U.S. Rocker New Music Picks: The Killers, Driver Era, Luna Luna, Cocker Spaniels

The Killers - Photo by Danny Clinch

The Killers have releasesd the new album, Pressure Machine, out now on Island Records. 

The band’s seventh studio album, Pressure Machine follows last year’s Imploding The Mirage, which gave the band a record-breaking sixth consecutive UK #1.

Like its predecessor, the album was co-produced by the band, Shawn Everett, and Jonathan Rado of Foxygen. The release comes along with an animated video for the song, Quiet Town.

When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down the promotional run and worldwide tour for Imploding the Mirage, “everything came to this grinding halt,” said frontman Brandon Flowers. 

“And it was the first time in a long time for me that I was faced with silence,” Flowers said. “And out of that silence this record began to bloom, full of songs that would have otherwise been too quiet and drowned out by the noise of typical Killers records.”

A quieter, character-study-driven album, Pressure Machine lives squarely in Flowers’ hometown of Nephi, Utah, a close-knit community of 5300 people with no traffic lights, a rubber plant, wheat fields, and the West Hills. Nephi is the place Flowers spent his formative years when he was 10 to 16 years old.

“We were discussing [Brandon] moving to Nephi as a kid and being stuck in the middle of nowhere,” said the band’s drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. “And during Covid-19, it started to feel like we were all in the middle of nowhere.”

“I discovered this grief that I hadn’t dealt with,” Flowers said, “many memories of my time in Nephi are tender. But the ones tied to fear or great sadness were emotionally charged. I’ve got more understanding now than when we started the band, and hopefully I was able to do justice to these stories and these lives in this little town that I grew up in.”

Check out ‘Quiet Town’ here:

The Driver Era Releases ‘#1 Fan’

Driver Era feature image – Courtesy

Alt-pop band The Driver Era releases their new track “#1 Fan” in addition to announcing their highly anticipated sophomore album Girlfriend, out October 15th via BMG. 

Written and produced by brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch, the track marks the next chapter for the duo after spending part of the pandemic in their garage studio. 

Available for pre-order today, fans will be able to purchase Girlfriend digitally, on autographed limited edition colored vinyl, or autographed CD.

Stream “#1 Fan” HERE.

Pre-Order “Girlfriend” HERE.

The new track”#1 Fan” is a song about going to great lengths to prove they really are their lovers’ #1 fan.

“The song has two meanings – when we first started writing this song, my girlfriend (Jaz Sinclair) was also releasing music, and I loved that we aren’t one of those couples that feel like it’s a competition when there are two creatives involved. Ross said. “It’s also really about being your own #1 Fan, which Rocky and I absolutely are.”

For more information about The Driver Era

https://thedriverera.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheDriverEra/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thedriverera/

Luna Luna Drops Debut Album ‘Flower Moon’

Luna Luna – Photo by Ash Rosas

Luna Luna have released their debut album Flower Moon. 

Founded by Colombian born, Dallas-bred Kavvi, Luna Luna grew since the days the 14-year-old singer-songwriter tinkered with Garage Band on his iPhone. Kavvi began recording under the Luna Luna moniker in 2017. Upon meeting Danny Bonilla after he asked him to stick around for his set at an open mic during where they shared the bill, it quickly became apparent that they felt drawn to expand into a duo. Before long, drummer Kaylin Martinez and bassist and back-up vocalist Ryan “Gordo” Gordon fell into place, drawn together from performing house shows around Texas.

 Built around Kavvi’s original idea of a lost boy confused about life and turning to the moon for answers, Flower Moon reflects on past regrets and daydreams about future possibilities. Across the album’s 10 tracks, the band members’ various influences come together, and it feels like we’re taking part in a blissed out night of conversation amongst friends.

