Reviews, videos and more on emerging bands & music from around the world to enlighten past the lamestream masses. Published by Russian Winter Records, Kansas City based Indie Record Label, PR Firm & BMI Affiliated Music Publisher.
Welcome to the top 10 in our countdown of the Floorshime Zipper Boots Top 20 Artists of 2016. Today's list represents the artists that got the most reader pageviews on the blog for the year.
Today we start the Floorshime Zipper Boots Top 20 Artists of 2016 with #20 through # 11. As always the Top 20 Artists are determined by our reader's page views. The artists coming in at #10 - #1 will be published on the blog tomorrow.
Today we bring you the Floorshime Zipper Boots Top 10 Videos of 2016. As always with our best of lists, picks and places are determined by our readers page views. Tomorrow we start our Top 20 Artists of 2016 with # 20 - #11 and Friday we'll share #10 - #1. For now though, enjoy the Top 10 videos of the year on FZB
Our last offering before our year end best of lists start next Wednesday, is A Trilogy/Lucky & Finnegan, the new animated collaboration between eclectic pop artists Ronley Teper's Lipliners and animator/director Davide Di Saro. The three tracks are towering pieces that seemlessly blend folk-pop and modern jug band music, with the fanciful images created by Di Saro. One of the most imaginative works to emerge in a long time, the music is highly original and takes on new life and meaning in the context of the visual paring. Watch the feature video, then stream and buy A Trilogy at the link below.
North Carolina singer/songwriter Matt Townsend has released The Drifter and the Dream (Part 1), the first of a two part EP series. With five tracks of troubadour inspired stories that tread the melding of folk, Americana and alt-country, Townsend showcases his songwriting to great effect. The EP is intimate and unpretentious, with understated instrumentation, that focuses the listener on the vocals and lyrics. Stream and buy The Drifter and the Dream (Part 1) at the link below.
Composer and bassist Joan Torres is back with his jazz ensemble All Is Fused, for their third album, Of The Musical. The eight tracks are a virtuosic blend of modern jazz, Latin influences and sublime musicianship. The stylish arrangements highlight individual performances that will stir the heart of any jazz lover. With compelling time and dynamic changes, sterling production and strong musicality, this album is a must have. Stream and buy Of The Musical at the link below.
Australian synthpop duo, Winter Witches have released their S/T debut EP. With a sound reminiscent of Roxy Music and Depeche Mode, the three tracks pair a strong retro feel with imaginative synth pads, strongs vocals and an astute melodic sense. New, yet familiar, the duo have created an EP that will linger on one's playlist. Stream and buy Winter Witches at the link below.
Phoenix based garage rock powerhouse, The Darts, have released the S/T debut album on UK label Dirty Water records. This all female band delivers thirteen tracks with enough energy to power a large city. With the edge of Sleater-Kinney, the psychedelic sense of Kathleen Hanna and their own original take on music, The Darts are the real deal. This album is an absolute must have. Stream and buy The darts at the link below.
The live album, Songs for Her, by singer/songwriter and Russian Winter Records head Ric Gordon, was released and reviewed by FZB last June. Leading independent radio station NBTMusicRadio has just named the album #120 on their Top 230 Albums of 2016 and the track You Always Stayed #142 on their Top 240 Tracks of 2016. To celebrate this, the label is making the album available for free download through New Years Day. Stream and download Songs for Her at the link below.
Seminal Kansas City garage punk artist Braggers, released his latest single Be My Friend, back in March on Russian Winter Records. Stalwart of independent radio NBTMusicRadio has named the track #140 on the Top 245 Tracks of 2016. To celebrate this, the label has made the track available for free download through New Years day. Stream and download Be My Friend at the link below.
London band Lucy and the Rats have released their debut single Girl B/W Lose My Mind. Taking its place in a long line of twangy pop-rock records, the band put forward an energetic release that hearkens back to all that is enjoyable and endearing about simple pop music. What more needs be said. This kind of music always works and always brings a smile to one's face. Stream and buy Girl B/W Lose my mind at the link below.
For regular readers of this blog, North Carolina indie label, Sibler Records, is a familiar entity. So to would be the experimental band Remora, led by Silber founder and guru Brian John Mitchel. The album is a massive 98 tracks, 6.5 hours of music, that document 20 years of creative exploration and that have not appeared on any of the band's 12 albums or 13 Eps. What you get is some of the finest ambient, drone and melodic pieces that one could ask for. An absolutely majestic, must have album. Stream and download Scraps and Scrapes at the link below.
