IPO Atlanta 2014
Click on artist name to go to their music page
CLICK HERE to see IPO Atlanta 2014 Artist Yearbook Photos
Artists From Atlanta/Athens
Brent Daniel – Purveyor of hook-filled “basement powerpop” reminiscent of The Replacements, The Raspberries, or Big Star, combined with chord changes worthy of the likes of Jason Falkner, Daniel has been a force in the local powerpop scene as a member of Talkshow, Circle of Fins, MessMakers, Ready Set Go and Art House Cinema (to name but a few!). The Art House Cinema disc (on Eripsa Records) has earned him both new fans worldwide and critical acclaim, and he’s busy working with Eripsa on a new EP to be released later in 2014, so watch for it!
The Dirty Souls – With influences such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and various soul artists, The Dirty Souls emerge with their debut EP, We’re Called The Dirty Souls, as a welcome breath of fresh air to the music scene. With a rhythm section reminiscent of ‘60s R&B, combined with vocals and lyrics that are both truly honest and soulful, The Dirty Souls create a sound that has both mass appeal and musical integrity. Live performances showcase their musicianship, energy, and down to earth attitude, so come check out their IPO Atlanta showcase!
Dot 22 – A trio of young power-punk-poppers whose music follows in the tradition of Green Day, Yellowcard and Blink 182. Their recent EP, Bottle Rocket Romance, was released with enthusiastic reviews and reception, and they come to IPO eager to share it with new audiences who we’re sure will quickly become fans!
Fake Flowers – If Opaque Pop, the debut EP from this indie-rock trio, is anything to judge by, they are sure to find many a fan among lovers of jangle, psychedelic, power, and orchestral pop, as well as shoegaze, post-punk and indie-rock! Each song on the EP can be interpreted as its own sonic universe, inspired by the dense soundscapes of producers like Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, and Kevin Shields. With guitars both fuzzy and jangly, a grooving rhythm section, and layers of dreamy vocal harmonies, the band could easily fall into late ‘80s/early ‘90s college-radio rotation, but emphatically and refreshingly retools the styles of its forebears. We can’t wait for a full length!
The Hot Place – Atlanta band The Hot Place revolves around the musical partnership of bassist /vocalist Lisa King, and producer/guitarist Jeff Calder, the leader of the legendary 1980’s New-Wave rockers, The Swimming Pool Q’s. Rounding out the lineup is Mike Lynn on guitar and Robert Schmid, the SPQ’s original drummer. King wrote the songs for The Hot Place’s debut, The Language Of Birds, (No Big Wheel Records) which features special guest guitarist Richard Lloyd of NYC proto-punk band Television on two tracks. Although inseparable from her Mosrite bass guitar, she also played a roster of instruments, some raised from a steamer trunk of vintage guitars and analog synthesizers; others sprang from her wild antique menagerie, like the 1920s Marxophone and the calliope-sounding Portatiev. The Hot Place creates a diverse sound that will appeal to fans of artists from Pink Floyd to Siouxie and the Banshees to Cocteau Twins to The Church! Check them out now!
Kenny Howes & The Wow – Mr. Howes comes to IPO armed with his collection of Rickenbackers and six outstanding CDs. His style never fails to combine Matthew Sweet, Beatles, and Beach Boys influences in a new and imaginative way. Tornadoes Here & Past, his latest CD and the first with his current band, The Wow, was well worth the wait for his many delighted fans and critics alike!
Bruce Joyner and Atomic Clock – Garage rock legend Bruce Joyner’s musical journey has taken him from the plantation streets of south Georgia in the mid-50s, to the punk clubs of LA (as the main man of The Unknowns) and Paris in the early 80s, and back again to the Atlanta rock scene of NOW. Bruce Joyner and Atomic Clock’s debut release, The Devil Is Beating His Wife, is quite possibly his best yet! Recorded with Lee Flier (of What The…? – see below) and Tim Pelletier in late 2013, the sound of the record sits in a groove somewhere between “Southern Gothic Athens Rave-Up ’79” and “SoCal Punk Scene ’81”, and distills something basic about the essence of Bruce’s rock soul. More than that, it’s a helluva fun record, and their IPO showcase will be one helluva fun show – so don’t miss it!
Last Chance Runaround – Singer/songwriter/guitarist Scott Roberts and harpist/vocalist Sue Volkert’s partnership began in 2005 and was fueled by a mutual love for 1980’s jangle-rockers Winter Hours as well as an instant admiration for each other. The duo have used their influences and friendship as a springboard for a rare and magical collaboration that fans of The Byrds, Nick Drake, and REM – as well as The Winter Hours – are sure to enjoy. Check out their debut full-length, Alter Idem, a melodically-rich 12 song collection of Roberts’ originals and well-chosen covers, and hear for yourself!
