It’s always exciting getting to hear new bands hit the market because there are always new ways to create a new sound. I think what Pocket Hole did here was create something very unique. Having not heard them before I would say they drew inspirations from all over the rolling-rock spectrum. If I had to make an immediate comparison based off my first impression of their music, I would say they sound very similar to the band Turnover. The way they play with the down beat and give the listener a feeling of relaxation makes their Marine Layer EP a fantastic piece of work.
Pocket Hole really gets your attention in the first track, “Werewolf”. Drummer Ian Brazill does a great job leading the listener into the meat and potatoes of this incredible song. What makes it so fun is its undefined structure and exciting beat breaks. When you think you’re going into the chorus, they break it down one more time and hit you with a pre-chorus which ultimately turns into a jam session. I tend to enjoy this type of writing because you never know what you’re going to get at the beginning of each song and when you think you do, you’re wrong – but pleasantly surprised.
I also think the EP would have also came out differently if they didn’t have the sound of those keys being played. Pocket Hole made a great decision bringing Kelly Dinh into the mix. She adds a whole new layer to their sound and accents the other instruments incredibly well. You can also tell that Ryan Nolen took a lot of time creating these songs. The emotion you hear in each song shows a lot of care for his work. In the title track, “Marine Layer”, his voice is very well balanced with the rest of the instruments and it creates this sort of dream state feeling. I think I enjoyed this track the most but don’t let that take away from the excellence and musicianship found throughout this EP.
Sometimes it is hard to take all of your thoughts and ideas and put it into 6 songs, but Pocket Hole did it, and they did it wonderfully. If you need some tunes to jam out to in the car on a long drive, definitively give these guys a listen. I will say that I am very pleased with this release and look forward to seeing more come out of Pocket Hole in the future.
As always, rock on my friends! Hunnypot Approved! Overall Rating: 9.3 out of 10
Artist, Pocket Hole, Album: Marine Layer, Release Date: August 15th, 2018, Label: Independent
Chuck Wright and Company are bringing you one unbelievable night of rock and roll as they unleash the "Power of Music" at Ultimate NAMM Night on Saturday January 26th. Get ready to have your mind blown as over 80 legendary artists hit the stage at The Hilton Anaheim California Ballroom for what will surely be a show for the ages. This one is shaping up to be an instant classic, with many more surprises in store for those lucky enough to attend. That said, why would you want to be any where else next Saturday night? Hunnypot Approved!
2019 ULTIMATE NAMM NIGHT TO FEATURE 80 TOP PERFORMERS IN THE “POWER OF MUSIC”
(Anaheim, California) Ultimate Jam Night, the long-running community oriented show in residency at the Whisky A Go Go presents its second annual show at NAMM entitled “Ultimate NAMM Night – The Power of Music” on Saturday January 26, 2019 at the Hilton Anaheim California Ballroom. The show is sponsored by DW drums, Ampeg, Mezzabara, Morley, Axis, Wedgie, Gear Secure, Coffin Case, CAD, Rock N Roll Industries, Al Bane for Leather, D’Addario, Fender, and Royal Entertainment. Ultimate Namm Night 2019 is presented by RCF.
The show will feature performances by an All-Star artist list that includes Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, Tony Franklin, Doug Aldrich, Phil X, Stu Hamm, Charlie Benate, Rikki Rockett and many more. Also included in will be full band performances by Flotsam & Jetsam, Sweet, and Marco Mendoza’s El Trio. Additional performers will be added right up until showtime.
Over 80 performers will present a show that is dedicated to portraying the power of music and its diverse reach. The event will showcase many different genres of music including Latin, Funk, Rock, and Metal and portray the mission of Ultimate Jam Night – bringing people together through the power of music.
As is its custom the show is offered free-of-charge with tickets available at select times during the NAMM convention, details of which can be found on facebook.com/ultimatejamnight.
Founded in 2015 by Quiet Riot’s Chuck Wright, Ultimate Jam Night is community-oriented event that features live unrehearsed performances by some of music’s greatest talent, charitable-giving, comedic interludes, walk-around characters, and other entertainers. It is presented each week free-of-charge at the famed Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California. For more information please visit facebook.com/ultimatejamnight or ultimatejamnight.com.
Do you like Punk, Funk, Rock & Soul music? Have we got the live show for you!
The BellRays take the stage for the first time at The Concert Lounge in Riverside, CA on Saturday March 9th.
