THE VENN REVIEW

PASCAL PINON. If Daughter and Mum had a baby. Delicate and...

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:14:00 -0400

PASCAL PINON. If Daughter and Mum had a baby.

Delicate and beautiful were the first two words I wrote down after listening to Pascal Pinon. The next were Daughter and Mum. I didn’t have to search wikipedia long to realize my instinct guesses were correct; they are from Iceland and they are in fact sisters. Twin sisters. I’ve been listening to their delicately beautiful album titled “Twosomeness” all morning. And each time it ends, I start it over.

www.pascalpinon.com

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CAYUCAS. If Little Joy and Beck (Odelay) had a baby. Just...

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:22:00 -0400

CAYUCAS. If Little Joy and Beck (Odelay) had a baby.

Just stumbled across this band yesterday. I imediately thought of Beck as the Dad in this relationship. The Little Joy connection is for the frequent reverb and island feel that this album brings. Looking forward to giving these guys a few more listens, as there are some very catchy, single worthy songs on it.

www.cayucas.com

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PHOSPHORESCENT. If Bonnie Prince Billy and Sun Kil Moon had a...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:32:00 -0400

PHOSPHORESCENT. If Bonnie Prince Billy and Sun Kil Moon had a baby.

I am just going to come out and say it the same way a friend of mine did (who worded it so very well). I am angry at anyone that knew about Phosphorescent and did not tell me about them. It’s bands like this that continue my overwelming search for good music. Just knowing that artist(s) like this can put out 5 albums before someone like me (who is constantly searching for new music) finds them/hears about them, makes me sick to my stomach. But alas, I guess it all comes around; I eventually found them.

www.phosphorescentmusic.com

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THE STAVES. If First Aid Kit and Laura Marling had a...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:23:00 -0400

THE STAVES. If First Aid Kit and Laura Marling had a baby.

Three sisters. Born to sing together. Similar to First Aid Kit and other sibling groups, they almost make it look/sound effortless. I was sold after listening to the first 30 seconds of ‘Dead & Born & Grown’. These girls are going to be doing some big things in 2013 and I for one am excited to try and catch them out live when they stop in Nashville, in a few weeks.

www.thestaves.com

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ANDREW LEAHEY & THE HOMESTEAD. If Ryan Adams and Tom Petty...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:08:00 -0400

ANDREW LEAHEY & THE HOMESTEAD. If Ryan Adams and Tom Petty had a baby.

Andrew Leahey takes everything that is good about alt-country and makes it his own. Having listened to Andrew plenty of times before, I knew how strong his songwriting was. After a few listens, though, I quickly recognized that his new EP titled “‘Summer Sleeves’ has some of his strongest work yet. Don’t wait till summer to pick it up. It makes for good spring listening too.

www.andrewleaheymusic.com
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*REPEAT REPEAT. If The Ettes and The Volcanos had a baby. So...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:57:00 -0400

*REPEAT REPEAT. If The Ettes and The Volcanos had a baby.

So most of you in the Nashville area know Jared and Kristyn via East Nashville Underground. But did you know they have a killer surf rock band called *repeat repeat?? Well, now you do.

I am only basing this review off of their only released track, their single, titled “12345678” but I can tell you that they are on to something huge here with this throwback sound. The Ettes come to mind for the “Mom” of this band, but I went for the surf rock instrumental band The Volcanos as the band’s “Dad”, because of their old yet modern sound that sticks to the genre’s prerequisite requirements. Along side of the great instrumentation, Jared and Kristyn’s vocals compliment each other very well in an indie rock sort of way and that really sets them apart from other surf rock bands that have traveled the same path. I look forward to hearing their first full length release.

NASHVILLE NOTE: They are performing April 30th at The Mercy Lounge w/ Dick Dale.

www.repeatrepeatmusic.com
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CHROME PONY. If Jay Reatard and Ty Segall had a baby. So I have...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:35:00 -0400

CHROME PONY. If Jay Reatard and Ty Segall had a baby.

So I have known these guys for 10 years or so now. We both hail from neighboring small towns in Indiana. We shared shows back in the day while they played under the name “Redracer”…and I believe Kyle (drums) even sat in on an OLD demo of mine waaaay back when. They were great then but now, I believe, they have truly found their sound. Its raw. Its honest. Its catchy. It makes you want to smoke a cigarette (I quit smoking 2 years ago). Good guys. Great music. Go get you some…..

NASHVILLE NOTE: They are performing April 4th at The Stone Fox AND April 5th at The Basement. No excuses. Go check these guys out.

www.chromepony.tumblr.com
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JENNY O. If Jenny Lewis and Joanna Newsom had a baby. I knew...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:02:00 -0400

JENNY O. If Jenny Lewis and Joanna Newsom had a baby. I knew fairly quickly that I was going to love this album after giving it a first listen on Spotify a week or so ago. It is one of those albums you immediately want to repeat and give a second, third, err.. a fourth listen. For her first full length release, Jenny O. shows A LOT of promise with these songs. I look forward to trying to catch some of this album performed live at The Ryman with Rodriguez next month. www.jennyo.com Click on the diagram for a sample track by the artist.

