A new start-up company is striving to meet the fast-growing appreciation for vinyl with an affordable but high-fidelity turntable.

Over a quarter century ago, record players and the accompanying 12” vinyl discs were packed up in the attic, left to collect dust, and eventually sold at tag sales for a few bucks. But within the past few years, there has been resurgence in the demand for more vinyl among listeners. In 2011, vinyl sales rose nearly 40% from the previous year. Interestingly enough, the past 6 years prior to 2011 marked a steady decline in vinyl sales each year. In 2012, that number climbed nearly an additional 18% from 2011.

Continue reading ‘Back From the Dead: The Revival of Vinyl’

With the return of hipster favorites Ra Ra Riot, Toro y Moi, and The Joy Formidable, this is an especially fertile week for indie rock releases. Also on the menu are new offerings from classic punk stalwarts Bad Religion and OurStage’s own rising star Tyler Bryant.

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – Wild Child

We’ve been fans of Tyler Bryant’s barn-burning blues guitar skills for years, and now, with the release of Wild Child, Bryant and his band are poised to take the national scene by storm. Their new album has enough plaintive slide guitar, ripping solos, boot stomping and gang vocals to last you a lifetime. Or at least until their next release comes out.

By the way, the single “Say A Prayer” is currently iTunes’ Free Single Of The Week.

Ra Ra Riot – Beta Love

Ra Ra Riot are back with an album of danceable minimalist synth pop that also manages to incorporate more organic sounds from swelling string arrangements. Strong echoes of David Byrne are still recognizable in frontman Wes Miles‘ voice, but he generally sounds much more self-assured and in reach of a true personal vocal style this time around.

Continue reading ‘New Releases: January 22, 2013′

Remember how excited you were when you took that last final exam back in December? The holidays were just around the corner, Starbucks still had their special holiday drinks, and you’d made endless plans with friends and family to spend a full month taking a breather from the chaos and stress of student life.

Well, those days are long gone, and before you know it you’ll be back in the classroom, dragging yourself to 8 a.m. classes with a cup of not-holiday-flavored coffee, and looking forward to the next break.

For now, here’s a little back to school playlist to get you in the new semester groove.

More like this:

• Soundtrax: Ringing In The New Year
• Soundtrax: Viva La Fiesta

Amy Stroup, a longtime OurStage favorite, with seventeen different chart placements in the Top 40 or better, has been selected as the winner of our Ernie Ball Female Singer-Songwriter competition. With its compelling combination of mellow electric piano, drum loops, and rich, sweet vocals, her song “Chin Up” impressed the judges, who had a tough choice with some serious talent to choose from. Stroup’s prize is a year’s supply of strings and accessories from Ernie Ball – that should come in handy for this gifted multi-instrumentalist, whose songs have been heard in such high-profile spots as Grey’s Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill, and more. Read our recent piece on her here, and hear more Amy Stroup on OurStage. Check out her winning song below.

With 2012 behind us and a new year in front of us, what better time to put those New Year’s resolutions to the test? This week’s playlist is comprised of songs designed to inspire and motivate, so you’ll be able to tackle resolutions of all sizes with a little more ease. The playlist includes OurStage artist and Boston natives, The Hush Now.

More like this:

• Soundtrax: Songs For Early Winter
• SoundTrax: Summer Road Trip

Our first Pro Artist of the Week for 2013 is MaG, who hails from hip-hop’s ground zero, Bronx NY. MaG is a leading light in a unique wave of hip-hop that seems to synthesize all the best of soulful music from the 1970s to the present. The sound of his tracks is golden and timeless, embracing melodicism and creating a rolling vibe upon which his lyrical flow rides. There’s a subtle tension between the music and the voice that pushes and pulls the listener – it’s not jarring, but it satisfies a basic need for drama in music. Not surprising then to learn that MaG himself comes from a background in theater. His mastery of that delicate balance between mellow and urgent is apparent on first listen.

You know the feeling. You’re out on the road late at night, nothing but the open road and miles of unknown stretched out ahead of you. Maybe you’re heading home from a party, or a first date. Maybe you’ve had a lot on your mind recently. Whatever it is, when you get on the road at night, take these tunes with you for the essential nighttime driving playlist.

The playlist includes OurStage artist, Lights Resolve.

More like this:

• SoundTrax: Drive & Jive
• SoundTrax: Summer Road Trip

One of the greatest things about music is its ability to both enhance and directly impact your mood. With the right mixtape, you can go through a whirlwind of emotions in just a few short moments.  But what about when you’re looking for that same fluency with only one artist? Well, Adrian Bourgeois has you covered.

From the mellowest of tracks, to ambitious tambourine-enhanced duets, Bourgeois’ pallet is a wide array of offerings for even the trickiest of soundtracks. Between poignant mini-ballads to humble simplicities, you can be sure Bourgeois is a name to watch in 2013.

Check out “Shot In The Dark” below.

2012 has been a fantastic year for movies, but it may have been an even better year for movie soundtracks. From action and horror, to comedies and dramadies, the world of film was made more enthralling in 2012 than any year in recent memory thanks to music, and today we’re highlighting our five favorite releases. I would suggest you see every film mentioned on this list in order to fully appreciate the accompanying music, but perhaps one of the greatest features of each of these releases is how well they play outside the context of cinema. So whether you’re a cinephile or you refuse to pay ridiculous cinema prices, there is something here for everyone. Click through the “Read more” link and enjoy. Continue reading ’5 Best Movie Soundtracks of 2012′

It’s time to ring in the new year! 2012 has just about come to a close, and though it was a year that brought us everything from the sensational  “Call Me Maybe,” to new Taylor Swift videos, we’re ready to welcome 2013 with a fistful of brand new tunes. Check out this party playlist of must-haves for any New Year’s Eve and get dancing.

More like this:

• Soundtrax: Songs For Early Winter
• Soundtrax: Viva La Fiesta