Quick News

Taking to social media, Australia's Gold Fields have shown that they are in the studio working on their sophomore album. No release has been set.

Earlier this year, fans in Richmond, Virginia, where Dave Grohl lived and owns a home, started a fan funded campaign to get Foo Fighters to play in their city. They reached their goal and the Foo's are obliging and tonight will play the concert and thus Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones has declared September 17, "Foo Fighters Day."

Also getting a day in his honor is David Bowie. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is declaring September 23, "David Bowie Day" in the city to celebrate the opening of "David Bowie Is.." the retrospect on the iconic singers career that will be on display the Museum of Contemporary Art.

In December, a four-CD live box set of The Miles Davis Quintet featuring John Coltrane will be available for the first time. The set called, All of You: The Last Tour 1960, features the iconic groups 1960 European tour that featured the end of Davis working with Coltrane.

Metallica will be releasing a live box set that will feature all of the bands 27 2014 performances. The set will be available in batches of three every Monday from now until the end of the year.

Black Map, featuring members of Dredge, Far, and Trophy Fire will release their debut, ....And We Explode next month via Minus Head.

Speaking to NME, Serge Pizarro of Kasabian said the band are already working on the next record. Saying, "I'm always thinking about [the next record]. As soon as a week's passed after finishing one record, I'm on to the next. I've no idea whatsoever what it's going to be like yet – this is the best bit 'cos it could go anywhere. But it'll definitely be heavy. It'll definitely be bombastic. That's what's going on in my head right now."

Could Jay Z and Beyonce be releasing a joint album? The blockbuster couple are reportedly working on an album together according to DJ Skee. He said on his radio show, "The biggest couple in music… they’re working on an album together. You know who I’m talking about – Jay Z and Beyoncé. I have confirmed. I have talked with a couple of sources. We all know what Jay Z did with Samsung last year, and we all know how Beyonce came out of nowhere, but this secret will top all of them.” No official word has been made.

Playlist

 Take a look at October's 27-song playlist and enjoy it on Spotify!

Playlist

 Take a look at August's 27 track playlist and hear it on Spotify!

Quick Spins

David Bowie – The Next Day

The Thin White Duke returns with his first album in a decade and one of classic rock’s greatest enigmas and shape-shifters does not disappoint. The Next Day is a rock and roll cabaret that hears Bowie with some of his finest work. With chomping guitars, lyrical stabs at pop culture and paparazzi, pounding drums, and even the occasional sci-fi ballad here and there, The Next Day proves that age is just a number and the reason why fans had to wait was for something this special.

FINAL GRADE: A

Ill Bill – The Grimy Awards

On his third album Brooklyn via Queens rapper Ill Bill holds nothing back and brings forth one of the years best hip-hop records, so far. With inspiration from hip-hop’s heyday of the 1990’s and a lyrical delivery that will make anyone stand up and pay attention, The Grimey Awards is Ill Bill’s cathartic expression of his love of all music, his family, and the people that helped shift him to become the man he is. With special guests like A-Trak, Jedi Mind Tricks, Meyhem Lauren, Cormega, El-P, and even H.R. from Bad Brains and many more and featuring flawless production from Pete Rock, DJ Premier, El-P, DJ Muggs, Large Professor, and many more, Ill Bill shows his furious skills as an emcee, producer, and curator. The Grimy Awards is a MUST listen for any fan of real hip-hop.

FINAL GRADE: A

SexMob – SexMob Plays Fellini

The iconic jazz outfit, Sex Mob, released an album of their take of Nino Rota’s famous scores from his time working with iconic Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. A band with a unique and fresh jazz sound like the Mob could only take on a score as unique and fresh as Rota’s.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Kavinsky – OutRun

Taking inspiration from 1980’s pop culture like Miami Vice, Knight Rider and a Sega video game called OutRun, the French house DJ tells a story through sound and slick style that will have fans of early Daft Punk smile. OutRun is a concept record about a man who crashes his Ferrari Testarossa resulting in him becoming a zombie who produces electronic music. As much fun as that storyline may seem, listening to the record and imaging that is just as good.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Johnny Marr – The Messenger

