Paraísos artificial by Daniel Yafalian

[ Paraisos artificial by Daniel Yafalian ]

1.  Bowduk (cuarto de yerra)

2.  Mercedes y Gaboto

3.  Paraísos artificial

4. Duerman Ovejas

5.  Solo en el monte

6.  Pequeño Mao

7.  blablablablablabla

8.  Carrusel

9.  Muerte en el tarde

10.  Columna Durruti

11.  Sergio Leone

                Having seen the film 'Gigante' by Adrián Biniez, I was immediately struck by a few key moments during the soundtrack and then I found out Daniel Yafalian was behind the best parts.  

                     This album is immensely lush and living as the soundscape goes from soothing experimental drone to forrest sound orchestra.  The ambience expresses so many different moods in a powerful storm of electroacoustic resonance coupled with dynamic dissonance and delivers as well as Brian Eno at his best.  Getting lost in the trance will increase the visualizations of the glory of sonic arrangements and the paradise which is present inside this work of immaculately structured tracks.  

Written by:  Alroy Mellor

10 out of 10*

Echo Optons - 2015- Review

Layman's Worms by Vanilla Lord

[Layman's Worms by Vanilla Lord]

1.  Worm Game

2.  The Tube (Cha-Chee-Cho)

3.  Mechanical Demands

4.  E_Rectangles 

5.  Zillion Weevils

6.  Heartworm (Returning)

                     The Philadelphia based musician known as Vanilla Lord is Mac Kennedy who leads the way with brilliantly syncopated vocal melodies and synthesizer harmonies.  Accompanied by three other fantastic musicians, they perform as professionally as they sound on their bandcamp page.  

                    This album specifically resonates to people who appreciate blissful up-tempo pop music mixed with indie synth rock.  You could possibly hear comparable qualities to bands like Islands, or Blitzen Trapper mixed with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, perhaps even Arcade Fire.  

Written by: Alroy Mellor

10 out of 10* 

Echo Options - 2015 - Review

RTT Greatest Hits by Reptile Tile

{RTT Greatest Hits by Reptile Tile}

                       Whenever you find the time to listen to all these tracks you will be moved to tears at how perfect each track is so be prepared to cry a lot.  This album will take you through multiple layers of musical history and will test your ability to sit down and listen to the resonant voices of pure consciousness.  It's hard to play favorites because each track is more unique than the last and could be eligible for a guinness world record of some kind, it's that good.  It's almost as if these songs have always been written by the immortal reptilian beings who seem to be responsible for most of societies greatness, tho this might not be the case.  Going from beautiful electronic noise to lo-fi psychedelic grooves, Reptile tile enlightens the listening experience by being completely original for a gloriously extended period of time.

                      The messages in this album are powerful, "you've gotta love yourself before others can love you," while others are seriously hilarious and seem to be poking fun at the musical tropes and cultural units (or memetic entities) which appear time and again.  The content is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and don't worry if you can't listen to it all at once because you'll certainly want to hear it more than once.  These really are the greatest hits and Reptile Tile never ceases to impress with each song so there's always something to look forward to.  Get ready to be shocked at how talented this group is and prepare to merge into the everlasting greatness contained within this bandcamp album which is hands down the most entertaining collection of heartfelt bangers ever written by the hybrid-humans of reptile tile.  

Written by: Alroy Mellor

10 out of 10 *

Echo Options - 2015 - Review 

JNL by Janelle

 {JNL by Janelle}

1. Restore

2.  No Maps

3.  Man Town

4.  Hero

5.  Drive

6.  Bed of Lies

                     These local Philadelphia musicians are successfully packing a solid blend of lush shoegaze influences and carefully constructed three-piece rock & roll jams.  This album starts off like hardcore space punk that lifts off into pure experimental jam with a hint of grunge.  What stands out is the clarity of the bass on these tracks and the organic synchrony between the steady rhythms of the drum beats which are spectacular to listen to.  It's hard to skip any of these tracks but if you do be sure to skip to track 6 'Bed of Lies' which is a stand-out cut from this release.  Definitely comparable to many great indie bands that are also borderline synth pop but individuates efficiently enough to sound completely unique.  

                     Suicide Bong Tapes  has a glorious arrangement of other South Philly bands who explore a similar vibe of powerful punk and hardcore mixed with experimental indie jams.   

