5 Albums You May Have Missed in 2011

It's customary at this time of year to publish one's favorite albums or least favorite albums, favorite album covers, top 10/50/100 songs, etc. Trying to think outside the box I decided to post 5 albums that flew just under the radar this year that should be added to your collection.

In no particular order...

Hugo - Old Tyme Religion
(Released May 10, 2011)

It's soulful, it's melodic, it's funky, it's bold and yet mellow and it's the perfect soundtrack to get you through any circumstance life throws at you. One of those albums that can take you higher, bring you lower, inspire you to move mountains or even allow you to release any pent up anger. Hugo's voice is as smooth as butter while the orchestration on the record conveys the rare emotion behind the song's intention. Must hear tracks: "Bread & Butter", "Hurt Makes It Beautiful", and "Hopelessly Stoned". Plus the use of banjo on "99 Problems" (a Jay-Z cover) shows musical craftsmanship at it's finest.

Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks
(Released April 19, 2011)

With the grace of Motown and the rhythm of The Streets, Plan B has found a delightful balance between pop, soul, rock and rap. It's refreshing to hear a hip hop artist with a beautiful high range singing voice who can also belt out an educated rant of a rap. Definitely recommended for all the fans of the '60s nostalgia resurgence a la Fitz & The Tantrums / Amy Winehouse. Must Hear Tracks: "She Said", "Stay Too Long" and "What You Gonna Do".


Viva City - Phobia
(Released March 14, 2011)

With a modern electronic twist on new romanticism, it only takes 30 seconds for Viva City to launch into their nonstop dance party that is Phobia and for the next 48 minutes it's on. Delectable electronic beats & samples paired with live drums, bass and guitar to thicken out the tracks underneath an already catchy melody? Yes please. Must Hear Tracks: "Brother", "Heat It Up", and "Hot Wax".

Psst, if you're lucky enough to be able to - check them out live!

AWOLNATION - Megalithic Symphony
(Released March 29, 2011)

Aaron Bruno has taken the pop/rock hit songwriting formula from his previous band Under The Influence of Giants, brought his dancing shoes and thrown in a side of angst to create the gem that is AWOLNATION. Their debut album Megalithic Symphony is gritty, witty, and hits you like a ton of bricks. Trust me, you'll be replaying this one often. Must Hear Tracks: "Guilty Filthy Soul", "Sail" and "Burn It Down".


Hurricane Bells - Tides and Tales
(Released October 25, 2011)

Picking up where Longwave left off, Hurricane Bells is simply fantastic. Each track layered like an onion of aural indie rock goodness complete with jangly guitars, minor feedback mixed to perfection, quirky melodies, driving drum beats, and much much more. Makes me miss the NYC indie rock scene circa 2003. Must Hear Tracks: "House On Fire", "Possibilities", and "Before I'm Gone".



Missing some of these albums? No problem, just click the album cover to purchase on Amazon.

The Return of The Darkness

It's been a brilliant month for High Voltage. Recently I traveled to England to get a jump start on our next cover story, which I'm happy to reveal will be British rock sensations The Darkness. You may recall them from their hit single "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" that swept the nation in 2003 (and for that matter, a large chunk of the world). Well, after a short hiatus the band is back on their feet and getting ready to release their third studio album.

After headlining most of this summer's European music festivals, The Darkness embarked on what they so aptly named the Every Inch of UK tour (which, like the name states, covered just about every inch of the countryside) and High Voltage was along for a few memorable moments of the journey. While a lot of the stories will be saved for the Winter Issue I'm happy to be able to share a few photos with you now to compliment the announcement of The Darkness' next US tour! That's right - the boys are back in town February 2012. Tickets go on sale this week and Facebook fans will have a chance to purchase tickets before the general public. And to match that timing, our Winter Issue will come out Feb 1st as well!

It's been a long battle for rock n roll these last few years, but with this triumphant return of guitar mastery rock n roll might just make it for a few more rounds. Phew!