The legendary guitarist returns with his latest solo album and while it is traditional Johnny Marr music – jangling guitars, progressive chord changes, and very catchy riffs, it shows that if the formula is broke, do not mess with it. It is what made his work in The Smiths so iconic. Marr sings and plays on The Messenger and seems to be having a blast still making music. Though, the last few records he has made he has been playing guest guitarist on, from Oasis’ 2002 Heathen Chemistry, Modest Mouse’s 2007 We Were All Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, and The Cribs 2010 release Ignore The Ignorant, Marr comes back front and center and shows that he still has it.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Jared Evan – Boom, Blap, and Blues

Long Island R&B singer Jared Evan returns with a fresh new outlook on his music. Linking up with Statik Selektah for quality production, Evan is underground R&B’s answer to someone like Miguel. With guest appearances from Action Bronson, Boom, Blap, and Blues shows that Selektah is hooking Evan up with all the right friends.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Atlas Genius – When It Was Now

Australian buzz band Atlas Genius finally release their long awaited debut and it does not dissapoint. When It Was Now is a cross between bouncy electronic-rock like Phoenix and Gold Fields to indie rock like Local Natives.

FINAL GRADE: B+

How to Destroy Angels – Welcome Oblivion

After two EP’s in three years, Trent Reznor’s other band finally brings their debut to the table. What fans have heard and known about Angels through the years still holds true on Welcome Oblivion, it contains many of the same elements Reznor and his Oscar winning composing partner Atticus Ross have made with their music scores and with NIN, yet, this time, Mrs. Trent Reznor is on vocals making their music now sound as seductive as it is aggressive.

FINAL GRADE: B+

The Men – New Moon

Brooklyn garage rockers The Men decide to bring down the decibel levels and distortion and begin to get personal and introspective. New Moon is the follow-up to last years acclaimed, Open Your Heart, the rockers went to the Catskills and crafted a very different record for themselves and their fans and the change may be a good change of pace.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Javelin – Hi Beams

Bouncy Brooklyn electronic duo, Javelin return with their latest record. Much like their 2010 album, No Mas, the duo take a swipe at pop culture and have fun making loopy and catchy beats.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Blue Hawaii – Untogether

The Montreal duo bring together seductive electronic beats and sweeping songs on their debut album. While they spent two years making this record, longtime fans of the band may ask “Is this it?” while new ears may be turned on to their sound.

FINAL GRADE: B

Cappadonna – Eryth, Wynd, and Fyre

The Wu-Tang member releases his seventh studio album and brings together Show Stopper, Soloman Childs, Lounge Mode and Sav Killz and one of the few Wu records to feature no other members of the Clan. Maybe Cappa is really trying to break free of the mold or trying to do something different? Something time will tell.

FINAL GRADE: B

Youth Lagoon – Wondrous Bughouse

Taking on topics like psychology and the universe, Trevor Powers aka Youth Lagoon brings together never ending deep discussions presented over pop music on Wondrous Bughouse. As SXSW approaches and a looming tour with The National comes about this Summer, this may be one of the years most talked about albums from one of the years most talked about artists.

FINAL GRADE: B

Shout Out Louds – Optica

The Swedish garage rock band returns with much of the same rambunctious formula and music that fans around the world have loved for years.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Jamie Lidell

The English beatmaker and singer/songwriter brings early 90’s club pop and dance on his sixth release. While his vocals tend to be mismatched with the music, he does prove the early 90’s was and will always be remembered for grunge and gangsta rap and not its electronic music.

FINAL GRADE: C 

Gold Fields on Kimmel!

 Watch the always amazing Gold Fields make their US TV debut and perform "Dark Again (Lights Out)" and "Moves" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Quick Spins

Atoms for Peace – AMOK

Thom Yorke returns with his second solo LP and the debut LP of his side project Atoms For Peace. This band began as the touring band who supported Yorke in 2009 as his backing band when he finally took his 2006 solo release, The Eraser on the road. The band, which consisted of longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Goodrich, Flea, Joey Waronker, and Mauro Refosco, is now much more than Yorke’s solo backing band, they are his full on side project. AMOK is the band venturing into new musical landscapes and taking electronic elements set forth by artists like Four Tet, Flying Lotus, and Burial, and mixing it with acid jazz and world music, AMOK is much more than just a daring Radiohead venture for Yorke, or just a place where music junkies can jam together and make crazy shit, it is a band that is looking to push the musical landscapes and test their limits as musicians and as music fans.

