Archives For Bailey Basham

Communion Artist Spotlight: Milktooth

Cause A Scene —  December 6, 2013 — Leave a comment
milktooth
Upon hearing the name of this Nashville-based band, I was intrigued as to how a group with a name such as Milktooth would sound.  After listening to a few tracks from their latest EP Wild Before Our Eyes and several of their covers, I was even more interested.  I probably spent a good hour just listening to the soulful vocals and haunting arrangements.
Having been deemed “mesmerizing” by NPR and drawing comparisons from veterans like The Walkmen and Arcade Fire, Milktooth’s sound ranges anywhere from noise-rock to indie folk.  While I was listening to their newest EP Wild Before Our Eyes, I couldn’t find a specific genre to group them into, which I really loved by he way.  There were some elements of alt-rock, tons of indie influences, a bit of synth-pop here and there, and then they would go acoustic on me, breaking out the violin and layered harmonics.  There is a definitive art to every track they put together, lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally.
Writing for Cause A Scene has brought some really killer bands into my musical repertoire, and Milktooth is no exception.  This band is another new favorite of mine strictly due to the originality and artistry of the things they put together in a song.  Be sure to check them out Noisetrade and iTunes, and get your Communion ticket soon!
– Bailey Basham

Milktooth- ‘Wild Before Your Eyes’

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Daily Discovery: Safe In Blue

Cause A Scene —  December 2, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Safe In Blue, Nashville based alt-indie band, is made up of South African native Vian Zaayman and Canadian musician Phillip Englehart.  Having been compared to greats like Coldplay and Death Cab, Safe In Blue’s sound is mostly based around simply arranged melodies and intensely poetic lyrics.  Drawing inspiration from extensive travels across Europe and Africa, Zaayman shares that “the quiet Mediterranean evenings sitting in abandoned restaurants drinking wine and listening to the air can’t be ignored when it comes to our inspiration.”  Living simply in the forests of Africa can’t be discounted from all that influenced the writing, too.
 
Safe In Blue formed last November after having shared stories of travel and musical interest.  Many of the songs on their debut album This Heart Will Bring were written in collaboration shortly after meeting.  During Safe In Blue’s earliest days, the group was made up only of Zaayman and Englehart.  Most recently, close friends and talented instrumentalists Paul Fenner (drums), Chris Bates (bass), and Kevin Carroll (guitar/aux) joined Vian and Phillip in flushing out a live set of the album, and in doing so, “adding a whole new level [to the tracks] with their musicality.”
 
Having personally listened to every song on their debut This Heart Will Bring, I’m really excited to have been given the opportunity to share their work with all you Cause A Scene readers.  Songs like “Starlit Summer’s Eve” would make bands like The Head and The Heart proud to share a genre with acts as talented as Safe In Blue. This Heart Will Bring is an album you are all going to want to check out.  You’re also going to want to keep an eye on Safe In Blue.  I’m expecting some big things from them soon, including their upcoming Christmas EP.

– Bailey Basham

Safe In Blue- ‘Song I Believe In’

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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: 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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Show Review: Fever Fever at Exit/In – 11/2

Cause A Scene —  November 6, 2013 — Leave a comment
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Cool evening temperatures remind us that fall has arrived, but this past weekend, Nashville caught the fever… Fever Fever that is. As my first article for Cause A Scene, I had the privilege of choosing any band to write about for one of their Daily Discovery pieces.  Since I had been listening to Ohio-based Fever Fever for awhile, I knew that they were the group I wanted to showcase.  This past weekend, I was given another amazing opportunity to see this band perform at Exit/In as a part of a Slospeak Records show. If that wasn’t enough by itself, I was also invited to a secret house show.
 

In my earlier article, I compared Fever Fever to bands like Young the Giant and Local Natives.  After seeing them perform, I feel the need to throw all of my previously made comparisons out the window, simply because they aren’t like anyone else I’ve seen. The guys in Fever Fever played a really phenomenal set, complete with a harmonium, a flute, and a sweet lights show.  The downloads I’ve been listening to for so long don’t do this band justice by themselves.

If you’re looking for a new favorite, you should definitely give this band a listen.  You will seriously not be disappointed.
 
– Bailey Basham
 
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