TOUR DATES

Date	City	Venue
2/1	Toronto, CANADA	Phoenix
2/3	Boston, MA	Paradise
2/4	New York, NY	Irving Plaza
2/7	Philadelphia, PA	Trocadero
2/8	Washington, D.C.	9:30 Club
2/10	Detroit, MI	St Andrew's Hall
2/11	Chicago, IL	Metro
2/12	Minneapolis, MN	First Avenue
2/15	Denver, CO	Summit
2/17	Las Vegas, NV	House of Blues
2/18	Phoenix, AZ	Celebrity Theatre
2/19	Los Angeles, CA	House of Blues - Sunset Strip
2/21	San Francisco, CA	Fillmore

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter

It's a beautiful day!

Having just returned from a quick trip to Walt Disney World where I experienced six Hanson shows over two days, I can't think of a happier moment in time to unveil the brand new High Voltage website & officially welcome back the return of our print issues! As such November 3rd, 2011 will always be a date for us to remember.

The past few months have been a glorious journey of watching ideas come to life and we couldn't have done it without YOU (so, THANK YOU!). The brand new website is looking sexy (as you can see) and we were finally able to recover a lot of our original content from over the years we thought we had lost forever when our old hosting company, CyberPixels, disappeared one day... never to be heard from again. But thanks to Archive.org you'll be seeing a lot of our back archives pop up over the next few weeks as we recover as much as we can. Make sure to bookmark the site and keep checking back regularly for new and old content alike!


Are you in Los Angeles tonight? If so, we hope you'll come join us to celebrate the launch of our Fall 2011 issue tonight at On The Rox (that's the little bar above The Roxy on Sunset Strip). The festivities begin at 9pm & it's free to get in. Plus there will be giveaways (tons of them!) and four bands throughout the evening including a very surprise debut performance from a brand new project you're gonna love. You can also grab your own copy of the new issue on-site.

If you can't make it for the celebration - you can currently view the cover, which features Fitz & The Tantrums, on the homepage or about us sections of the site. We'll have the digital edition posted soon as well.

Well, that's it for now. Let us know what you think of the new and improved High Voltage by leaving a comment below or tweet us @highvoltagemag!

Thank you for your gifts, Amy.

The lovely and talented Amy Winehouse passed away yesterday, July 23rd, 2011, at the young age of 27. This isn't news; this is a tribute to Amy and the opportunity High Voltage had to work with her in 2007.

Amy made her debut at SXSW in 2007 showcasing her soon-to-be #1 hit "Rehab". Having been hired by Island Records UK to do some grassroots marketing for their artists that year, we (High Voltage) hit the pavement in Austin, TX with various marketing materials trying to get as many people as possible to Island's BBQ/party at Bourbon Street on 6th. Amy had a presence about her, she wasn't quite at her peak of "insanity" (as media might label it) yet but you could tell she was troubled. She was shy and reserved, but very sharp. I remember her having a larger than life aura that I couldn't look away from, my eyes were constantly drawn to wherever she was in the room (on or off stage)... she was already a star.


Another thing I loved about Amy was her sultry voice. It's no hidden fact that I'm not a huge fan of the female vocal - but I couldn't get enough of Amy's voice. Her, Janis Joplin, Peggy Lee and Norah Jones all steal me away. Her musical gifts will go down in history and be forever treasured.

Thanks for the inspiration, talent, and solid recordings Amy. Rest in peace my friend. You will be missed.

P.S. Here's a video from that SXSW performance I referred to above at Bourbon Street. I would've embedded it, but Island disabled the option: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black - SXSW 2007 Island Records BBQ

Musings of the Uncool

It's been awhile since I posted, I realize this. I've been wanting to but there just hasn't been any piece of music or live show that's motivated me enough to take the extra time. I guess that's what happens when you don't have an editor breathing down your throat for new content. I promise I'll get better - I miss this outlet for my inner thoughts.