FINAL GRADE: A+

Darkstar – News From Nowhere

If you heard Darkstar’s 2010 breakthrough, North, and heard their latest offering you would believe it is two different bands, however, the change for Darkstar is not one that will leave fans in the dust, it is one to embrace. News From Nowhere hears the British real dubstep band experiment more with colorful synths, layers, tape loops, and vocal experiments to present a colorful array of fantastic music. If North was a dark subconscious record that took listeners to dark places, News From Nowhere is much more cerebral and much more fantasy dreamlike than subconscious.

FINAL GRADE: A

Foals – Holy Fire

The British alternative band return with their third record, and it is simply their best. Foals are an interesting band, they are a band whose sound evolve in all the right ways and you can hear their progression with each record. Holy Fire is their latest offering, which hears the band paint with sound in the listeners ear and manage to take the listener on a journey which will have them moving and wondering the whole way.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Gold Fields – Black Sun

This Australian electro-rock band has been on our radar for a year now and finally they answer the call with their debut, Black Sun, and what a debut it is. One of the best debuts of the year (so far), Gold Fields manage to capture what many bands struggle to do, bottle the energy from their live shows and toss it on a full album. Black Sun is a bouncy, electronic adventure with a sonic style that will have you hitting repeat at the end of every spin of this album.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Iceage – You’re Nothing

The Danish post-hardcore / garage titans return with their most in-your-face album to date. You’re Nothing is a brutal, bone crunching ode to static guitars, pounding drums and brutal hooks.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Inspectah Deck / 7L / Esoteric – Czarface

Three hip-hop titans team up for a trident of intense beats, rhymes, and progress while looking back. Taking queues from hip-hop’s glory days of the 1990’s, Czarface also lays out a blueprint to future collaborative hip-hop groups as to how it should be done. With special guests Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Ghostface Killah, Cappadonna, Mr. MotherFuckin Exquire, and more, Czarface plays like The Avengers coming together on the mic.  

FINAL GRADE: A-

Screaming Females – Chalk Tape E.P.

The New Jersey garage trio come back after releasing their last full length nearly a year ago and bring something new to the table. In stead of wall-to-wall fuzzy guitars and screaming choruses, Screaming Females explore their limits as musicians and songwriters and take an interesting, but subtle step into their future.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse

The Scottish indie band returns with their fourth record and finds the band tackling broader topics about the world around them rather than the world within them. A much more wide-ranging album in terms of themes, but also manage to make the music still very intimate and not deviate too much for what they are known for.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away

The legendary Australian singer returns with his iconic band on their latest offering. Push Away the Sky Away is a very minimal record for Nick Cave, it is filled with many creepy and dark spaces, but also keeps their flare intact. Cave, as usual, is a master lyricist and comments on everything from religion, sex, love, society, pop culture (There is even a reference to Hannah Montana and having Miley Cyrus as “the best girl I ever had”) and blends it with erotic delivery. Push the Sky Away is basically Cave reading poetry over music and there is nothing wrong with that!

FINAL GRADE: B+

Beach Fossils – Clash the Truth

The Brooklyn surf-rockers return with a record that does what their last did, bring pop hooks and slick guitar riffs together for a well packaged fun in the sun LP.

FINAL GRADE: B

The Mary Onnettes – Hit the Waves

The Swedish dream-pop band return with a record that hears them opening up a bit more and into new territory. Hit the Waves is a record that hears The Mary Onnettes take on electronic hooks and beats and pull in inspiration from 80’s New Wave to bring back a much more unique sound for them.

FINAL GRADE: B

Jim James – Regions of Light and Sound of God

My Morning Jacket’s Jim James arrives with his solo debut and it is a strick departure from his main band and his other alias Yim Yames. Regions of Light and Sound of God is not a folk record, it is not a rock record, it is record of James trying out new sounds, styles, and musical tastes that he could not do with his other work and for that it is a grand ambition.

FINAL GRADE: B

The Rescues – Blah Blah Love and War

The L.A. rockers return with their new album and while they know how to make a perfect pop-rock song, not much has changed in the bands formula since their 2010 debut.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Puscifer – Donkey Punch the Night E.P.

Maynard James Keenan’s band returns with an E.P. to wet the whistle of fans until a possible new studio record arrives. Mainly recorded with the same line-up of their 2011 release, Conditions of My Parole, Puscifer headed to Keenan’s Arizona vineyard to make their latest offering which hears them cover Queen, Accept, the E.P. is just a sample as to what the band could be doing next in experimenting with electronic sounds and noise.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Ducktails – The Flower Lane

The side project of Real Estate’s Matthew Mondanile is a low-key, somewhat tired and lazy release. The Flower Lane does not say or do much musically, it simply just plays with nothing too interesting happening or going on.

FINAL GRADE: C

Darwin Deez – Songs for Imaginative People

Darwin Deez has always been an interesting character because he simply is just himself and makes no apologies for it, which, by all means is perfect for the music world. Yet, his latest Songs for Imaginative People, he tries to do too much and it does not work. From punk riffs to electronic blips and under his emo style singing. Deez needs to focus on what he can do, rather than what he wants to do.

FINAL GRADE: C-

Playlist

 It is that time of the month - Take a look and listen to February's 27 track playlist on Spotify!

10 Artists to Watch in 2013

As we look into the New Year, we look forward to see what new sights and sounds 2013 will bring us. Here is a list of 10 musical acts that are sure to make a name for themselves during the next 12 months.

1) AlunaGeorge

While Brooklyn keeps cranking out bands or the "the next big thing" like it serves PBR's, across the pond in London they are still showing they can not only keep up with what is cool in America, but create the blueprint of how American acts will do it. With that, meet AlunaGeorge a British duo making R&B, grime, indie and blending it all so perfectly - think Erykah Badu or Frank Ocean singing over Grimes-esque beats.

2) ANTHM

New York rapper ANTHM is a Duke University grad and has worked on Wall Street, and saw the cutthroat world of what the financial field had to offer. After collaborating with west coast rapper Blu and releasing his EP, Joy & Pain last year, ANTHM is now turning heads in the blogosphere as he brings the glory days of 90's hip-hop back to life.

3) FIDLAR

A California band who stands for “Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk,” have no fear of risking it all as they have stormed through the indie world and festival circuit in 2012, yet, with the release of their debut early in the year, FIDLAR will certainly be one of the most talked about bands of 2013.

4) Cast of Cheers

These Irish rockers have been making a name for themselves for years back home, now as they look to broaden their horizons and break internationally. The Cast of Cheers take the early 00’s new Britrock sounds of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand and mix it with the hyper elements of Foals and Two Door Cinema Club and find the perfect balance.

5) Daughter

One of CMJ 2012’s breakout bands were UK’s Daughter, an atmospheric cold-wave inspired band that turned heads with their live shows and striking sound. After signing to the brilliant Glassnote music (Phoenix, Mumford & Sons, The Temper Trap) Daughter will look to take this years SXSW by storm the way they did CMJ.

6) Gold Fields

Here is a band that came to the U.S. with hardly any publicity and slowly turned heads and gained fans thanks to their jaw dropping live shows. After signing to Astralwerks, these Austrialian electro rockers will release their debut, Black Sun, in February and if the songs sound anything like they do on stage, well, they already released one of 2013’s best albums.

7) Action Bronson

For the last two years, this cook-turned-emcee from Flushing, Queens, has been making a name for himself thanks in part to giving away a handful of free mixtapes. Sparking interest and fans from everyone like Mark Sanchez to A$AP Rocky, and linking up with producers like Party Supplies and The Alchemist, Action Bronson’s official debut album will be a welcomed record with much fan fair and anticipation.

8) Team Spirit

After leaving Passion Pit, multi-instrumentalist Ayad Al Adhamy formed Team Spirit, a rock and roll band that packs just as much energy as a can of Red Bull and with the release of their debut record this year, Team Spirit will storm every town and turn it into the most fun occasion any venue will see this year.

 9) Metz

One of the heaviest and hardworking bands to come from Canada in some time, Metz make DIY post-hardcore and simply melt the faces of anyone they play in front of. After releasing their self titled debut in the fall of 2012, the band have toured and toured and toured and will go into 2013 touring some more and making sure everyone they come in contact with is a fan and lover of their viciously beautiful music.

10) Palma Violets

Palma Violets have been hailed as one of the Britain's best new bands, they sell-out nearly every gig they play, they have already graced the cover of NME and have done this all before releasing a full album. The story and hype of Palma Violets is similar to that of The Vaccines, who by this time two years ago had nearly everyone in Britain foaming at the mouth for what they were going to do next. With their debut arriving in early 2013, Palma Violets will answer the hype 

EXCLUSIVE! GOLD FIELDS INTV!

