forYoungModerns

FYM REWIND: RAYLAND BAXTER MUSIC VIDEO -THE MOUNTAIN SONG, SUMMER TOURING 2011

Over the past few months FYM has had the pleasure of getting to know a brilliant singer/songwriter out of NashviLLe Tennessee - RayLand Baxter. Summer 2011 has been an impressive journey for RayLand -selling out shows across North America while on tour with The Civil Wars, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, even opening for the peerless Willie Nelson in Salt Lake City recently. Today forYoungModerns is proud to showcase Baxter’s latest music video for a new tune (The Mountain Song) off his highly anticipated album Feathers and Fishhooks -due out early 2012.



The track itself- The Mountain Song, is a vivid love story, humble and free. It’s an inspiring song that we’ve had an immediate connection with since first hearing.. It’s a take me as I am kinda tune… perfect for dreamers walking together through life. RayLand’s well-crafted storytelling abilities shimmer with enlightened perspectives -We spotlight a portion of his lyrics from The Mountain Song below:

——-
So I am staring at the gates of all my dreams, Yeah, and I can see you far inside, cause you’re walking down the road with me. Down the mountains and the valley’s like the breeze -Yeah we going where we wanna go, Yeah we doing anything we please.

But if I could give you everything I would, all the forests and the flowers and the trees. But if Love is all you need then we are good, for Love is all I have to give -won’t you tell me you’re the one for me.
——-

The video itself- is a fluent honest portrayal of who RayLand Baxter truly is -a kind, charismatic, genuine spirit. It should be mentioned that Ryan Holmberg (Iron Lung Studios) did an amazing job editing this music video -going through hours of footage from Baxter’s summer tour adventures, ultimately pairing together three and a half minutes of beautiful life moments from the road -set to an incredible song.


Be sure to catch RayLand Baxter live this fall, he’s currently taking a short break from the road, gearing up to go on tour with Twin Cities alt-country rockers The Jayhawks in October. To learn more about RayLand and his music visit his website HERE. Cheers, FYM 

FYM PREVIEW: RAT CITY ROLLERGIRLS • 2012

Less than a week away, one of the most formidable all-female, flat-track roller derby leagues in the country starts their 8th season of play! The Rat City RollerGirls have gained immense popularity in Seattle over the past few years, and they kickoff season 8 next Saturday, Jan. 21st, 2012 at Key Arena! Doors at 4:30PM and opening ceremonies start at 5:30PM.

 
Check out how this amazing success story started by watching the Rat City RollerGirls documentary Blood on the Flat-Track, now available on Netflix instant (trailer above). For ticket, and merch information please visit the official Rat City website HERE.


The season opener is packed-full of stiff competition, with the Derby Liberation Front taking on the Throttle Rockets in the first bout, and then the Sockit Wenches will go to battle with last year’s champions Grave Danger! The festivities don’t end! Be sure to hit up the Rat City RollerGirls afterparty that evening at Hula Hula (just down the block), with drink specials for all you Rat City fanatics. Cheers, FYM.

FYM GIVEAWAY: THE FEATURES • CAFE DU NORD • LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, USA • FREE TICKETS

The whirling psychedelic grooves from Sparta Tennessee’s The Features will dominate San Francisco’s Cafe Du Nord, Thursday February 9th, 2012! The Features first sparked into our consciousness this past Summer 2011 with the release of their brilliant foot-stomping full-length Wilderness (Via the Kings of Leon record imprint Serpents and Snakes). Watch Content, the opening track on The Features latest album below.
 


As heard above, frontman Matthew Pelham’s astounding vocal contributions, paired with The Features kinetic brand of sonic paraphernalia will definitely bode well in the friendly confines of Cafe Du Nord. FYM wants to give YOU and opportunity to see just how good these guys are live (for FREE). Enter to win 2 tickets to see The Features LIVE February 9th.