In the meantime, I do have to say some big ideas and plans are brewing for High Voltage. If you aren't following our Twitter page, do so: @highvoltagemag or if you prefer Facebook, like us: facebook.com/highvoltagemagazine. Both pages are a bit more active for those looking for some regular content.

Also, following in tradition - I visited with my old tour mates 100 Monkeys this past Saturday, May 21st at their show at El Rey Theatre. Taking a cue from our twitter followers (who kept recommending this one band), I showed up early to check out opening act Toy Bombs. They were worth every second of time and I highly recommend you check them out. With a bit of mystique, the energy of Devo and an indie-rock sound The Strokes wish they still possessed - Toy Bombs will blow you away.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Toy Bombs will be playing the High Voltage event at The Mint on June 22nd. Also on the bill, one man wonder: eli james! Get your tickets here!

Talk soon.
Chelsea

The Walkmen @ Henry Fonda Music Box

Never really quite sure what the right name for The Henry Fonda Theatre is (aka The Music Box), but on September 15th, 2010 NY's own The Walkmen took the stage in Los Angeles. The show was taped for Last Call with Carson Daly, but while you're waiting for that to air here's a photo recap:



Official Site | Myspace

Free Energy - Live @ Viper Room

Free Energy
Viper Room
West Hollywood, CA
September 7, 2010

What's not to love about Free Energy? From the almost dueling guitar sounds of Geoff Bucknam & Scott Wells, who remind me of a beginner's Thin Lizzy, to the vocal stylings of Paul Sprangers whose tone is easily comparable to Texas rocker Ben Kweller (but if Ben was singing Cheap Trick tunes); Free Energy is today's blessing in the pop rock world.

On September 7th, they graced the world famous Viper Room stage to a packed house and rocked the crowd. It's true, it's hard to get LA dancing but with the help of Sean Tillman (Har Mar Superstar) Free Energy got more than half the room in at least a very heavy sway during "Something In Common." And of course, when "Bang Pop" was whipped out towards the end of the set the grooves just couldn't be controlled by most.

Their next appearance in Los Angeles will be accompanied by Foxy Shazam (another High Voltage pick) at the Troubadour on October 28th. If you missed the Viper Room show, mark this one down in your calendar now and bring your dancing shoes!

Photo Gallery from the Viper Room:









Official Site | Myspace

Brandon Flowers @ The Troubadour

Brandon Flowers
The Troubadour
West Hollywood, CA
August 17, 2010

Ok, I must admit The Killers lost me somewhere shortly after Hot Fuss. Sam's Town was a bit of a stray for me to the point that I never even listened to Day & Age. That said, walking into The Troubadour tonight I had no idea what to expect from Brandon Flowers' solo and was pleasantly surprised.

Hitting the stage at 9pm, I was already impressed to discover that Brandon's band was made up of some of the members of indie-darlings Ambulance LTD. Jumping straight into the set, I found Brandon's tunes to be catchy, dance-able and frankly delicious. Especially enjoying "Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts." Needless to say when 40 minutes had passed and the 10 songs on Brandon's setlist had come to end, there was definitely a craving for more. His album, Flamingo, comes out next month; I'm not promising much but at least we're hopeful for a solid solo debut. Way to go, Brandon!

Music is the glue of the world.

Have you ever really sat down and pondered how much music effects/enhances any mood? When you're sitting in traffic, fast-paced tracks make you more antsy to get out of traffic while a slow-paced track helps you enjoy the weather outside. After a break-up, some of the old classics by Nat King Cole or say Peggy Lee alongside some girl-powered punk come in handy. The soundtrack of a movie helps create drama, intensify a love scene, or even prep for action.

I mean when you really think on it, there's no purpose music doesn't help with. Which is why I'd like to take a minute to thank every songwriter & musician out there. Whether you realize it or not, every single one of you at some point has touched the life of someone who needed it. THANK YOU.

Signed,
A Grateful Music Lover