The Reel Spin

Artist to Watch: Kid Astray -- "The Mess"

2013-05-24T12:10:51-07:00

All it takes is one listen to Kid Astray's, "The Mess," to understand why the Norwegian six-piece indie pop outfit has so much hype surrounding them. Simply put, "The Mess" is a little slice of indie pop heaven with its catchy hooks and easy vocals. Listen below, but be prepared to hit repeat.

An Interview with Charlie Mars

2013-05-23T16:43:32-07:00

Photo: Courtesy of Danny Clinch

Whether you find yourself dancing around in your living room to "How I Roll' or tearing up to the unbelievably sweet "I Do I Do," one thing is certain... Charlie Mars' latest album Blackberry Light will be an instant favorite if it isn't already.

Mars' soulful stylings lend themselves to stripped down, acoustic performances, so it seems only natural that he is hitting the road this summer on an acoustic tour. To see if he is coming to a town near you, click here.

Mars was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his influences, songwriting inspirations, and his decision to tour acoustically this summer.

The Reel Spin: Obvious comparisons have been made to Gram Parsons, but who do you consider to be some of your greatest influences?

Charlie Mars: I've always liked Gram Parsons. I never listened to much of his music growing up, but I like him. I listen to all kinds of stuff, but I'd say my music is some cross between Bob Marley and Paul Simon. My favorite band is REM.

TRS: Your new video for "Let the Meter Run" is a lot of fun. How did you come up with the concept?

Mars: Car. Girl. Beer. Cool hotel. Austin, TX. Not a hard one to dream up.

TRS: One of my favorite songs on Blackberry Light is "Nothing But the Rain." Is there a story behind the song?

Mars: I had a dream at Bob Schneider's house, and the song was in the dream. It really came to me in a dream. My girlfriend's dad said it was more like a vision. I'll go with that.

TRS: One of your strengths as a songwriter is truly your storytelling capabilities. Was this an intentional choice early on?

Mars: I like to tell a story in an abstract way, like you are seeing it out of the corner of your eye. I make most of my choices based on my gut instinct. Steve Earle says all my songs are about me. Maybe that's true. I need to get out of the house :)

TRS: You are about to embark on a solo acoustic tour. Was it important to you to be able to showcase your songs in such an intimate, stripped down way?

Mars: I started doing acoustic shows for economic reasons. I could make more money...and I was broke. Now I love them. I'm not sure which one I like more...band or solo. It allows me to open up more to the audience and share my stories and such about the songs. I never used to do that.

For more on Charlie Mars:

Website: www.charliemars.com

Facebook: facebook.com/CharlieMarsMusic

Twitter: @CharlieMars

Interview by Pamela Thomas

DWTS Season 16 Winner: Kellie Pickler

2013-05-22T08:47:22-07:00

For anyone who has been following Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars, Kellie Pickler's win last night will come as no surprise. For anyone who has not been tuning in, you only need to watch her finale freestyle routine with partner Derek Hough to know why she was so deserving of the mirrorball trophy.

Video of the Day: She & Him -- "I Could've Been Your Girl"

2013-05-21T16:04:39-07:00

A while back I streamed the She & Him single, "I Could've Been Your Girl." Today, I am happy to present the adorable video for the track. The video was directed by Zooey Deschanel and is almost too adorable for words. See what I mean below.

YouTube Comedy Week: The Lonely Island -- "Diaper Money"

2013-05-20T19:33:09-07:00

For YouTube Comedy Week, The Lonely Island tackle babies, wives, and grave plots in their latest video, "Diaper Money." Watch the hilarity below (warning: NSFW due to language).

SNL Season Finale: Ben Affleck explains Oscar speech

2013-05-19T16:39:58-07:00

Ben Affleck had wife Jennifer Garner join him on the SNL stage as he attempted to explain his controversial Oscar acceptance speech for Argo. Watch below...

