In Review:

Wild Cub

Youth

Wild Cub may be new on the music scene, but their electro-pop is nothing short of radiantly infectious. The American band released their debut LP Youth back in 2013, then added a few new tracks and commentary late this January with Mom + Pop records ( famous for indie alums: Andrew Bird, Flume, Neon Indian, and Metric). Wild Cub's lead singer Keegan DeWitt proves to be a man of many talents, having composed the score for 2013's indie documentary "Inocente" which took home an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. Don't be fooled, this isn't a one-man show: DeWitt's decision to leave his day job and mesh with multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Bullock, drummer Dabney Morris, bassist Harry West, and keyboardist Eric Wilson united captivating lyrics with the construction of a fresh wave of synth-pop dramatizing the fast-paced life we all aspire to have in our youth. Every track weaves and builds intensely and you can't help but bop along with every catchy trill. DeWitt's lyrics paint the scenes of seemingly dark and never-ending summer nights and love gone miscommunicated while intricate instrumentals pulse in harmony on every track. Single "Straight No Turns" is euphoric of the soul and raw funk emitted by Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, but breathes its own flavor with almost tropical-like influences and timeless synth that hasn't been on the market in decades. 

Since the album's release, the band has collaborated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and Twin Shadow for remixes of their songs and covering Atlas Genius. Then later year the American band was spun into the spotlight with their hit single "Thunder Clatter" endorsed by Bose and used in their summer commercial.  We not only see many more endorsements in their future, but an incandescent home in their forever young fans' hearts and a blossoming musical career.  Youth not only lives up to its title, but it encompasses its  seasoned listeners with jives of the early 80's; yet, keeping it modern enough to be enjoyed by today's demanding teens. Wild Cub has announced a few dates for the UK and US, with two festival stops at Firefly and Hangout. They'll be supported by indie-rockers American Authors. Want a dance party that will domino into early hours? Check out Wild Cub's Youth on the road and download their album on iTunes. 

In Review:

James Vincent McMorrow

Post Tropical

The stage is set: minimal with very dim lighting; guitar, keyboard, banjo, and a few other instruments crowded, then one lone skinny, half-balding man saunters on to beloved cheers. He takes his place at the keyboard, hands trembling ever-so slightly. He begins in whispers and with every crescendo of his trademark falsetto the audience sways and quivers, silently, at his will. His listeners are in trance with every verse as hallow slow-claps in "Cavalier" resonate and fill the venue. James Vincent McMorrow is a master at captivating audiences of all sizes, with no flash and fluff or even a band to fall back on. His sophomore album Post Tropical stands for everything James is all about: the simple art of music and the allure of it alone.

Back in 2011 the Irish-bred indie folker released his debut LP Early In the Morning.  Boasting slow, simplistic love ballads and lullaby-like tracks soft enough to keep a child sleep through the night--James barely strayed from his roots three years later with slightly more modern Post Tropical. Post Tropical takes cool, artistic notes from R&B musicians like The Weekend and the creative linguistics of Bon Iver--to the reverberating drums in his mid-album track "All Points" to the stacked harmonizations of his inconceivable vocals in "Post Tropical". Listeners can't help but just close their eyes and let Post Tropical subdue and lap over in cold waves, carrying them to James' world which is strangely more frigid than anywhere tropical. 

"And I was someone else, I was something good," he croons in one of his darker tracks "Glacier". 

James has been known to do extraordinary covers of popular songs and his talent isn't just limited to any genre structure. Post Tropical breaks all the rules and doesn't come across as pretty, but gorgeous as it reflects not only the winter season, but beauty in that less can truly be more with slow-building zenith and cascading of harpsichords paired with humming guitars trumping overworked, mainstream pop.

Not only are James' live performances bewitching, but his studio albums tell tales of the sad and beautiful with his sheer panache being the climax with no let down. Post Tropical is a versatile soundtrack to anyone's life and it provides just the right touch of magic and isn't at all shallow or too brash--natural perfection and complete musical transcendence. 

56th Annual Grammy Awards

Music's biggest celebration is here! Tonight is the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and every genre from R&B to Pop to Country is showing up in hopes of winning that glittering, gold (heavy looking) Gramopone. Colored in red our BassLine's guess for who will win in each category, but live we will be highlighting in gold who actually took home the Grammy! Check my twitter page for live tweets during the night! Are you excited because we are!

