Review: BANNERS – I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not

For those unfamiliar with the artist known as BANNERS, it is the solo project of the talented, and award-winning singer-songwriter, Michael Nelson. On his latest EP, entitled I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not, BANNERS firmly cement their status as a big name to watch in the pop realm. With a platinum single already to his name in “Someone To You,” Nelson’s songs transcend musical boundaries and makes the listener connect with him on a spiritual level. BANNERS would be perfect for fans of The Fray, Coldplay, and Dean Lewis, and this artist has made me a believer in his crisp pop production found on this record.

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Review: Dust Bowl Faeries – Carnival Dust

What do you get when you mix cabaret with polka, paired with a sliver of Danny Elfman-esque mystique to it? The answer can be found on Carnival Dust, the latest EP from the indie band known as Dust Bowl Faeries. The band is comprised of Ryder Cooley (accordion, singing saw, lead vocals), Jon B. Woodin (guitar, vocals), Rubi LaRue (lapsteel, vocals), Liz LoGiudice (bass, vocals) and Andrew Stein(percussion), and their willingness to push the envelope on what is possible in the folk genre is commendable. Dust Bowl Faeries seem very comfortable in their own quirky skin and proudly invite you to their show.

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The Ones You Forgot – “Live For The Now” (Song Premiere)

The Ones You Forgot

Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone the new single from pop-rock band The Ones You Forgot, called “Live For the Now.” On this great-sounding track from the New Jersey-based band, they channel their love for bands like State Champs and Knuckle Puck into their own brand of hook-laden music. Lead vocalist, Jenna Bruno shared, “Though ‘Live For The Now’ was written quite some time after our first single ‘Enjoy The Ride,’ the themes of the two songs matched perfectly with each other, and we knew we had to release them side by side. ‘Live For The Now’ emphasizes slowing down. The only destination we have in life is the end, and rushing through everything will bring it to you sooner than you think.” The Ones You Forgot are releasing their new EP, Time Trials, on February 17th. If you’re ready to find your next favorite band, you’ve come to the right place.

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Universal Music in Talks With Big Platforms to Overhaul Streaming Model

Financial Times:

Universal Music Group is in talks with big streaming platforms to overhaul the industry’s economics and direct more money towards artists, according to people familiar with the matter. The shake-up, which stands to revolutionise the way musicians make money, comes as the world’s largest music company is increasingly concerned about the proliferation of songs on platforms such as Spotify, where 100,000 new tracks are being added each day.

The industry is also contending with growing manipulation of the system, including using bots to inflate listening figures and the uploading of 31-second clips that are just long enough to qualify as a “play”.

Dustin Kensrue Talks ‘TAITA’ Revisited

Thrice

Dustin Kensrue of Thrice talked with Spin:

“We’ve had enough space from [the anniversary albums] to where I think you get some objectivity,” Kensrue says. “You’re able to appreciate the great things that are happening without as much squirming and being like ‘Oh, that was weird’ or ‘That’s not what I would do now.’ Enough time has passed that we can just see that it was cool that we did this thing and — even though we’re all different now — there’s stuff on those albums that’s kind of cool, even if we don’t remember what was going through our heads to get there. Moving on to whatever we record next — Horizons/West, I guess — I think we’ll take some lessons from coming back and revisiting these.”

Sarah and the Safe Word Announce New Album

Sarah and the Safe Word

Today, Sarah and the Safe Word have announced their new LP, entitled The Book Of Broken Glass. The record was produced by Jim Wirt and will be released via Take This To Heart Records on April 7th. The band has released the lead single and music video called “Ruby Off The Rails.” The band will be heading out on tour with Shayfer James starting on March 31st, and you can pre-order the new album here.

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