Video Playback Error
The Adobe Flash Player is required to watch videos on this page
| Hometown | Seattle, WA |
| Genres | Indie Rock, Indie Pop |
| Band Members | Tarabud & Dennis |
| Achievements |
» more |
| Upcoming Shows | None |
| Contact Information: |
Artist / Band Member
Dennis Bestafka thebandsentinel@gmail.com 510-290-2523 |
| # Years Experience Performing Live: | 10 |
| # Live Perfomances Past Six-months: | 5 |
| Market Draw: | Adults 18-65 : 76-100; Teenagers : 31-50 |
| Venue History: | The Red Devil Lounge - San Francisco, CA The Uptown - Oakland, CA Bottom Of The Hill - San Francisco, CA Make Out Room - San Francisco, CA Blakes on Telegraph - Berkeley, CA Bay Street Plaza - Emeryville, CA Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - Vallejo (San Francisco), California BECKETT'S - BERKELEY, CA Rockit Room - San Francisco, CA 19th Broadway - Fairfax , CA Pier 39 - San Francisco , CA Laney College - Oakland, CA Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA Hotel Utah - San Francisco, CA Edinburgh Castle - San Francisco, CA Santana Row - San Jose, CA Que Sera - Long Beach, CA Tracy's Bar - Long Beach , CA The Stork Club - Oakland, CA Club Milk - San Francisco, CA |
| Opener Experience: | The Morning Benders ; Ferocious Few; The Hot Toddies ; trophy fire ; goodbye gadget ; wave array |
| Similar Artists: | U2; Cocteau Twins ; Mazzy Star; Metric; Stars ; Sundays ; 10,000 Maniacs ; Eisley; Flock Of Seagulls ; Innocence Mission |
| Performing Rights Society: | ASCAP |
| Discography: | Jet Black Single—2011; For Days Deep LP—2010; Kites Without Strings LP—2008; Sequels & Hunches EP—2007; Sentinel (self-titled) LP—2005; The Singles LP—2004 |
Sentinel is an Indie-dream-pop duo based out of Seattle, Washington. Originating from San Francisco Bay, in California, the seeds of this sunny-seaside-dream-pop began between Tarabud (vocals/bass) and Dennis Bestafka (guitars) on a four track recorder...
Sentinel is an Indie-dream-pop duo based out of Seattle, Washington. Originating from San Francisco Bay, in California, the seeds of this sunny-seaside-dream-pop began between Tarabud (vocals/bass) and Dennis Bestafka (guitars) on a four track recorder way back in 2000. Their live performances have been numerable over the years and were heard on FM Radio, Local TV, and Live Music venues. They had the support of a drummer and keyboardist for their live performances.
Photos
Videos
Photos
Videos
Reached 32nd in Best of Pop chart in 2011. In the top 100 for 1 week.
Top 10 in Indie Rock , December 2016
Top 10 in Rock, December 2016
Reached 32nd in Best of Pop chart in 2011. In the top 100 for 1 week.
Top 10 in Indie Rock , December 2016
Top 10 in Rock, December 2016
Top 10 in Indie Pop, January 2013
Top 10 in House, January 2013
February 2010 Pop Videos
November 2009 Pop Videos
October 2009 Pop Videos
July 2009 MTV VMA Best Breakout Bay Area
Top 40 in Indie Rock , July 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , June 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , May 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , April 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , March 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , February 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , January 2022
Top 40 in Indie Rock , December 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , November 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , October 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , September 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , August 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , July 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , June 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , May 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , April 2021
Top 40 in Indie Rock , February 2017
Top 40 in Indie Rock , January 2017
Top 40 in Rock, January 2017
Top 40 in Indie Rock , November 2016
Top 40 in Rock, October 2016
Top 40 in Indie Rock , October 2016
Top 40 in Rock, September 2016
Top 40 in Indie Rock , August 2016
Top 40 in Indie Rock , July 2016
Top 40 in Indie Rock , June 2016
Top 40 in Indie Rock , May 2016
Top 40 in Rock, May 2016
Top 40 in Electronic Dance Music, February 2016
Top 40 in Rock, November 2015
Top 40 in Pop, November 2015
Top 40 in Pop, October 2015
Top 40 in Rock, October 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , October 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , August 2015
Top 40 in Pop, July 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , June 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , February 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , January 2015
Top 40 in Indie Rock , December 2014
Top 40 in Rock, December 2014
Top 40 in Indie Rock , November 2014
Top 40 in Rock, November 2014
Top 40 in Indie Rock , December 2013
Top 40 in Pop, March 2013
Top 40 in House, February 2013
Top 40 in House, December 2012
Top 40 in Pop Videos, April 2012
Top 40 in Indie Pop, February 2012
Top 40 in Pop Videos, January 2012
Top 40 in Pop Videos, August 2011
Top 40 in Pop Videos, April 2011
Top 40 in Pop Videos, December 2010
The Next Chapter of Sentinel by BY IZZY BAND INTERVIEWS, MUSIC SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
Like recently profiled Absinthe Rose, Sentinel are a band that I really wish I had been familiar with quite a bit sooner… although the two equally impressive bands differ in nearly every other way…...
Like recently profiled Absinthe Rose, Sentinel are a band that I really wish I had been familiar with quite a bit sooner… although the two equally impressive bands differ in nearly every other way…...
Sentinel: Counting Stars & Album Review by Charles Stepczyk
The new ten-song labor of love, “Points of Light” from San Francisco dream-pop three-piece SENTINEL arrived on June 2nd after a year-long effort of writing, recording, and mastering, which has...
The new ten-song labor of love, “Points of Light” from San Francisco dream-pop three-piece SENTINEL arrived on June 2nd after a year-long effort of writing, recording, and mastering, which has...
The Next Chapter of Sentinel by BY IZZY BAND INTERVIEWS, MUSIC SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
Like recently profiled Absinthe Rose, Sentinel are a band that I really wish I had been familiar with quite a bit sooner… although the two equally impressive bands differ in nearly every other way… Sentinel are a Bay Area dream pop trio, inspired by post-punk, ethereal wave, and shoegaze, who have been at it for close to two decades, and whose latest effort, Points of Light, dropped this June. The album boasts songs that are a little more popularly accessible than, although not entirely dissimilar to, Dead Can Dance and Ride, who are admitted and obvious influences (They also cite The Police, Coldplay, and The Arcade Fire as influences… which would seem to bridge that gap.) The album itself actually resembles a dreamier, more ethereal, and more subdued take on the aesthetic of the first two Garbage records (whom they also claim to be a big fan of.) Sentinel is comprised of guitarist Dennis Bestafka, vocalist/bassist Tarabud, and drummer Bill Mowery. I recently got a chance to chat with Dennis about Sentinel’s history, influences, and highlights. I ask him about the highlights of the band so far and he tells me that the local music community has been incredibly supportive and inspiring and has also allowed them quite a few big opportunities. “I’d say probably getting consistent airplay in the Bay Area has been a highlight, with stations like Live 105.3 FM. Aaron Axelsen has a Sunday night show and he’s been playing us for the past 10 years or so. Almost every station has a local hour and it really gives a lot of courage and confidence to the bands to take things to the next level. But we’ve also been on all kinds of podcasts in Europe, the UK, Japan, Latin America, which is so amazing. Right now we’re on NPR in Hawaii, which is really cool. We always do instrumental versions, as well as vocal versions, of the tracks, which has landed us in places like NPR and The History Channel. Our last show was at Great American Musical Hall and we played a sold out show there as the support, which was really great. And we’ve played some pretty big festivals. The music and arts scene here is great. I mean, I’ve lived all over as well, from Minnesota and I lived in Texas and I was on the East Coast for a while, but it’s really nice here in the Bay Area. There’s a lot of tolerance and mixed ethnicities and it’s kind of small and there’s a lot going on for such a small space. The bands in the Bay Area stick together and huddle together and stay active.” Dennis tells me about Sentinel’s progression and evolution of recent years and says that the experience has been quite positive, but that their latest output and their current state as a band would seem to encompass that whole experience. “We’ve been a band for a while now and we’ve been in this current lineup for five years now, but people seem to like us, which is really encouraging. We’re trying to be consistent and persistent, but people seem to like us. We have a really solid record this time, so it’s like, ‘Just go for it!’ This is the first time we’ve had a publicist, which is really nice, but I would say that we pretty much do everything ourselves. By trade, I’m a recording engineer. We love the process, we love recording. Sometimes we write and record at the same time, sometimes to get something out of just jamming. We took pretty much the whole year off last year to focus on these songs.” In addition to their musical influences, Sentinel have a pretty wide array of life experiences and cultural influences that would seem to be influential to their process and aesthetic, whether directly or subconsciously. I ask Dennis about the trio’s own personal backgrounds, careers, and interests, and he confirms that they are all involved in a variety of things. “Tara, she’s a pretty interesting gal. She’s from Colombia and she’s very artistic. She does a lot of handcrafts and makes a lot of jewelry, she has chickens and she’s really into gardening and, by trade, she’s a therapist, which makes it natural for her to delve into the melancholy a little bit. Our drummer, Billy, is an actor by trade and does web design. I’m a music gear-head and I’m basically an EMT by day. I’m a veteran. I was in Iraq.” Because Sentinel’s most obvious musical influences, which tend to come from the late-‘70s, ‘80s, and early-mid-‘90s (and those who have appropriated those golden eras of sonic subversions in the past decade and a half), I’m curious as to what music actually seems to most inspire Sentinel and what kinds of fans of music are most into their own sounds and Dennis tells me that their listeners do tend to have a similar amalgam of tastes to the three of them: “Foremost, people who probably have the same influences like us most: U2, Metric, The Cardigans, The Mondays… The band had a wide reach, in terms of influences. I think that maybe our influences stretch across decades a bit: The Beatles, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Cocteau Twins, The Verve. They’re probably my biggest influences of all-time.” Sentinel are currently still plotting out their future endeavors, which they’re hoping reach far and wide, but they do have a date scheduled to play at Eat Real Fest (at 2:30pm), a food festival, on September 19th, and are hoping to take the live show on the road in the near future, while also continuing to record some new sounds. “We’re going to be at Eat Real Fest. Our next show is a festival in Oakland, it’s a food festival, and we’re keeping our feelers out for a proper record release show and holding out for a really solid venue. We’re trying to be business-minded and just get away from playing any club on the weekends. We’d like to book a small, like two-week, West Coast tour, and we’re definitely putting our feelers out for an indie label. We have tons of more material and tons of stuff to lay down.”
