Premiere: "Strange Actress" by Uma Bloo

Photo by Monika Oliver

Today we’re honored to be premiering the single “Strange Actress” from our friends in Uma Bloo. The Chicago-based outfit of songwriter and vocalist Molly Madden, Uma Bloo was originally Madden’s moniker as a burlesque performer before she started performing as a solo musician with the same name. Nowadays, the Uma Bloo project has blossomed into a full band lineup consisting of Mike Altergott on guitar and keys, Steven Rutledge on drums, and Luke Blanco on bass and keys.

The new track “Strange Actress” comes from the group’s upcoming debut album entitled Don't Drive Into the Smoke. Talking about the song, Luke Blanco describes it as “a piece containing the most quiet of moments; a piece containing the loudest,” adding that “Strange Actress” is exemplary of Uma Bloo’s wide dynamic range. “The drums and bass maintain the beat in lockstep during the second verse without sacrificing the subdued mood. Guitars blare in increasing intensity as the song progresses, overdriven guitars blanketing the listener in a warm, yet heightened emotional state. Uma projects her voice with strength - you can hear her diaphragm hard at work through the speakers - yet it falls into the most beautiful of falsettos as the song concludes,” Blanco says.

The entirety of the upcoming album was recorded over a period of just three days at Chicago’s JAMDEK Studio and co-produced by Madden, Altergott, and Doug Malone. The origin of some of the songs on the record dates back to Madden’s late teen years, when she moved to Chicago to explore her artistic potential and broke free from a conservative and religious upbringing. “The emotions I wanted to express in my art didn’t tie in with my family’s values, but once I accepted the fact that I wanted to create, these songs started pouring out of me,” she says. “In a lot of ways, this album has been in process since I was eight years old without me fully knowing it, unpacking the life I had and what I wanted to build.” While many of these songs have been a long time coming, Madden also credits the collaborative nature of the band and her co-producers with pushing her to expand beyond her comfort zone more than ever before. “There were many moments of trying to express an idea or question without knowing the right language or terminology, which felt lonely at times, but that challenge also created a lot of innovative choices on all of our parts. There was a silent acknowledgement of the very intimate place these songs came from that resulted in very intentional communication between the three of us,” Madden says about the group’s collaboration.

Don't Drive Into the Smoke releases March 23, 2022 via Earth Libraries. Pre-Order your copy here, and tune into the premiere of “Strange Actress” below.

Earth Libraries · Strange Actress - Uma Bloo

Don't Drive Into the Smoke - TRACKLISTING
1. Never Know Me
2. Annie
3. Marguerite's Novels
4. Coming Home
5. Strange Actress
6. Your Pussycat
7. Was I Ever
8. The Actor's Last Question
9. Don't Drive Into the Smoke
10. To Be Vast

Premiere: Charlie Reed's "Don't Drop Me"

Today, ANCHR has the honor of premiering Charlie Reed’s debut single “Don’t Drop Me” from their upcoming record Eddy, out May 1, 2022.

Charlie Reed is Luke Trimble, Colin Croom, Nick Beaudoin, Nora Chin, Nolan Chin, and Justin Vittori

Charlie Reed is the project of Chicago musician and songwriter Luke Trimble, who is joined by bandmates Colin Croom on guitar and pedal steel, Justin Vittori on guitar, Nick Beaudoin on bass, Nolan Chin on piano and organ, and Nora Chin on backing vocals. The collaborative project began after Trimble experienced an apartment burglary that resulted in the loss of his music gear and his self-recorded demos for Charlie Reed. Out of the unfortunate event, Trimble was inspired to partner with his bandmates to work more collaboratively and step out of his comfort zone for a fresh start. “The physical reality of losing my stuff became this emotional metaphor for starting over in every way,” he says— and the end result became the new album material.

The lead single “Don’t Drop Me” came to fruition when Trimble began to reminisce about one of his first long-term relationships in which his partner decided to break things off with him. About writing this song, Trimble says, “I couldn’t believe that it was happening and what I had done to be ‘dropped’  or left behind. In retrospect I realize that I was in such a deep depression that I had no capacity to love this person anymore. In their eyes I was taking the relationship for granted."

