HOT: In Grenada, Busses, New Motels At Johnny Brenda’s This Friday July 2nd

June 27, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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If you’re looking for a way to kick of your Fourth Of July holiday this coming weekend, you need look no further than what may be Philadelphia’s finest rock and roll venue, Johnny Brenda’s.  In one of the truly must see shows of the weekend, Bag Of Songs favorites, In Grenada & New Motels take the stage along with the the highly raved about Busses. All three bands have new cds hot off the press, with this Friday’s show being the official release party for In Grenada‘s Break. A majestic,spiritual record that is among the year’s best. Busses, described on their Philly Weekly Music Guide page as “An organic mixture of ’60s singer-songwriters, ’80s post punk and drunk-in-the-basement ’90s indie rock” just unleashed their self titled disc in early June, while New Motels recently delivered their own gem in Tilbury Sweat, picking up where the brilliant power pop of their Domestic Life EP left off and upping the ante for another classic. A night of rock and roll fireworks you don’t want to miss, see you there.

In Grenada – Keep That River Running Home
Buy Break
[MYSPACE]

Busses – House Fire
Buy Busses
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

New Motels – (My) My Radio
Buy Tilbury Sweat
[MYSPACE] [FACEBOOK]

In Grenada CD Release Party
Busses
New Motels

Friday July 2 @ 8PM $10 Tickets
Johnny Brenda’s

Frankford & Girard Ave Philadelphia PA

HOT : Tonight BOS Presents North Lawrence Midnight Singers @ The M Room

December 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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NLMS @ JdMcGillicuddy's 08.29.09

NLMS @ JDMcGillicuddys 08.29.09

Come on down to the M Room in Philadelphia tonight for some holiday party fun as Bag Of Songs presents The North Lawrence Midnight Singers. Like a mix of the pop sensibilities of Elvis Costello and the rootsiness of The Band. They deliver a high energy show you don’t want to miss. Bring your dancing shoes !

North Lawrence Midnight Singers – Friend Of Elvis
Buy And That Old Tyme Living Room Sound

North Lawrence Midnight Singers – All Day, All Night
Buy And That Old Tyme Living Room Sound

Bag Of Songs Presents:
North Lawrence Midnight Singers
8PM
at The M Room
15 W Girard Avenue
Philadelphia PA

[MYSPACE]

HOT: New Video From The Swimmers

December 10, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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The Swimmers – A Hundred Hearts

Check this out, it’s the newest in a string of excellent videos from the The Swimmers People Are Soft album.  Way up on my list of favorites for this year, it’s an outstanding record. The video  for A Hundred Hearts was directed by Scott French and Steve Yutzy-Burkey from the band along with Kevin Martin. It was shot by Kevin Martin and edited by Scott French and Kevin Martin.

Buy People Are Soft
[MYSPACE] [WEBSITE]

HOT : New Music From The Swimmers

October 5, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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It’s been a little over two years since I first heard The Swimmers- Fighting Trees album.  An addictive set of well written, hook laden shimmery pop, it’s one of my favorites of the past couple years. Their new record People Are Soft really showcases how much they’ve grown as a band in the ensuing time, it’s a darker, more textural sound, powerful but no less addictive. Check out one of my personal favorites from the new disc, A Hundred Hearts, and be sure to pick up the album when it’s released on November 3rd. Clear your schedule now to be at Philly’s super cool Kung Fu Necktie for the offical CD release Party on November 6th. I’ll be there, it’s sure to be a blast.

The Swimmers – A Hundred Hearts
Buy People Are Soft

Upcoming Shows
Oct 15 Union Hall NYC
Nov 6 CD Release Party at Kung Fu Necktie w/ Capitol Years Philadelphia, PA
Nov 7 Pianos NYC
Nov 13 Progressive Galleries Lancaster, PA
Nov 14 he Bog Scranton, PA

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

HOT: Free Energy

August 30, 2009 by · Comments Off on HOT: Free Energy
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My favorite song of the moment, an addictive, guitar fueled, power pop gem, Free Energy, from Philadelphia band Free Energy who are generating quite the buzz with this first single.

Buy the Ltd Edition 7″ Single from DFA
Buy Free Energy on iTunes

By all reports they tore it up at After The Jump Fest yesterday, catch them on tour now in your city.