Written by: Alroy Mellor

{Janelle}

9 out of 10 *

Echo Options - 2015 - Review

Vision In Furs by Chemists // 化学者

{Vision In Furs by Chemists}

1.  Warm // Forever

2.  Heirloom Luna

3.  Vision in Furs

4.  It's Still You..

5.  Sayumi 

6.  Soundless

7.  Into Slow House

8.  The Deep Time Virtual

                       Chemists // 化学者 manifested a glorious gem of d.i.y. psychedelia inspired by shoegaze and chillwave in the form of 'Vision in Furs' which was recorded in June of 2014 in Richmond, Virginia.  Playing underground shows and dazzling audiences, the sounds are beautifully mastered forms of the spirit of the live show which are phenomenal to behold.      

                       With a magnetic splendor, this album will fuse your understanding of magnetism with the musical morphology as each track gravitationally lifts you to the pinnacle of human-natures wisdom in its purest form.  This is a psychedelic masterpiece which will stand the test of time.  As gently as it starts it gradually fades away into the softest fireworks display ever made.  The glimmer will work it's magic on you and put you in the place of your dreams.  Each track is a completely unique experience and the whole album is a must-have item for any lo-fi psychedelic collectors of sonic enhancements.            

Written by:  Alroy Mellor

{Chemists  // 化学者)

9 out of 10*

Echo Options - Review -2015

Vol. II by R. R. Perkins

 {Vol. II by R. R. Perkins}

1.  Motion

2. Stroll

3.  River Trail

4.  Tangled

5.  Mimi

6.  Sidewalk

7.  Wane

8.  Spectrum

                   A golden cohesion of classic sounds, the artist known as R. R. Perkins (Philadelphia, PA) has a musical depth to share with the world and does so marvelously well.  One must be prepared to be immediately elevated to a new plane of auditory appreciation and prepare for the relaxing walk into your ideal visionary paradise within your own imagination.

                   Inspirationally vast while in a very confined space, this album takes you on a pleasant and quick tour through the soundscape of R. R. Perkins sonic vision from the golden days.  Each song runs about a minute but your mind will be transported to a long winding dream trail through a serene field of opals resonating a chill frequency into the upper atmosphere.  The rhythms and the melodic hooks will pull you back for a few more listens before Vol. III comes out in December.  

{R. R. Perkins}

9 out of 10 *

Echo Options - Review - 2015

Serenity Calling... by Gurl Crush

{Serenity Calling... by Gurl Crush}

1.  Remind Me (prod. by d e t e n t e)

2.  Blind to Choose

3.  On My Own

4.  Satellite

5.  Don't Go To Waste

6.  Remind Me (Jeremiah Meece Mistake Mix)

7.  Blind to Choose (Schwarz Remix)

8.  Don't Go To Waste (d e t e n t e remix)

              With an artist like Gurl Crush it's hard to resist falling head over heels and forming immediate romantic attachments.  The first track 'Remind Me' will heal your soul if you've recently been involved with a miscommunication resulting in a "break-up" and will break-down the blues to bring you solace and much needed musical healing.  This track comes back as a remix later and is worth hearing a couple times until you've worked up enough courage to confront your insecurities and call your lover back and make up.  Similar themes reappear on this album and it's hard to escape the pure bliss of listening to someone who knows how to truly express their feelings eloquently and efficiently while staying on top of stylistic aesthetics.   Gurl Crush will save you at your darkest hour and bring you to the light of understanding what well composed and excecuted electronic dance music actually sounds like.

             Nina Pop record label based in Baltimore has a glorious set of releases of which 'Serenity Calling...' is an obvious standout work of brilliant synthesis of sound design.  Electronic pop has never been more refreshing to listen to and find sanctuary from the accumulated stress of society.  This album will improve the quality of your day and allow you to find out how to have a good time in spite of the oppressive circumstances.

Written by:  Alroy Mellor

{Gurl Crush}

9 out of 10*

Echo Options - Review - 2015

Shedio LP by The Snuggalos

{Shedio LP by the Snuggalos}

1.  Shoelace

2.  Wrestlemania

3.  Life is Butt a Dream

4.  I Seen a Ghewst

5.  My Channels

                   With a name like the Snuggalos you can rest assured you will receive a quality product.  Sure enough, here are some of the best songs ever written and recorded in 2015.  The levels of bliss which result from listening to Shedio LP are off the charts.  Right from the start you hear a delicious rawness combined with masterful taste arrangements under the radar of potential aliens in the distance.  The melodies will instantly stick in your mind and the instrumentation will amaze as the synthesizers support the addictive sound organization.  Only problem is the ending, I'm very sorry to hear the end of this album but looking forward to listening to this over and over again.  

                  I am happy to be haunted by these songs for the rest of my life and will always remind me of beautiful summer moments and all the ghosts I used to sleep with in the cemetery.    

