcases their evolution as a band, and what sets them aside from their counterparts.

Race To Neptune.

Race To Neptune.

With a spellbing conceptual precision that blends scuzzy ‘90s grunge-rock, darkwave, and the teeth-kicking emotional thunder of punk in a manner that makes heads bang, dice tumble, and PA systems growl, Race to Neptune are one of Fort Collins’ loudest, eclectic, and ferocious rock bands.

The band made their debut in 2016 with Oh Contraire, an album that had a few moments of brazen, fiery chargings into up-tempo punk-rock, but for the most part stayed on the melodic side, using dark, midtempo, and gritty instrumentation to surround frontman Brian Maier’s personal and biting lyrics in a shadowy glow. On the Thurston Moore-reminiscent “Wanderlilly,” the guitars are loud and fiery, but immensely tasteful and bright as the band uses a catchy refrain and echoing harmonies to guide the song into a warm resonance. The song is forceful and delicate all at once; a balance the band had no issue finding on that album.

On their new EP Abandon Fashion, the band has kept the technical sensibilities of their debut intact, making use of raw, punkish energy to play their eclectic and progressive brand of rock’n’roll. Many of the songs have a raw and thundering approach that takes more after punk-rock than it does from brazen, technical, and melodic broods through the dimly lit streets of Oh Contraire. These songs aim to ignite, but not in a typical four-chord punk rock fashion. The band uses this driving energy and delivers it with an array of sonic intricacies in a way that’s more indicative of artists like Jack White, Black Sabbath, and Queens of The Stone Age rather than Subhumans or The Germs.

“I think [Abandon Fashion] is a two word statement that almost signifies that we are going to write, record, and do what we want and how we want, no matter what is cool, trendy, or ‘in fashion’,” says frontman Brian Maier.

The whole EP was cut live at Stout Studios in Fort Collins, capturing a raw and forthright energy that often can’t be found when meticulously multi-tracking or chasing the perfect take. This raw approach, balanced with the driving and aggressive nature of the songs makes Abandon Fashion a fierce, unrelenting pleasure.

“I honestly have always wanted to [record the way we did on this record] because it captures the aggressiveness and raw energy of how we actually sound that can’t be faked. I think if we recorded the first album the same way those songs would have come across just as heavy. Track by track recording is so dialed in and precise in every way from the smallest turn of an amp or pedal knob to how hard we strum or hit a drum or cymbal. This was total freedom and we recorded this just how we practice and this is how we sound live, because it is!” says frontman Brian Maier.

The opening track “Mortal Melody” features a nearly two-minute chugging intro with guitars that gradually grow more jagged, and pummelling drums that grow fiercer with each strike. The song is a garage-driven excursion that has all the thrill of driving down an empty desert highway going fifty over the speed limit. “I’ll be your creature/Can you teach me to teach/Sing to me slowly/In a motor melody,” Maier sings with a quiet growl on top of a scuzzy and aggressive bassline.

The Sonic Youth and Modest Mouse inspired “Departure” follows, a scuzzy rocker with a chanting, harmonic, and arena rock-reminiscent chorus. “Sunsets” is an older song of Maier’s that resurfaced while the band was tracking the album. With a beachy, sunburnt instrumental that feels like a long drive by the coast and lyrics about running off to California, it’s a bright and infectious song by a band that often defaults to the shadows.

The closing track “Abandon Fashion” is a return to form for the band. The entirely instrumental song opens with a fit of siren-esque picking, only to devolve into a showdown of fiery, circling guitars that get more aggressive with every note. What starts out capturing a warm sunset quickly starts to resemble a sky littered with flames, dancing down to the ground.

The album artwork for Abandon Fashion.

The album artwork for Abandon Fashion.

In more ways than one, Abandon Fashion marks a new beginning for the band. Not only is it a step into new musical territory, but the band underwent two significant lineup changes before making it. With Matt Petersen now on drums and Matt McNear on bass, the band’s sound is shifting in a different direction. Their influences are made loud and clear, and their presences melding with Maier’s technical and anthemic songwriting have led to Race of Neptune’s most invigorating record so far.

“I think it has been a pretty seamless transition,” says Petersen. “We got comfortable together really quickly. Matt just came on as bassist late February and we were in the studio the first week of April. I think that's definitely a testament to our cohesiveness. [Matt and I] both have a strong jazz background with our instruments which allows us to keep time really well while getting out of the rhythmic box bass and drums can sometimes be confined to in rock music. We are also all involved in the writing process… it’s a very cumulative sound you’re hearing.”

Race to Neptune underwent a quick evolution on Abandon Fashion, and for the better. It’s an invigorating, technical, and fun record that sets the band at the forefront of Fort Collins’ music scene. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t outliers, though. In a scene dominated by folk, EDM, and bluegrass, Race to Neptune are a shining beacon of musical progression and experimentation run through a filter of loud, raw, and eclectic rock.

“There has been a little increase in rock bands and venues in the [Fort Collins] area which is nice, but we are still the black sheep of the music scene up here. It is still very much dominated by jam bands, DJs and bluegrass, but we are trying very hard to support other local rock bands as well,” Maier says.