Like recently profiled Absinthe Rose, Sentinel are a band that I really wish I had been familiar with quite a bit sooner… although the two equally impressive bands differ in nearly every other way… Sentinel are a Bay Area dream pop trio, inspired by post-punk, ethereal wave, and shoegaze, who have been at it for close to two decades, and whose latest effort, Points of Light, dropped this June. The album boasts songs that are a little more popularly accessible than, although not entirely dissimilar to, Dead Can Dance and Ride, who are admitted and obvious influences (They also cite The Police, Coldplay, and The Arcade Fire as influences… which would seem to bridge that gap.) The album itself actually resembles a dreamier, more ethereal, and more subdued take on the aesthetic of the first two Garbage records (whom they also claim to be a big fan of.) Sentinel is comprised of guitarist Dennis Bestafka, vocalist/bassist Tarabud, and drummer Bill Mowery. I recently got a chance to chat with Dennis about Sentinel’s history, influences, and highlights. I ask him about the highlights of the band so far and he tells me that the local music community has been incredibly supportive and inspiring and has also allowed them quite a few big opportunities. “I’d say probably getting consistent airplay in the Bay Area has been a highlight, with stations like Live 105.3 FM. Aaron Axelsen has a Sunday night show and he’s been playing us for the past 10 years or so. Almost every station has a local hour and it really gives a lot of courage and confidence to the bands to take things to the next level. But we’ve also been on all kinds of podcasts in Europe, the UK, Japan, Latin America, which is so amazing. Right now we’re on NPR in Hawaii, which is really cool. We always do instrumental versions, as well as vocal versions, of the tracks, which has landed us in places like NPR and The History Channel. Our last show was at Great American Musical Hall and we played a sold out show there as the support, which was really great. And we’ve played some pretty big festivals. The music and arts scene here is great. I mean, I’ve lived all over as well, from Minnesota and I lived in Texas and I was on the East Coast for a while, but it’s really nice here in the Bay Area. There’s a lot of tolerance and mixed ethnicities and it’s kind of small and there’s a lot going on for such a small space. The bands in the Bay Area stick together and huddle together and stay active.” Dennis tells me about Sentinel’s progression and evolution of recent years and says that the experience has been quite positive, but that their latest output and their current state as a band would seem to encompass that whole experience. “We’ve been a band for a while now and we’ve been in this current lineup for five years now, but people seem to like us, which is really encouraging. We’re trying to be consistent and persistent, but people seem to like us. We have a really solid record this time, so it’s like, ‘Just go for it!’ This is the first time we’ve had a publicist, which is really nice, but I would say that we pretty much do everything ourselves. By trade, I’m a recording engineer. We love the process, we love recording. Sometimes we write and record at the same time, sometimes to get something out of just jamming. We took pretty much the whole year off last year to focus on these songs.” In addition to their musical influences, Sentinel have a pretty wide array of life experiences and cultural influences that would seem to be influential to their process and aesthetic, whether directly or subconsciously. I ask Dennis about the trio’s own personal backgrounds, careers, and interests, and he confirms that they are all involved in a variety of things. “Tara, she’s a pretty interesting gal. She’s from Colombia and she’s very artistic. She does a lot of handcrafts and makes a lot of jewelry, she has chickens and she’s really into gardening and, by trade, she’s a therapist, which makes it natural for her to delve into the melancholy a little bit. Our drummer, Billy, is an actor by trade and does web design. I’m a music gear-head and I’m basically an EMT by day. I’m a veteran. I was in Iraq.” Because Sentinel’s most obvious musical influences, which tend to come from the late-‘70s, ‘80s, and early-mid-‘90s (and those who have appropriated those golden eras of sonic subversions in the past decade and a half), I’m curious as to what music actually seems to most inspire Sentinel and what kinds of fans of music are most into their own sounds and Dennis tells me that their listeners do tend to have a similar amalgam of tastes to the three of them: “Foremost, people who probably have the same influences like us most: U2, Metric, The Cardigans, The Mondays… The band had a wide reach, in terms of influences. I think that maybe our influences stretch across decades a bit: The Beatles, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Cocteau Twins, The Verve. They’re probably my biggest influences of all-time.” Sentinel are currently still plotting out their future endeavors, which they’re hoping reach far and wide, but they do have a date scheduled to play at Eat Real Fest (at 2:30pm), a food festival, on September 19th, and are hoping to take the live show on the road in the near future, while also continuing to record some new sounds. “We’re going to be at Eat Real Fest. Our next show is a festival in Oakland, it’s a food festival, and we’re keeping our feelers out for a proper record release show and holding out for a really solid venue. We’re trying to be business-minded and just get away from playing any club on the weekends. We’d like to book a small, like two-week, West Coast tour, and we’re definitely putting our feelers out for an indie label. We have tons of more material and tons of stuff to lay down.”
Sentinel: Counting Stars & Album Review by Charles Stepczyk
The new ten-song labor of love, “Points of Light” from San Francisco dream-pop three-piece SENTINEL arrived on June 2nd after a year-long effort of writing, recording, and mastering, which has really paid off. The release comes at a great time close to the Summer Solstice and when there has been some really great planetary displays up in the sky during these warm summer nights. The album title and art aptly ties into the band’s album description on “how constellations in the stars are a form of connectedness to the universe. Like stars in these constellations, we are all individuals tied together by fate, love, struggle and loss to shape our stories, like shapes in the night sky.” Sentinel keeps the mind actively dreaming across a number of exceptional tracks, with the rock solid instrumentation from Dennis and Billy and the lovely vocals of singer Tarabud helping tie it all together. Some of our favorites include the inspiring pop song, “Wonder Reeling”, a native american inspired wonder, “Yahmahnee”, the Freddy Jones-esque daydreaming riffs behind “Shiloh Sky”, with a special nod toward a blanket of stars dreamt up in our minds eye listening to the guitar-work on “Voices Say”. You can pick up the outstanding new album through Bandcamp and CDbaby at the provided links below. It’s printed on Earth friendly packaging, featuring our favorite album art to date, and designed by their drummer, Billy. Happy 4th to all our listeners here in the USA! FACEBOOK | SOUNDCLOUD | TWITTER | BANDCAMP | CDBABY
The new ten-song labor of love, “Points of Light” from San Francisco dream-pop three-piece SENTINEL arrived on June 2nd after a year-long effort of writing, recording, and mastering, which has really paid off. The release comes at a great time close to the Summer Solstice and when there has been some really great planetary displays up in the sky during these warm summer nights. The album title and art aptly ties into the band’s album description on “how constellations in the stars are a form of connectedness to the universe. Like stars in these constellations, we are all individuals tied together by fate, love, struggle and loss to shape our stories, like shapes in the night sky.” Sentinel keeps the mind actively dreaming across a number of exceptional tracks, with the rock solid instrumentation from Dennis and Billy and the lovely vocals of singer Tarabud helping tie it all together. Some of our favorites include the inspiring pop song, “Wonder Reeling”, a native american inspired wonder, “Yahmahnee”, the Freddy Jones-esque daydreaming riffs behind “Shiloh Sky”, with a special nod toward a blanket of stars dreamt up in our minds eye listening to the guitar-work on “Voices Say”. You can pick up the outstanding new album through Bandcamp and CDbaby at the provided links below. It’s printed on Earth friendly packaging, featuring our favorite album art to date, and designed by their drummer, Billy. Happy 4th to all our listeners here in the USA! FACEBOOK | SOUNDCLOUD | TWITTER | BANDCAMP | CDBABY
HEAR THIS: Sentinel by By Owl Mag
HEAR THIS: Sentinel January 23. 2013 | By Alberto Santillan For fans of Captured Tracks, Northern California’s Sentinel are a trio composed of bassist/vocalist Tarabud, guitarist Dennis Bestafka, and drummer Billy Mowery. Creating a beautiful and effervescent take on dream pop inspired by the legendary forebears of U2, My Bloody Valentine, and The Smiths, this band, active since 2000, have numerous albums and singles to their credit. Utilizing a lovestruck New Romantic aesthetic that hasn’t been in vogue since the glory days of MTV combined with the icily beautiful songwriting and vocals of its lead singer, it’s a treat for those who think 120 Minutes isn’t enough. Based out of Oakland, they’ve been busy playing shows in their native Bay Area lately. Since their first self-released album in 2004, they’ve released a consistent stream of albums and singles. Their latest, last year’s Somewhere Else, is a shimmering delight that demonstrates it’s not just pensive mood music; they have a knack for synthesis, as evidenced by the New Order-ish synths and danceable beats. Make a spot for Sentinel on your next playlist (or more appropriately, mixtape…the kind you have to rewind, preferably in between an Echo and the Bunnymen B-side and a Beach Fossils track).
