Some of you might be wondering: “What is UMS? It sounds like someone is mumbling the word umm in disgruntled thought” or “Is this actually going to take place underground in the sewers? Am I going to need galoshes?” Well, your friends at Ultra5280 are here to help. UMS is Denver’s premier indie music festival, featuring over 400 different local and national acts with a diverse lineup the entire family can enjoy.
Read MoreFlashbulb Fires release new single "Unseen Things"
Easily becoming one of the hottest bands in Denver right now, Flashbulb Fires continues to lay a foundation for success with hard work, great stage presence and a unique approach to the way they compose amazing music. We have had a chance to work with these guys in the past and can tell you they are some of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Please take time to enjoy their new single.
Flashbulb Fires to release first single, “Unseen Things,” in a series of singles to be released in 2013.
The single follows the band’s critically acclaimed sophomore album, GASCONADER, which was first released in 2012 and rereleased in the UK in 2013.
Denver, July 26th – Indie haze-pop band Flashbulb Fires is proud to announce the digital release of their brand new single, “Unseen Things.” A music video is also in the works and will debut within a couple weeks of the single’s initial release. “Unseen Things” is just the first song Flashbulb Fires plans to share in the coming months. Despite their historically purist approach to recording full-length albums that tell a complete story from beginning to end, Flashbulb Fires recently made a creative choice to explore the idea of releasing their new music as a series of singles rather than in album format. It is undoubtedly a new direction for the band but one that Flashbulb Fires hopes will challenge them artistically as well as keep their fans engaged in a more continuous way.
The inspiration for “Unseen Things” came when Flashbulb Fires was asked to write music for an upcoming feature film directed by and starring William H. Macy. In less than a week, the band wrote, recorded, and mixed a handful of potential songs for the movie. Ultimately, “Unseen Things” was not included in the movie, but the band felt so strongly about the song that the choice was made to release it as a single. This turn of events was also behind the creative shift within the band to move toward continuing to release new music as singles.
“Today indie artists can be as creative as they want in how they share music with their fans and we wanted to play around with the idea of continually feeding people new music rather than giving it all to them in one shot,” says Flashbulb Fires’ guitarist, Michael James. “Since each one of these songs will have to stand completely on its own, it will be interesting to see how the music is impacted.”
About Flashbulb Fires
Flashbulb Fires released their first album Glory in 2009. The follow up, GASCONADER, was released in 2012 to critical acclaim. In early 2013 a limited edition UK version of the album was released on Choose My Music Records and sold out in a matter of days. Since the release of GASCONADER, Flashbulb Fires has continued to tour the US independently, has performed at SXSW and CMJ Music Marathon, and has supported acts like Imagine Dragons, Sharon Van Etten, and The Joy Formidable and others. The album charted on CMJ for 12 straight weeks and also landed the band an exclusive licensing deal with Downtown Music Services (NY, NY). Recently, the band was named a finalist in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (ISC) for the album’s single, “Dark Ghost (I’ve Got Arms).” The annual competition had over twenty thousand song entries in 2012 and less than one percent of those were named as finalists. [Press Release]
Flashbulb Fires: Gasconoder : Review and Upcoming Show
Here at Ultra5280 we get our good share of CD’s/Albums/LP’s/EP’s/MP3’s...you get the picture. I had a chance to see a bunch of awesome bands during my recent trip to SXSW, some good, some bad, some that have been under the radar for me. During the Reverb Showcase I had a chance to catch a rather early set from Flashbulb Fires, right from the get-go I enjoyed their set, I came back home with a list of bands I needed to get more familiar with and high on that list was Flashbulb Fires.
From time to time we come across a gem, thus the case from local boys Flashbulb Fires. Gasconader takes me back to a time when I remember listening to my parent’s Motown collection on vinyl, it also conjures up my first love for groups such as Oasis. In fact upon first listen it was as if Brit-Pop and Motown made love and had this wonderful child that gives Flashbulb Fires their unique sound. The similarities between Oasis are evident on the first couple tracks where lead vocalist Patrick McGuire channels his inner Liam Gallagher (or is it Noel) to give us a joyful, easy to listen to sound. The overall album gives us seven tracks that provide layers upon layers of different flavors of musical varieties. On the track “Marathon” the chorus hauntingly takes us on a voyage and sounds hauntingly similiar to “Change (In The House of Flies)” by The Deftones. The dark eerie undertones gives us an example of the ambiguity the band brings to the table.
Overall I was very impressed with this album, as fans of the music community we should feel honored to know that bands like Flashbulb Fires are right in our own backyard. Go pickup your copy of Gasconader on iTunes or at one of their upcoming shows. Check out the video for "The Whale" below. They will be playing an intimate set at Rooster and Moon this upcoming Saturday May 19th, click here for more information.
Vinefield Presents Thanksgiving Eve Holiday Showcase
The Vinefield AgencyCity Hall
Eldren | 12:15am
Casey James Prestwood & The Burning Angels | 11:30pm
Jen Korte & The Loss | 10:45pm
Flashbulb Fires | 10:00pm
Force Publique | 9:15pm
Flashlights | 8:30pm
Petals of Spain | 7:45pm
Sam Lee | 7:00pm
The Baltic | 6:20pm