When the musical cohesiveness, energy, and vision of a band like Race To Neptune are all working together, maybe being the black sheep isn’t a bad thing; maybe it’s a sign that they’re at a the forefront of new sound and identity for Northern Colorado. It’s too early to say, but considering how far they’ve come as a band on only two records, anything is possible.

Abandon Fashion is out now. You can keep up with Race to Neptune here.

-Brody

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Vermillion Road Celebrate Newest EP With Packed Show At Lost Lake

By: Nathan Sheppard

Denver band Vermillion Road recently released Escape, their first EP in the last three years. To celebrate, the band played an intimate show at Lost Lake this past Friday. They were joined by Right Before Rain, Sophie Music, and Creature Canopy for support.

Vermillion Road. 

Vermillion Road. 

Lost Lake was buzzing even before Vermillion Road took the stage, and the guys were able to channel that energy into their amazing performance. Frontman Will Robinson is a showman through and through, and he was able to get the crowd hyped either singing along or dancing with each song. While it was only about a 45-minute set, it was still a solid one where everyone had a great time. It was the perfect way for Vermillion Road to introduce everyone to Escape.

Escape is a six-song pop-rock EP that encapsulates the bands new direction from their previous rock roots. The opening track “Gasoline” is a fun, upbeat love song that will definitely get stuck in you head. Halfway through is “Eye On You,” where you can hear the influence of bands like Imagine Dragons or OneRepublic. The song combines the right amount of rock with a touch of electronic beats. Escape gives you everything that we like from Vermillion Road and adds a little experimentation which will catch your attention. It’s the perfect record to jam to anytime of the day and will have you listening on repeat.

Keep up with Vermillion Road and grab their new EP here.

-Nathan

All photos per the author. All videos and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.


We's Us' Newest EP Was Recorded at Jake Cinninger of Umphrey's McGee's Studio

By: Will Baumgartner

Denver has always been a great town for rock, and the powerhouse quartet known as We’s Us are busy proving that tradition is still alive and well. Their recent EP Zeus is the latest in a handful of strong releases the band has put out since their formation in 2012 – and guitarist/frontman Michael “Weeze” Dawald has a lot more time and focus to devote to the group since leaving the bacchanalian funk band Rowdy Shadehouse last year.

We's Us.

We's Us.

Zeus is a three-song document which showcases the power of the band and also their diversity. While the band’s musical personality falls squarely in the rock genre, their self-proclaimed influences include bands like Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin, but also range as wide as James Brown, George Clinton, and Bob Marley

Zeus was recorded in October 2017 at Umphrey’s McGee guitarist Jake Cinninger’s Boondocks Studio in Niles, Michigan. The engineer on the record was Jim Leep, who has recorded Umphrey’s and Yonder Mountain String Band, among others. It was co-produced by Cinninger, Dawald, and Willie Waldman. Waldman also played trumpet on the third track, an ethereal instrumental called “Passing of a Soul” which was written for Dawald’s grandmother (and played at her funeral). Cinninger also guests on the recording, adding a second guitar to the title track. Keyboardist Stephen Howell, bassist Chris Crantz, and drummer Blake Manion lay down a solid foundation throughout the EP, and Dawald proves himself not only a ridiculously fierce guitarist, but also a strong vocalist. I’ve personally known Weeze for awhile and always been a fan of his playing, but I never knew he could sing like that.

After listening to this and other recordings by We’s Us, you’ll be eager to see the band bring all the fury and passion of their music to the stage! Lucky for you We’s Us play in Denver this Friday the 13th at Your Mom’s House. Get yourself there and in the meantime, give Zeus a listen.

Keep up with We’s Us on Facebook.

-Will

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.   

Review: CITRA Serve Up Hard-Hitting Rock On New 'Mr. Copacetic' EP

By: Norman Hittle

Denver-based rockers CITRA just rolled out their Mr. Copacetic EP to the world. The first release since 2017’s single “Air,” CITRA isn’t pulling any punches with their new EP.

With this dosage, CITRA serve up some heavy-hitting rock with nods to the Foo Fighters and riffs reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age respectively on “Static Erratic” and “Felt So Right.” Moving into track three “That’s What She Said,” the pace takes a small backstep as the song washes over in smokey bar ballad. “Grant My Wish” is a swinging return to some edgy rock while the EP wraps up with the fast paced and hard lined “R.Y.F.F.” According to the band, this music isn’t about any particular theme; however, with the current cultural climate, they couldn’t help but feel a social and political charge energizing their motivations.

Photo Credit: Mark Tepsic Photography

CITRA have plans to tour with these new songs, adding to their already impressive collection of fan favorites like 2017’s “My Mind,” which already boasts over 10,000 plays on Spotify alone (no small feat for a homegrown band). Yet, they come out of the gates with a realistic attitude:

“We don’t think we’re trying to change the world. Just hopefully getting people out to shows and listening to the music to have a good time and forget about your life for an hour. We think if your goals are beyond that, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.”

CITRA.

CITRA.

Mr. Copacetic of course has its own origin tale. Unlike their debut EP Ocean which was recorded immediately after the band formed, the new release has had many capable hands guiding it along like Chris Andrews of Monument Sound on the mixing end and Mike Kalajian of Rogue Planet (The Dear Hunter) mastering.