No new band turned our heads more in 2012 than Australia's Gold Fields. The electro inspired rock and roll outfit from the small town of Ballarat made their mark in the U.S. after their appearances at SXSW, CMJ, and touring with Diamond Rings, the band proved they are latest thunder from Down Under. As the band readies a return to the U.S. this winter to support the release of their new album, Black Sun, Gold Fields will shine in more cities and will guaranteed be further embraced by audiences from here to all around the world. Once Black Sun hits shelves and eardrums, it will come as no surprise that anyone who hears the record will understand why this band from such a small town will take the world by storm. We spoke to singer and lyricist, Mark Robert Fuller about their live shows, formation, and their new found acclaim. Take a look at our interview with Fuller below:

This band went from local heroes to now being an international buzz band, how do you explain the whirlwind?

The past year and a bit has definitely been a whirlwind.. I wouldn't say we are local heroes but our shows at home have been lots of fun lately. We got to go to America for a month while SXSW was on and we played a few shows over there that seemed to go really well. I guess now we're just looking forward to getting back over there for a proper tour.. I think that's happening in July. 

Your song “Treehouse,” has been credited for a lot of your success. How did the song come about?

Yeah, it started as an instrumental that Ryan had written and we took the vocal parts from a song I'd written a couple of years ago and it worked.. and then with Vin's guitar and harmonies in there it turned into a song. It was the first song we ever wrote and it was recorded in Vin's bedroom. At the time, we never really knew if we'd show anybody but a few weeks later, it was getting played on alternative radio at home. 

 Hailing from Ballarat, Australia, did you ever think you would be discovered?

Nope. A lot of this stuff that's happening was never in the plan.. We just wanted to write some music we liked and hopefully be able to play it in front of some people for fun. 

The bands sound is so unique and very intense, who are some of your influences?

Well we grew up listening to pop and rock music mainly.. then we started, we wanted to take some percussive ideas from hip hop and try write pop music on top of it. And those two things are still the main influence on our music. I've been getting nostalgic and listening to lots of 90's Disney soundtracks lately.. And even the current American pop chart bullshit is inspiring me a lot at the moment, which is probably a bad thing. 

How did the band form?

Four of us went to school together in Ballarat and have been mates for ten years. Vin and I met Ryan through playing in our old bands with his old band and decided to start this new thing. Luke and Rob were good mates of ours and even though they'd never been in bands before, we asked them to come and jam. We started writing and it just worked. 

Are there gold fields in Ballarat, is that how you got the name?

There are... We weren't trying to be patriotic or anything when we came up with it though. Vin and Luke were just driving back from practice in Melbourne one night and they saw a sign that said "Gold Fields". At that stage, we were calling ourselves 'The Woods' but we'd never played a show and nobody had ever heard of us. We couldn't be called 'The Woods' because that name was taken. And Gold Fields felt right. 

 Your live shows, easily some of our favorites, are just as intense and crazy as the sound you make. Do you ever get off stage and feel like how are you going to do this night after night?

Yep. I think that most nights. A lot of the time my singing has been pretty rough and I've wondered if we'd ever get booked for another show. Getting all our gear around is probably the hardest part. We carry a lot more gear than most bands, with two drum kits, two keys, samplers and guitars and lots of hardware. Playing the show is the fun part.

Playing New York City, SXSW and Los Angeles for the first time earlier this year, must have been a great experience. Tell us about it.

Yeah it was amazing. We'd been to LA before, where we started recording our album, but we didn't really play any proper shows. We played one in a tiny bar and one at a street festival during the day. So it was awesome to go over again and play a few decent shows. We were pretty surprised that anybody actually came to watch us and the response from people over there was pretty mind blowing. That trip has probably been the highlight for me so far... I'm really looking forward to playing more shows over there. 

How do the crowds in LA, Austin and NYC differ from what you are used to back down under?

I think they are more interested because we're from Australia. At home, the crowds are great, but it's like we're playing in front of our mates, which is a good thing in lots of ways. But in America it's different because things a slightly more foreign and there's a little sense of excitement in the unknown. 

What was it like working on your debut?

