I was thinking about what band I should write about to keep any readers interested, as lately the posts on this blog have been few and far between, something I apologize for. But hey, this band are well worth the wait I can promise you.
Imagine Dragons are an indie quartet based in Las Vegas (how cool is that!). They have been around since 2008 and released 3 studio EPs before they landed a long awaited and much deserved record deal in 2011. Since signing this deal they have received more widespread acclaim, with the single ‘It’s Time’ holding the record for the longest run on the 2012 Alternative Top 10 Chart.
Front man Dan Reynolds performing live
What really blew me away about this band was the sheer fact that all of their songs are ridiculously catchy! I would find myself walking around unaware of the fact that I had been humming one of their songs all day. So much so that I had to make a conscious effort to find a different song to make sure I didn’t completely ruin it for myself.
However, this band have an impressive amount of playability (is that even a word?), as I never get tired of listening to tracks like ‘Demons’, ‘Radioactive’, ‘It’s Time’ and ‘Fallen’ on my iPod time after time.
What puzzles me about the band is that they seem to have gained a considerable amount of fame recently, whilst still being relatively unknown to the majority of people. This is exemplified in a simple YouTube search for ‘Imagine Dragons’, which will bring up a mere 10 results. These videos however all have a huge amount of views, with ‘Radioactive’ and ‘It’s Time’ surpassing 15 million. Slightly strange, but what the hell…
Will we see Imagine Dragons break into mainstream charts in the future? Who knows. But it wouldn’t surprise me, as they have a sound that would appeal to almost anyone! If you haven’t heard this band and you’re thinking “Hmm I wonder if they’re as good as he’s making them out to be?” fear not, as I’ve included not one but two of their tracks at the end of this post for your own listening pleasure. Enjoy.
Probably the best use of a loop pedal I have ever seen! This guy’s vocals are truly amazing.
The 36 year old hails from Norway (they’re bound to be proud of him) and has previously been a member of bands Explicit Lyrics and Span, who have both since separated. Since then Bernhoft has released four solo albums, with singles such as ‘C’mon Talk’ [featured] and ‘Streetlights’ receiving mainstream success in Norway and to a certain degree worldwide.
I was hooked by the use of vocal layering in this single and I suppose it was only a matter of time before I had to share it with you guys, as it deserves as much publicity as possible… I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Mutineers are one of the best indie bands to hit the scene in recent years and have quickly established a huge fan base, which really reflects the talent that this band has.
You may have heard the singles ‘Shadow Kisses’ or ‘Infidelity’ from their hotly anticipated debut album ‘Friends, Lovers, Rivals’ which has been a huge success so far. With 67,000 Twitter followers and counting, the band are sure to hit the big time in the coming years, and if you haven’t heard of them yet, you really don’t know what you’ve been missing out on. This band are a must for any alternative music lover’s iPod.
The band were really cooperative when I mentioned doing an interview for the blog, and I’ve been really excited to post it for you guys to see, so here it is:
The band are based in Manchester. Is this where you are all from? And how did you meet?
Iwan is an adopted Manc and came over here from Cornwall, and I was born in Denmark but have lived over here nearly all my life. We all met from just being around on the scene. At the time our bands and projects that we were involved with were sort of coming to their natural conclusions and we all wanted to start something new and fresh to get excited about.
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How would you describe your music for anyone who hasn’t heard of you?
It’s melodic and lyrically intelligent. We’re always looking for that hooky riff or melody and we like to approach music in that unpretentious way. If it’s catchy and you can sing along to it, it’s good.
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You have supported acts such as The View and Pete Doherty in the past, what was that like as an experience?
We loved playing those sorts of shows, it’s a real test to win over other people’s audiences with your music. However, I think in the future we’ll concentrate on our own headline shows as we’ve built up a really strong and loyal fan base.
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Which song from the album has seen the most success with fans? Why do you think that is?
I think both “Infidelity” and “Shadow Kisses” seem to have crossed over more than any other track. Whether it’s because they’re just track 1 and track 2 on the album and they’re the obvious ones for people to get acquainted with or they’re the 2 best tracks i’m not quite sure! In terms of live, Hyde Road always goes down really well as a rousing set closer.
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Finally, you have been gaining some publicity through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, but how big can you see the band getting in the next few years?
It’s hard to say really because we never actually expected such a response from the 1st album. We stuck it out with minimal promotion and even less in the way of live shows. But it’s been a great word of mouth thing and I think with the new stuff we’ll give it a bit more effort in terms of full release with plugging and release shows, maybe a mini tour or two.