Written by:  Alroy Mellor

10 out of 10*

Echo Options - Review - 2015

Real Virtual Unison by Negative Gemini

{Real Virtual Unison by Negative Gemini}

1.  Real Virtual Unison

2.  Forget Your Future

3.  Red Rose

4.  Hold U

                   Lindsey French's solo project Negative Gemini has been consistently impressive throughout the years and has now come to be recognized the world over.  This is an invigorating moment for 100% Electronica and a brilliant synthesis of hard work and genuine talent.  

                   This work borders on industrial pop in a dream factory set in a romantic fantasy reality tv-show drama while still capturing the essence of what makes chill & vaporwave music so enjoyable.  The smoothness and the simplicity make the focus much more distinguished thus you are more able to appreciate the vocals which are much more developed and dynamic, also perfectly leveled which put these songs in a league beyond typical sub-categorizations or parallels.  It's a contemporary transcending of the limitations of genre and results in a gorgeous and lush assembly of refined electronic aesthetics.   The overall affect of 'Real Virtual Union' is basically as breath-taking as taking a vacation next to a waterfall of synthesized vapor smoke in slow motion, in the best way possible.  Experiencing Negative Gemini in a live setting is a rare treat and always very memorable due to the high-quality of Lindsey French's immaculately conceived emotive abilities through phenomenal vocal performance skills.  Her newest single 'You Never Knew' has become immensely popular in only 5 days has almost 24,000 plays on Soundcloud.   

Written by: Alroy Mellor 

{Negative Gemini}

10 out of 10 *

Echo Options - Review - 2015

Fuel by Rhino Fight

 {Fuel by Rhino Fight}

1. Fuel

2.  Successors

3.  Bloodruns

4. Down with the Thickness

5. Backfire

6.  Afternoon Mood

7.  Mr. Runaway

8. Spent the Days

                Fuel is an eight track power-house under the control of the rambunctious Philadelphia pioneers of underground and basement D.I.Y. rap/hip-hop: Rhino Fight.  They have a mesmerizing quality which is evident in the excellent mixing and mastering by Mark Rascati.  Each track has a bouncing balance of beatific visions dirty dancing with some silly some serious concepts and shared experiences.  Marcus Clarke delivers dynamic and dramatic lyrics which can't help but bring on a smile and a good time.  Soulful backup vocals carry a lot of these tracks provided by Rascati and his multi-instrumental compositions and Clarke drops in the most cleverly cognizant creations of consciousness composed of vividly cinematic imagery.      

  

               Full of bass and sex-appeal, the lyrics don't always distract from the high quality musicianship but compliment each others layers of carefully composed symphonies of urban craftsmanship, poetically and tonally.  Rhino Fight makes it's case to be a leading force in the contemporary Philadelphia hip hop and rap scene with the potential to hit a wider audience of people who appreciate alternative/indie R&B and Hip Hop.  Only thing missing are the lyrics which would greatly add to the experience.  

   

Written by: Alroy Mellor

{Rhino Fight, original artwork 2015 by Marcus Clarke)

8 out of 10*

Echo Options - review - 2015

Blind and Bloodshot by Debrider

 {Blind and Bloodshot by Debrider}

1. Quarters 

2. Never Leave Me

3. The Wait

4. Insomnia (interlude)

5. Love Song

           It's no doubt that this EP by Debrider will be cherished on a wide scale and across generations.  The crystal clear vocals and beautiful mastering by Jack Hubbell make this album an unforgettable experience.  The soothing vocals are a breath-taking wonder to behold and only get better as the songs progress.  Focusing on the passage of time, the ambience brings peace to impatient minds and changes the vibrations to a more grounded pace and flow.  Everything dissolves away and you can hear the pure quality that Debrider successfully displays in all five tracks on this EP.  There is a theme of intense relaxation and curious mystery, the commentary verifies in 'Insomnia' (interlude) which is a classic teaser leaving you wanting more.        

         The overall atmosphere of this album of that of a beautiful dream.  Thanks to the artist Lia Pisa-Relli we are blessed to be welcomed into a sonic serenity and a comforting yet haunting zone of pure bliss.  Making delicate sense of dramatic topics the nightmare becomes embraceable and manages to almost draw tears to the tender-hearted.  One can almost hear a resemblance to some of Camera Obscura's best moments, mixed with Neko Case in the most unique way.  This is a very musically masterful work bordering on a gentle line between dream pop and pure americana.    