When we signed our deal to make a record, there was a stack of money put towards a producer and some classy studios in America.. So we went straight from our bedroom studio into all of that. We recorded the bulk of 11 or so songs in LA and then came home and did a few more songs with our mate/Aussie producer extraordinaire, Scott Horscroft. 

But a lot of the sounds we got in the nice big studios just weren't right for us, so funnily enough we are currently back at my house right now, programming and recording new sounds to bring the right vibe to the record. We learned so much from the whole experience and from working with Mickey Petralia, who was awesome and extremely wise. But the reality is we will probably end up re-recording most of it ourselves. 

Did you ever think that any of this would ever happen to you?

Nope, haha... I never really thought anybody would care about anything I wrote.

You guys do a phenomenal cover of Underworld’s “Born Slippy,” how did you decide within in the band to cover a song like that?

We were about to start the Parklife tour, which is a dance music festival tour in Australia and we wanted to do a cover because it was very early on and we knew no-one would know our music. It came on the radio one day and it just clicked.. I knew the guys would be up for it and that we'd be able to make it interesting enough with all our live instruments. That did go down really well, especially in the states. It's a lot of fun to play. 

20 Best Gigs of 2012

2012 was an impeccable year for music and live shows. We were fortunate enough to see some amazing reunions like Refused, Pulp, Black Sabbath and At the Drive-in at Lollapalooza, to Bjork's Biophila residency,  and The Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary bash with special guests Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, The Black Keys, Gary Clarke Jr., Mick Taylor, and John Mayer. Here is a list of our 20 favorite gigs of the year! 

1) The Rolling Stones @ Prudential Center

2) Bjork @ Roseland

3) Nas @ Radio City

4) Pulp @ Radio City

5) Refused @ Terminal 5

6) Coldplay @ Izod Center

7) Black Keys / Arctic Monkeys @ Madison Square Garden

8) Radiohead @ Prudential Center

9) Mumford & Sons @ Pier 1 

10) Florence & the Machine @ Jones Beach

11) Revival Tour @ Bowery Ballroom

12) Gold Fields @ Mercury Lounge

13) New Order @ Roseland

14) Morrissey @ Radio City

15) Hot Water Music @ Gramercy Theater

16) M83 @ Terminal 5

17) Portugal. The Man @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

18) Silversun Pickups @ Ed Sullivan Theater

19) Circa Survive @ Terminal 5

20) The Gaslight Anthem @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 

Live Review - Diamond Rings / Gold Fields @ Bowery Ballroom

On an unusually warm December night in New York City, the biggest blast of heat did not come from Mother Nature, it came from within the Bowery Ballroom. Glam rock-pop singer Diamond Rings and electro rockers Gold Fields performed to a near sold-out crowd on the final night of their tour together in the United States. 

As the houselights dimmed before 9pm on Tuesday night and the crowd began shuffling into the main area for Australia's Gold Fields to come on, there was an interesting sense of curiosity and excitement as one of the break-out bands of CMJ 2012 was returning to New York since the festival. In the third time we have covered this band, we can proudly say we were at their very first U.S. show in the spring, Gold Fields keep getting better and better. The idea of having them open for Diamond Rings made perfect sense as two of Astralwerks most exciting artists were working and playing together and making bodies move across the country is fantastic. From the pounding tribal drums to the distorted keyboards to thumping bass lines and catchy guitar hooks, the audience were loving every second of what they were offering on stage. The bands sound, which is a cross between New Order and early Nine Inch Nails with 90's electronica like Underworld and Chemical Brothers thrown in is hard to not make anyone fall in love with what they were doing. Singer Mark Robert Fuller sometimes shy moments under his black hoodie would break as soon as he felt the time would be right to move around and dance his ass off on stage, which in turn got everyone in the crowd moving like they would at a music festival. As the band has returned to NYC, they looked more confident than ever and the audiences are growing, which is great for them since their debut, Black Sun, arrives in February. Gold Fields still prove to be the best new live band we have seen all year. Giving it everything they have with a giant smile on their faces, they still manage to take a crowd to new heights with their phenomenal cover of Underworld's "Born Slippy." As the thirty minutes they were on stage ended and the houselights came back up, the jaws of everyone in the room were firmly on the floor - mission accomplished lads!

