Ambassador Beats

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything on this website that I helped create. I have extremely fond memories of the time The Conductor and I have invested into this venture, but things change and sometimes things get put on the back burner.

Between raising a family, working full time and going to school, my priorities have changed considerably. But as these things have taken up the foreground in my life, music still plays an enormous role. I spend my entire work day listening to my iTunes collection and I embrace the 25 minute drive to and from school as I can listen to the majority of any CD I choose.

I may not be able to expose myself and our readers to a tenth of the bands I once could, I still listen to a ton of music and feel like I can share some of those findings. So if you are so interested, check out the rest of this post for songs I’ve been listening to, and maybe a little more about what I’ve been doing with my life.

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This morning I had to borrow my mothers car to get to work. Usually when I know I will be using her car, I’ll grab my headphone cable to hook up to her AUX plug so I don’t have to bother with the radio, because I HATE the radio (thats another story). Well I was rushed this morning and forgot my cable.But she has a Sirius XM hook up in the car so I decided to flip through and see if paid radio was any better. Boy was I surprised when the first song I heard was The Look by Metronomy.

I was only able to catch the last 45 seconds to a minute of the song so the first thing I did when I got to work was to look up Metronomy and listen to the full song. Well this lead me to their April release The English Riviera that I have been jamming out to all morning. Its amazing how something so simply as forgetting a cable has now lead me to a band I don’t think I otherwise would have been exposed to.

This is really a sign of the times, and hopefully a positive sign. Panic Records have decided that they are going to allow everyone to download the brand new Run With The Hunted LP for free.

Why you may ask? Well Panic Records have spoken with fans/artists and discovered that when offering free downloads to let people listen to the music first, those who love the music will buy a physical copy anyways. By offering free downloads it exposes more people to an artist and could open up more revenue streams.

The people that love and support music will go above and beyond to make sure their favourite bands survive. Whether that be through buying physical releases, merchandise, or going to a concert, if you truly want to see a band succeed there is a way to.

So now you can listen to Double Zero off Run With The Hunted’s Self-Titled LP below. If you like it, download the album, check it out. If you really like it hit the jump and check out the links to buy some merch, the physical copy of the CD and the tour dates.

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Click To Download Run With The Hunted – Self Titled LP

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Another one of my favourite bands is getting back together for a new album, and I couldn’t be more excited. Bloc Party are released a new album entitled Four on August 20th, which actually I will be on vacation for so that works out perfectly for me. It’s hard to believe that it has been four years since their last album, which probably plays largely into the album title. So much has happened in the past four years and I still remember wearing my God Bless Bloc Party shirt through the streets of England. I can’t wait to hear this new album.

Two Door Cinema Club are amazing, plain and simple. The only band shirt I have acquired in the last five years is a Two Door Cinema Club shirt, given to me from The Conductor. I have eagerly awaited their new release, and am happy to say we are less than two months away from a brand new album.

Beacon is set to be released in Canada and the US on September 4th, everywhere else September 3rd. I missed the first studio update from a couple weeks ago, but the latest video was released today so I thought I’d share both with you. While you are on their youtube page, check out the album trailer. It features some new music that most likely will be on Beacon. It sounds outstanding.

I have this thing where I will hear a band and then instantly forget where I heard them from. The Royal Concept is the latest band to be added to that list. I really don’t know much other than they are from Sweden, which instantly made me think “But baby we’re in Sweden, how did you get to Sweden?”

Back to the point, The Royal Concept have a brand new Self Titled debut EP out on Universal Republic Records. It reminds me a lot of the band Phoenix with the same sort of indie/pop/dance friendly sounds.

You can stream the EP below and pick it up for around 5 dollars from iTunes, or through sound cloud.

The Killers are back! Many of you will skip over this post as you have already judged The Killers as a “shitty band”, well you would be wrong.

To me, The Killers are the type of band that creates music that can be listened to in any context and at any time period and it make sense. They are great at making rock music that connects with a large amount of people. Some will say this is selling out, when it  really isn’t.

