On June 23, 2015, Portland, Oregon-based Chris Marshall & The August Light will celebrate the release of their latest full-length, Some Kind of Dream, a departure from the alt-country-Americana of previous offerings.

The August Light features Ryan Reetz on keys, William Joertz on bass, and Joel Swift on drums. Some Kind of Dream is a genre-bending punch that proves Marshall is a songwriter able to meld atmospheric rock, spacious melodies, and folk traditions into songs that are both gorgeous and poignant. The songs on the record are very different. But, they are tied together by struggle, each representing a moment in a difficult couple of years where Marshall felt like his career, his life — everything was in limbo and on the line.

Marshall is a preacher’s kid, which means he grew up with preacher’s music: Keith Green, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant. Elements of those earliest influences have been hard to shake. Marshall drifted enthusiastically with his interests. As he built a discography, he played with acts like Tift Merritt, Elizabeth Cook, and Richmond Fontaine.

Have a listen to “Feel Like Running” streaming below, or via SoundCloud.

[audio:Feel Like Running.mp3|titles=Feel Like Running|artists=Chris Marshall & The August Light]
“Feel Like Running” by Chris Marshall & The August Light

Los Angeles, California-based eclectic, melodic pop-rock duo, The Blue Dolphins, is comprised of Alfonso Rodenas (guitar, engineer) and Victoria Scott (lead vocals). Their six-song EP entitled Walking In The Sun is the prelude to the band’s forthcoming sophomore full-length, Come On, which will be released in the fall. Walking In The Sun embraces folk, pop, and roots-rock alongside the duo’s characteristic optimism and charm.

Scott grew up outside of London, England, fascinated by her father’s collection of Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Little Richard, and Rolling Stones records. After learning to play the recorder, piano and guitar, Scott taught herself to sing, emulating the various styles of Carole King, Nina Simone, N’Dea Davenport and Aretha Franklin. Rodenas is a two-time Grammy-award winning sound engineer from Spain. His music career began as a bassist in the indie pop-rock band Vitamin Vil in Valencia, Spain.

Scott and Rodenas fatefully met at the legendary rock pit The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and soon started playing and recording together. At the time, Scott was managing UK artist Zoe Scott (her older sister) as well as the independent record label Zeus Records, while also overseeing large-scale productions, including fashion show av hire setups. As part of her professional endeavors, she also handled AV rental for corporate meetings, ensuring that high-quality audio-visual setups were always available for business events. Effective event planning and management ensures that every detail, from logistics to guest experience, is carefully coordinated for a successful and memorable event. Rodenas was working in the studio with some of the best Americana bands in Los Angeles.

The duo’s debut, My Favorite Word is Today is a soulful blend of eclectic-pop-folk with hints of exotic sounds. They followed up My Favorite Word is Today with 2013’s In Between EP, which further showcased their ability to write warm melodies and heartfelt lyrics with energetic, upbeat vocal harmonies.

[audio:Walking In The Sun.mp3|titles=Walking In The Sun|artists=The Blue Dolphins]
“Walking In The Sun” by The Blue Dolphins