Blood Red Shoes

Source: http://www.lostinconcert.com

I first heard of this rockin' band in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World original soundtrack, featuring their song "It's Getting Boring by the Sea". But it was really through L that I fully appreciated them and they're now one of my favorite bands. L made me listen to their other tracks where I immediately fell into a lullaby of raw unpretentious alternative rock. I need this kind of music these days. It puts me back to that era during my childhood where rock and alternative genres dominated the radio and music channels. 

Their upbeat and headbanging sound can't be missed, it's catchy that it makes me wanna dance my heart away. Grunge and punk is evidently mixed together in their music. Well, that's no surprise since their influences include Nirvana, Fugazi, Blur, and Sonic Youth to name a few.

One good news is... Blood Red Shoes released another full length album earlier this week. Their fourth record is entirely self-produced and engineered by the members themselves-- Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter. Steven states, "It came out as our rawest, heaviest, sexiest and most confident sounding record so far."

I absolutely agree with Steven. I love this new record, no doubt about it. I can't help but pick favorites: Cigarettes in the Dark, Behind a Wall, The Perfect Mess, Grey Smoke, Speech Coma.


Here are the first two singles from the new self-titled album. Enjoy!

The Perfect Mess

An Animal

Take a preview of the rest of the album at their official website.

Women in Music 1

Source: http://www.pinterest.com

I haven't made a music post since December last year, so here goes my first music entry for 2014.

I am very fond of female musicians especially if they are genuinely talented with refreshing atypical sound. These women listed below are worthy of a huge amount of recognition but they're not given as much attention than what they really deserve. Not just yet. They don't get much playtime on the radio or music channels as their female counterparts who bare a lot of skin in music videos. Most of them are underrated and overlooked in the industry despite their exquisite skills maybe because their music is not for everybody. They remain true to the sound they intend to play, which makes me love them even more. Absolutely true musicians at heart-- I hope they remain that way. Kudos to these women in music.

Get a listen to some of the solo female musicians in my playlist. Enjoy...

1. Fiona Apple

Hot Knife

Paper Bag

O' Sailor

2. Kimbra

Two-way Street

Wandering Limbs

Settle Down

3. Zee Avi

Concrete Wall

31 Days

Ghostbird (Live performances)

4. St. Vincent

Surgeon

Cruel

Digital Witness

5. Selah Sue

Crazy Vibes

This World

Break

Pentatonix

Source: http://www.ryanseacrest.com

I've seen Pitch Perfect and the movie made me appreciate a cappella even more. The creativity injected into the covered songs made them sound way better than the originals. One day while scanning the news feeds of a social media account, one of the blogs I'm subscribed to posted an entry claiming that a cover by Pentatonix surpassed the original-- the song was Royals by Lorde. I'm currently hooked on the latter so I was really curious. As soon as the video played, I had goosebumps all over.

Pentatonix - Royals (Lorde Cover)

Pentatonix hails from Arlington, Texas naming their group after the musical mode with five notes in an octave-- the pentatonic scale. They are the winners of NBC's a cappella singing competition The Sing-Off during the third season. Their first two EPs PTX Vol. 1 and PTXmas were released in 2012 and the third is to be released this 2013 with covers and original songs. 

The group posted several renditions in their YouTube channel; some, if not most, are viral. I must say they recreate the songs impressively. I'm not surprised how they became the champions of The Sing-Off Season 3, they absolutely deserve it. Pentatonix gives each one of their covered songs a certain flair that wasn't there in the original. These guys know what they're doing and they're doing it real good. They are catching a lot of attention in the biz with their remarkable blending techniques and phenomenal bass and percussion. Kudos to this exceptional ensemble. 

You SHOULD listen to these as well; get ready for goosebumps:

Pentatonix - Evolution of Music

Pentatonix - Somebody that I Used to Know (Gotye feat. Kimbra Cover)

Pentatonix - Since U Been Gone/Forget You Medley (The Sing-Off Performance)

Pentatonix - Video Killed the Radio Star (The Sing-Off Performance)

See and hear more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PTXofficial/videos

P.S. Their Sing-Off performances are golden. If you haven't seen them yet you better watch them now. *Wink*

Wild Belle

Source: http://quitmumbling.com

How about we listen to something new and different. I just learned about this sibling duo, Wild Belle, through my favorite blog Messy Nessy Chic. Their debut album, Isles, was released early this year last March. Members Elliot and Natalie Bergman grew up in a family of musicians-- no wonder where they got their talent. This brother-sister collaboration fused their jazz, reggae and soul influences into a musical style they can call their own. 

Their sound is light and laid-back but in a way edgy which is a breathe of fresh air. Thought I could enjoy their music while chilling and relaxing wherever (but of course I'd choose the beach or somewhere near the ocean sipping a nice cold drink and soaking up sunbeams). You might think the same when you hear them so have a listen.

Wild Belle - Keep You

Wild Belle - Backslider

Wild Belle - It's Too Late (Live - Conan on TBS)