Royal Bangs or Passion Pit?

I woke up this morning and came across two great bands: Royal Bangs and Passion Pit. These are two indie electronica bands from different parts of the map that grab the enthusiasm of their listeners and play with it like silly putty. Listening to them, I noticed that they have a lot of overlapping qualities in their music. They both use keyboards and synth to produce that tastey electric vibe. When you listen to them, you get that same feeling. Then, I thought, “Royal Bangs or Passion Pit?”.

Royal Bangs hail from my hometown, Knoxville. Knoxville is a rich underground community crawling with great acts, and Royal Bangs is one of them. They came out on the scene in 2005 and ever since then, they have been a local favorite. The band memebers Ryan Schaefer, Chris Rusk, and Sam Stratton have been playing music together since highschool, and in 2005 released their breakthrough album, We Breed hChamions. The self-made album was heard by Patrick Carney, of The Black Keys, and signed them to Audio Eagle Records in 2008. After Schaefer got back from France, they headed to Ohio and produced a second album called Let It Beep. Let it Beep is full of static riffs and buzzy bass lines that is a must have for indie electronica fans. If you have not heard this band, head to itunes and check em out!

Passion Pit was formed in Cambridge, MA in 2007. Passion Pit’s lead singer Michael Angelakos sings in a high falsetto tone sure to bring a crowd. Other members are Ian Hultquist, Ayad Al Adhamy, Jeff Apruzzese, and Nate Donomoyer. Passion Pit was originally a project created by lead singer Michael Angelakos for his girlfriend on Valentines Day, but after five gigs, the band was a hit. there latest album is called Manners and was released in 2009. Passion Pit combines high volcals, synth bass, multiple keybord parts, and electric samples in Manners to really catch the listeners ear.

I personally favor Royal Bangs over Passion Pit. I’ve seen both bands live and Royal Bangs are a lot more enjoyable. Royal Bangs keeps the crowd more pumped with faster pased songs. Passion Pit is still a great band, but when I saw them, they stuck to their slower songs. These are two awesome bands that I recommend to any electronica fan out there. Check em out!

Radiohead Album 2010 In The Works

If any of you haven’t heard, Radiohead is in the process of making a new album to be released some time this year. No one is sure of the exact month or day, but that just makes things 100 times better for die hard Radiohead fans like myself. Many questions are brought up when you think of the album. When is it coming? What will it sound like? Is it something new for Radiohead? Will it be as successful as OK Computer or any of the others? The only thing Thom said was that the single My Twisted Words has nothing to do with the album and it isn’t an indication of what the album will sound like. Guitarist Ed O’ Brien leaked the news for a UK magazine that we can definately expect a new album. Rumours have been flying around that they have been at work in the studio since Winter. No one has a clue what Yorke has planned for this album or the release date, but I think that we can expect it to be another great one.

Jimi Hendrix Signature Strat by Gibson?

Gibson, one of the biggest guitar companies on the face of the Earth, made another no-no. Now, I appreciate their guitars and the history behind them, but I think it’s safe to say that Gibson is a group of hipocrits. For years Gibson sued the hell out of any rival company who tried to copy their precious single cutaway guitar. Now the tables have turned and Gibson is the group of phonies.

Gibson is in the process of puting a Jimi Hendrix Signature Strat. on the market that comes with a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt, an amp, pics, and a cable.
There are one too many problems with that. Ok, one, Jimi Hendrix was known for playing a FENDER Strat. True, he played Gibson guitars but never a Gibson Strat. Two, odds are Gibson put together a crappy, Squire-like imposter to pose as the guitar. Squires are poorly made guitars for beginngers that produce a muddy distorion and have a reputation for being……well..unreliable.

This phony guitar is an insult to Jimi and Fender, but the question is how did Gibson get the permission? From what I’ve heard, Jimi’s sister gave Gibson the go ahead. Gibson probably put a big ol’ number on a check and served it on a gold platter just to get their way. Fender should find a way to sue their asses!

San Fransisco Outside Lands Festival

People in the music biz have done a crappy job of keeping the lineup of the Outside Lands Festival a secret.There are some big acts, and I’m sure the concert won’t dissapoint. The concert is August 14 and 15 at the Golden State Park in San Fransisco California. If you haven’t already seen or heard the lineup, here it is (a few unmetioned).

• Kings of Leon
• Further Ft. Phil Lesh & Bob Weir
• The Strokes
• My Morning Jacket
• Phoenix
• Social Distortion
• Al Green
• Nas & Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
• Cat Power
• Empire of The Sun
• Wolfmother
• Bassnecter
• Edward Sharpe and The Magnet Zeros
• Pretty Lights
• Tokyo Police Club
• Electric Six

(Ultimate-guitar.com)

To see the complete lineup go to www.sfoutsidelands.com