Album of the Year
Sara Bareilles – The Blessed Unrest
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
Taylor Swift – Red

Record of the Year
Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams – "Get Lucky"
Imagine Dragons – "Radioactive"
Lorde – "Royals"

Bruno Mars – "Locked Out of Heaven"
Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams & T.I. – "Blurred Lines"

Song of the Year
Pink feat. Nate Reuss – "Just Give Me a Reason"
Bruno Mars – "Locked Out of Heaven"
Katy Perry – "Roar"
Lorde – "Royals"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert – "Same Love"

Best New Artist
James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Kacey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Solo Performance 
Sara Bareilles – "Brave"
Lorde – "Royals"
Bruno Mars – "When I Was Your Man"
Katy Perry – "Roar"
Justin Timberlake "Mirrors"

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance 
Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams – "Get Lucky"
Pink feat. Nate Reuss – "Just Give Me a Reason"
Rihanna feat. Mikky Eiko – "Stay"
Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams & T.I. – "Blurred Lines"
Justin Timberlake feat. Jay Z – "Suit & Tie"

Best Pop Vocal Album
Lana Del Rey – Paradise
Lorde – Pure Heroine
Bruno Mars – Unorthodox Jukebox
Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines
Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album 
Tony Bennett & Various Artist – Viva Duets
Michael Buble – To Be Loved
Gloria Estefan – The Standards
Cee Lo Green – Cee Lo's Magic Moment
Dionne Warwick – Now

Best Country Solo Performance 
Lee Price – "I Drive Your Truck"
Hunter Hayes – "I Want Crazy"
Miranda Lambert – "Mama's Broken Heart"
Darius Rucker – "Wagon Wheel"
Blake Shelton – "Mine Would Be You"

Best Country Duo/Group Performance 
The Civil Wars – From This Valley
Kelly Clarkson feat. Vince Gill – "Don't Rush"
Little Big Town – "Your Side of the Bed"
Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban – "Highway Don't Care"
Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton – "You Can't Make Old Friends"

Best Country Song
Taylor Swift – "Begin Again"
Lee Brice – "I Drive Your Truck"
Miranda Lambert – "Mama's Broken Heart"
Kacey Musgraves – "Merry Go Round"
Blake Shelton – "Mine Would Be You"

Best Country Album
Jason Aldean – Night Train
Tim McGraw – Two Lanes of Freedom
Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer, Different Park
Blake Shelton – Based on a True Story
Taylor Swift – Red

Best Dance Recording 
Duke Dumont feat. AME & MNEK – "Need U"
Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – "Sweet Nothing"
Kaskade – "Atmosphere"
Armin Van Buuren feat. Trevor Guthrie – "This Is What It Feels Like"
Zedd feat. Foxes – "Clarity"

Best Dance Album
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Disclosure – Settle
Calvin Harris – 18 Months
Kaskade – Atmosphere
Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun

Best Rock Performance 
Alabama Shakes – "Always Alright"
David Bowie – "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)"
Imagine Dragons – "Radioactive"
Led Zeppelin – "Kashmir"
Queens of the Stone Age – "My God is the Sun"
Jack White – "I'm Shakin'"

Best Rock Song
Gary Clark Jr – "Ain't Messin Round"
Paul McCartney – "Cut Me Some Slack"
The Rolling Stones – "Doom and Gloom"
Black Sabbath – "God Is Dead?"
Muse – "Panic Station"

Best Rock Album
Black Sabbath – 13
David Bowie – The Next Day
Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull
Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day
Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
Neil Young With Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill

Best R&B Performance 
Tamar Braxton – "Love and War"
Anthony Hamilton – "Best of Me"
Hiatus Kaiyote feat. Q-Tip – "Nakamarra"
Miguel feat. Kendrick Lamar – "How Many Drinks?"
Snark Puppy with Lalah Hathaway – "Something"

Best R&B Song
Anthony Hamilton – "Best of Me"
Tamar Braxton – "Love and War"
PJ Morton feat. Stevie Wonder – "Only One"
Justin Timberlake – "Pusher Love Girl"
Fantasia feat. Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliot – "Without Me"