Written by: Alroy Mellor

{Lia Pisa-Relli ~ DEBRIDER}

9 out of 10*

Echo Options - Review - 2015

Feel by Woven In

 {Feel, by Woven In}

1. Apathy
2. Ninety-nine Percent Wet
3. Done Nothing
4. Love is the Land
5. Teenage Waterhole
6. Night Vibrations
7. Shallow
8. Hate State
9. Feel
10. Shannon
11. Gimme

               Woven In's album is an excellent showcase of surf and shoe-gaze sensibilities with a hint of pure soul.  Like early morning mist or an evening sunset, these songs are organically mysterious and dark while still retaining the elements of solid chord structures and rhythms.  Woven In's vocal range is what really stands out on this album going from deep alto to high pitched exclamations for emphasis on emotional transitions.  The cut 'Feel' is a standout track mostly for it's rawness and it's smooth transitioning to the next track 'Shannon'.

              This album is like a gentle quilt which must be handled with care and hand washed only while marveling at it's spaciousness and ability to expand and contract.  There is so much to hear between the lines on these pieces since the arrangements are very minimally constructed yet it achieves a universal fullness that could only be accomplished with this particular style/genre.  Exploring this album will take you through a time warp to all the garage/basement shows you've ever attended or wanted to attend.  Ideal music for road-tripping and/or dwelling about an ex or trying to escape a stressful job situation.      

 Written by:  Alroy Mellor

9 out of 10 stars

Echo Options - Review - 2015

IVORY TOWER by INSIDE YELL

Original art by Rory Gallagher, 2015

'Ivory Tower' by Inside Yell

1. Ivory Tower
2. Wet Walk
3. Coming Around
4. Deep End
5. I Seek Chemicals
6. Feeling
7. New Wave
8.  Roulette
9. Strange
10. Real Girl
11. Not Lost

                From start to finish, this album contains the unmistakably unique glory the Richmond chill pop scene manifested as a modest cohesion of conscious melodies and perhaps unconscious nostalgia for older forms of stylistic expression.  All the songs are solid with stand out tracks like 'Wet Walk', 'Deep End', and 'Strange' which all feature Madeline McCormack on drums.  Obviously crafted delicately, these songs give off the overall impression of a brilliant culmination of humble yet harnessed musicianship coupled with well-played sonic sweetness which drips over slowly and sticks in the heart just like honey.  With this album, it's hard to listen to all of it just once and each cut begs to be heard again and again.               

              It's a blissful synthesis of lo-fi aesthetics mixed with sincere shoe gaze and polished surf rock and roll foundations.  Rory Gallagher makes it pop in the best way.  You can almost hear the potential influences such as: My Bloody Valentine, Asobi Seksu, Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Mac DeMarco, Dungen, Wild Nothing, Teen Body as well as the surrounding RVA locals/contributing soundscape developers:  Teenage Mysticism, Headless Mantis, The Satellite Syndicate, Sweater Boyz, Sherman Whips, The Portal Boyz, etc.

           Written by:  Alroy Mellor

Rory Gallagher

9 stars out of 10

Echo Options - Review - 2015

The Birth of E.O. Record Label 2015

 The birth of Echo Options record label 2015
https://echooptions.bandcamp.com

Born in South Philadelphia on the day after a Super Harvest Blood Moon Eclipse concluding the end of the papal visit, Echo Options signifies a new birth in the universe and possible disk space to share. This label is D.I.Y. Noise, Electronic, Cyberpunk/goth, chill & vaporwave, acid pop rock, industrial/experimental.

Other things born on this day {source: wikipedia}:

[edit]

