Juno-nominated Canadian duo Madison Violet have released the video for their single “We Are Famous,” from the forthcoming LP The Knight Sessions. It’s a fun clip, showcasing candid footage of members Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac on the road and in the studio, intercut with nicely staged performance shots. In that structure, it’s oddly reminiscent of the heyday of classic ’80s-’90s MTV videos, particularly of the glam/hair metal variety, but this time without the bluster and absurd self-seriousness. However the lightness of the Madison Violet video simultaneously belies and compliments the meditative, near-cosmic vibe of the mandolin and acoustic guitar-driven song itself. Check it out below. Follow @MadisonViolet on Twitter.
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Chase Gassaway Reimagines The Lumineers
Hungarian artist Naked Woods (aka Eszter Polyák) makes unassuming mini-epics that are difficult to classify. They sound comfortingly familiar while remaining remarkably original. On the new single “Clouds of the Storm,” some New Order-esque musical changes, a bit of Cyndi Lauper vocal inflection, and a wholly modern electronic groove make for an engrossing listen. Polyák creates, records, and mixes her music herself, and with each release sounds increasingly confident. Listen below.
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Nashville singer and songwriter Lauren Strange, along with her band the Pretty Killers, just released a cover of The Cranberries’ 1994 hit “Zombie.” Strange’s rendition of the song is faithful to the original, and allows the eclectic artist to showcase the more intense edge of her vocal spectrum, while the band stretches out on the driving backing track.
Strange has been a longtime presence on OurStage, racking up chart successes and placing as a finalist in our Intel Superstars competition. She also won the grand prize in the John Lennon International Songwriting Contest country category, among other awards. Follow her on Twitter @laurenstrange.
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Chase Gassaway Reimagines The Lumineers
Austin TX singer-songwriter Chase Gassaway took a stab at some songs by friends and musical compatriots and ended up with a full album of covers, spanning from local Austin bands to classics like The Temptations. When it came to The Lumineers’ break-out hit “Ho Hey,” Gassaway abandoned the upbeat folk attitude of the original and went dark and introspective. The result is a completely new read on the song, bringing out the obsessive, haunted lyrical content. Unassuming and atmospheric, this version is frankly an improvement on the more breezy original.
The new album is called A Fly Can’t Bird, and is out February 24th.
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Reyna, the band that evolved from songwriting sister duo Vic and Gab, have dropped a new single entitled “Matinee.” The blissed out indie pop jam is simultaneously a song of loss and hope, but heavy on the latter. It opens with a killer reverberating guitar riff and only gets better from there. Listen below.
“Matinee” sits atop a small pile of tremendous singles Reyna has released over the past year. The Milwaukee band recently opened for CHVRCHES in their hometown. We’ll let you know when they hit the road.
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2017 is already set to be a big year for Boston’s Adam Ezra Group. A recent update on the band’s site describes the many plans and moving parts that are coming together to produce a new album.
First up is the Adam Ezra solo tour, hitting living rooms across the country. 40 homes will host the “Get Folked Tour – 2017.” Couple that with a surprise live solo album, and then triple it with an impending avalanche of new demos, all tied into a crowdfunding effort that will allow the band’s fans to pick the songs, name the album, and choose the artwork…and the result will be their most ambitious album yet.
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