Our good friends In The Whale have been busy touring the country and as we mentioned last week will be playing at this years Lollapalooza. They just celebrated their new album this past week at a sweat soaked packed Hi-Dive crowd. Luckily for us we get the exclusive stream of the single "Radio" off the self-titled album. After all sometimes we need something new to listen to at the office with our pants off.
Covenhoven | Exclusive Video Premiere
Colorado's token mountain man, Joel van Horne is at it again. We know him for his rustic, down home music and sweet demeanor. Where his previous releases prompt memories of growing up in the woods and weekend getaways in the mountains with friends. Yet, there is something different and symphonic about his latest debut. Joel's voice coupled with the myriad of instruments creates something new and totally unique to anything we've heard form Van Horne before. "Missing Parts" is wholesome, emotion provoking and raw. We are able to see a side of Covenhoven that's been hidden in the caves of the Rocky Mountains for the past decade. This video or new side of Van Horne is not to be missed.
So stay tuned because their newest video, "Missing Parts" is just one part of an episode of "Now Playing" that will air at 10 pm this Saturday (Feb. 21) on CPT 12 in Colorado.
New Music Tuesday | Locals Only Edition: Wiredogs "Kill The Artist Hype The Trash"
Happy New Music Tuesday, friends and foes! This month is packed full of new music from some of our favorite local bands, so brace yourselves as last week, this week, and next week are all heavy hitting hometown releases. Last Tuesday we brought you coverage of the new Filthy T album set to debut this weekend, but they’re not the only band who will be bringing new tunes to your earbuds in the next seven days. Local rockers Wiredogs will be premiering their brand new EP this Saturday night at The Marquis Theatre, but we got our hands on a sneak preview this week to tell you all what to expect.
This three-piece from Denver are certainly not new to the local scene, nor to rock and roll. Originally named The Hate (a name so punk that they were forced to change it), the groups first EP titled Resistance garnered interest in Denver and led to shows at UMS in 2013 and 2014, performances with Agent Orange, Residual Kid, The Ataris, fellow rock locals In The Whale and more. This past fall they were one of three local bands asked to play at Riot Fest Denver, but they’ve kept a bit quiet since that show, working hard on this new, EP Kill The Artist Hype The Trash. When we first were introduced to the awesomeness that is Wiredogs, it was inherently apparent that there was massive talent and potential spiraling around, but the band seemed unsure of which direction they were headed musically. Straddling the lines of punk, classic rock and even sometimes ska, the groups live show was so high energy and the tracks so catchy that you couldn’t not love it, but every track still felt different from the next…different enough that it left you to wonder what was precisely at play.
The groups new EP seems to have taken that next step forward, finally locking their sound to a more specific genre, creating a more coherent experience for the listener. Kicking off with the high energy track “Violence”, frontman Dan Aid’s grungy voice elicits a forced awareness from the listener; one can not passively listen to this album. The driving guitar riffs and consistent melodies roll from track to track, complimented by drummer Stefan Runstrom’s choice to hold nothing back. One of my favorite drummers currently playing in the Denver scene, I really appreciate how much this recording allows the listener to hear him playing as hard as he does at every live show - something hard for an audio engineer to successfully reproduce. This magical drum sound happens to be a known talent of The Blasting Room, the infamous Fort Collins-based studio the band recorded at. Aid has always delivered catchy hooks and memorable chorus’, but there’s something new about the writing on Kill The Artist Hype The Trash that I can’t quite place. The ability for the listener to focus on this more might honestly be thanks to the consistency of the music behind the lyrics, although I can’t be certain. My favorite song of the record is the last track, “Fear Is A Lie”, a memorable, anthemic, beat-driven single thats a surefire hit with both new fans as well as those familiar with the group’s past work. To say i’m anxious to hear these new songs live would be an understatement. I’ve always enjoyed the band’s live show, but I finally feel like the group’s music is consistent enough to make their performances what they’ve always hinted at: a coherent build up of emotion and release, driving impassioned fan reaction beginning to end of the set.
