Live Studio: Gordon Chambers

Check out this live in studio performance and interview from Grammy Award winning songwriter Gordon Chambers!

You can listen to the show here.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

7/10 @ The Beacon Theater – New York, NY
7/11 @ Palace Theater – Waterbury, CT
7/12 @ NJPAC – Newark, NY

00:00 Gordon Chambers on BTR Live Studio
01:13 Interview Part 1
04:39 If It Wasn’t For Your Love
08:23 By My Side
11:43 Interview Part 2
13:26 In My Room
17:31 Interview Part 3
18:53 Medley: Just Came In To Chill, I Apologize, Missing You
23:52 Interview Part 4
26:25 Miss You Most
31:00 Unfair
34:40 Interview Part 5
38:00 If You Love Me
48:27 Violins

Artist of the Week: Math the Band

Math the Band is not really a full band, they are a duo, which I guess can be considered  a band, but honestly, they are more of an art rock 8 bit freak-out project by Rhode Island based couple (yes, couple) Kevin Steinhauser and Justine Mainville. The couple’s live and recorded act utilizes 8 bit keyboard lines, Casio keyboard drum sounds and screamy vocals.

The project started when Steinhauser was just 16 years old. As a teenager, he loved video games and ska, like many young kids, and those two interests influenced his music making. Before receiving his high-school diploma, Steinhasuser  had self-released 5 full-length CDs.

2007 saw what Steinhauser considered his first ‘real release.’ It was called Math the Band Banned the Math. The second full-length release, Don’t Worry, was released on Los Angeles-based label Slanty Shanty records. That record can be described in two words: CRAZY FUN. You can take the music as seriously as you want to, but it will make you want to dance and act a fool. It’s great! They say that their music is a cross between Atom and his Package and Andrew W.K., and I think those are two fitting examples of what Math The Band sounds like.

I have never seen their live show, but I am assuming they  are packed with DIY kids who surround the two as they energetically perform on stage. Imagine Dan Deacon meets Girl Talk, but with a crazy couple who likes to make music, play shows, and have a good time. They have earned a total of 7 broken bones and 9 forehead staples from their performances, and Kevin has been known to vomit onstage during his set. They have shared the stage with bands such as Matt and Kim and Japanther. And they will be cruising around the United States this summer, so check them out! We love them here at BTR!

Live!

Jul 6 2009 at House Show! – Lowel, MA
Jul 7 2009 at Velvet Lounge w/ Deleted Scenes and Weekends – Washington DC,
Jul 11 2009 at The Space – Hamden, CT
Jul 27 2009 at 242 Main w/ Lji and Watercolor Paintings – Burlington, VT
Jul 28 2009 at The Sweat Shop with Lji and Watercolor Paintings – Providence, RI

Link to this article:

http://www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?b=artist.php?id=234

- Lottie Leymarie

Live at Pianos: Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
BTR Live At Pianos NYC

Listen to the show on BTR here.

00:00 DJ Jezz Intro
00:12 Buddy Holly
02:03 My Soul Has Escaped My Body
05:39 Halloween Snow
09:59 Take Off Your Sunglasses
14:24 The Stakes Are High
17:34 God Is A Middle-Aged Woman
22:48 Mother’s Day
27:04 Look At My Face
30:11 The Government Broke My Heart
32:04 Portrait of Maude
34:43 We Should Fight

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons LIVE

Aug 06 @ Twiggs Park – Evanston, IL

Aug 08 @ Grant Park (Lollapalooza Playstation Stage 11:45am) – Chicago, IL

Aug 08 @ House Of Blues – Chicago, IL

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons info
http://www.ezrafurman.com/

Artist of the Week: Dinosaur Jr

If you have not heard of Dinosaur Jr. than you may or may not live under a rock. The group has been around since prehistoric times (oh yeah, I went there). Actually,  the band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in the 80’s and released their first album Dinosaur in 1985. They had an extremely successful run (boasting the likes of Sonic Youth and Kurt Cobain as fans) up until the release of their album Hand It Over in 1997. There were many reports that the band was not getting along. It was not long after that the group disbanded, only to reunite nearly a decade later and release Beyond in 2007. A triumphant return marked by praise from both critics and fans alike.

Now, two years later, Dinosaur Jr. seem to still be on good terms as they are back with a new album entitled Farm. The record was recorded at frontman J. Mascis’ home and was released June 23rd on the band’s new label, Jagjaguwar. It is one of their best efforts to date (a tough feat with such an extensive and impressive catalog).

Farm is a very solid  and very catchy record. It seems as though the reason these guys continue to have success into their 40’s is that they are authentic. The new album is fun, real and raw in a way that is hard to find in today’s music scene. There is no carbon copy formula they are following. It’s just Dinosaur Jr. doing what they do best, making distorted, catchy, and enjoyable rock tunes. The kind you want to dance around your room playing air-guitar to or jump up and down on your bed singing (or screaming in my case) at the top of your lungs.

Highlights from the album include the first single released off the disc ,entitled “Over It”.  Other standout tracks include “I Want You To Know” and “I Don’t Want To Go There”.  WARNING: These songs will get stuck in your head… but that is definitely not a bad thing.

When talking about the album it must be mentioned that the cover art is pretty outstanding. Not entirely sure what is going on but it seems to me that there are some strange, earthy, mythical beasts carrying what I like to assume are the members of Dinosaur Jr. around a smoggy city. You can decide the implications on your own (picture below).

Being that this album is so well put together and packed full of memorable tracks, you’ll certainly be hearing it in heavy rotation here on BTR. So, keep your ears open and enjoy.

