In a twenty year career that has included playing everything from metal to hardcore punk with his band The Jimmies, Portland Singer-songwriter Barry Brusseau has embarked on a formidable musical quest to arrive at the intimate folk music on his second LP The Royal Violent Birds. The music, which Brusseau describes as “atmospheric indie-folk,” is scented throughout with a sense of transformation and a tangible earnestness that recalls excellent work like Moby Grape co-founder Alexander ‘Skip’ Spence’s legendary Oar and Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis’s 2011 solo debut Several Shades of Why. Like Brusseau’s latest both of those albums marked a turn away from loud guitars (Moby Grape’s psych and Dinosaur Jr.’s alt-rock) towards a crystalline acoustic sound that seems to highlight muscianship in a clearer or at least different way.

Saving $50 from each of his day job paychecks for years to cover costs, Brusseau went through great lengths to put the LP out on exquisitely packaged vinyl and as a digital download. “I grew up loving records. Coming home after buying one, and reading everything inside and out. Holding it while listening, and letting my imagination run wild. I decided that’s what I wanted to do, make the kind of record I would have loved to get. So, I made this record for myself, because I wanted nothing more than to hold the final product in my hands.”

“Love and Adoration” starts out with some simmering finger picking, the drums then kick in with Brusseau’s lulling baritone as the guitar work builds up until the chorus washes over you. It’s all very subtle and marked by what Brusseau calls “soothing hypnotics.”

Now that summer’s here, maybe you’re feeling lost without the 3 AM editing sessions or 4 AM cast and crew email blasts. mtvU can help you make it all worthwhile. On the mtvU College Filmmakers Vimeo group, you can upload and browse content by student filmmakers like yourself. Clips from the group are frequently featured on mtvU.com, so this is your chance. What are you waiting for? Get an invite now!

Voting for this round of The Freshmen closes at 2pm EST Friday, June 28th.

American Authors

“Believer (Brooklyn Version)”

American Authors are a Brooklyn based alt-rock band that signed to Mercury Records last year. This video for “Believer (Brooklyn Version)” is a massive dose of positivity punctuated with delightful twangs of banjo.


Vote

Breaking Laces

“Mr. Curry Is A Cop”

More alt-rock from Brooklyn, Breaking Laces is led by Willem Hartong and the band is known for their personal and clever lyrics. In this wacky clip for “Mr. Curry Is A Cop” the group falls victim to an overzealous, porn-stached undercover policeman.


Vote

Bridges & Powerlines

“Bushwick”

And another Brooklyn band but this one is self-described ‘optimist fuzz pop.’ Bridges & Powerlines has been making music since 2006 and just released a new EP titled Better featuring songs about different parts of everyone’s favorite borough (ie. Bushwick, Park Slope, Williamsburg, etc…)


Vote

The Cliks

“Savanna”

Canadian rockers The Cliks are led by front man Lucas Silveira. Wondering how they got the name? It’s just a portmanteau of the slang terms for male and female genitalia. Yep. This video for “Savanna” features Lucas Silveira secretly slipping out on his paramore who quickly follows suit to no avail. Poor girl fell victim to swag.


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The Staves

“Mexico”

All in the family. The Staves are a UK sister trio that plays some seriously well crafted folk rock. This video for “Mexico” shows just how earnest they are and is highlighted by cute and artful animations throughout.


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Which video should we put on air? Vote and tell us in the comments.

It’s summer time. In high school, that meant days by the pool and late nights hanging out with friends. Now, as a college student, it means internships. Smart interns don’t get lost in the shuffle at big companies and end up spending their summers getting coffee! Here’s how to make the most your summer internship.

1) Ask Questions! The key to making the most of an internship is to always ask, “Is there anything I can help you with?” Supervisors sometimes won’t give you assignments unless you ask for them. As an intern, you often have to find your own work.

2) Show what you can do! If you have previous experience in the field, don’t be afraid to ask your supervisors if you can show it to them and get their opinions. Next time they need someone to fill in for a full-timer, they just might turn to you!

3) Say yes to everything! As an intern, nothing is beneath you. Even though you might not feel like you’re learning a lot by picking up someone’s lunch, you might just get a chance to finally introduce yourself to the big boss in charge when you deliver it. Also, be positive! Do everything that’s asked of you and do it with a smile.

4) Be on time and dress the part! People notice the intern who is dressed professionally, and even if other employees wander in 10 minutes late, you shouldn’t! You can never be too early. Even if you aren’t getting paid, act like it.

5) Speak up! Be outgoing and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people. Some interns fear getting in the way and fall into a pattern of staying silent, don’t let that be you! Say hello to the person standing next to you getting coffee in the break room, you’ll be glad you did.

If you’re dedicated, hardworking and have a positive attitude, people will notice. Who knows, your internship could result in a real job!

Tiffany Taylor is a senior at the University of Southern California. She is currently working at her fifth internship with a broadcast television network. She has previously held internships in cable television, radio and digital media.

We’ll be back on Monday with 5 new videos to choose from.

Since the Woodies, we signed with Red Light Management and William Morris Endeavor for booking. We have been playing a bunch of college shows, and we plan to tour more late summer and fall. We are writing new music/recording all summer.

Here’s a look at our latest video and single “Casual Vibes”. Directed and edited by Dylan Adams at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, we wanted to write a feel-good summer song that was about girls with casual, laid back, summer vibes. The inspiration for the video came when we saw this girl walking down the street with head phones in and thought it would be cool to make a video just following a girl around Nashville as she listens to our song in her headphones and walks her dog. We later decided that it would be cool if she ran into each of us in different locations along the way.