We Will Be Lions- LISTEN TO : SUNFLOWER

We Will Be Lions call San Francisco their home base which seem apropos considering the sounds they make are as colorfully twisted as the many murals that adorn the walls in Haight Ashbury. Inspired by artists like David Bowie, The Flaming Lips and Tame Impala they blend glam and indie rock into their own dream theater. The are set to release their first single of 2014 on June 17th.

Listen to "Sunflower"-Robb Donker

 

WE WILL BE LIONS

"BURN ME LIKE A DISCO" (SINGLE)

Self Release - June, 2014                     

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BIO

"These guys are into creating glam-influenced anthems.  It's no easy task, but they do it quite well." -The Bay Bridged
 "The need to shake-your-ass is often declared lyrically, so be sure to come hit the dance floor, hard.” -Unraveled

Escaping the mold of the traditional rock group, We Will Be Lions is rather a collective of creatively driven individuals with a mutual desire to transcend.  Marcus Bowers (Guitar, Vocals), Josh Martin (Keys, Vocals), Hunter Wiley (Bass), and Sierra Snyder (Drums) have come together under the banner of a new genre that they have dubbed “San Francisco Psychedelic Glam Rock.”  Their debut EP, You Will Be Heroes was recorded in March of 2013 at Tiny Telephone Studios and highlights the Bowie influenced "glamthems" they grew up on.  As the title suggests the EP explores serious lyric themes, chiefly a call to be heroic and love each other.  They will be debuting a new single in June, part of a moodier R&B infused collection of songs that attempt to evoke an underground rave hosted by Haruki Murakami at the end of the world.
We Will Be Lions were rated one of the top ten live shows of 2013 by Examiner.com.  The music of We Will Be Lions has been compared to that of The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, and MGMT.  They have opened for New Zealand rock stars Six60 at The Hotel Utah and Oklahoma's Deerpeople at Cafe Du Nord.  They have headlined numerous shows at venues like Elbo Room, El Rio, and The Nightlight and held a five month residency at The Monarch club.

“much to my delight We Will Be lions, exuded the sinuous energy of David Bowie hosting a bisexual menage a trois beneath a disco ball." -SF Weekly

"We Will Be Lions have  a bright future with plenty of material to come." -Examiner.com

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ONLINE

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BURGERAMA 3- Starts Today! March 22 and 23. An Indie Music Sugar Rush Not to Be Missed.

Today is the day I look forward to all year. It is the beginning of the Burgerama Weekend. Two of the best days of indie music in Santa Ana, California. It is like a musical sugar rush injected directly into your veins. It is all put on with the blood, sweat, tears and good vibes from the guys at Burger Records, the now legendary Record store and Record label in Fullerton, California that amiably dispenses all good things in new music that is built on the DIY spirit of creative indie sounds stirred up in garages everywhere. Burger Records, the artists and music lovers who embrace this spirit are like family and Burgerama is like one crazy ass family reunion.

Go to Burgerama 3 and dive into it all head first. See you there!

VIDEO / TRACK Review: "I Let You Down" by Billie Van

"I Let You Down" by Billie Van is a beautifully sad song steeped in self doubt and self blame. It's emotional tug mired in all the relationship muck that we can all relate to. We have all felt these feelings and possibly the resulting desire to enroll in a self improvement seminar. Built on a spartan piano, bass and drum kit production that serves as the perfect framework for BillieVan's embracing vocal performance, this song makes you smile, induces real goosebumps and makes you long for a long hug from a friend, lover or stranger. The tempo is smartly just a tad slow as to feel like it is in a depressive, sad funk. The opening lyric  says it all,

Darling forgive my acid thoughts
I'm whirling around in doubts but you don't
I never meant to drag you down
But singing the blues time after time
Leaves my tongue upside down

As sweetly sad as I Let You Down is, the newly released video, directed by Charlotte Rutherford amps up the vibe. It is wonderfully weird. Shot with deep black levels and rich colors the pervasive feeling is sadness to the point of catatonia. It is part David Lynch, Jean Pierre Jeunet and Wes Anderson (on barbiturates). The images fit the tone of the song wonderfully. I love the oddness of it all. I had to watch it 7 times in a row.