Side-Line Magazine is back with Face The Beat Session 4, the fourth volume in their charity based underground compilation series. Featuring 92 tracks of industrial electronica from a worldwide palette of artists, the compilation proceeds go to support the building of a sanitary installation at a public hospital in Veracruz, Mexico. Learn all about the cause and stream and download, Face The Beat Session 4 at the link below.
Visual artist, Juliana LaChance has created a whole artistic world around her new release, Thunder Dragon. With cover art, videos, merchandise and music, LaChance bring us fourteen tracks spanning dream pop to freak folk. Her imaginative instrumentation, bohemian vocals and a unique penchant for songwriting, delivers an album that is a highly original, all encompassing work that is a testament to creativity. One of the best albums we've heard this year. Watch the video for the title track, then stream and buy Thunder Dragon at the link below.
Barcelona based indie label BCore Disc has released, Escuchas the third album from Catalan quartet Aldrin y Collins. The six tracks bristle with melodic indie rock, with a nice partial lo-fi edge. The catchy songs team with a great feel for arrangement, some very tasty guitar licks and a sublime dynamic sense. This is an album that is strong from the first note to the last. More than just a good band, these are gifted individual musicians, that rise to the occasion as a tight, inspired ensemble. Stream and buy Escuchas at the link below.
Berlin artist Sissi Rada has released her sophomore album, Pragma, on Greek label Inner Ear Records. The ten tracks present an artist with a profoundly compelling set of vocal chops and a huge vocal delivery. The songwriting also showcases great artistic depth and melodic sophistication. Taken together, one has an album of groundbreaking originality and uniqueness, that is as deserving of acclaim as any release this year. A definite must have. Watch the video for album track Sunday, then stream and buy Pragma at the link below.
Mountains is the sophomore EP from L.A. post-hardcore band The World Over. The band is fronted by Tiaday Ball, granddaughter of Ernie Ball, the legendary founder of Music Man Guitar and Slinky Strings. The EP delivers five tracks of in your face, take no prisoners rock. With guitars that are heavier than the mountains inspiring the EP's name, the band struts its stuff with towering vocals, deep rawness and the kind of sound rock was created for.
Wyatt At The Coyote Palace is the new double album from legendary singer/songwriter Kristin Hersh. Over 25 years after forming seminal indie band Thowing Muses and then recently fronting 50Footwave, Hersh steps out on her own with a massive and largely acoustic work of superlative songs, with a deep edge and authenticity that transcends genres and time. The 24 tracks showcase an artist that continues to innovate and deliver works that elevate the craft beyond the usual. This is a definite must have. Stream and buy Wyatt At The Coyote Palace at the link below.
Tampa Bay band Four Star Riot are back with their new album Waves. Hot off the heels of having a track on the box office hit Deadpool, the band deliver ten tracks of tight, catchy indie rock, Featuring masterful songwriting, arrangements and performances, this is a band poised on the edge of finding a wide audience. The album is a tasty treat for the ears from start to finish. Watch the videos for album tracks Empty Space and So Far, then stream and buy Waves at the link below.
One of our favorite indie labels, North Carolina's Silber Records, brings us Loss Molecules, an inspired new album by Minnesota band Magnetic Ghost. The 6 tracks are a dark journey through shoegaze and post-punk stylings, with elements of drone, freak folk and psychedelic thrown in for good measure. What results is a highly original album that is strong in melodic content, with imaginative performances and depth in its songwriting. This is a superlative artistic work and a definite must have. Stream and buy Loss Molecules at the link below.
Certainty is the debut album from Seattle based singer songwriter Sloucher, aka Jay Clancy. The drummer for two well known indie bands, Cayucas and Hibou, Clancy has stretched out to showcase himself as a talented artist in his own right. The seven tracks are polished indie rock, with imaginative songs, lush vocal and instrumental melodies and pristine production. Taken together, the album is one of the best of 2016 and is a definite must have. Stream and buy Certainty at the link below.
Hamilton, Ontario based artist Billy Moon is back with a boiling hot new EP, That Which You Can't Throw Away. Moon has a penchant for making tasty garage punk tracks that are infectious. Drawn from the same mold as artists like Ty Segall and Jay Reatard, the five tracks are melodically and dynamically diverse, while holding true to a punk aesthetic and authenticity. This is just a simple EP full of great music.Watch the video for EP track, Different Song, then stream and buy That Which You Can't Throw Away at the link below.
