Los Angeles – Orange County, California singer/songwriter Nic Hessler has a new perspective on music and well, life too. About four years ago, the Captured Tracks artist known at the time as Catwalk was sidelined after being diagnosed with Guillain–Barré Syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder often mistaken for Multiple Sclerosis. After leaving him partially paralyzed
Los Angeles – Jordan Corso is the LA-based singer/songwriter known as Cotillon. And for his set at The Echo last Thursday, he was joined by Bret Leinen (bass), Michael Mederios (drums) and Zachary Miller (guitar). (They were the second of three acts to perform, as Eleanor Friedberger was the night’s headliner.) Cotillon is a perplexing
Chicago – “It’s always fun to play a sold-out show. It’s like, ‘That’s tight!’” Marlana Sheetz of Milo Greene earned a few laughs and plenty of applause from the Chicago crowd for her 90s-esque commentary Thursday night. Sheetz and the rest of Milo Greene – Robbie Arnett, Graham Fink, Andrew Heringer, and Curtis Marrero –
Los Angeles – The self-proclaimed “Hip Pop” duo of Aluna Francis and George Reid, better known as simply AlunaGeorge, have just released word that they plan to travel back to the U.S. in late April, for a pair of bookend-style coastline shows, as well as a set of west coast festivals (Sasquatch and Lightning in
Los Angeles – The intimacy of the Sunset Strip’s State Social House was the perfect setting for soul singer-songwriter Joe Marson to showcase his superb musical talents. The upstairs space is designated as “The Attic,” a fitting title for what is literally an attic – exposed rafters and all. With the lights turned down low
New York – We missed Heems. He put out two excellent mixtapes, Nehru Jackets and Wild Water Kingdom, in 2012, just before the official dissolution of his group Das Racist that December. Until Eat Pray Thug, his only musical endeavor since the breakup was a collaborative EP with London rapper Riz MC under the moniker
London – The annual Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition offers unsigned artists based in the U.K. or Ireland the chance to compete for a spot on one of the main stages at this iconic festival in June. This year over 7,000 entries were received and Best New Bands’ London correspondent was one of 40 music writers
Chicago – Just shy of a full year since the release of the universally lauded Lost In The Dream (March 18, 2014), indie rock band, The War On Drugs, (Best New Bands’ 2014 Newbie Award Winners), have just announced a collection of fresh tour dates right around their performances for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Governor’s Ball, Sasquatch
Los Angeles – While she may dabble in theater and modeling, French “triple threat” SoKo has been most busy focusing her energy on a music career, and My Dreams Dictate My Reality has the promise and star-power to allow her to cross over to American audiences. 2012 saw her release a debut full-length, I Thought
London – For the final gig of the U.K. leg of its spring tour, The War on Drugs returned to Brixton in South London for a second sold-out show at the 5,000 capacity O2 Academy. It’s a curious venue with an imposing art deco frontage belying the shabbier nature of much of its interior. Opened