New Jersey’s Real Estate released their third studio album, Atlas, on March 4 on Domino Records. An album written almost entirely on the road, the guys have matured a bit past their beachy surfer jams to a collection of well written thoughts on adulthood. And while their nostalgic sound hasn’t changed, it’s a nice surprise to hear more depth and conversation happening in this album.

The lead single, Talking Backwards, is the perfect track to illustrate their new combination of nostalgic sound paired with more substantive lyrics. It’s a pretty delightful track… about the miscommunication that comes from being far from your loved one on the road. “We can talk for hours. When the line is still engaged. We’re not getting any closer. You’re too many miles away,” Martin Courtney sings on the opening verse.

April’s Song is a flowing instrumental track with the same jangling guitars that are central to each Real Estate song. Past Lives is a look at going back to your hometown and how things always seem to have both stayed the same and changed. “I cannot come back to this neighborhood, without feeling my own age,” Courtney declares in the opening line. “This is not the same place I used to know. But it still has that same old sound.”

In an interview with Spin, Courtney reflected on their first album and coming to terms with it: “the songs are kind of like half-songs in a way; some of them are like a long jam.” And it’s songs like Primitive and Navigator that really show this growth from their first album to Atlas. On Primitive, Courtney sings about looking forwards a future and a family: “and in my mind I can see the street where you and I will live. Don’t know where I want to be. Oh but I’m glad that you’re with me.” And on Navigator, he writes about time: “I stare at the hands on the clock. I’m still waiting for them to stop. I’ve no idea where the days been.” Overall, each song is delightful to listen to, but it’s refreshing to see the band addressing themes of adulthood.

The band is out on tour in support of Atlas. For a full list of dates, visit their tour page. And definitely grab the album if you haven’t already done so.

Brooklyn chanteuse (and Music Savage favorite) Sharon Van Etten will release her fourth album, Are We There, May 27th on Jagjaguwar, and we are as pleased as punch to share with you her first single “Taking Chances.” This is her second release for the record label and her first self-produced album. Van Etten’s last album, Tramp, released in the winter of 2012, received critical kudos across the music blogosphere and her upcoming record will more than likely gain her many more adoring fans. “Taking Chances” is a bit of a departure from the instrumentation of her previous albums, but the slow-burning, exquisitely harmonized sound is 100% intact.

Sharon hits the road in early May to promote Are We There and her tour wagon hitches post at The Sinclair in Cambridge on Wednesday, June 11th. Information on that show, and her entire tour, can be found on her website.

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Anthony Farrell & Andrew Trube are the two Texas tallboys that make up the Austin, TX duo Greyhounds, and they are fixin’ to release their new album , Accumulator, April 8th on the legendary Ardent Music record label. The fantastic single, “What’s On Your Mind,” is a bluesy, slow-jam ditty about communication issues between couples, a topic we can all relate to I’m sure. The video for the track is pretty slick, showcasing vintage guitars and vintage cars, and our Texas twosome driving around to vintage locations. The song itself will sink into your soul and you’ll be pressing repeat time and time again. Some of you fine folks may know that I moved here to Boston from Austin and the Greyhounds music puts me right back in a Lone Star State of mind. I hope you enjoy “What’s On Your Mind” as much as I do…. I think you will.

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Tonight is one going to be one hell of a show, it is the first night of two special nights with Josh Ritter and Gregory Alan Isakov. Last year, both Josh Ritter and Gregory Alan Isakov put out great records in The Beast in Its Tracks, and The Weatherman, respectively, and a special acoustic night at the Somerville theatre might just be the warmth we absolutely need as winter is refusing to leave the city of Boston.

After the dissolution of his marriage, it seems as though Ritter had a ton of things to write, and The Beast in Its Tracks is that output incarnate. These are songs that immediately feel intimate, it’s loss, and rebirth, its finding someone new. It’s a joyful album, with sentimentality, that looks back and looks ahead, and we look very much forward to hearing it live tonight.