Artist to Watch: Rathborne

2013-05-17T15:45:08-07:00

I dare you to listen to Rathborne's "Last Forgiven" and not have it playing in your head the rest of the day. And, that's a good thing, because that is exactly where you are going to want it to be. "Last Forgiven" is toe-tapping infectiousness at its best. Keep your eyes and ears out for more from Rathborne whose LP, Soft, drops July 2, and trust me... you're gonna want more.

5 Questions with THE SHOUTING MATCHES

2013-05-16T15:15:07-07:00

Photo: Courtesy of Graham Tolbert

Rarely does an album come along that is effortlessly appealing; however, such is the case with Grownass Man. It has an instantly familiar ease, perhaps because The Shouting Matches trio consisting of Brian Moen, Phil Cook, and Justin Vernon are longtime friends. Whatever the reason, the result is nothing short of genius.

The Reel Spin: You guys played one show as The Shouting Matches almost seven years ago. What made you decide to reunite after all these years and record an album?

Brian Moen: Justin and I had been playing a show or two a year since then as a two-piece, but when we decided it was finally time to make a proper album, we realized Phil could really be part of bringing the whole thing together. We've all always loved playing together, and our schedules finally allowed us to be in the same place for a few days and make some music.

TRS: Bon Iver fans may be surprised to hear a much different Justin Vernon on Grownass Man. Was that an intentional decision... to showcase a completely different sound?

Brian: To me it's really more about what we wanted to do than what we didn't. Grownass Man isn't supposed to be the antithesis of any of the projects that we're in, even though it's quite a bit different than all of them. It's more natural than anything -- really just the result of the three of us wanting to play blues and soul music together.

TRS: I am actually in love with this album. It has an instantly familiar sound, and it grooves from beginning to end. Each track stands alone in equal greatness, but I believe the album is best listened to in its entirety in order to get the full effect. Were you trying to tell a particular story with Grownass Man?

Brian: There wasn't a high and lofty goal to make an album that works from start to finish, but I think we came at each of the songs with a similar group sensibility. What makes the band work in both writing and performing is the chemistry between us, and I think it's that chemistry that keeps the album unified while touching on a lot of different instruments and genres. Another thing that helps is that we kept ourselves from venturing into the overdub-land that we're used to in making records. Each song only has the parts that the three of us can play and sing live, and I think the 'live trio' vibe is another thing that really ties it together.

TRS: When creating such a blues-inspired album, who were your influences? Were you channeling any artists in particular for inspiration?

Phil Cook: We grew up listening to the standard Robert Johnson, SRV, Paul Butterfield and such but later we dug deeper into gospel artists like Mahalia Jackson, Washington Phillips and The Swan Silvertones. Jimmy Reed and Slim Harpo are definitely in our grooves but so are their progeny like Ry Cooder and John Fogerty. We are fortunate in this age to know and understand the whole last century of American music, which as we all know is our true gift to the world.

TRS: In tracks as opposite as "Mother When" and "I Need A Change," you talk about the need for change... do you feel this album satisfied the creative need you guys had for change?

Brian: Part of the change was really the informality of making this music together. We are all used to the effort and often over-analysis related to making albums professionally, and this was a breath of fresh air to get back to making music in the moment with people we truly enjoy playing with and are inspired by. And when you're doing something really collaborative, every other player effects not only the group sound but also the way every other person plays. I only play like the drummer from The Shouting Matches with those two guys, so it was an outlet for that player in me.

For more on The Shouting Matches:

Website: theshoutingmatches.com

Facebook: facebook.com/theshoutingmatches

Twitter: @shoutingmatches

Check out the video below to see the The Shouting Matches perfoming one of the standouts on the album, "I Need A Change," at Coachella.

Interview by Pamela Thomas

First Look: THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW

2013-05-16T09:48:00-07:00

Michael J. Fox stars as 'Mike Henry,' a news anchor who gave up his career to focus on his health and family after his Parkinson's diagnosis. After five restless years, he decides to get back in the game. Check out the charming trailer for NBC's The Michael J. Fox show below.

Video of the Day: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s "Dark Water"

2013-05-15T11:01:33-07:00

Claymation + theatrical dancing? It could only be a Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. video. Watch the always creative duo's latest effort for their single, "Dark Water," below.