“We tracked drums at Evergroove Studio and the following week rented a mountain house to track the majority of the rest of the EP. Being fairly isolated was a great way for us to focus on the songs and on making them the best we could. We feel Mr. Copacetic finally represents our sound as it has developed since our formation a couple years ago.”

Keep your eyes peeled for a new music video for “That’s What She Said” in the coming weeks by following the band on their socials here.

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

The Ivories Want To Be Your Valentine This Year

By: Hannah Oreskovich

Los Angeles trio The Ivories identify their sounds as “indie surf psychedelic punk.” The band, who are signed to Vogue House Sounds, came together after meeting in college. The diversity of their backgrounds may explain why their style encapsulates several genres, so we sat down to talk with the three-piece about the music they grew up on, the atmosphere they try to create in their live shows, and why it’s appropriate that their debut EP will drop on Valentine’s Day this year.

Let’s start with a bit about your background. Where are you all from and how has that environment shaped your music?

Erin: I’m from Zaragoza, Spain. I remember starting to have some kind of interest for music when my aunt made a Spotify playlist for me when I was around 12 years old. It had songs from David Bowie, The Cure, The Doors… I thought it was sick! And then my family gave me my first guitar and I started playing music. One of the first albums that I discovered was The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie and it blew my mind. Later on I started digging a little bit more into Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, and also Spanish rock thanks to my group of friends back home. Rock’n’roll baby!

Bryan: I’m from Santa Fe, New Mexico. My mother’s from South Korea and my father is from Texas, so I got a lot of different cultures growing up. Before I knew how to use the internet, it was mostly my family’s CDs (Michael Jackson, Korean music, and my dad’s classic rock and blues stuff), MTV, and the music in the Gamecube games that I listened to. The first CD I ever bought was Rage Against the Machine’s self-titled record. Everyone around me in Santa Fe was self-loathing and depraved for the most part. I did a lot of crazy things- I traumatized myself by choice and had like 20 ego deaths from ‘shrooms by the time I was 17. I developed anxiety from all of that and then I started writing music that actually had some substance.

Xavier: I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado to a large family whose taste in music spans far and wide. I grew up surrounded by many amazing musicians who have inspired me to pursue my dreams. My earliest memories as a child were being in my father’s studio watching him record his EP. I was intrigued by the work he was doing and wanted to do the same thing. My parents had a nasty divorce that affected me for quite awhile as a child; as a result I was exposed to many things a kid were not supposed to see nor comprehend, so I became frustrated with the world around me. A few months after the dust settled I was gifted my first drum kit at the age of nine and found my escape from reality. I was able to take all of my angst and frustration and release them through rhythm.  

How did the three of you meet and start making music together?

Xavier: We met in one of our classes while attending college in Los Angeles and proceeded to form a band based on our mutual interest in music.

Listen to “Red”:

Talk to us about your newest single and your upcoming EP.

Xavier: We’re planning to release our EP on Valentine’s Day. We just put out our first song from the record, “Red.” I think we’re making a video for it soon- we’re working with the incredible Italian filmmaker Caterina Piccardo. We have SO many songs written that we want to record!! Making music takes so long though. We’re playing a bunch of shows in the next few months as well.

Beyond the artists you mentioned listening to growing up, who do you draw inspiration from for The Ivories sound?

Bryan: If Kurt Cobain and Paul McCartney had a baby and they were raised by Talking Heads’ grooves- that’s us. We cover a few artists like P.H.F (a New Zealand band we love), Blondie, Blur, and Violent Femmes. I also kinda wanna be Morrisey. The Cure is a big one. When people hear us play live, they usually compare us to The Smiths, The Cure, The Beatles, and The Pixies, which is one of the reasons our band name is what it is. I loved the Tony Hawk [video] games and skating when I was a kid too, so definitely those soundtracks influenced me.

Xavier: As a kid, my parents as well as my uncle inspired me to play the drums. Seeing them play music made me want to do the same thing. When I first started playing drums and bass I received a copy of Death From Above’s “You’re A Woman I’m A Machine,” and was immediately hooked- from that point on I knew I wanted to be a musician. I loved the high energy rock’n’roll and was determined to re-create that emotion in my music. I draw a lot of inspiration from disco/punk influenced bands such as LCD Soundsystem, Death From Above, and Moving Units.

Erin: When I was in Spain there were not a lot of women playing music in the young music scene of my town. And since I moved to LA, I’ve been finding so many bands fronted by women, which made me feel super inspired and empowered to keep writing music. Bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Savages, The Kills, or The Runaways have been pretty important in my life lately. And also the LA scene is amazing- I love to go to shows of small LA bands and get to know what their sound is and how can I add it into my music.

The Ivories.

The Ivories.

When you perform live, what type of environment are you trying to cultivate?

Xavier:  When we perform live, we want to pull people away from their thoughts, concerns, and troubles. We seek to make people feel euphoric as they witness one of the most raw forms of human expression known to man and woman.    

