[SKOA Premiere] Jupiter - "Juicy Lucy (Needs A Boogieman)" (Official Video)

Since 2009, French/English duo Jupiter have been crafting their undeniably groovy brand of electro-funk with one place in mind: the dancefloor. From their debut single "Starlighter" to the 11-tracks comprising their debut LP Juicy Lucy, the pair utilize their rich array of synthesizers and funk-laden beats to get you moving, to bring the best dance moves possible out of every listener. It's dance music in the most literal sense of the genre, a mesmerizing blend of '70s and '80s influences with a new twist and style.

These same influences appear in the duo's new video for the Juicy Lucy (almost) title track "Juicy Lucy (Needs A Boogieman)", which takes a sort of mockumentary approach to the mythos surrounding the character Juicy Lucy. Clearly drawing from the look and feel of the '70s, the mockumentary interviews a number of people who knew the famed Juicy Lucy, who clearly left an imprint on these people's memories. We here at SKOA are pleased to premiere the video, so watch it above to learn a thing or two about Juicy Lucy.

Jupiter's debut LP Juicy Lucy is out now via Grand Blanc, as is their new remix EP for the single "Juicy Lucy (Needs A Boogieman)", which includes remixes from Little Boots, Punks Jump Up, and Zimmer

[SKOA Exclusive Album Review] Gabriel Stark - 'GATSBY'

It has been almost exactly one year since I first met Gabriel Stark in person, the fresh-faced Bronx native with an eager attitude and subtle humbleness. We met in John Paul Jones Park in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn during CMJ Music Marathon, a calm day that perfectly emulated Stark’s relaxed demeanor, the same demeanor he carries through to his music. It was this first meeting that clarified how I would translate Stark’s music, as I fully understood the mentality of him as a musician, his striving passion to push forward without losing humility. He never misses an opportunity to progress, consistently experimenting and releasing new material, even recently wrapping up his first headlining tour throughout the East Coast of the States. Stark brings this passion and drive to his latest album, GATSBY, his second album of the year following January’s Starky F. Kennedy. The 10 tracks he delivers here draw from throughout hip-hop’s existence, blending old styles and new, nostalgic cuts followed by more electronic-focused tracks; Stark manages to juxtapose varying styles through consistent, socially conscious lyrics and top-notch production.

Lyricism has always been an important aspect of Gabriel Stark’s approach to music, with an intense focus on conscious lyrics that blend seamlessly with “dope ass beats”. As soon as GATSBY begins, our ears are met with a sound clip from 2004’s Daniel Craig-starring Layer Cake, the beginning of album opener “CAKE”. The clip instills a sense that Stark won’t be slowed down by the shit that life throws his way, instead delivering pulsating beats and slick verses. Right from the onset, “CAKE” hits hard. A raucous combination of pounding drums and brash horns, the song keeps your heart racing from start to finish. Following “CAKE” is the aptly named “Icing”, which ironically goes in a vastly different direction from the former. Sampling the Chordettes’ 1958 hit “Lollipop”, Stark’s interpretation is actually pretty damn good, a chill take on the upbeat original.

Great (individual) song pacing and solid production are skills that Stark continues to impress with, but GATSBY does pose one issue, that being the rapper’s juggling of influences and styles throughout the entire album. Each song embodies various aspects of hip-hop, past and present, such as “Melrose and Courtlandt”, which draws on West Coast hip-hop of the early-to-mid ‘90s, or the College Dropout era Kanye West-inspired “Danielle’s Song”. Next to that, though, are more electronic-leaning tracks, with “Lemonade Stand” being a fitting example. The song has a grimy, synthesizer-heavy production throughout, with an eerie atmosphere and sparkling notes dotting the soundscape. While each of the album’s ten songs are impressive on their own merit, the overall pace of the album is thrown off by the ever-changing style from song to song.

