BrandsForBands

First things first: Cool Ghouls are not a retro act. Yes, they dwell penniless in the storied hills of culturally resurgent San Francisco. But these boys have their feet firmly planted in the soil of the now. They look not backwards for approving nods of hipster forebears, but rather skyward, hoping that the "supernatural forces" they yodel for, guide them to all corners of a half-deserving world.

If one were to ascribe to them a 60's-reverent description, one would most likely find an artistic kinship with some the most inimitable, idiosyncratic, yet unmistakably influential bands of the retro-fitting oeuvre. The Troggs, The Monks, Sir Douglas Quintet come to mind immediately (Save your Kinks and Rolling Stones references). Like those that came before, the Ghouls are natural heirs to the folkloric lineage which precedes them, adding dashes of weirdness where needed. And despite their mid-fi leanings and natural fit within the current pantheon of San Francisco rock ‘n roll bands (Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Fresh and Onlys), theirs is a timeless record, which will hopefully transcend the descriptors (garage, psych, etc.) that will undoubtedly plague it. The reason being - they write good SONGS.

These young men have honed their three-headed vocal attack in front of ambitious and unexpected chord progressions, an unrelenting rhythm section, and a keen ear for harmony. Theirs is a trifecta of songwriting styles, ranging from the raspy, rambling psychedelic soul of longhair Pat McDonald ("Grace"), to the high yonder twang of bassist Pat Thomas ("Natural Life"), to the boisterous, fever-pitched, perfect pop of lead guitarist Ryan Wong. Theirs is a truly democratic song-making process, wherein all members are eager to contribute their most zealous performances. Hence, the debut record, an adventurous, colorful romp seen through the eyes of old-souled youths, feels wholly coherent and intentional. The self-assuredness of their songwriting is evident. And no, the Ghouls are not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves; this is partly what makes the record so digestible. It doesn't claim to be anything other than what it is; a record for now, a record for then, and a record for forever.

- Tim Cohen (Fresh and Onlys, Magic Trick)

evolv's musical style is driven by powerful harmonies and complimenting melodic guitar movements. Armed with a passionate stage presence, evolv captivates their audience; continuing to push the boundaries of cinematic post-rock and ambient compositions with hip-hop/lofi elements. Follow evolv on his journey as he takes you back to your favorite memories.

Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota - also known as the Twin Cities, has its own unique sound board of music. The diverse tone of the TC sets itself apart from any other Midwestern city. From Funk, to Soul to Hip Hop, the Land of 10,000 Lakes has birthed many incredible talents including Prince, The Time, Mint Condition; to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It must be something in the water….

Insert Envy and Fancy, the Hip Hop and R&B duo known as iLLism. The pair stand to one day be among the most influential artists to come from the North Star state alongside their predecessors who left incredible legacies before them. The husband and wife duo are setting their own precedence when it comes to their sound, "Our Music. Our Rules."

The pair has already captured nods from the house of Paisley Park (Prince’s famous royal domain) after having competed in the “Musicology Battle of the Bands” competition and placing in the top three out of the 150 bands who entered. Donna Grantis and guitar player of Prince’s assembled band 3rd Eye Girl, later applauded them on their incredible performance and “Killer arrangements.”

In the studio, iLLism demonstrates an incredible amount of talent. Their current discography includes two EPs (Definition of iLL A side and B Side), their debut full length album, “Love and Loyalty,” and their long awaited sophomore album “iLLuminate.” The duo describes iLLuminate as being a reflection of their personal and musical journeys. With songs like, Who You Lovin, Life, Bet and MNsota Nice the duo evoke passion and emotions that listeners all over the globe can connect with.

iLLism’s sound has always been musically robust. With the help of their live band as well as awarded producers, iLLuminate not only captures the Minneapolis sound made famous by Prince, they push it forward by adding their own originality. “This album is us in full music form. It’s our blood, sweat, tears and heartbeats. That’s how special it is,” the duo says. “It’s therapeutic. It’s a release. It’s a celebration. It’s everything hip-hop is supposed to be. We may be biased but we listen to it everyday.”

Robin Huqueleux a.k.a Fear Club is a 23 year old musician, graphic designer and a “do-it-yourselfer” based in Paris, France. He began recording electronic music in 2012 influenced by the electronic sound of Toro y Moi and Washed Out. His sound is serving up addictive dreampop, ambient tunes that are perfect for the Spring and Summer seasons. He regularly collaborates with the melting vocals of 18-year-old Ashley Garcia living in Los Angeles. Fear Club aims to capture “our nostalgia of sunny days when summer is gone.”

After listening to the first few tunes by Fortunetellers, you might wonder where they have been all your life. Moonlighting as teachers, students, music producers, and world travelers, it took 25 years for these assiduous souls to cross paths. Even at first listen, though, you are quickly convinced it was well worth the wait. This Chicago based indie-rock band will have you on your feet (or at least tapping a toe or two) with their melodic pop tunes and sweet dance grooves.

Leatherbag is an American power trio from Austin, Texas. After relocating to Austin from Houston in 2005 as a Hurricane Rita refugee,

Leatherbag was formed by singer/songwriter Randy Reynolds. Leatherbag has supported such acts as Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3, Chuck Prophet, David Dondero, The Radar Brothers, Little Joy, Brendan Benson, Richard Buckner, Alejandro Escovedo and many others.

The band performed at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival and was an official artist at SXSW 2011. Influenced by the Protopunk movement of the mid 70s and the New Sincerity movement of the early 80s, Leatherbag delivers an energetic bolt to the sound of rock to come.

With a powerful, sultry voice that evokes comparisons to artists as diverse as K.T. Tunstall, Girl in a Coma’s Nina Diaz and Ronnie Spector, Emily Bell has made it to the top of the “must see live” list in Austin, Texas. Her debut album In Technicolor was self-released on May 28, and her single "Back to the Way I Was" was picked up by close to 200 national radio stations and video outlets respectively.

Since then, Bell has done two national tours, performed live on the Ron & Fez Show on Sirius XM, the Artie Lang Show, BreakThru Radio, and even got her own day in Austin when the Mayor proclaimed August 22, 2013 “Emily Bell Day.” Interrobang.com ranked Bell No. 1 on its list of the top five artists to watch at SXSW 2013 - after listening to 1,210 tracks from showcasing acts. Her next single, “Hey Baby,” is getting nationwide distribution on the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau compilation, Austin Music, Volume 12. Her debut album features nine cuts that cross tracks laid through Delta blues, ‘60s rock, girl-group glam and Motown power. With John Evans, her producer, co-writer, guitarist and partner, Bell has crafted a “here I am” statement and likes to call it “Technicolor rock ‘n’ soul.” After writing and recording in Raphael Saadiq’s Burbank studio in LA with former members of Tony! Toni! Toné!, Bell returned to her Texas roots. With recent live shows including F1’s Fan Fest, KGSR’s Discovery Series, CMJ, Freedom Over Texas 2013, Michelle Clark’s Sunset Sessions and the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar coming up this December 17, Bell is making waves as one of Austin’s hottest new talents. Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll says “She’ll knock you down, then lick your wounds, burn up the stage and leave you begging for more.” For more information, see www.emilybell.com.

Z Rokk, singer/songwriter, guitarist for Automatic Static was the guitar player for Simon Says on Hollywood Records back in the late 1990's and early 2000's. After the disbanding of Simon Says in 2002, Z pursued his education and earned a BA in Political Science from CSU Sacramento. He pursued Law school and was accepted to McGeorge Law School in Sacramento. After realizing that music was where he wanted to be and not the law, Z started Automatic Static by himself as a project in a small one-bedroom apartment in downtown Sacramento. After recording and writing for a year or so, Z started to play live shows with friends and musicians around Sacramento filling in the line up. Being a huge Nirvana fan Z decided that a simple 3 piece would be a great tight group to rock with as he was handling both guitar and vocals himself. He recruited friends and long time local Sacramento musicians Matt (tone factory) on Bass and Kevin, drums. Together they form the wall of sound that is Automatic Static. Z Rokk has contributed music to soundtracks as "Varsity Blues", "Johnny Tsunami" and National Lampoon's "Beerfest". Z Rokk has toured with bands from the likes of Filter, Staind, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Deftones, and Far, Type O Negative, Sevendust and many more. Musical philosophy is "Less is more!" Z Rokk owns and operates a music School in Sacramento, where he has taught music lessons for over seven years. He also owns a small recording studio recording his own music as well as other local bands around Sacramento and Northern California.

From Sweden, on Service Records.

With the decline of Western civilization comes a new pilgrimage of musicians looking to carve out their fates from the wreckage of the past. ÆGES are the new breed of California's creative drifters.

Founded by former Seattleite Mark Holcomb (Undertow, Shift) and Chicago-raised Larry Herweg (Pelican, Tusk), ÆGES grew out of a temporary hiatus for their other band, San Angelus. Holcomb and Herweg continued writing new material and forging into heavier terrain. Another transplant, Kemble Walters (The Rise, The Blank Faces, Juliette and the Licks), who grew up in Indonesia, had met Herweg while on tour in Chicago. With both Herweg and Walters now living in LA, they began to play music together. Herweg noticed the similarities between Holcomb and Walters playing and writing and knew the two had to meet each other. Holcomb and Walters hit it off instantly in person and in the rehearsal space. The final piece to the puzzle was the sole California native, bassist Tony Baumeister (16, Cutthroats 9).

Converging in Southern California across state lines and international waters, ÆGES use their world-wise musical expertise to rebuild the archetype of the heavy rock band. There's a definite element of desert rock in ÆGES sound--the low-tuned guitars, the sludgy sun-baked riffs, the deceptive pop hook buried in the molasses-thick instrumentation. Yet the diverse backgrounds of the band members create a unique blend of perspectives and a resultantly fresh sound. The common sonic thread between the four individuals in ÆGES--their tenure in bands that explored the darker side of hardcore-manifests itself in the aggressive tonalities of their sound. But their divergent paths, both geographical and musical, broadened the emotional palette beyond the angst of their earlier bands. Their debut EP, "Roaches", is set for release via Hawthorne Street Records (Pelican, The Life and Times, Sweet Cobra) on April 19th, 2011. Their live debut is slated for April 16th, Record Store Day.

The new millennium ushered in a new, revitalized era of artistic integrity for LA. We saw it in the age of the acid-hazed '60s, the age of the nihilistic Regan-era punks, and the current age of abandoned archetypes of a failed economy. It's creative optimism in a time of hopelessness. It's the music of ÆGES.