Owl Mag Review of SENTINEL

http://www.theowlmag.com/discovery/sentinel/

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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).

RELATED POSTS:

Red House Live Show Flyer

Grammy's Ampliflier

Hello Fans! This is a fun chance to see what becomes of our Grammy's opportunity! All you need to do is click on the link below to see how far we have amplified our sound! Might even get a chance to play at the Grammy's February 10, 2013, if we get enough hits/VOTES!

Sentinel Band Biography

The Singles Album

Sentinel Self-Titled Album 

Sequels & Hunches E.P. 

Kites Without Strings Album 

For Days Deep Album 

Jet Black Single 

Dark End Single 

Somewhere Else Single  

Extended Dance Remix Single 

Biography

Sentinel the band began in the late 1990's as a musical side project on a four track recorder between Dennis Bestafka and Tarabud. The seeds for this sunny-seaside-dream-pop duo were planted living in Southern California. Tarabud contributed the essence of her Colombian vocal roots learned  in singing cumbias; while Dennis contributed his multi-instrumentalist skills and studio training established in Los Angeles, California. With the help of David Johnson on bass guitar, and Brian Miller on drums, the 4 piece played their first show at Que Sera, Sera club, in Long Beach, California. 

In 2000, after only a short time of contributing to the band and playing lives shows, Dennis acted upon a long time personal ambition and enlisted in the U.S. Army Airborne Infantry, seeing it through the War in Iraq. Tarabud relocated to the Bay Area for graduate school. Throughout this time, living on opposite coasts, Dennis and Tarabud wrote music for Sentinel through the mail, by Internet, and on occasion meeting to lay down new tracks in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was stationed. It was an inspirational time even as the nation geared up for a war overseas.  Much of this work can be experienced on The Singles album finally released in 2005, a deeply emotionally haunting compilation. All songs produced on a four track recorder were mixed and mastered on Cubase by Dennis in his home studio. 

Spring of 2004, Dennis returned to San Francisco to rekindle the Sentinel project with Tarabud to a new level, finding musicians to play for live shows, while Tarabud began playing the bass guitar for the band. Very quickly after, they completed a full length album self-titled~ Sentinel (2004), recorded in the home studio and produced by Dennis. This record was officially released on the start-up website that began helping unsigned musicians with distribution ~ CDBaby.com. Also, social media Internet sites like Myspace.com helped spread the word about their music to a worldwide audience.  

Sentinel played their first show in the Bay Area, at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco in Spring of 2005, and continued writing albums and self-releasing their music and video creations. Strongly influenced by their mutual visions of 80's synth and 90's dream pop: Cocteau Twins, Smiths, U2, My Bloody Valentine, Cure, Flock Of Seagulls, Ocean Blue, creating  a long catalog of moods and textures while developing their sound. As the main writers and composers of the band they were very prolific in the following years: Sequels & Hunches, E.P. (2007), Kites Without Strings (2008), For Days Deep (2010), Jet Black Single (2010), Dark End Single (2011), Somewhere Else Single (2012), Extended Dance Remix ~ Somewhere Else (2012). They also released 4  reinterpreting Christmas classics, and made several videos found on Youtube.com. The band was fortunate to have songs played on college radio stations, FM radio stations Live 105 & 10.7 The Bone, and on Internet radio stations like SomaFM & Insomnia Radio.

Currently in 2013, Bill Mowery has been the longest musical member, contributing his expertise in the rhythm section,  playing  drums on several of the above recordings, and overall completing the trio for their live performances. . Social media giants like Twitter and Facebook pages allow Sentinel to share their shows, new releases, and gossip. All official releases can be found on Bandcamp page. Sentinel today continues to play live in the Bay Area, possible West Coast tour to promote their new full length Points of Light, summer, 2015.

We Love Live 105.3 FM

They played us on the radio airwaves, two weeks in a row. No other Bay Area FM station supports local bands as much as they do! Thanks to the leadership of music Director Aaron Axelsen, and his Assistant Music Director, Miles Anzaldo.