Despite the pace of GATSBY as a whole being off-kilter, Stark’s lyrics and the quality of his production make each song impressive in themselves. This is where his progression as a musician—in his lyrical style and production techniques—has paid off, as his passion truly comes out here. “Rumble Young Man Rumble”, for example, has Stark delivering heavy-hitting verses, one after the other, amidst a slick, New Orleans-inspired beat, carried along by rhythmic guitar riffs and an underlying, funk-laden bassline. “Kiddie Pool” is another moment where Stark’s production shines, sampling Cold War Kids’ chilling “Hospital Beds”. Stark uses the song to incredible advantage, grafting Nathan Willett’s vocals and piano keys seamlessly into this mellow, hip-hop soundscape. More than that, though, the lyrics evoke a sense of a more mature Stark, who is further learning from and examining the world—“I made a promise to my momma how I’d find a way one day”—and still learning from it.

This learning is what the whole album, inconsistent overall pacing aside, exemplifies, and what Stark continues to impress with. He is learning, every day, but what sets him apart is his insistence on utilizing what he learns. With every release, his production improves, as do his lyrics, yet he does so without an arrogant attitude found in many rappers. He strives to improve, all the while with a refreshing passion and reserve, pushing forward but capitalizing on the lessons learned from every previous experience. GATSBY represents the progression of Gabriel Stark as a person and a musician, his desire to take every opportunity and grow while understanding and respecting the past. From start to finish, the album is, through his lyrics and the influences present in each individual song, Stark’s way of exploring the history of hip-hop, a means of understanding how the genre is influenced by itself and other genres. GATSBY is a history lesson in itself, and Stark is your teacher.

GATSBY drops on October 31st, and below you can stream the lead single "Danielle's Song".

Recommended Tracks: "Melrose and Courtlandt", "Kiddie Pool", "Danielle's Song"

SCORE: 4.0 out of 5

[SKOA Premiere] Birds & Batteries - "Be My Girl" (NSFW) (Official Video)

Earlier this month Bay area experimental indie-pop outfit Birds & Batteries released their fourth full-length, Stray Light, out on Eightmaps. If you're into shiny synths, buzzing bass and vocals that are a little reminiscent of Peter Gabriel, these guys are about to win you over in a big way, especially with their powerful video for their latest single, "Be My Girl". Talk about feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders! The video, which was directed by James Sharpe depicts a nude Earth/Mother Nature examining herself as she slowly transforms, sprouting trees and then buildings, right before our eyes. As she continues to evolve you can see it start to take a toll on her. As Sharpe explains, "Using the human body as a canvas I wanted to create a beautiful and haunting visual narrative portraying a conflict between nature, architecture and the body, ultimately representing love and acceptance, whatever the imperfections."

Enjoy "Be My Girl" below:

Birds & Batteries are currently on tour in support of Stray Light and will be making the rounds well into September. Peep the dates below to see if they're coming to a city near you and be sure to add them on Facebook and Twitter so you can keep a close eye on them.

Birds & Batteries On Tour
Aug. 29 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
Aug. 31 - New York, NY - Pianos
Sept. 1 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
Sept. 2 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool
Sept. 4 - Washington, DC - The Red Palace
Sept. 5 - Columbus, OH - Kobo
Sept. 6 - Chicago, IL - Township
Sept. 7- Iowa City, IA - The Mill
Sept. 8 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry
Sept. 9 - Eau Claire, WI - The Mousetrap
Sept. 11 - Denver - the Mercury Cafe
Sept. 12 - Colorado Spring, CO - Triple Nickel Tavern
Sept. 13 - Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad

[SKOA Premiere] Icky Blossoms - "Perfect Vision" (Them Jeans Remix)

On the heels of the announcement that Omaha trio Icky Blossoms will be heading out on tour with The Faint, Reptar and Rubblebucket the band has released a free download this spirited rework of their latest single, "Perfect Vision" courtesy of producer outfit Them Jeans. I really like that this remix doesn't take too much away from the original itself. It just kind of feels like the song got up this morning and opted for coffee instead of tea. A very subtle transformation that fits perfectly as summer is winding down.

Icky Blossoms hit the road starting on September 14th. Make sure you grab their debut self-titled album out on Saddle Creek if you haven't already.