Bryan: I’m trying to make everyone in the audience feel like I’m their Valentine. All the songs are about a girl, and I’m singing them all in first person like I’m talking to that girl... disassociated and detached… a whisper in your ear when in reality, I’m screaming into a microphone. It’s weird. I feel like coming to our live show is like being my counselor and just listening to me talk about all my problems. All the lyrics I write are kinda self-loathing and sad, but people dance and that makes me feel good and I guess that’s what matters!

What about your music most makes you feel most empowered?

Bryan: Being able to tell people things that I would never otherwise express. Whenever I get nostalgic and reminisce back to something, a big part of how I remember it is what music was playing at the time of the memory. I even associate people with certain songs and albums. I’d love for someone to feel that was about my music. I often overthink when something doesn’t go my way, so writing songs is a good way to channel that anxiety into a tangible form so that I can release it all and get it out of my mind. I take stressful or traumatic experiences and analyze them in a third-person kind of way to take myself out of the equation and try and look at it from a different perspective. I notice little details and little gestures or expressions that made something go the way it did, you know? Writing is a good way to process things- healthier than drowning it or bottling it up.

Erin: The fact that there’s music that can make you go back to one time of your life when you were having a similar sentiment- it’s amazing to me. And being able to make people feel that blows my mind. Also, just being on a stage makes me feel so powerful. It’s the moment that we have to show the best part of ourselves.  

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Outside of the glory and fame of celebrity, where do you see your music going?

Bryan: I want our music to be in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 soundtrack.

What are your plans for 2018?

Xavier: As we play more shows and just get to know each other better, we start meshing our ideas together more. Our music past this first EP is going to be much more collaborative and live-sounding; more how we initially imagined our sound being.We want to play some festivals this summer but we’ve been so caught up finishing our EP, making this music video, and playing shows that we haven’t been looking beyond that very much!

Bryan: I wanna put out at least two more EP’s, a few music videos, and I wanna have some kind of event that will put together fashion, visual art, and music. I also want to become truly happy independently this year.

Solid goals. When are your next few booked shows/tours?

Bryan: Our next show is at Harvard & Stone in Thai Town in LA on the 21st of February.

Keep up with The Ivories on Facebook.

-Hannah

Follow Hannah on Instagram and Twitter.

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

The Crowleys Release New Single "Pink Rainbows" From Upcoming EP

By: Norman Hittle

Just out, The Crowleys have released their first single “Pink Rainbows” from their upcoming EP.

If you could combine the mellower aspects of Rush with the retro psychedelic rock vibes of Tame Impala, you’d start to get an idea of what The Crowleys’ new single is about. Its clean electric guitars and synths form a bed of warm chords appropriate for its comfortable crooning of vocals to rest in.

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The band is comprised of Stuart Downie (drums/backing vocals), Kaulin Horlick (bass), Justyn Horlick (guitar/keys) and Cohen Wylie (guitar/lead vocals) from Hamilton, Ontario. When the four-piece aren’t jamming, they’re trying to obtain an Old Milwaukee Ice sponsorship, playing D&D in the van between gigs, and writing love songs.

“Pink Rainbows” comes from their new forthcoming EP Colours Change Their Tone, due out this Friday, February 9th. The band said this regarding the song:

“Pink Rainbows is the first song that we have recorded that we never played as a full band prior to hitting the studio. Cohen wrote the song awhile back and recorded a few of the parts, and then the rest of the band kind of wrote and recorded on the fly. It gave a lot of creative freedom and we believe it shows in the final product.”

Keep up with The Crowleys on their social media. And check back for their new EP February 9th on Bandcamp.

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Review: Nate Barnes Dives Deep On New Solo Project Plutinos

By: Julia Talen

Having toured and played with musicians and bands such as Rose Hill Drive, Ryan Bingham, Pete Townshend, and Matisyahu, Nate Barnes has set out on his own with his musical project Plutinos. Listeners can pick up on subtle influences, from the rock’n’roll of Rose Hill Drive to the mellow, singer/songwriter qualities of music by Ryan Bingham in Barnes’ new record, but Plutinos dives deep, proving Nate Barnes as a musician with his own sound and vision. Barnes has written, performed, and recorded all of the music on the EP, and each track incorporates a plethora of Barnes’ musical skills encompassing a wide variety of rock genres, from psychedelic, to indie, lo-fi, classic, and everything in between. Simultaneously, verse content explores the nuances of breaking the mold and becoming yourself after trying to fit into others’ boxes.

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The first track off the self-titled EP titled, “Out of Touch,” draws listeners into the disorientation of feeling “out of touch” with reality and with yourself. The guitar and bass are strong, and symbols thrash as we drop into the tune. Barnes’ voice is hazy and distant, rounding out the harder rock’n’roll instrumentals while also playing on the theme of feeling mixed-up and frustrated, “floating in the wicked sea” of “false hope, broken dreams” and feeling “out of touch.”

The second track, “Dream is Lost,” juxtaposes the first, with a slower more reflective tone. The tune opens up with language that conjures vague but evocative imagery with phrases like “slowly fades away” and “edges blur” denoting dreams, memories, and lost feelings. The instrumentals in this track mirror the sung lines, and the tune feels abstract and lulling.  Echoing and ethereal “ooo’s,” which we got a taste of in the first track, accompany the repetitive refrain in which Barnes croons, “the dream is lost.” His vocals are so echoey they are almost hollow, hovering over the resounding and meandering guitar that takes us through this misty, introspective track, which mourns the loss of a real, true dream, forgotten from getting caught up in a fantastical illusion.