Elaborating on the recording process of the song, Trimble adds, “The bones of the song were first tracked live. Bass, drums, acoustic guitar.  Starting off I didn’t think much besides I liked the hook. Since we hadn’t really rehearsed it I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. That enabled me to have some fun with the song. I pieced some of the instruments together at my home. Vocals, electric guitar, and Nolan on My upright piano. Later, Colin added some awesome guitar lead and keys that really brought the song together making it one of my favorites on the album."

You can watch the official video for the song below, and make sure to follow Charlie Reed on Facebook // Instagram // Twitter.

PREMIERE: "Underwater/Outerspace" Music Video by Sugarpulp

Today we’re pleased to share the premiere of the brand new music video for “Underwater/Outerspace” by Chicago’s own Sugarpulp.

Translating their sound from audio to video was a challenge that inspired Sugarpulp and music video director, Kevin Pickman. But the main goal was to have some fun. “When the band and I started discussing the aesthetic, we wanted something that was visually eerie and psychedelic but also didn’t take itself too seriously,” said Pickman. “Our main goal was to have fun with costumes and science fiction tropes.” Sugarpulp singer Deb Chesterman agreed. “Building the costumes and the storyline was like being a kid again and putting on a play for your parents.” To help them play dress-up, Aro Farmilant created the set and costumes. “Dreaming this universe into existence with the group was definitely mind-altering…there’s an ether of infinite possibilities to Underwater/Outerspace.”  Developing a visual world with musical elements posed another challenge to the band’s process. “We all got to use our creativity in ways that don’t manifest directly into music,” said Chesterman. Pickman’s storyline supported this process by combining plot with aesthetic. “I incorporated an idea my brother and I created for a graphic novel: a heartbroken woman travels to another dimension to steal the identity of her parallel self to continue a relationship she had lost.” In the world of Sugarpulp, anything is possible.

Get your first look at the music video below, and keep up with Sugarpulp on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram. The band will also be hosting a release show for the music video at Demons on Damen this Friday, January 31st-details here.

PREMIERE: "Deadly Stare" by Thompson Springs

Today we’re sharing the first single “Deadly Stare” from Thompson Springs’ upcoming debut album Undertones.

Photo by Kayla Thornton

Lead vocalist and songwriter Matt Smith of the group wrote the leading track while he was living in Memphis, and ultimately the group recorded it in Nashville last year with the assistance of Patrick Sansone (Wilco, The Autumn Defense) on the 12-string guitar and as a producer. “I still have the video of the [“Deadly Stare”] demo, and I remember being really excited about the chord changes. I was new to Memphis and didn't have a lot of friends yet, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I had lots of time to work on songs! It's a slower pace of life down there, and I like to think that influenced the song,” Smith says.

Eventually Smith brought the song to drummer and synth player Jake Bicknase, who added his own melody on the synth that really tied together the track. Smith says he and Bicknase got to that point by just jamming and letting everything fall together. “'It’s kind of my mentality not to talk about it too much or else the magic might disappear,” he adds. The final version of the song came about with the help of Pat Sansone and engineer Andy Freeman in the recording studio. “Originally this song existed just with just vocals, guitar and synth. We went into the studio with that instrumentation, but after showing the song to Pat and Freeman, we experimented with a few different things and decided that the song would have a totally different vibe and edge with this driving drumbeat pushing it along. It definitely became dreamier,” says Bicknase. “It was really cool to see in a matter of hours how the song changed from being stripped down to really full and complete, just by being open to each others ideas,” Smith adds.

To accompany the song, Thompson Springs worked with Chicago director Joe Martinez Jr., who has directed videos of other local acts like Ryley Walker. “I was really pleased to work with Joe after seeing some of his videos with local groups around town. He has that special vibe where you can feel he cares and has an eye that is artistic, not financial. He pulled out all the stops with a low budget,” says Smith. The video was shot in one day between the Pilsen and Logan Square neighborhoods with the help of friends and family.

Take a look at the finished piece below, and make sure you catch Thompson Springs at their next show at Sleeping Village on January 21st.

