Advert Music: ‘Blood’ By Band Of Skulls, Sky1 Mad Dogs 2012

For more: http://theurbn.com/tag/music-on-monday/

Band Of Skulls is alternative indie rockers Matt Hayward, Russell Marsden, and Emma Richardson. Hailing from Southampton, England, the devil-may-care trio began creating its stripped down brand of gutsy blues rock in 2004, when lifelong friends Matt and Russ met and recruited singer/bassist Emma Richardson whilst studying at Winchester Art College. Under the band’s original title Fleeing New York, the group recorded a handful of low budget demo’s in a garden shed, and gigged with minor success. Following graduation, the ensemble refocused its efforts on making music, taking bar work to keep the amplifiers roaring. Seizing the initiative, the threesome created and ran Club Skull, a monthly gig night at Southampton’s Talking Heads venue, where the band could network and hone its craft onstage.

The decision was taken in 2008 to overhaul Fleeing New York’s image, and lo, Band of Skulls was born. With a new name, new songs, new artwork, and new interest from American record label Shangri-La Music, Band of Skulls released debut studio album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey through iTunes in March ’09. To coincide with the release, track I Know What I Am was chosen as iTunes’ free single of the week, and marketing bigwigs began to take note. Over the next eighteen months, via various media outlets, Band of Skulls’ music promoted the FIFA World Cup, box office smash The Hang Over II, and hit TV show Britains Next Top Model. The band also enjoyed exposure to the gaming masses, featuring on Play Station 3 releases Gran Turismo 5 , Tony Hawk: Ride, and MLB 10: The Show. Band of Skulls’ track Friends even found its way onto the movie soundtrack of international blockbuster The Twilight Saga: New Moon, a move which gained the band a temporary army of fans sporting Twilight Tees.

Heading into 2012, Sky 1 selected track Blood to promote season two of its widely acclaimed hit series Mad Dogs. The track juxtaposes the sultry confidence of Richardson’s vocal against no nonsense distorted blues riffs. Throw in some smart popping snare and crash cymbals set to stun, and you have the basic winning formula that can be found throughout Band of Skulls’ only album to date. Tracks such as Light Of The Morning, Death By Diamonds And Pearls, and I Know What I Am also cash in effortlessly on the swagger afforded to a band that knows how to squeeze every last ounce of feel from angular techniques pregnant with melody. Tracks Honest and Dull Gold Heart may offer a more relaxed approach, but you can still expect to be humming them in the shower.

Fans of Band Of Skulls don’t have long to wait for the release of second studio album Sweet Sour, due to drop February 21st 2012. Until then, check out The Dead Weather, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Black Keys.

About Ben Atherton

...

See full bio »