NATALIE PRASS. If Sia (from 2006) and St. Vincent (minus the...

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:38:00 -0500

NATALIE PRASS. If Sia (from 2006) and St. Vincent (minus the gritty guitars) had a baby.

I am hoping to finally catch Ms. Prass tomorrow night (March 2) at The Basement as she opens for Foreign Fields. From what I have heard (her 2011 EP is quite good), I think these two acts will make a solid bill. Check her out tomorrow (March 2) at The Basement! Then after Foreign Fields, we can all hold hands and skip down to the Mercy Lounge/High Watt to relive some of the ENU madness by catching a few ENU alumni (and more) at the Third Shift Amber Lager SXSW Send off Party. Yeah, its going to be a fun night in Nashville.

www.natalieprass.com

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MOON TAXI. If Kings of Leon and Umphrey’s McGee had a...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:51:00 -0500

MOON TAXI. If Kings of Leon and Umphrey’s McGee had a baby.

This wasn’t the first time I’d heard of Moon Taxi, BUT it was the first time I gave their latest album, “Cabaret” a listen. I was actually surprised how much they DID NOT sound like a jam band. I unfairly put them in that box and it appears they have diversified a bit since I last listened. In any case, I foresee these guys being a killer finale headliner to the ENU Winter Festival. Speaking of finales, this is the last installment of the ENU Winter headliner series. Hope you have enjoyed checking out these bands as much as I did………….NOW GO TO EAST NASHVILLE UNDERGROUND THIS WEEKEND!!!

www.ridethemoontaxi.com

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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JAMES WALLACE & THE NAKED LIGHT. If Devendra Banhart and...

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:32:00 -0500

JAMES WALLACE & THE NAKED LIGHT. If Devendra Banhart and Paul Simon (1972) had a baby.

A pleasant mix of their parents (Simon’s vocals circa 1972 and Banhart’s quirky folk), James Wallace and the Naked Light have a infectious sound, all their own. They will be the first headliner on Saturday, February 16 at the Winter East Nashville Underground! Doors at 1pm. This is the last week in the ENU Winter Headliner Series! Check back Thursday for the final installment….and for the love of all that is holy, GO TO THE WINTER EAST NASHVILLE UNDERGROUND THIS WEEKEND!!

www.jwatnl.com

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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COLORFEELS. If Efterklang and Anathallo had a baby. The...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:32:00 -0500

COLORFEELS. If Efterklang and Anathallo had a baby.

The Colorfeels debut full length album, “Syzygy”, is really something special. I took to the bands advice and listened to it in ts entirety. I gotta say, it is an extremely well written album. From start to finish, there really is no “filler”. I can’t wait to see some of it performed live at ENU. They will be the second headliner during the day show on Saturday, February 16 at the Winter East Nashville Underground! Doors at 1pm. Next week will conclude the ENU Winter Headliner series be sure to stop back by on Monday and Thursday!

www.colorfeels.com

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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K.S. RHOADS. If Grandaddy and Guster had a baby with looping...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:58:00 -0500

K.S. RHOADS. If Grandaddy and Guster had a baby with looping tendencies.

From what I have listened to so far, K.S. Rhoads has a pretty broad sound depending on who he is performing with at the time. Whether it be just him performing solo with a loop pedal or performing with the Nashville Symphony, his songwriting stands out. While his vocals immediately reminded me of Grandaddy, the instrumentation also brings Guster to mind. Truly worth checking out. He will be the first headliner during the day show on Saturday, February 16 at the Winter East Nashville Underground! Doors at 1pm. Every Monday and Thursday, for the next three weeks, I will be posting a new Venn Review featuring each of the ENU headliners.

www.ksrhoads.com

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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MAGNOLIA SONS. If The Temptations and The Four Tops had a baby...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:27:00 -0500

MAGNOLIA SONS. If The Temptations and The Four Tops had a baby in 2013.

Love the sound of this band. They sit comfortably in the “New Bands That Sound Old” category, pulling heavily from the 60’s era Motown and soul, while still sounding like a band in 2013. These guys (and gals) are the second headliners of the first night of the Winter East Nashville Underground! Every Monday and Thursday, for the next three weeks, I will be posting a new Venn Review featuring each of the ENU headliners. Magnolia Sons perform on Friday February 15th. Doors at 9pm.

www.magnoliasons.com

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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MACHINES ARE PEOPLE TOO. If M83 and Cold War Kids had a...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:03:00 -0500

MACHINES ARE PEOPLE TOO. If M83 and Cold War Kids had a baby.