Video Credits:

Director

Joe Martinez Jr.

@instrajammer

AD

Jessica Batson

@jmayb

Cinematographer 

O’Connor Hartnett

@ohartnett

Movi Op

Michael Monar

@mmonar

AC

Christian Meija

@seemejia

Key Grip

Johnny Weichel

@weichel.jordan

Car Passenger 

Matt Smith

@thompsonsprings

Alley Keys

Jacob Bicknase

@jabickus

Car Driver

Jose Martinez

Kid on Bike

Ben Parks

Basketball Girl

Ellie Parks

Roller-Girl

Danielle Brod

@cptnd

Gas Station Hipster

David Alan Thrift

@thriftayyy

Street Clown

Sean Mills

@sdavidsonmills

Dog walker 

Emily Lindeman

Dog Thief 

Savanna Dickhut

@burroak

Mom

April Brossett

Big Sister

Aaliyah Montana

@aaliyahmontana1

Little Sister

Aria Denali

@ariadenali

Mobster #1

John Mcdonnell

Mobster #2

Michael Bonesteel

Editor 

Joe Martinez Jr.

@instajammer

Colourist 

Lindsey Mazur

@lindseyemazur

PREMIERE: "Tell Me" by Motel Breakfast

Motel Breakfast is Jimmy Drenovsky, Mick O'Donnell, Conor Brennan, Jesse Nasadowski, Drue Devente. Photo by Maddie Houlihan

Ahead of Motel Breakfast’s self-titled album release on February 7th, we’re giving you the first listen of the debut record’s second single, “Tell Me.”

Talking about the single’s origins, the band says it was the first song written as a five-piece after bassist Drue Devente joined in 2018. “It’s the most collaborative song we've written to date. Starting with the goal of writing an interesting and dynamic 3-chord song, it became something that Mick, Jesse, and Jim workshopped into rough form during a weekend at Mick's cottage.” The group then brought the song to Drue and Conor to continue developing it. “It continued to change as everyone put distinct fingerprints onto the piece and it worked its way into live sets. This final form came into being with help from our friend Sam Veren on trumpet, and the studio guidance of producer Andy Goitia,” vocalist and guitarist Jimmy Drenovsky says.

The whole album is a culmination of three years of writing, performing, and recording throughout the Midwest. Every song on the self-titled album was recorded analog in the summer of 2019, with the sessions split between Treehouse Records in Chicago and Williamson Magnetic Recording in Madison. “The aim for the album was to capture the energy and chemistry of our live performance in the same way rock bands have done for decades — straight to tape,” the band says.

Get your first listen of “Tell Me” below, and keep an eye for it on all other streaming services tomorrow, January 3rd.

Cover photo and design by Mike Heinz

Keep up with Motel Breakfast on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

PREMIERE: "Dream Milk" by Sunshrine

Sunshrine is Bryson Foster, Jeramie Anderson, and Ryan Simpson

Today, we’re sharing the first look at Sunshrine’s complete video album for Dream Milk, which was directed by Sunshrine and Kelsey Gould.

In the days leading up to the premiere, the band teased the video album with clips for individual songs, like “Will You Give it Away?” and “Salty Lace.” The songs and their corresponding videos are a “culmination of directionless creativity,” the band says. “We did what was easy and fun and this is what came out. After all the content was compiled we saw a story…we saw a drama, and it needed to be shared with the world,” they add.

Sunshrine’s next show is on October 18th in Lawrence, Kansas— Keep up with them Facebook and Instagram for more updates, and watch the video album in full below.

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PREMIERE: "Sapphire" by Nativity Beds

Photo by Emma McCall// Album art (below) by Carina Hoyer.

Today we’re sharing the brand new single “Sapphire” by Nativity Beds, the moniker for singer-songwriter Kyle Maurisak’s electronica, chillwave project.