Paul Melancon & the New Insecurities – Melancon crafts literate, moody, indie-pop music beautifully brought to life with his band The New Insecurities. “His is the kind of pop that’s not afraid to use more than three chords, and complex ones at that, leaving the listener humming along to a beautiful simple melody… in a category with the most talented of indie-pop singer-songwriters.” (Paste Magazine) His tools are the bittersweet melody, lyrical depth, and sardonic wit found in fellow artists such as Michael Penn, Neil Finn and Elvis Costello. When whipped into a frenzy, he can shake and pop like a drunk Nick Lowe. We can hardly wait for a new CD!
The Merry Go Rounds – This “powerhouse” collective includes eleven people and features instruments such as violin, saxophone, cello, trumpet, glockenspiel and two drum kits! As a group, their musical influences span genres and centuries, from Baroque composition to Frank Zappa to the DC punk and hardcore movement of the ‘80s. Their sound has been compared to the likes of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists and Los Campesinos, and is reminiscent of old-school power pop at its finest. Check out their debut album, Recess, and hear what we mean!
The Notorious TBA – The nom de plume of Kenny Howes & The Wow, which they use when they do their patented set of very cool covers, which is what they’ll be doing at IPO on Saturday night! Which covers? Only they know for sure, but we can be sure that, with a musicologist like Kenny Howes manning the project, it’s not going to be yer garden variety cover band! You need to check this out!
Orange Hat – An exuberantly quirky pop quartet led by Zeus Henderson and Christo Harris, and featuring Lee Flier of What The…? (see below). They seamlessly blend influences from Zappa to Brian Wilson to The Beatles to The B-52s and elements of funk and ska into a heady psychedelic concoction of sound and sight (they’re known for their colorful stage shows) that is absolutely infectious! The band also features the ubiquitous Kenny Howes (see above)!
The Shut-Ups – A five-piece new wave and power pop band whose music will instantly put a smile on your face and set your toes to tapping! Their latest album, cheekily entitled A Layman’s Guide to The Shut-Ups, will appeal to fans of They Might Be Giants, Sparks, Randy Newman, Adam Ant, and The Cars, to name but a few!
The Soogs – The Soogs have played in and around Atlanta on and off since 1991, and we’re pleased to welcome them to their first IPO, where we think their hooky brand of alterna-pop will fit right in! The Soogs’ music has been described as “The Pixies meet The Partridge Family,” but will also appeal to fans of T Rex, Cheap Trick, and The Cars! Come to their IPO showcase, and hear what we mean!
The Sunset District – An indie rock collective led by John McNicolas, The Sunset District will appeal to fans of Elliott Smith, Superchunk, and all cool purveyors of nerdy indie-pop with intelligent lyrics and catchy melodies. Check them out and hear for yourself!
Used For Comparison – Formed in 1995 by Charles Boehmig and Ian McMahon, and upgraded in 2002 with the addition of Martin Adam, Used For Comparison has spent the better part of the last two decades creating cool music influenced by the Beatles, Radiohead, They Might Be Giants, the Flaming Lips, John Coltrane and others…and they are continually evolving. Pretty cool stuff!
What The…? – Atlanta-based trio What The…? takes you on a journey that runs the length and breadth of rock ‘n roll, from classic Brit Invasion to roots-rock/rockabilly to finely crafted power pop to practically punk, as can be heard on their latest CD, You Have No Idea. They have also been instrumental in helping to organize IPO in Atlanta in each year that we’ve held it here, for which we are truly grateful!
Chuck Yoakum (of The Raves) – Be sure to catch this special solo performance by one of the main men of The Raves, who were part of the pop music revival spearheaded by punk and new-wave bands in the early ‘80s. Featuring tight vocals, soaring and jangling guitars, powerful bass lines and a driving beat, they will appeal to fans of classic acts such as The Beatles, Badfinger and The Who. Their Past Perfect Tense and Inside Looking Out LPs have received wide critical acclaim and are considered essential listening for ANY fan of power pop, Brit rock, or just good music. A box set of their music videos entitled As Seen on TV is also available, so check them out now! They were responsible for introducing IPO to Jean Catharell, who helped bring the festival to The Cavern Club in Liverpool, for which we will eternally be grateful!
U.S. Artists From Outside Atlanta/Athens
Tony Low – A founding member of New York’s renowned garage-psychedelic pop band The Cheepskates, and currently residing in Greensboro, North Carolina, Low has been honing his craft of writing and recording memorable tunes as a solo performer since 1998. His unique blend of folk-rock and power pop capture a timeless spirit of beauty, sadness, and joy which everyone can relate to. His latest release, Tone-wah, is a six-song EP which brings to mind such influences as Big Star, XTC, Neil Young and The Byrds. A set of 12 new songs – which he claims are some of his best yet – are set to be released on CD sometime “soonish” – definitely something worth watching out for!