Welcome to Under the Radar’s Weekly Playlist, where we compile the best tracks to debut online in the last week (or thereabouts). In this mix we’ve got new songs by Prince, Ought, Jamie Lidell, Wavves, Small Black, Willis Earl Beal, !!!, Gwenno, Gardens & Villa, Chad Valley, American Wrestlers, and more. Look no further, your weekend playlist is right here. LISTEN HERE…
If I had to name singer-songwriter Sara Rachele’s greatest gift, it would be her ability to wring big emotions from the simplest of songs. Much of the credit can go to her honey-coated voice, although her knack for finding points of depth and complexity in her mostly spare arrangements shouldn’t be overlooked.
On “Never Come Around,” the full range of her gifts are on display, her heartrending vocals accompanied only by the gentle strum of her acoustic guitar. It’s a haunting, gorgeous song, and the video, shot live last year by Atlanta Entourage, only serves to highlight the intense beauty of her singing, which bristles with a kind of wounded vulnerability. We’re not sure why a performance so striking has been shelved for so long, but we’re very excited to be able to premiere it for you today. WATCH HERE
On Wednesday, warm up band People’s Blues of Richmond were rowdy, driving and loud and reminded me of the frenetic blues of Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. They filled the club early with their own mass of fans who knew every word. It was wonderful to see a young band who so clearly enjoyed performing and being with their bandmates. As their time on stage was ending, each player was independently trying to catch the eye of the soundman to see how much longer they could stay on, and were ecstatic when they were granted two, not one, last songs. On Thursday, The Revivalists were supported by big-band old-school R&B/soul Gedeon Luke and the People, a nine-piece band coming off a couple months of touring. They had the crowd dancing the entire time and wandered out into the crowd for their encore. And with a lot of upcoming gigs in the area, they will most definitely be on my To See list. READ MORE…
Sydney Eloise and the Palms certainly didn’t rush things when it came to their forthcoming debut, Faces. The Atlanta-based band built the album piece by piece, heading into co-producer Damon Moon’s studio, the Cottage, with outlines of songs and adding instrumentals and tweaking things until they sounded right. They didn’t even start out looking to record an album, but as the collection of work began to take shape, songs that Eloise had been writing over a four-year period began to feel cohesive, and Faces was born.
The latest track revealed by Eloise and the Palms is “Loneliest Boy in NY,” one of the more complex songs on the record. The number is a response to the Simon & Garfunkel classic “The Only Living Boy in New York,” which Moon had included on a mix for Eloise in the midst of an inspirational dry spell. LISTEN HERE…
In this Dream Tour video, the rock ‘n roll/blues band, Blackfoot Gypsies, shares their picks for their dream tour lineup. You can watch the video, after the break. WATCH HERE…
This week, our Musical Road Trip series heads to Route 101 to explore the origins of surf rock and the California sound.
In the early 1960s, America was infected by the California sound. Upbeat acts like Dick Dale and His Del-Tones and the Beach Boys topped the charts while new lightweight shortboards dotted the tides. The 2010s have revived surf rock and the California sound, thanks to the help and success of bands like Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls and Wavves.
Starting in Los Angeles, you’ll follow Route 101 north through San Francisco and surf communities like Ventura and Santa Barbara. Along the way, you’ll brave perfect waves and discover dreamy new music.
Flip through the gallery above to see our picks for a surf rock road trip up Route 101. READ HERE…