The Key » Jamaican Queens

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Akron/Family at Johnny Brenda’s, Rhett Miller at World Cafe Live, Sons of Fathers at MilkBoy, Jamaican Queens at Little Berlin

Ethan Willard — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:23:22 +0000

Rhett Miller, playing tonight at World Cafe Live

Singer/songwriter Rhett Miller stops by World Cafe Live tonight. His fifth album, The Dreamer, was released last year in June. Miller is also the lead singer for the Dallas alternative country band, Old 97′s, and plays in Serial Lady Killers, which you can watch a video of the band performing “Singular Girl” at last year’s XPo Fest here. Tickets and information for the all ages show with Cliff Hillis can be found here. Below, watch Miller perform “Lost Without You” from his album The Dreamer for an American Songwriter session.

Portland’s Akron/Family plays Johnny Brenda’s tonight. The band plays a combined style of rock/folk, with added psychedelic elements. Their new album, Sub Verses, will be released April 30th through Dead Oceans. Tickets and information for the 21+ show with Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band, and M Geddas Gengras can be found here. Below, watch the official video for “Until the Morning” off the new record Sub Verses.

Roots rockers Sons of Fathers plays MilkBoy tonight. They were featured as a My Morning Download on April 15th with their song “Roots & Vine” off their sophomore album Burning Days. Tickets and information for 21+ show with Maitland can be found here. Below, download “Roots and Vines”

Roots & Vineby Sons of Fathers from Burning Days Download

Jamaican Queens return to Philadelphia tonight for a show at Little Berlin. The Detroit based trio has acquired a swell of grassroots support for their debut LP Wormfood, which was released in early March is available as a name-your-own-price download on their Bandcamp. With lyrics that recount experiences with relationships, parties and urban violence, the band’s intrigue runs much deeper than the initial hook of the album’s beat-driven, synth-laden sound. Jamaican Queens will be joined by locals Banned Books and Avery Rosewater. More information can be found on the Facebook event page here. Below, watch the video for “Water.”

Download Jamaican Queens’ Wormfood and watch a video for “Water” (playing House of Hayes on 3/29)

Julie Miller — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:36:01 +0000

Magic Death Sounds present Detroit band Jamaican Queens at House of Hayes on Friday, March 29th. Their debut LP Wormfood, released last week, could have been labeled hardcore indie pop but the trio decided to go their own way, inventing a new category dubbed “trap pop.” The made-up tag is fitting, if ambiguous, as Jamaican Queens applied that same abandon of previously outlined conventions for genre and narrative on the album’s nine tracks, tackling topics of urban violence, love and other, more illicit, experiences. Despite the serious nature of some of the songs (“Kids Get Away,” for example) Jamaican Queens managed to turn Wormfood into an incredibly infectious and addicting record with sticky, eighties informed synths programmed behind the dramatic vocals. More information for their show at House of Hayes with Charmaine’s Name, Meghan’s TV and Rexedog can be found on the Facebook event page here. Below, watch the video for “Water” and stream “Asleep at the Wheel.” Wormfood is available as a name-your-own-price download on Jamaican Queens’ Bandcamp here.

Asleep at the Wheel by Jamaican Queens

The Week’s Best MP3 Downloads, incl. Chill Moody, BOY, Matt Pond

Julie Miller — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:00:50 +0000

Local rapper Chill Moody teamed up with Freeway for the grooving new track “Change Coming.” The song is included on Moody’s latest RFM album, which he previewed at his sold-out headlining gig at The TLA this past week. Stream and download the Joe Logic-produced song below, and check out Moody’s plans for 2013 in our interview with him here.

International duo BOY is one of 2013′s buzziest bands, and XPN will be welcoming them to World Cafe Live on Wednesday, March 27th. The German/Swiss pair have their debut album Mutual Friends coming out in the states next month but you can get a sneak preview via Noisetrade, who shared a sampler featuring the YouTube hit “Little Numbers.” Stream and download the sampler below; tickets and information for BOY’s Philly show can be found here.

This week’s Key Studio Session featured punk rockers Glocca Morra, a wild bunch that put forth two releases in 2012 on top of touring extensively. 2013 sees the Philly quartet opening for hometown favorites Everyone Everywhere at The Barbary on January 19th; tickets and information can be found here. Below, download “Deep Pocket” from Glocca Morra and revisit the rest of their session here.

Deep Pocketby Glocca Morra from The Key Studio Sessions Download

Indie-pop musician Matt Pond released a free acoustic EP called The Natural Lines this week via Noisetrade. The one-time Philadelphia resident will be releasing The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand in just over a month and has a date set opening for Jukebox the Ghost at Union Transfer on March 15th. Stream and download The Natural Lines below; tickets and information for the Union Transfer show can be found here.

One of the latest exports from the Motor City are Jamaican Queens, a glam-pop/rock trio with hints of a harder-edged Foster the People. Jamaican Queens have a debut album coming out in March and have kicked-off a tour that brings them through Philadelphia on January 15th for a show at Kung Fu Necktie. Tickets and information can be found here. Below, stream and download the synth-y “Kids Get Away.”

Kids Get Away by Jamaican Queens

Download Jamaican Queens’ “Kids Get Away” (playing Kung Fu Necktie on 1/15)

Julie Miller — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 17:27:13 +0000

Detroit’s Jamaican Queens are still about three months away from releasing their debut album Wormfood (expected on March 5th) but they’ve already been picked up by a number of music tastemakers including Yvynyl and Noisey thanks to the trio’s beat-packed first offerings. The latter premiered Jamaican Queens’ new video for “Kids Get Away” last week, a dramatic stalker story with a heartwarming twist ending based on a true Detroit event. Of the song’s message, singer Ryan Spencer said:

“I wrote this song to myself as a reminder that I live in a very dangerous place and that I shouldn’t be so naive. Violence is everywhere, and though I’m more likely to be victimized in Detroit than almost anywhere else, this city also has so much going for it that no other place I’ve ever been does. The possibility of violence is no reason to flee what I feel to be the best place I’ve ever lived. This song is a reminder to myself of that. Be careful, but don’t give in to fear.”

Jamaican Queens come to Philly on Tuesday, January 15th for a show at Kung Fu Necktie with Quilt and Magic Trick. Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here. Below, watch the new video for “Kids Get Away” and download the track here.