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Tamar Braxton – Love and War
Fantasia – Side Effects of You
Salaam Remi – One: In the Chamber
Rihanna – Unapologetic
Mack Wilds – New York: A Love Story

Best R&B Album 
Faith Evans – R&B Divas
Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire
John Legend – Love in the Future
Chrisette Michele – Better
TGT – Three Kings

Best Rap Performance 
Drake – "Started From the Bottom"
Eminem – "Berzerk"
Jay Z – "Tom Ford"
Kendrick Lamar – "Swimming Pools (Drank)"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – "Thrift Shop"

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration 
J. Cole feat Miguel – "Power Trip"
Jay Z feat. Beyonce – "Part II (On the Run)"
Jay Z feat. Justin Timberlake – "Holy Grail"
Kendrick Lamar feat. Mary J. Blige – "Now or Never"
Wiz Khalifa feat. The Weeknd – "Remember You"

Best Rap Song
ASAP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar – "F***in' Problems"
Jay Z feat. Justin Timberlake – "Holy Grail"
Kanye West – "New Slaves"
Drake – "Started From the Bottom"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – "Thrift Shop"

Best Rap Album 
Drake – Nothing Was the Same
Jay Z – Magna Carta… Holy Grail
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
Kanye West – Yeezus

Best Song Written For Visual Media 
Coldplay – "Atlas" from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Jessie J – "Silver Lining" from Silver Linings Playbook
Adele – "Skyfall" from Skyfall
Colbie Caillat feat. Gavin DeGraw – "We Both Know" from Safe Haven
Lana Del Rey – "Young and Beautiful" from The Great Gatsby
Regina Spektor – "You've Got Time" from Orange Is the New Black

For the full list of winners check The Grammy's official site and congratulations to all the winners and nominees! It's going to be a beautiful year for music!

On the Radar:

Charli XCX

When the Brit-pop star isn't posting strung out, grunge pics on Instagram she's touring around the world  promoting her 2013 hard-hitter True Romance. Anxious to put out her third studio album, due sometime this summer, she's released a fast-paced, anti-ballad cleverly titled "Allergic to Love". The intensity of the guitars and Charli nearly screaming on the track mirrors her on stage persona. If this track is featured on her upcoming album we can expect a stronger rock theme, straying away from the pop that colored True Romance.

Youth Lagoon

Trevor Powers, or better known as Youth Lagoon, has never been afraid to venture into intricate themes of disorder and the metaphysical. With his new, psychedelic-pop track "Worms", presumably on his upcoming third album, he takes a step into space and the unknown. On his Facebook page he writes introducing the song:

FYI: although there's no real sound in the vacuum of space, it's possible to translate the electromagnetic radiation fluctuations and charged particles of these celestial bodies into conventional sound. So now that you're no better of a person at all for knowing that,
A collection of artists have come together to take audio recordings of planets that were gathered by the Voyager 1 & 2 space probes and manipulate these frequencies in music. This is my piece.

The collection named The Space Project features Beach House as well with other contributing artists composing pieces for various planets and other astronomical beings of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Space Project's release is scheduled for mid-April this year.



Beck

Beck has been known to mash genres together making every album an eclectic, stand-out creation . For the follow-up to his award winning Modern Guilt, he decided to get back to his Californian folky roots (and even reunited with musicians he worked with for his 2002 album Sea Change). His latest single, "Blue Moon" reflects that upbeat, acoustic strumming we haven't heard in years from the artist. Morning Phase, his twelfth album, is scheduled for release February 25th this year.

Look Who's Coming:

Iron and Wine

Tour Logo:

Source: ironandwine.com

Supporting 2013's album Ghost On Ghost, indie-folk band Iron and Wine has announced a late winter/spring tour coexisting with some festival appearances. This tour will mainly support Ghost On Ghost, a upbeat, jazz inspired album that features jazz drummer Brian Blade. Ghost On Ghost is Iron and Wine's more experimental dabbling in R&B beats infused with his go-to use of eclectic bluegrass instrumentals. Tracks like "Grace for Saints and Ramblers" and "Singers and the Endless Song" take notes from the iconic sounds of some of the 60's greatest bands and the genre blends of the folk and rock from the era.