If you want to check out this newly revised version of Wiredogs, you don’t have to wait long. The band is releasing this brand new EP this coming Saturday, January 24th at The Marquis Theatre. Tickets are going quick, but I implore you to pick one up quick and not miss out on what will be a strong local release of 2015. For now, check out the group's last single, "Chelsea Hotel" here on SoundCloud:
New Music Tuesday | Kid Astronaut & Bad Rabbits | November 4, 2014
We’re going to try to get in the swing of making Tuesdays “New Music Tuesdays” over here at Ultra5280, and what a better way to kick it off than with one of our favorite local artists, and one of the bands that has stolen our heart time and time again. This week we’re going a little on the soul side, and focusing on Jon Shockness’ new solo project Kid Astronaut, as well as Boston’s soul sons Bad Rabbits.
KID ASTRONAUT
You are (hopefully) by now familiar with Air Dubai, Denver’s six piece electro-pop hip-hop group. A band who’s been making waves in the Mile High city since before the release of their first full-length Wonder Age was in 2010, lead vocalist Jon Shockness has been working double time recently to begin experimenting with his own material under the name Kid Astronaut. Jon’s efforts working towards a solo career have existed just as long as Air Dubai, but the first track dropped under this monicker came this past July with the song “This Day”. His solo stuff is a sure departure from the upbeat radio hits of Air Dubai, but brings out the same lyrical strength we’ve come to expect. Tracks like “This Day” and “Phone Home” let us hear Jon rap more than we’ve heard on any of his previous releases, and I truly hope this change sticks, as it’s obviously a strong talent that suits him well. With great cadence, and wonderfully smart lines like “I’m feeling happier than Pharrell ever been/ walking on clouds baby this day is on ten” we’re excited to keep hearing more from this solo project. My favorite release so far has been the song “Finally it’s You” simply because of how starkly different it is from anything else I’ve ever heard Jon release. The track features no rapping, very different lyrical content, and to top it off, a beautiful violin humming through the background. The song is beautiful through and through, and you can check out the newly released music video for the track below. We love watching artists grow and change, and this new era for Jon Shockness is one I’m curious to continue to follow. If you’d like to see his work live, he’s playing a show this coming Friday night at 7pm at The Atlas Theatre. You can find more info on the Kid Astronaut Facebook page.
BAD RABBITS
Boston natives Bad Rabbits have been around for quite some time, and their EP Stick Up Kids has been on my iPhone since the day I first heard it in 2010. The band has toured with Travie McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, done the Vans Warped Tour twice (in 2011 and 2014), and just came through town this past month opening for singer/songwriter Allen Stone. If you think the list of acts they’ve played with is eclectic, try listening to their music. With hints of soul, gospel, hip hop, and 80’s pop all wrapped into one neat little package, the only thing one can do to adequately process their music is dance about it. The band released their first full length American Love in 2013, and have been touring nearly the entire year in support of the album. Songs like “Booties”, “Stick Up Kids”, “We Can Roll”, and “Doin’ It” are my personal favorite tracks, but nothing in this world compares to this band’s live show. Full of choreographed dance routines, jumps off of bass drums, an insanely impressive vocal performance and more clapping than you could expect (both to keep rhythm, and for applause), I have said it time and time and time again, this band cannot be topped; they are one of my favorite live bands without question. They may have a fascination with booties, but don’t let it deter you, their music is just as fun and beautiful as the butts they showcase on their album artwork. The band only has two shows scheduled through the end of the year, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted the next time they roll through Denver. In the mean time, get your dancing shoes on and put your headphones in - it’s time to study up so you’re fully prepared to have your mind blown when you see them live. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about this band’s addictiveness, and let me be the first to welcome you into the Bad Rabbits fan community by teaching you our motto: BR ALL DAY, BAD RABBITS!