HEAR THIS: Sentinel January 23. 2013 | By Alberto Santillan For fans of Captured Tracks, Northern California’s Sentinel are a trio composed of bassist/vocalist Tarabud, guitarist Dennis Bestafka, and drummer Billy Mowery. Creating a beautiful and effervescent take on dream pop inspired by the legendary forebears of U2, My Bloody Valentine, and The Smiths, this band, active since 2000, have numerous albums and singles to their credit. Utilizing a lovestruck New Romantic aesthetic that hasn’t been in vogue since the glory days of MTV combined with the icily beautiful songwriting and vocals of its lead singer, it’s a treat for those who think 120 Minutes isn’t enough. Based out of Oakland, they’ve been busy playing shows in their native Bay Area lately. Since their first self-released album in 2004, they’ve released a consistent stream of albums and singles. Their latest, last year’s Somewhere Else, is a shimmering delight that demonstrates it’s not just pensive mood music; they have a knack for synthesis, as evidenced by the New Order-ish synths and danceable beats. Make a spot for Sentinel on your next playlist (or more appropriately, mixtape…the kind you have to rewind, preferably in between an Echo and the Bunnymen B-side and a Beach Fossils track).
Sentinel by The Innocence
Based out of San Francisco, dream pop trio Sentinel have released their fifth, independent LP Points of Light this week. With polished and chromatic textures, and dreamy vocals, the band has also shared the featured track from the album “The Innocence”. Opening with a distant guitar riff, clockwork percussion, and spacious vocals from lead singer Tarabud that drape the music like a warm fog, “The Innocence” exemplifies the band’s mission to discuss and further understand human nature and the human experience. Enjoy the song here. 6/2015
Based out of San Francisco, dream pop trio Sentinel have released their fifth, independent LP Points of Light this week. With polished and chromatic textures, and dreamy vocals, the band has also shared the featured track from the album “The Innocence”. Opening with a distant guitar riff, clockwork percussion, and spacious vocals from lead singer Tarabud that drape the music like a warm fog, “The Innocence” exemplifies the band’s mission to discuss and further understand human nature and the human experience. Enjoy the song here. 6/2015
Kite's Review by Brian Farrish, Santa Monica CA
Flooding from the rich reservoir art that pours out from the street life of Oakland, Sentinel rears and heaves a heavy presence with their latest release, “Kites Without Strings.” Sentinel remains at the cusp of cutting edge, dreamy soundscapes, applying a sing-song sway melodies and unbelievable capacity for elation. Their ephemeral nature can be likened to influences revolving Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine or lovechildren from the same brood. If you love love, love sonic exploration, love spacey atmosphere, and love independence, try loving being a kite--without strings. 1 Ohlone – Subdued energy that coils up and unfolds in good timing. With a kaleidoscope of swirly vocals, listeners, prepare to be hypnotized. 2 Avalanche – The vocals in this track cascade down very beautifully. Great layers of progression envelop and collapse into an emotional release, melting hearts and your worries away. 3 Wreckage – A progressive motion that explores the human experience, underscored by the reflections of the sublime. 8 Heroine – She’ll take you to such great heights with vocals never-ending. This epic journey will take you through valleys up to cliffs and reverse-gravity shooting you into the atmosphere. Breathless. Bv Ron Ingala -
Flooding from the rich reservoir art that pours out from the street life of Oakland, Sentinel rears and heaves a heavy presence with their latest release, “Kites Without Strings.” Sentinel remains at the cusp of cutting edge, dreamy soundscapes, applying a sing-song sway melodies and unbelievable capacity for elation. Their ephemeral nature can be likened to influences revolving Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine or lovechildren from the same brood. If you love love, love sonic exploration, love spacey atmosphere, and love independence, try loving being a kite--without strings. 1 Ohlone – Subdued energy that coils up and unfolds in good timing. With a kaleidoscope of swirly vocals, listeners, prepare to be hypnotized. 2 Avalanche – The vocals in this track cascade down very beautifully. Great layers of progression envelop and collapse into an emotional release, melting hearts and your worries away. 3 Wreckage – A progressive motion that explores the human experience, underscored by the reflections of the sublime. 8 Heroine – She’ll take you to such great heights with vocals never-ending. This epic journey will take you through valleys up to cliffs and reverse-gravity shooting you into the atmosphere. Breathless. Bv Ron Ingala -
Sentinel - Kites Without Strings by Performer Magazine West Coast
Sentinel’s latest offering, Kites Without Strings, follows their 2007 EP, Sequels and Hunches. The album’s dream-pop sound exists enigmatically with a defiance for normal principles: it’s ambient and gentle, but energetic and without silence. Inspired by the band’s exposure to the cultural and natural beauty found in the Bay Area, this mix successfully describes its four members’ experience in living one thing and its opposite. The eight-track album opens with “Ohlone,” leading in with a catchy pulse of rhythmic drums and synth that builds into a driving chorus drenched in polyphonic vocals. The track starts off the album well, providing an upbeat indicator for the following songs. Midway through, “Spades” serves as a percussive awakening from the dreamlike wistfulness of the album’s initial half. Drums drive and keys stand out via repeating riffs adding a refreshing zest, while ambient vocals fill where synthetic sounds sat on previous tracks. It feels organic and vibrant, like sunlight breaking dawn. The album concludes with “Heroine,” a sultry song crawling in Phrygian. The imagery created from Sentinel’s lyrics model the band’s exotic, modal sound, which is especially meaningful as it represents guitarist Dennis Bestafka’s experience as a soldier in Iraq: “There is a tribe on lonely land / Shadows cast the shapes on evening sand.” It’s a profound escapist end to a profound escapist album. Filled with sumptuous synth, ultra-reverberated vocals and saturated guitars, Kites Without Strings erupts like one long, happy wall of sound. Most of the songs on the album employ a similar upbeat pop vibe, creating a cohesive quality that might make differentiating them difficult. Thankfully, there isn’t a single bad track here, so this little bit of homogeneity proves itself more than welcome. by -Keane Li
Sentinel’s latest offering, Kites Without Strings, follows their 2007 EP, Sequels and Hunches. The album’s dream-pop sound exists enigmatically with a defiance for normal principles: it’s ambient and gentle, but energetic and without silence. Inspired by the band’s exposure to the cultural and natural beauty found in the Bay Area, this mix successfully describes its four members’ experience in living one thing and its opposite. The eight-track album opens with “Ohlone,” leading in with a catchy pulse of rhythmic drums and synth that builds into a driving chorus drenched in polyphonic vocals. The track starts off the album well, providing an upbeat indicator for the following songs. Midway through, “Spades” serves as a percussive awakening from the dreamlike wistfulness of the album’s initial half. Drums drive and keys stand out via repeating riffs adding a refreshing zest, while ambient vocals fill where synthetic sounds sat on previous tracks. It feels organic and vibrant, like sunlight breaking dawn. The album concludes with “Heroine,” a sultry song crawling in Phrygian. The imagery created from Sentinel’s lyrics model the band’s exotic, modal sound, which is especially meaningful as it represents guitarist Dennis Bestafka’s experience as a soldier in Iraq: “There is a tribe on lonely land / Shadows cast the shapes on evening sand.” It’s a profound escapist end to a profound escapist album. Filled with sumptuous synth, ultra-reverberated vocals and saturated guitars, Kites Without Strings erupts like one long, happy wall of sound. Most of the songs on the album employ a similar upbeat pop vibe, creating a cohesive quality that might make differentiating them difficult. Thankfully, there isn’t a single bad track here, so this little bit of homogeneity proves itself more than welcome. by -Keane Li
Daily Dose by Insomnia Radio
Sentinel, a dream-pop four piece from Oakland has returned with another very solid effort on their May 2008 release, “Kites Without Strings”. Avalanche is the second track off their new CD, a beautiful and ethereal pop-driven snapshot portraying jumping into the quick moving avalanche of newfound love without any cares in the world. Sentinel formed in 2000 in Long Beach, California as a project between musical visionary Dennis Bestafka and long-time vocalist Tarabud. Following Airborne Infantry deployment in Iraq, Dennis returned to the San Francisco area in 2003 to rekindle the project and later picked up local musicians Jenna Tiano and David Serotkin. They then put out a few well received albums in the space up to the recent release of ‘Kites’. You can find the new album at CDBaby as well as over on iTunes. If you’d like to hear some songs from past albums, take a listen to some past Insomnia Radio: San Francisco shows, specifically #42 and #49. [cs]
Sentinel, a dream-pop four piece from Oakland has returned with another very solid effort on their May 2008 release, “Kites Without Strings”. Avalanche is the second track off their new CD, a beautiful and ethereal pop-driven snapshot portraying jumping into the quick moving avalanche of newfound love without any cares in the world. Sentinel formed in 2000 in Long Beach, California as a project between musical visionary Dennis Bestafka and long-time vocalist Tarabud. Following Airborne Infantry deployment in Iraq, Dennis returned to the San Francisco area in 2003 to rekindle the project and later picked up local musicians Jenna Tiano and David Serotkin. They then put out a few well received albums in the space up to the recent release of ‘Kites’. You can find the new album at CDBaby as well as over on iTunes. If you’d like to hear some songs from past albums, take a listen to some past Insomnia Radio: San Francisco shows, specifically #42 and #49. [cs]
UK review by Glasswerk.co.uk
Sentinel are back again. Kites Without Strings is a fairly short album (8 tracks) but its packing a punch. They seem far bolder than ever before – rocking up the rock aspect of their act as well as the vocals being as dreamy as ever. What is perplexing about Sentinel is that they seem to have been around far longer than they actually have. There has been two previous albums and even a Singles album passed through the Glasswerk reviews. And yet they have only been an act since 2006. Its nice then to see that they have retained their image and also checking out what they can do with it. ‘Kites Without String’s in an altogether friendlier affair and probably their most pop album so far. A bit of easy access won’t hamper their artistic integrity. Founding members Dennis Bestafka and Tatrabud the Guitarist and Vocalist respectively are probably the two members that carry the most signifing sound that is Sentinel. That doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Sentinel are therfore blessed with a sound that is immediatley identifiable. ‘Kites Without Strings’ continues that sound. Sentinel now has a solid back catalogue that they can now hope will stretch overseas and grab new listeners. And anyone who likes the sound of a track they may hear is bound to find it easy to like the rest of their wonderful collection.