• 106 BC – Pompey, Roman general and politician (d. 48 BC)
• 1240 – Margaret of England (d. 1275)
• 1321 – John of Artois, Count of Eu (d. 1387)
• 1328 – Joan of Kent (d. 1385)
• 1373 – Margaret of Bohemia, Burgravine of Nuremberg (d. 1410)
• 1511 – Michael Servetus, Spanish physician, cartographer, and theologian (d. 1553)
• 1538 – Joan Terès i Borrull, Spanish archbishop (d. 1603)
• 1547 – Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish author, poet, and playwright (d. 1616)
• 1548 – William V, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1626)
• 1561 – Adriaan van Roomen, Flemish priest and mathematician (d. 1615)
• 1571 – Caravaggio, Italian painter (d. 1610)
• 1636 – Thomas Tenison, English archbishop (d. 1715)
• 1639 – William Russell, Lord Russell, English politician (d. 1683)
• 1640 – Antoine Coysevox, French sculptor (d. 1720)
• 1674 – Jacques-Martin Hotteterre, French flute player and composer (d. 1763)
• 1678 – Adrien Maurice de Noailles, French soldier and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs for France (d. 1766)
• 1691 – Richard Challoner, English bishop (d. 1781)
• 1703 – François Boucher, French painter (d. 1770)
• 1718 – Nikita Ivanovich Panin, Russian politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Russia (d. 1783)
• 1725 – Robert Clive, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire (d. 1774)
• 1758 – Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, English admiral (d. 1805)
• 1766 – Charlotte, Princess Royal of England (d. 1828)
• 1786 – Guadalupe Victoria, Mexican general, lawyer, and politician, 1st President of Mexico (d. 1843)
• 1803 – Mercator Cooper, American captain and explorer (d. 1872)
• 1803 – Jacques Charles François Sturm, French mathematician and theorist (d. 1850)
• 1808 – Henry Bennett, American lawyer and politician (d. 1868)
• 1809 – William Ewart Gladstone, English politician (d. 1898)
• 1810 – Elizabeth Gaskell, English author (d. 1865)
• 1816 – Paul Féval, père, French author and playwright (d. 1887)
• 1842 – Louis J. Weichmann, American clerk, witness in the trial of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (d. 1902)
• 1843 – Mikhail Skobelev, Russian general (d. 1882)
• 1844 – Miguel Ángel Juárez Celman, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 10th President of Argentina (d. 1909)
• 1853 – Princess Thyra of Denmark (d. 1933)
• 1863 – Hugo Haase, German lawyer, jurist, and politician (d. 1919)
• 1864 – Alexandra Kitchin, English model (d. 1925)
• 1864 – Miguel de Unamuno, Spanish philosopher and author (d. 1936)
• 1866 – Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Ukrainian historian, academic, and politician (d. 1934)
• 1876 – Charlie Llewellyn, South African cricketer (d. 1964)
• 1879 – Marius Jacob, French criminal (d. 1954)
• 1880 – Liberato Pinto, Portuguese politician, Lieutenant Colonel of the Republican National Guard, 79th Prime Minister of Portugal (d. 1949)
• 1881 – Ludwig von Mises, Austrian-American economist, sociologist and philosopher (d. 1973)
• 1891 – Ian Fairweather, British-Australian painter and artist (d. 1974)
• 1895 – Clarence Ashley, American banjo player and singer (d. 1967)
• 1895 – Joseph Banks Rhine, American botanist and parapsychologist (d. 1980)
• 1895 – Roscoe Turner, American pilot (d. 1970)
• 1897 – Herbert Agar, American journalist and historian (d. 1980)
• 1898 – Trofim Lysenko, Ukrainian-Russian biologist and agronomist (d. 1976)
• 1899 – László Bíró, Hungarian-Argentinian inventor, invented the ballpoint pen (d. 1985)
• 1899 – Billy Butlin, South African-English businessman, founded Butlins (d. 1980)
• 1901 – Lanza del Vasto, Italian poet, philosopher, and activist (d. 1981)
• 1901 – Enrico Fermi, Italian-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1954)
• 1902 – Miguel Alemán Valdés, Mexican lawyer and politician, 46th President of Mexico (d. 1983)
• 1903 – Diana Vreeland, French-American columnist and editor (d. 1989)
• 1904 – Greer Garson, English-American actress and singer (d. 1996)
• 1907 – Gene Autry, American singer and actor (d. 1998)
• 1907 – George W. Jenkins, American businessman, founded Publix (d. 1996)
• 1908 – Eddie Tolan, American sprinter (d. 1967)
• 1910 – Bill Boyd, American singer and guitarist (d. 1977)
• 1910 – Virginia Bruce, American actress and singer (d. 1982)
• 1912 – Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 2007)
• 1913 – Trevor Howard, English actor (d. 1988)
• 1913 – Stanley Kramer, American director and producer (d. 2001)
• 1915 – Vincent DeDomenico, American businessman, founded the Napa Valley Wine Train (d. 2007)
