New Music Tuesday
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The Weepies' 2006 debut, Say I Am You, was a much greater success than the duo of Deb Talan and Steve Tannen could've ever anticipated. In addition to landing a ton of placements in film and TV (including holiday commercials for JC Penney and Old Navy), the album was nominated for a Shortlist Music Prize by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. Today marks the release of The Weepies' newest effort, Hideaway, the culmination of their year-long attempt to rediscover their muse. Besides a fantastic album, there is another happy ending to the many days and nights they spent recording their new album: Deb and Steve were married in 2007, and they had a baby boy, Theo, in October.
Ever since Jukebox The Ghost uploaded their five-song EP on Amie Street, we've been begging for more of their bright, piano-driven indie pop. And now you can get your fix because the band's first full-length album Let Live And Let Ghosts is being released today! The band has been blowing up over the past year, playing shows all over the US and Europe, and has been praised by everything from radio DJs to blogs and newspapers. The New York blog The Gothamist describes their energy as "contagious" and has championed the band, booking them to play at their sponsored showcases at the CMJ Music Marathon and SXSW. Get your hands on this one pronto because this $5 special is only going to last for a few days!
Here they go again -- that's right, Whitesnake are back in 2008 with a brand new album! Fresh out of the studio on Mount Olympus (we imagine), Good To Be Bad is 100% classic Snake: shredding licks, wailing vocals, and seductive power ballads. One listen to the latest effort from these immortal bringers of the metal and you'll think "Is this love?" Whether you blast it in the summer sun or turn it low in the still of the night, this album will destroy the rest of your record collection. Rock!
Brooklyn-via-D.C. power-poppers Hello Tokyo are back on Amie Street with their latest album, Sell The Stars! The band lists their main influences as Metric and Rilo Kiley, and a DCist gig review points out a little bit of Gwen Stefani in Kat's vocals, making for a "pop rock enthused party." Last fall, Kat spoke with us about the band, their tour dates, their features on The Real World and Animal Planet, and basically got everyone excited for the new album. Now it's here, so what are ya waiting for?
Recorded in Switzerland as a side project from their various tours, 4 Days In Geneva captures a brilliant one-time meeting of four hip-hop enthusiasts. Braille, Ohmega Watts, Surreal and DJ Idull team up to bring you an album that doesn't waste a second delivering its goods. Track titles like "Pass The Mic to Silvion" make the whole thing feel like an exciting freestyle -- MCs jump on and off the mic with just a few seconds to prove themselves. With trunk-bumping beats like Dilated Peoples' and lyrical punchlines to make you go "ohhhhh!", 4 Days In Geneva is a testament to the potential of an energetic, off-the-cuff recording session.
Mikal Evans first became interested in music when she heard her father record bands in a converted schoolhouse gymnasium in Moore, South Carolina. At the age of 16, she began playing the guitar and booking local gigs, and after college she moved to Washington D.C. where she played keys and violin with Revival. A Jailhouse... A Kingdom, released exclusively on Amie Street, shows a more mature Evans who's evolved from her solo acoustic roots to incorporate a full band and a more indie-rock influenced sound. Fans respect her for her sincere, honest delivery, which brings to mind PJ Harvey and Ani DiFranco.
In May 2007, after the strength of several widely-acclaimed EPs, Voxtrot released their self-titled debut. It was promptly called "marvelous... loud and fast and sweet" by The New York Times, and landed the band a whirlwind tour of the US and UK with Au Revoir Simone and the Arctic Monkeys. With a slick, fun indie-pop sound that's been compared to Ted Leo and Vampire Weekend, Voxtrot have made an album that sounds just as fresh one year later.
Although their personal life often overshadows their career, there's no denying that Ike and Tina Turner made some explosive music during their 16 years together. All Music Guide praised the group saying, "the Ike & Tina Turner Revue specialized in a hard-driving, funked-up hybrid of soul and rock that, in its best moments, rose to a visceral frenzy that few R&B acts of any era could hope to match." You Should've Treated Me Right will give you a glimpse of the strong conviction and presence of Tina Turner that inspired countless generations of performers, including Amie Street favorite Sharon Jones.