Icky Blossoms Tour Dates
Sep 14         Bluebird Theatre        Denver, CO *^
Sep 15         Kilby Court             Salt Lake City, UT *^
Sep 17         Neurolux Lounge        Boise, ID *^
Sep 19         Neumos                Seattle, WA *^
Sep 20         Mississippi Studios    Portland, OR *^
Sep 21         The Independent        San Francisco, CA *
Nov 27        House of Blues        Dallas, TX #
Nov 28        Emo’s East            Austin, TX #
Nov 30        Cannery Ballroom    Nashville, TN #    
Dec 1        The Masquerade        Atlanta, GA #
Dec 2        The Orange Peel        Asheville, NC #
Dec 5         9:30 Club            Washington, DC #
Dec 6        Trocadero            Philadelphia, PA #
Dec 7        Terminal 5            New York, NY #
Dec 8        Paradise Rock Club    Boston, MA #
Dec 9        Club Soda            Montreal QC, Canada #
Dec 11        Sound Academy        Ontario, Canada #
Dec 12        Metro                Chicago, IL #
Dec 13        First Avenue            Minneapolis, MN #
Dec 14        Sokol Auditorium        Omaha, NE #

* with Reptar
^ with RubbleBucket
# with The Faint

[Outside Lands 2012] Our Most Aniticipated Artist of the Festival

Today marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, the final day of our preview coverage, we look to answer one important question: who is our most anticipated artist of the festival?

With such an incredible and diverse lineup, Outside Lands offers something for everyone. Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Metallica, Foo Fighers, Sigur Rós, Jack White, Beck, The Kills, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Passion Pit, Santigold, MSTRKRFT, The Walkmen, YACHT, Andrew Bird, you name it, there is a band for each and every attendee to get excited about. For us, though, there is one band that sticks out at the forefront, and that is Australian psych rock outfit Tame Impala.

Ever since Tame Impala dropped their debut LP Innerspeaker back in 2010, the psychedelic stylings of the Perth band have never left my eardrums for more than a few days. Somehow, they have perfectly captured what was so good about psychedelic rock in the '60s and '70s, the carefree attitude and the general sense that all that needs to be done is to play the hell out of some fucking instruments and put on a damn good show. When listening to Tame Impala, it's not uncommon to feel as if you're listening to Eric Clapton, transporting you to a time when the biggest names in rock were at their peak. This new wave of neo-psychedelia has been rising since the early to mid-1990s, but Tame Impala directly utilizes the styles and sounds of the 1960s, and they pull it off so well.

For every band that is performing at Outside Lands, the collective love we have for Tame Impala trumps even the biggest names. Hearing their brand of psychedelic rock in a live setting sounds infinitely more tempting than any of the other offerings at the festival. Call me crazy, but the idea of dancing under the influence of who knows how many narcotics to the addicting psychedelic soundscapes of Tame Impala seems like an amazing experience to me. In fact, I'm more sane for thinking so.

[Outside Lands 2012] Top Five Songs We Can't Wait to Hear Live

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top five songs we cannot wait to hear live at the festival.

No matter how good a band's repertoire is, there is always one song that stands out, one song that automatically comes to mind whenever you think about said band. That recollection is even more potent when you go to see them live in concert, bringing the immediate hope that they will play that song live and it will be even better than the studio quality version. Of all the bands playing at Outside Lands this year, there are five that have songs so damn good that we're shaking with excitement to hear them live. Now, keep in mind all of these songs are relatively new, having been released at various times over the past year or so, but that doesn't mean they aren't highlights in the catalogues of these artists. Rather, it's the opposite. These songs are gems in the handfuls of songs these bands have given us over the course of their long, or short, careers, and they are sure to be as good if not better live in concert. Check out our top five picks after the jump.

NOTE: For all of our Outside Lands coverage, head here.

Bloc Party - "Octopus":

Jack White - "Sixteen Saltines":

Alabama Shakes - "Hold On":

Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams":

Passion Pit - "Constant Conversations":

[Outside Lands 2012] Top Five High Energy Shows to Dance at Till You Drop

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top five high energy shows to dance at till your knees are trembling.