• 1915 – Oscar Handlin, American historian and academic (d. 2011)
• 1915 – Brenda Marshall, Filipino-American actress and singer (d. 1992)
• 1916 – Carl Giles, English cartoonist (d. 1995)
• 1919 – Vladimír Vašíček, Czech painter (d. 2003)
• 1919 – Kira Zvorykina, Belarusian chess player (d. 2014)
• 1920 – Peter D. Mitchell, English biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1992)
• 1920 – Václav Neumann, Czech violinist and conductor (Smetana Quartet) (d. 1995)
• 1921 – Franny Beecher, American guitarist (Bill Haley & His Comets) (d. 2014)
• 1921 – John Ritchie, New Zealand composer and educator (d. 2014)
• 1921 – Albie Roles, English footballer and manager (d. 2012)
• 1922 – Lizabeth Scott, American actress and singer (d. 2015)
• 1923 – Stan Berenstain, American author and illustrator (d. 2005)
• 1923 – Bum Phillips, American football player and coach (d. 2013)
• 1925 – Steve Forrest, American actor (d. 2013)
• 1925 – Paul MacCready, American engineer, founded AeroVironment (d. 2007)
• 1926 – Pete Elliott, American football player and coach (d. 2013)
• 1927 – Adhemar da Silva, Brazilian triple jumper (d. 2001)
• 1927 – Sherwood Johnston, American racing driver (d. 2000)
• 1927 – Pete McCloskey, American colonel and politician
• 1927 – Barbara Mertz, American historian and author (d. 2013)
• 1928 – Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, English politician
• 1928 – Brajesh Mishra, Indian politician and diplomat, 1st Indian National Security Advisor (d. 2012)
• 1928 – Nathan Shamuyarira, Zimbabwean journalist and politician, Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2014)
• 1930 – Richard Bonynge, Australian pianist and conductor
• 1930 – Colin Dexter, English author and educator
• 1931 – James Cronin, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
• 1931 – Anita Ekberg, Swedish-Italian model and actress (d. 2015)
• 1931 – Paul Oestreicher, German-English priest and theologian
• 1932 – Mehmood Ali, Indian actor, director, and producer (d. 2004)
• 1932 – Robert Benton, American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1932 – Paul Giel, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2002)
• 1933 – Samora Machel, Mozambican commander and politician, 1st President of Mozambique (d. 1986)
• 1934 – Skandor Akbar, American wrestler and manager (d. 2010)
• 1934 – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Hungarian-American psychologist and educator
• 1934 – Lance Gibbs, Guyanese cricketer and manager
• 1934 – Stuart M. Kaminsky, American author and screenwriter (d. 2009)
• 1934 – Lindsay Kline, Australian cricketer
• 1935 – Mylène Demongeot, French actress
• 1935 – Jerry Lee Lewis, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1936 – Silvio Berlusconi, Italian businessman and politician, 50th Prime Minister of Italy
• 1936 – James Fogle, American author (d. 2012)
• 1936 – Alla Demidova, Russian actress
• 1936 – Hal Trosky, Jr., American baseball player (d. 2012)
• 1938 – Dave Harper, English footballer (d. 2013)
• 1938 – Wim Kok, Dutch union leader and politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
• 1939 – Fikret Abdić, Bosnian economist and politician
• 1939 – Jim Baxter, Scottish footballer (d. 2001)
• 1939 – Tommy Boyce, American songwriter (d. 1994)
• 1939 – Dan Crary, American singer and guitarist
• 1939 – Molly Haskell, American author and critic
• 1939 – Larry Linville, American actor (d. 2000)
• 1939 – Rhodri Morgan, Welsh politician, 2nd First Minister of Wales
• 1940 – Nicola Di Bari, Italian singer-songwriter and actor
• 1940 – Brute Force, American singer-songwriter
• 1940 – Carlos Morales Troncoso, Dominican politician, 34th Vice President of the Dominican Republic (d. 2014)
• 1941 – Fred West, English serial killer (d. 1995)
• 1942 – Felice Gimondi, Italian cyclist
• 1942 – Madeline Kahn, American actress and singer (d. 1999)
• 1942 – Ian McShane, English actor, director, and producer
• 1942 – Bill Nelson, American captain and politician
• 1942 – Jean-Luc Ponty, French violinist and composer (Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever)
• 1942 – Janet Powell, Australian educator and politician (d. 2013)
• 1942 – Steve Tesich, Serbian-American screenwriter and playwright (d. 1996)
• 1943 – Mohammad Khatami, Iranian scholar and politician, 5th President of Iran
• 1943 – Gary Boyd Roberts, American genealogist and author
• 1943 – Wolfgang Overath, German footballer
• 1943 – Lech Wałęsa, Polish electrician and politician, 2nd President of Poland, Nobel Prize laureate