Sentinel are back again. Kites Without Strings is a fairly short album (8 tracks) but its packing a punch. They seem far bolder than ever before – rocking up the rock aspect of their act as well as the vocals being as dreamy as ever. What is perplexing about Sentinel is that they seem to have been around far longer than they actually have. There has been two previous albums and even a Singles album passed through the Glasswerk reviews. And yet they have only been an act since 2006. Its nice then to see that they have retained their image and also checking out what they can do with it. ‘Kites Without String’s in an altogether friendlier affair and probably their most pop album so far. A bit of easy access won’t hamper their artistic integrity. Founding members Dennis Bestafka and Tatrabud the Guitarist and Vocalist respectively are probably the two members that carry the most signifing sound that is Sentinel. That doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Sentinel are therfore blessed with a sound that is immediatley identifiable. ‘Kites Without Strings’ continues that sound. Sentinel now has a solid back catalogue that they can now hope will stretch overseas and grab new listeners. And anyone who likes the sound of a track they may hear is bound to find it easy to like the rest of their wonderful collection.
Sentinel Interview by by Somojo Magazine, UK
http://www.somojo.net/Sentinel/ http://www.myspace.com/sentinel http://www.facebook.com/sentineltheband http://twitter.com/sentineldream Discography The Singles (2003) Sentinel (self-titled) (2004) Sequels and Hunches (2006) Kites Without Strings (2008) Four Days Deep (2010) Hi, How are you? T~ Hi, we’re good! Excited to be here with Somojo Mag. Hello to all our UK fans! Would you mind introducing us to Sentinel? This is Dennis, guitarist and master visionary. We have Billy our friend and drummer. I’m Tarabud, vocalist and bass player. How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t yet heard you? T~ So hard to describe us, cause our songs have so many different moods over the years. We are often described by others as indie dream pop. What do you say Dennis? D~ Indie Dream Pop sounds about right; influenced by the spectrum of 1980’s New Wave, Synth Pop to modern Indie Rock. What have you been up to recently? T~ Lately, we’ve been rehearsing lots in Billy’s studio in Oakland, to get ready for local shows. We also have some material that we wrote and have not yet released. We’re reworking it and making it fresh for ourselves, and hope to have an E.P. ready for fans by Fall of this year. Also, we like to release a Christmas tune each year. So definitely watch out for what will be our 3rd Christmas cover. How did you meet each other? T~ I found Dennis because he was a front man in his own band. He was dreamy. It was Dennis’ idea to have me sing on few of his recordings back in 2000, purely as a fun side project. On an old four track, Dennis laid down some guitars and I sang on them. Our friends said we should play live. Quite suddenly, Dennis put a band together with friends. I was simply amazed at how quickly it all came together. We played our first few shows back in Long Beach, CA. I relocated to San Francisco, Bay Area, and fortunately Dennis followed me up. He once again had the drive to find musicians to play with us, and continue Sentinel. That was around 2004, he talked me into playing bass. We started playing live shows in San Francisco in 2004, and took off running with the help of My space and the internet. We’ve had several Sentinel incarnations with other musicians supporting us, till today our current line-up. We met him on Craig’s List, a popular on-line free service that helps musicians find each other in the Bay Area. How did you come up with your band name? T~ Dennis thought it up; he liked the sound of it and the meaning of it, guardian/protector of the muses. I liked the sound of it, because it could easily be pronounced in Spanish. Lately podcasters have been calling us “Sentinel Dream” as our band name, because of our profiles On-line. It’s almost as if they are renaming us. Did you always want to be a band? T~ Dennis always wanted to have a band since he was in High School, and he had several previous to Sentinel. I always wanted to sing. Singing on stage came naturally to me all through middle school & high school. College was just a distraction. What music did you listen to while growing up? T~ I listened to Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Olivia Newtown John, Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald. D~ I grew up listening to Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, U2. How long have you been involved with writing and performing music? T~ Dennis had been writing and performing music, long before I met him. He seemed like a veteran in my eye, 'cause composing came so easily to him. I never wrote music before I met him. Writing poetry came naturally to me, so writing lyrics was an easy transition. He and I have been contributing to this project together for over 10 years. Wow, time flies! I like the idea of being together making music in a band. I feel transported when we play our songs. It might sound like a paradox, that even when the song is melancholy, I feel joy seeping up from the inside of me. D~ I started writing my own ideas at age 15 when I picked up the guitar, and has manifested itself in many forms and bands since then. Are you self-taught or did you have lesson? T~ When I was young I had violin lessons, but I quickly had to give it up, because we were poor. After that I taught myself guitar from Beatles song books, on a very old guitar my mom brought back from Colombia. Dennis taught me all I know on the bass (smile). I was fortunate that I got to be in choir classes all through primary school. It was pure joy singing with others, I loved it. It would bring tears to my eyes when we performed. I tear easily. I’ve had private vocal couching lessons only in the last year and really enjoying the one on one attention. D~ Since age 10, I played trombone, percussion, and concert bass in school, which gave me an early foundation; but it wasn’t until I picked up the guitar and began writing for myself that it all came together. I took a few lessons, but they weren’t moving as fast as I was learning on my own; so I read books, watched videos and other musicians, and especially made it a point to befriend and hang out with local musicians that were older and better than I was. What is your current equipment? D~ We’ve been through a shit load of equipment (Tarabud laughs). For now I’m on a mission to simplify and downsize without taking away from our sound. Tarabud plays a Fender Jazz through a Beringer Bass Amp. Billy plays on DW drums, killer sound. Tarabud and April sing through a TC Electronics vocal effects racks. April uses a Micro-Korg keyboard which we are enjoying all the sounds possibilities. I play an Epiphone Sheriton 2 hollow body, through a Fender Blues Jr. My pedals range from Boss, Pro Co, and Voodoo Lab. Sometimes we play open venues that don’t have PA systems so we have a JBL PA system. If you had an unlimited equipment budget what would be on your shopping list? D~ Well, performance gear can only take you so far, and can’t really help you write good songs; but if I had to spend it on gear, I’d probably invest in an updated, more powerful recording setup; an Apple computer, Pro Tools interfaces, nice Neumann microphones, quality cables, etc. Do you use the same equipment live as you do when you’re in the studio? D~ We use the same guitar, bass, drums and keyboard, but tend not to use the live amps and do more direct patching through preamps; that way we get a cleaner, more controlled sound. Do you have a set routine when writing and recording or does it depend on each track and the inspiration? D~ For us, a song usually starts as a “notebook” idea, then seems to manifest on its own; but the origin differs from song to song. Personally, on my days off, I like to sit at the computer with a blank slate, goof around, play with beats and riffs, and then if I think its good I’ll present it to the band. Other times, we’ll just be jamming before or after rehearsal, and we’ll suddenly all agree that, “hey, that’s really cool; now let’s record it so that we don’t forget it!” Which software/recording process do you use? D~ Currently, we’re recording on a PC, through a Presonus interface, on Cubase. Would you sign with a major record company? T~ That is a heavy topic for us indie bands. Signing to an independent label is a good place to start. They will get us more exposure, and shows. Clubs and radio programs take you more seriously if you have someone backing you up. Major labels, take so much from the artist’s cut, and leave artist with less control of your music and how you write it. But then again they can do so much more for an artist, and reach more people globally, with their larger distribution and larger touring circuit, bigger venues, & festivals. I definitely prefer smaller intimate venues, but having your music heard is the key. I’m a little torn. What do you think Dennis? D~ Basically, what Tarabud said; but in any case, if an investor can cover what I make at my day job, I’m game! Do you have any new recordings planned? D~ We wrote some material last year, that we did not release with our last record For Days Deep; So we’re working on recording these ideas properly, and we’d like to include Billy with his own drum parts. Tarabud just shared with me, her working title for this coming release: ‘The Stars In Your Eyes’ or “When Stars Synchronize". Let’s see if any stick?! T~ Mmmmm, I like them. Do you find the process of recording enjoyable and does it get easier the more you do? D~ We’ve done most of Sentinel recording in our home studio over the years, in different locations we’ve lived in. We started tracking drums at PopSmear studio in San Rafeal, CA for our last album, which really makes a difference in our album. It has become easier over the years ‘cause I know the tricks to make the tone I want to get out of the recording. All the studio work I did in the past is finally paying off for us! We’ve been using Cubase, and it’s working out well. I thought it would be a problem in translation to an outside studio using Protools, but it’s been satisfactory recording software. The only thing dragging me down right now is the 7 year old PC. It’s really time to upgrade! Especially since I like to edit our videos on it, it’s like an old horse, hard to get rid of. Do you try to capture your ‘live’ sound on recordings or do you think that the ‘live’ sound and recorded sound should be different experiences for your fans? T~ Our recorded sound is much more polished, and our live shows are much more raw. We feel our live sound should be based on our recorded sound, but by playing them over and over, the songs take on their own shape and character. Somehow our live songs feel like they are getting a rebirth and sound new to me. It’s interesting for Dennis and I to see what our new musicians playing with us find they like and want to perform. We have so much material; sometimes it’s hard for us to know what songs people want to hear at live shows. Do you have any favourite tracks from your album? T~ Right now I’m in love with ‘Locator,’ & ‘Whaley’ from For Days Deep album. This comes from the feeling while writing and playing these songs as a band. Who are the main songwriters for the band? T~ Dennis and I are the main song writers, & of course the muses that invade our mind with ideas. Do you have a method for writing songs? D~ That really varies and depends on our mood. Many previous albums I would lay scratch tracks down and Tarabud would write lyrics & melodies, sometimes we would write them together. Our last album was an exception, as we wrote all songs from jamming together with the drummer, and pulled out 10 songs out of these sessions. It was the first time we had included another in our process. It’s a very intimate process, and the emotional core of the song is with those that wrote it. I like to compare how a band writes a song to what it would be like for four separate painters to collaborate on the same canvas. Do you write songs only about personal experiences? T~ I don’t know about Dennis, but I feel inspired by ideas and themes I read about, movie characters I am drawn to, sometimes scenery and places I have traveled. But I also, travel a lot in my mind. I don’t feel I consciously write about my personal life. D~ I agree; nothing very personal. As I get older, I don’t have that young adult heartache anymore, so the content has to come from somewhere else; like inspiring films, other people’s lives, random ideas. I dunno, maybe I’m pulling from the “me” in the other dimension… or my past life! Do you find song writing easy or difficult? T~ I find telling a story easy. I struggle with melodies, but that's where Dennis comes, as he master at catchy melodies. I call him the ‘hit maker.’ D~ The way I see it, it’s all been done before. All we have are new timbres to old melodies. From that perspective, to me it’s easy just to pull them down out of the airwaves from time to time. Is there anyone who you would like to collaborate with on writing songs or performing? T~ I would like to have the influence of Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois on the production end of it. That would be amazing! D~ I used to think so too Tarabud; but considering that outside influence is already so strong and prevalent; I think I still prefer to write from my own headspace. If I had to pick though, I guess it would have to be Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, The Edge of U2, or Robert Smith of The Cure. Who are your favourite songwriters? T~ I really love The Innocense Mission, Camera Obscura, Bat for Lashes, and going way back: Cocteau Twins, and Morrisey. D~ Ditto on all of those; but I would add Depeche Mode, Dead Can Dance, U2, and the list goes on. Which countries have you gigged in? T~ We’ve only played in California. Which countries would be at the top of your list to tour? T~ My dream for the band is to tour in Japan, then Europe, and finally South America. Would be so incredible to play in Colombia, to my family and friends. They still wonder where I got my musical interest (laugh). Who would you like to tour with? T~Who’s touring now…I would enjoy touring with Eisley, Block Party, or It would be phenomenal to play with School of Seven Bells! Love that band. How do you promote your music and get your music out to new fans? T~ Let’s see, most of our promotion is On-line, through Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, CDbaby, iTunes, Music Submit, just to name a few. Staying in touch with podcasters and Radio DJs has helped us. The local stations like to hear new music from Local Bay Area bands, and lucky for us, they play us! We like to make videos of our songs. Our ideas are usually grander than our budgets but we do our best to get our vision across. Which music promotion websites do you use and do you have a favourite? T~ I’m on Twitter for “SentinelDream” daily with updates for our fans. Myspace is still used by clubs for booking us. We also like, ReverbNation, Ourstage, Amazing Radio band page. Our favorite right now is Music Submit because they offer good opportunities to unsigned bands like us. I really like SoundCloud too because we can share free downloads of our tunes! Do you think such sites and the internet are good tools for independent and unsigned artists? T~ I would say excellent. No one would know us without the internet to spread the joy around. How do you relax? T~ I like to knit & sometimes make collage art. If I really need to come back to zero of the unlimited field I sit down and meditate. Transcendental Meditation really works. D~ Actually, doing “nothing” is my favorite thing to do; but if I have to do “something” when I’m relaxing, I like to watch movies, or get far away into the woods, backpack, camp. What's your best/worst experience at a gig? D~ The worst is when you have those nightmares of things going wrong at gigs; nothing works, you just cant get set up in time and the crowd and rest of the band is waiting! In the real world though, that does sometimes happen, and is a living nightmare! But in the real world, it always works out somehow. Do you get nervous before a gig? How do you calm down? T~ Yes nerves always attack my stomach. Once I’m on stage it all magically disappears. D~ I only get nervous if too much time has passed in between shows; but when we play every week, it stays pretty much at bay. When do I get nervous though, I just keep myself occupied with getting things ready, etc. What are your day jobs if you have them? T~ Oh ya, alternative universe does exist apart from our music. :) I work as a temporary worker in an Ophthalmology office in San Francisco, mostly shuffling paper. So glamorous! D~ I have had many day jobs; but am currently working as an EMT in an emergency room. Is there something you’d like to get involved with if the opportunity came along? T~ It would be fun to play an Awareness Concert about the plight of the whales, but specially the tuna fish that are both not yet on the endangered species list. Can you tell I’m a member of Greenpeace? There is also this touring opportunity in India, through Music Submit. We hope that this comes to fruition. It would a wonderful way to share our music to a new audience and see a magnificent country. D~ I’m already playing mostly for free, and am having a great time; so it would be awesome to perform anywhere for anything that benefits a good cause!
http://www.somojo.net/Sentinel/ http://www.myspace.com/sentinel http://www.facebook.com/sentineltheband http://twitter.com/sentineldream Discography The Singles (2003) Sentinel (self-titled) (2004) Sequels and Hunches (2006) Kites Without Strings (2008) Four Days Deep (2010) Hi, How are you? T~ Hi, we’re good! Excited to be here with Somojo Mag. Hello to all our UK fans! Would you mind introducing us to Sentinel? This is Dennis, guitarist and master visionary. We have Billy our friend and drummer. I’m Tarabud, vocalist and bass player. How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t yet heard you? T~ So hard to describe us, cause our songs have so many different moods over the years. We are often described by others as indie dream pop. What do you say Dennis? D~ Indie Dream Pop sounds about right; influenced by the spectrum of 1980’s New Wave, Synth Pop to modern Indie Rock. What have you been up to recently? T~ Lately, we’ve been rehearsing lots in Billy’s studio in Oakland, to get ready for local shows. We also have some material that we wrote and have not yet released. We’re reworking it and making it fresh for ourselves, and hope to have an E.P. ready for fans by Fall of this year. Also, we like to release a Christmas tune each year. So definitely watch out for what will be our 3rd Christmas cover. How did you meet each other? T~ I found Dennis because he was a front man in his own band. He was dreamy. It was Dennis’ idea to have me sing on few of his recordings back in 2000, purely as a fun side project. On an old four track, Dennis laid down some guitars and I sang on them. Our friends said we should play live. Quite suddenly, Dennis put a band together with friends. I was simply amazed at how quickly it all came together. We played our first few shows back in Long Beach, CA. I relocated to San Francisco, Bay Area, and fortunately Dennis followed me up. He once again had the drive to find musicians to play with us, and continue Sentinel. That was around 2004, he talked me into playing bass. We started playing live shows in San Francisco in 2004, and took off running with the help of My space and the internet. We’ve had several Sentinel incarnations with other musicians supporting us, till today our current line-up. We met him on Craig’s List, a popular on-line free service that helps musicians find each other in the Bay Area. How did you come up with your band name? T~ Dennis thought it up; he liked the sound of it and the meaning of it, guardian/protector of the muses. I liked the sound of it, because it could easily be pronounced in Spanish. Lately podcasters have been calling us “Sentinel Dream” as our band name, because of our profiles On-line. It’s almost as if they are renaming us. Did you always want to be a band? T~ Dennis always wanted to have a band since he was in High School, and he had several previous to Sentinel. I always wanted to sing. Singing on stage came naturally to me all through middle school & high school. College was just a distraction. What music did you listen to while growing up? T~ I listened to Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Olivia Newtown John, Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald. D~ I grew up listening to Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, U2. How long have you been involved with writing and performing music? T~ Dennis had been writing and performing music, long before I met him. He seemed like a veteran in my eye, 'cause composing came so easily to him. I never wrote music before I met him. Writing poetry came naturally to me, so writing lyrics was an easy transition. He and I have been contributing to this project together for over 10 years. Wow, time flies! I like the idea of being together making music in a band. I feel transported when we play our songs. It might sound like a paradox, that even when the song is melancholy, I feel joy seeping up from the inside of me. D~ I started writing my own ideas at age 15 when I picked up the guitar, and has manifested itself in many forms and bands since then. Are you self-taught or did you have lesson? T~ When I was young I had violin lessons, but I quickly had to give it up, because we were poor. After that I taught myself guitar from Beatles song books, on a very old guitar my mom brought back from Colombia. Dennis taught me all I know on the bass (smile). I was fortunate that I got to be in choir classes all through primary school. It was pure joy singing with others, I loved it. It would bring tears to my eyes when we performed. I tear easily. I’ve had private vocal couching lessons only in the last year and really enjoying the one on one attention. D~ Since age 10, I played trombone, percussion, and concert bass in school, which gave me an early foundation; but it wasn’t until I picked up the guitar and began writing for myself that it all came together. I took a few lessons, but they weren’t moving as fast as I was learning on my own; so I read books, watched videos and other musicians, and especially made it a point to befriend and hang out with local musicians that were older and better than I was. What is your current equipment? D~ We’ve been through a shit load of equipment (Tarabud laughs). For now I’m on a mission to simplify and downsize without taking away from our sound. Tarabud plays a Fender Jazz through a Beringer Bass Amp. Billy plays on DW drums, killer sound. Tarabud and April sing through a TC Electronics vocal effects racks. April uses a Micro-Korg keyboard which we are enjoying all the sounds possibilities. I play an Epiphone Sheriton 2 hollow body, through a Fender Blues Jr. My pedals range from Boss, Pro Co, and Voodoo Lab. Sometimes we play open venues that don’t have PA systems so we have a JBL PA system. If you had an unlimited equipment budget what would be on your shopping list? D~ Well, performance gear can only take you so far, and can’t really help you write good songs; but if I had to spend it on gear, I’d probably invest in an updated, more powerful recording setup; an Apple computer, Pro Tools interfaces, nice Neumann microphones, quality cables, etc. Do you use the same equipment live as you do when you’re in the studio? D~ We use the same guitar, bass, drums and keyboard, but tend not to use the live amps and do more direct patching through preamps; that way we get a cleaner, more controlled sound. Do you have a set routine when writing and recording or does it depend on each track and the inspiration? D~ For us, a song usually starts as a “notebook” idea, then seems to manifest on its own; but the origin differs from song to song. Personally, on my days off, I like to sit at the computer with a blank slate, goof around, play with beats and riffs, and then if I think its good I’ll present it to the band. Other times, we’ll just be jamming before or after rehearsal, and we’ll suddenly all agree that, “hey, that’s really cool; now let’s