Nathan Barnes.

Nathan Barnes.

Up next is “Trying To Be,” which traverses the relentless pressures of fitting into conventional molds or boxes you think you should be in. The guitar and drums are heavy, again contrasting Barnes’ hazy vocals, which feel slightly more clear in this song. The lyrics are relatable, talking about social media’s influence on people “trying to be” something they’re not, and the tune, quite catchy, makes this one a stand out.

In “Falling Away,” the track opens with a more rustic guitar before Barnes layers his now signature “ooo’s” that haunt and echo with a bass and drums that reverberate. There is a beautiful bridge in this one, almost as if we come to a reckoning in this EP’s story of self-destruction while trying to fit in, where Barnes’ sublime guitar reminds me of something in a Sigur Ros song. Listeners get lost in this tune as it ebbs out and we wake up to the final track.

“Hand in Hand” is a hopeful send off to forge forward from the messiness of life with support so you don’t fade into illusory societal conventions and pressures. The verses sound like Tame Impala- psychedelic and deliciously dreamlike- yet the refrain, which builds, reminds me of the rawness that the Dum Dum Girls cultivate in a variety of their tunes.  A few bridges bring in that interesting, experimental, and ethereal guitar soloing similar to the previous track, highlighting how this holistic album weaves vocal and instrumental themes throughout, keeping it cohesive.

This record “venture[s] into uncharted wates… to dive deep,” as Barnes’ explains, like the mythological creatures named after the trans-Neptunian plutinos, who are associated with an underworld. Barnes’ self-titled EP feels hypnotic, raw, and contemplative. He has taken his experience playing with other bands, elevated it, and created something that is true, authentic, original, and definitely astronomical.

-Julia

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Television Generation's 'Peel' Is About Your Lonely Life As A Millenial

By: Norman Hittle

Denver’s own apathetic indie-rockers Television Generation are back on the scene with the same attitude and a new EP.

Check out Peel below:

The new music was released December 8th, 2017 through At Night Group. According to the band: “Peel is a 7-song excursion through the eyes of a Denverite's lonely millennial existence in an ever-gentrifying city.” Staying close to the same vein as their previous release (the four-song EP Fuchsia), TVG harnesses a raw energy brought to popularity by greats such as Nirvana (circa Bleach), The Strokes (circa Room on Fire), and indie greats Japandroids.

TVG.

TVG.

“Whatever” kicks off this release with a straightforward garage rock feel in a Dandy Warhols kind of way, highlighting the simple, yet, effective and easy to relate to lyrical content TVG presents to its listeners. “I’d Kill Myself But I Have to Go to Work Tomorrow” follows suit with an added level of dirty bass and a monologue-esque style of singing that reminded me of The Hives.

Katy Johnson.

Katy Johnson.

“The Model” holds coveted spot number three on the EP and presents the listener with what I interpreted as a sarcastic critique of the lifestyle of a fashion model, sung by bassist Katy Johnson. “My Favorite Drug” is a laid back punk vibe (if there is such a monster) alluding to a relationship being a favored drug. “Placeholder” comically comes in as an homage to its own name, but is noteworthy due to the song being uncharacteristic of the energy of the rest of the EP, and almost like an early Radiohead song in regard to its droning lethargy. “Going Blank Again” returns to a more traditional post-punk vibe, as well as being the longest track at over five minutes. “Thirteen” closes out the EP in emo-pop/punk style with a playful guitar lead while Will Hayden sings from the point of view of being a thirteen-year old.

Keep up with TVG on their social media and check out Television Generation live March 9th at Streets of London Pub. Event details here.

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Denver's Annabelle Raps About The Importance Of Self-Love

By: Taylor Naiman

Annabelle is The Mile High’s very own 20-year-old female rap artist, and she’s making big moves in the industry. After a brief stint in Los Angeles, she returned to her native Denver to hone her sound. Her introduction to the Denver scene was over a year ago at her first open mic and at the time, she felt like one of Denver’s only female artists. Still, she kept pursuing more stage opportunities at places like The Gothic and Cervantes’ Masterpiece, and while doing so, explored a range of sounds: hip-hop, jazz, rap, and soul.

Annabelle.

Annabelle.

Throughout the duration of her first EP, The Desire, Annabelle creates a storybook and gives the audience her true raw emotion. She has found a balance both lyrically and musically where she can explore different sounds and her own vulnerabilities. Her music is “melodic, soulful and highly vulnerable with hip-hop and jazz undertones.” It is open, emotional, and conveys her vulnerabilities. She strives to give her audience a spiritual awakening.

Photo Credit: Bobby Vasquez

Photo Credit: Bobby Vasquez

Annabelle told me that she is most influenced by artists she herself can dance to, such as Ashanti, Missy Elliott, 2Pac, Bone Thugs N’ Harmony and J. Cole. Lyrically, she likes J. Cole, Chance the Rapper, and Kendrick Lamar. She told me, “I think I hold the same potential as any one of those legends.” And maybe that confidence is just what she needs.

