Denver Locals HR People Tweet Their Way Into Their New Video "Monster"

Denver local boys are giving us a dose of their new lyrical video for "Monster" and playing a show this coming Friday at Stoney's with Alex The Great (Dallas, Texas) starting at 10 PM. The show is 21+ and tickets are only $5. Check out the FB Event page for more info (we promise they aren't collecting your data)

This lyric video is typed in real time from the perspective of Donald Trump’s Twitter account... on his computer desktop. The song “Monster” was released by HR People as a single weeks before the presidential election in 2016, and plays on the narcissism that was on display during the Trump campaign. The lyrics have continued to ring true over the last year.

“We rushed the song to be released two weeks before the election because we thought the political message would only be relevant until the election was over,” Davis Stone (Vocals, Bass) remarks. “We were wrong...”

“But more than just an attack track on the Donald, this is a commentary about where our culture is today. It’s saying we are a society focused on only the I, me and mine,” Denver Post music critic Josh Johnson writes. “Politics and cultural critique aside, this is a killer song... and this is a band with seemingly limitless creativity.”

Monster has received steady radio play on KTCL 93.3 and Colorado Public Radio’s “Open Air”. HR People is a 5-piece rock/soul outfit from Denver, CO, and is described as “if Cage the Elephant were signed to Rhymesayers and produced by Danger Mouse, taking in Dan Auerbach riffs and Portugal. The Man choruses” (Scene Magazine). HR People will be playing at Stoney’s South in Denver, CO on Friday, March 30th. They have additional shows planned throughout the spring and summer.

The Time Is Now For Viretta: A Journey Into Rock's Unknown Future

What’s a Viretta? For the better part of the 2010’s, Viretta has been somewhat of a cipher. Known throughout the scene for their hard-hitting live shows, and constantly changing lineup, the alt-rock act has a surprising number of accomplishments under their belt. Having headlined or played sold-out shows in nearly every venue in Denver, including a modest Bluebird headliner back in 2014, the group still seems to be one of the most well-known low-key bands in Denver, despite being literally in two places at once. “I think most people hear Viretta and think, ‘aren’t they that twin band..?’” laughs frontman Mike Moroni. He hears this all the time. Paired with identical twin brother Rob Moroni, the two are hard to miss walking down Broadway, and turn many the confused head. So… what’s a Viretta? And why are they releasing a 12-track rock record on CD in the Pop-dominated city of Denver? Although it may not seem like it, the answer has been a long time coming.

Tracking their time on the Denver Music Scene, Viretta are kind of hard to nail down. A smattering of EP’s here and there, the odd single, a music video with Bear masks, a strong focus on their live show, rather than their recordings. When it all comes together, we see a picture of a band led more by their impulses than their rationale. Take 2016’s Ready For Rock Vol. 1 , a compilation record of local rock acts the band put together themselves to benefit local music non-profit Youth On Record. During a year which also saw guitarist Rob Moroni doing double duty as bassist for Denver pop-act P O P F I L T E R, it’s hard to tell where VIRETTA’s going to show up next. Bombing the stage at last year’s Hometown For The Holidays with Bad Noise Bears? Or headlining Larimer Lounge as Radiohead with P O P F I L T E R as Phoenix and Valienta as The Killers? Whatever the rationale, they’re back again with their brand new album: THE FEAR.

“We’ve been recording this album for a long time,” Rob starts. He’s not wrong. Slow boiling since early 2016, Mike, Rob, and drummer Jon Cales self-recorded the album (a first for the band) twice; spending much of 2017 in their basement studio scrapping the first cut of the record. “It wasn’t right,” Mike says quickly. “We didn’t have it yet.” For the second iteration, the band turned to their friends. Recording drums with fellow UCD alum Kyle Smith at Side 3 Studios, and seeking out Brandon Whalen of My Body Sings Electric to craft the perfect bass tone, the record entered production yet again. Embracing their own quixotic energy, the band felt liberated to create and destroy at a moment’s notice. “We asked ourselves, what if we literally said yes to every single crazy idea we have? In the end, everything was game,” says Jon excitedly. This makes The Fear like nothing the group has produced before. With the foundation laid, the band finished recording guitars and vocals in their project studio at home. It took the rest of 2017 for Mike to mix the record (another first), a process he described as: “Hell.”