Check out the latest play list from 12/23/12:

http://live105.cbslocal.com/2012/12/23/soundcheck-holiday-special-playlist-12-23-2012/

Happy Holiday Music ~ Indie Single

Album Cover ~ 2012 Christmas Single

This Holiday we covered this Christmas classic ~ Baby Please Come Home ~ Sentinel style. It's been a grand year, including a new single, a new video, and celebrating all that is good in life!

You can download the new single free from Soundcloud!



Happy Holidays!

Tarabud, Billy, Dennis

Private Holiday Show

NoiseTrade.com

Yup, get a free single download from us, via NoiseTrade.com. Brilliant new website!!!

MTV Artist Page !

This is our new artist page on MTV.com. 

It includes pics, songs, videos, twitter feed, and posts all tour dates! 

Sentinel MTV page

Sentinel Mobile App!

   

Powered by Conduit Mobile

NEW RELEASE ~~ Extended Dance ReMix ~ !

Get our latest single in all its Remixed glory (6:00 minutes)! Remix by Dennis Bestafka

Somewhere Else Video Review !

INSOMNIA RADIO

Sentinel: Somewhere else video & single 
9/21/2012

Hey music junkie! First time here? Click over to http://insomniaradio.net/subscribe/ and get all of our content (tons of music) delivered for free. Enjoy your time here, and keep it loud! 

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. Check the Vimeo HD version below!

~Charles Stepczyk

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New Video & Single

"Somewhere Else" is a pre-release single for our forthcoming album in 2013. This video was filmed in digital HD over four different days and locations around Northern California, including Lassen Volcanic National Park, Helen Putnam Regional Park, Bear River Eldorado National Forest, and Muir Beach National Park. Costumes designed by each member, catering by Foodie Out of the Closet, group scenes shot by our dear friend, Josh Greene, and final edits by Dennis Bestafka. 

Video Character Myths:

Tarabud: Born of the Fire Mountain tribe, and its last survivor, she worships the four directions: south, west, east, north, where her ancestors protect the realms until she arrives to join them. She is crowned with sacred deer animal, always honoring its spirit before she partakes of the flesh.

Gatherman: Born of the Wheat & Crow tribe, and being its last survivor, he easily laces the two worlds of earth and sky with his drum, playing to the rhythms of creation. His sister wheat and brother crow keep him company until he can return to the sky where he will look over the fertile fields with gentle wind.

Triple B: Born of the Abalone tribe and its last survivor, the water is his refuge, sending him messages from far beyond. He thrives on the spirit of the river trout, and honors the mother river with every move, searching the banks for shells to construct a musical instrument that calls his ancestors to their resting place.




"Somewhere Else" Lyrics 

How long it’s been since we were somewhere else
That you belonged to me, and no one else
A fortress we, a stronger we
Amore, we are the last affair
Along the sea, the time a blink
Amore we are; and that’s why...

I trust you now
A kiss I can recall
I trust you now 
Winter through the fall 
I trust you now
The sun will shine tomorrow
I trust you now
We can brave it all

I know that much, as far as I can tell
And you foresee the sting of poison arrows
And honestly, I want for me to remember to like myself
The world a dream, but not asleep
I remember; and that’s why...

I trust you now
A kiss I can recall
I trust you now 
Winter through the fall
I trust you now
The sun will shine tomorrow
I trust you now
We can brave it all

Air Play on Connections Made by Guitar Center

The great, Nic Harcourt & Guitar Center selected our track for the new show Connections Made by Guitar Center! The show airs tonight at 4pm via : http://gc.guitarcenter.com/connections/ (88.5 FM in LA, WERS Boston, WEXT Albany, and WFPK Louisville) Also, podcast is available for listen after show airs! We are so honored.

Nic Harcourt, widely regarded as one of the most influential DJ's in America and one of music's most respected tastemakers, Nic Harcourt served as KCRW music director and host of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" for 10 years

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Day Two Video Shoot

Billy in Costume

House of Blues & Lollapalooza

Vote 4 our Jet Black video, we are finalist to play at House of Blues during Lollapalooza in Chicago! Home town to Tarabud! Thanks Everyone! http://prmoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/217243/voteable_entries?page-2