New Artist: Black Gold

Multi-instrumentalists Eric Ronick and Than Luu have spent years lending their skills to a variety of big names (Panic at the Disco, M. Ward, Rachael Yamagata, to name a few) and are now stepping into the spotlight with Black Gold. The duo formed the band in 2006 and worked on writing material for their debut album, Rush, between their stage musician gigs. The record is already available digitally now and will be getting a proper physical release next week.

Rush is a diverse alternative rock album that finds the two musicians dabbling in a variety of genres yet keeping a distinctive feeling throughout the 11 tracks. Ronick handles the majority of the vocal duties along with keyboards and synths while Luu takes on drums, guitar, and programming. Along with a few friends, the duo make quite a bit of noise and cover some serious territory, from the electro-funk of "Breakdown," to the piano ballad closer "After The Flood." Most of the group's experiments work well, though Black Gold sound best when the energy is high and the beats are coming fast. Highlights include rocker "Plans & Reveries," the groovy, slinky "The Comedown," and the harmony-heavy opener "Detroit."

The eclecticism of Rush gives the duo a chance to show off their musical chops, but it also bodes well for any future albums the two might create together. With this solid foundation, whatever direction they decide to venture in for the next go 'round should yield some impressive results.

Check out Black Gold on MySpace for songs, videos, etc., or sign up for the group's mailing list and get a free remix EP of "Detroit."


Tour Dates:

February
5 New York, NY - East River Park #
19 Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad *
20 Colorado Springs, CO - The Loft *
21 Denver, CO - The Loft *
24 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room *
25 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews *
26 St. Paul, MN - Station 4 *
27 Madison, WI - The Annex *
28 Chicago, IL - AV-Aerie *
March
1 West Lafayette, IN - Purdue University *
2 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop *
3 Philadelphia, PA - The Barbary *
4 Cambridge, MA - Middle East *
5 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge *
6 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwells *
7 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel *
8 Richmond, VA - Canal Club *
10 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
11 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn *
12 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's *
13 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks *
14 Dallas, TX - Club Dada *
15 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves *
17 San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit *
18 Austin, TX - SXSW
21 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse *
24 Las Vegas, NV - Wasted Space / Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

* w/ Lydia