It’s taken a few but..
I bought a lot (for me) from this last Bandcamp Friday. I wanted to go over what I’ve been listening to since.
BandCamp Friday is a weird thing. I feel compelled to participate, even though it’s the same day everyone else participates too. It’s whatever. But I feel like more could be served by categories or something. It’s a mess. Fun. But a mess too.
I’ve been making music for online audiences since 2016. In some ways it’s never been better! In some ways it’s never been worse. Reminds me of “the best of times, the worst of times.” That damn Dickens always comes up, still!
I’ve known some of these bands a bit. I just met a few too. I haven’t met a couple at all. It doesn’t even matter to me if I know you. I’ll give it to ya’ if you got a good tune. Least I can do for the listen.
None of the local friends I have here use Bandcamp or shop it. This one is for my online buddies for ten years now. It’s been a blast. Here’s to ten more. (Drumroll.)
Bands I had to mention:
The Tremaines
This band mystifies me. Their music isn’t difficult to digest or anything. But they do seem as though they’re from another time. Their sound and look is a kind of nostalgia I can get behind.
Maybe you like The Beach Boys, or The Monkees.. maybe you like North Carolina. Maybe you like to feel good and damn near wholesome. Maybe you like indie music that takes you to all those places in your mind. You’d probably like The Tremaines.
Dino Dimuro
Dino’s Collaborations came out recently. I’ve been friends online with this guy for years. Collaborated with him, I’m even playing percussion on this compilation. Fabulous.
Dino is fun because he’s talented, but he’s also just fun. He’s got a great sense of humor that often shows up in instrumental pieces. I think humor in music is highly underrated. It’s hard to do unless it just happens, and it helps a lot.
Dino is good people, he’s a great musician too. He also knows how to be a good friend and does it often. Can’t say enough good things about the dude.
80’s kids, Shannon Curtis
I love 80’s music and indie tunes. Fortunately for me, there’s 80’s kids. Shannon and Jaime are friends in Washington. They were introduced to me by a musician I worked with. I bought some of their stuff. I’m VERY happy I did.
These folks are working hard. Their sound is great, their skills are up there, and they’re choosing to have fun. There’s a lot of other music they could be doing, and they do a lot of other things, but I feel like 80’s kids is more than a band, it’s a community. Shannon Curtis has 11 studio albums according to her bandcamp, and on tour soon! She and Jaime inspire me.
They’ve latched on to something certain folks out there like a lot like they do. It’s disarming from the perspective of someone who likes their stuff. It’s like a conversation about growing up or something. That gets folks talking. Their BandCamp is fun because there’s talking in the email sometimes. Not sales, not silly schemes, just “hope you’re well.”
There’s a lot of bands like this on BandCamp, frankly. I hope I find yours. I love it.
Shrube
A friend, Flakebelly, sent me this and I’m in. It’s jam but it sounds so great. The vibe and mixing are on point. There’s unexpected moments, head-bobbing moments, and nice sounds. I don’t know what more you could want from jamming band.
This music here could be in movies or shows. It could even be on commercials or documentaries. But I love it in my music room with my eyes closed. A lot of effort went into this and it’s smooth. I like those “lots of effort yet smooth” things in life.
Flakebelly I know from other projects but this band is new to me. I’m very glad he introduced me to them. As a musician with a band like Djembe Funk, he’s given me a lot to think about.
Rodney Owl
Rodney Owl has a new single. I have been listening to Rodney for a few years. We’ve said “hi” a couple of times online. His music is very smooth and quite adventurous. The stage is so immaculate and enthralling, he can do whatever he wants. I’ll follow. Every single note sounds like comfort. The mood of the song may not be comforting sometimes, but even then the sound is.
Rodney Owl’s music relaxes me because of how it sounds. It’s just easy and spot on. The mixing is beyond my pay grade for sure. Perhaps beyond most. It frees him up to visit places with the listeners en tow. He puts you at ease right away, then displays strange scenes. He’s one of the best I’ve heard in my life at this. Don’t sleep on Rodney Owl.. there might be hundreds of years of experience in his songs. You can hear it.
Buzzard
I got this song from GetMusic.fm. I had to include because I think Buzzard is on to something. I like genre mashups when they work and that’s we got here.
“Doom Folk” isn’t for everyone. But I really enjoy it. I read on their Bandcamp, “what if Bob Dylan sang a Black Sabbath tune?” I was down to hear that at least once. Several times later, I’m glad I did.
This vibes because it’s interesting but it also hits because it’s solid. I don’t think this would work near as well if it wasn’t performed well. In fact, I’d say it eeks out both Dylan and Sabbath in performance areas most days. Lol.
Djembe Funk
Lastly, I had a song from Djembe Funk come out about Wales. 🏴. Friends over in Wales made Welsh samples, how could I not?
This was the first song from my new music space Keri and I have been working on. Now I’m writing a song a day or so compiling material for The Kintner’s double album in the works. I have a lot of lyrics in me and jamming is so cathartic. It’s time and I’m ready.
I hope you find a song you love. There’s so many bands, I’ll never catch them all. That’s okay. I enjoy catching what I can.
-Kelly
Return to home.
PS: I’m available for helping on a project if needed. Everything is set up so if you’d like percussion, bass, guitar, vocal.. maybe you’d like someone to listen and give you an honest opinion in a constructive way. Maybe you’d like to crank out a tune with me. Maybe you need help in some other area I either happen to know or can find for you. Whatever, open to all that and more. I even do jingles. Here for it all, love it. Email: [email protected]