2 by bukowski feat: Kid Moxie - J.D. King - Stag - Evan Klar
2 by bukowski feat. Kid Moxie - Hot Summer.Background - Let's go back in a time for a bit, before 2 by bukowski had a name, before the Wire Nightmare, before even the infamous “Practice Session 0” at Studio N between George, John and Nik.
It was sometime in 1996 and a band called Tiger had released a single called "My Puppet Pal". George had just bought the record and brought it over to John's place to listen to. The single came with a sticker of its cover which George gave to John who stuck it on his white Aria bass. For that reason that bass has since been and is still known as The Tiger. At some point, after having used it on several 2bb recordings, John upgraded his bass and gave The Tiger to Achilles who was cheap and would take whatever you gave him.
A few years down the line Achilles passed The Tiger on to his cousin. The cousin eventually moved to L.A. and became the very keen musician Kid Moxie, all thanks to The Tiger's magical powers. It's Kid Moxie's voice you hear on "Hot Summer". So it goes with full circles and so it goes with magical musical instrument folklore.
The single “Hot Summer / Beast’s Breath” will be released on 7inch vinyl and digital format via Inner Ear. 2 By Bukowski current members are Achilles Charmpilas and George Malamidis. Hot Summer is performed and produced by 2 by bukowski. Written by 2 by bukowski and April Walz. with vocals by Kid Moxie. Facebook here.
'Hot Summer' is a gorgeous mix of melodic vocals and a multi-layered electronic & guitar soundtrack, the latter adding depth and a level of fascinating disquiet. Very addictive!
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Background - Essence is what JD King seems to hold in the highest regard as it pertains to the way he interacts with everything. The Los Angeles based musician, songwriter, producer and artist is hypersensitive to aesthetics that surround him from his performances, to his recording techniques, down to the way he dresses. King creates his own world to share with his audiences. This eye for detail also shows up in his highly sought after paintings and illustrations, which are a perfect accompaniment to his music and style. Treat yourself and enter the world of JD King, one of the most original artists to come from this time.
Starting from an early age, King’s musical background began by learning piano, which would ultimately ignite his music writing. Later, he would transfer this knowledge and skill to a multitude of instruments including saxophone, flute, cello and eventually guitar, where he would ultimately gain his notoriety. As a member of many Southern California bands in his youth, he would discover and cultivate his writing ability during this time. Finally striking out on his own, his first solo album, Here’s JD King, showcased the breadth of his musicianship pairing his ear for classic and beautiful melodies with his virtuosic guitar ability. An avid record collector since he was in grade school, King’s extensive knowledge, and library, of 78, 45 and 33rpm recordings dates back to the turn of the century. This encyclopedic knowledge of analog music shows in his production taste and compositional style.
Following his critically acclaimed project, The Olms, with friend Pete Yorn, King is preparing to release his new highly anticipated solo album titled Moon Gardens. He describes this latest work as a “three year experiment to find the highest level analog sonics, totally original songwriting methods and the most fulfilling creative experience using only biological electromagnetic vibration.” King brought together some of the top musicians in the city to perform with 4-track tape machines, utilizing his collection of extremely high-quality vintage microphones and gear. The album was mixed entirely on a beautiful custom built tube console at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills and delivered to the listener at the highest professional quality. The result is an artistic and original album lovingly written, performed and produced by King. Website here, Facebook here.
A tight rhythm arrangement with some catchy chord changes helps 'Midnight Rendezvous' get noticed from the word go. A subtle melody and engaging vocals does the rest song wise, the video adds additional charm to a fine alt rock track.
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Stag - Pharaoh.Background - Stag has a riff-centered sound that’s both nostalgic and contemporaneous; equal parts romantic angst and sexual tension; vibrantly commercial yet comfortably in the red.
Most of their new eight song Midtown Sizzler was recorded with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Hold Steady, Kurt Vile) at Water Studios in Hoboken, NJ. As Mr. Agnello says, “They contacted me and I checked out their music and I loved it!
They have all these wonderful influences of music I love. They write great melodies and they know hooks. It’s a pleasure working with strong characters with strong opinions who are also open to outside ideas.”
Two songs (pre-single “The Bedazzler” and “Runner”) were recorded with Jack Endino at Soundhouse in Seattle, and mixed by Martin Feveyear on Vashon Island.
Cover photo by Meryl Meisler from her book Purgatory & Paradise SASSY '70s Suburbia & The City. Official release date is Friday August 4th. All songs written by Ben London, and performed by Stag. Website here, Facebook here.
The first track of eight on 'Midtown Sizzler' is the robust and powerful 'Pharaoh'. This is a slick collection of natural and down to earth rock'n'roll songs. For me it's the sort that, could just play in the background all day, and demand your attention for a proper listen later. Highly recommended.
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Background - Trekking into tour mode, Evan Klar today announces new headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne to celebrate the release of his latest single 'Barefoot'. Klar will head line Sydney's Rare Finds on Friday June 30 and perform just over a week later at Yah Yah's in Melbourne.
There's a percussive grounding which serves as the driving force for Evan Klar's music. It's this uniqueness and almost tribal sonic sphere that has a steady legion of fans crossing his path. Named as one of GQ Magazine's 'Ones to Watch in 2017', the Melbourne based musician's 'Barefoot' premiered on 2017 with Richard Kingsmill, was added to triple j spot rotation and has amassed almost 500,000 plays on Spotify in just two months. He's now well on the way to cracking a million plays online this month with just two tracks released.
A visual and aural feast, Evan Klar's live show is a high energy, sensory experience. Performing with a double drum kit and bongo drums, Klar's "commanding live vocals lure the listener into his undeniably likeable structure of musical compositions." (The Music).
Not tip-toeing about on the live front, the half Australian, half German musician has been leaving plenty of footprints on stages in 2017 with performances at festivals The Blurst of Times, The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl and support for Confidence Man at three sold out shows. As he prepares to release his debut album compiled with producer Ash Workman (Metronomy and Christine and The Queens) fans can expect to hear debut offerings 'Barefoot' and 'Sleep' as well as a selection of yet unreleased tracks. Facebook here.
'Barefoot' is the first song I have heard by Evan Klar. The musical arrangement is both highly professional and contains some original and intriguing ideas. Without getting carried away, this is one of those "breath of fresh air" songs, reminding me that creativity and enjoyment can still work well together.
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