Matt Jordan | USA Character Blog

Top Five: Summer Tours

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:30:00 -0500

For music fans, summertime is all about catching your favorite bands live. Whether they're playing a festival, traveling through your town, or onstage close enough for a short road trip, bands are out in full force during the warmer months. And since there's a huge number to pick from, I thought I'd offer up a handful of some of the most Character Approved tours of the summer. Check them out in the slide show below!

[Image: Major Lazer]

Beach House Blooms on Latest Album

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0500

The members of Beach House have often been lumped in with Best Coast in the press accompanying their new album Bloom. While both groups are male/female duos with a similar audience releasing music around the same time, the two are vastly different.

Beach House has made a name for themselves in the six years they've been releasing music. Their self-titled 2006 debut drew easy comparisons to some dream pop forefathers (Mazzy Star, Slowdive), but added new ingredients to the mix. From early on they supplied their fans with songs that navigate the channel between ethereal and substantial. No surprise then, that the band has found a huge audience who's highly receptive to what they have to offer.

Though their biggest leap in popularity was likely with 2010's Teen Dream, Beach House has capitalized on years of work with the release of Bloom. It fits in well with their discography: Lead singer Victoria Legrande's airy vocals overtop a droning keyboard and dreamlike production. This Character Approved album will surely solidify Beach House's position in the hearts of their many fans.

[Image: Bella Union]

Santigold, Master of Make-Believe

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0500

I can only speak for myself, but I tend to get a bit nervous when an artist takes a long time to release a follow-up to an album I loved. It's not always the case, but a space of time that long often means they were struggling to come up with something. In the case of Santigold's latest album, the four-year gestating Master of My Make-Believe, it just means she wanted to make sure it was perfect.

Our first clue that this new album was going to be as good if not better than its predecessor came last year, when Santigold put out the advance single "Go." This collaboration with Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs was powerful, but not overwhelming--a stellar example of what the entire album would be.

Now that Make Believe has hit stores, it's clear that it's a winner. Santigold continues her tradition of oddball pop songs ("Big Mouth") and beach-worthy jams ("Disparate Youth"). It's a great mix of pop and a medley of influences ranging from new wave to calypso. Perfect timing too, since Santigold will spend the rest of the summer on tour with dates including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Don't miss out on her live show, and definitely don't miss out on this Character Approved record.

[Image: You Ain't No Picasso]