Tripwires is a band from Reading, UK that has been rocking venues with its reverberating, shoegaze grunge for the past six years. Though there are a handful of bands out there with a similar tag line, Tripwires are somewhat of an anomaly. Though the band was conceived in 2007, they have yet to release their debut album, which has been in the works for the past six years. To put that into perspective, Tripwires has been writing and recording this forthcoming album since the announcement of the 1st generation iPhone. Though this seems like centuries ago, Tripwires have taken the time to carefully hone their sound and will release their long-awaited record, Spacehopper, on June 18th via Frenchkiss Records.
Let’s look back in time a little, shall we? The town in which longtime friends (frontman, Rhys Edwards; guitarist, Joe Stone; bassist, Ben White; and drummer, Sam Pilsbury) grew up was placid and quaint. However, though the town may not seem enchanting by any means, the four friends found a musical refuge in it and took their time to pen this upcoming record. They claim that the sound of Spacehopper is influenced by a wide scope of artists including Neil Young, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, and Talk Talk. Nevertheless, between all these sonic layers of inspiration, they found their own voice.
It’s evident that the members of Tripwires are closely-knit. Maybe it’s that they’ve successfully collaborated together on creating a record for over half a decade, or maybe it’s the fact that they used to cover Slipknot songs together during their lunch breaks in grade school. These guys have grown up and matured with each other not only in their personal lives, but musically as well. The strong relationships that exist between them have helped them craft their own, diverse sound that is sure to be well worth the wait.
There are few things that the Internet loves more than cute kids and cute kittens.
Frenchkiss Records decided to exploit all of these weaknesses and more in some capacity with the release of the official trailer for their new YouTube channel, FKR.TV. This new venture is a partnership between Syd Butler (Les Savy Fav, Frenchkiss Records); actor/comedian David Cross (Arrested Development); and The Orchard, and the channel aims to focus on original content, posting up to five new videos a week.
Content will include music videos, live performances from FKR artists, as well as other content from the FKR vaults. Frenchkiss Records was founded by Butler in 1999, and is home to artists such as The Antlers, Bloc Party, The Hold Steady, Local Natives, Passion Pit, and many more.
Though the channel will feature a plethora of material for music lovers, it will also roll out some original series for viewers. The first line-up will include shows such as Song of the Wild, starring David Cross, Gavin McInnes (Rooster NY, Street Carnage), Tim Harrington (Les Savy Fav, Beardo), and a handful of others, which focuses on what happens when five aspiring pop stars are dropped in the middle of the wilderness for a month — more aptly described as American Idol meets The Hunger Games, or Survivor: Musician Edition. Other shows you’ll find include This One Time…, which features short stories reenacted through puppets, and Five Questions with a Five-Year-Old, starring Ms. Lyla Butler, a five-year-old luminary who asks artists/celebrities hard-hitting questions like “What is your favorite animal?”
The music, laughs, and all-around cuteness will ensue on March 28th.
Patience and poise. These terms are tough for young, inspired musicians to accept when rushing to record a debut album, but for Australia’s Indie-Pop darling Emma Louise, these are character traits she embraces on every track she writes. A songbird with a maturity far beyond her years, Emma cultivates a genuine sound through this artistic dedication, and now, her hard work has payed off with vs. Head vs. Heart, her debut full-length album, out in the U.S. on May 21st via Frenchkiss Records.
But Emma Louise’s poise didn’t come from nowhere. The songstress started her career on the DIY route, composing music in her bedroom in Cairns — a regional city in Australia – and sharing her homemade tracks online. But after landing a big break at the Queensland Music Awards at only 16 years of age, the Australian starlet’s career took flight. From there, Emma moved to Brisbane to craft her sound in the city’s creative community, culminating with the release of one of 2011′s most buzzed about EPs, Full Hearts and Empty Rooms. That record featured the single “Jungle“, which landed at #23 on the national Triple J Hottest 100 and propelled the singer to a “Breakthrough Artist” award at 2011’s national Independent Music Awards.
