We Need Your Help!


No, this isn't a plea for money (unless you'd like to send some and then by all means do so), but a request for the readers of John's New Music Blog to help choose a new name for the site.

Since I started this little corner of the Internet back in 2010, it's become much more than just one person posting their opinions about new music, but a place for artists to launch new music. We've helped bands break into the US, sponsored two albums, held a showcase for three performers at the John's New Music Blog Performance Space (my living room) and always trying to have some fun. So with that in mind, it's time for a new name.

The name should be short enough to work as a domain name as well.

So put your thinking caps on and send me your best ideas. Use either the comments section or email me your suggestion.

So you might be asking "What's the prize?" If the winner is close to Philadelphia, we'll buy them a drink and they'll have the satisfaction of knowing that their suggestion was better than all the other ones. If they're not close to Philadelphia, then the satisfaction of knowing they're more clever than anyone else will have to suffice. We reserve the right to reject all submissions and go with our own idea.

Good luck!

Fresh New Music -- Selebrities


Today's featured band is Brooklyn's Selebrities, a retro-pop three piece that wouldn't sound out of place on the radio in 1983. The band is made up of Maria Usbeck on vocals, Jer Robert Paulin on guitar and Max Peterson on the keyboards. The band describes itself as "voguish, summertime goth" and several reviewers have compared them favorably to a certain Manchester band of the 1980's. I'm inclined to agree and say that their sound is both retro and contemporary in combines 1980's synthesizer lines with modern production values and techniques.

Photo by Lucy Bridger
Selebrities has a new single from their upcoming 7" release, "Night Heat." The video is very, very trippy and the song sounds straight out of 1983, but it's not dated at all. It's very similar to the recent single from M83, "Midnight City" and it drips sensuousness with every beat.



 
Selebrities - Night Heat from Selebrities on Vimeo.


The second track is "Can't Make Up My Mind," from their 2011 full length release Delusions. It's more in the style of The Human League and could have found it's way into a John Hughes, Brat Pack film soundtrack. If you like Summer Camp, you'll love this track.



Can't Make Up My Mind from Selebrities on Vimeo.


"Night Heat" will be out on Cascine on March 20; Delusions is available from Darla Records (12" vinyl or download), iTunes, and Amazon.

Today's Featured Band -- Still Corners


After a long-ish break from finding new music, we're back with a some new bands and a contest (more on that later). First, today's featured band is London's Still Corners, a 1960's influenced four piece consisting of founders Tessa Murray (vocals) and Greg Hughes (songwriter) and Leon Dufficy (guitar), Luke Jarvis (bass) and Paul Mayhew (drums).

Photo by Cat Stevens (Thanks, Sub Pop)

Still Corner's first full length album is Creatures of an Hour and the first single is the gauzy, lo-fi dreamy track "Into the Trees." The track evokes the retro sound that have been the common theme of the past year made popular by Cults.





The second track is "Cuckoo," a shoegazy song that sounds a bit like M83 and Blouse.


Cuckoo from Still Corners on Vimeo.


Still Corners' Sub Pop debut album, Creatures of an Hour, is available from Sub Pop, and for download from iTunes, and Amazon. They are currently on tour in the UK and will hopefully be in the US before too long.