Rdio Blog

Capturing the simple joy of rock ‘n roll, The Postelles’ sound is at once familiar yet refreshingly new. There are no Golden Oldies here, just the debut of a young Manhattan band. Listen to their self-titled album while you learn more about The Postelles in Five Questions with the Band, queue up a playlist ofSongs That Inspire them, and go see them live at NXNE this week in Toronto.

Five Questions with The Postelles

1. Who do you think is an important musician that most people have never heard of before?
   The Postelles: Don Covay and the Goodtimers
2. If you had access to any record in the world, what would you listen to right now?
   TP: Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan
3. Which album or artist do you most associate with your childhood?
   TP: The White Album by The Beatles
4. We hope people are ______________ when they listen to our music.
   TP: Taking the walk of shame from a girl or guy’s house
5. We were thinking about ______________ when we wrote music for the new album.
   TP: Taking the walk of shame

The Postelles @ NXNE

The Postelles have already played alongside bands like The Kills, Vampire Weekend, Kings of Leon and Interpol, so if you’re in Toronto, now is your chance to see them live. The Postelles are performing as part of this week’s NXNE music, film and interactive festival—they’ll be at The Garrison on Wednesday, June 15.

Started by a gang of Mississippi high school boys, the band Colour Revolt has seen a lot change, including college and a recording session interrupted by Hurricane Katrina. Thus, parts of their sound and spirit grew into what you’ll hear in the newly released deluxe version of their second studio album, The Cradle. Learn more about them through their singer, guitar and keyboard player, Sean Kirkpatrick, as he answers Five Questions with Colour Revolt. While you’re reading, listen to Colour Revolt’s Songs That Never Get Old.

Five Questions with Colour Revolt

1. Who do you think is an important musician that most people have never heard of before?
   Colour Revolt: There’s a guy named Sam Amidon who has really struck my fancy as of late. He does great revisions of old folk songs. His unique approach to these tunes is obviously apparent from the first moment you hear his voice. Rarely do I hear artists make someone else’s song seem like something completely their own.
2. If you had access to any record in the world, what would you listen to right now?
   CR: I would love to listen to the record School House Rock Rocks. Where else are you going to find great School House Rock covers by the likes ofPavement, Daniel Johnston and Biz Markie?
3. Which album or artist do you most associate with your childhood?
   CR: The Presidents of the United States of America’s self titled record still reminds of the finer times of my childhood. Even to this day I can pop that record in and sing every single word.
4. We hope people are ______________ when they listen to our music.
   CR: In a tizzy
5. We were thinking about ______________ when we wrote music for the new album.
   CR: The flight of the Kitty Hawk

Crafting quasi-political music with a punk influence and techno beats, German band Atari Teenage Riot paved the way for a new genre called digital hardcore when they emerged in 1992. After a 10 year hiatus, they reformed and released their fourth studio album today, Is This Hyperreal?. Learn more about this intriguing set of musicians in this Five Questions with the Band and playlist below. 

Five Questions with Atari Teenage Riot

1. Who do you think is an important musician that most people have never heard of before?
   Alec Empire: Merzbow. He pioneered noise music. Why musicians like him are important is because all music gets noisier in our times, pop music, hip hop, rock music, and of course dance. The human brain just demands more and wants to be challenged. Even reactionary music scenes only seem to find their place because of the absence of noise. Noise is a mix of many many frequencies appearing at the same time, without getting too much into the technical details here. It is information. Music works like language. We process a lot of infos in our decade. Almost like standing next to a river with a teacup. That is why noise adds excitement to music. It’s challenging our senses and makes us euphoric when done well.
2. If you had access to any record in the world, what would you listen to right now?
   AE: Miles Davis ‘In a silent way’. I fell in love with this record first time I heard it, it never gets old…
3. Which album or artist do you most associate with your childhood?
   AE: Grandmaster Flash “The Message” this was the first record that really make me feel something. I am still wondering why that was…as a kid growing up in Berlin when it was still divided by the Wall.
4. We hope people are ______________ when they listen to our music.
   AE: Getting the physical experience and starting to think about issues they weren’t before
5. We were thinking about ______________ when we wrote music for the new album.
   AE: Freedoms and dangers of the Internet in our decade

Would you like to understand how Atari Teenage Riot’s brains are wired? Good—there’s a playlist for that, compliments of the band.