buxton

Nothing Here Seems Strange

Buxton, a five piece folk-rock ensemble from Houston, TX with two self-released albums under their belt, is excited to announce their New West Records debut album "Nothing Here Seems Strange" will be released January 31st. Buxton's music is a study in contrasts: rock and folk, subtle yet eccentric, lush harmonies over prickly guitar. The group is currently coming off an extensive tour including numerous stops on the east coast, a sold out CMJ show, and a run of dates through Texas and California.

Buxton's fusion of lovely harmonies, jarring explosions of energy and meticulously applied instrumentation is led by Sergio Trevino on Vocals/Guitar with Jason Willis on lead Guitar/Mandolin, Chris Wise on Bass Guitar, Justin Terrell on Drums and Austin Sepulvado on Guitar/Vocals. Hayley Barnes often joins the group on keyboard and harmony vocals.

"Because if it suddenly becomes a big year for mandolin boogie, these Houstonians will be at the front of the stage. Think Jim James sitting in with the Punch Brothers."--Esquire 2012 Best New Artists

Listen: "Down In The Valley"  

foxy shazam

The Church of Rock and Roll

Welcome to "The Church of Rock and Roll", baby.

Foxy Shazam have traveled the globe for years spreading their bombastic gospel and singing the praises of a life less ordinary, leading a massive mutiny against the mundane and converting thousands of believers in the fight to save what's right about the world. But the world ain't seen nothin' yet.

Foxy Shazam have just crafted the most meaningful and grandiose record of their career and they're ready to unleash it into public domain. Produced by Justin Hawkins, the mastermind behind U.K. glam-rockers The Darkness, "The Church of Rock and Roll" is an ambitious and awe-inspiring cavalcade of passion and humanity. From the bawdy sex-strut of lead single "I Like it" to the heart-wrenching ardor of "Forever Together", this is a record for anyone with a beating heart.

"We're not concerned with what category we fall into," declares singer Eric Nally. "We want to stand for our generation."

They're currently doing a damn good job. With three albums (2005's "The Flamingo Trigger", 2008's "Introducing", and 2010's "Foxy Shazam") and nearly 1,000 live performances under their collective belt, this band of angelic hellions who call Cincinnati, OH their Earth-home, Foxy Shazam have few peers when it comes to live performance. However, it is their fourth studio album, and their first for the recently revamped I.R.S. Records, that truly begins to reveal the glorious potential that has been percolating internally for more than half a decade, a flourishing burst of refreshing yet timeless music waiting for the right time to strike the hearts of the masses. That time has come.

At the center of the pulpit stands one enigmatic man, a hypnotic hurricane of smoke and glitter. Cutting through the lush instrumentals like a fiery bolt from the Heavens, Eric Nally's unparalleled vocals power the congregation with a ferocious intensity that cannot be manufactured, with a roaring sincerity that burns deep within the mortal frame attempting to contain them.

"I didn't go to college. I knew what I needed to do," Nally explains. "Back in the day, rock stars were mythical creatures. Now there's no mystique, but I like the element of mystery and longing. The rock star is becoming extinct. I want to revive it."

Foxy Shazam are a soul band with a punk rock attitude and a symphonic attention to detail. A name that once represented a pair of cool sneakers has become synonymous with charisma, bravado, rock and roll. Here to pull you from the disparagingly bland edges of modern rock and return music to an era of glamour and emotion, this band has crafted the immaculate soundtrack to a world in moral disarray, each song the audial accompaniment to a work of epic cinema that exists only in the mind of the listener.

Listen: "I like it" (radio edit)  

sleigh bells

Reign of Terror

Sleigh Bells will release their sophomore album, "Reign of Terror," on February 21st. Produced by guitarist Derek Miller, and written by Miller and singer Alexis Krauss, "Reign of Terror" is the follow up to 2010's critically acclaimed "Treats".

Prior to "Reign of Terror"'s release, Sleigh Bells will embark on a full tour of Florida, where Miller grew up, with fellow Floridian Diplo and Brooklyn's Liturgy.

Like you needed a Better reason to get excited in the new year?!

"The follow-up to their 2010 debut should be every bit the 'sonic equivalent of a beautiful shotgun to the head' we were promised. It's sure to be a gorgeously terror-filled February indeed." ~ MTV Buzzworthy

Listen: "Comeback Kid"  

the big sleep

nature experiments

Considering how quiet they've been over the past couple years, you'd think The Big Sleep decided to suddenly take their name seriously after the tireless tour cycle behind 2008's "Sleep Forever". The truth is much simpler…

"We took a little break, worked on stuff separately and just lived our lives," explains bassist/vocalist Sonya Balchandani.

"It obviously took longer than we thought it would," adds guitarist/vocalist Danny Barria, "but I wasn't feeling rushed or pressured. I just wanted to write good songs."

Which brings us to the hefty hooks and sugar-spun noise pop of "Nature Experiments", the filler-free full-length Danny and Sonya have hinted at since 2000. Helped by a more collaborative creative process, "Nature Experiments" is as robust as a Big Sleep record gets, bursting at the seams with restless rhythms and choppy power chords ("Ace"), venomous vocals and blown-out beats ("Meet Your Maker"), and effects pedals/synth pads that rub and ring out against some of the band's most climatic choruses yet ("Valentine," "Ghosts In Bodies," "Ladders"). And if you need a breather, there's always the psych-steeped balladry of "1001" and "Wood on the Water."

"There was definitely a tunnel vision thing going on with our last record," says Danny. "That pressure was cool and intense, but the guiding principle this time around was to take our time and do whatever we needed to. We'd work on things separately and then meet in each other's living rooms with just an acoustic guitar and a keyboard, which is funny considering that's exactly how the band started."

"This band's always been about what comes out of the two of us working together," adds Sonya. "I think it's normal to write a little past the edge of your capabilities, so then you have to deliver, and the next time around, you end up pushing yourself again. We are always just looking for and editing ourselves towards what feels right, what we can both agree is putting across a feeling in a style that's truly 'us'."

Listen: "Ace"