record it so that we don’t forget it!” Which software/recording process do you use? D~ Currently, we’re recording on a PC, through a Presonus interface, on Cubase. Would you sign with a major record company? T~ That is a heavy topic for us indie bands. Signing to an independent label is a good place to start. They will get us more exposure, and shows. Clubs and radio programs take you more seriously if you have someone backing you up. Major labels, take so much from the artist’s cut, and leave artist with less control of your music and how you write it. But then again they can do so much more for an artist, and reach more people globally, with their larger distribution and larger touring circuit, bigger venues, & festivals. I definitely prefer smaller intimate venues, but having your music heard is the key. I’m a little torn. What do you think Dennis? D~ Basically, what Tarabud said; but in any case, if an investor can cover what I make at my day job, I’m game! Do you have any new recordings planned? D~ We wrote some material last year, that we did not release with our last record For Days Deep; So we’re working on recording these ideas properly, and we’d like to include Billy with his own drum parts. Tarabud just shared with me, her working title for this coming release: ‘The Stars In Your Eyes’ or “When Stars Synchronize". Let’s see if any stick?! T~ Mmmmm, I like them. Do you find the process of recording enjoyable and does it get easier the more you do? D~ We’ve done most of Sentinel recording in our home studio over the years, in different locations we’ve lived in. We started tracking drums at PopSmear studio in San Rafeal, CA for our last album, which really makes a difference in our album. It has become easier over the years ‘cause I know the tricks to make the tone I want to get out of the recording. All the studio work I did in the past is finally paying off for us! We’ve been using Cubase, and it’s working out well. I thought it would be a problem in translation to an outside studio using Protools, but it’s been satisfactory recording software. The only thing dragging me down right now is the 7 year old PC. It’s really time to upgrade! Especially since I like to edit our videos on it, it’s like an old horse, hard to get rid of. Do you try to capture your ‘live’ sound on recordings or do you think that the ‘live’ sound and recorded sound should be different experiences for your fans? T~ Our recorded sound is much more polished, and our live shows are much more raw. We feel our live sound should be based on our recorded sound, but by playing them over and over, the songs take on their own shape and character. Somehow our live songs feel like they are getting a rebirth and sound new to me. It’s interesting for Dennis and I to see what our new musicians playing with us find they like and want to perform. We have so much material; sometimes it’s hard for us to know what songs people want to hear at live shows. Do you have any favourite tracks from your album? T~ Right now I’m in love with ‘Locator,’ & ‘Whaley’ from For Days Deep album. This comes from the feeling while writing and playing these songs as a band. Who are the main songwriters for the band? T~ Dennis and I are the main song writers, & of course the muses that invade our mind with ideas. Do you have a method for writing songs? D~ That really varies and depends on our mood. Many previous albums I would lay scratch tracks down and Tarabud would write lyrics & melodies, sometimes we would write them together. Our last album was an exception, as we wrote all songs from jamming together with the drummer, and pulled out 10 songs out of these sessions. It was the first time we had included another in our process. It’s a very intimate process, and the emotional core of the song is with those that wrote it. I like to compare how a band writes a song to what it would be like for four separate painters to collaborate on the same canvas. Do you write songs only about personal experiences? T~ I don’t know about Dennis, but I feel inspired by ideas and themes I read about, movie characters I am drawn to, sometimes scenery and places I have traveled. But I also, travel a lot in my mind. I don’t feel I consciously write about my personal life. D~ I agree; nothing very personal. As I get older, I don’t have that young adult heartache anymore, so the content has to come from somewhere else; like inspiring films, other people’s lives, random ideas. I dunno, maybe I’m pulling from the “me” in the other dimension… or my past life! Do you find song writing easy or difficult? T~ I find telling a story easy. I struggle with melodies, but that's where Dennis comes, as he master at catchy melodies. I call him the ‘hit maker.’ D~ The way I see it, it’s all been done before. All we have are new timbres to old melodies. From that perspective, to me it’s easy just to pull them down out of the airwaves from time to time. Is there anyone who you would like to collaborate with on writing songs or performing? T~ I would like to have the influence of Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois on the production end of it. That would be amazing! D~ I used to think so too Tarabud; but considering that outside influence is already so strong and prevalent; I think I still prefer to write from my own headspace. If I had to pick though, I guess it would have to be Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, The Edge of U2, or Robert Smith of The Cure. Who are your favourite songwriters? T~ I really love The Innocense Mission, Camera Obscura, Bat for Lashes, and going way back: Cocteau Twins, and Morrisey. D~ Ditto on all of those; but I would add Depeche Mode, Dead Can Dance, U2, and the list goes on. Which countries have you gigged in? T~ We’ve only played in California. Which countries would be at the top of your list to tour? T~ My dream for the band is to tour in Japan, then Europe, and finally South America. Would be so incredible to play in Colombia, to my family and friends. They still wonder where I got my musical interest (laugh). Who would you like to tour with? T~Who’s touring now…I would enjoy touring with Eisley, Block Party, or It would be phenomenal to play with School of Seven Bells! Love that band. How do you promote your music and get your music out to new fans? T~ Let’s see, most of our promotion is On-line, through Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, CDbaby, iTunes, Music Submit, just to name a few. Staying in touch with podcasters and Radio DJs has helped us. The local stations like to hear new music from Local Bay Area bands, and lucky for us, they play us! We like to make videos of our songs. Our ideas are usually grander than our budgets but we do our best to get our vision across. Which music promotion websites do you use and do you have a favourite? T~ I’m on Twitter for “SentinelDream” daily with updates for our fans. Myspace is still used by clubs for booking us. We also like, ReverbNation, Ourstage, Amazing Radio band page. Our favorite right now is Music Submit because they offer good opportunities to unsigned bands like us. I really like SoundCloud too because we can share free downloads of our tunes! Do you think such sites and the internet are good tools for independent and unsigned artists? T~ I would say excellent. No one would know us without the internet to spread the joy around. How do you relax? T~ I like to knit & sometimes make collage art. If I really need to come back to zero of the unlimited field I sit down and meditate. Transcendental Meditation really works. D~ Actually, doing “nothing” is my favorite thing to do; but if I have to do “something” when I’m relaxing, I like to watch movies, or get far away into the woods, backpack, camp. What's your best/worst experience at a gig? D~ The worst is when you have those nightmares of things going wrong at gigs; nothing works, you just cant get set up in time and the crowd and rest of the band is waiting! In the real world though, that does sometimes happen, and is a living nightmare! But in the real world, it always works out somehow. Do you get nervous before a gig? How do you calm down? T~ Yes nerves always attack my stomach. Once I’m on stage it all magically disappears. D~ I only get nervous if too much time has passed in between shows; but when we play every week, it stays pretty much at bay. When do I get nervous though, I just keep myself occupied with getting things ready, etc. What are your day jobs if you have them? T~ Oh ya, alternative universe does exist apart from our music. :) I work as a temporary worker in an Ophthalmology office in San Francisco, mostly shuffling paper. So glamorous! D~ I have had many day jobs; but am currently working as an EMT in an emergency room. Is there something you’d like to get involved with if the opportunity came along? T~ It would be fun to play an Awareness Concert about the plight of the whales, but specially the tuna fish that are both not yet on the endangered species list. Can you tell I’m a member of Greenpeace? There is also this touring opportunity in India, through Music Submit. We hope that this comes to fruition. It would a wonderful way to share our music to a new audience and see a magnificent country. D~ I’m already playing mostly for free, and am having a great time; so it would be awesome to perform anywhere for anything that benefits a good cause!
Sentinel- For Days Deep by Hubbub UK
Containing only seven tracks, just two of which over four minutes long, For Days Deep sets its stall out from the get-go to pack a punch with a sound that transports you back to an era of painted Doc Marten boots, striped leggings and floppy crimped fringes. Comparisons to bands of that time have been rife according to the Oakland outfit, My Bloody Valentine, Primitives and certainly more than a hint of The Cocteau Twins. Despite the similarities there is a unique sound here and as with many three-pieces the result can be dependent on the relationship between vocal and guitar. Dennis Bestafka’s playing style is powerful and Edge like if a little rougher at the corners. Tarabud’s voice is melodic yet at the same time monotone but together they work in tandem like a musical version of Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch.
Containing only seven tracks, just two of which over four minutes long, For Days Deep sets its stall out from the get-go to pack a punch with a sound that transports you back to an era of painted Doc Marten boots, striped leggings and floppy crimped fringes. Comparisons to bands of that time have been rife according to the Oakland outfit, My Bloody Valentine, Primitives and certainly more than a hint of The Cocteau Twins. Despite the similarities there is a unique sound here and as with many three-pieces the result can be dependent on the relationship between vocal and guitar. Dennis Bestafka’s playing style is powerful and Edge like if a little rougher at the corners. Tarabud’s voice is melodic yet at the same time monotone but together they work in tandem like a musical version of Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch.
Sentinel: Whaley by Charles Stepczyk
Tonight I’ve been feeling like a fat kid in a candy store, drooling against the display case perusing so many stand-out tracks on the new release by Oakland, CA based SENTINEL. Their new EP “For Days Deep” was released on February 1st, and I’m proud to be able to showcase ‘Whaley’, which starts off with a galloping beat ala Centro-matic, and comes together in so many ways; perfect guitar riffs, swelling bridges and that gallivanting beat creating a hallucinatory dream-pop fueled vision that is hard to shake. While Tarabud’s vocals take you to an ethereal and carefree place, the instrumentals are intense, at times reminding me of Maserati, and even The Hectors on the track “Finale”, while our Executive Insomniac mentioned they reminded him of The Edge ala U2 on the standout closer, “Sunset”. Make sure you have some patience listening as it starts to continuously fire off around the one minute mark. Sentinel should be proud as they continue to build upon each release and progress in a variety of very positive directions. We hope they continue to release these EPs well into the future to keep this audial pop-candy addiction satiated.
