Tonight: The Bright Light Social Hour in Cincinnati
All right Cincinnati, got that weekend itch yet? Then make sure to get out to the MOTR Pub on 12th and Main St. tonight to see The Bright Light Social Hour. Once again, admission is FREE, so round up your friends, dust off those dancing shoes and come let loose on a Thursday. The Bright Light Social Hour were kind enough to recently give Thought on Tracks an exclusive interview. Check out a fitting video for this time of the year below of the guys rocking out just after midnight on New Year’s Eve from last year with their song “Shanty”. Hope to see you at the show!
Connect to The Bright Light Social Hour via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Greg Dahman
Fresh Track: Chad Serhal “30”
Bloomington’s Chad Serhal has been churning out some consistently terrific material lately. He serves as frontman for She Does Is Magic, whose self-titled, debut EP wound up on my Top 5 of 2011 list. Yesterday, Serhal released an album of solo material entitled Golden. The 13 tracks were penned last year and recorded in a single week, kicking off 2012. The album begins with the voice of Edward Bloom from Tim Burton’s 2003 flick Big Fish, saying “And if I were to end up here, I’d feel lucky. But the truth is, I’m not ready to end up anywhere.”
The constrictive nature of a less than fulfilling hometown echoes in Serhal’s lyrics throughout the opening track “30.” The song’s voice speaks to the restlessness one feels with complacency, advising instead that the listener “Get out while the getting’s good.” A sentiment as old as rock n roll. Here, Serhal seems to be justifying his own dream of the aspiring musician as a life worth living, saying, “You have to keep moving / you can’t be confined to your neighborhood / And let the music take you places / you never thought you could.”
By the end of the track, Serhal ensures that he understands that the path he’s chosen will not be easy. To pull this off he returns to Edward Bloom. Now Bloom is being asked by a young child how he could possibly expect to make it without his shoes. Bloom’s reply: “Well, I suspect it will hurt – a lot.” Grab Golden for $5 from Bandcamp. Keep your ears open for She Does is Magic’s debut, full-length LP due to drop on Bloomington’s Flannelgraph Records later this year.
Connect with Chad Serhal via Twitter |Bandcamp
Written by Rob Peoni
Video: Ghost Beach “Bones”
I tend to be more of a “bar guy” than a “club guy” even with my affection for electronic music. In the Midwest, a club is usually synonymous with Bud Light, Affliction T’s, and bland Top 20 pop radio, so it’s not hard to see why I don’t usually frequent these so called weekend hot spots. But a good club offers everything needed for to let loose, with its secret being the soundtrack for the evening that always gets the good vibes flowing.
“Bones” by Ghost Beach is the type of track that needs to be played on a Saturday night. Full of heavy synths, an up-tempo beat, and an in-your-face emotional vocal, the song is a ridiculously great cocktail of 80’s pop and current electronica. The song is the work of duo Josh Ocean and Eric Mendelsohn, who are going about making their music in a unique style. They have started up their own label, Crazy Heart Records, in support of the project and release one song per month on their website as a way to connect with their listeners. In a world of brands, it’s refreshing to hear a story of people doing everything they can to be successful at what they love on their own while trying something new. You can download “Bones” along with several other stellar jams by Ghost Beach for free by making a visit to the band’s website.
Connect with Ghost Beach via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Greg Dahman
Thought on Tracks 