If you're willing to put the time, effort, and money into going to a show, then it is immediately worth it. One aspect that makes a show much more worth it, though, is if you show up and you're dancing from start to finish. When a band has a stage presence that is so energetic, and when the music is paced perfectly so that you don't stop moving for the entire set, that is when you know it was a good show. Take a look at the top five picks for the most danceable acts at this year's Outside Lands after the jump.

Justice: The moment Justice becomes a topic of conversation, the song "D.A.N.C.E." is almost always brought up. The French house duo has become iconic for their Parisian brand of electronic music, a brand that translates perfectly to the dance-hungry crowd. Whether you're playing Justice at a house party or seeing them live in concert, the dirty, sexy basslines and unwavering barrage of synthesizers plays perfectly into high energy, non-stop dance-a-thons. When it comes to dancing, Justice has you covered. Just make sure you have a full day afterwards to recover.

YACHT: This Portland outfit continiously impresses with their infectious electropop sounds, and in a live setting, it's impossible to prevent the onslaught of dancing crowds. Who wouldn't dance to "Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)" or "Shangri-La"? It's all just so damn catchy. YACHT knows how to do danceable, groovy beats right, so do yourself a favor and check them out.

MSTRKRFT: Jesse F. Keeler and Al-P know how to get a party started. Every song they release under the MSTRKRFT moniker is a party in itself, with pounding kick drums, ever-evolving synthesizers and altered voice samples. MSTRKRFT is the kind of thing you would play for a group of people on MDMA, and that's exactly why it's the perfect brand of music to dance until you drop.

Franz Ferdinand: Something about this Scottish quartet is so captivating, whether it's the music itself or their unrelenting and energetic stage presence. Each one of their three full-length albums are full of numerous catchy post-punk tracks, every one of which is perfectly suited for the live stage. If you've ever wanted to dance our heart out during an outdoor concert in the pouring rain, who better to do it to than Franz Ferdinand?

Passion Pit: If you've ever watched footage of Passion Pit performing live, there is no doubt that their catchy pop sounds are perfect for crowds of eager fans wanting to dance to their heart's content. Manners was packed with danceable song after danceable song, and Gossamer is no different. The Massachusetts outfit knows how to deliver a fulfilling pop song, and fans of the band know perfectly well how to dance to it. Seeing this band live is not something you should pass up.

[SKOA Premiere & Interview] Bedroom Debuts a Stream of His New Album 'Vivid' and Talks Instrumentation, His New Akai MPD26, and Favorite Movies

Bedroom, aka Noah Kittinger, has been a SKOA favorite since we premiered his Toys EP back in February, and since then our musician/blogger bond has grown much stronger. That isn't the only thing that has grown, as Kittinger's talent and abilities have come a long way over the course of five months. He has been experimenting in his bedroom, taking the sounds he established with his debut EP and tinkering with them, expanding them. The result is Vivid, the debut LP from Kittinger, who is now signed on Furious Hooves Records. The LP sees him exploring darker territory, delving into a myriad of instrumentation that evokes a sense of addictive tension. As a whole, the album is a captivating piece of work, one that finds thoughtful provocation in its simplicity, and we here at SKOA are pleased to premiere the debut stream of Bedroom's Vivid. Listen to the album in its entirety below, and make sure to head over to Bedroom's Bandcamp in a few hours to download it for yourself.

Along with the premiere stream of his new album, I took the opportunity to interview Kittinger, asking him a number of questions that have been on my mind these past few months. In the interview, he and I discuss his song-making process, the progression from his EP to his LP, the possibilities of live performances, as well as which movie in The Mummy trilogy is best. Read the interview in full after the jump.

Adrian: The Bedroom music project has always, to me, evoked a nostalgic quality. What is it that you want to portray in your music, and how do you achieve this?

Noah Kittinger: I just want an outlet for my thoughts and experiences. I write music about my thoughts or situations I find or have found myself in.  Other than that I just love making music and sharing it with people. I think I achieve that by just being honest with myself when I write. I don’t write something and think “oh is it too this or is it too that, Do I need to change this to make it sound like that” or anything. I just make everything the way I hear it in my head, I don’t try to make it sound a certain way. Music can be received in different ways for different people. For instance, you find my music to be nostalgic, which is awesome. Someone else might find my music to be completely different. It’s cool to see how people take in my music.

A: Each of your songs carries with it a certain mood, and it generally comes across in the instrumentation. What goes into your song-making process, and how much importance do you place on instrumentation as opposed to, say, lyrics and vocals?

NK: When I make a song, I usually start with a melody of some sort and begin to build somewhat of an instrumental, and I add in vocals later. Like for my song “Trees,” I had that done as an instrumental for like three weeks and one day found a vocal pattern I liked and wrote lyrics up on the spot and recorded them. That’s really how I do each of my songs. Some vocal patterns come easier than others, some don’t. My song “Cmptr” was intended to have vocals in it, but I felt it sounded better with none. I’d say both the vocals and instrumentations are at the same level of importance to me. I give each an equal amount of energy. My lyrics aren’t really that deep or anything, if anything they’re extremely simple and plainly put. Like I said, I write them on the spot and they come from whatever I’m dealing with or thinking of at that moment.

A: Your Toys EP is special in that, no matter what, it always reminds me of childhood, of simple times. Vivid, your debut LP, on the other hand, is much darker in its tone and sound. Describe the differences between the EP and the LP, and the progression of your music between then and now.

NK: I feel like the LP is more experimental than the EP. I tried a lot of new stuff on this album, such as recording techniques and even some field recording of people talking and stuff. I’d say the progression is pretty much just experimentation. Both releases were recorded in the same way, just me and some recording equipment in my bedroom. I think the EP was kind of just me finding my sound, and the LP is me capitalizing on it.

A: What went into influencing this new album? Whether it is life, friends, school, or other musicians, lay it all out there.

NK: A lot influenced the album. Hard to point them all out actually, but I know summer had a pretty big influence on it. The people I’ve sent it to say it has a beachy vibe to it. I dunno. But I also listened to a lot of electronic music while making it. There’s a label in Orlando called Relief in Abstract records, and they have some incredible stuff on there. XXYYXX, GRANT, and Fortune Howl. I got really into that whole scene during the recording of the album. I’d say that influenced me in some ways, to use more electronic sounding drum kits and stuff I guess.  

A: Now that the debut full release is out, what is it that you hope will come of it, and how do you hope fans and friends will respond to it?

NK: I hope this album just brings me more listeners and that people will really enjoy it. I made the album I wanted to make. I just hope people dig it haha. I have a pretty good feeling about this album, though.

A: I know you’ve been tinkering with the idea of live performances, even getting your hands on Ableton and an Akai MPD26. How will you be applying your music to a live setting, and what excites you about the idea of performing live?

NK: Yeah I got that. I’ve been practicing using it in a live aspect, and will hopefully play some shows soon. Like house shows and such, whatever I can get, I’ll take it. I’m excited to just take each song and re-create it live using my MPD. So far it’s working out pretty well.

A: If there is one goal you want to achieve musically, one major aspiration, what is it and why?

NK: I just want to tour and meet people, meet fans.  I think it’d be cool to tour and see the aftermath of what the internet does for me.

A: Growth is an important part of music, so if there is an area that you wanted to improve in or a genre or style you wished to explore, what would it be?

NK: It’s hard to say as of right now. I’m always listening and getting influenced by different types of music. I mean I could say in this moment that I wanted to make an acoustic based album, but over time I’d probably end up finding new artists and not be interested in making an acoustic based album anymore you know? So it’s really hard to tell. But, I’d like to make more beachy sounding music. (I’ve been listening to DIIV’s new record haha). I dunno. Time will tell.

A: Finally, just going to end on some quick-fire questions. Go. 

Favorite musician? Hmm.. Either Baths or Youth Lagoon. 

Favorite movie? Gummo or The Pursuit of Happyness.

Favorite TV show? Man, I’m not sure. I don’t watch TV much anymore. Like not much AT ALL. But, I do enjoy watching Adult Swim. There’s some funny stuff on there. I think it’s cool how they’re releasing music now too (laughs).

The Mummy 1, 2, or 3? 2.