Alright y’all! Here is the first headliner of the first night of the Winter East Nashville Underground! Every Monday and Thursday, for the next three weeks, I will be posting a new Venn Review featuring each of the ENU headliners. Machines Are People Too perform on Friday February 15th. Doors at 9pm. Looking forward to checking these guys out!

www.machinesarepeopletoo.com
www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

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EAST NASHVILLE UNDERGROUND. If SXSW (minus the film, technology...

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:25:00 -0500

EAST NASHVILLE UNDERGROUND. If SXSW (minus the film, technology and multiple venues) and a basement show had a baby.

Okay folks! I’ve got some great news for music & chart lovers a like. We are teaming up with East Nashville Underground (www.eastnashvilleunderground.com) by introducing their winter line up using Venn Reviews! We will post 2 bands a week (on Mondays & Thursdays) for the next 3 weeks as a sort of count down to this season’s festival on Feb 15 & 16! To kick it off here is a Venn Review of the festival itself!

I’m not going to lie, coming up with a diagram for the festival as an entity was harder than I thought. Perhaps I thought about it too much. There was alot to take into consideration, East Nashville Underground has a lot of good things going for it. My instict was to mash up SXSW and a basement show. Even though, SXSW has turned into this monster that includes flim and technology now, it was the breeding ground for up-and-coming artists aspect that finally sold me. You definately get that house show feeling when you get there but quickly realize the room is filled with avid music and art lovers that have come to listen to some of the best music Nashville has to offer. Don’t be silly, if you have never attended an ENU show, this Feb. 15 & 16th is your chance. Stop back by on Monday to check out the first installment of the ENU Venn Reviews.

www.eastnashvilleunderground.com

Click on the diagram for a sample track by the ~~artist~~ festival.

FLY GOLDEN EAGLE. If Beck (specifically Midnight Vultures) and...

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:46:00 -0500

FLY GOLDEN EAGLE. If Beck (specifically Midnight Vultures) and The Black Lips had a baby with a little bit of a swagger……….okay a lot of swagger.

First saw these guys at the Summer 2012 East Nashville Underground showcase. They certainly brought it that night but for one reason or another I set them in the back of my mind and forgot to look them up later. Just a few weeks later they would go on tour with The Alabama Shakes yet still I managed putting it off. It wasn’t until I ran across a “business card” of lead singer Ben Trimble at a basement show for label mates (and friends of mine) Chrome Pony did I finally go check them out. The “business card” was a 6 x 8, 1990 Sears-photo-esue head shot of Ben with some crazy hair. I knew right then that I loved this band and needed to go to pick up a copy of their debut album titled “Swagger”. In fact, I did the very next day. The word swagger could not have summed up this album any better and I also think they are on to something HUGE with those business cards. Don’t hesitate on these guys like I did!

www.flygoldeneagle.tumblr.com

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POKEY LaFARGE. If Jimmie Rodgers and Woody Pines had a...

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:38:55 -0500

POKEY LaFARGE. If Jimmie Rodgers and Woody Pines had a baby.

Had a friend of a friend suggest this band to me on New Years Eve. Apparently they were playing a sold out NYE show with Old Crow Medicine Show at The Ryman. Man, I wish I could’ve gone to that one. After listening to them, its fair to say I am hooked. Essentially the same premise as Woody Pines, Old Crow and the like (but with more swing), yet more believable… if that makes sense. You play any song off any one of their albums and you would swear it was recorded in the prime of the roaring 20’s. They really sell it. Hailing from St. Louis their past two albums were produced by Jack White via Third Man Records and I hear they have another in the works. Keep these guys under your radar!

www.pokeylafarge.net

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THE LONE BELLOW. If The Civil Wars and Ray LaMontagne had a...

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 09:30:00 -0500

THE LONE BELLOW. If The Civil Wars and Ray LaMontagne had a baby.

Caught wind of The Lone Bellow’s impending hype through BrooklynVegan (www.brooklynvegan.com) just a few days before they came to Nashville. Then thanks to Cause a Scene (www.causeascenemusic.com) I was also informed about their show at The Basement. Very glad I made it out. The blogs don’t lie people; I have a feeling this band is going to blow up in 2013. The lows are low and the highs are high; this band knows dynamics. If you get a chance to see them in a small club before they start playing the big ones, you should do so.

www.thelonebellow.com

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LILY & MADELEINE. If Fleet Foxes and First Aid Kit had a...

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 09:59:57 -0500

LILY & MADELEINE. If Fleet Foxes and First Aid Kit had a baby.

Happy Christmas! This one is for all my Indiana friends and family. After moving down to Nashville six months ago I’ve been posting a lot more Nashville bands. However, I can not forget the amazing talent that is coming out of good ole Indiana! These sisters are an incredible example. At the young ages of 15 and 18 and voices so in tune with the other, these Indianapolis natives have a wide open road in front of them. I’d be willing to put some money on them getting picked up in 2013. They have a debut EP releasing in January…so keep an eye out. High five Indiana!

www.lilandmad.com

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