Dinosaur Jr. LIVE!!

Jun 30  -  Boogaloo  -  Zagreb, Coatia
Jul  04  -  Halifax V-Festival  -  Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Jul 25   -  Fuji Rock Festival  -  Yuzawa-machi, Niigata, Japan
Aug 14  – Wellfleet Beachcomber  -  Wellfleet, MA
Aug 16  -  Central Park SummerStage – New York, NY

Link to this article:
http://www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?b=artist.php?id=233

- Emily Smith

BTR Live Studio: Wild Moccasins

Check out this live in studio performance from The Wild Moccasins! The Houston band stopped by our studios during the New York leg of their first tour ever! They are making waves across the country based on their impressive live shows and first release Microscopic Metronomes!

Upcoming Show (tonight!):

6/30 @ Emo’s – Austin,TX

Check out the show by clicking right here.

Live Studio w/ Deastro!

Check out this in studio performance from Deastro! You can listen to the show right here!

Tour Dates:

6/28 @ The Vollrath – Indianapolis, IN

6/30 @ Magic Stick – Detroit, MI

7/3 @ City Fest – Detroit, MI

00:00 Deastro on BTR Live Studio
00:51 Zilwaukee
04:28 Interview Part 1
06:26 Cheerleader
10:05 Green Harbor
13:16 Curigan Wave #1
16:54 Interview Part 2
18:49 Tree Frog
22:21 Steve Ray Jr.
26:08 Day of Wonder
29:33 Interview Part 3
34:23 Toxic Crusaders

Citizen Radio On BTR

Citizen Radio is joined by comedians Mike Drucker and John Knefel, who collectively have contributed to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Onion, Huffington Post, 23/6, McSweeney’s, and Saturday Night Live.

They are Masters of The Funny, which is why Mike and John were lured into Citizen Radio’s studio apartment to discuss such hilarious subjects as religion, the Letterman-Palin debacle, racism, Iran, Twitter, gay marriage, and atheism.

We swear, it gets funny.  You can listen RIGHT HERE!

Check out John and Mike’s websites!
John Knefel: http://comedyandpolitics.blogspot.com/
Mike Drucker: http://www.druckerbrothers.com/

Also, friend them on Facebook and Twitter:
John: http://twitter.com/johnknefel
Mike: http://twitter.com/mikedrucker

BTR Live Studio: The Diamond Center

Check out this in studio performance from former BTR Artists of the Week: The Diamond Center!  Listen here.

The band joined me at Shelter Island earlier this month to perform songs from their awesome album My Only Companion and chat with me about their tour!

Be sure to check them out soon:

6/24 @ Bash’s – Lubbock, TX

6/26 @ Oklahoma Greenfest – Tulsa, OK

00:00 The Diamond Center
00:57 WTT
06:27 Interview Part 1
09:34 Follow
15:01 Dos Fridas
18:32 Interview Part 2
21:08 Nemo
26:11 The Deer Pistol
31:08 Monsters
35:14 Interview Part 3
37:40 Bombay Beach
42:24 Interview Part 4

-Maia

Artist of the Week: Paul and the Patients

Paul And The Patients

2009-06-22

After a quick and cursory listen to Paul And The Patients, a few things become immediately clear. First of all, the band makes accessible music, in the vein of the poppish, rockish and British variety. Second, it’s the kind of music that sounds simple, with matching lyrics, but really is not. Third, looking at this picture, they all apparently smoke. Fourth (and this is the kicker), you won’t want to like them… at first. It’s just too easy.

Comprised of Paul Holmes (vocals/guitar), Jay McBride (guitar), Pete Swan (bass), Dave Greenwald (drums) and Josh Ascalon (synths/vocals), the Brooklyn-based band just dropped their debut release, the To The Lions EP, via American Myth Recordings. The release party actually took place last Friday (6/19) at the Cake Shop in New York City, and the band has upcoming dates at both Webster Hall and Bell House.

With To The Lions, Paul And The Patients have delivered six meaty tracks that sound a great deal more evolved than the band’s age. Musically, this is the kind of band that the major labels try their best to create artificially. Catchy hooks abound, comfy atmospheres dominate, intelligent lyrics surprise, and it’s all easily accessible with a capital ‘A’. Moreover, Paul proves his songwriting chops by not writing the same song six times; each track has a completely different mood than the one before it.

Highlights will indefinitely vary between ears, but “Blogspot” is hilariously finger-snappy from the get-go. The more patient and adventurous might initially be drawn to “Black Beards”, as it bears both the EP’s longest running time and its biggest chorus. Or hey, start at the beginning with “Complaint 15,” in which Paul Holmes really stretches his vocal chords, and ends up sounding the tiniest bit like Jeff Buckley in the process. James Walsh of Starsailor also comes to mind, but in the end it doesn’t  really matter. A homophone-loving band like Paul And The Patients live and die by their chief’s voice, and in this case, the chief does indeed deserve that big piece of chicken.

Live!

Jun 19 2009  Cakeshop EP RELEASE! New York, NY
Jun 28 2009 at Studio @ Webster Hall in New York, NY
Jul 22 2009 at Bell House in Brooklyn, NY
Jul 25 2009 at Studio @ Webster Hall in New York, NY

Link to this article:
http://www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?b=artist.php?id=232

- Matt Lehtola

BTR Live Studio: Like Bells

Check out this live session from Oberlin Ohio band (and Exit Stencil Recording artists..) LIKE BELLS! Check out their self-titled album, released this year! Hear the session here!

6/19 @ The Empire – Portland, ME

7/11 @ Rooftop Film Festival – New York, NY