Photo Credit: Bobby Vasquez

Photo Credit: Bobby Vasquez

Currently, Annabelle is working on three EPs in the studio, composed with a new energy and varied tones. They are going to be all about her life journey and “how people can be dangerous.” Each will unmask more of her vulnerabilities pertaining to relationships, self-love, and her continued growth. She describes this music as being reminiscent of an ambient Odesza sound with a  jazzy feel and a hint of a “50 Cent club record.” When she is not in the studio, you can catch her either riding horses or modeling in front of the camera.

Well-attuned to her style and vibe, Annabelle is someone to keep an eye out for. I recently had the chance to ask her a few more questions about her music:

What was your favorite song to write and why?

Should I’ because of the whole story behind it. I walked in on my ex with another girl in his bed. I was pretty calm about the whole situation at the time and didn’t know how to feel about it right when it happened. I tried to write a song about the way I was feeling and it went a couple of different ways before I finished it. But I went from the honest, vulnerable side when I wrote ‘Should I.’ It’s the battle, where you ask yourself, ‘What should I do?’ For me, it is a very poetic song where I can prove my self-love.

What is one piece of advice you would give to another female in the music industry?

Always know your worth and do not settle for anything less. Do not be afraid to tell people, ‘no’ in this industry. Have the confidence to do so! If your ideas do not align with those of other individuals, do not settle.

Learn more about Annabelle and her music here.

-Taylor

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artist featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Trevor Hall Bringing 'The Fruitful Darkness' To Cervantes' Denver for New Year's Eve

By: Trevor Ryan

Veteran singer/songwriter Trevor Hall has just released his new EP The Fruitful Darkness PT. 1, a three-track record that leads off with the mellow acoustic riffs of the title track. This particular song appeals to the wanderer in us all. As Hall croons, “I had to find my way through,” his raspy vocals are accompanied only by his guitar and a small choir near the end.

Listen to The Fruitful Darkness PT. 1:

Next is a slightly more upbeat tune with the follow up track, “What I Know,” a song that shows off the reggae roots that Hall is known for, but features an R&B feel as well. From here, we’re set up for more catchy rhythm and synth work with the final track, “Wander.” His smooth voice grooving, “my home is where I wander, body and soul” shows Hall’s rawness and gives us a welcomed twist to a more standard, overall R&B feel. The feels are strong with this one.

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Be sure to keep up with Trevor Hall on Facebook and catch him at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom on NYE weekend, December 30th and 31st. You can find tickets here.

-Trevor

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Optycnerd & Play Pat Join Forces For 'Nonfiction' EP

By: Norman Hittle

Denver’s latest collaboration EP Nonfiction brings OptycNerd and Play Pat together with four tracks that are certain to get some winter dance parties grooving. Check it out:

OptycNerd is an electronic hip-hop/pop duo based in Denver. After meeting at a party and realizing they both had the same first name, Chris Kimmel and Chris Scott knew immediately that they had to form a group. Over the past few years, the Chris' have been crafting their sound and building up their body of work, including their released December 3rd single “Apollo” which is currently in the top 10 running for 93.3 KTCL’s Hometown for the Holidays - and you can vote on until December 12th!

Play Pat is an indie hip-hop artist with a great deal of work under his belt, including his most recent November 2017 release “Uber to Space”. Although he seems to keep his personal information under the radar, Play Pat has a solid SoundCloud following, including multiple tracks with over 10k+ plays- no small feat!

Optycnerd with Play Pat.

Optycnerd with Play Pat.

With their Nonfiction collaboration, both artists bring a solid hip-hop/rap effort to the table, featuring sounds reminiscent to Disclosure, Macklemore, and even nods to artists like Kendrick Lamar on their track “Photoshoot”. Yet, this isn’t the first collaboration these artists have had together, and likely it won’t be their last. Back in September, they combined their powers for the first time on the single “PM AM,” a far more pop/hip-hop oriented track.

Keep up with both acts via their social media, and keep an ear out for more material to be released. These guys are serious about content creation, so if you like what you hear, keep checking back!

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Review: Eric Dorr's 'Dream Routine' EP Showcases His Ability To Slip Into Many Corners Of Indie

By: Julia Talen

Boulder resident and eclectic musician Eric Dorr has recently released his debut EP, Dream Routine. Dorr moved to Boulder five years ago with his close friend and collaborator Sawyer Bernath after studying music at Temple University in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bernath produced Dorr's polished EP and much of it was recorded in apartments throughout the city of Boulder.

Eric Dorr.

Eric Dorr.

Dorr began playing music in high school band, the trumpet specifically, and that early inspiration definitely weaves into his EP with horns cropping up in many of the tracks. The tracks are quite surreal as the EP's title insinuates; the lyrics often connote dreams and consciousness as the tunes incorporate all sorts of sound, from keys, to overlays of whispers, echoing vocals, hazy instrumentals, horns, and even chimes. Many of the tracks reminded me of Dr. Dog; each song layers and builds while listeners can feel the emotion behind Dorr's vocals. Additionally, the EP's title works, because while every song reflects Dorr's musical interests and abilities experimenting with different sounds and various contrasts, the tracks have a similar formula or structure, like a routine. “Dream Routine” showcases Dorr's seamless ability to slip into and explore assorted sub-genres of indie rock.