While everyone seemed to still be recovering from the brilliance of Gold Fields, it was still time for the nights headliner to come on stage - Diamond Rings. After witnessing Diamond Rings a few times now, the main lesson is to expect the unexpected. As his band walked on stage and began an electronic overture, Rings, seeming to float on stage as he was dressed in neon glasses and a metallic blanket, one resembling the kind marathon runners receive after they completed their run, immediately began to entertain without even doing much. After finishing his opening opus, it was then into his normal attire of a studded white leather jacket and tight black pants as he broke out tracks from his latest, Free Dimensional. The record, which is a throwback to 80's New Wave, glam rock, and early house music is an instant party starter from start to finish and in a day and age where EDM and DJ's are taking over dance floors around the world, it is refreshing to see someone do it with a full live band and do it really well. With a majority of tracks off Free Dimensional being played, all of Bowery Ballroom were dancing the night away. Within 30 minutes on stage, Rings already had gone through six costume changes and was not stopping. As he ran around on stage and clinched in mic like and OG rapper, he broke down the 4th wall between him and his crowd. He is a fun but frivolous entertainer, he does not care what anyone thinks of him as long as they are enjoying themselves as echoed in his latest single, "I'm Just Me." As Diamond Rings stays who he is, it is a testament that more artists like this need to emerge and evolve in todays music landscape, just be carefree, smart, clever and most of all - have fun. 

 Gold Fields 

For more pictures of the event, LIKE us on FACEBOOK
With This I Think I'm Officially A Yuppie

Promote Your Page Too

Quick News

Gold Fields have confirmed that their debut album, Black Sun, will be out in January. Take a look at our CMJ feature & interview with the band HERE.

Glasvegas have confirmed to NME that their new album will be called, Whoever Shouts the Loudest. The bands third record will arrive next year and was recorded in singer James Allen's home in Scotland.

Speaking of new records, Snoop Lion (Yes, the artist formally known as Snoop Dogg) will release his reggae album, Reincarnation in February.

After working with Lana Del Rey on his new album, The Bravest Man in the Universe, Bobby Womack is keen on recording a full record with the young New York singer. Womack told The Sun, "I would love to do a whole album with Lana. Maybe I will get that chance, I’m putting it out there now."

The freed member of Pussy Riot, Yekaterina Samutsevich, told NME that, "But it's a more complicated situation for me now. I must act more carefully. They [the Russian government] listen to our telephones." She then spoke of the prison conditions and said, "It was like Groundhog Day. We were all under constant surveillance. All our correspondence was read. In terms of other things: food, a shower once a week, everything was bearable. But if they try to take me back I'll go insane."

Dubstep producer and DJ, Skream (Magnetic Man, Skream & Benga) released a FREE compilation album in celebration of his 10,000 Twitter follower. Download the album HERE.

Gold Fields Stampede CMJ 2012!

From Ballarat to the Big Apple, Australia's Gold Fields and one of our favorite discoveries of 2012 barnstormed through New York City for the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon. The band, who just released their new single, "Dark Again" via Astrelwerks, has gained much attention since their NYC debut in March and after I named them, "One of the most impressive live bands you will ever witness," for Officially A Yuppie and The Huffington Post, Gold Fields have continued to make me proud and prove me right.

After returning to the U.S. at the top of the month for a small tour, the band drove 10 hours last Tuesday after a gig in Ohio to New York City to play their first gig at the Gallow Green rooftop at McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea on Wednesday. On a cool night in NYC, Gold Fields turned up the heat on the posh rooftop bar to a packed place of unknown eyes whose jaws were collectively on the floor watching this band shake from the top of the building right down to the foundation. No exaggeration, the rickety elevator in the building shook as if there was an earthquake happening as the band played on top of the swanky hotel. Yet, that was only another day at the office for Gold Fields as they still had another gig that night at Rose Bar and then six more shows through the weekend, plus countless hours of press and appearances to make. Needless to say, Gold Fields were thrust into the limelight and made everyone who has supported them proud and ecstatic that this small band from the middle of nowhere can pick up some buzz at a legendary music conference.

Adding to the caravan of press chomping at the bit to speak to Australia's new buzz band, we had the chance to speak to drummer Vinci Andanar about their CMJ experience. Take a look below:

How as the tour of the US been?

So far so good! A lot of driving but it's great being on the road and actually seeing the country. The last two times we were here, we only got to see a few places but this time around we've managed to see a lot of cities. 

