10 Questions: Youngblood Hawke

Los Angles based Youngblood Hawke has had an amazing year. Lively energetic and buoyantly optimistic their music is a joyful celebration of life and the friendship of the band members who making it. With their debut full-length in the works the band momentum should only grow stronger in the new year. The band took sometime to answer BLS's questions about their music and successes.

BLS: In the short time your band has been together, you’ve had phenomenal success gaining amazing amounts of attention. You’ve even been herald by some as the best new band in America. What do you think lead to the whirlwind of fanfare? Is their anything the band did to cultivate this exposure? 

YB: Simon and I locked ourselves in a tiny bedroom studio and came out with a handful of songs that are deeply personal and close to our hearts To have people respond so positively is incredible! It's an amazing feeling. The growth of our band has felt very natural and organic. We started slowly developing a fan base by playing shows around the West Coast and things just started to grow, more and more people started turning up at shows. We're very appreciate and extremely thankful that people are connecting to our weird stories!

The best band in America? That's a pretty ridiculous statement! I don't feel like a "best" in music exists, its all subjective, from one person to the next. The beauty of music is that there's so many different styles and genres.

BLS: Of all the experiences the recent exposure has given you. Do you have a favorite?

YB: Touring with Passion Pit was insane! They're an amazing group of people and their live show is mind-blowing. We all got along really well and every night was basically a huge party. Good times indeed!

BLS: Sam and Simon, how has this experience differed from your time in Iglu & Hartly? What steps, if any, are you taking to assure that this band doesn’t suffer the fate of your last band?

YH: We made sure to surround ourselves with people we really care for, trust and respect. All the people in our band are our best friends so we get along very well. No inner band turmoil. That can take all the excitement out of these kind of experiences.

BLS: You’ve been in the process of recording your debut full-length album since the drop of your EP in August. What should we expect from the new record? How dose the band dynamics translate into the studio?

YH: The full length is another side of us. We explore other styles, different sounds and weirder lyrics. Everyone gets in the studio and does their thing! Adds their spice! That's what makes each song so unique.

BLS: I’ve read that in the recording process, you are highly active in isolating and removing elements of your songs that you deem overly poppish or rocky. Ultimately what’s your goal in doing this? What happens to these orphaned elements, especially if they are really good?

YH: We just want to make something unique and fresh. We don't use any formula, its all about feeling! If it feels good and it really means something to us, we keep it. It's all about the feeling for us. We're huge fans of pop music, the blues, rock music and we love blending genres to come up with our own sound.

BLS: Ideally what would be the perfect state of the band if you had a choice? Recording in the Studio? Playing Live? Or just sitting around making music?

YH: We love both! We love writing songs then seeing how they translate live, what kind of reaction they get. Touring is the life line of any band and we want as many people to hear our songs as possible. I think we'd all get cabin fever if we were only in the studio. We want to see the world!

BLS: With a band made up of so many friends and family, how dose it effect the dynamic of the group on both a personal and artistic level?

YH: It makes everything better! The music, the traveling. You're the happiest when you're surrounded by the people you truly care about. We feel very lucky to have the opportunity to play music with our best friends.

BLS: You recorded some of the material for the new album at Red Bull Studio L.A.. What do you think of the recent trend of companies like Red Bull taking such interest in more independent bands and the music industry as a whole?

YH: I think its great! The music industry needs all the support it can get right now! Musicians do too! Companies stepping up and keeping the industry alive is very positive thing.

BLS: With the successes of 2012 still in your peripheral vision, what do you have waiting for you in 2013?

YH: Shows shows shows! We want to play for as many people as possible and continue writing songs for our second album.

BLS: Name 5 bands you love but who few people have heard of?

YH: 
Vanaprasta

Celilo

Brett Dennen

Milo Green

The New Limb.

Tuesday Double Feature: He's My Brother, She's My Sister"Lazy Daze" & Walk Of the Earth "Gang Of Rhythm"

Sometimes the Tuesday Double Feature has no rhyme or reason and it just happens to be one of those weeks. So just take a few minutes for yourself, sit back and enjoy.

He's My Brother, She's My Sister - "Lazy Daze"



The gypsy folk of He's My Brother, She's My Sister has an energetically danceable sound that's makes you want to be on your feet wild with the rhythm. They will be play this Thursday night at our own Mississippi Studios in support of the Parson Red Heads. Come out and enjoy their wonderful live show.

Walk Off The Earth - "Gang of Rhythm"



I have to admit that I've been addicted to Walk Off The Earth since watching the video for their a capella beat box version of Taylor Swifts "Knew You Were Trouble." Not to mention that I have a little bit of a musical crush on Sarah Blackwood from her work in The Creepshow and her solo projects. Their new EP R.E.V.O. is a golden nugget of originals well worth a listen.

Cure for the Mondays: Free Energy - "Girls Want Rock"

Free Energy - "Girls Want Rock"

A fun little video for a fun little song.


Known for their energetically wild music, Free Energy is putting the fun back into rock and roll. With bitchen guitar hooks and just the right amount of cowbell this band is a musical joyride. Their latest album Love Sign was released last Tuesday to rave reviews and will be followed by the national tour over the next few months.

The Birds of Chicago Show Coverage Contest

By the Light of the Stereo in conjunction with Bullhorn Publicity is proud to bring you;

The Birds of Chicago Show Coverage Contest.

When you write about music you have to have a full range of skills in your arsenal. Most specifically a  comfortable fluency with language and a keen eye when taking photos. Without these you won't get very far.
We at BLS want to see what you got and have a copy of the Birds of Chicago's self-titled CD and the chance to have your work posted on our site if you make the grade.
Do you have what it takes. Lets find out.
How you win.

First off you have to make it to their show tonight.
Here's the details:
Mississippi Studios
Doors: 7PM / Show: 8PM
$12 at the door.

We have just 2 copies of the CD so well make it easy.
There's two categories; 1) Best concert pic & 2)best Show write-up in 300 words or less.

For best Concert pic:
1. Get your phones out and try your hand catching the action. Remember no flash.
2. Determine which shot's your best.
3. Find BLS and like use on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BytheLightoftheStereo)
4. When you're there, Message us with your name and contact e-mail and attach a jpg of your Photo.
If we feel you're the best of the bunch we'll contact you and get the information to send you your prize.

For best show write up:
1. Tell us what you liked about the show, be creative and have fun.
2.Polish it up and check the punctuation twice.
3. Find BLS and like use on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BytheLightoftheStereo)
4. When you're there, Message us. Paste the write up in the text of the message and include your name and contact e-mail.
If we feel your the best of the bunch we'll contact you and get the information to send you your prize.

Some simple rules:
All entries must be in by 12:00AM on Friday, January 18th
One entry person, so you have to decide picture or words.
By entering this contest you agree to allow BLS the use of your photos, words and name.

Good luck and I hope to see you at the show.

Tuesday Double Feature: The Delta Saints "Death Letter Jubilee" & Gary Clark Jr. "Bright Lights"

It might be a little too early in the week for whiskey but it's always a good time for the blues. So this week's Tuesday Double Feature is filled with some mind blowing blues-rock that might just hold you over until Friday.

The Delta Saints - "Death Letter Jubilee"



The Nashville band The Delta Saints mix up a bold bluesy rock that sounds so good to your ears you'll want to get up and dance. Their debut album Death Letter Jubilee hits stores today. Do yourself a favor and catch this band now, because with a sound like this it won't be too long before they're big.

Gray Clark Jr. - "Bright Lights"



Austin based Gary Clark Jr. could in fact be one of the next masters of the blues. His music is filled with a wildly bold style of blues that makes you crave bourbon. Built on wildly aggressive guitars and a infectious groove. This music is going to make you ache in all the right ways. Make sure you check out his latest album Black and Blu that came out just this August.

From the Shelf: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - "Live from Alabama" (2012)

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Live From Alabama
Lightening Rod Records

It starts in a milling confusion from the moment you enter the door. The people crowded around you are merely shadows with drinks in their hands. On the stage the guitars are lined up like soldiers at attention while the drum kits waits like a bouncer baring the exit. In a moment something changes. A wave of unspoken awareness takes hold of the crowd and all the shadows turn and move to the base of the stage. The club grows darker and the stage lights build to a blinding white. As your eyes struggle to adjust you notice the commotion from off stage as the band members begin to file out.

Your eyes closed, you can almost put yourself there listening to Live From Alabama the latest record by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unite.Complied from two Alabama shows played back in August this record captures the perfect concert experience.  As you would hope all the fan favorites are here from "Outfit" and "Decoration Day" from his Drive-By Trucker days to the award winning "Alabama Pines" from his latest album.  Touched by the sweetness of the live treatment, these classics are given new life, making you fall in love with them all over again. With extended guitar fills and the soulful horns that take them to a new level, this recording has captured a tightly woven band playing at the height of their skills.

As with his studio recordings, Live From Alabama makes it easy to focus on Isbell's amazing songwriter.The honesty of his lyrical poetry is potent with the uncomplicated struggle of the working class heroes of this great country of ours. Though unlike the studio recordings, this album is a potent reminder that first and for most in his soul of souls, Jason Isbell is a guitarist. A fact made clear on nearly every track.

From beginning to end this album is flawless and one of the best live records I've heard in years. If you've ever gotten the chance to see Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit live you certainly won't be disappointed.

Cure for the Mondays: The Grates "Aw, Yeah"

The Grates - "Aw,Yeah"

A little something to get the blood pumping on a Monday Morning:



An oldie but a goody from Australian trio The Grates. Their high energy music is a audio fun house that will get into your head and make your feet move. If you haven't heard about this band you need to check them out. With a number of amazing releases under their belt, their latest album Secret Rituals was just made available in the US this last July.  In my opinion this is one of the the greatest unsung bands playing today and their music should be on everyone's playlist. So make sure you take a second and check them out. You'll love them.