I Dream In Colour are a fantastic four-piece Indie Pop band based in London.
“With bludgeoning beats, intricate guitar lines and soaring choruses, I Dream In Colour are a peerless live act. Add to this a vocalist in Richard Judge, whose near-operatic tones can channel messieurs Bellamy and Buckley, and you have a truly special band on your hands.”Rick Pearson – London (Evening Standard Music Critic)
I was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with lead singer Richard Judge.
1. “I Dream In Colour” is quite an extravagant name for a band. How did you come up with the name? Is there a story behind it?There’s not so much a story behind it. I was just on the hunt for a good strong name and if I’m honest, I was struggling. I was jotting down names in an old notebook and every time I read through them, I thought they were terrible. I read somewhere that Radiohead got their name from a Talking Head’s song and it was then that I turned to The Beatles Anthology. I opened up the section on John Lennon’s childhood and the first line I read was, “when I dream I dream in colour.” And that was that.
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2. Your recent single “London” has been doing well since it’s release, with over 10,000 YouTube views. But what I really have to ask is, where did the idea for the video come from?
I have a friend that’s a video producer and director, Mark Hopkins. We’ve collaborated on a few things together now and I went to him with the track and said I wanted to try something different, something a bit more edgy. He took the song away and joined forces with two young Directors that work under the name of ‘Emily + Tom.’ We met up in Soho and they told me the idea and I instantly loved it. Originally we had quite a high profile Actor set to do it, but it fell through and I had to step up and take my clothes off. The Artist’s name is Cat Roissetter and she is amazing. She did the artwork for the single as well and on the day of the video shoot she was amazing! It wasn’t an easy task but she smashed it.
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3. Who would you state as your major inspirations? And what kind of music do you guys enjoy listening to?From a songwriting point of view, I like to write about my own experiences and emotions. I think it makes the lyircs far more sincere when they’re about something you’ve experienced, or something that has moved you. Most of the first album is written about a relationship of mine, there’s also a song on there about something I once witnessed that resonated with me and made me realise how lucky some of us are not to have to go through the shit some others do. Another is about a funeral I didn’t get to go to because I was away touring and how it made me feel to miss it; not to have that sense of closure on something like that. But there is plenty of hope on there too: optimism, happiness, appreciation of certain things… but everything on this record is real, honest, sincere.
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4. The BBC mentioned you in their list of acts tipped to make waves in 2013, what does this mean for the band?
BBC Introducing have been really supportive of us over the last year or so and we’re grateful for that. They’ve been playing us a lot and for us to be named in their list of top acts for 2013 is a real honour. We just need to do our part now and make this year a gooden so we don’t make the BBC look silly with their predictions!
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5. And finally, you have supported Owl City in the past I believe, and are renowned for your fantastic live performances. But what we want to know is, when will we see you touring again?
We literally finished recording the majority of the first record this weekend. It’s sounding great and I’m so happy with how it’s shaping up. Once it’s been mixed and we have the first few singles ready we’ll be able to announce a new release and a headline tour. That’s looking like Autumn 2013. But before then we’re going to be popping up all over the place supporting some other acts and playing a few headline dates of our own as well as some festivals. The best place to keep an eye out for tour dates is on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/idreamincolourband – in fact, we have some new dates to announce in the next week or so!
Just last week, Dublin based alternative-rock band Kodaline covered Disclosure’s single “Latch” for the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, and in doing so turned it from an edgy dance track to a painfully beautiful acoustic masterpiece.
The band tweeted prior to the event that they would be in the Live Lounge with Sara Cox at noon on Wednesday (23rd). Having been familiar with a few of the band’s singles, including the acclaimed “All I Want”, I made sure I was tuned in to hear, and by God I was not disappointed. The song was so successful that many Radio 1 fans have dubbed it “the best Live Lounge yet”, and I certainly find it hard to argue with them. Fearne Cotton also expressed admiration for the cover as she replayed it later the same day on her own show.
Superb vocals from front man Stephen Garrigan immediately give the cover an emotional upheaval compared to the original (in which the vocals have a slightly strained vibe and have been placed over an irritatingly typical dance tune). Couple this with wonderful vocal harmonies in the chorus and you’re left with an emotional and passionate cover, which feels warmer and certainly more intimate than the original.
Also, if you’re a fan of the band’s earlier singles then you will be able to appreciate the integration of the melody from “All I Want”, into the bridge towards the end of the song.
Alt Music Etc 