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

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New Music : In Grenada – Break

November 16, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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Jesse Leyh Of In Grenada 02.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia

Jesse Leyh Of In Grenada 02.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda

Way back around February, Philadelphia’s In Grenada sent me a few early demo songs from a new album they were working on. Since then it has been one of my most anxiously awaited releases this year. That album, now titled Break recently made it’s way to my inbox and it has been well worth the wait. Ten songs that fully deliver on the promise of those early demos.  Music filled with powerful percussive rhythms, melodic reverb laden vocals and plenty of textural flourishes like acoustic guitar and xylophone.  Much like the Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible or Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness On the Edge of Town,  there’s an underlying sense of spirituality woven throughout the feel of the songs and the imagery of the lyrics that really ties the record together nicely. It’s one of my favorite releases so far this year.  Here’s a couple songs to give you a taste, one of my personal highlights, the hypnotic rhythms of It Doesn’t Matter and the majestic sounding There’s a Change.  Watch for an upcoming release date and be sure to head out and catch their equally amazing live show when they take the stage Wednesday, December 9th at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia.

In Grenada – It Doesn’t Matter
From Break
In Grenada – There’s A Change
From Break

[MYSPACE]

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Hey !, Is This Thing On ???

April 24, 2009 by · Comments Off on Hey !, Is This Thing On ???
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Despite the relative quiet lately I’m still here so please stay tuned. Between working too many hours a week at the day job and being sick as a dog with an annoying spring time cold the past few weeks, the content here has been a little sparse lately. Well, the cold is just about gone and the work hours seem to be letting up just a bit so I’m going to try and get this bus back on a more consistent schedule. There’s been a lot of great music and news coming through my inbox, new Action Painters, Adam & Dave’s Bloodline‘s hot new record, new Speck Mountain,new Pink Mountaintops, a new EP from I Am The Heat, The Sleepwalking Through The Mekong Soundtrack from Dengue Fever, Missing Palmer West‘s amazing new record to name but a few and so much, much more. Thanks to everyone who’s been sending stuff, I’ve been listening to it all and hopefully can carve out the time to bring a lot more of it here soon.  Also, watch for a new artistic feature coming soon from our friend Melinda The Martian, creator of those ultra cool Canadian Invasion videos. (Mel, if you’re reading, sorry, I still owe you an email reply)

Be sure to try and catch some of the Bag Of Songs sponsored live events coming up soon. This Sunday April 26th at The M Room, it’s Jesse Leyh bringing a special stripped down solo version of In Grenada, along with indie-psych-popsters Lima Research Society and the power pop awesomeness of Meyerman. On Sunday May 10th it’s back to the M Room when Village Green Productions and Bag Of Songs bring you Minneapolis’ Halloween, Alaska along with Philly’s Missing Palmer West and more TBA. On Thursday May 21st it’s Bag Of Songs vs The Broken Bell vs Girl About Town in The Battle Of The Blogs at the North Star Bar where each blog brings you a band, and the audience decides a winner for the night. The Shots will be representing Bag Of Songs, River City Extension representing The Broken Bell and The Robes will be dishing it out for Girl About Town.

If you’re in a band,especially local Philly area artists, and want to be considered for future BOS events make sure I have your music and some contact info. If you want to send me something the info is over on the right sidebar or you can email me at bagofsongs@gmail.com.

Here’s a few tunes to start off your weekend :
In Grenada – Beating Heart(DEMO)
Lima Research Society – Giant Moth – The Beauty Of Things
Buy Don’t Give Up Don’t Get Down

Speck Mountain – I Feel Eternal
Buy Some Sweet Relief
Dengue Fever -March Of The Balloon Animals
Buy Sleepwalking Through The Mekon
The Lemon Treasures – Spaghetti
Buy Mama Bear
Pink Mountaintops -While We Were Dreaming
Buy Outside Love
Action Painters – Supermarket
More Action Painters – Catch them live @ the North Star Bar Tomorrow Sat 4/25 w/ East Hundred

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Some Photos From This Past Friday’s show with Lambchop and In Grenada

February 15, 2009 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: photos 

A few photos from this past Friday night’s show at Johnny Brenda’s In Philadelphia. Opening the night was Philadelphia’s In Grenada, proving that they are indeed deserving of our artist to watch status for 2009, their powerful double drumming fueled songs only increase in intensity in a live setting. Be on the lookout for their new record coming soon. Lambchop then turned an excellent, albeit somewhat mellow set that recalled the smooth rootsy sound of Bob Dylan‘s recent records.

In Grenada

Jesse Leyh Of In Grenada

Kurt Wagner of Lambchop

Kurt Wagner of Lambchop

Lambchop

Lambchop

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Artist To Watch : In Grenada

February 7, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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Here’s one to keep your ears peeled for as winter gradually winds it’s way into spring. Philadelphia’s In Grenada are currently hard at work crafting an album that, if the demo tracks they sent me to are any indication, will be solidly sitting amongst 2009’s best records when all is said and done. Although painting from a sonic pallet that invokes easy comparisons to  Arcade Fire or The National, their music is infused with a countryish warmth and pop sensibility that is distinctly their own. Beating Heart with it’s shuffling rhythm and reverb laden textural flourishes of glockenspiel and percussion is one of those addictive songs you can listen to ten times in a row and not tire of at all. Or, check out It Doesn’t Matter, where the melodies and vocals intertwine and skitter about on top of a driving, hypnotic, drum dance.  Amazing stuff and I for one can’t wait to hear the whole album when it’s completed.

They’ll be taking a break from the studio to play a couple shows this coming week that you don’t want to miss. On Thursday February 12th they be doing an interview and playing live in the studio on Philly’s WKDU 91.7FM between 4 and 6 PM. On Friday the 13th they’ll take the stage at my favorite venue, the always excellent Johnny Brenda’s, opening for Lambchop (the band, not the puppet show).

In Grenada :
Jesse – Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Evan – Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Kevin – Keyboards, Melodica, Harmonica, Vocals
Chris – Bass, Vocals
Monika – Glockenspiel, Percussion
Steve – Drums
Devin – Drums, Percussion

In Grenada – Beating Heart (DEMO)
In Grenada – It Doesn’t Matter (DEMO)

[MYSPACE]

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