Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes - Headfirst (It's All Happening)

1.    Who? 

Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes are an indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. Headfirst (It's All Happening) (June'18)is a single from their third album Fashion (August'18). 


2. What kind of tune is it? 

Headfirst (It's All Happening) is a change in musical direction for this good times rock'n'roll band. Bouncy synth, a bass drum and vocals barely sustain interest for the first two and a half minutes but then the song explodes to life with a dark all-in rock out at the two and a half minute mark making the patient wait worth while. Rinse and repeat.



3. Who do Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes sound like? 

Beirut and Young The Giant.

4. What is the word from the people about Headfirst (It's All Happening)? 

“The sound life makes when it becomes ecstasy” – The Low Down Under. 

“A rallying cry for Daniel Ellworth & The Great Lakes” – Magnet Magazine.

“Eclectic-synth indie-rock” – Bong.

5. Which bands have influenced Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes? 

Some of their influences include Wilco, Paul Simon, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar, and Spoon. 


6. Why should I give Headfirst (It's All Happening) a spin? 

Because it's a reasonable introduction to a great band. For the all-in kicking in.


7. What other bangers do they have? 

Sun Goes Out is a divine indie rocker, the crown jewel. Shoe Fits and Always/Never are the dogs bollocks too. 


8. Any more words champ? 

Fashion was produced by Kyle Andrews. 

Brian Fallon is the singer and guitarist for Gaslight Anthem. He is from New Jersey and is known for his heartland rock music. Brian Fallon sounds like Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison. His main influences are Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, and Pearl Jam. If Your Prayers Don't Get To Heaven (Dec'17) was the second single from Brian Fallon's second solo album Sleepwalkers (Feb'18) and is an attempt to recreate a Motown/Muscle Shoals sound. The song pops.

Luke Top - Lucky Penny

1. Who is this cruiser?

Luke Top is a solo artist and frontman for the Fool's Gold band. Lucky Penny (Jan'16) is the second single that sashays off his first solo long player Suspect High (March'16). Mr Top calls Los Angeles home.

2. What kind of tune is Luke Top peddling?

Lucky Penny is not quite white boy reggae but it is close. Organ to the fore in a quirky piece of nonsense. Rolls by like the breeze through your car window on a sunny day. 

3. Who does Luke Top sound like?

Foster The People's cover of Machu Picchu comes to mind. The Kooks, She Moves In Her Own Way.

Bootleg Theater nails it comparing Luke Top to Beirut, Al Bairre, Trails and Ways and Vampire Weekend. Austin Town Hall were feeling Albert Hammond Jr.

4. What is the good word from the cut and paste bandits?

“Organ-drenched sway in a tropical breeze” - Buzzbands.

“A tropical pop, perky Afropop, and drafty bossa nova suffused chamber pop” - Bootleg Theater.

“Smoothing out vocal notes with pop doses; there’s a nice bounce coming in too from the organ” - Austin Town Hall.

5. Who are this champs influences?

Luke Top has expressed love for African music, Krautrock and 1980's dance pop.

6. Why should I give Lucky Penny a swish past the ears?

The organ chords supplying the ska feel. They just don't get old. A free floating, happy go lucky feeling.

7. Does  the good man have any other ripping tunes?

Yes.

8. Any more pearls of wisdom?

The lass who did the production on the new album Suspect High is Ariana Morgenstern and she has put nose to grind for Jimmy Cliff, Guster and Continental Drifters in recent years.

 

“You talk about it plenty,

But at the time there’s nothing to be known,

I’m sure you’re a lucky penny”

The double dip is from euphoric indie folk pop Eliza and The Bear. They sprung out of London town in 2011 and Lions Heart (July'15) is the first single from their debut self-titled album Eliza and The Bear (April'16). Lions Heart  is a tune Clash Music said has “a triumphant, euphoric air.”