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Wednesday, August 29, 2018
“Young, Wild & Free” by Wiz Khalifa
Along with Snoop Dogg and Bruno Mars, Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa released this freshman-year anthem back in 2011, and it has yet to lose its luster. You’re young, wild, and free!
“Loves No Stranger” by Nardo Says
Put J. Cole and Parliament in a blender, sprinkle in jazz elements and what emerges is local hip-hop artist Nardo Says.
“Smooth” by Sierra Sellers
Sierra Sellers embodies a smooth, sultry sound that will have you dancing around your room exotically (or is that just me?).
“Crystal Ball Part 1” by Fortune Teller
This one’s for you, garage-y stoner rock fans. The six-minute doozy ranges from raw rock to percussion-heavy beats and back again.
“Flight Chief” by Slugss
Twisted psychedelic rock with a zoned-out spacey sound in “Flight Chief” is heard throughout APPEAL. I bet if the album was available on vinyl, it would be out of this world.
“Marijuana” by Chrome Sparks
Although Chrome Sparks no longer resides in Pittsburgh, he was born and raised here. The electronic artist started making music in college, and in 2012 “Marijuana” went viral online.
“Room to Roam” by Northern Comfort
Northern Comfort has all the elements of a typical country band. Singing about drinking, love, and driving on an open road, you can get your country fix, locally.
“Rivers Deep” by Gabby Barrett
The 18-year-old finished third in the 16th season of American Idol, singing a mix between country and pop.
“Hold On” by Brooke Annibale
This song is the first on Brooke Annibale’s fourth album, Hold to the Light. With an airy and dream-like sound, “Hold On” sets the tone for Annibale’s indie-pop self-release.
“Wop De Wop” by Beauty Slap
This electro-brass-thunder-funk group can often be found playing around Pittsburgh. Beauty Slap is phenomenal live and listening to them at home doesn’t fully encompass their groovy-ness.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Earlier this month, Third Eye Blind announced a new EP of covers called Thanks For Everything, featuring tunes by artists like Queens of the Stone Age, Bon Iver, Santigold and Tim Buckley. Proceeds from the EP will go the Andy Warhol Museum. Considering the band is from San Francisco (and sounds like it), City Paper wondered "why the Warhol Museum?"
TEB lead singer Stephan Jenkins was kind enough to clear things up via email this week. Keep an eye out for Thanks For Everything on Aug. 24.
Tags: Third Eye Blind , Andy Warhol Museum , FFW>> , Image
Monday, June 18, 2018
Each week we post a song from a local artist online for free, and this week it’s “Galactus (Nothing Left To Give)” by Bagger. The song is an ambient, lo-fi number that espouses a cool exhaustion and sadness with ‘80s nostalgia swimming underneath. Stream or download “Galactus (Nothing Left To Give)” for free.
Bagger: "Galactus (Nothing Left To Give)”
To download "Galactus," right-click here and select "save link as."
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Stephin Merritt knew when Magnetic Fields’ contract with Nonesuch Records came up for a renewal because the date coincided with his 50th birthday, in 2015.
When he and Nonesuch president Robert Hurwitz discussed its renewal — over lunch at the Grand Central Station Oyster Bar — Hurwitz suggested the voice behind Magnetic Fields should celebrate his half-century on their next album. Merritt immediately devised a 50-song album, and Hurwitz responded enthusiastically.
To some musicians, this might seem like a daunting concept.
But Merritt is the same songwriter who created 69 Love Songs, the Magnetic Fields’ opus that approached the idea of amour from that many angles, lyrically and musically, from ukulele-driven folkiness to synth-pop to experimental sound. Released on Merge Records in 1999, the album is considered a high watermark for indie rock and established Merritt as a skilled composer with an unmatched lyrical wit and sense of melody.
Speaking from his New York home in his dry, understated manner, Merritt explains his approach to the five-record/five-CD 50 Song Memoir.
Tags: Magnetic Fields , Stephin Merritt , Robert Hurwitz , Nonesuch Records , FFW>> , Image
Monday, June 11, 2018
Jenny Lewis has a wicked sense of humor and a gift for crafting brilliant songs.
Since her early days with Rilo Kiley to her current thriving solo career, Lewis continues to make art that's entrancing but still accessible. Her 2014 record, The Voyager, was a spectacular alt-country release with smart lyrics and captivating melodies. CP caught up with Lewis as she prepared for a tour in the midst of mixing her forthcoming, still unnamed record.
Tags: Jenny Lewis , The Voyager , rainbow marijuana leaf suit , Jonathan Rice , FFW>> , Image
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Tags: Valerie June , Three Rivers Arts Festival , TRAF , FFW>> , Image
Monday, June 4, 2018
Over the years, The Front Bottoms has done quite a bit of tinkering with its endearingly earnest output of bubblegum emo bops. The grainy, straight-to-Myspace quality of the band's early material has long been replaced with squeegeed production and a far more mannered delivery from frontman Brian Sella, both in the way he presents his voice, and in the content of his lyrics, which have shifted from shameless gut-spills to sly spit-ups. Speaking to the then 29-year-old (as of a few days ago, he’s now 30) prior to his band’s performance at Mr. Smalls on June 4, there’s not even the slightest indication that he’s anywhere other than exactly where he wants to be.
Last month TFB released Ann, the long-awaited companion EP to 2014’s Rose, which is the second installment of what the band dubbed the “Grandma Series.” Essentially, it’s an excuse for them to re-record, and in some cases rework, a bunch of old fan-favorites from their high school days, giving the tunes a modern revamp for the diehards and a reason to introduce them to the newcomers. Unlike Rose, this latest set — titled Ann as an ode to Sella’s late grandmother, as Rose was to drummer Uychich’s — also contains a new track, the Talon of the Hawk-esque riot “Tie Dye Dragon.”
Sella was stoked on the project, the absurd filming experience of the phenomenally uncomfortable music video for “Tie Dye Dragon,” and the tour they’re bringing to Pittsburgh — in which they’re playing both grandma EPs and their 2017 record Going Grey in full.
Tags: The Front Bottoms , Mr. Smalls Theater , Ann , Rose , Matt Sella , FFW>> , Image , Video
Each week we post a song from a local artist online for free, and this week it’s “Split Seconds” by Pittsburgh-via-London band The Painbirds. The noisy pop band’s guitars and distorted vocals team up to create a dark, danceable number. Stream or download “Split Seconds” for free and watch the strobe-soaked music video below.
Tags: The Painbirds , Split Seconds , FFW>> , Audio , Image , Video
Friday, June 1, 2018
But, it wasn't all bad. The singer eventually stepped in front of the branches, and Jake was able to get a few of those shots he was excited for.
As for the rest of the night? Thank goodness for big screens. (I'm sorry baby, you know we tried.)
Tags: Justin Timberlake , PPG Paints Arena , Man of the Woods , Pittsburgh Concerts , FFW>> , Image
Monday, May 28, 2018
Each week we post a song from a local artist online for free, and this week it’s “Burning House” by Caleb Kopta. The danceable indie rock track has some serious Sam’s Town-era Killers vibes with a dose of ’80s nostalgia. Blast the chorus with your windows down for full effect. Stream or download “Burning House” for free on FFW>>, the music blog at pghcitypaper.com.
Tags: Caleb Kopta , Burning House , FFW>> , Image , Audio