Gregory Alan Isakov is the special guest of the night, and his act will certainly blend really well with Ritter. Isakov’s The Weatherman, was one of our favorite albums of the year. His delicate voice matches perfect with the gentle arrangements his records that are lush, intimate yet confident. His near angelic voice will likely turn us all into big fans, if we aren’t already there.

I’m hoping there is to be a lot of collaboration tonight, I’m very excited to see both of these fantastic songwriters.

See you all tonight?

Our good friends at Big Hassle Media have graciously offered up a spot on the guest list for you, and the very important +1 in your life, for tonight’s We Were Promised Jetpacks show taking place at the super cool Sinclair in Cambridge. Tonight’s show also includes fellow FatCat Records labelmates Honeyblood, an awesome Glasgow two-piece band featuring Shona McVicar on drums and Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale on vocals/guitar . For your chance to win simply retweet this here Music Savage post via Twitter, or like/share the post on Facebook, and we will randomly pick one of you lucky music lovers for a great night of Scottish rock n’ roll at one of the best venues in the greater Boston area. We will choose a winner at 6pm EST so get on it!

Doors: 8pm / Show: 9pm

For more information check out The Sinclair’s website.

The Los Angeles band James Supercave has been clearing a path through the crowded musical terrain since 2012 with only and handful of demos passed around, and word of mouth on some pretty killer live shows. The quintet will be releasing their debut EP, The Afternoon, March 25th on Hit City USA, and have just begun a Monday night residency at The Echo in LA this month. Taking a listen to the new single “Old Robot” I think it is safe to say that this venture into album production will undoubtedly result in a much larger fanbase. The track blends catchy electro-beats with strings and samples to create an instantly enjoyable song to kick off your shoes and dance around like a robot that has suddenly become self aware. You’ll want to listen to this song again and again!

James Supercave takes to the road with fellow LA band Warpaint in late April, so be sure to check them out live before everyone else catches on.

James Supercave On Tour:

Residency at The Echo in Los Angeles

3/3 (with Dead Times, De Lux, DJ Eli Glad)
3/17 (with Jungle)
3/24 (with Guardian, DJ Immigré)
3/31 (with Mt Ossa, Gothic Tropic, HEALTH [John] DJ)

Dates With Warpaint

4/24 Fitzgerald’s- Houston, TX
4/26 Trees- Dallas, TX
4/28 Belly Up Aspen- Aspen, CO
4/29 Urban Lounge- Salt Lake City, UT
5/1 Wonder Ballroom- Portland, OR
5/2 Neumos- Seattle, WA
5/3 The Wild Buffalo- Bellingham, WA
5/4 Rickshaw Theatre- Vancouver, BC

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The lads of We Were Promised Jetpacks call Edinburgh, Scotland home, but if one takes a quick look at the band’s show schedule these last few years you’d find a hard-working, non-stop touring machine. Luckily they are the best of friends because their itinerary shows no signs of slowing. In June of 2009 WWPJ released their debut album, These Four Walls, conquering our shores with a tour alongside fellow countrymen Twilight Sad, and Frightened Rabbit, and have come back our way every year since. I have the ticket stubs to prove it!

These Four Walls contains one of the single most enjoyable songs ever recorded, “Quiet Little Voices,” and to this day when those guitar chords kick in, and that snare hits, followed by that killer bass hook, I get goosebumps. In 2011 they released another stellar album, In the Pit of the Stomach, and criss-crossed the States amassing more and more fans with each stop. Their live show is something you write home to mother about, full of kinetic energy from the band and the fans in attendance. They’ve managed to bottle that experience up into the latest release, E Rey Live In Philadelphia, which was recorded at the final show of their 2012 US tour at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. The album contains a new track, “Peace Signs,” from their forthcoming third studio album to be released this fall and you can check it out above.

