In 2000, I shared a Reuben sandwich with wrestling legend Randy "Macho Man" Savage. That story is very true and spectacular, but it has absolutely nothing to do with this post. (Feel free to message me if you want the full story...Cue the sound of crickets.) Anyway, let's discuss Australian rock quartet The Rubens, who are as wicked awesome as that iconic New York-perfected sandwich considering corned beef and sauerkraut are your thing. Hot off their self-titled debut album released earlier this year, they've been praised for bringing some soul into the alt-rock universe and have scored boatloads of fans from various music fest bills they've played on from the Governors' Ball to SXSW. Its also no wonder why they've shared the stage with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Grouplove this year.
To tick off my journalism professors, let me just say this: they be that good. Last month, brothers Sam, Elliott and Zaac Margin along with longtime bud Scott Baldwin (Three Margins and a Baldwin coming soon to theaters near you?) filmed an A-Sides session at Primary Wave Music's Listening Room in New York City, and crushed it. Watch their acoustic take on "My Gun" below along with an interview below and you'll see and hear just what the hype's all about. Watch. Listen. Love.
* For an exclusive A-Sides performance of "The Day You Went Away," click here.
Like The Rubens, Terraplane Sun are breaking away from a crowded crop of similar-sounding artists in the alt-rock genre. This psych-bluesy act (Ben Rothbard, Johnny Zambetti, Cecil Campanaro, Gabe Feenberg, and Lyle Riddle) are making music that's as sunny as their native Venice, CA but there's so much more weight to the songs then a stereotypical So-Cal beach blonde. Hot off their first single "Get Me Golden," which is being played fairly regularly on a several alt-rock stations, the band's making a lot of headway as of late - recently opening for Imagine Dragons and Alabama Shakes. Late last month, they stopped by for an A-Sides session filmed at the Music Conservatory of Westchester to perform two tracks off their recent "Ya Never Know" EP and sit down for a chat. Watch "No Regrets" and the interview below, and catch their performance of the EP title track here.
"No Regrets"
A-Sides "Delve Into Twelve" Countdown
Each week A-Sides unleashes its Top 12 tracks of the week AKA the "Delve Into Twelve"based on the following contributing factors: songs I'm playing out that particular week NO MATTER WHEN THEY WERE RELEASED (think overlooked songs, unreleased tracks, and old favorites), songs various publicists are trying to get me to listen to that I did and listened to and liked (phew), posts and trends I've noticed on my friends' Facebook walls, and - most importantly - the songs my 1 1/2+ year-old son gravitates toward. Yeah, you read that right. This weeks follows below (LW= last week's rank):
12. "Hope" - Kopecky Family Band
11. "Methuselah" (LW-6)- San Fermin (Watch them perform it here on A-Sides!)
10. "Falls on Me" - Fuel
9. "Get Me Golden" (LW-11) - Terraplane Sun
8. "Bad Blood" (LW-9) - Bastille
7. "Chain My Name" (LW-5) - Polica
6. "Bitter Rivals" (LW-4) - Sleigh Bells
5. "We Sink" - CHVRCHES
4. "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High" - Arctic Monkeys
3. "Afterlife"(LW-3) - Arcade Fire
2. "Don't Save Me" (LW-2) - Haim
1. "Reflektor"(LW-1) - Arcade Fire
About A-Sides Music
Jon Chattman's "A-Sides Music" series was established in August 2011 and usually features artists (established or not) from all genres performing a track, and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometimes humorous) way. No bells, no whistles -- just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often gets overblown and over manufactured, I'm hoping this is refreshing.