You want more? The BellRays will also be celebrating the release of their new record, Punk Funk Rock Soul Vol. 2 (Hunnypot Records).
You still want more?!?! Hunnypot's very own, Hot Tub Johnny, will be spinning tunes between sets for the night.
The BellRays play for their lives each and every time. Carpool with us out for the show or get there on your own and hang with us.
Get tickets HERE
If music is food for the soul, then The BellRays are Thanksgiving and they know how to cook. The BellRays strip down to the meat of what music means to them. Growing up in SoCal, they thrived on radio channels that broadcast more than one kind of music. It was a party. ‘Punk Funk Rock Soul’ is their party with their songs and friends.
“We take our ear where our heart lives in simple song-writing, making ourselves and hopefully all who hear it feel good,” explains singer Lisa Kekaula. “We are proud of its simplicity and love how the new songs sound like old friends. This release is a collection of songs that illustrates why we do what we do. We are not 20 year-olds and that’s okay. We are proud of our mileage and journey and PUNK FUNK ROCK SOUL validates our comfort in what music means to us. Viability,
trend and meaning are up to the eye of the beholder. For the record…we like to rock.”
Masked enigmatic country crooner Orville Peck has announced he will release his debut album 'Pony' on March 22nd via Sub Pop, with the exception of Canada where it will be released on Royal Mountain Records. New single & video "Dead of Night", from the record, is streaming online now. Orville will also play a London residency this Feb & March with three live shows announced.
Pony’s lead single “Dead of Night” is a torch song about two hustlers traveling through Nevada desert. Their whirlwind romance takes us on a dusty trail of memories - racing down canyon highways, hitchhiking through casino towns and ultimately, ending in tragedy. Orville recalls the adventures of his young love, as he watches the boys silently pass him on the strip, haunted by the happy memories of his past.
The “Dead of Night” video follows Orville and his posse of companions - a washed up gambler, a Cubano boxer, a Senegalese cowgirl, and a Wild West club kid (played by Hopper Penn, Alex Cammen, Magné Ndiaye and Dez Sam, respectively). “Dead of Night” was directed by Michael Maxxis, and shot on location in Nevada at the legendary Chicken Ranch brothel (the real-life inspiration for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas), and features many of the ladies who work there.
Hunnypot Approved!
City Girls and Cardi B have shared their new music video for “Twerk.” As you can image, there is a whole bunch of twerking involved. This video takes twerking culture to another level. City girls and Cardi B use their beautiful "assets" to give this song the ultimate twerking video. City girls and Cardi B are covered in body paint, and basically twerk everywhere on yatchts, at the beach, on cars and the video makes sure to zoom in on all the fun.
In November, City Girls member Yung Miami recruited 25 twerking young women to be “flewed out” to Miami to answer the “Twerk challenge” and be crowned the twerking champion.The “Twerk” video lets us see a great many young ladies trying to win that challenge, and boy is it heavenly.
We know one thing is for sure this song will get you on your feet and moving your hips. So, if you are looking for the best new dance song, "Twerk" is the perfect one to get any party started this year.
“Twerk” appears on City Girls’ most recent studio album G I R L C O D E, which was released in November 2018. In December, Cardi shared her music video for “Money.”
Glowie's new single "Body" is making an impression. A self-confessed ADHD loner with a lot of emotions, Glowie was bullied at school, which resulted in an unhealthy relationship with her body. Today however, Glowie displays makeup-free selfies on Instagram and t-shirts proclaiming, “a woman’s body is her own fucking business!”
Knowing the importance of taking care of yourself both physically and mentally, proud feminist Glowie is conscious of spreading not just body positivity, but pure honesty both on social media and with her music. “Art is not supposed to look nice, it’s supposed to make you feel something. I’m tired of trying to look nice for other people and being a certain way to make people like me. This year I am not going to be flawless, I’m going to be me, happy, emotional. I will paint, sing, dance and work my ass off.”
The track, which was written by Julia Michaels along with Justin Tranter, Mattias Larsson and Robin Fredriksson, is available now at all digital retail providers via Sony Music U.K./RCA Records.
Lupa is a UK based Electronic Rock Music (ERM) 4-Piece band with a sound best described as the angry rock-obsessed lovechild of Paramore and Chase & Status. Lupa is fronted by a charismatic firecracker vocalist, Livvy M, and backed by Timothy Jack (guitar & synths), Anderson (bass guitar) and Craig (drums).
