Indie rock
Shawn Fogel operated under the Golden Bloom moniker to release his first two records, the full-length “Fan The Flames” in 2009 (review here) and the EP “March To The Drums” in 2011. A solo act in the beginning, Golden Bloom has now adopted several multi-instrumentalists to become a full-fledged band. Enticed by the energy of the group, Fogel soon realized he wanted to apply the “live band vibe” to the writing and recording of his new EP, “No Day Like Today”.
The five songs on this EP carry on the fine tradition that Fogel started as a solo act, so you are getting high quality musicianship, well-crafted melodies, and sharp lyrics that “explore thorny emotions with keen insight and understanding”. The introductory tune, “Flying Mountain”, is classic Golden Bloom, shimmering with sparking guitar and a crisp rhythm. “Deliver It For Me” may very well be one of the most soothing songs of 2013, perfectly honed to match the easygoing vocals of Fogel. “Shadow Of A Man” is another highlight, with its propelling shuffle beat and charming style giving you the urge to move.
Like hot cocoa on a chilly day, Golden Bloom warms the heart, but their music also feeds the brain. Golden Bloom will be touring to support the new EP through 2013 – be sure to catch them out on the road!
Golden Bloom – Official site.
Showing posts with label Golden Bloom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golden Bloom. Show all posts
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Odds and Ends
Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.
MiniReview
Fallon Cush “Fallon Cush” – Fallon Cush is otherwise known as Steve Smith, a singer/songwriter from Australia. He and his band breeze through the 11 tracks on their eponymous debut, delivering an array of generally mellow and bright acoustic folk rock with 80s overtones. Most of the tracks don’t quite have a sharp enough hook to maintain my attention, but every once in awhile there is a needle in the haystack. For example, the upbeat drums, jamming organ, and fiery guitar solo make “Where You Been” stand out like a sore thumb among the other tracks – and that is a good thing in this case. “Where You Been” is easily my favorite track – I wish there were more songs like it. “The Great Divide” is another winner, boasting shimmering guitar tones, a memorable chorus, and effective backing vocals. “Dog Day Afternoon” and the pleasant “Over Me” are also worth a spin. Recommended if you enjoy Neil Nathan, David Mead, or Grapes of Wrath. Learn more about Fallon Cush here.
Surprise of the week
And the new lead singer for INXS is…(click here)
News
Cast is back! The legendary underground indie pop group fronted by singer John Power will return with their fifth album of new material, on the heels of the 15th anniversary of their debut. More info here.
Golden Bloom has released a new music video for "Rhyme the Reason". The song is available on Golden Bloom's latest EP, "March to the Drums".
Hope you got to see R.E.M. live while you had the chance – looks like there will be no reunion tour. Read the story.
At least there will be a new R.E.M. retrospective arriving November 15 called “Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982 – 2011” which will contain three new songs: "A Month of Saturdays," "We All Go Back To Where We Belong," and "Hallelujah". More info here.
Tony Bennett beats a record held previously by Bob Dylan.
New Aerosmith as early as March 2012? This would be the long-awaited follow up to 2004’s “Honkin’ On Bobo”. Details here.
New Daughtry coming November 21st – “Break The Spell” will be his third album. More here.
Random iPOD song of the week
“It’s A Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys
Reminder: we’re now on Twitter! Follow us for even more updates, news, and reviews!
MiniReview
Fallon Cush “Fallon Cush” – Fallon Cush is otherwise known as Steve Smith, a singer/songwriter from Australia. He and his band breeze through the 11 tracks on their eponymous debut, delivering an array of generally mellow and bright acoustic folk rock with 80s overtones. Most of the tracks don’t quite have a sharp enough hook to maintain my attention, but every once in awhile there is a needle in the haystack. For example, the upbeat drums, jamming organ, and fiery guitar solo make “Where You Been” stand out like a sore thumb among the other tracks – and that is a good thing in this case. “Where You Been” is easily my favorite track – I wish there were more songs like it. “The Great Divide” is another winner, boasting shimmering guitar tones, a memorable chorus, and effective backing vocals. “Dog Day Afternoon” and the pleasant “Over Me” are also worth a spin. Recommended if you enjoy Neil Nathan, David Mead, or Grapes of Wrath. Learn more about Fallon Cush here.
Surprise of the week
And the new lead singer for INXS is…(click here)
News
Cast is back! The legendary underground indie pop group fronted by singer John Power will return with their fifth album of new material, on the heels of the 15th anniversary of their debut. More info here.
Golden Bloom has released a new music video for "Rhyme the Reason". The song is available on Golden Bloom's latest EP, "March to the Drums".
Golden Bloom "Rhyme The Reason" from Alicia J. Rose on Vimeo.
Hope you got to see R.E.M. live while you had the chance – looks like there will be no reunion tour. Read the story.
At least there will be a new R.E.M. retrospective arriving November 15 called “Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982 – 2011” which will contain three new songs: "A Month of Saturdays," "We All Go Back To Where We Belong," and "Hallelujah". More info here.
Tony Bennett beats a record held previously by Bob Dylan.
New Aerosmith as early as March 2012? This would be the long-awaited follow up to 2004’s “Honkin’ On Bobo”. Details here.
New Daughtry coming November 21st – “Break The Spell” will be his third album. More here.
Random iPOD song of the week
“It’s A Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys
Reminder: we’re now on Twitter! Follow us for even more updates, news, and reviews!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Odds and Ends
Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.
MiniReviews
Golden Bloom “March To The Drums” [EP] – Shawn Fogel, the mastermind behind Golden Bloom is back with a new six song EP (3 “proper” songs really, the other 3 tracks are short interludes). The EP follows his excellent 2009 effort, “Fan The Flames” (reviewed here). With “March To The Drums”, Fogel keeps us hungry for another full-length release with these teaser tracks, the most impressive of which is “You Go On (& On)”. “You Go On” has a tasty melody that suits Fogel’s smooth vocal delivery flawlessly and is instantly likeable, sounding like one of the better songs recorded by Guster. “Rhyme The Reason” is another strong effort, possessing a more pronounced indie vibe than the radio-friendly “You Go On” – very Ben Kweller. “We Have Grown” features the best lyrics and Fogel’s music perfectly balances melancholy with optimism. And, while just an interlude, “Passing” is a beautiful acoustic piece with soft harmonies that serve to relax and sooth between tunes. The EP is due to be released August 16. Learn more about Golden Bloom here.
Venice Sunlight “Vs. the Rabid Rabbits” [EP] – Here is a great new 4 song effort from Philly band Venice Sunlight. Their sound blends a bit of the post-grunge pop that emerged during the late 90s with more contemporary indie rock songwriting. What results is something along the lines of Foo Fighters mashed with Fountains of Wayne. “Annabel” and “Arms” are excellent pop rockers that offer instant gratification, while “The Green Room” takes a little longer to grow on you – but the stomping chorus is worth waiting for. The only track that sounded a bit too nondescript was “Bridges”, but it isn’t bad by any means and does have a wicked solo. These guys hold a lot of promise and if they stay focused on keeping the melodies strong and hooks sharp, they could be the next big thing. More about Venice Sunlight can be found here.
Surprise of the week
An amusing surprise…Michelle Bachman can’t catch a break trying to find a theme song for her political campaign! First Tom Petty filed a cease and desist for her unauthorized use of his hit “American Girl”, and now Katrina and the Waves refuse to let her exploit their hit “Walking On Sunshine”. Maybe she should try “Crazy” by Aerosmith! Read about here.
News
Cool article on Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine. Interestingly, he calls musicians who give away their music “stupid” and “careless”. Read it here.
Has it really been 20 years? U2 will mark the 20th anniversary of their classic album “Achtung Baby” by re-releasing it in a deluxe package. Regarding the bonus material that will appear, The Edge said: "There's some very interesting alternative versions that we discovered of songs that wouldn't have seen the light of day" and described them as being "like 'Achtung Baby' out of focus". U2 is also working on an app for iPAD to tie into this release! Details here.
Not quite the masterpiece to rival “Achtung Baby”, but the Spin Doctors are also marking the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough record, “Pocketful of Kryptonite” with a glorified reissue. Read the details here, Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong…
New Tesla record called “Twisted Wires & The Acoustic Sessions...” coming July 25th in Europe…details here.
Lou Reed on collaborating with Metallica: “The music I've done with Metallica is the best thing done by anyone, ever.” Read all about it here.
Random iPOD song of the week
Eddie Brickell’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”.
MiniReviews
Golden Bloom “March To The Drums” [EP] – Shawn Fogel, the mastermind behind Golden Bloom is back with a new six song EP (3 “proper” songs really, the other 3 tracks are short interludes). The EP follows his excellent 2009 effort, “Fan The Flames” (reviewed here). With “March To The Drums”, Fogel keeps us hungry for another full-length release with these teaser tracks, the most impressive of which is “You Go On (& On)”. “You Go On” has a tasty melody that suits Fogel’s smooth vocal delivery flawlessly and is instantly likeable, sounding like one of the better songs recorded by Guster. “Rhyme The Reason” is another strong effort, possessing a more pronounced indie vibe than the radio-friendly “You Go On” – very Ben Kweller. “We Have Grown” features the best lyrics and Fogel’s music perfectly balances melancholy with optimism. And, while just an interlude, “Passing” is a beautiful acoustic piece with soft harmonies that serve to relax and sooth between tunes. The EP is due to be released August 16. Learn more about Golden Bloom here.
Venice Sunlight “Vs. the Rabid Rabbits” [EP] – Here is a great new 4 song effort from Philly band Venice Sunlight. Their sound blends a bit of the post-grunge pop that emerged during the late 90s with more contemporary indie rock songwriting. What results is something along the lines of Foo Fighters mashed with Fountains of Wayne. “Annabel” and “Arms” are excellent pop rockers that offer instant gratification, while “The Green Room” takes a little longer to grow on you – but the stomping chorus is worth waiting for. The only track that sounded a bit too nondescript was “Bridges”, but it isn’t bad by any means and does have a wicked solo. These guys hold a lot of promise and if they stay focused on keeping the melodies strong and hooks sharp, they could be the next big thing. More about Venice Sunlight can be found here.
Surprise of the week
An amusing surprise…Michelle Bachman can’t catch a break trying to find a theme song for her political campaign! First Tom Petty filed a cease and desist for her unauthorized use of his hit “American Girl”, and now Katrina and the Waves refuse to let her exploit their hit “Walking On Sunshine”. Maybe she should try “Crazy” by Aerosmith! Read about here.
News
Cool article on Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine. Interestingly, he calls musicians who give away their music “stupid” and “careless”. Read it here.
Has it really been 20 years? U2 will mark the 20th anniversary of their classic album “Achtung Baby” by re-releasing it in a deluxe package. Regarding the bonus material that will appear, The Edge said: "There's some very interesting alternative versions that we discovered of songs that wouldn't have seen the light of day" and described them as being "like 'Achtung Baby' out of focus". U2 is also working on an app for iPAD to tie into this release! Details here.
Not quite the masterpiece to rival “Achtung Baby”, but the Spin Doctors are also marking the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough record, “Pocketful of Kryptonite” with a glorified reissue. Read the details here, Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong…
New Tesla record called “Twisted Wires & The Acoustic Sessions...” coming July 25th in Europe…details here.
Lou Reed on collaborating with Metallica: “The music I've done with Metallica is the best thing done by anyone, ever.” Read all about it here.
Random iPOD song of the week
Eddie Brickell’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Review: Golden Bloom "Fan The Flames"
Golden Bloom is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Shawn Fogel, an unusually gifted artist ready to blossom in the pop rock garden. "Fan The Flames" is a remarkably good full-length debut from start to finish.
"Fan The Flames" is half sunny and half cloudy, fitting to the lyrical content, which drifts between half-full and half-empty perspectives that address modern societal concerns. Armed with humility and wit, Fogel tackles the issues in an entertaining fashion, while leaving a lasting impression with his memorable melodies. The upbeat tracks are particularly strong, especially the emphasis track "Doomsday Devices", which just screams 'hit single'. However, my mind wandered during some of his ballads, which can get a little monotonous. Notable exceptions to this include the gorgeous "She Leaves Me Poetry" and the stunning "Theme for an Adventure at Sea". Fogel almost sounds like Chris Martin (Coldplay) on this subtle, quiet acoustic track and suddenly - land ho! - the band kicks in to create an amazing and rousing finish.
On most of the other tracks, Fogel has an Evan Dando (Lemonheads) quality to his voice that fits comfortably into his brand of pop rock, which often inches into the alt-country territory of Wilco. In addition to the aforementioned tracks, "E.H.M." and "Dead Petals", seemingly written to appeal directly to fans of Guster, are also highlights on this CD. And don't miss the sixty second bonus track written just for disgraced Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.
Back at the start of the year, SPIN Magazine designated Golden Bloom as one of "8 undiscovered bands worth a listen”. With "Fan the Flames" arriving this August, you'll have the chance to judge for yourself - and I highly recommend you do. With its pop-centric melodies and Fogel's easy on the ear voice, Golden Bloom is poised to end the summer on a high note.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9
Golden Bloom on MySpace. Official site.
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