Viretta enjoying some fine icy treats. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

Viretta enjoying some fine icy treats. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

Nevertheless it’s clear that there is love on this record. Take, “You Are My IV,” the band’s first new song in years.

The band channels its inner Radiohead with the "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi-esque" jam. A carefully layered track that starts off soft into a infectious transition only to subtly go into a well executed strumming gem midway through the song. -Castro

They’ve dubbed the album’s sound Basement Hi-Fi: “Half the record sounds amazing,” says Mike “the other half sounds like shit.” Sounds about right for a band defined by extremes. The Fear captures VIRETTA at their most honest and their most reticent; their most exciting and their most vulnerable. Slated for release on May 26th, the band intends to drop three new music videos ahead of the release. “People are going to be sick of us. It’s gonna be amazing,” says Rob. It’s anyone’s game what VIRETTA will do next. All we know, is it won’t be boring. 

THE FEAR is now available to pre-order for $10 on the link below.

Preorder Viretta’s new album “The Fear”

Stream You Are My IV: http://bit.ly/2C2u9Kq
Website: virettaband.com  

Tracklisting: 1. Fear at 17 2. Cordyceps 3. People Are Snakes 4. Lachrymal 5. Snap The Branches 6. Avidazen 7. This Garden's Over (A) 8. This Garden's Over (B) 9. You Are My IV 10. How To Wield The Knife 11. After Image 12. ---

Hometown For The Holidays 2017 - Here Is Your Top Ten!

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It's that time of year once again. The time when the airwaves of Channel 93.3 are flooded with the best local music in Denver. The annual Hometown for the Holidays is a culmination of the amazing work these bands have accomplished and a celebration that takes place on December 15th at Summit Music Hall (VIP Tickets Here). This year we had a chance to listen to some amazing music and even showcase some of the songs below. The process for choosing the final three is based on voting with the winners will play in front of an audience on the 15th and will be judged to see who the winner is. Hometown For The Holidays winning band will have the opportunity to play Not So Silent Night 2018 and Westword Music Showcase 2018. This years field is amazing and we would like to congratulate all the finalist. Here are the Top Ten nominees for the 2017 Hometown For The Holidays. VOTE HERE!!!!!

IOLITE- HOLOGRAMS

MOVES- CONSTANT SYMPHONY

WILDERMISS- CARRY YOUR HEART

FACING WEST-MESSED UP MASTERPIECE

OPTYCNERD-APOLLO

SOPHIE WILSON-RECKLESS

FOXFIELD FOUR- WASTELAND

IVORY CIRCLE- NEVER LET ME GO

VYNYL- DANCING WITH THE DEVIL

CHLOE TANG- HANGOVER

First Look: Tyto Alba "The Hunger" World Premiere Music Video

Here is the world premiere of the new Tyto Alba video for "The Hunger". The band is also set to perform for their release party tomorrow night at Syntax (flyer below). Easily one of our favorite bands here at Ultra5280 the video is a haunting thrill ride that takes us to a real dark place. 

Tyto Alba (Photo Credit: George Blosser)

Tyto Alba (Photo Credit: George Blosser)

The music video for “The Hunger”, off of Tyto Alba’s sophomore EP, In Our Own Time, utilizes the talent of LA-based cinematographer Colin Anders (Slice Cinematics) and was filmed primarily at local Denver art bar/music venue Syntax Physic Opera. The video explores the darkness and inner turmoil of a dysfunctional romantic relationship. Primal tendencies that rarely surface but are hard to ignore come to life in the form of eerily masked figures and voodoo rituals. The dual characters played by singer/songwriter Melanie Steinway represent the conflict of repressed desires with outward restraint, reinforced by the chorus, “overflow - don’t you let it show”. Colin Anders’ cinematic vision melds with the moody ambiance of Syntax to produce a stunning music video that is at once alluring and unsettling.
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Catching Up With Wildermiss

We are always on the lookout for new music, especially homegrown music. Seeing that we have been doing this this for awhile we can safely say we know good music when we see it. Such is the case with Wildermiss, the four piece "supergroup" has exploded onto the scene and we were fortunate enough to chat with the band on various subjects. Huge thank you to these guys for taking time to speak with us. 