• 1944 – Mike Post, American composer and producer
• 1945 – Kyriakos Sfetsas, Greek composer and poet
• 1946 – Patricia Hodge, English actress
• 1946 – Ian Wallace, English drummer (King Crimson and Crimson Jazz Trio) (d. 2007)
• 1947 – Martin Ferrero, American actor
• 1947 – Ülo Kaevats, Estonian philosopher, academic, and politician (d. 2015)
• 1947 – Gary Wetzel, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient
• 1948 – Yelena Drapeko, Kazakhstani-Russian actress
• 1948 – Mark Farner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Grand Funk Railroad and Terry Knight and the Pack)
• 1948 – Bryant Gumbel, American journalist and sportscaster
• 1948 – Theo Jörgensmann, German clarinet player and composer (German Clarinet Duo, Clarinet Contrast, and Klarinettenquartett Cl-4)
• 1948 – Mike Pinera, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Blues Image, Iron Butterfly, Cactus, and Ramatam)
• 1949 – George Dalaras, Greek singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1950 – Ken Macha, American baseball player and manager
• 1951 – Michelle Bachelet, Chilean physician and politician, 34th President of Chile
• 1951 – Pier Luigi Bersani, Italian politician, 6th President of Emilia-Romagna
• 1951 – Andrés Caicedo, Colombian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1977)
• 1951 – Maureen Caird, Australian-New Zealand hurdler
• 1951 – Mike Enriquez, Filipino journalist
• 1952 – Roy Campbell, Jr., American trumpet player (d. 2014)
• 1952 – Gábor Csupó, Hungarian-American animator, director, and producer, co-founded Klasky Csupo
• 1952 – Richard Hodges, English archaeologist and academic
• 1952 – Max Sandlin, American lawyer, judge, and politician
• 1952 – Takanosato Toshihide, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 59th Yokozuna (d. 2011)
• 1953 – Warren Cromartie, American baseball player, coach, and radio host
• 1953 – Richard Grusin, American author and scholar
• 1953 – Drake Hogestyn, American actor
• 1953 – Jean-Claude Lauzon, Canadian director and screenwriter (d. 1997)
• 1953 – Lawrence Reed, American economist and author
• 1954 – Uwe Jahn, German footballer and manager
• 1954 – Mark Mitchell, Australian actor
• 1954 – Mari Wilson, English singer
• 1955 – Ann Bancroft, American explorer and author
• 1955 – Gareth Davies, Welsh rugby player and academic
• 1955 – Benoît Ferreux, French actor and director
• 1955 – Ken Weatherwax, American actor (d. 2014)
• 1956 – Sebastian Coe, English sprinter and politician
• 1956 – Suzzy Roche, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress (The Roches)
• 1957 – Chris Broad, English cricketer and referee
• 1957 – Andrew Dice Clay, American comedian and actor
• 1957 – Sokratis Malamas, Greek singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1957 – Mark Nicholas, English cricketer and sportscaster
• 1960 – Julian Armour, American-Canadian cellist
• 1960 – Kenneth Hansen, Swedish race car driver
• 1960 – Alan McGee, Scottish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Biff Bang Pow!)
• 1960 – John Paxson, American basketball player and coach
• 1960 – David Sammartino, American wrestler
• 1960 – Andy Slaughter, English politician
• 1960 – Carol Welsman, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1961 – Julia Gillard, Welsh-Australian politician, 27th Prime Minister of Australia
• 1961 – Stephanie Miller, American comedian and radio host
• 1962 – Roger Bart, American actor and singer
• 1963 – Dave Andreychuk, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1963 – Les Claypool, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (Primus, Blind Illusion, Oysterhead, and Sausage)
• 1964 – Jeanna Fine, American porn actress and dancer
• 1964 – Brad Lohaus, American basketball player
• 1966 – Hersey Hawkins, American basketball player and coach
• 1966 – Jill Whelan, American actress and radio host
• 1967 – Brett Anderson, English singer-songwriter (Suede and The Tears)
• 1968 – Patrick Burns, American paranormal investigator
• 1968 – Luke Goss, English singer, producer, and actor (Bros)
• 1968 – Matt Goss, English singer-songwriter (Bros)
• 1968 – Alex Skolnick, American guitarist (Alex Skolnick Trio, Testament, Savatage, and Stratospheerius)
• 1968 – Samir Soni, English-Indian model and actor
• 1969 – Sabrina, Zimbabwean-Greek singer
• 1969 – Jon Auer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Posies, Big Star, Sky Cries Mary and The Squirrels)
• 1969 – Angelo Barretto, Filipino race car driver
• 1969 – Erika Eleniak, American model and actress
