News bits: Grouplove, Fat Beats, Smashing Pumpkins, Foster the People, Waved Out II, No Age
Kevin Bronson on
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[Random afternoon transmissions:]
‣ Rising fast: Heard that indie-pop quintet Grouplove is signing to Atlantic Records-affiliated Canvasback, which also recently inked the Joy Formidable. That was quick. Grouplove [pictured] has one EP with one good song, but their live show is uplifting in an Edward Sharpe Lite kind of way, and the band’s industry connection probably doesn’t hurt. Can I coin the genre “industry-pop?”
‣ Speaking of industry: Warner has nudged Tom Whalley out.
‣ Speaking of quick signings: Foster the People, scooped up early this summer by Columbia after they heard a hit in “Pumped Up Kicks,” have been holed up working on their music and live show, but that song is making the rounds. Heard it the other night in an episode of “Warehouse 13.” The song came out this week as a 12-inch single, by the way.
‣ Freebie: The latest Smashing Pumpkins song, the ballad “Spangled,” is available for download at the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
‣ Hip-hop heads mourn: Fat Beats, a locus for underground hip-hop, will be closing its Melrose Avenue location Saturday. Its New York store closed Saturday.
‣ Consumer alert: Tickets for Waved Out II on Sept. 25 at the Echo/Echoplex (Dungen, the Entrance Band, the Fresh & Onlys, Summer Darling, So Many Wizards and Lord Huron are among the many acts) are only $10, but they go up in price after midnight Thursday.
‣ Just wondering: Since when does a supposedly journalistic media outlet get all atwitter over a band’s album trailer? Aren’t trailers simply advertising? Times have changed.
Grouplove photo by Ethan Scott
Grouplove actually sounds legit… Like there sound…
Let’s hope they don’t get Miley Cyrus fever
grouplove has one good song? that entire EP is amazing! I’m writing from new york, but have been following the band from LA since the fourth or fifth show they played (saw them at a hotel cafe show?) and I think they are the real thing.
Woah totally disagree about GL having one good song. They’re live set blew me to Jupiter, and they played about 9 songs and they, all like I just said, blew me up, over the fence, out into major space. what is with you kevin? The industry is about to get some serious, bad ass realness back. ‘Bout time.