U5280: How did you all meet?

Wildermiss: A few months after Red Fox Run disbanded, Emma had her senior recital performance for CU Denver and asked her musician friends to perform with her. It was an amazing experience because it felt like a Denver Music Scene super group; members of Red Fox Run, Evinair, Overslept, and Avenhart all performed together for this show. After the show we quickly realized that we came across something unique. One thing led to the next and we created an entirely new project– Wildermiss.
 
U5280: How did the name Wildermiss come about?

Wildermiss: It quite literally came from missing out on the wilderness on a road trip. We liked Wildermiss because it sounds like wilderness but has a different meaning… Associating gender with wilderness but also has a longing for something wild and free. It is deep but still surface and there doesn't have to be a big head-trip meaning behind it. We like saying it too.
 
U5280: What bands or musicians would say are huge influences on your sound?

Wildermiss: Young The Giant, The Preatures, The National, The Beatles, Local Natives, Jet, Radiohead, Mutemath, Sylvan Esso, Twenty One Pilots, Phox, Half Moon Run, Coin, and many more.
 
U5280: Your song “Carry Your Heart" was produced by Joe Richmond, who is by far one of the best producers in Denver, what was it like working with Joe on this single?

Wildermiss: Joe is so great. He puts his heart into it. Carry Your Heart was our first song with a producer. We chose Joe and couldn't be happier with his ideas and the overall quality of our experience with him. We probably maybe definitely might have just finished tracking most of our first EP with this guy… Coming in Fall! ;)
 
U5280: Who are some of your favorite Denver bands and have they provided any words of wisdom?

Wildermiss: If we have learned anything about the music industry, it’s that nothing happens overnight and it takes a lot of work. We watch Denver artists like My Body Sings Electric and Brent Cowles consistently working hard to make it in this industry. It's so impressive and so important. It's definitely something we've believed in from the start.
 
U5280: You guys have a few dates coming up including The UMS, what can fans look forward to from that and going forward?

Wildermiss: We are constantly writing new music and working out new details in our live shows. Fans can expect to notice something different at each show as they watch us grow as artists. 
 
U5280: Wildermiss is one of the hottest acts right in Colorado, any plans to extend your fan base here in the future? Festivals, tour, music?

Wildermiss: Aw shucks. Yes, we are currently planning our EP release late Fall with a few tours to follow.
 
U5280: Favorite restaurant in Colorado?

Wildermiss: Sputniks corn dogs for life! Also, Adelitas on South Broadway.
 
U5280: If you had to have one musician sit in and do a song with you who would it be and why?

Wildermiss: Paul McCartney because he is a songwriting genius and we would love to understand his perspective on songwriting.

Dear Me, Starting To Feel At Home With New Album On The Way | First Listen

Discovering new music is what this site was built upon, we are constantly sorting through inboxes full of new material from musicians and bands all over the world. Our fondness for local music is always at the helm of our priority and from time to time we get to hear some of the best up and coming material before anybody else (perk #118). We got our hands on this song by Dear Me, who are planning on releasing their new album on June 10th of next month. The track Somebody Else conjures up the early days of Death Cab For Cutie with well crafted lyrics and harmonies that deliver the perfect emotions of the heartfelt song. The band plans to release their album Present Perfect on June 10th at Syntax Opera House. Information on that show can be found on the bands website.

"Somebody Else is maybe the first song that really made me feel like "Dear me," could work out as a project. Andrew and I had been playing as side men in a band, and playing the occasional gig as a duo, but it never amounted to much. Figuring out how to make our voices and guitars compliment each other on this song was really the first step towards taking our own music seriously. We recorded it mostly the way that we originally figured it out, with just Jamie Beekman's third harmony on top and keyboard underneath."