Author Archives: Clayton Warwick

Various Blonde – Smoke [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Clayton Warwick - January 18, 2019

Brought to life by multi-instrumentalist Joshua Allen and drummer Mark Lomas, Various Blonde is Kansas City’s best kept secret. Cooked up in 2009, this outfit has taken on many forms, working with a revolving cast of musicians and producers. Most recently, the pair has teamed up with LA-based producer and bassist Brandon Eugene Owens, who has performed with acts like Stevie Wonder and Lauryn Hill.

My first experience with “Smoke” brought up associations of one of my all-time favorites, Absofacto, another uber talented multi-instrumentalist. Personally, that was all I needed. From there, I spent more time with it, digging into the complex soundscape and subtle nuances. It’s a dark and cosmic ride, spun up with so many rich textures and layers. The heavy bassline, dark and haunting synths, quick-hitting hi-hats, and Allen’s alluring vocals, all come together to create an enveloping experience.

Have a listen below, and then head over to Various Blonde’s channels and support.

Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify.

[lo-Funk] daste. – Sober

Posted by Clayton Warwick - January 16, 2019

daste.
SOBER

Soundcloud

Hot damn. Within a few seconds of “Sober,” I was hooked. The smooth bassline, the cool-as-James-Dean vocals, and the funky lo-fi synths create an undeniably addicting soundscape.

“We don’t follow any specific recipe approaching each track. It all evolves from a hive mind of ideas and refining them into the mood we’re feeling. ‘SOBER’ came about quite quickly. Pretty much within a day of writing the basis of the songwas done, and we then started doing our thing on the production which is often when we like to take our time focusing on the smaller details. As Tyler likes to say “The ‘d’ in daste. stands for detail.

This is just the second release from this brand-spanking-new act, and what a doozy. We’ll high-key have it on repeat until we get the next sampling. Hopefully, that happens sooner than later.

In the meantime, make sure to follow these guys on Facebook, so you can keep up.

[Pop] Manila Killa – ALL 2 U (feat. Sara Skinner)

Posted by Clayton Warwick - January 16, 2019

The new year brought a fair amount of change for Manila Killa (Chris Gavino), as he embarked on his first year as a solo artist. Aside from a shift in his career path, he’s also showcasing a glimpse at a shift in his musical style. Maybe this is the true Chris? Whatever it is, we’re all about it.

“All 2 U,” which features Sara Skinner, is the last single from his upcoming EP. A through-and-through pop gem, this track exudes pure authenticity. It’s catchy as hell, not overdone, and extremely well put together, complete with organic guitars, playful percussion, and approachable vocals. Simply put–you won’t be hard-pressed to put this one on repeat.

If you’d like to catch this tune live, make sure to pick up tickets to the 1993 tour, which makes 11 stops across April and May. Tour dates are posted below, for your convenience.

Vern Matz – Tiny Nuclear Reactor [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Clayton Warwick - December 6, 2018

Vern Matz
Tiny Nuclear Reactor

Soundcloud

With a nostalgic, melancholy vibe, “Tiny Nuclear Reactor” is seemingly the perfect accompaniment to my dreary weekday drive to the office. It’s grey and subdued, but still has enough nuanced fun to it pair up nicely with a thermos full of coffee, fumbled around with through a pair of pilled wool gloves.

Maybe it’s those 90s vibes that have me thinking of a brisk Seattle day. It’s not hard to hear nods to Ben Folds or Deathcab for Cutie, what with the casual vocal cadence and soft guitar strums. It should be noted that while this feat is often emulated, it’s rarely effective. That’s not the case with Vern Matz.

Made up of three former Yale Students, this trio showcases a maturity in both songwriting and execution. “Tiny Nuclear Reactor” is the perfect example of that, bringing you a warming simplicity, done so in a way that’s carefully thought out.

Make sure to follow these three on Facebook to keep up with future releases and live dates.

GRDNS – Hydraulic Lover [TMN VIDEO PREMIERE]

Posted by Clayton Warwick - November 28, 2018

Hydraulic Lover
GRDNS

Soundcloud

Crunchy, groovy, and layered with delicious psych-pop elements, “Hydraulic Lover” has me transporting back to my younger years, minus the teenage angst and awkwardness.

Brought to you by Bradford-based GRDNS, made up of Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums), this tune should serve well to blend the gap from those just discovering that distortion is a wonderful thing and those of us who spent our teenage years with headphones full of it. Taken from their debut EP, it’s brimming with heavy guitar work, approachable lyrics, and engaging backing vocals. It drips with 90’s grunge and does so in an effortless way.

Hydraulic Lover is about accepting all the bad attitudes, stupid shit and low vibe activities you get up to when you’re young. It’s the idea that song people treat each other like sexbots and the action of love is more hydraulic than passionate

The single was released just a bit ago, but today we’re offering a first look and listen to their accompanying music video, which highlights show and studio footage combined.

Alternative/Rock

HighSchool Jacob – Nobody But You [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Clayton Warwick - November 20, 2018

HighSchool Jacob
Nobody But You

Soundcloud

LA-based HighSchool Jacob has been making some waves as of late, releasing a handful of tracks in only a few months time. It’s not hard to understand the magnetism to this curious alt-pop act. His style is truly unique, which is getting increasingly more difficult to say anymore.

“Nobody But You” is a testament to his talents, and the most recent release that grabbed my attention. Lead in by soft, humming synths, and a warm, treated vocal, this fresh single doesn’t take long to build up intrigue. A vocal harmony wanders in next, brought in tandem with some spattered percussion, building to a big, beautiful, choppy lead synth. The eventual crescendo is powerful, spiraling upwards with an intense, passionately sung lyrics.

When I wrote this song, I wanted to experiment with unusual sounds (such as the sound of my mouse clicking) to provide an intimate and vulnerable atmosphere, and it was when I reached the chorus however that I discovered I wanted to express the other side of those intimate emotions with an energetic and big expression of that previously mentioned desperation. – HighSchool Jacob

The end result is something oddly nostalgic, though inevitably difficult to cite why. It just feels familiar. My best explanation? I don’t have one. Just sit back and drink it in.

[Indie Rock] Suns Up – Love You Back

Posted by Clayton Warwick - November 19, 2018

Suns Up
Love You Back

Soundcloud

It’s the middle of November. For a Colorado resident, that means we’re looking at snow on the ground, scraping ice off our windshields, and spending a great deal of our time indoors. While that may be my reality at the moment, Sussex-based Suns Up has my mind fully engulfed in daydreams of road trips to beachside towns, late nights by campfires, and rocking nothing but flip flops for months on end.

In just their second release, this brand spankin’ new outfit has the sound that’s extremely polished, calling on associations of The 1975, Phoenix, and Vampire Weekend. It’s bright, sunny, and about as catchy as anything I’ve heard over the past year.

‘Love You Back’ is this first song we wrote as a band, so it feels great to share it with the world” the band explain. “It was recorded in a beautiful old chapel in the countryside which lent to the depth and character of the recording, but also gave us the space and freedom to experiment with different things to really have fun with the track. – Suns Up

Don’t take my word for it, though. Press play above and get ready to boogie.