Lupa's latest single, "Breaking Out", will set you freeeee!
Live life loud!
New Year, who's with? Oh, the things we've seen in 2019. Our first Hunnypot Live of the year, #407, dropped serious balls. Hot Tub launched a no-baloney DJ set tp start everyone off. Emmy nominated music supervisor Jen Malone returned to the tub to fill us in on what she's been up to in film and TV and "Ghost'd" us with an award winner of a DJ set. Jesse Palter Old Lang Sang her heart out for us with pop and soul panache. Baby Fuzz put rock, pop and pomp hairs on our chests and bandleader/songwriter Sterling Fox got a few minutes of soak time to bring us up to speed on the band. The Songery was the Baby Nuke Year and irradiated us with song and dance. Rae Khalil "repped, spit and chilled" with mindful music and Hot Tub Johnnie closed the first night of many this year with another historic dance party set. 01/07/2019
Jen Malone is an Emmy Nominated Music Supervisor based in West Hollywood.
Credits include: Creed II, Atlanta, Baskets, Step Up: High Water, The Resident, Are You The One?, Lady Dynamite, Shelter, Noisey, Vice Guide To Everything, Video Game High School and many more.
Jen Malone started her career in the music industry as a publicist at Formula PR, working for Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Marilyn Manson, Prodigy and many more. While living in Boston she formed the boutique publicity agency, Black & White and represented several artists and labels including The Hellacopters, The Hives, Backyard Babies, The Wildhearts, Gearhead Records and Hydrahead Records to name a few.
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By the time she officially signed to Artistry Music and began honing the setlist for the release of her debut EP The Paper Trail, Jesse Palter had written an astounding number of songs. Every time she sidles up to the piano to pen a new one, the Detroit born and bred, Los Angeles based singer/songwriter commits herself to the discipline of perfecting her craft. Strengthening her creative muscles and figuring out what melodies, lyrics and chord changes work best, she allows herself to be vulnerable, brave and brutally honest at the same time. .
Helping Jesse develop her sound and overall vision is producer Doug Petty, who came into her life as a fan of her vocals and songwriting before she had signed her record deal with Artistry Music. Petty, also a veteran keyboardist who has worked with the likes of Nick Lachey, Celine Dion, Audra McDonald, Britney Spears, Lisa Loeb and Shawn Colvin, agreed to produce her material whether she had a label or not. What Jesse calls his “meticulous, mad scientist approach to production” allowed her to keep the integrity of her songs from demo through the many layers and textures he brought forth. Testament to Jesse’s artistry is the caliber of studio musicians who were invited to play on the project – including bassists Tim Lefebvre and Alex Al and drummers Matt Chamberlain and Aaron Sterling.
Jesse grew up a multi-instrumentalist (piano, trumpet, etc.) with parents whose passion for an eclectic array of music inspired her to deeply respect the art of great songs and songwriters, from Carole King and Joni Mitchell to Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and The Beatles. Her multitude of talents as a vocalist and songwriter of strength and depth are showcased powerfully on the five tracks of The Paper Trail EP.
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Baby FuzZ, the latest project from songwriter Sterling Fox, is an alt rock/glam pop band with a rotating cast of contributors, band members, and characters. Baby FuzZ's music fuses a number of styles from emo to rock and roll to strange ballads, while the live show is theatrical and absurd.
Described as “one of the most slept on acts in music” by Hillydilly, Baby FuzZ has released a litany of singles and bizarrely brilliant videos in 2018 and is dropping a full length album Plastic Paradise at the end of January. In the past, Fox, the frontman of the group, produced “Video Games” by Lana Del Rey and has written songs for the likes of Madonna, Britney Spears, and Avicii.
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Writing songs that deal with every color and nuance of life, The Songery aims to push mental boundaries through genre-bending pop and theatrics. The concepts, ideas, and messages behind the songs are more important than the songs themselves and every move, every sound, every visual is developed with care and intent in a final attempt to peel back the mask that humanity can so easily wear.
When asked why one person would decide to call herself “The Songery” she replies, “The Songery is more than a persona. It is a call to arms, a spearhead signaling for spiritual awakening, symbolic of an ideology that the world seems to be lacking severely and yet constantly surrounds us. For this reason, my project is grounded in story-line, integrity, concept, and character. I feel very secondary- as if I am the one driving the car, and it’s my car… but I am not the car. The Songery is a name I feel very intertwined with, I feel it so perfectly encapsulates the whimsical world I strive to show people. I’m not quite there yet. I’m still developing, completely on my own, so it is a process… but I’ll get there.”