Runaways is a great song, I really like it and I’m very excited for this new album. Check out the song below and keep your eyes open for more new music from them.

I’ve been waiting for this day for many MANY months now. When I first learned that Fang Island had another album coming out I immediately went to iTunes and preordered the album, which is something I never do. I just couldn’t bare to struggle to find the album on its release and I just wanted it waiting for me when I woke up.

Their 2010 debut Self-Titled album still remains in constant rotation for me, and got me through hours and hours of studying while I was in university. The musical stylings are hard to find anywhere else and the best way for me to explain their sound is epic.

Now with the album release date right around the corner NPR is offering their new album Major as a free stream. Click the link below to head to the NPR website to listen to the entire album, or just individual tracks if you don’t have time right now.

Fang Island Major album Stream 

It SUCKS when one of your favorite bands breaks up, but you really have to consider the band members and where they are in their lives. For the members of Armor for Sleep I think it just got to the point where other elements of their lives were more important than staying with the vicious tour/record/promote cycle associated with the music industry today.

They announced their break up what seems like months ago now, and then also stated they would be doing a few reunion/farewell shows. Well those shows are quickly approaching and as a gift to their loyal fans, Armor for Sleep have released a formerly unheard demo track from the Smile For Them album that just didn’t make the cut.

You can stream Always a Wish below and download the track for free. Its tough for me to see Armor for Sleep call it a career, but just like many things in life, people change, situations change and priorities change. We will always have the music they released to fall back on.

I’ve been following The Maine for years now and they have transformed their sound into a pure rock ensemble.

Unfortunately they are on a list of about five bands that I have never seen live that I want to before I kick the proverbial bucket. The Early November and Third Eye Blind are also on that list if you were interested.

Well the urge to see them live was heightened today when I received a copy of their new live EP. Now don’t get me wrong, it isn’t at all comparable to getting the entire live experience, but for now its the next best thing.

This EP was recorded during their recent Pioneer North American Tour which was in support of their new album Pioneer (which is great by the way). You can download the EP for free, but you really should go out and buy Pioneer, you’ll really enjoy it.

Download – The Pioneer North American Tour Live EP

I must have missed the press release stating that the first week of July is when all the Summer Samplers are released because I’ve got another brand new one for you.

This 33 song release comes from our friends at Noisetrade.com. They are a great source of new artists, as well as artists looking for a different method of releasing material. Almost all of the albums on Noisetrade are on a pay-what-you-want scale where you can pay 9 dollars for an album, or you can download it for free.

All you need to do is Like the NoiseTrade Facebook page to get this free 33 song Sampler. A fair trade if I’ve ever seen one.

The Early November were a core member of Drive Thru Records years ago and have done some pretty amazing things while still flying some what under the mainstream radar.

A couple years ago they released a triple disk record that blew me away, but was blown off by many critics, which is why you never EVER listen to critics (except for me, I know what I’m talking about).

Well six years later they are back with a brand new album which I’ve had the pleasure of listening to and I can honestly say it is one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time.

In Currents is set to be released next week but thanks to Billboard you can now stream the entire album below. Be sure to go back and check out the entire back catalogue of The Early November, every person I’ve told to check them out has always thanked me after. I eagerly await your thanks.

One great thing about the changing seasons is that record labels often release album samplers to showcase their artists. Paper + Plastick release a couple samplers a year and they just released a brand new one.

This hardcore/alternative/punk rock record features 15 songs from the likes of Red City Radio, Break Anchor and Make Do And Mend.

You can check out my favourite song from the album below which is the offering from Red City Radio. If this interests you, Click Here to head to the Paper + Plastick webstore to grab this album for free.

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It’s crazy to think that it’s been almost a year since I first wrote about Pentimento. If my memory serves me correctly I even said that they were what I would want to sound like if I played in a band.

Since then they have released a eight song split EP with Young English, which I highly recommend if you haven’t already picked it up. They have also penned and recorded their Self-Titled full length which is set to be debut later this year.