Baths

If you haven't heard the electronic creations of Will Wiesenfeld, known by his stage name Baths, then don't get too wound up in the light pen-like clicks and early 90's video game samplings used in his tracks--behind the pulsing bass are the hauntingly sinister lyrics Baths uses to color the dark undertones for his 2013 album Obsidian. Just yesterday Baths announced on social media that he would be headlining a spring tour, supporting acts haven't yet been released. For similar artists to Baths try Toro Y Moi and Fuck Buttons, both are new-wave, electronica inspired.

Bastille

Ever since the 2013 release of their debut album Bad Blood, British pop-alternative band Bastille has dominated the charts worldwide. Popular singles include catchy "Pompeii" and heartfelt "Overjoyed". Bastille then put out All This Bad Blood, which featured  the tracks from Bad Blood and previously released B-Sides as a double feature later that fall. Just announced was a small spring tour with Wolf Gang, titled "The Good. The Bad Blood. And The Ugly Tour. Part II" and tickets are expected to go fast due to vast popularity.

Foals

Last year, Foals beat out Arctic Monkeys and Queens of the Stone Age for NME's fan favorite album and track of the year. Not only did their 2013 album Holy Fire set records, but the band itself was one of the longest touring musical acts of the year--touring almost nonstop around the world. In the process of writing Holy Fire's predecessor this year they have also announced another European and North American tour for the late winter/early summer alongside alternative rock band Cage the Elephant. If you haven't already experienced the high energy, crowd surfing antics then this is one show you don't want to miss this year.

ICYMI:

The Californian alternative group The Neighbourhood recently hit 100k followers on Twitter and as a reward to their fans the artwork for their upcoming album #000000 & #FFFFFF was released. 

source: thenbhd.tumblr.com

Back in April 2013 the hip-hop influenced rockers put out their debut LP I Love You, with their hit singles "Sweater Weather" and "Afraid". Then sadly, last week The Neighbourhood announced that drummer and co-founder Bryan Sammis would be leaving the band for personal reason, and that the break off wasn't harmful to the band's future:

We wanted to let you all know that The Neighbourhood & Bryan “Olivver” Sammis are parting ways. We’ll miss playing music together but wish him the best on his musical journey ahead. We see all the good (via social networks) that the band and the individual members bring into people’s lives. We hope this doesn’t change any of that for you guys.
We thank you guys for all the support you’ve given us.”

Love, the nbhd (via The Neighbourhood's blog)

 The band has posted dates for a short headlining tour with supporting acts Kitten and Born Casual.

On the Radar:

Bombay Bicycle Club

Late 2013, London natives and indie folk group Bombay Bicycle Club released two singles from their 2014 February album So Long, See You Tomorrow. They also announced a headlining tour across the US and Europe starting in early Spring. Taking a step towards catchy-pop jives with the help of singer Rae Morris--the layered percussion weaves through jubilant verses cluttered of what seems like newfound love, compared to the eccentric jerks of "Carry Me". Bombay Bicycle Club's new album proves to dabble in many different experimental sounds bringing in the new year in strong creating the perfect soundtrack of 2014.




Lily Allen

British pop star Lily Allen took a hiatus from the music world and returned in late 2013 with a new, hard-hitting, girl power jam titled "Hard Out Here." Of course she received a great amount of media slander for featuring only women of color in her twerk-filled video, in what critics took as hypocrisy to Allen's attempt at outing society's double standard for women. Allen took to twitter, and responded to the backlash of her video and stood her ground against sexism and racism that was meant to be satirically portrayed in "Hard Out Here". 

Then earlier today Lily Allen released yet another track to be featured on her upcoming album. "Air Balloon"--the pop infused, mocking verses familiar to Lily Allen fans made a bold appearance all across social media. The song name drops infamous artists Kurt Cobain and Elvis Presley while giving modern day society the middle finger as she takes flight to a place where she is less "bored" and maybe shattering that looming glass ceiling along the way. Though the song lacks creative depth and and leans towards a watered-down take on feminism, the essence of all Allen hates in this world still stands true and her outspoken, catchy lyrics spark revolution as they always have.

Sidenote: for all the fans of HBO hit "GIRLS" keep your ears open for another new track from Allen this season.

"Air Balloon"

"Hard Out Here"