Simply email our publicist Nick ‘They Call Me Diddy’ Codling at (Nick@forYoungModerns.com) with THEY LIVE in the subject line, and please included your first and last name. We will randomly select a winner Wednesday February 1st 2012 at 10AM. Cheers, FYM

FYM PRESS PLAY: CULL.TV • TOP 40 VIDEOS

It’s no secret that forYoungModerns is in LOVE with a new website that premiered in 2011- Cull.TV. It’s a concept that gives back the power of choice to music fans across the nation. With Cull.TV you can experience the latest music videos online in a sleek interface meant for social gatherings and late night parties. (our publicist Nick ‘nothing gold can stay’ Codling pictured below on New Year’s Eve)


Cull comes with several new music discovery options for avid fans nostalgic for the hey-day of MTV (when they actually played Music on Television). -Simply type in the url, and be directly taken to Cull.TV’s home channel, sit back and enjoy the best and latest jams from new, now, next sonic contenders. Or you also have the option of clicking on their featured channel link list and choosing from a wide selection of consistently updated video playlists curated by music connoisseurs such as yours truly: FYM. But if you are like us and wanna have it your way, Cull also allows users to create their own music video playlists and easily share them with friends. The best part about the site- the entire service is FREE, all you need is a working email to sign up. (Pictured Below: FYM’s Emily C. contemplating this months choices)


As FYM rolls back into a new year, our first Cull.TV playlist is dedicated to reflections of the past, as well as looking forward into the bright future for music in 2012. With this month’s video selections we revisit a few classic artists who rocked the music world earlier in the month, with announcements of reunion concerts for what is turning out to be the most important festival of the new year, Coachella (Snoop & Dre, Refused, At The Drive-In and Pulp). Check out the bona fide West Coast anthem of Nuthin’ but a G’ Thang below:



FYM also has peppered in some of our favorite breakout artists of 2011 with videos from Jack White approved The Black Belles, James Blake, Seattle shining stars Pickwick and the insatiable domination of New England natives, tUnE-yArDs. Watch Bizness below:



And lest we forget some exciting new bands FYM looks forward to seeing more of in 2012. We have dug deep, and hand-picked some brilliant music videos from Japanese pop-wonders SEBASTIAN X, Young Dreams, London alt-rockers Spector, and garage punk darlings Bleached. View our favorite video by Bleached below:



So if you haven’t experienced the magic of Cull.TV before, now is the time. FYM Seattle played Cull.TV on our 27in iMac with Bose speakers attached over Christmas and New Years, as a soundtrack for our most successful event parties yet! It’s time you proclaim to the world (like we have) I Want My Cull.TV! Click HERE or the graphic above to be taken to forYoungModerns latest collection of undeniable jams. Cheers, FYM.

FYM GIVEAWAY: SAINT MOTEL • FREE TICKETS • LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, USA • 2.17.2012

It’s no secret, one of FYM’s favorite sonic discoveries of 2011 was Såint Motel. With the floor-stomping energy coming from two of Såint Motel’s signature tracks Puzzle Pieces and the poignant At Least I Have Nothing -Their kinetic brand of buzzworthy indie-pop has been blazing through our speakers since the summer. Listen to both tunes below:



Såint Motel is gearing up to make a huge statement in 2012 at SXSW, and in preparation, their playing a few select tour dates on the West Coast. 2.17.12, they play the Brick & Mortar Music Hall in San Francisco, USA.


As FYM continues our giving spirit in the new year, we would like to send you and a friend to experience this stellar up-and-coming group live for FREE. To enter, simply email our publicist Nick ‘To All Tomorrow’s Parties’ Codling (nick@forYoungModerns.com) with THEY LIVE in the subject line, include your full name in the message, and FYM will randomly select a winner for two tickets to Såint Motel’s show! (the winner will be notified Sunday Feb. 12th) Cheers, FYM.

FYM PREVIEW: RAVENNA WOODS • LIVE AT THE VERA PROJECT • 3.30 • SEATTLE, USA

Along with rising stars Pickwick, Ravenna Woods became another FYM newly favored sonic discovery of 2011. The last time we saw these brilliant darkhorse indie-rockers perform live was about 3 months ago for the Sound on the Sound (a local Seattle music blog) Doe Bay Sessions video premiere party (and what a wonderful occasion it was)!


