$10
This is Sunbears! 7" Record Release Extravaganza! Yess!!
In 2008 SUNBEARS! became a regular fixture in Jacksonville city's creative land and soundscape. Jonathan Berlin and Jared Bowser blend jangly percussion, glossy guitar and endless cheer to craft their lunar Sco-Cone sounds.
Optimism surges strong through the tunes of 'BEARS!. Chief songwriter Jonathan Berlin preaches positivity, love and rainbows. The verses literally emanate radiant sunshine.
Berlin and Jared Bowser came together...
$10
This is Sunbears! 7" Record Release Extravaganza! Yess!!
In 2008 SUNBEARS! became a regular fixture in Jacksonville city's creative land and soundscape. Jonathan Berlin and Jared Bowser blend jangly percussion, glossy guitar and endless cheer to craft their lunar Sco-Cone sounds.
Optimism surges strong through the tunes of 'BEARS!. Chief songwriter Jonathan Berlin preaches positivity, love and rainbows. The verses literally emanate radiant sunshine.
Berlin and Jared Bowser came together as kids, collaborating on musical projects first inside the church and then later out. JB and JB grew to become BFF, a bond that eventually nullified the demand to practice. Often SB! play a new song for the first time ever while already on stage.
Although glorious and giddy via recordings, the dudes bring unprecedented joviality to their live show, incorporating vibrant projections and inciting crowd response. The proof is in the breathless audience members as the last tom drum strike cracks. Late 2011 came and the 'BEARS! packed up the Scion to headline their very own national tour. They also joined the likes of Mates of State, Gil Mantera's Party Dream and The Black Kids on cross-country rounds, bringing their bliss to the masses across the nation.
Among the masses of 'BEARS! fans is the tiny masses, specifically devotees of the children's musical show Yo Gabba Gabba. The band performed several dates on the program's southeast tour as well an episode featuring SB! original "Imagination Adventure." Here's a crew that does not demand the attention of only a certain demographic.
In 2011, Berlin and Bowser recorded their debut full-length You Will Live Forever at New York's Singing Serpent Studios. It dropped on Florida-based label New Granada last fall and has since enjoyed a limited-edition color vinyl run.
The album loudly promotes peace and love in a unique method, littered with cosmic merry-go-rounds and phosphoresce guitar. Berlin's wife, Maria, crafted the cover's original artwork, accurately mirroring the SUNBEARS! technicolor pop vibe. Forever's glittery lightness earned the twosome positive press from NPR Music, Under The Radar, Some Kind of Awesome and other outlets.
LOVE!!!
SWIMM
Blending elements of dance music, rock n' roll and shoegaze/folk with psychedelia as the cohesive element, SWIMM has created an original sounding first release that has people very curious about what will come next from this Florida group. Following the release of the Feel EP, SWIMM began playing a number of energetic DIY shows in California, New York and Florida, building a rep for an experiential live show. The release launched the band into an abundance of positive press.
"Get ready to have your mind blown!" - Nylon
"Although the band's American, fans of British guitar sounds a la Stone Roses, The Verve, Marc Bolan and Tame Impala will fall hard for SWIMM's unforgettable music" - iTunes
SWIMM is the music of Chris Hess & Adam Winn. They write, record, and play live with several friends including Spencer Petersen, Adrian Martinez, Jared Bowser, Gavin Little, Jonathan Berlin, Zac Sullivan, Justin Morales & Thomas Carroll.
Alexander & The Grapes
Folk-pop quartet Alexander and the Grapes don't need schmancy production to get across their honest, straight-up sound and sentiment. In fact, they don't even want it. The St. Petersburg, Fla. dudes cherish the romance of analog recording, an appreciation evident in their organic, twang-tinged efforts.
The group is comprised of ringleader Alexander Charos, his brother Philip on drums, Chase Swan (guitar, steel guitar) and Tom Dicks (bass), together creating their lush, hearty tunes.
Overwhelming support from fans through Kickstarter allowed AATG to hit Esthudio in Boston and get to work. June 2012 brought the group's first proper, widespread release. It dropped on Florida label New Granada and via the band's personal vinyl/cassette imprint, Viva La Records!. Hemispheres captures The Grapes' creative versatility and stranglehold on emotional honesty.
Much of AATG's lyrical fodder deals with classical human struggle—coming of age, death, fate and dealing with disappointment. Charos doesn't need a fat book of SAT drivel to get across his points, opting instead for a very open, effectual vocabulary. Then the band together pairs such words with glossy keys and brass, steel guitar and soft, pastoral vocals. The result is a cattail-walled room of audio truth, with the occasional illuminating breeze gushing through.
The Grapes have shared the stage with Portugal the Man, John Vanderslice, Surfer Blood, David Bazan, Pretty & Nice, Lovedrug, Honorary Title, Matt Hires, Yellow Ostrich, Lost in The Trees, Plants & Animals and many more.