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Thursday 29 August 2013

Mr Kito - The Middle of Everything

Mr Kito - The Middle of Everything
Picture source: http://mrkito.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Mr Kito
Track: The Middle of Everything
Genre: rock, alternative, indie


Mr. Kito is the result of Frenchman Eric Michot, who currently resides and produces music in Cape Town, South Africa. Michot is a multi-instrumentalist, who not only sings as Mr. Kito, but also produces the accompanying music that complements it. The result of Mr. Kito's solo work is highly ambitious - the dedicated performer releasing 'The Middle of Everything' as his sixth album to date. Beginning to write and produce songs in 2012, and then creating the 'Mr. Kito' project in 2013, it is at an impressive speed that Michot releases his albums. In March 2013, Michot released four albums at once on a range of online platforms, including Bandcamp, Myspace and Soundcloud. 

Mr Kito - The Middle of Everything

Alternative rock one-man-band Mr. Kito is exploring new territories in his experimental new album, 'The Middle of Everything'. The album, released 12 August 2013, is dubbed as 'alternative rock', yet dabbles in a range of different genres, speeds and tones. Best described as a mix between alternative British rockers Radiohead and Placebo, Mr. Kito's compilations are a significant step away from the generic alt-rock sound. 

The first track on the album, 'Broken Arrow' has an electronic melody that flows throughout the song. Mr Kito is known for electronic influences, touching on this notion in his previous albums, My Tattooed Self and The Weatherman. In Broken Arrow, it is positive to see Mr Kito expanding and developing and expanding on sound from his previous work. 

Also, in juxtaposing songs such as Broken Arrow to Kito's previous work, it is interesting to note a shift in vocalisation. Vocal work dominates Kito's new sound, which is not particularly different from previous works, however the tone of his vocals has significantly changed. Songs including 'Broken Arrow', 'Illusion of a World' and 'Nowhere Else to Go' are more mellowed tracks that although slow, showcase Michot's vocal capabilities whilst drawing sharper attention to the lyrics of each song. 

The lyrics, which are also written by Michot himself, are quite abstract and experimental in content, which coincides with the album's experimental genre choices. On his inspiration for music and lyrical content, Michot says that he bases his inspiration on his experience of reality.

'Life and how I fit into it (what i experience at a given time) would be the source of inspiration. I aim to enter the state of presence as much as possible (mind less) and invite what ever would come from within...I believe we are interpreters of "what is",' he says.  

SB wire says that The Middle Of Everything represents 'a retrospective outlook on human behavior, seeking freedom from the mind of conceptualized created reality.' 

Since the start of his career, Michot's reality has been a string of successes. Receiving airplay in a number of international countries such as Sweden, Australia, France, Ireland and the United States, Mr. Kito has received what is labeled as an 'enviable response from music fans worldwide'. Earlier this year, Mr. Kito shot to number one place on the alternative charts for South Africa on music hosting site Reverbnation. 

Now, with a fan-base of over 150,000 online fans, including over 62,000 Twitter followers and 79,000 'likes' on Facebook, demand for Mr. Kito is rising at a rapid speed. Judging by Michot's ability for speedy releases, fans can most likely expect that a seventh album following The Middle of Everything will be released in the short future.  

You can download a copy of The Middle of Everything here

By Lily Pavlovic posted Friday 30, 2013, for STSBM

Trevor and the Joneses - Grooving at the Speed of Light

Trevor and the Joneses - Grooving at the Speed of Light
Picture source: http://trevorjones.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Trevor and the Joneses 
Track: Grooving at the Speed of Light
Genre: rock, rock-n-roll

Las Vegas rock-and-rollers Trevor and the Joneses are spreading their name across the United States and beyond with their 'ton of fun' single 'Grooving at the Speed of Light' from the album There Was Lightning. Forming only one year ago as a small garage-rock band, Trevor and the Joneses began their career performing at intimate venues, such as pubs, clubs and cafes in Vegas up to three times a weekend. Inspired by a plethora of award-winning rock bands such as the Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Replacements, Oasis, The Violent Femmes, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Nada Surf and Vicky Cryer, Trevor and the Joneses worked to incorporate a large variation of rock styles to form their own unique sound. 

Trevor and the Joneses - Grooving at the Speed of Light

Lead singer Trevor Jones says that from a young age, the band members had been surrounded by music. The artists that they had listened to growing up then inspired the formation of the band. 

'Most of us grew up on classic rock and started playing music in some form as kids in different parts of the country, [whether it was] Nevada, Idaho, Michigan, Indiana, California, or Alabama. [Personally], Dad had been recording cassette tapes of tons of FM rock radio from the 70's and onwards. I got to hear a lot of stuff that they weren't, and still aren't playing on the radio anymore,' he says. 

Following in the footsteps of their idols, Trevor and the Joneses embarked on a touring spree within their hometown and surrounding areas to get their name into the public spectrum. The band successfully played over fifty shows within the year, before the release of their first studio album. 

Playing live seems to be the most enjoyable way for the band to get their music across to the people, but Jones notes that it is difficult to pinpoint what is helping to spread the music the most. 

'We've passed out hundreds of CDs all over the place...and we keep the various inter-web sites pretty up to date with shows, news and such [for our fans]', he says. 

As of late, one of the band's most catchy tracks seems to be 'Grooving at the Speed of Light'. This catchy classic rock track derives feelings of nostalgia for the classic upbeat rock of the eighties to the early noughties - reminiscent to the feel-good tune in The Violent Femme's 'Blister in the Sun', and drawing upon unique tambourine work parallel to songs such as 'Who?' by Brian Jonestown Massacre. 

Jones says the upbeat nature of the track correlated to the mood that the band we're in on a particular given day.

   'I wrote all those songs at the beach while I was living in California ... I wanted to go for a more positive message.'

'It was stream of conscious, although I'm pretty sure I was "thinking happy thoughts"', he says. 

The 'happy thoughts' within the track seem to have transferred to the fans of the album There Was Lightning. To large demand, Trevor and the Joneses are planning to tour across the 'left side of the slab of land' from their hometown to play to eager US fans this coming autumn. 

It may be a little while before Trevor and the Joneses hit Australian shores, however the band's long term outlook is plenty more music like Grooving At The Speed of Light. 

Within the coming years, the band aspires to be 'in the recording studio, several albums deep'.

Trevor and The Joneses are playing in Las Vegas for the month of August. 

By Lily Pavlovic posted Wed 14, 2013, for STSBM

Tuesday 27 August 2013

Asher Roth - Apples & Bananas


Artist: Asher Roth
Track: Apples & Bananas
Genre: soul, hip-hop, rap, alternative

Asher Roth - Apples & Bananas (Music Video)

Eelke Kleijn ft. Tres:Or - Stand Up

Eelke Kleijn ft. Tres:Or - Stand Up

Artist: Eelke Kleijn ft. Tres:Or 
Track: Stand Up
Genre: house, dance

Eelke Kleijn ft. Tres:Or - Stand Up (Music Video)