Outside of his work with The Edwards, Maurisak released Nativity Bed’s debut album ghost in April 2018. “The project mainly served as a cathartic outlet for me for a long time, and I had gone through phases through the process of making it of debating whether or not I wanted to share this music or keep it to myself,” Maurisak says. Ultimately, he decided it was important to cap that period of his life and release the music that represented some of the darkest aspects of those times. “I released the album and really only sent it around to some close friends. To be honest, I thought that would be the end of the project. As of late, I've been back in that creative headspace and ‘Sapphire’ is the first of more new material to come,” Maurisak adds.

The song was written, recorded, produced, and mixed by Maurisak, and mastered by Doug Saltzman (Gia Margaret, Denmark Vessey, Mos Def). Take a listen below now!

PREMIERE: "Hoops" by Siblings

Chicago band Siblings is sharing their new their new single “Hoops” today, as an exclusive early premiere.

Siblings is Kevin Greene, Max McKenna, and Sarah Giovannetti

The new track follows up Siblings’ EP, "Revelry," which was released in April 2019, and the band says that "Hoops" is both a love song to the sport of basketball and a play on sports-as-metaphor.

Lead singer and songwriter of “Hoops,” Kevin Greene says, "I was killing time in the Loop last fall when the opening lines of this song popped into my head: 'Fake flowers / real garden / real bricks / James Harden.' I thought, 'Gee, this might hurt James Harden's feelings if he ever heard it.' But as a basketball fan, Harden had hurt my feelings a lot over the past few years, so I decided it was only fair.” The rest of the song then came together in the following few weeks, right around the start of the NBA regular season. “That the song turned into a musical homage to the band’s shared adolescence in the mid-aughts proved serendipitous, as it was during those years that I abandoned a pursuit of athletics, where I never really excelled, in favor of the arts. A smart person once told me that we write the songs we want to hear. 'Hoops' brings together two of my absolute favorite things and is on repeat in my heart and headphones constantly. Now I just need to make sure James Harden hears it,” Greene adds.

Catch Siblings live at Burlington Bar on June 20th, and take your first listen of “Hoops” below!

PREMIERE: Sick Day's Debut Singles

Today we’re sharing the debut singles from Sick Day— the new project of Chicago based musicians Olivia Wallace and Stef Roti.

Photo by Alexus Mclane

“I wrote these songs several years apart. Both explore the desire to break free from others’ narrow definitions, from judgements that can trap us. In ‘Deviant,’ I reclaim and celebrate those labels, whereas ‘Brain’ is more of a forceful plea for autonomy and self-definition,” Wallace says about the songwriting process of the new singles.

Both songs were recorded at Jamdek with producer Doug Malone. “This was the first time I’ve ever tracked my songs live with a full band. Doug Malone expertly helped us capture the raw energy of our live sound, while highlighting textures and intricacies that can get lost in the mix at a concert. The process is intensive, electrifying, and beautifully collaborative. I would never go back to click track recording,” Wallace adds.

Catch Sick Day’s live debut on June 6th and get your first listen of “Brain in a Jar” and “Deviant” below.

Keep up with Sick Day on Facebook and Instagram

PREMIERE: "What Happened" by The Dead Licks

Take your first listen of “What Happened” by Chicago rock band The Dead Licks below.

The Dead Licks are Jack Grbac (guitar), Tom Inzinga (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Gallagher (drums) and Johnny McNamara (bass) / Photo by Cooper Fox

The Dead Licks formed in 2016 at the University of Dayton, and the four members quickly became tight-knit friends as they bonded over their love for Radiohead, The Strokes, Pearl Jam and Wilco. After releasing their debut full length Stay Away From the Aliens in 2018, the group is back with new music for 2019, and they’re starting with the single “What Happened.”

Talking about the new single, lead singer Tom Inzinga says, “What Happened started as my attempt to start writing simpler songs. At the time I had been really into Jeff Tweedy’s style of songwriting, and the chords came one afternoon, like most do, where I just picked up the acoustic and started playing. When I brought it to the band, it transformed into a very powerful, melancholic song about complacency and moving forward. The lyrics started being developed during a time I was unhappy with being complacent. It was my attempt to get out of a songwriting rut. However, as time went on, it turned into a song about heartbreak, and the idea of trying to move forward no matter what the outcome may be.”

