There is no Dana; Only Tuunes!

2014 has ended and now we must look back. Listen to my Best of 2014 right here!

It's a Halloween Summer guys.

Neil Jarvis has returned but not without bringing a ton of new music. Click here to read my review of the new album!

New news from Modest Mouse!

The band has announced a new album! Check out all the details here!

REVIEW TIME!

Low Voltage Rangers have a new album! But is it any good? The answer is...

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT // JTF

I talk with JTF about his band and his amazing debut single, Fuchsia.

Friday, July 18, 2014

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT // JTF

Earlier this month, rising Chicago based musician, JTF released his debut single Fuchsia to Facebook and SoundCloud. The single is a synth-filled electronic pop track guaranteed to get you dancing, and while this might be the first release from JTF, it is not the first musical endeavor from the man behind the initials, Jonathon Freund. Assuming the majority of those who read this aren't part of the whopping 88 fans from JTF's Facebook page, I decided to reach out to him and ask him about his band and plans for the future.

JTF is the current solo project from Freund and comes nearly 4 years after his last musical project, SPIDER▲WEBS. Unlike his last project, which was primarily a witch-house band, JTF "is designed around [his] interest and fascination with electronic pop music [specifically] new wave and house classics from the 80's". It is his outlet to connect to this time period while also blending contemporary sounds into the mix. 

For the time being it sounds like JTF will remain a one-man-show, "I had spent 2 years living in Chicago trying to form bands around the same direction, but adding members created more variables; it became very cumbersome," which is fine. There have been many talented and successful solo acts and extra members for the sake of extra members is definitely not a necessity. As for future plans JTF is currently working on a 6 song EP as well as getting ready to move to Seattle, Washington. 

JTF's debut single Fuchsia, which can be viewed below, is out now and available on Facebook and SoundCloud, the latter of which the single can be downloaded for free. Make sure to "like" and follow JTF on both sites as this guy has got some amazing potential for the future, and you won't want to miss a thing.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

NEWS // Heaven by the Bilinda Butchers is out today!

Earlier this morning California based dream poppers the Bilinda Butchers released their newest album, Heaven, to the public. Heaven is the group's first full-length album and features a different recording of last year's single, "The Lover's Suicide".

The 13 track LP is a concept album that follows the life of "a young woman who lived in Japan from 1836 to 1864. It's entries catalog her catastrophic marriage to a cruel nobleman, and her later introduction to a young, idealistic poet whose expressions of sympathy inspire her to escape from her unfortunate circumstances. When her friendship with the poet is discovered, Ume is sent away to a distant village, where she falls into a deep depression and eventually learns of the poet’s death. Though the news of the poet’s death initially disturbs Ume, she soon discovers within herself a new sense of clarity and motivation. Her diary ends with a final pronouncement: she will drown herself in order to reunite with her fallen lover." While I don't condone suicide at all, man does it make great music. Digital copies of Heaven are available here via Orchid Tapes. Limited Edition white vinyls of Heaven are available here...also via Orchid Tapes!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

MIXTAPES // Up from the Underground presented by Ultimate Underground

I would like to introduce you to the Ultimate Underground. No, this is not an amazing new band that you have to check out. It is something equally as cool though... and it does have to do with "amazing new bands you have to check out". The Ultimate Underground is a project from one of my college friends who's actually just graduated this past spring, (congratulations dude!) and brings together the best in, you guessed it, underground music for us to discover and become unnaturally obsessed with!

Ultimate Underground's birth comes from the inevitable end of my friend Jake King's college radio station, Ultimate Kickback, when he graduated. I could paraphrase more things that Jake has told me but he could say it better so here is a statement from the Ultimate Underground's Facebook:
"Ultimate Underground is a website and fully functional internet radio station that highlights new independent, D.I.Y., and underground music. Many of the bands featured on here are working class individuals who are just trying to break into the seemingly impenetrable wall known as the "mainstream." Ultimate Underground is designed so bands have a voice off stage and into the press. 
On this website, you'll see news, reviews, upcoming releases, exclusive premieres, concert information, and more on the bands that you may have never heard of, but you wish you had. The radio feed will stream 24/7 via Radionomy and will compensate the bands for what's being played through SoundExchange in the US, and other services around the world."
Jake's been hard at work too and recently has released the site's first compilation, Up from the Underground: Volume 1. This 18-track compilation features over an hour of great rock and grunge bands from all over the world. The entire compilation is great, but some favorites of mine are "Leech" by Northbound, "I am" by CRUMN, and "In Vain" by JACT, among others. Listen to it below and check out the Ultimate Underground here!