Archives with tag: butlerscion

Slothpop are an exciting breath of fresh air in the Indianapolis music scene. Vocally, the band is led by Kristin Newborn and Lauren Eison. With beautifully harmonizing voices and a concentration on projection rather than lyrics, the pair compliments each other better than pearls and lace. Newborn, a multi-instrumentalist and leader of the pack, backs her striking voice with equal parts guitar and piano while Eison draws a bow over her violin and finger plucks the strings. The unique Slothpop sound is rounded out by Dan Zender on lead guitar, Matt Martin on drums, and Jeffrey Vyain on cello.

Imagine the scene from The Little Mermaid during which Ursula steals Ariel's voice. Then chop it up a little, drop in a driving beat, add some strings, and ice your Slothpop cake with tribal-like vocal interjections. It's hard to fathom a sound so stunningly elegant yet quirky and unconventional, but the band gets it right with their not-so-slothy and not-so-poppy assortment of endearing songs.

Slothpop seem to perfectly fill the wide Indianapolis music scene/orchestral pop/folk void left by Margot and The Nuclear So & Sos' departure. Expect their debut full-length to release this Fall.

Indianapolis "echo-sleaze" three-piece, Burnt Ones are the first signees to MyOldKentuckyBlog.com's new record label, Roaring Colonel Records. The band blends glam, psych, garage, surf and 50's/60's girl pop into a lo-fi wash of rock. NUVO says, "Burnt Ones sound like the band at a 1960's zombie prom." In that same article, lead singer, Mark Tester explains the goal behind the new project, "Once you strip it down to the basics of what's good about rock and roll or pop music...that's what I'm interested in." says Tester. "I just want it to be simple.... that's when it's better." Under the fuzz and the the falsetto, that's what you'll find...simple, enjoyable, face-melting, pop/rock without pretension.

Is it possible for a city like Indianapolis to handle the creative charm of Beta Male? In 2009, we read about the then one-man concept-band turned new wave sex-rock hula-hoop band of gender progressives being harassed and physically assaulted in Broad Ripple (Indianapolis, Indiana) by skinheads for obvious reasons – Indianapolis as a society is not as progressive as once thought. Resisting hollow threats from Hitler Youths, Beta Male persevered and presently serves Indy's indies by challenging gender role expectations in the music industry with debauched, charismatic, irresistible, confident, new/third wave music that is both authentic AND wildly infectious. At the moment, Beta Male consists of P. David Hazel, Jess Hack, TJ Briggs, Allison Hazel. Over the years, different talents such as Tyler Bowman (Pravada), Vess Ruhtenburg (the Zero Boys) and more have supplemented with Beta Male, but the current 4-piece is more stable and consistent with their sound than ever. In 2010, Beat Male, now more of a music machine, is finishing one record, with another one on the way. In their sonic future, expect for these four would be deviants to further refine their sound, please audiences with their audio/visual expertise, and continue to demonstrate that it is possible for a post-pubescent Le Tigre to emerge from the Ranch in Indianapolis.

Since forming in early 2008, Heavy Hometown has made a serious impression on the Indianapolis music scene. These (mostly) local dudes manage to put together some incredible songs that combine a polished, composed sound with an intimate, bedroom-recorded feel. Divided between Indy and Louisville, the trio is made up of guitarist John Wood and drummer Corey Barnes (who also split up the singing duties) and keyboardist Eric Park. Their synth-laden garage pop brings to mind lo-fi legends like the American Analog Set, Galaxie 500 and at times Sonic Youth. The songs are thoughtful set pieces that sway from sad to hopeful and back again that grab onto you quickly and lure you down into their rabbit-hole. They self-released their debut album "Action Figures" last year.

If vikings time-travelled to the 80s, took semen samples from Grandmaster Flash, Beastie Boys, Michael Jackson, Prince and Poison, came back to the present, inseminated Peaches, and then brought her to the future to have the baby and have it raised by breakdancing robots, you might end up with Andy D. Andy D is a hurricane of sex, sweat, and day-glo. He burst onto the Indianapolis scene about a year ago, after moving down to Bloomington via Brooklyn. His live shows immediately became the stuff of legend. Combining rap, rock, and comedy, Andy D is best experienced in flesh rather than talked about.