Archives For Artist Spotlight

Communion Artist Spotlight: VITEK

Cause A Scene —  November 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Joining the likes of Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and On An On at Nashville’s Communion showcase this Thursday at Mercy Lounge is VITEK, a local Nashville band who has begun to drum up significant buzz, both within the confines of the Music City scene and far beyond. Possessing a fun and upbeat electro-pop sound, VITEK infuses saxophones, rock ‘ roll riffs and hints of funk that give the band a unique musical identity that is truly their own.

VITEK are also great friends of ours here at Cause A Scene. We were fortunate enough to present the release show for their single “Sunbird” at The Basement this past May, which drew a packed house and also assisted in presenting the first Party 2 Provide, an annual benefit concert at the East Centric Pavilion that they founded and headlined. The proceeds of the first P2P this year went to Mental Health America of Tennessee, featured four other talented bands and was vastly successful The band has also recently been featured as Lightning 100’s “Local Artist of the Week.”

VITEK is currently in the studio, working on a new full-length album that is scheduled to release in 2014. With a live presence that emits a hypnotic and entrancing energy that will get you groovin’, VITEK will certainly set a precedent at Mercy Lounge tomorrow night.

– Christian Lerchenfeld

VITEK- ‘Sunbird’

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Communion Artist Spotlight: The 4onthefloor

Cause A Scene —  November 12, 2013 — Leave a comment
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About four seconds into the first The 4onthefloor video I ever watched, I was greeted with Black Keys-esque guitar riffs, impressive beards, and kick drums, so naturally, I was very pleased.  American rock and roll band The 4onthefloor comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota and was initially born back in 2009 with the plan to make some kick ass bluesy rock and to have loads of fun in the process.  Taking their name from the fact that each of the 4 members is equipped with his own bass drum and their set list of songs are all written in 4×4 time, 4OTH’s debut album was deemed, “one of the best rock and roll albums of 2011, by far,” by Indie Magazine.
 
Band members Gabriel Douglas and James Gould first bonded over their shared love of Led Zepplin and whiskey.  With the basis of a partnership formed on classic rock and Jack Daniels, something exciting and real was to be expected.  Using their interests of “stompin’, singin’, and clappin’,” according to the band’s website, 4OTH is attempting to “break down modern music’s barriers” and get back to the basics.  James Gould describes their efforts as “purely meat-and-potatoes rock.”  Gould also shared that by choosing to write all their songs in their signature 4×4 style, they sort of limit themselves “in a way that really forces you to be more creative.” Hey guys, it’s working.
 
If I were to channel my inner 4onthefloor, I would tell you to take another look at the lineup for Thursday’s Communion show, put on some of 40TH’s music, and buy your freaking ticket. This show is not one you’re going to want to miss.
 
– Bailey Basham

Spirit of Minneapolis by the4onthefloor

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Communion Artist Spotlight: Savoir Adore

Cause A Scene —  November 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Duet, Savoir Adore, has shaped a whimsy world all its own, one absent of its fast-paced, Brooklyn roots. In 2007, discouraged by lack of musical success, Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro withdrew into the woods, leaving the gray, daunting city in their wake. Over the course of only two days, the duo managed to produce a concept album, The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and The Girl with Animals in Her Throat, which was met with more success than any of Hammer or Muro’s previous projects.

This EP motivated the pair to aggressively pursue their musical passions, under the official moniker, Savoir Adore. Savoir Adore’s sophomore effort, The Wooded Forest (2009), launched the duet even further into indie music fame, allowing it to take the underground by storm. The group’s charming sound blended with perfectly placed rhythmic layering and understated lyricism created a warm synth-pop that has grown irresistible.

Savoir Adore’s charm flowed flawlessly into its most recent record, Our Nature (2013). Muro’s vocals are gently draped over the infectious pop pulse that courses through the record. This, coupled with Hammer’s unflinching, Morrissey-esque voice, is enough to have the most callous, flannel-toting, beard-sporting indie rocker swinging his hips and seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses.

It’s this bright, electronic instrumentation paired with woodsy words that make Savoir Adore musically interesting. Glued to their “No acoustic guitars” rule, Hammer and Muro have an electronic musical style. A style then infused with lyrics that might best serve as words to a hit folk ballad. “Loveliest Creature” is the best example of this nature driven, syth-pop marriage.

This marriage has sparked Savoir Adore’s success. Hammer and Muro have truly contrived an airy, imaginative world of harmony. Through their fun instrumental style and earthy lyrics, Savoir Adore has produced impeccable tunes that are bound to put a smile on any unsuspecting listener’s face. Savoir Adore will be rocking Mercy Lounge with Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and many more on Thursday, November 14th at Mercy Lounge.

– Caitlyn Grabentein

Savoir Adore- ‘Dreamers’

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Communion Artist Spotlight: On An On

Cause A Scene —  November 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Prior to last year, Nate Eisland, Alissa Ricci, and Ryne Estwing were 3/5 of acclaimed indie act, Scattered Trees. When the band broke up in 2012, with studio time already scheduled, the trio decided to forge ahead and began recording for their own project, On An On. Those recordings went on to become the band’s debut, “Give In,” a hazy, synthy, pop dream of an album.

Following the release of the art house single from the album, “Ghosts,” the band began to see a growing buzz; they were featured as iTunes’ “Best New Artist” of the month, received glowing reviews in Paste and rocketed to the very top of Time Magazine’s top artists to check out this year.

On the deservingly hyped album, the three members combine their talents to create something unique. Ricci’s said that she contributes her enthusiasm for sound art and design, while Estwing brings in his bass technique and Eisland his sense for great pop music. Ricci sites Bjork and Radiohead as some of her influences and says that their music grows from sounds they experience combined with their intuition for how it should feel. She says the band’s greatest inspiration is simply their desire to be creative.

Recently, the Chicago-based band toured Europe for the first time and is on the current Communion tour along with Tennis and Nathaniel Rateliffe and the Night Sweats. On An On’s live show is one not to be missed; they generate the same hazy feel of the album but manage to make the songs fresh and unique each night.

You can catch them this week at Nashville’s Communion show at the Mercy Lounge on November 14th.

– Meagan Lawson

On An On- ‘Boy From School’

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Communion Artist Spotlight: Tennis

Cause A Scene —  November 8, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, more commonly known as Tennis, first entered the music scene back in January of 2011 with their album Cape Dory.  Since then, the couple has cultivated their fine ear for melody and rhythm into something really rad.  What I would be most inclined to classify as retro-beachy pop, Moore and Riley use 1950s inspired melodies and riffs mixed with just enough of a modern feel to make me wish I was spinning their album on vinyl while hanging out on a beach somewhere.
 
Tennis’ most recent album Young & Old was written and recorded over a mere three month span with The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney overseeing its production.  Much like their first project Cape Dory, Tennis’ sophomore record is filled with the same singsong vocals, nostalgic lyrics, and solid beats.
 
Earlier this month, Tennis released a brand new 5 song EP called Small Sound for Communion Records.  Small Sound, which is still full of the same inviting Tennis-esque vibe, shows maturation and refinement of their sound.  With more experience now in their trenches, Tennis has been able to refine their upbeat melodies, hooks, and lyrics, all while staying true to their original sound and making music that they know their fans will love.
 
– Bailey Basham

Tennis- ‘My Better Self’

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