Today they released two brand new videos which show them playing two new songs, I’m assuming from the new record. The Bridge was featured on the split album, and is a great tune. The Stairs is brand new to me and if this is what we are to expect I cannot wait until the fall when the album is released.

Alcopop Records have assembled a great core of musical talent from across the pond and today have released a brand new EP from Manchesters Doctrines.

ZE is a four song EP that really feels more like one consistent song, except for when Bandcamp throws in there own mili-second space between tracks.

It is alternative music at its best with technical guitar lines and a vocalist that reminds me of someone…but I just can’t put my finger on it. I’ll let you have a listen and see if you can help me in that department.

Stream ZE below and if it floats your boat you can buy it for 1.79 British Pounds, which in todays market translates to $2.79 American in todays global economy.

I guess it has been almost 10 years since the days when I would sit in my room with head phones on in pure darkness and listen to Explosion In The Sky records and let my imagination take over.

There has always been a special place in my music collection for the purely instrumental side of music, and the latest album to join that collection is Me & My Arrow by Align in Time.

Align in Time is the musical construction of John Boles who has composed the whole album and preforms the guitar and bass with help from Jesse Hangen on drums.

It’s hard to say something about this album that hasn’t already been said. Since Me & My Arrow was released in December of last year it has received a ton of praise from blogs and magazines, but incase you missed it I thought it would be something to share with you.

You can listen to the entire seven song album below via a Bandcamp stream and if you enjoy it as much as I do then pay and add it to your music collection.

My favourite album of all time is Third Eye Blind Self Titled. Every single song on that album is amazing, I have bought the CD three separate times and it was worth it each and every time.

So when I was scanning the email inbox and saw a Two Friends mashup that featured Jumper from Third Eye Blind I couldn’t fire a post together quick enough.

This track takes the best elements from three separate songs and puts them together perfectly.

Stream the track below and then download it for free. If you like what you hear check out more on the Two Friends Facebook page.

Download – One Blind Whistle-Blower – Two Friends Mashup
Flo-Rida’s “Whistle,” Matisyahu and Akon’s “One Day (Remix),” and “Jumper,” by Third Eye Blind

Saint Motel have really been teasing me lately. I stumbled across their tune Puzzle Pieces and could barely wait to go home and pick up their album.

Unfortunately their debut album hasn’t even been released yet! But we are getting close. Voyeur is set to drop on July 10th both digitally and physically on CD and 12 inch vinyl.

To be honest the piano and drum intro hit me hard but the smooth vocals had me sold within the first 30 seconds. I’m also especially fond of the stuttering vocal patterns.

Check out Puzzle Pieces below, as well as the latest single to be released, Benny Goodman. Click on Read More to check out the upcoming dates for their summer tour.

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A couple weeks ago we brought you the Dillon Francis remix of Earthquakey People, a new track from Steve Aoki which features Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. It received quite a good reception, but Andrew W.K. has give the track the remix treatment to show how a little tweaking can change the entire feeling of a song.

You probably wouldn’t even recognize the original song other than perhaps the chorus. Steve Aoki is almost completely removed from the track all together in the Trash Remix. But strangely I am completely ok with that.

Check out the Andrew W.K. Trash Remix below and let us know what you think about which version you like better.

Earthquakey People – Steve Aoki feat Rivers Cuomo (Andrew W.K. Trash Remix)

Do you like free music? Do you like remixes? Do you like Young Galaxy? I’m not stupid, despite what The Conductor implies…I know that the answer to those questions is yes. Well do we have a treat for you today.

Young Galaxy have given the remix treatment to 11 of their favourite songs from some of their favourite artists. I’ve worked my way through the album and I was extremely impressed.

I like that Young Galaxy are showcasing some of their favourite bands and giving this album away for free. You can check out the Young Galaxy remix of Michigan Left by Arkells. As well you can download the album for free here, as well as below.

Download Versus – Young Galaxy

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Michigan Left – Arkells (Young Galaxy Remix)