On her newest effort, vs. Head vs. Heart, which was produced in the Brisbane studio of Matt Redlich (Hungry Kids of Hungary, Ball Park Music), the singer crafts a complete album that is much more than the sum of its parts. And if the first single, “Boy“ – an understated Pop track that is as equally dreamy as it is catchy — is any indicator of the parts, than the album is sure to deliver a depth that is typically foreign to the Pop genre.
But even amongst all of her success in the studio, the Australian singer with a penchant for tender melodies brings just as much intensity to the live stage. Emma Louise has performed with artists ranging from Boy and Bear to Josh Pyke, Missy Higgins to Gurrumul, and is known for mixing it up during her live shows — whether performing in a stripped back duo format or with her full band. You can catch her live at this year’s SXSW in Austin, Texas, as well as a couple of other stateside locals during her Spring tour.
If waiting for the Pop princess to come through your town is too much, you can head over to Pitchfork to listen to the newest single, “Freedom.” Those of you hankering for the singer’s stage act can see all of her tour dates after the jump.
Colin Caulfield, the man behind Young Man, is anything but what his puerile moniker may hint at. With warm, effortless vocal lines swimming over Dream-Pop landscapes and layered percussion grooves, he and his Young Man bandmates are veterans of taking the Indie sound and pushing it into the clouds. And now, the group is slated to release its newest album Beyond Was All Around Me on April 9, via Frenchkiss Records.
If April seems too far away for your insatiable Indie Pop cravings, then head over to Stereogum to see the volcanic album art and listen to the first track off the new record: “In a Sense.” Masters of the slow build, the song begins with an unassuming guitar riff — accompanied by a melodic bass line and shuffling drum beat – before it blasts into its hook-heavy chorus. From there, the track wanders through chilled-out, groove-laden verses (akin to Frenchkiss labelmates, Local Natives) to upbeat sections that have an air towards the anthemic.
The new record is the third and final installment of Young Man‘s album trilogy, which began with 2011′s Ideas of Distance and was followed by 2012′s Vol. 1. YM’s previous albums boasted enough atmospheric tenderness to send listeners on a trip to the ionospheres of the Indie Pop genre, and from the sound of the new single, the band’s upcoming effort is sure to not disappoint. Beyond Was All Around Me was produced, engineered, and mixed by Nicolas Vernhes (Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective, Wild Nothing) at Brooklyn’s Rare Book Room Studios. Check out the reverb-reverent band’s website for updates on the new record and upcoming shows.
Local Natives definitely have something to sing about with the release of their sophomore album Hummingbird. The record debuted at #12 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on Billboard’s Digital Albums chart! In addition, it was the 2nd most added album on the CMJ College charts. Not too bad for the band who broke out only a few years ago with Gorilla Manor, their debut.
Hummingbird, the newest record from the Sunshine State-based band, further expands and develops the sonic palette of their cross-genre sound. Equal parts Indie-Pop, Folk-Rock and Psychedelic, the band blends percussiveness with poignancy, deep groove with ethereal vocals, and the result is spectacular. The record was co-produced by The National‘s Aaron Dessner, a natural fit in the eyes of Local Natives, who toured with the iconic Indie group on their previous album cycle. And for all you ‘Natives faithful, Hummingbird still has many of the band’s signature sounds to get excited about — layered vocal harmonies, strong percussion intricacies, and Afropop-influenced guitar tones — but the growth and maturity from the previous album is unmistakable.
In promotion of the new record, the group performed “Heavy Feet,” the first single off the new record, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last week. The performance marks the beginning of an extensive tour, which kicks off for the band at SXSW in Austin, Texas. If you want to catch Local Natives live though, you better go out and get your tickets soon as multiple dates for their upcoming tour have already sold out. Check out more on the band, their new record, and upcoming tour schedule on their website. Full tour dates after the jump.