We Were Promised Jetpacks make their way to the stage of The Sinclair (one the coolest venues in town) Wednesday March 5th and we here at Music Savage will have your chance to win a spot on the guest list for you and a very lucky friend. Be on the lookout for our ticket giveaway post soon… you will not want to miss this show.

Remaining We Were Promised Jetpacks US Tour Dates:

03.01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall
03.02 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03.03 – Cleveland, OH @ the Grog Shop
03.05 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 
03.06 – Wilmington, DE @ Arden Gild Hall
03.07 – Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
03.08 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
03.09 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel
03.11 – Chattanooga, TN @ Rhythm And Brews
03.13 – Austin, TX @ Holy Mountain (Flowerbooking / FatCat SXSW Showcase)
03.14 – Austin, TX @ Latitude 30 (Scottish Arts Council SXSW Show)
03.15 – Austin, TX @ Whole Foods (Quantum Collective WholeFoods Invasion)

Manchester Orchestra released a second single from their upcoming record, Cope, with the straight-forward guitar driven tune “Every Stone,” a bright, airy, roll down the windows kind of rock track that will have you singing along with Andy Hull by the first refrain.

Look for Cope, due out April 1, 2014.

If anyone can write moody tunes with rip your heart out emotionalism to them its Jessica Lea Mayfield. This particular moody tune is a smoldering, grunge era rock tune that repeats the verse “I’m insane, I wanna love you, you’re gonna find this out” to some dark and entrancing guitar tones, and throwback rock simplicity. It’s a total badass song, and should make you thirsty for more.

“I Wanna Love You,” will appear on Mayfield’s upcoming record, Make My Head Sing… is out 4/15 via ATO.

Regulars to our site should be very familiar with Stockholm musician Linus Lutti and his amazing catalog of EP’s and singles released last year. This coming May he will release a brand new full-length Little Children album titled Walk Within, and if the first single, “By Your Side,” is any indication of what is in store then we are in for something special ladies and gentlemen. The new track is a standout in the Little Children repertoire, mixing elements of 60′s soul, dance, and funk together with a modernized sound and Lutti’s heartbreaking lyrics.

In 2013 the hit television show Grey’s Anatomy featured a Little Children song, which brought much attention to the artist on these shores. With the upcoming release of Walk Within it appears Little Children has much higher expectations for 2014. I think the likelihood of those expectations being met are 100%.

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Mix a stunning voice with a masterful video and you get a sensational three minutes and forty-five seconds of Burtonesque greatness. Manchester singer-songwriter Liz Green will release her sophomore full-length album, Haul Away, on April 15th via PIAS Recordings. In 2007 Green won the Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent Competition, which gives unsigned musicians a chance to perform on the much-coveted main stage during the Glastonbury Music Festival, and she’s been quite busy since. Her debut album, O, Devotion!, released in 2011, along with a steady show schedule throughout Europe, has made her quite popular across the pond. I think it’s only a matter of time before even more American music fans take notice of this talented artist.

Enjoy the video for the single, “Where The River Don’t Flow,” made by the amazing Joseph Brett, and twirl around the room without a care in the world.

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Our good friends at Big Hassle Media have graciously offered up a spot on the guest list for you, and the ever important +1 in your life, for tonight’s Graveface Roadcase taking place at the fantastic venue Great Scott in Allston. Tonight’s show also includes fabulous Graveface Records bands Dreamed, TW Walsh, and The Stargazer Lilies on the bill as well. For your chance to win simply share this here Music Savage post via Twitter or Facebook and we will randomly pick one you lucky people for a great evening of dreamy rock n’ roll at one of the coolest spots in the greater Boston area! We will choose a winner at 6pm EST so get crackin’!

For more information check out Great Scott’s website.

