Brooklyn five-piece Desert Stars start 2012 off right with the release of their first single. “Boys I Like” and “Farewell Decade” are glossy pop songs that shimmer and shine from start to finish. These tracks are very well polished and seem a bit too slick to carry the shoegaze tag, but there are certainly elements.… Continue reading Desert Stars
Category: Artist Profiles
Elise Vatsvaag
It’s been a while since I’ve posted some straight up female singer/songwriter stuff, so I’m excited to have stumbled upon a goodie last weekend in Elise Vatsvaag. Vatsvaag, out of Norway, is releasing a new (free) song on the 10th of every month for her album, This Is Not My Music. I took a strong liking… Continue reading Elise Vatsvaag
Quickbeam
Quickbeam, out of Glasgow, is one of those bands that’s on the brink of stardom but not quite there yet because of their raw qualities. The trio’s debut single, “Seven Hundred Birds,” showcases precisely what is perfect but also missing. The elegant strings, the orchestral, slow-winding story. All beautiful stuff. But while Monica Gromek’s vocals are… Continue reading Quickbeam
The Lumineers
The Lumineers make the kind of life-affirming folk music that many bands aspire for, but few actually pull off. Their best track, “Ho Hey” is a perfectly crafted foot-stomper, literally demanding a group singalong – on tour, the crowd will surely “ho!” and “hey!” along with the band after every four drum beats. Lead singer… Continue reading The Lumineers
Coasts
Whoever said you can’t listen to upbeat music in winter is a big fat liar. Because I’m doing it right now. *Obnoxiously sticking my tongue out.* Coasts are a Bristol-based pop heavy band with driving melodies and peppy vocals. The band is going for a tropical vibe, which is clear through their music and their… Continue reading Coasts
Stone Cold Fox
Editor’s Note: We’re proud to announce a new contributor, Adam Offitzer. Please join us in welcoming him to the Knox Road community. You can find him on Twitter at @aoffitzer. Since this is my first post ever for Knox Road, it’s probably a good place to define my music taste for you, the readers. The… Continue reading Stone Cold Fox
Baobab
Holy crap have I fallen in love with a band/record out of nowhere. Baobab, essentially Phil Torres (with some help from Whitney Trettien), based out of Durham, North Carolina, just released their debut s/t album, and it couldn’t sound less like a debut. Complex, mature, and impeccably arranged, the album is nothing short of hypnotizing.… Continue reading Baobab
Fenster
It’s no secret that we love Morr Music around these parts. So when we hear about a new Morr artist, we’re quick to jump on them. Fenster, a New York/Berlin based trio, are set to release their new album, Bones, March 13, just in time for their US live debut and SXSW. Fenster makes experimental,… Continue reading Fenster
[MP3] Barna Howard: “Promise, I Won’t Laugh”
Barna Howard sounds more like a lost genius from the 60’s than a man about to release his debut album. The first track from Howard’s self-titled album is “Promise, I Won’t Laugh”, a contemplative folk-song sung in the style of early 1960’s folk singers like Dylan and Pete Seeger. Howard cites Neil Young, Bert Jansch… Continue reading [MP3] Barna Howard: “Promise, I Won’t Laugh”
[MP3] Cultfever: “Knewyouwell”
Not sure how I missed this a couple months ago, but Cultfever, a New York duo, released a stunning s/t debut album in November. J. Peter Durniak and Tamara Jafar, the driving Cultfever forces, created an extraordinarily lush album opener with “Knewyouwell,” showcasing Jafar’s charmingly innocent vocals and an array of experimental electronics. Cultfever –… Continue reading [MP3] Cultfever: “Knewyouwell”