Thursday, March 19, 2009

Tuning in(box)


Dead Heart Bloom began in 2005 after the break-up of the D.C. band Phaser. The band's singer, keyboardist and bassist, Boris Skalsky, picked up the pieces to form Dead Heart Bloom, at first writing and recording by himself.

Dead Heart Boom began expanding in 2007 when Skalsky collaborated with guitarist Paul Wood, and now the band is a four-piece, with a rotating cast of guests.

The sound can be all over the map, from a mostly acoustic rock and folk blend, to the psychedelic pop of the Beatles, to an alternative rock mix of heavy, angular guitars.

In Chains, the latest in a three-EP series, was released March 10, and like all of the band's music, it is available to download for free.

Dead Heart Bloom - Flash In A Bottle
Dead Heart Bloom - Love Like Lies

* * *

Gladshot is the New York duo of Debbie Andrews and Mike Blaxill, who together make heart-on-the-sleeve indie rock, built around catchy, harmony-rich choruses. Produced by John Agnello, who has worked with The Hold Steady and Sonic Youth, the band's Burn Up And Shine was a late 2008 record that is just now starting to draw some more attention.

Gladshot - All I Want Is You
Gladshot - He Was Gone

* * *

Kingsbury is a Florida quartet that follows in the footsteps of bands like Low, with a subtle sense of how atmospherics play out in quieter, slower music. The band - Mark Freeman, TJ Burke, Samantha Christine, and Bruce Reed - have released two records, The Great Compromise and the new, follow-up EP Lie To Me, a dreamy yet powerful work that is available as a free download. In fact, the band has all of its music available for free download at KingsburyMusic.net, so check 'em out.

Kingsbury - Lie To Me
Kingsbury - Back In The Orange Grove

No comments: