Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights w/ Oil Boom & Megafauna

JONATHAN TYLER & THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

Contrary to doomsayer rumor, rock music doesn’t need saving. But a wake-up call is long overdue, and this is it. Actually, not just a wake-up call, but a joyous reunion of rock with its oft-forgotten prodigal twin, the roll — with papa blues and mama soul along for the ride, too. All of which makes Pardon Me the perfect introduction to one of the most electrifying young bands in America — or at least the next best thing to experiencing Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights live. Literally.

Don’t be fooled by the good Southern manners implied by the title of Pardon Me, the major-label debut by Dallas’ Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights. The walloping roundhouse punch of Pardon Me’s lead-off title track and everything else packed into Tyler and Co.’s Texas-sized can of rock ’n’ roll whoopass. “Hey!” Tyler shouts after the opening salvo of guitars lands like a gauntlet slap across the face. “Can you hear me? Can you feel me, coming through your stereo?” Then comes the coup-de-grace, a shot of Hendrix-laced adrenaline plunged deep into the listener’s heart and soul by a diabolically persuasive Dr. Feelgood. “Maybe it’s been too long since rock ’n’ roll turned you on,” sneers Tyler, with equal measures of promise and threat. “So pardon me, just let it set you free.”

And that’s when things get loud.

JT&TNL on Facebook | JT&TNL on Twitter | Official Website

OIL BOOM

Oil Boom has a new 7” coming out. But rather than talk about it, the trio of rock enthusiasts would prefer to wax humorous on their preferred method of music consumption. “Did we make sure this was actually seven inches of music,” asks singer/guitarist Ryan Taylor. “I don’t want to catch hell from the audiophile contingent of the garage rock community.”

All jesting aside, the DFW mainstays couldn’t be more excited about their latest foray into the realm of vinyl acetates and lacquer coated discs. The group is riding an impressive wave of buzz after their last EP, Gold Yeller, garnered a generous amount of critic praise not to mention extensive radio play across the Lower 48. But not ones to rest on their laurels, Oil Boom are set to unleash another pair of earworms just in time to make your best of summer soundtrack playlists. The A side, “45 Revolutions Per Minute,” a clever nod to the speed at which the actual song will be played, bursts out of the gate with a Hives like fury and never relents. The song encapsulates much of what makes the group stand out: barnburning riffs, hooky choruses and a rhythm section not afraid to throw their sonic weight around.

And on the flip, there’s “The Fiftease,” a wry take on rockabilly culture with an old-school Motown bass groove and an indie-rock guitar coda that could wind up stuck in your head like musical Pomade. The two songs couldn’t be more different and that’s just fine with the Boom. Says Taylor, “Our influences are so diverse and even contradictory sometimes, that it’s really hard to pin us down in one style or another. But we’re all about variety, so that’s perfectly cool with us.”

In drummer ace/engineer Jordan Richardson (Son of Stan, Epic Ruins) the group had the ear of both a longtime friend and supporter of the band since its inception in 2010. “We always wanted to work with Jorts, so when the opportunity came up it was a no-brainer,” says drummer Dugan Connors. “You hear people talk about someone’s enthusiasm being infectious, but in Jordan’s case, it really is.” Recorded in Justin, TX, at the Swamp (AKA Electric Barryland), the band found its recording haven in a place quickly becoming synonymous with great Texas music.

Look for this 7” needle to drop on August 13th, 2013 A.D. And with plans to record a full-length this fall and a robust tour schedule, Oil Boom just keeps on spinning.

Oil Boom on Facebook | Oil Boom on Twitter | Official Website

MEGAFAUNA

Megafauna formed after established Brooklyn shredder Dani Neff packed her bags for Austin, TX. After four years of playing and touring, Megafauna has become one of the most sought after rock experiences in Austin. Megafauna has embarked on 12 tours throughout the US and Europe.

Megafauna on Facebook | Megafauna on Twitter | Official Website