Savannah, GA is thought to be the most haunted city in the country and the phantasmal sound of The Casket Girls fits right in with the lore of the land. Sisters Phaedra and Elsa Greene were discovered playing music under a tree in one of the city squares by Black Moth Super Rainbow guitarist, and founder of Graveface Records, Ryan Graveface. A kinship of mighty musical proportions led them to form The Casket Girls and in 2012 the trio released their debut album Sleepwalking. Last week saw the release of their sophomore album, True Love Kills the Fairy Tale, and we are pleased to share with you the gorgeous new single “Side by Side.” The track is awash with sounds ranging from Casio drum beats, whirling electronic guitars, and church organ keyboards; all beautifully tied together by the Greene’s siren voices.

The Casket Girls’ commitment to the eclectic style they have created, along with the continuing evolution of their live show, has gained them quite a following, and we Bostonians are lucky to have them grace our fair city this evening as the Graveface Roadshow pulls into Allston’s Great Scott. Graveface bands Dreamed, TW Walsh, and The Stargazer Lilies are also on the bill so you are truly in for a dreamy rock n’ roll night of fun. For tickets and further information check out Great Scott’s site. You’re not going to want to miss this show!

Remaining 2014 Tour Dates:

2/20/2014 Allston MA – Great Scott
2/21/2014 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
2/22/2014 Toronto ON – The Garrison
2/23/2014 Grand Rapids MI – Founders Brewery, Co.
2/24/2014 Chicago IL – Empty Bottle
2/25/2014 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
2/26/2014 Fargo ND – The Aquarium
2/28/2014 Missoula MT – VFW
3/1/2014 Seattle WA – The Vera Project
3/2/2014 Portland OR – Holocene
3/4/2014 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
3/5/2014 Santa Cruz – The Crepe Place
3/6/2014 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
3/7/2014 San Diego CA – The Hideout
3/8/2014 Tucson AZ – TBA
3/9/2014 Phoenix AZ – Crescent Ballroom
3/12-15/2014 Austin TX – SXSW
3/17/2014 New Orleans LA – The Circle Bar
3/19/2014 Tampa FL  -Crowbar
3/20/2014 Miami FL – Churchills
3/21/2014 Orlando FL – Will’s Pub
3/22/2014 Savannah GA – Dollhouse – GRAVEFACE FEST 2

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Photos by Boston Concert Photography

Sunday nights lately have been quite good to us Bostonians, bands have come to our freezing town, warmed us up on nights that normally wouldn’t attract good crowds. Again, we were fortunate to have native Texan, Robert Ellis bring his new album and some friends into town for a night we won’t soon forget.

Ian O’Neil of Deer Tick opened the show, along Dennis Ryan, and sang a few songs from his side project Happiness, a few Deer Tick favorites, as well as a Neil Young cover in there. It’s an interesting and altogether different show than any of the other times I’ve seen Ian on stage. With Ian sitting on a stool quietly strumming away, it matched the intimacy of the small venue at Great Scott.

After O’Neil’s set, Robert Ellis, a man who opened on this stage last April for one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen with Shovels & Rope and Jonny Fritz, grabbed the spotlight. He warmed us all up with some of my favorites from his debut, and a whole lot of songs from his recent release, The Lights from the Chemical Plant. The new songs seemed to translate well to live audience, and standouts on the record hit even more so as the songs poured out of Ellis. Songs like, Good Intentions, Steady as a Rising Sun, Sing Along, Houston, and even the cover of Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years and not to mention an impromptu (maybe?) rendition of Hall & Oates’ classic Rich Girl. It was a fantastic night of great music, one we won’t soon forget.

With a dash of effervescence, some of the terrible winter that seems to never be vacating the Boston area is lifted with Miniature Tigers’ newest effort “Swimming Pool Blues,” off upcoming record Cruel Runnings. The result feels quite a bit like a Something Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin track, a total pop gem that will have you singing, bobbing, and chair dancing in no time. At least, it did for me. It’s a great feel for this band, blends a perfect nostalgia into their energetic pop stylings.

Look for Cruel Runnings, May 27th.
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