As pictured above- Ravenna Woods originally solidified our dedication to their music during KEXP’s free concerts at the Mural Amphitheater series (via Seattle Center) last August -Since then we have been infatuated with their technically astute finger-picking guitar work,  unconventional percussive meditations, and sheer passion while performing live. Watch two incredible showcases of Ravenna Woods at their best as recorded by SOTS for the Doe Bay Sessions below:



See Ravenna Woods live this Friday, 3.30.12 at The Vera Project -an all ages venue located in Queen Anne. The show starts around 7:30PM, tickets are $11 in advance and $13 at the door. It will assuredly be a great night filled with new material, crowd favorites, and possibly new a band member in the mix (buy tickets HERE). Cheers, FYM.

FYM PRESS PLAY: SUCKERS • NEW ALBUM • CANDY SALAD • OUT 4.24.12

In 2010 buzzworthy Brooklyn indie rockers -SUCKERS released a record that at first listen FYM immediately connected with- Wild Smile. The album is a complete artistic statement, filled with soul-crushing sonic magnetism, refreshing approaches to double-edged vocal power and spine-tingling songwriting skills. FYM Seattle continues to keep Wild Smile in our weekly rotation, it never tires of simply being brilliant.


Out of respect to just how much we continue to love Wild Smile- FYM didn’t take writing a review of the SUCKERS follow-up lightly. Thanks to cool publicists we’ve been listening to Candy Salad in various states of consciousness over the past two weeks in order to really explore their latest release- out tomorrow, April 24th 2012.


The opening track -Nowhere is an expansive introduction into the world of Candy Salad. The jam is rich in soaring vocal harmonies, paired with whirling production flourishes (perfect for headphones) creating a digital-lantern lighting the way throughout the rest of our musical journey.

One thing that did standout to us at first listen -Candy Salad contains less raw, wailing falsetto vocal theatrics (which we absolutely loved on Wild Smile). Instead focusing on more reflective slow-burners, ideal for sun-squinting car rides on introspective Sundays.

But there’s still a nice variety of emotions explored throughout. For instance, Track 2 -Figure It Out, delivers a straight forward foot-stomping pop tune. Other album highlights include Turn On The Sunshine -a sexually-charged island rhythm goldmine, Chinese Braille’s soulful falsetto, the maze-like meditation that is Charmaine and Lydia (stay high). As a whole SUCKERS prove once again they have the ability to manifest a complete record worth listening to (over and over again).



This album isn’t better or worse than Wild Smile, instead it sits confidently beside -perhaps a little more stoned and heart-broken this time around, but still surrounded with refreshing music perspectives perfect for summer road-trips and late-night conversations contemplating past mistakes. SUCKERS play live in Seattle at Neumos via Capitol Hill -Sunday May 13th, 2012 -buy tickets HERE. They Live, Cheers FYM.

FYM PRESS PLAY: MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS

This week, Seattle’s most notable up-and-coming Hip-Hop contender—Macklemore (with beats by Ryan Lewis), debuted his second single off the yet to be released full-length, The Heist (due out October 9th). Watch the official video to Thrift Shop streaming below:



You may remember earlier this summer Macklemore & Ryan Lewis debuted a sharp new single supporting marriage equality called Same Love (featuring Mary Lambert). Unlike Same Love, which is a ferociously intelligent stab at backwards homophobic viewpoints, Thrift Shop showcases the lighter side of Macklemore’s lyrical talents.


The extremely well-edited music video features scenes from local thrift stores like Value Village/Goodwill, with local Northwest folk going H.A.M. on nostalgic fashions. Along with the message (you don’t have to spend a ton of money to look #BOSS), comes the humor/one-liners like damn that’s a cold ass honkey.


The song itself is BANANAS good. With backing-vocals/hook support from Wanz (who we couldn’t help but associate with Nate Dogg’s vocal stylings), this second single secures great promise to the rest of the quality material, assuredly on The Heist. Artists like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis make us proud to live in the Northwest, and we can help but support their sonic efforts—putting’ it down for The Town (Seattle). Purchase Thrift Shop from iTunes HERE.