-I also feel the name gives me freedom to play with all these abstracts and to adopt such a wide range of tones and subject matter. Some very light, some very dark, ranging substantially in color yet all unified within this world. I have been writing songs and performing since I was a little girl, and never really had the belief that I could or should be trying to make a career out of it… until The Songery came along. It sparked a purpose within me. I believe in The Songery with such passion that I want to keep fighting until I see it realized. The Songery comes with power to me. It is more than me. It is bigger than me. If I forfeited the name, the music would not feel the same. Nothing would feel the same. It would not be the same.
The Songery loves Jonsi, Sigur Ros, Regina Spektor, Danny Elfman, Queen, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Beethoven, all the random hits of the 80s, and pretty much any film score.
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Rae Khalil a singer/rapper from Torrance, California is setting a new trend. The young rapper just released singles “BELIEVE” and “NOT GOING Back” on all platforms. Her beautiful raspy voice, combined with her ability to play with words and melodic bliss makes her hip/hop soul sound so captivating.
Fans are listening to Rae’s unique flow and the valuable messages she shares in her music. She often speaks on her duty to speak and impact the youth and her community, which is refreshing to hear from a female rapper/singer in today's music scene. Rae has a presence when she sings on her euphoric hip/hop soul beats and we are listening.
Ministry’s brand of ‘no-frills’ industrial metal was just what the Doctor ordered on Tuesday night at the San Diego House of Blues. Their music was powerful, their lyrics relevant, and their live performance one of the best I have seen all year. Al Jourgensen continues to fly under the radar as one of metals best frontmen and only gets better with age!
Ministry may be one of the most underappreciated bands touring the states this year. Thought by many to be the pioneers of industrial metal, this incredible band has yet taken the world by storm in 2018 in support of their recent release, AmeriKKKant. If you haven’t given this album a spin, you might be missing out on one of the year’s best metal releases and possibly one of Ministry’s best since 1992’s Psalm 69. Their distinct sound is like no other on the scene today and continues to push the boundaries with music that is heavy, thought-provoking, yet unapologetic.
On Tuesday December 18th, Ministry took over the House of Blues in San Diego, CA for night of musical mayhem that challenged the mind and inspired the soul. Whether you were a long-time follower of the band or just started listening to their music, there was something for everyone who attended the show. And for lifelong fans like myself, we’d get a chance to hear some tracks off 1988’s sensational release, The Land of Rape and Honey. This is by far my favorite Ministry release and was stoked that some of these tracks would be making it to an already ferocious setlist.
Kicking off the evening was a ridiculously talented band from New Zealand known as Alien Weaponry. It was clear from the moment these young bucks took the stage that this band was special, and they failed to disappoint the raucous San Diego crowd. After an intense set, all I could say was “WOW”. Next up was Carpenter Brut. This French synthwave trio took it up a notch with a sound so fierce (and yet so beautiful), it left little to be desired. However, many in attendance commented that the band seemed misplaced on the bill and would have preferred a band with a much harder sound. I disagree. Carpenter Brut checked off all the boxes for me with a show that was musically (as well as visually).
After a short break, Ministry took the stage and immediately spun the near-capacity crowd into hyper-drive with their first tracks of the night, "Twilight Zone" and "Victims of a Clown". These were the perfect songs to kick off the show and set the stage for an amazing night of metal in the Gaslamp District. Next up was "We’re Tired of It”. It’s my favorite song off AmeriKKKant and took energy levels to a whole new level down in the pit. For the next hour and a half, Al Jourgensen and company absolutely killed it with an amazing setlist that spanned their entire 14-disc catalog.
Throughout the show, Ministry’s amazing chemistry was showcased by an unbelievable group of musicians including the ever-talented Derek Abrams on Drums, Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto on Guitar, Tony Campos on Bass, and John Bechdel on keys. I’m sure it's not easy to pull off a show like this with so much talent on stage at any given time, but this band does it in fine fashion. Ministry wrapped up their powerful set with a killer encore including “N.W.O.”, "Thieves”, and “So What”. Simply electrifying ending to a surgically precise set of unabridged metal mayhem in San Diego.