Nine Non-Headliners You Need To See At Moonrise Festival

Posted by admin on Aug 3, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 1 comment

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

Moonrise Festival is less than a week away, and we’re getting pretty damn excited about it. We’ve already picked out our top three outfits, made enough Kandi to choke a team of glovers, and are putting the finishing touches on our sign (“KASKADE: If u can read this, check out our boobs!”).

Jokes aside, we’ve been waiting for this weekend since the unfortunate cancellation of last year’s event, and now that we have the single day lineups we can make more concrete plans – and start imparting our musical tastes upon our readers. We know you’ll be banging your head at Bassnectar and crying your eyes out at Kaskade, but here are nine can’t-miss below-the-fold acts you should familiarize yourself with so you get the most out of that ticket price.

Weekend Wind-Down No. 1: Trip-Hopping

Posted by admin on Aug 3, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise, Weekend Wind-Downs | 0 comments

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

Here’s the first in a series of playlists we’ll be running weekly via Spotify: our Weekend Wind-Downs. In the words of the oft-marginalized Semisonic, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” No matter the amount of debauchery, the number of mistakes, and the richter-scale magnitude of your hangovers, weekends end (hell, it’s in the name). We’re here to take that back-to-reality transition and make it a bit smoother for you in ten-song, hour-long segments.

Weekend Warm-Up No. 1: The Funky Shit

Posted by admin on Aug 1, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise, Weekend Warm-Ups | 0 comments

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

Here’s the first in a series of playlists we’ll be running weekly via Spotify: our Weekend Warm-Ups. Averaging ten songs, clocking in at around an hour in length, we’re envisioning these collections finding your ears as you zoom home from work, or as your early evening pregame escalates towards whatever may be the main event. It’s not like you need help getting stoked for the 48 hours you wish lasted all week, but we figure a kick-ass soundtrack can’t hurt.

In Case You Missed It: Jazzsteppa’s Hyper-Eclectic “Hyper Nomads”

Posted by admin on Jul 31, 2014 in Editorials, Featured, Reads, Uncategorized | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Hi all. This is the first in a recurring series we’re calling “In Case You Missed It,” where we’ll feature non-new music we feel went unnoticed, as well as music that may have been somewhat popular but has since faded from the consciousness of the general population. Alert us to any music you feel fits this description by emailing contact@thealternatefrequency.com;  we love to hear music for the first time and we’re certainly not infallible.

If you put a couple of dudes on Mars with some production equipment, some Red Bull, a twelve-piece brass section and a sheet of LSD, you may just recreate the conditions I imagine were necessary to concoct an album as sporadic and multi-faceted as Jazzsteppa’s “Hyper Nomads.”

Frequency Of The Week No. 1: Moon Hooch

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

This is the first in a recurring series we’re calling the “Frequency of the Week.” We’ll be spotlighting up-and-coming artists you should be keeping a close eye – ear? – on. Got a group you think fits this description? Drop us a line at contact@thealternatefrequency.com and we’ll be sure to give it a listen.

Two saxophones. One drummer. That’s it. The Moon Hooch experience isn’t one anyone could imitate. It’s not a genre, it’s not a style, it’s not a sound; it’s a state of being. They call it Cave Music – “It’s like house, but it’s more wild, more jagged, more free, more natural to live in” – and it’s not something that can be wholly understood until you’re immersed in it.

Review: Branx Brings The Funk On Debut EP “Look But Don’t Touch”

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Editorials, Featured, Latest, Reads, Reviews | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

When foraying into the ever widening future-funk landscape, it’s good to have two things: serious talent and serious friends. Branx (formerly DCarls) has more than enough of the former to not even need the latter, but it doesn’t hurt when everyone from Gramatik to Opiuo is singing your praises. Case in point: the producer’s debut EP under his current moniker, Look But Don’t Touch. Over five tracks he pilots the listener on a funk-fueled odyssey, often changing the tempo but never straying from the crisp basslines and shimmering synths that shape the album tonally.

Review: Four Year Strong’s Career-Affirming “Go Down In History”

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Michael Hogan

Every city has their hometown heroes – those bands they’re going to cheer on no matter where they go, be it the other side of the world or that shitty VFW down the street. They’re so meaningful to so many different people that the very idea of them brings a city together, rallying behind them in support of every show, every new album, every single.

When I lived in Boston, we were incredibly lucky to have a huge and diverse music scene. Everything from post-hardcore and metal to pop-punk and hardcore was equally represented. Hell, we can even lay claim to some extremely talented progressive and post-rock bands.

Review: United Nations’ Brutal Sophomore Effort “The Next Four Years”

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Michael Hogan

I first heard about United Nations not long after the release of their debut album. They were very secretive about everything, going so far as to wear matching Ronald Reagan masks and not telling anyone who was actually in the band. It didn’t take long for astute listeners to determine that Geoff Rickley and Daryl Palumbo (of Thursday and Glassjaw, respectively) were a part of the project – pretty solid credentials on their own. I was really sold when I heard Converge drummer Ben Koller had something to do with it.

Review: On Being The Old Guy At Warped Tour, And Why That Might Not Be So Bad

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Editorials, Featured, Latest, Reads | 0 comments

–Words by Kevin Madert

The following took place between the hours of 11:00 am and 10:00 pm on July 22, 2014. The following is a firsthand account. The following is a true story.

Traffic. This being my fourth Warped I should have expected such a thing. The thruways around Merriweather Post Pavilion aren’t expressly equipped to handle such a single-day influx. Predictable as the predicament is, it’s no less brow furrowing. I bet the pioneers didn’t have to deal with covered wagon backups on the old dusty trail. Then again, they didn’t have a nation-touring 70+ band all day experience to enjoy either. A few moments pass wherein I contemplate Warped Tour circa 1868. Gives brand new meaning to the term “bandwagon,” eh?

Review: Handguns’ Quintessentially Pop-Punk “Life Lessons”

Posted by admin on Jul 28, 2014 in Featured, Reads | 0 comments

–Written by Michael Hogan

It’s been nearly 4 years since I’ve played in a band. That really sucks, but life happens; I moved back home, finished up school, got a big boy job, all the good shit. I still work with music, I just never got around to joining another band. Sometimes I would get the fleeting urge to start back up, reflecting to myself, “Man, that was awesome.” For much of those last four years, it’s been anything but an all-consuming feeling. The way I saw it, if it happened again one day that would be cool, but it wasn’t a really pressing thing.

That isn’t really the case anymore, and I place a lot of the blame for that on pop-punk.