The song was recorded at Treehouse Records on analog tape, which was a first for The Dead Licks. “We had a great time recording the song on analog for the first time—it was a learning experience and really pulled the best out of us. This is a new and exciting sound for us and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it,” says the band’s guitarist Jack Grbac. The group’s drummer Jimmy Gallagher says the analog recording gave the track a more live sound, adding, “You can expect a much more natural sound than our previous release.”

Tune into the new song below, and celebrate the single release with the band tomorrow, May 3rd at Harte’s Saloon.

Keep up with The Dead Licks on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram, and view their upcoming live shows here.

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PREMIERE: "So Mad" by Drugs & Attics

Today we have your first listen of Drugs & Attics’ brand new single “So Mad,” from their upcoming album Clean Their Room.

Photo Courtesy of High Dive Records

Talking about the single, the band says, “We wrote the song about getting broken out of an intergalactic prison, where we were forced to break rocks with even harder rocks until we got mad. Then we hitched a ride back to earth from Shaft who documented the ordeal along the way, and that’s how ‘So Mad’ came to life.”

The band recorded “So Mad” at Massive Sound Studio, which has one of the old mixing boards from Stax Studios in Memphis.  “We used this board to record ‘So Mad', and after the recording, the engineer shared with us that the board was used to record The Shaft theme song.  So we have that going for us,” the band adds.

Clean Their Room by Drugs & Attics is out April 19th— pre-order it here, and listen to “So Mad” below!

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Keep up with Drugs & Attics on Facebook + Instagram

PREMIERE: "The Sun Will Come Back" by Faux Co.

Today we’re premiering Faux Co.’s new single “The Sun Will Come Back" from their upcoming album Radio Silence, out Friday, April 5.

Faux Co. is Ben Mackey, Chris Lee, Christian Whiting and Jayson Homyak // Photo courtesy of Faux Co. by Dan Jarvis.

Faux Co. front man Ben Mackey describes the new single’s journey, saying, “[The song] was originally written as a soft acoustic song by our songwriter friend from Canada, Nick Gagne. We completely reworked it into kind of a banger, with his approval, of course. I really like the idea of old rock records from the sixties that had a few covers on them, like a Motown hit reimagined by the Beatles or The Byrds. You really hear what the band is bringing to the table when you hear a classic song reimagined. Nick Gagne might be a lesser known artist from Canada, but to me this song was always a classic soft and beautiful acoustic track and I wanted to reimagine it our way.”

The piano on “The Sun Will Come Back" was recorded in the (now closed) Uptown Underground. “The strings sound like a synth at points which was a happy accident in the mixing process. For some reason, it seemed to fit perfectly with the other songs on the record, so we put it in there. It is one of my favorite tracks on the record,” Mackey adds.

Take a listen to the finished song below, and pre-order the album, out April 5th, here.

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PREMIERE: "Crowd" by The Golden Fleece

Album Artwork by Pete Gowdy // @arcticsun_collageartist

The Golden Fleece are back with new music, and we’ve got the exclusive first listen of their new single “Crowd" below.

The track marks the debut single from the band’s upcoming album, announced today. Out April 5th, the band teased their new full length, saying, “Mind Mirror is the kind of album you listen to once, then throw on a pile of fire.”

Mind Mirror was recorded to tape at Future Apple Tree Studio and engineered by Pat Stolley, original Daytrotter engineer. You can pre-order the album here, and celebrate with the band at one of their release shows:

QC Release April 5th @ Rozz-Tox w/ Condor & Jaybird and Faintlife
Peoria Release April 6th @ Pizza Works w/ Condor & Jaybird and Faintlife

If you’re going to SXSW, you can also catch The Golden Fleece at our showcase on March 14th at Shiner’s Saloon.

Keep up with The Golden Fleece on Facebook + Instagram

PREMIERE: "Stage Fright" By Pool Holograph

Ahead of the official release tomorrow, March 5th, we’re giving you an exclusive first listen to Pool Holograph’s new single “Stage Fright.”