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The EP begins with "Kerosene." Sturdy guitars and ample percussion thicken the introduction, which is followed by a beat of silence. Then Dorr's vocals come in, reminiscent of Ben Gibbard's, accompanied by harmonies and instrumentals which steadily progress as the tune unfolds. The end of the song propels us into the album with a culminating build that crescendos as Dorr sings "headed off into an endless dream."

As you move through the EP, you get a taste of Dorr's musical curiosities and wanderlust. The second track, "Around Again," shifts gears, radiating poppy vibes, as it opens with sugary "ooo's" and "ahhh's" that thread throughout the tune. The song builds, similarly to "Kerosene" and the forthcoming tracks, ending distinctively with a couple of verses from the tune sung in a more rustic, faded way, as if we are listening through a wall. It almost feels as though we are crossing time, getting a look into what the first pass of the tune sounded like before it went "around and around" through edits as Dorr added to it.  

Listen to Dream Routine:

"Leaves," the fourth track on the record, also emphasizes Dorr's ability to explore a more pop-indie-rock genre. This catchy, quick tune highlights the whimsical, reverberating keyboard as swift drum beats keep the track moving forward. Dorr's vocals, accompanied by the keys, reminded me of Keane. The lyrics compliment the contemplative themes laced throughout the EP with poetic verses like, "So familiar/Just like a dream… Countin' all the leaves/in the land of a thousand trees/reachin' up your sleeve/for all that use to be." "Leaves" uses lyrics and musical experimentation to navigate themes of dreams and memory as sounds swell and drift away over and over.

Later we hear "The Loss," possibly the tune that ties all of Dorr's musical directions together. The track starts out swaying slowly and moves forward into a catchy refrain echoing the introspective theme of the tune. The backup vocals and Dorr croon, "It won't let go, let go, let go/It won't let go of me/I can't let go/It won't let go of me." Captivating, experimental, and slightly electronic keys interpose between the refrain and verses, and launch forth after the second verse. Everything begins to evolve and grow as the lyrics "a quarter short of a diamond hand" repeat. This song reminded me of something that could be on Dr. Dog's album Fate. "The Loss," surveys a plethora of sounds and instruments within the span of five minutes, from echoing vocals, interesting drums and cymbals, and groovy keys. Though this tune starts out slow, momentum surges as Dorr layers on different resonances that you might not expect to blend, but they do, making the track super stimulating and perhaps my favorite of all.

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Dorr has laid it all out on his short EP. He showcases his ability to slip into the many corners of indie music, and he is not afraid to take on diverse sounds, instruments, and styles. Dorr said in a recent interview regarding his EP that he, "wants to have a few different styles to catch someone’s ear. [My] goal for the next project will definitely be to see how this next couple of months go, how the EP is received… and push in a more specific direction." Though "Dream Routine" navigates all sorts of musical sounds and directions, the consistent builds and structure of each track, along with the introspective thematic content tie the tunes together. See for yourself as Dorr continues to tour and perform tracks from this EP. His next show is Saturday, December 16th at Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters in Arvada.

Keep up with Eric Dorr here.

-Julia

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Review: Get Along's New 'Let My People Go' EP Explores Eclectic Indie Dance Punk

By: Norman Hittle

Monument’s most amazing music couple is back on our radar with their newest EP: a five song track list featuring their previously released single “Death of a Spirit Animal,” and four other brave and eclectic compositions focusing on breaking one’s own chains and embracing destiny.

Listen to Get Along’s single “Death of a Spirit Animal”:

Get Along is indie dance/punk duo Nick and Cara Yanez, and since 2012 they've been constantly upping their musical game with each successive release. Let My People Go is no exception to their continuous upward trajectory, and along with it comes an array of new sounds that should impress existing fans and new ones alike.

Get Along.

Get Along.

The EP christens us with “Death of a Metal Band,” an Arcade Fire type of upbeat, yet mercurial dance/pop number built upon piano and complimented by heavy guitars in the chorus. “Death of a Spirit” animal follows in a Feist-ish indie/pop array featuring delayed guitars and a brass section, flowing into “Let My People Go I” with its nods to Florence + the Machine in a drawn-out orchestral intro that bleeds into an electronic body of the song. “Let My People Go II” follows with an altogether different vibe. This part of the composition features hints of MUSE along with some intelligent usage of a vocoder for backing vocals. Finally, we arrive at “Exodus” and it's somber yet longing brightness in a style that’s familiar to FUN. in it’s piano man lounge-style which invokes a heavy feeling of reminiscence.

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You can check out Let My People Go on all major streaming services. And you can also join the duo in person at their EP Release Show this Friday September 22nd, at Syntax Physic Opera along with Turvy Organ and Ghostpulse. Details here.

-Norman

All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.

Rodes Rollins EP 'Young Adult' Talks Of Young Love & Growing Up In Boulder, CO

By: Sierra Voss

Rodes Rollins (Talia Taxman) has been honing her songwriting skills since age eight in Boulder, CO, and it shows. Her first EP, 'Young Adult,' dropped earlier this year and is quite the masterpiece for this artist’s freshman release. 'Young Adult' is an intimate look into Rollins’ story of  young love and growing up. Rollins’ songs embody mystery, naivety, wisdom, passion and grit. I recently chatted with Rodes more about her Colorado roots and the story of how this EP came to be. Read on:  

When did you start singing?