What is it like touring in a relatively new country and being unknowns?

It's very exciting. There's no expectations on the shows. The crowds so far have been really great. It's weird seeing people singing along. We're so far from home. 

How is CMJ?

We played our last show last night at Aussie BBQ. It's a show full of Australian bands so it was great catching up with a few familiar faces. CMJ was pretty busy for us. We played eight shows in four days so it was pretty hectic at times. There was a good vibe throughout CMJ and all the punters really got into it, which is great!

Do you have anything like this back home?

We have a music conference in Brisbane called Big Sound that goes for a few days where bands get to showcase their music. I think that would be very similar but we haven't played that yet. 

Do you feel like this is the Olympics and you are representing Australia and looking to make them proud back home?

I guess you could say that? Not too sure how much of what happens here actually gets filtered through back home. Our family and friends are very supportive and hopefully we're making them proud.

How are American audiences different from Australian Audiences? 

It seems that Americans warm to us a bit quicker but we think it's just because we have weird accents. 

How are NYC audiences different from everyone else?

It seems like people in New York really love their music and like to support bands so its good for young musicians like us to be able to perform in front of them. 

 Is it intimidating to play a festival that got international bands like U2, Arcade Fire, Oasis, The Verve, and many others put on the musical map?

It's more surreal than anything. 

After CMJ what is next for you? 

Our tour with Diamond Rings starts this Friday (26th) in Chicago. Excited to get on the road again and see more of the country and play more shows.

Rising Artist - Gold Fields

Just last month, Australia's Gold Fields arrived in New York City for their Big Apple debut and after a marathon run at SXSW just the week prior, the band set the city that never sleeps on fire. We witnessed the five-piece band's energy at Mercury Lounge where our jaws firmly hit the floor as to how unstoppable and exhilarating they are as a live band. The band from Ballarat, Australia combine new wave, electronica, 90's techno and mix it with high octane ardor that prove they are a forced to be reckoned with. While the band just have an EP under their belt, they are hoping to record their full length debut for a possible release later this year. Gold Fields are a band to keep on your radar and begin to keep your eyes and ears fixed on because once they release that now-anticipated debut of theirs, Gold Fields are going to shine from Australia to the far dark corners of the Earth.

Live Review - Gold Fields @ Mercury Lounge

In the SXSW hangover, it feels like nearly every band makes their way to either Los Angeles or New York City immediately after the festival and both cities have an abundance of bands more than usual. Just as hard it is to stick out at a massive showcase like SXSW, it is just as difficult to make a mark in the big cities the days after. For most bands, that difficulty can be a factor in reassessing themselves as a live band or realize they could just be too tired to keep on going. As someone who has seen this happen to bands nearly every year after Austin's favorite festival, it is a bit difficult to give a proper review or allow some amnesty, that is, unless the band is someone like Gold Fields.

Gold Fields are an electro-rock / neo-New Wave band from Australia that combine elements of New Order, Two Door Cinema Club, Friendly Fires and Duran Duran. In the wake of SXSW, the Aussie band made their maiden voyage to the Big Apple for two shows - on Tuesday night at Brooklyn venue Glassland and Manhattan's Mercury Lounge. As their set started at 10:15 p.m., it was as if a bomb went off in the venue and immediately, Gold Fields proved they were unlike any band you had seen play the intimate venue before. With the packed room moving as if it was a Saturday night at the cities biggest and best club, the showmanship Gold Fields have on stage is simply uncanny. If one could bottle their energy and sell it, they would make a fortune. Drummer Ryan D’Sylva is simply a lunatic as how he plays his set, with his body moving as fast as the speed of sound it is amazing he does not pass out of exhaustion behind his kit. The band's charismatic singer Mark Robert Fuller knows how to get a crowds attention dancing and running around on stage as if his life depended on it. Yet the band's dance-oriented sound is far too grand and massive for small venues like Mercury Lounge and that is thanks in part to guitarist Vin Anadar, bassist Luke Peldys and percussionist / keyboardist Rob Clifton. Together Gold Fields are one of the most impressive live band's I personally have ever witnessed and one of the most impressive bands you will ever experience. In a set highlighted by their music and their sound, Gold Fields also performed a superb cover of Underworld's classic "Born Slippy," that had everyone in the room in awe. With only a four song EP under their belt, it will be a grand anticipation to hear what they have next.