Tonight I’ve been feeling like a fat kid in a candy store, drooling against the display case perusing so many stand-out tracks on the new release by Oakland, CA based SENTINEL. Their new EP “For Days Deep” was released on February 1st, and I’m proud to be able to showcase ‘Whaley’, which starts off with a galloping beat ala Centro-matic, and comes together in so many ways; perfect guitar riffs, swelling bridges and that gallivanting beat creating a hallucinatory dream-pop fueled vision that is hard to shake. While Tarabud’s vocals take you to an ethereal and carefree place, the instrumentals are intense, at times reminding me of Maserati, and even The Hectors on the track “Finale”, while our Executive Insomniac mentioned they reminded him of The Edge ala U2 on the standout closer, “Sunset”. Make sure you have some patience listening as it starts to continuously fire off around the one minute mark. Sentinel should be proud as they continue to build upon each release and progress in a variety of very positive directions. We hope they continue to release these EPs well into the future to keep this audial pop-candy addiction satiated.
For Days Deep album Review by by Performer Magazine
RECORD REVIEW: Sentinel For Days Deep By: Keane Li Oakland dream pop quartet Sentinel's For Days Deep marks the band's fifth release since forming in 2001. Evolving with unexpected line-up changes within the past year, the band was forced to deconstruct, reevaluate, and ultimately rebuild their sound from the bottom up. While their previous release, Kites Without Strings is varied and eclectic in comparison, like a series of different ideas connected, For Days Deep offers a matured conciseness and a crisp quality that adds clarity to their already very warm sound. Says vocalist and bassist Tarabud, "We progressed as a band by being open to much more experimentation and raw moods; spending many afternoons tinkering through ideas over and over again, allowing space for those happy mistakes. The album opens with "Kinda Light Up," quickly exhibiting Sentinel's pulsating guitar and lush vocal harmonic qualities. The trademark Sentinel echo and reverb are there, creating a wistful soundscape consistent with their dreamlike sound. Within their robust ocean of audio are a few particularly remarkable moments: the strong guitar riff in "Finale," reminiscent of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," provides a very catchy push forward for the song; and on "As the Crow Flies," a strong chorus melody dramatically dips down into the crux of its lyrics. "I know the breeze of your stormy seas," sings Tarabud before the song re-enters another driving verse. As a whole, the pop sensibilities in For Days Deep - the quick emergence of verses and danceable rhythms - make the record easily digestible and readily enjoyable for a wide variety of listeners. (Self-released)
RECORD REVIEW: Sentinel For Days Deep By: Keane Li Oakland dream pop quartet Sentinel's For Days Deep marks the band's fifth release since forming in 2001. Evolving with unexpected line-up changes within the past year, the band was forced to deconstruct, reevaluate, and ultimately rebuild their sound from the bottom up. While their previous release, Kites Without Strings is varied and eclectic in comparison, like a series of different ideas connected, For Days Deep offers a matured conciseness and a crisp quality that adds clarity to their already very warm sound. Says vocalist and bassist Tarabud, "We progressed as a band by being open to much more experimentation and raw moods; spending many afternoons tinkering through ideas over and over again, allowing space for those happy mistakes. The album opens with "Kinda Light Up," quickly exhibiting Sentinel's pulsating guitar and lush vocal harmonic qualities. The trademark Sentinel echo and reverb are there, creating a wistful soundscape consistent with their dreamlike sound. Within their robust ocean of audio are a few particularly remarkable moments: the strong guitar riff in "Finale," reminiscent of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," provides a very catchy push forward for the song; and on "As the Crow Flies," a strong chorus melody dramatically dips down into the crux of its lyrics. "I know the breeze of your stormy seas," sings Tarabud before the song re-enters another driving verse. As a whole, the pop sensibilities in For Days Deep - the quick emergence of verses and danceable rhythms - make the record easily digestible and readily enjoyable for a wide variety of listeners. (Self-released)
GotSeen Top Band this Week by
So, what exactly IS dream pop? 5 seconds of listening to Sentinel and you realise it's a celebration of a time when indie didn't take itself quite so seriously, and was actually having a pretty full on love-affair with pop, and that was fine. Where plenty of other bands right now are taking their summery-retro influences from the beach-pop of the 60's, Sentinel keep things a little closer to now, drawing inspiration from the late 80s/early 90's. Think My Bloody Valentine, The Cure etc. (it also reminded me heavily of Curve meets Voice of the Beehive) . It's a simple recipe, - the near-perfect sweet-and sour combination of pop-princess vocals (courtesy of lead singer Tarabud) and a chuggy guitars - throw in catchy-as-hell songs and you have a bang-on sound. As we head into summer Sentinel could very well become the soundtrack to those holiday drives, or evenings spent lazing on the beach. Who's who in the band Sentinel band members consist of Tarabud (Vocals and Bass), Dennis Bestafka (Guitar) and Billy Mowery (Drums). Sentinel has been an official Bay Area based project since 2004 between Tara and Dennis; and have since released multiple albums, EP's and singles through CDBaby.com, on-line distribution. How did you get together? Sentinel has had a few various guest drummers and keyboardists over the years; but we've finally settled into the current trio configuration with Billy since early 2010. How would you describe your sound? We often label our sound as Dream-Pop, mainly influenced by the likes of various 80's and 90's U.K. bands, such as U2, Cocteau Twins, Stone Roses, Smiths, Cure, Ride, Sundays, etc. Which musicians influences you? For specific influences, Tara has always loved female vocal powerhouses such as Pat Benetar, Barbara Streisand, Liz Frasier (Cocteau Twins) and Hayley Williams (paramore); Dennis has always admired the guitar work of The Edge (U2), Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and John Squire (Stone Roses); and Billy has always been a big fan of Stewart Copeland (Police), Larry Mullen (U2), and Rob Minning (Ocean Blue). What are your hopes / ambitions for the band in the future?- By the end of 2011, we hope to land ourselves on the roster of the many fabulous local, Bay Area independent labels, as well as begin tracking a concept record idea that we've been imagining for some time now. ~ Caroline 4/4/2011
So, what exactly IS dream pop? 5 seconds of listening to Sentinel and you realise it's a celebration of a time when indie didn't take itself quite so seriously, and was actually having a pretty full on love-affair with pop, and that was fine. Where plenty of other bands right now are taking their summery-retro influences from the beach-pop of the 60's, Sentinel keep things a little closer to now, drawing inspiration from the late 80s/early 90's. Think My Bloody Valentine, The Cure etc. (it also reminded me heavily of Curve meets Voice of the Beehive) . It's a simple recipe, - the near-perfect sweet-and sour combination of pop-princess vocals (courtesy of lead singer Tarabud) and a chuggy guitars - throw in catchy-as-hell songs and you have a bang-on sound. As we head into summer Sentinel could very well become the soundtrack to those holiday drives, or evenings spent lazing on the beach. Who's who in the band Sentinel band members consist of Tarabud (Vocals and Bass), Dennis Bestafka (Guitar) and Billy Mowery (Drums). Sentinel has been an official Bay Area based project since 2004 between Tara and Dennis; and have since released multiple albums, EP's and singles through CDBaby.com, on-line distribution. How did you get together? Sentinel has had a few various guest drummers and keyboardists over the years; but we've finally settled into the current trio configuration with Billy since early 2010. How would you describe your sound? We often label our sound as Dream-Pop, mainly influenced by the likes of various 80's and 90's U.K. bands, such as U2, Cocteau Twins, Stone Roses, Smiths, Cure, Ride, Sundays, etc. Which musicians influences you? For specific influences, Tara has always loved female vocal powerhouses such as Pat Benetar, Barbara Streisand, Liz Frasier (Cocteau Twins) and Hayley Williams (paramore); Dennis has always admired the guitar work of The Edge (U2), Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and John Squire (Stone Roses); and Billy has always been a big fan of Stewart Copeland (Police), Larry Mullen (U2), and Rob Minning (Ocean Blue). What are your hopes / ambitions for the band in the future?- By the end of 2011, we hope to land ourselves on the roster of the many fabulous local, Bay Area independent labels, as well as begin tracking a concept record idea that we've been imagining for some time now. ~ Caroline 4/4/2011
Sentinel: Jet Black by Single Review
Network favorites SENTINEL are back with their newest single JET BLACK, a beautiful dream-pop driven work of art written and inspired at the edges of the San Francisco Bay, in the Summer of 2010. What you get from Sentinel on this go round are fluid well placed lyrics that open with the succinct mental vision of a figure standing over a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, jet black hair blowing in the wind. A well timed guitar languidly chugs throughout most of the song, with the vocals pairing up perfectly for a reflective day on the coast. Billy is on drums here, and mixing/mastering was done by Dennis (guitarist) at a home studio, although the whole shebang was recorded at PopSmear Studios in San Rafael, CA. Sentinel are gearing up for a benefit show for Japan this coming Thursday, April 21st up in San Francisco, from 7-10p. The NoisePop sponsored benefit will be at the Make-out Room and features other local acts such as Sambaxe and Poeticali Distherbd. 100% of the ticket price, raffle money, and donations will go to the JCCCNC Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, which ensures the money will go straight to local non-profits and CBOs in Japan for citizen-to-citizen relief efforts reaching those most in need in the most affected areas. Also, Sentinel have released a video to go along with this single, filmed at the shores of Pacific Ocean in San Francisco and at undisclosed locations in Oakland, California in winter. According to the description it was all home made with the help of Izzy Chan, indie film maker of San Francisco. Look further below this post for the visual goods.