I have been writing and recording since I was eight years old. I worked with a guitar teacher in Boulder and she was so supportive and let me use her home studio to start recording my songs. She often brought in studio musicians to play with me. So I have a lot of recordings from a really young age. I was writing pretty mature content, but my voice hadn’t quite caught up yet, so it’s pretty funny stuff to listen to. 

Rodes Rollins.

Rodes Rollins.

So how did songwriting come into play in your life? I feel like most people get into songwriting later in life, after choir, or taking voice lessons for a couple of years. I’m curious how the songwriting part of singing came at such an early age for you.

It's hard to say. For me, it was kind of the way I learned how to play. It was my exploration of music and of the guitar. Like I never really learned how to play other people's songs. It was just me jumping in and making sounds and trying to understand it that way. Even today, I would never call myself a guitar player- it's more always been a writing tool for me. Writing prose and other things has always been something important to me too. I think more than anything, I used music as another avenue for writing. My parents were also incredibly involved in the music scene in Boulder growing up and had us listening to all sorts of music at home.

What type of music did you grow up with? 

We listened to a lot of Cat Stevens and The Beatles. I was also super into my dad listening to Nirvana and punk grunge. I never really fully grasped that type of music in my younger age, but I remember being super drawn to those darker sounds.  

Did you ever play gigs around Boulder growing up? 

I did little things. I actually got to perform at a songwriter workshop. I was working with Wendy Woo, who was a local singer songwriter. She had me come perform at a songwriting workshop she was teaching to a group of adults. She would always include me in things like that growing up. It was really not up until I moved to New York in college at NYU and studied abroad in Buenos Aires that I started performing on a consistent basis. 

Did you go to NYU to study music?  

I actually studied at the school for individualized study where you craft your own curriculum. I studied- well the title is Iconography- basically it’s the study of what makes a person iconic, looking at the branding of people. So I studied that, which in so many ways relates to music.

So when you studied abroad in Buenos Aires you started performing? Tell me more about that. 

That was my sophomore year. NYU has an campus in Argentina. So it's basically you with other people from the US in Argentina. I felt frustrated with that setup- why would I come all the way down here just to be in classes with everybody from the States? So I started trying to figure out ways to go out and meet local people. I was meeting a lot of people at bars, but it was difficult as a foreign woman to navigate and make friends that way. So I started going to a lot of open mics instead and ended up meeting a really great artist community there. It felt like each gig led to another one. I got to do some radio shows just based on people I met at those gigs. It was a really kind of magical time. That's when I really started getting into performing my songs. 

Once you got back from that semester did you come back wanting to continue pursuing your music?

I think that semester abroad I really struggled with the idea of coming back to New York and being a student. I was so energized to keep doing music at that point. It clicked for me- 'This is what I want to do, full time- I want to dive in.' However, I ended up developing really bad tonsillitis right when I returned and wasn’t able to sing, let alone speak clearly. I ended up having to get surgery for that, which put a huge roadblock on music for me. When all was said and done, that took about a year to recover from. I stayed in school during that time but I kept writing. Once I healed, I started working with Sam Pattillo, who actually discovered my music on Soundcloud. I had recorded an EP at Coupe Studios, so that was floating around. He heard it and I ended up partnering with him on his indie label to do Young Adult. I recorded my EP in LA; Alex Goose (Kevin Gates, Weezer) produced it. That was my senior year of college: going back and forth between LA and New York in order to finish school and record.  

What has life looked like since your release?

It's been great to get my music out there. I ended up going to Mexico City for this release. I went to Casey Middle School in Boulder, which is an bi-lingual school, and from that point on I was very enamored with Latin culture. That led to me studying Spanish and studying abroad. For this EP, we worked on a video there so I ended up going there to release “Young and Thriving,” which is a single from the EP. Since then, I have been in New York playing a lot of shows.

What’s next for you? New music? Touring?

We are releasing a short film we did in collaboration with a group in Mexico. It was inspired by one of the songs on the EP called, “Wes Come Back.” It’s a very dark film, almost like horror. I am really excited to get that out! Hopefully I will be coming back to Colorado to tour. I am going back to LA to record a new album soon, so I am hoping either on the front or back end of that, I will be able to stop in Colorado.

Watch Rodes Rollins' video for "Wes Come Back": 

A lot Young Adult revolves around young love and growing up. Was that a young love you had in Boulder?

Yeah he was. He was my highschool boyfriend and my first love.

Are there any Colorado references throughout the album besides him?

Lyrically there aren’t, but sonically, [there are] for sure. I think a lot of the sounds are Western inspired, from the whistles to the tremolo guitar sounds. I really was envisioning a Colorado Western landscape when I was writing this first EP.  

Take a listen to Rodes Rollins and check out her music video for her song, “Wes Come Back” off her latest EP 'Young Adult' above! Keep up with Rodes here

-Sierra

All videos and embedded tracks per the artist featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.