Pool Holograph is Wyatt Grant, Zach Stuckman, Jake Stolz, and Paul Stolz

Pool Holograph’s lead singer and songwriter Wyatt Grant said the new single was written shortly after the release of their last album Transparent World. “With ‘Stage Fright’ particularly we wanted to focus on making a narrative separate from the supernatural themes of Transparent World. The imagery is that of a drama production (curtains, backdrops, decoys, etc.) in which a character experiences both sides of the fourth wall. The instrumentation was a departure from what we had used in the recent past, using a piano, xylophone, sounds of paper, and some layered acoustics,” Grant adds.

“Stage Fright” will officially be released alongside another single on a 7” split later this Spring through Land and Sea Dept.'s Audial LSD imprint, but take your first listen of the track below!

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You can catch Pool Holograph at SXSW this year, including the ANCHR Showcase on March 14th at Shiner’s Saloon— full dates below. They’ll also be preforming at the next ANCHR Chicago showcase at Thalia Hall on March 22nd, tickets and information here.

PREMIERE: "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" By Thompson Springs

In honor of Lou Reed’s birthday today, Thompson Springs has recorded a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” — and we’ve got the exclusive premiere!

Thompson Springs is Matt Smith, Andy Goitia, Jacob Bicknase // Photo by Jake Hanson

Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Treehouse Records by Barrett Guzaldo straight to analog tape, this single comes ahead of Thompson Springs’ debut full length album, to be released later in 2019.

Take a listen to the new single below, and if you’re heading to SXSW this year, don’t miss Thompson Springs at our ANCHR SXSW Showcase at Shiner’s Saloon on March 14th.

Keep up with Thompson Springs on Facebook and Instagram.

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PREMIERE: "Feed The Pile" EP by Chromagnus

Photo Credit: Kelly Ngo

Today we have an exclusive sneak peek of Chromagnus’ brand new EP Feed The Pile, ahead of the project’s wide release tomorrow, March 1st.

Feed The Pile marks the Austin band’s first release as a four piece, with guitarist Max Prudhomme and bassist John “Hutch” Hutchinson joining founding members Will Grover and Ronnie Sokol. The tracking for the latest EP was done live to 1/2" tape in the band’s living room over the course of a week in early 2018, with band member John Hutchinson stepping into the producer role. The band says this recording process gave them full creative control, adding “We wanted the limitations and ‘vibe’ of analog recording to accurately convey the energy of the music, and we learned a lot in the process.”

Get your first listen of the four-track EP below, and keep up with Chromagnus on Facebook + Instagram.

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Austin- make sure you don’t miss the band’s EP release show tomorrow at Hotel Vegas, presented by Howdy Gals- details here.

PREMIERE: "We're All Gunna Die" by Waltzer

Photos courtesy of Waltzer

Today we’re giving you the first listen to the new single “We’re All Gunna Die” by Waltzer, the brainchild of singer-songwriter and recent Chicago transplant Sophie Sputnik.

The well-traveled track was written when Sputnik lived in Florida and recorded with Felix Fung at Little Red Sounds studio in Vancouver. Now, it’s finally getting its release in Chicago. “I like to think this song reminds me of Little Shop of Horrors, but instead [it stars] Roy Orbison and The Supremes,” Sputnik says, describing the existential crisis-inspired song.  “It's a pretty dramatic show-tune, but it leaves room for sarcasm. There's no doubt I've had some long nights obsessing over my mortality and the next morning dealing with my emotional hang over,” she adds.

Reminiscing on the recording process, Sputnik says, “We used an electro-voice re15 mic, a lot of reverb and compression for the vocals, the drum machine on an old Lowery Orchestral Holiday organ, and my buddy Rob (Fuzzbaby Records) as the Zombie Elvis voice in the end. Recording this song was one of the best last minute decisions I've ever made, and I've made a lot of those.”

To follow up this first release of 2019, Sputnik says she’s already working on new material. “I'm currently in the process of recording more songs with Chris Kulwin, who does about a million incredible things (Rookie, Luke Henry, and The Trinity Irish Dance Company) as the producer in his studio, The Workshop.”

