In 2008 musicians Kristen Wagner and Josh Shapiro met in a West Hollywood cafe and decided they needed a change. Frustrated with their former bands, they chose to join forces as musical partners. It proved to be a songwriting match made in heaven with Kristen taking care of lyrics and vocals while Josh pounds out the electro-rock fused backings. Under the moniker Bullet & Snowfox, the duo is heating up the L.A. scene with infectious tracks like “Bad Days” that display a punk at heart attitude and a new wave finish. The handful of the band’s songs circling the web demonstrate a common theme: these kids are determined to make fans dance their feet off and have fun while doing it. Bullet & Snowfox is currently working on new material amid word of the possible involvement of the best DJ/Producers in the biz, Baron von Luxxury. We suggest you bite the bullet and check out the rest of their tracks available on OurStage.
Archive for the 'Download of the Week' Category
Taking cues from genre pioneers like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, Killed by Design’s approach to rock stands out from current trends with their larger-than-life rhythm section and timeless vocals. Led by singer Kyle Spicer, the LA-based alt-rock group takes the tried and true guitar+ bass + drums formula and infuses it with a modern twist. Their track “Get Out of Alive” dominated in June’s music finals with its epic build up and chunky sustained power chords. So it’s not surprising to hear stadium-ready quality production value on Killed By Design’s Occulta Veritas EP, thanks to the magic of mixer Ken Andrews (NIN, Beck, Failure) and producer David Spreng (The Bravery, Bob Dylan). Give it a spin and prepare to be blown away.
In the summer of 2008, four young guys from Ridgefield, Connecticut put their heads together to record an album. Led by vocalist and guitarist Kellen Quigley, the band (better known as Melee In Toledo) was unaware they were crafting pure jangle pop gold. Their 11-track album When Everything Comes Alive is a treasure trove of classic fun in the sun tunes; perfect for when you need to cling onto the last bit of warmth before winter’s inevitable return. Melee In Toledo’s sweet melodies in songs like “There’s Room For Everything” remind you of why you fell in love with tweesters like Voxtrot and The Apples in Stereo.
Brisbane, Australia’s Sarah Thomas and Steve Robin form the slick indie pop duo Emerald. A flair for latin conga rhythms and shimmery guitars in conjunction with Sarah’s silky smooth vocals give this band a beautiful and unique sound. Emerald bring something organic to Pop music’s table in a world dominated by auto-tuning and crazy synth patches. Their track “Shine” won the hearts of fans in the OurStage Pop Channel last spring, earning them a Top 10 placement in April. Currently the two are promoting their recently recorded EP and gigging around their home turf in Oz. There’s no place like home, but with any luck, Emerald will bring the green to the United States soon.
The Chicago power pop trio known as Gidgets Ga Ga is offering all the singalong choruses and jangly guitars you’ve been missing since the Gin Blossoms broke up. The band’s guitarist and songwriter Michael Flores has been the stalwart behind the band’s DIY work ethic; heavily promoting and managing the band on his own via online means such as OurStage. Despite lacking an overdone, expensive production value the band’s LP The Big Bong Fiasco is straightforward “no nonsense” pop that shows off the group’s raw talent. This week’s free track “Beki” is bound to get stuck in your head the same way you can’t forget the the lyrics to the theme song from Friends. Sometimes a little nostalgia goes a long way.