The focus single “Feel It Now” is about living in the moment, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the bass groove of this dancefloor heater.  “Sometimes you just wanna let loose and this is the song that you can do that to,” Kavvi says. With frolicking, addictive drums and a playful, luxuriously funky vibe, “Feel It Now” is irresistible even before its strong riff comes into play, not to even mention its alluring vocals, bringing the song delightfully adjacent to Tame Impala’s Currents, all while confidently maintaining a sound entirely Luna Luna’s own.

“’Feel It Now’ is our most anthemic song,” Kavvi said. “We wanted to make a huge unstoppable song, and I think that’s what it came out to be. I think the production really takes centerstage on this one. I feel like as soon as the drums come in you’re transported into this vibe that doesn’t let you go. The lyrics are really just about chasing that feeling of ecstasy and longing for it. Sometimes you just wanna let loose and this is the song that you can do that to.”

LUNA LUNA SOCIALS:

Spotify / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / TikTok

Check out ‘Feel It Now’ here:

Mira Goto Releases ‘The Best’

Mira Goto – Courtesy for US Rocker

Mira Goto has recorded and released the upbeat signature song, “The Best,” previously released by Tina Turner. The new recording was produced by Derek Garten at Prime Recording Studio in Nashville and compliments her recently released single on radio “Fine” which is moving rapidly up the radio airplay charts.

Download and stream the “The Best” on all digital music platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and more here https://orcd.co/thebestmg

Goto has been an active member of the West Coast Songwriters since 2017 when she entered their songwriting competition and she won every round through to the grand finals in Berkeley, CA. She was awarded with the opportunity to perform at their annual conference. It was at this conference that she met her now producer, Ken Caillat. In 2019 Goto won the NEXTies Musician of the Year, and in 2020 & 2021 she won The Santa Cruz Good Times’ Best Local Musician.

Check her out on  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter as well as YouTube for her latest videos and her website www.miragoto.com.
Stream and download her music on digital music platforms Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more.

Rence Releases Romantic ‘Awooo!’ via Epic

Rence Awooo – Courtesy for US Rocker

Singer, songwriter and producer Rence is back today with the heartfelt new single “AWOOO!”  Get it HERE via Epic Records.

Hopeful and romantic on the surface, the breakout star’s latest release is actually a breakup song, even if not immediately apparent in the lyrics. “I love when you howl at the moon, I wanna lay here watching you,” the 23-year-old coos over dreamy guitars. “Til I’m howling too, like AWOOO!”

“I actually wrote it as a bookend to a relationship,” Rence says. “But it turned into a love song even as a goodbye.” Somber but full of life and color, “AWOOO!” became about the realization that even true love can fade. It covers the kind of complex emotional territory that Rence has tread since bursting onto the pop music scene while still studying at NYU.

“AWOOO!” follows the exuberant anthem “Endless,” which was released at the top of 2021 and showcases his trademark vulnerability and emotional nuance. With more new music on the horizon, he continues to create a kaleidoscopic pop sound, while experimenting with everything from electro to hip hop.

FOLLOW RENCE:

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Website

‘The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive and So Are You’ Latest from Sean Padilla

Sean Padilla – Courtesy for US Rocker

Parent and multi-instrumentalist Sean Padilla a.k.a. The Cocker Spaniels has released   The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive And So Are You. Combining elements of punk, shoegaze, funk and power-pop, the album is uplifting and reflects the times we’ve been through.

Essentially a solo album, though Padilla’s kids did sit in on some tracks the album works as a snapshot of American life during some of the weirdest, darkest few years in recent memory.

The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive and So Are You is a meditation on grief, loss, birth, and life; a reflection of his growth as a person and a musician over the last decade. The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive and So Are You was recorded on two digital 24-tracks and a cassette 8-track at Padilla’s house in Charlotte, NC.

All songs were produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Padilla. Nathaniel Arcadipane (“H”), Layne Padilla (tambourine, “Family Narc”), Ezra Padilla (“Rice and “Prepared Xylophone”), and Micah Padilla (“Rainbow Baby #2) dropped by from time to time. The album was executive produced by Layne Padilla and Lenée Voss. Layne oversaw the art direction. It was mastered by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction.