Alternative Rock | Musicosity

X Ambassadors

X Ambassadors (also stylized XA) are an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York, that consists of lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member who plays guitar and bass. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their second album, Orion, came out on June 14, 2019. Their third album, The Beautiful Liar, was issued on September 24, 2021. Their fourth album, Townie, came out on April 5, 2024.

2009–12: Ambassadors and Litost

X Ambassadors began playing under the name Ambassadors, touring with artists such as LIGHTS. During this time, they self-released their debut EP, Ambassadors, creating a music video for its lead single, "Tropisms", shot and directed by Rodrigo Zedillo.[citation needed] Shortly after, they self-released their second EP, Litost, which included the eponymous song, later to be used in the soundtrack for The Host. The band signed a record deal in 2012 with SONGS Music Publishing. They launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund and shoot two music videos for the EP's singles, "Weight/Lightness" and "Unconsolable", with the latter being re-recorded later. The group was noticed by Imagine Dragons while frontman Dan Reynolds was sick in the hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Reynolds heard an acoustic version of "Unconsolable" on 96X WROX-FM and asked Interscope to sign the band as soon as possible.

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Highly Suspect

Highly Suspect is an American rock band from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The band consists of twin brothers Rich (bass, backing vocals) and Ryan Meyer (drums, backing vocals), Johnny Stevens (guitar, lead vocals), and Matt Kofos (guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals). After starting as a bar cover band, they relocated to Brooklyn, New York, where they recorded The Worst Humans EP with producer Joel Hamilton.

The band's first studio album Mister Asylum was released in 2015, earning them a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. The song "Lydia" was nominated for Best Rock Song. Highly Suspect's second studio album, The Boy Who Died Wolf, was released in 2016. Two singles were released from the album, "My Name Is Human", which topped the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Songs chart, and "Little One", which peaked at number 2 on the same chart. Their third studio album, MCID, was released in 2019, their fourth, The Midnight Demon Club, in 2022, and their fifth, As Above, So Below, on July 19, 2024.

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Supermodels

Melbourne four-piece Supermodels play roots-inspired post-punk that draws on folk rock, 60s pop, blues punk and new wave. Oscar Sergeant and Callum Elvins' lyrical songwriting is backed by Callum's Telecaster twang and the hulking rhythm section of Rehn Smith (drums) and Fraser Elvins (bass), to create driving and melodic rock and roll that pays homage to it's influences while forging a path of its own.

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MOM JEANS (USA)

Mom Jeans found their start in early 2014 at UC Berkeley, with guitarist Austin Carango and lead singer Eric Butler. This line-up would go on to record Spring Demo in May 2014, a six-track EP which would later be released as the band's self-titled debut on cassette tape by Northern California-based label, Fourth Row Records. Tracks on Spring Demo feature only Eric and Austin in an acoustic style, while the later released self-titled EP boasted an electric instrumentation with new additions, Josh Perline on bass/vocals, and David McDowall on drums (before his departure from the band shortly after release). Later that summer, the trio would record their last EP before their first full-length album, titled Allergic which featured Austin switching to drums, Josh switching to guitar, and bass recordings being handled by both members. Post-release, Gabriel (Gabe) Paganin joined the band as live bassist and Josh Perline exited the band on good terms.

Mom Jeans self-released their first full-length album, Best Buds, on July 3, 2016. Like their self-titled EP, the album was first released on cassette tape by Fourth Row Records in the summer of 2016. However, soon the group would sign with Massachusetts-based label Counter Intuitive Records, who then re-released the band's first full-length album on vinyl in November 2016.

On March 7, 2017, Mom Jeans released a split EP with the Fresno-based band Graduating Life. It was during this period that Bart Thompson of Graduating Life and Meet Me in Montauk fame would become a guitarist for the band.

On October 6, 2017, Counter Intuitive Records released a split EP titled NOW That's What I Call Music Vol. 420, featuring music from Mom Jeans as well as the bands Pictures of Vernon and Prince Daddy & The Hyena.

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Alternative Rock

Indie Rock

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Avalanche

Avalanche are a 4-piece hard rock band from Western Sydney, Australia playing short, fast & loud, no-bull Aussie rock 'n roll for a new generation and attracting massive attention on a global scale. Rolling Stone has called them "one band you need to watch..." Forming in a steel factory in 2018, Avalanche have since crashed through the Australian pub scene, playing alongside bands such as Buckcherry, Fozzy, The Iron Maidens, Palace Of The King, Kingswood, Rose Tattoo, The Poor... and even across the pond, headlining their first international festival and tour in Nouméa; New Caledonia, and touring Japan in March 2024, with more overseas tours in the works. Avalanche are the winners of Passport To Airlie 2023, Australia's largest live original band competition at Airlie Beach Festival of Music where they shared the stage with Ian Moss, Freznal Rhomb, Dragon, The Superjesus, Ross Wilson and more, and as a result, they'll be returning in 2024 Nov 7-10 with a headlining slot on the mainstage. Made up of husband and wife duo; described as ‘giving audiences a peek into their bedroom’ as part of their on stage antics; Avalanche is lead vocalist and bassist and sheer force of nature; Steven Campbell and the tall, dark & aggressively powerful lead guitarist, Veronica ‘V’ Campbell, always playing her blistering solos out in the crowd or on the bar. Along with the monster that is the two-headed rhythm beast of Ryan Roma aka ‘ADHD’ on drums, and life of the party Arthur Divis on rhythm guitar.

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Dance/Electronic

Alternative Rock

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RedHook

RedHook are an Australian rock band from Sydney, who formed in 2017. The band consists of lead vocalist Emmy Mack, guitarist Craig Wilkinson, drummer Alex Powys, and bassist Ned Jankovic.

Their debut EP Bad Decisions was released on 23 April 2021. A debut studio album, Postcard from a Living Hell, is expected to release in April 2023.

Armed with their long-awaited debut album 'Postcard From A Living Hell' Eora/Sydney-based alt-rock force RedHook will be heading around Australia this May on their biggest national headline tour to date.

They'll be bringing their unforgettable live show packed with moshpit pillow fights saxophone circle pits powerful moments big singalongs special guests and plenty of surprises to fans in the Sunshine Coast Brisbane Gold Coast Bunbury Perth Adelaide Canberra Melbourne Wollongong Newcastle and Sydney with support from Melbourne heavy rock sensations Bad/Love Melbourne post-harcore favourites Belle Haven and Sydney pop-punk rising stars Grenade Jumper.

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The Buoys

The Buoys were an American pop/rock band from the early 1970s. Its membership included Bill Kelly, Fran Brozena, Jerry Hludzik, Carl Siracuse and Chris Hanlon, based in the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, Pennsylvania area. They are most famous for the banned song "Timothy", which was written for them by Rupert Holmes.

The Buoys are most famous for their recording of Rupert Holmes's "Timothy", a song deliberately written to get banned, based on the theme of cannibalism. Holmes himself selected the group to record the song.[1]

Recorded at Scepter Recording Studios in New York City and released by Scepter Records in December 1970, with whom the Buoys had been signed but previously ignored, the song hit No. 17 on US charts in 1971.

In 1963, there had been a mine cave-in in Sheppton, Pennsylvania, a small mining community outside of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Rupert Holmes told rock journalist Maxim Furek, “I learned about the Sheppton Mine Disaster after Timothy was on the charts. If I had known about that at the time, I probably never would have written the song because I don’t want to make fun of something that’s tragic.”[2]

Scepter executives did not catch what the song was about until after it started climbing the charts, after which they claimed that Timothy was a mule. Holmes rejected this attempt to change the premise of his song; he had intended it to be offensive. Holmes, with D. Jordan, wrote a less-successful hit for them titled "Give Up Your Guns" (1972), an epic narrative dealing with an escaped bank robber.

Much more serious in tone than their previous hit, "Give Up Your Guns" reached only No. 84. By contrast, "Give Up Your Guns" was a massive hit twice in mainland Europe, when originally released, and when re-released in 1979.