For me personally, it was also amazing to see Mikhael Paskalev playing bass. I shot Mikhael's band in LA last year and pulling my attention away from him was Billie who played keyboards and sang backing vocals. I didn't know who she was at the time but she was so amazing and stood out (captivated me) especially in songs like "Sayonara Saigon." 

About Billie Van

The talented Billie Van manages to succeed in a variety of genres without ever losing her personal sound. From the raw and cocky rockabilly flavoured “On My Knees” through to radio-hit-sweet-girly-pop-song “How Can It Be So Hard” and the honest, sore and beautiful “I Let You Down”.

Anyone who has experienced Billie and her band live in concert, knows that she is not afraid of showing explicit emotions on stage, and never leave a dull moment for the audience.

Billie Van has emerged from a group of freakishly talented musicians, who teamed up at the LIPA academy in Liverpool. Guys like Mikhael Paskalev and Jonas Alaska are both mainstays in Billies band, and both count Billie as a vital member of their own live acts. All three artists have developed a fresh retro sound that has caught on, both within and outside of their native Scandinavia the last few years. Billie herself is originally Norwegian, but lives in Copenhagen.

The Ramona Flowers release "Tokyo" - A Mysterious Come On

The Ramona Flowers track Tokyo from their forthcoming debut album entitled "Dismantle and Rebuild" percolates with a wash of sultry sounds that make you think of fog shrouded laser beams and glimpses of adventures yet unknown. Very, very cool. The band plays London's Sebright Arms on Thursday, the 24th of April.

Cutty Flam- release video for "Robot Heart" - a Big Slice of Dreamy

Cutty Flam crafts spartan vintage rock sounds with an indie twist that feels a bit like they exist in an alternate 1950's universe. In this other world, teens would shimmy and slow dance to Cutty Flam's self described prom punk in a basketball gymnasium.  As opposed to bands like Shannon and the Clams who bring their Do Wop punk to a more hyper-reality in the John Water's vein, Cutty Flam, sonically, keeps things a bit less wild. In this bizarro 50's world, I suppose that Cutty Flam would be the ones wearing the slacks and hearts on their sleeves and Shannon and the Clams would be the kids across the tracks with snarled lips and cigs rolled up in the sleeves of their T-shirts.

Robot Heart is a track off of their upcoming album of the same name due to drop March 21st. The guitar rhythm sliding and picking feels as nostalgic and cool as the song itself. Check out the video- crank it up and feel all dreamy.
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Robb Donker

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Story Books - Release "Floating Arks" Video- a Sumptuous Tease of their Upcoming EP due to drop March 17th

Floating Arks, a track from Story Books forthcoming EP goes down easy. The song lifts you with it's exuberance. It is soars on top of an explosive drum pattern all the while embracing you with it's lovely vocal performance, inviting chorus and tranquil diversion midway through. Recorded by the band and produced by Tony Doogan (Belle and Sebastien, Mogwai) it is a pretty tease for the EP.

Story Books, having toured with Public Service Broadcasting, King Charles and Fossil Collective, are about to embark on their first headline tour:

March – U.K

Thu – 20 - Brighton - The Hope

Fri – 21 – Chester - The Compass

Sun - 23 - Bristol - Louisiana

Tue – 25 - London - Borderline

Wed - 26 – Birmingham - Hare & Hounds

CHECK out the video for Floating Arks-

Haunted Summer Stir the Ethereal Soup in "All Around" - March 6th Show at Los Globos in LA-!

Bridgette Eliza Moody and John Seasons as Dream pop duo Haunted Summer make music that evoke ethereal feelings that oftentimes float between hopeful dreams and teary eyed remembrances. Sonically, the blend feels a bit like Beach House meets the Flaming Lips. Check out the video for All Around directed, shot and edited by Christopher J. Ewing. If you are in AP's neck of the woods (Los Angeles area) catch them March 6th at Los Globos with Sea Lions, Winter, and Bronson Caves.

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Robb Donker


HAUNTED SUMMER: All Around from Christopher j Ewing on Vimeo.