Tag Archives: new music

Music Monday: Tennis anyone?

I’m on a serious retro kick right now, but more like retro contemporary in that I’m really digging shows (hello, Mad Men) and music that hark back to an earlier, more innocent time. It isn’t nostalgia either since I wasn’t born then and it isn’t just watching oldies just for the sake of it. What I really like are modern takes on the old stuff. I don’t think I’m alone in this.

So I’m really into a band called “Tennis,” whose singer Alaina Moore’s voice is such a throwback,that it can’t help be adorable. The jangly guitars in the background only add to the retro vibe. Their music videos and website carry this theme as well.

My favorite Tennis tune at the moment is “Origins.” Give it a listen.

Music Monday: Pentatonix covers Gotye

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Just when you think you are so over that Gotye song, you hear an a cappella version and somehow it sounds new again. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

About the group Pentatonix. Pentatonix are a 5 person vocal band from Arlington, Texas. They won on the a cappella vocal competition on television called the Sing Off on NBC. Check out their Facebook page with an impressive 101,000 fans.

Here is the original music video of the haunting and infectious song by Gotye.

Music Monday: Tapioca and The Flea

New music excites me. New music performed live excites me even more. Unfortunately, my forays into live concert venues are few and far between so that I have to content myself to the usual online sources – blip.fm, myspace, bandcamp, soundcloud, npr music, kcrw, college radio, sirius xmu.

Last month though I was lucky enough to catch an indie experimental pop-rock group called “Tapioca and the Flea” at the Yelp All Hopped Up event at The Observatory in Santa Ana. According to what I’ve read, Tapioca and the Flea is really the stage name of recording artist Samuel Jacob from Los Angeles, who performs with his friends Ronnie Knott, (guitarist) and Frank Alva (Bass).

Samuel is a charismatic lead singer and master-tinkerer of things ranging from vintage keyborads, synths, guitars and pedals. Someone told me that Tapioca reminded him of the Flaming Lips. To be sure, Samuel evokes Wayne Coyne, not only in his singing and songwriting style but in his skill at musical experimentation.

Personally, I am not in love with the name Tapioca and The Flea but the music, ah, the music — with its infectious, beat-driven grooves now that’s something else.

Give ‘em a listen:

http://youtu.be/zrnZUliN0lc

Here are 2 videos I took at the Yelp event. You’ll have to forgive the quality. I shot them on my Droid.

http://youtu.be/bWebvYIuSMg

http://youtu.be/szN-tMCWoP8

Music Monday: Oberhofer

How can you not love a band that name checks French composer Camille Saint-Saens in an interview and actually mentions Tchaikovsky and Mozart in song?

Meet Oberhofer, one of my new favorite bands in the indie pop-rock music scene. Oberhofer is basically 21-year old musician Brad Oberhofer’s four piece band. The music and words are all his and he comes across as genuinely sincere – a rare quality these days.

Here is the video for “Away Frm U,” a very catchy tune that’s sure to have you singing along in no time.

And if you want more, check out this Spin Magazine Backstage Pass interview.

“I treat Twitter like a jokosphere.” — Brad Oberhofer You can follow the band on Twitter at @oberhofermusic, http://www.myspace.com/oberhofermusic and http://www.facebook.com/OberhoferJamz