Midweek Muse: The Little Kicks - John Andrews & The Yawns - Beau + Luci - Línger
The Little Kicks - Don't Get Mad, Get Even.Background - The Little Kicks first emerged around five years ago, a young Aberdeen band with the wind in their sails. A crisp, upbeat debut album followed, laced with off-kilter indie pop worthy of comparison to early Franz Ferdinand, The Long Blondes, or even Sparks. Then, the band took some time off to reassess, re-jig their personnel, and are now ready to stake their return...
With recent single You & Someone Like Me under their belts – complete with intricate motion capture video – The Little Kicks now officially announce that their long-awaited follow-up album Shake Off Your Troubles will be released on March 3rd through the band’s own Loosen Up Records. The third single to be taken from the album, Don't Get Mad Get Even, is out now. Website here, Facebook here. Mp3 here.
'Don't Get Mad, Get Even' is the second track we have feature by The Little Kicks. This is another fresh and refined song, where the melody is driven by the vocals and harmonies, above a quality indie pop soundtrack.
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John Andrews & The Yawns - Drivers.Background - John Andrews & The Yawns announce upcoming album, share first track and video, and announce tour dates. Throughout his years of traveling, John Andrews has documented his life with his home recordings. His first record, Bit By The Fang, found him living in the amish country of Lancaster, PA. His latest record, Bad Posture finds him waving farewell to Pennsylvania & greeting the wooded hills of Barrington, NH. Sitting on top of one of these hills, coined Mt. Misery, is the colonial era farmhouse John now calls his home. This is where Bad Posture was born.
The songs were written slowly & quietly throughout the winter, usually late at night next to the wood stove for warmth. It was recorded in his barn with the doors ajar, welcoming the springtime. The humble recording gear invites the outside noises in. You can hear the crickets chirping with the occasional truck driving by. The songs themselves lend their hand like slow backwoods Beatles demos covered in a thin blanket of tape hiss. John’s voice lulls us in an earthy calmness as he sits hunched like a scarecrow over the piano.
Andrews’ band, The Yawns, has been crystallized with staples from the New England freak scene; Rachel Neveu & Lukas Goudreault (MMOSS/Soft Eyes) & Joey Schneider. All of who have been playing up in the free country for many years themselves and all of who call the same farmhouse home. Bad Posture is due March 10, on Woodsist Records. Tour dates on our tour page. Website here, Facebook here.
There is a restful vibe running through 'Drivers' that is occasionally given a little surge of energy. The environment in which the song was written and recorded in has rubbed off, giving the track a natural feel, with a good measure of charm and warmth thrown in.
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Background - This song is the title track from their upcoming EP Fire Dancer, due out March 3, 2017. Hailing from the swamplands of Southern Georgia, raised on a heady blend of rock-and-roll and blues and classic country, Beau + Luci mine their rich musical heritage to dream up an extraordinarily timeless sound. On their upcoming debut the duo join forces to infuse their earthy yet lushly textured folk-rock with naturally immaculate harmonies that never fail to captivate.
Along with drawing from real-life experience, Beau + Luci weave in elements of visionary storytelling throughout the EP. Inspired by a central character from Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy—a fire-eater named Dustfinger—the intensely charged “Fire Dancer” explores what Luci refers to as “the idea of taking something that could be used for destruction and instead using it to give hope.”
Produced by Dan Hannon (Manchester Orchestra, Aaron Shust), Beau + Luci’s debut EP finds the duo collaborating with a host of esteemed musicians, including guitarist Scott Sharrard and keyboardist Peter Levin (both members of the Gregg Allman Band) as well as keyboardist Rami Jaffee (best known for his work with Foo Fighters and the Wallflowers). Throughout the EP, Beau + Luci show a sharp sense of songcraft honed through their near-lifelong studying of legends like Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash. At the same time, the two channel pure passion into each track, instilling the EP with a powerful energy. Facebook here. Mp3 here.
If the vocals don't get you on their own, then when the music starts on 'Fire Dancer', I have a feeling that lovers of Americana and a good few other genres, will be very impressed. As a reference then, perhaps they might be compared to a young and highly energised Kate and Anna McGarrigle, whatever, more please!
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Línger - Avoid.Background - In late September 2016, Línger released her debut single ‘Flyon’ and has already proven she is a powerful force to be admired. The single, and EP tuple were recorded in her home in Sydney, Australia, produced by fellow Sydney artist, Xavier Dunn.
Her latest offering from the forthcoming EP is ‘Avoid’, a lush electronic-pop journey characterised by Línger’s signature vocal harmonies. They provide the foundations for an pulsing and dramatic electronic track, all supporting Línger’s beautiful melodic whimsies.
Línger is a collaboration between experience and emotion that has come to fruition through years of feeling, longing and by simply being. Her words, originating in part through the creation of poetry, seek to make sense of the world which at times mystifies us all. Her EP tuple is inspired by the five elements of air, fire, water, earth and space. Attuned to divinity, each of Línger’s songs is able to insightfully capture moments in time that reflect what it means to be human.
Flying on to the Australian music scene in late September 2016, Línger has already proven she is a powerful force to be admired. Línger has been featured on Acid Stag’s Australian artist to watch list, and received glowing reviews throughout the blogosphere.
Línger will meet you in your world and her song will carry you upwards to a sky filled with ethereal beauty that is forever unfolding and everlasting. ‘Avoid’ will be in Digital Stores on the 3rd of February. The tuple EP by Linger will be released 17th of February 2017 (Mp3 here). Facebook here.
'Avoid' is a fine vocally driven electro pop song. Initially the vocals and vocal arrangements make this a beautiful enough song, however the synthy sounds emerge and the track gently develops in power and richness.
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