Now that you know the backstory, take a listen to “We’re All Gunna Die” below! You can also catch Waltzer live at Burlington Bar on February 22nd with Elk Walking, Aunt Kelly, and Captain UFO.

Flyer for Waltzer’s Chicago Debut Show

Keep up with Waltzer on Facebook & Instagram

PREMIERE: "Something Teenage" Video by Dream Version

Today we’re bringing you the first look at the video for Dream Version’s latest single “Something Teenage.” The trio from Chicago has an unwavering knack for crafting fun and catchy tunes that are guaranteed to get stuck in your head or get you dancing, and “Something Teenage” achieves both.

Dream Version performing at ANCHR’s September Showcase

Although the lyrics read as a love letter, lead singer and guitarist Alec Jensen says it was not written for a romantic interest. “It's a love song for Iggy Pop, and references some things he said in this John Peel lecture,” Jensen clarifies. “In general it's supposed to be about the way I listened to music in high school, and how exciting it is now when something hits me that viscerally. Usually, it's nothing particularly smart or highbrow. Blah Blah Blah is a super glossy, plastic 80s record Iggy made with Bowie, and it's singing in the shower music.  ‘Something Teenage’ sounds more like Yo La Tengo than Iggy, but it's our little love letter,” he adds.

The video, shot and directed by local musician Emily Jane Powers, captures the buoyant energy of the track as it cuts back and forth between the band members enjoying a carefree, summer day at Montrose Beach and performing the track. Talking about the inspiration behind the video, Jensen says, “I came to Emily with the idea of basically doing the ‘Can't Buy Me Love’ sequence from Hard Day's Night,” adding that they wanted the video to focus in on the friendship between himself and bandmates Eric Brummitt and Michael Kunik. “Emily did a great job. She made us seem really funny, which is good, because we, like, are.”

Now that you know the backstory, get your first look at the video below!

Keep up with Dream Version on Facebook + Twitter + Instagram

PREMIERE: "Apple Tree" by Dreamboats Music Video

Photo Credit: Reilly Drew

Today we’re sharing the first look at Dreamboats’ debut single and video for “Apple Tree.” Dreamboats’ current line up recently came together when siblings Jeremy and Maddy Marsan and bandmate Dave Hubbell (formerly known as Maddy, Dave & Jerry) joined forces with John Duray.

The new four-piece blends together influences of country and shoegaze music to create a unique sound that they dub as “dream pop western.” The track “Apple Tree” gives listeners a sneak preview of what is to come on Dreamboats’ upcoming debut album. With the help of filmmaker Reilly Drew, the accompanying video for “Apple Tree” shows a juxtaposition of real life and daydreams, cutting back and forth between dreamy scenes and clips that showcase a mundane reality. Check out the finished product below, starring Dreamboats, Kubrick the dog, and Sheila the cat.

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Keep up with Dreamboats on Facebook and Instagram

PREMIERE: "Daylight" by Capital Soirée

Today we’re giving you the first listen of Capital Soirée’s new single “Daylight,” a track that the band says is a conversation between lovers in a digital age.

Capiral Soirée is James Kourafas, Max Romero, and Steven Rejdukowski // Photo by Kate Liddy

“The song questions the honesty and authenticity of modern love where, with technology, dishonesty seems more prevalent than ever. Lines like ‘hold my hand as I hold my phone, we both pretend that we don't feel alone’ capture the struggle of wanting to experience something real with someone— being in the same room, yet feeling so disconnected,” they say, adding that they wanted to convey the feeling of being stuck in this place of constant struggle, uncertainty, paranoia, as well as love.

To juxtapose the melancholy and emotional sentiment of the lyrics, the group paired them with a more upbeat rhythm featuring drum machines and synths. This single marks the first of a group of singles that the band will be releasing in the coming months, and the track was written, recorded, and produced collectively by the band, with mixing done by James Kourafas of the group.

Now that you know the song’s backstory, take a listen to “Daylight” below!

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Grab tickets to see Capital Soirée at Schubas on January 31st with Ember Oceans, August Hotel, and Friday Pilots Club here, and keep up with the band on Facebook + Instagram.