Holmes wrote a number of other songs for the band, including "The Prince of Thieves", "Bloodknot", and "Tomorrow", most of which had much of the darkness but little of the humor of "Timothy". Like "Give Up Your Guns", they are complaints by criminals.

Holmes now writes Broadway musicals. Rock journalist Maxim Furek later wrote a book connecting Sheppton to what he called The Sheppton Mythology.

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HighSch00L

Currently based in London, Melbourne locals HighSchool have had quite a year over there – playing sold-out headline shows, supporting the likes of CHVRCHES, NewDad and Wet Leg, and appearing at a whole host of UK and European festivals. Fresh from supporting Sam Fender on his Australian tour, today they’re excited to finally be announcing their first ever hometown show, when they’ll headline Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Wednesday 14 December.

The trio of Lilli and Rory Trobbiani and Luke Scott, HighSchool made quite the introduction late last year with their infectious six-track debut EP, Forever at Last, released to much acclaim:
‘A sprawling and gorgeous thing, overflowing with ideas and gothic excess. A monument to unbridled creativity’ – NME
‘Deliciously dark dance numbers that’ll be stuck in your head for days’ – DIY
‘Potent indie pop that recalls early Beach Fossils, aspects of The Cure, while channelling elements of The Go-Betweens, but really they are forging fresh paths, and laying claim to a sound of their own’ – Clash Magazine

As the EP continues to find fans, they recently recorded live favourite ‘Only a Dream’ with in-demand producer Dan Carey (Black Midi, Fontaines D.C., Wet Leg) being released on his ever-excellent Speedy Wunderground record label. A gloriously catchy track, it’s currently on the BBC 6Music playlist and the limited, one-time press 7” is long sold out.

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The Pearl Jam Experience

The Pearl Jam Experience are thrilled to announce their National Tour, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Pearl Jam’s landmark album, VS.

Presented by October Presents, the tour will kick off almost exactly 30 years after the album’s release, and is promising to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience for Pearl Jam fans, both old and new.

Originating in Melbourne, the band has been paying homage to Pearl Jam for over a decade, quickly establishing their authority as the truest representation of the Seattle Hall of Famers.

As part of this celebration, The Pearl Jam Experience will take the audience on a journey through VS. in its entirety including the unforgettable hits, ‘Animal’, ‘Daughter’, and ‘rearviewmirror’, as well as an extended encore of fan favourites.

For any Pearl Jam enthusiast, this show is essential to commemorating such an iconic album, and a golden opportunity to pay tribute to one of the most prominent, and influential bands of the 90’s.

Pearl Jam is arguably one of the most influential rock bands in music history, pioneers of the Seattle Sound that defined rock music in the 90s, taking grunge to the masses & shaping history in the process.

THE PEARL JAM EXPERIENCE are Australia’s number one Pearl Jam tribute show, in the essence of the era that spawned their idols. With a pedigree over fifteen years playing the Melbourne live band circuit,

THE PEARL JAM EXPERIENCE are now bringing their show to fans nationwide.

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Alternative Rock

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Tam Vantage

Tam Vantage and full band will be playing their first show since 2017, to celebrate the release of ‘Laughing Gas & Apple Pie’.

Tam spent his formative years playing with the bands Pop Singles and The Stevens. He released his debut solo album in 2015 and a sophomore album in 2017. Since then he has released a collection of 80+ home demos, played in the bands Permits, Girlatones, Leah Senior, Carpet Burn, and Chook Race, and contributed to the music and debut album of his late father Neil Richards.

His new album is an offering of high energy, fuzzed-out, alternative rock n’ roll.

The live band will consist of Kayley Langdon (Blonde Revolver, Future Suck, Carpet Burn) on drums; Rob Remedios (Chook Race, Permits, Small Intestines) on bass guitar, and Chris Korczynski (The Tropes, Battlestations, Brick) on second guitar.

‘Laughing Gas & Apple Pie’ is available as a pressing of 100 vinyl LP’s via Still Traveller Records, and can be heard on all digital platforms.

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Indie Rock

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