08/26: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
08/29: Brooklyn, NY @ After the Jump Festival at Littlefield
08/31: Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
09/01: Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox
09/02: Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
09/03: Iowa City, IA @ The Music Mill
09/04: Madison, WI @ UW Madison Memorial Terrace
09/05: Minneapolis, MN @ Clapperclaw Festival – Intermedia Arts
09/08: Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
09/09: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
09/10: Buffalo, NY @ Sound Lab
09/11: Philadelphia, PA @ Making Time @ Pure
09/12: New London, CT @ I Am Festival – Waterfront Park

[MYSPACE] [WEBSITE] [FACEBOOK] [TWITTER]

Hot New Music : Alan Wilkis – Pink and Purple EP

July 3, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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Throwing down some jamming dance music at you today. New York’s Alan Wilkis first caught my ear with last year’s excellent  Babies Dream Big, an electro funk gem which got quite a few spins here at the BOS. Alan’s new one, the Pink And Purple EP  ups the ante a notch with a smoking six song set of tunes. In a recent interview on Owl and Bear Blog, Alan lists his top ten influences as :

1. Michael Jackson
2. Prince
3. Rick James
4. Dazz Band
5. Frank Zappa
6. Tortoise
7. Wilco
8. Raphael Saadiq
9. Jimi Hendrix
10. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Just one listen and you can tell he’s learned his lessons well, the Pink and Purple EP  blends his influences into a synth fueled, soul funk tour de force, that in a perfect world should be blasting out of radios all summer long. If this doesn’t have you up and shaking your body down to the ground nothing will.

Here’s a couple songs from Pink and Purple plus one from Babies Dream Big to kick your Fourth Of July weekend into full blown dance party mode. Rock on !

Alan wilkis – N.I.C.E.
Buy Pink And Purple
Alan wilkis – Gotta Get You Back
Buy Pink And Purple
Alan Wilkis – It’s Been Great
Buy Babies Dream Big

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [TWITTER]

HOT : Tonight ! Sugar Town Benefit For Girls Rock Philly @ Tritone

June 27, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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An amazing lineup of music for an excellent cause tonight at Tritone when our friends at Sugar Town throw a benefit for the super cool Girls Rock Philly. Girls Rock Philly is an initiative to bring Philadelphia a girls-only, week-long summer day camp serving junior rockers ages 9-17. Led by a team of all female instructors & band coaches, girls in the program learn how to play musical instruments, write songs, make their own band merchandise, discover other women in rock & finesse their on-stage jump kicks. Come on down have a great time and support an awesome cause.

Sugartown Loves Girls Rock Philly Benefit
The Beloved Infidels

Acres Of Diamonds
The Lemon Treasures

+ DJ Julia Factorial
Saturday June 27th
$5 |9PM | 21+Up
Tritone
1508 South Street
Philadelphia PA

The Beloved Infidels – Trompe L’Oeil Girl
Acres Of Diamonds – Homecoming
The Lemon Treasures – Jasper

[GIRLS ROCK PHILLY] [BELOVED INFIDELS] [ACRES OF DIAMONDS] [LEMON TREASURES]

HOT: Weathervane Music Launch Party Thursday June 25

June 24, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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Weathervane Music Organization collaborates with emerging and established independent musicians, record producers, film-makers and video-makers to produce and promote a wide range of innovative contemporary music and music related video productions.

At the end of March earlier this year Brian McTear announced the creation of The Weathervane Music Organization [more], a non profit collaborative effort to help artists in the rapidly changing career landscape they find themselves in today. Since it’s inception it has started a project series with releases from Austin band Sunset and Philadelphia’s East Hundred. Thursday night it celebrates its offical kickoff with a Launch Party at Philadelphia’s Kung Fu Necktie, where the songs and videos from the Project Series will be screened followed by live performances from Papertrigger and The Armchairs. There will also be commemorative event posters by artist  Mark Pernice available as well.  It’s going to be an amazing night, I have my tix, see you there !

Be sure to stop on by Weathervane’s site where you can find out much more detail about this great new endeavor and how you can help. While you’re there be sure to sign up and download free copies of the Sunset and East Hundred Project Series releases.

Weathervane Music – http://weathervanemusic.org

Weathervane Music Launch Party
A viewing and listening party followed by
performances from Papertrigger and The Armchairs
Thursday, June 25
Kung Fu Necktie
1250 North Front Street Philadelphia PA

Papertrigger – We Are Nations Now !
Buy Riot Lovers EP
The Armchairs – Sammy Ghetz
Buy Stuff

HOT !:TONIGHT ! As In RIGHT NOW ! Adam & Dave’s Bloodline CD Release Party @ Johnny Brenda’s

May 1, 2009 by · 3 Comments
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I’m a little behind in getting this info up but it’s not too late to save yourself from melting into the couch for the night on this somewhat gloomy evening and getting on down to Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia for the CD release party for Adam & Dave’s Bloodline‘s kicking new disc Boycott Classics. I’ve had the privilege of listening to it the past few weeks, and Adam & Dave and the band have made a record that truly combines the depth of their diverse influences, from punk rock to motown to new wave and all points in between, with the raw power of their live shows. If you’re digging things like Gaslight Anthem or The Hold Steady you’ll want to check out this one. I’ll unabashedly proclaim it one of 2009’s great rock and roll records.

So, check out Nothing To It, one of my favorites off the record and then get yourself down to Johnny Brenda’s for one hot rock show.

Adam & Daves Bloodline – Nothing To It
Buy Boycott Classics

Friday May 1st
Adam & Daves Bloodline Cd Release Prty
with Jotto and Faux Slang
9PM $10 21+UP
Johnny Brenda’s
Corner of Frankford & Girard Avenues
Philadelphia PA

[MYSPACE] [JOHNNY BRENDA’S]

HOT: BOS Presents Canadian Invasion, Golden Bloom and Sudden Ensemble @ M Room

March 27, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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I’ve been raving about Canadian Invasion‘s new record, Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand to just about anyone who cares to listen ever since I got an early preview a year or so ago. It’s one of 2009’s best records so far, filled with darkly satirical lyrics surrounded in gorgeous chiming guitar pop.[More] The boys delivered a standout show to a packed World Cafe Live a couple of weeks ago at their CD Release party, so don’t miss out on what promises to be a just as amazing a show in the more intimate confines of the M Room.

Canadian Invasion At World Cafe Live 03.14.09

Canadian Invasion – My Swashbuckling Days Are Over
Buy Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand
Canadian Invasion – Public Witness Program (Fugazi Cover)
Non Album Track

[MYSPACE]

Shawn Fogel Of Golden Bloom

Shawn Fogel Of Golden Bloom

Hypertalented multi instrumentalist Shawn Fogel is at the heart of New York’s Golden Bloom, who were recently picked as one of “8 Undiscovered Bands Worth A Listen” by Spin magazine. They are currently in the studio with producer/engineer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Mates of State) working on their highly anticipated new LP. Golden Bloom‘s music is a powerful blend of solid songwriting, alt country and Beatlesque pop that WXPN’s Bruce Warren touted as “a fresh take on ye olde tradition of sensitive power pop.”  Shawn’s played Philly solo before, but this time he’s bringing the whole band down for a rare Philly appearance that is a must see.

Also be sure to stop over to see our lovely friends at Popwreckoning who have a contest running to give away 3 autographed copies of the limited edition Golden Bloom 7″ vinyl single for Doomsday Devices.(Thanks Jess!) Click Here To Enter

Golden Bloom – Doomsday Devices
Ltd Edition 7″ vinyl
Shawn Fogel – Leaves, Corners, And Stones
Buy One Day In The Desert EP

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [TWITTER]

Sudden Ensemble

Sudden Ensemble

New Jersey’s Sudden Ensemble are  musician and visual artist Doreen Kirchner, illustrator of the Neil Hagerty comic book “Adventures of Royal Trux vol…10”  amongst other artistic achievements and Wayne Garcia, ex of the band Adrenalin OD, and a writer of the novel “The After Effects of Zero Gravity”. Their most recent album Life In A Birdcage is an addicting blend lo-fi indie pop. You’ll want to be sure to get there early to see them.

[MYSPACE]

Canadian Invasion, Golden Bloom & Sudden Ensemble
Sunday March 29th
M Room
15 W Girard Avenue Philadelphia PA
8pm | $8 | 21+up

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