Network favorites SENTINEL are back with their newest single JET BLACK, a beautiful dream-pop driven work of art written and inspired at the edges of the San Francisco Bay, in the Summer of 2010. What you get from Sentinel on this go round are fluid well placed lyrics that open with the succinct mental vision of a figure standing over a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, jet black hair blowing in the wind. A well timed guitar languidly chugs throughout most of the song, with the vocals pairing up perfectly for a reflective day on the coast. Billy is on drums here, and mixing/mastering was done by Dennis (guitarist) at a home studio, although the whole shebang was recorded at PopSmear Studios in San Rafael, CA. Sentinel are gearing up for a benefit show for Japan this coming Thursday, April 21st up in San Francisco, from 7-10p. The NoisePop sponsored benefit will be at the Make-out Room and features other local acts such as Sambaxe and Poeticali Distherbd. 100% of the ticket price, raffle money, and donations will go to the JCCCNC Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, which ensures the money will go straight to local non-profits and CBOs in Japan for citizen-to-citizen relief efforts reaching those most in need in the most affected areas. Also, Sentinel have released a video to go along with this single, filmed at the shores of Pacific Ocean in San Francisco and at undisclosed locations in Oakland, California in winter. According to the description it was all home made with the help of Izzy Chan, indie film maker of San Francisco. Look further below this post for the visual goods.
Airplay Band Of The Month - Sentinel by
Meet our newest Band Of The Month, a talented 3 piece Indie-pop band from Oakland, CA. We've interviewed this trio, and came to learn how they've mastered a truly original sound. Get to know Sentinel, what inspires them, how they connect with their fans, and what they've got planned for the future! Describe your sound in one sentence for us: Dreamy and transportive Indie-Pop, driven by lush female vocals, hopeful guitar melodies and fashionable drum grooves. What inspires you to make music? Making music and art in general is an escape into the romantic and poetic realm that keeps us human, youthful and spiritual. Name three people who have influenced your music, and tell us why- Living or dead. Cocteau Twins' overall sound is unworldly beautiful, and they justify alternate ways in which the rock format can be approached. Depeche Mode's songwriting and use of counterpoint is top tier, and they have amazingly cross over format from Euro-Melancholia to American R&B. U2 is a perfect example of dedication to one another in a band, not to mention their passionate catalog of amazing anthems. Essentially, all three of these bands have been huge influences for us for over 20 years. How do you connect with fans and get them involved in your music? Besides the obvious modern Social Media, we like to hand CD's and Merch directly to fans from the stage, we're still indie enough to mingle in the crowd before and after our sets, and above all we just love meeting people and hearing what they like; you never know what might inspire you. What do you like the most about Radio Airplay? We love the interactivity between the listeners and our music, which really get's fans more involved and supportive of music in general. We have the most varied and global audience listening to our songs through Radio Airplay. It is really a wonderful thing. Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you'd like to share with us? Tell us about it. We recently counted up all the demos for possible new full length album, which is mounting up to over 50 darn good ideas. We have released a few singles since our full length For Days Deep (2010), but needless to say, we're overdue for a full length release, or three. We'll definitely be narrowing down and wrangling all that in for a new album around the Fall of 2013. Jango: http://www.jango.com/music/Sentinel Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sentineltheband Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/sentineldream Bandcamp: http://sentineldream.bandcamp.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/SentinelDream Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sentineltheband Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Tags: Airplay Band of the Month
Meet our newest Band Of The Month, a talented 3 piece Indie-pop band from Oakland, CA. We've interviewed this trio, and came to learn how they've mastered a truly original sound. Get to know Sentinel, what inspires them, how they connect with their fans, and what they've got planned for the future! Describe your sound in one sentence for us: Dreamy and transportive Indie-Pop, driven by lush female vocals, hopeful guitar melodies and fashionable drum grooves. What inspires you to make music? Making music and art in general is an escape into the romantic and poetic realm that keeps us human, youthful and spiritual. Name three people who have influenced your music, and tell us why- Living or dead. Cocteau Twins' overall sound is unworldly beautiful, and they justify alternate ways in which the rock format can be approached. Depeche Mode's songwriting and use of counterpoint is top tier, and they have amazingly cross over format from Euro-Melancholia to American R&B. U2 is a perfect example of dedication to one another in a band, not to mention their passionate catalog of amazing anthems. Essentially, all three of these bands have been huge influences for us for over 20 years. How do you connect with fans and get them involved in your music? Besides the obvious modern Social Media, we like to hand CD's and Merch directly to fans from the stage, we're still indie enough to mingle in the crowd before and after our sets, and above all we just love meeting people and hearing what they like; you never know what might inspire you. What do you like the most about Radio Airplay? We love the interactivity between the listeners and our music, which really get's fans more involved and supportive of music in general. We have the most varied and global audience listening to our songs through Radio Airplay. It is really a wonderful thing. Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you'd like to share with us? Tell us about it. We recently counted up all the demos for possible new full length album, which is mounting up to over 50 darn good ideas. We have released a few singles since our full length For Days Deep (2010), but needless to say, we're overdue for a full length release, or three. We'll definitely be narrowing down and wrangling all that in for a new album around the Fall of 2013. Jango: http://www.jango.com/music/Sentinel Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sentineltheband Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/sentineldream Bandcamp: http://sentineldream.bandcamp.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/SentinelDream Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sentineltheband Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Tags: Airplay Band of the Month
Sentinel: Somewhere Else by Video Review
Complimenting the coming of Fall tomorrow, we see the arrival of Sentinel’s new single, Somewhere Else, a nice representation of the changing of the seasons that seemingly synchs up perfectly with the brand new video the Bay area trio worked on over the summer months here on the West Coast [US]. The video that we recommend with today’s feature was filmed in digital HD over four different days and in locations around Northern California, including Lassen Volcanic National Park, Helen Putnam Regional Park, Bear River Eldorado National Forest, and Muir Beach National Park. The band created three elementally based character myths which you can read all about on their Vimeo page; namely Tarabud, Gatherman, and Triple B. What to say about the song, and additionally the video? I’ve already enjoyed several listens and viewings and can’t get enough of how the instrumentals really smash through at the end during mystic hour on the beach w/ the elemental trio engaged in some sort of ceremony well into the moonlit night. The panning shots and locales are fantastic, and the vocals and marching drumbeats from “up on the hill” really bring it all together. ~Charles Stepcysk
Complimenting the coming of Fall tomorrow, we see the arrival of Sentinel’s new single, Somewhere Else, a nice representation of the changing of the seasons that seemingly synchs up perfectly with the brand new video the Bay area trio worked on over the summer months here on the West Coast [US]. The video that we recommend with today’s feature was filmed in digital HD over four different days and in locations around Northern California, including Lassen Volcanic National Park, Helen Putnam Regional Park, Bear River Eldorado National Forest, and Muir Beach National Park. The band created three elementally based character myths which you can read all about on their Vimeo page; namely Tarabud, Gatherman, and Triple B. What to say about the song, and additionally the video? I’ve already enjoyed several listens and viewings and can’t get enough of how the instrumentals really smash through at the end during mystic hour on the beach w/ the elemental trio engaged in some sort of ceremony well into the moonlit night. The panning shots and locales are fantastic, and the vocals and marching drumbeats from “up on the hill” really bring it all together. ~Charles Stepcysk
Baby Please Come Home ~ Sentinel by Daily Dose
Merry Christmas to all from the IR family! You caught us just as we are unwrapping our final gift from California Bay area dreampop band SENTINEL. After getting in the holiday spirit close to October, the band put the finishing touches on and recently released their awaited Christmas single for 2012, a free download which you can currently find here or over at BandCamp. Its a beautifully rendered twist on a holiday classic, a perfect nostalgic blanket to keep you warm on this cold Christmas Day. And oh yes the artwork…. The artwork for this single was reportedly taken from a chance encounter up at 10,000 ft up in Lassen Volcanic National Park. If you are up in the Berkeley, CA area this coming January 3rd, make your resolution to get out and catch some more live music on Thursday nights… best started with Sentinel at the Starry Plough. ~ Charles Stepczyck
Merry Christmas to all from the IR family! You caught us just as we are unwrapping our final gift from California Bay area dreampop band SENTINEL. After getting in the holiday spirit close to October, the band put the finishing touches on and recently released their awaited Christmas single for 2012, a free download which you can currently find here or over at BandCamp. Its a beautifully rendered twist on a holiday classic, a perfect nostalgic blanket to keep you warm on this cold Christmas Day. And oh yes the artwork…. The artwork for this single was reportedly taken from a chance encounter up at 10,000 ft up in Lassen Volcanic National Park. If you are up in the Berkeley, CA area this coming January 3rd, make your resolution to get out and catch some more live music on Thursday nights… best started with Sentinel at the Starry Plough. ~ Charles Stepczyck
Technical Requirements
Drum kit: five piece
Bass amp: 2x10 with XLR-DI out
Guitar amp: 1x12 Fender Blues Jr
Vocal effects: Personal SM58 into TC Electronic Processor, XLR-DI Box ou
to mixer.
Bass amp: 2x10 with XLR-DI out
Guitar amp: 1x12 Fender Blues Jr
Vocal effects: Personal SM58 into TC Electronic Processor, XLR-DI Box ou
to mixer.
Technical Requirements
Drum kit: five piece
Bass amp: 2x10 with XLR-DI out
Guitar amp: 1x12 Fender Blues Jr
Vocal effects: Personal SM58 into TC Electronic Processor, XLR-DI Box ou
to mixer.
Bass amp: 2x10 with XLR-DI out
Guitar amp: 1x12 Fender Blues Jr
Vocal effects: Personal SM58 into TC Electronic Processor, XLR-DI Box ou
to mixer.
Copyright ©Amazing Media Group 2006-2023 Contact Us
iAnEAqqqq