• 1969 – DeVante Swing, American singer-songwriter, and producer (Jodeci)
• 1969 – Aleks Syntek, Mexican singer-songwriter and producer
• 1970 – AMG, American rapper
• 1970 – Emily Lloyd, English actress
• 1970 – Nicolás Pereira, Uruguayan-Venezuelan tennis player
• 1970 – Russell Peters, Canadian comedian, actor, and producer
• 1970 – Yoshihiro Tajiri, Japanese wrestler
• 1970 – Natasha Gregson Wagner, American actress
• 1971 – Tanoka Beard, American basketball player
• 1971 – Mackenzie Crook, English actor and screenwriter
• 1971 – Sibel Tüzün, Turkish singer-songwriter
• 1972 – Oliver Gavin, English race car driver
• 1972 – Togi Makabe, Japanese wrestler
• 1972 – Robert Webb, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter
• 1973 – Foivos Delivorias, Greek singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1973 – Joe Hulbig, American ice hockey player
• 1973 – Shannon Larratt, Canadian publisher, founded BMEzine (d. 2013)
• 1973 – Athanasios Michalopoulos, Greek volleyball player
• 1973 – Scout Niblett, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1974 – Brian Ash, American screenwriter and producer
• 1974 – Alexis Cruz, American actor
• 1974 – Matt Hullum, American actor, visual effects supervisor, film producer, and film director, CEO of Rooster Teeth Productions
• 1975 – Albert Celades, Spanish footballer and manager
• 1975 – Ava Vincent, American porn actress and model
• 1976 – Darren Byfield, English-Jamaican footballer
• 1976 – Kelvin Davis, English footballer
• 1976 – Óscar Sevilla, Spanish cyclist
• 1976 – Andriy Shevchenko, Ukrainian footballer and politician
• 1977 – Eric Barton, American football player
• 1977 – Wade Brookbank, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1977 – Debelah Morgan, American singer-songwriter
• 1977 – Jake Westbrook, American baseball player
• 1978 – Mohini Bhardwaj, American gymnast
• 1978 – Gunner McGrath, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Much the Same)
• 1978 – Kurt Nilsen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1978 – Luca Gianquitto, Italian guitarist
• 1979 – Takumi Beppu, Japanese cyclist
• 1979 – Artika Sari Devi, Indonesian model and actress
• 1979 – Shelley Duncan, American baseball player
• 1979 – Jaime Lozano, Mexican footballer
• 1979 – Orhan Ak, Turkish former professional footballer
• 1980 – Patrick Agyemang, English footballer
• 1980 – Dallas Green, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (Alexisonfire, City and Colour, and You+Me)
• 1980 – Zachary Levi, American actor and director
• 1980 – Dewi Rezer, Indonesian model and actress
• 1981 – Aris Galanopoulos, Greek footballer
• 1981 – Leonid Gulov, Estonian rower
• 1981 – Siarhei Rutenka, Belarusian-Spanish handball player
• 1981 – Shane Smeltz, German-New Zealand footballer
• 1982 – Matt Giteau, Australian rugby player
• 1982 – Ariana Jollee, American porn actress and director
• 1982 – Lauren Pope, English DJ, producer, and actress
• 1982 – Amy Williams, English skeleton racer
• 1983 – Lisette Oropesa, American soprano
• 1984 – Lisa Gormley, English-Australian actress
• 1984 – Per Mertesacker, German footballer
• 1984 – Isha Sharvani, Indian actress and dancer
• 1985 – Calvin Johnson, American football player
• 1985 – Niklas Moisander, Finnish footballer
• 1985 – Dani Pedrosa, Spanish motorcycle racer
• 1985 – Anjana Sowmya, Tollywood playback singer.
• 1986 – Lisa Foiles, American actress and journalist
• 1986 – Mark Fraser, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1986 – Matt Lashoff, American ice hockey player
• 1986 – Isaac Makwala, Botswana sprinter
• 1986 – Benoît Pouliot, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1987 – David Del Rio, American actor
• 1988 – Kevin Durant, American basketball player
• 1988 – Justin Nozuka, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1989 – Theo Adams, English photographer and director
• 1989 – Adore Delano, American drag queen performer and singer
• 1989 – Aaron Martin, English footballer
• 1989 – Andrea Poli, Italian footballer
• 1990 – Doug Brochu, American actor
• 1990 – Joosep Laiksoo, Estonian race car driver
• 1990 – Lena Wermelt, German footballer
• 1991 – Adem Ljajić, Serbian footballer
• 1991 – Shuko, Japanese actress and lyricist
• 1993 – Viktor Romanenkov, Estonian figure skater
• 1994 – Britteny Cox, Australian mogul skier
• 1994 – Halsey, American singer
• 1995 – Alice Matteucci, Italian tennis player
• 1998 – Vera Lapko, Belarusian tennis player
• 1999 – Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón, Spanish son of Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca