Posts

Showing posts from February 5, 2017

Saturday Seven: Neville Staple - Beatrix Players - Black Dough - A Treehouse Wait - The Routes - Nozart - Josephs Coat

Image
Neville Staple - Return Of Judge Roughneck. Background - On February 17, legendary Specials and Fun Boy Three founding member Neville Staple will be releasing his new studio album ‘Return of Judge Roughneck’ via Cleopatra Records. This double LP features brilliant new re-workings of classic Jamaican cuts, some brand new material, and a few gems from Neville’s past, along with a bonus dub album offering serious bass-bin shaking mixes. Known as The Original Rudeboy, Neville Staple is a Jamaican-born British singer credited with changing the face of pop music not only once but twice. His 35-year career in the music business is well documented, from the early days with The Coventry Automatics, The Specials and Fun Boy Three to collaboration with Ranking Roger in The Special Beat and various other collaborations during his solo career from the 90s until the present day. About his musical legacy, Neville Staple comments: “The way we brought it was mixing Jamaican music with the English st

Weekend Wonders: American Anymen + Lise - Anna Coogan - AyOwA - Rosie Carney - New Mystics - Patrick McKinney - Ravines

Image
American Anymen + Lise - Nobody Made Me Smile Like You Did. Background - New York City outfit American Anymen have released their new 'OUI EP' with Lise, a Parisian singer and pianist. The first single 'Nobody Made My Smile Like You Did' is accompanied by a charming video shot around the Big Apple. This is the second collaborative release for American Anymen and LISE. In 2014, they released a demo called the '+EP'. In the two years that have since passed, they have jointly played shows in NYC and Paris.  American Anymen is a music collective, whose view on art is that what you have to say is more important than the equipment you own and that passion is more important than technical expertise.  Hailing from Paris, Lise’s eponymous debut album was released in 2011 on French label Cinq7. Versed in piano since she was five, her music path took her on a detour from her classical music education at the Conservatory of Narbonne. "The two American Anymen + L

Thursdays Alternative Double Take: Someday - Teenage Wedding

Image
Someday - This Doesn't Exist (Album). Background - Seahorse Recordings presents the new 10-track album from Someday, called ‘This Doesn’t Exist’. Now based in Turin (Torino), this trio is comprised of Daniele Bianco, Michele Fierro, and Fabio Digitali. The first single from this album is ‘Last Lesson’. This is Someday’s debut album, entailing a search for balance and essentialness that may be appreciated by fans of early Tokyo Police Club and Foals, Bombay Bicycle Club, Placebo, Born Ruffians, Hot Hot Heat, and The Stills. The band cite numerous influences, including early Sparklehorse, The Smiths, Joy Division, Placebo, Sonic Youth, The Cure, Paolo Conte and La Crus. Someday was formed in Collegno, a city close to Torino (Piedmont, Italy) by two childhood friends – Daniel Bianco (guitar/vocals/lyrics) and Michele Fierro (bass). Initially rehearsing in Michele's living room and Daniel's cellar, they began making demo tapes, had several singles on Italian music compilatio

Midweek Muse: Francobollo - Chances - Childcare - You'll Never Get To Heaven - Christine Leakey

Image
Francobollo - Good Times. Background - Francobollo announce UK tour with The Big Moon plus new single ‘Good Times’ is out now. Following the release of their acclaimed ‘Wonderful’ EP in late 2016, Sweden’s Francobollo return this week with a new single - ‘Good Times’. Possessing an irresistible charm, an undeniable wit - and an infectious personality - these three elements shine through in their schizophrenic, adventurous brand of indie rock. Once again, esteemed producer Charlie Andrew (Alt-J, Marika Hackman, Benjamin Francis Leftwich etc) is at the helm - with Francobollo’s debut album set for release later this year on Andrew's new label Square Leg Records. "Good Times is a serenade to the bad times in life. The feeling you get when you forget how good things can be.” - the band explains. Quintessential alternative rock that's instantly identifiable as Francobollo - with this new single, the quartet are evidently in fine songwriting form. Hinting at inspiration from

Genre Wander: Coastal Lights - Porshyne - Ménage à Trois - Dreadzone - Clap! Clap! - Bernache

Image
Coastal Lights - Weekday. Background - Say g’day to Coastal Lights, a fresh five piece band from the Gold Coast made up of young music lovers who know nothing but the way of music! Formed in July 2016 by lead singer Atiya, bassist Cameron and drummer Jamie, the band cemented it’s full line up in no time thanks to fulfilling David and Angelo’s eager dreams of being in a band. Despite their individual musical upbringings, these young sound creators found their Indie Pop/Rock vibes and instantly jumped into the deep end by sharing their music to the live Gold Coast scene only two months into forming. Their demo of their first single ‘Weekday’ attracted a positive array of interest when offered gig opportunities by local and national venues such as The Kitchens and the Raw Artists Showcase. Now they are excited to share their first official release through The A&R Department this January. ‘Weekday’ is a song for breaking free of expectations. The band seeks to convey a sense of, “I’

Monday Mix: Jesse Jo Stark - Analog Candle, Freedom Fry - Cavegreen - Joe Nisbet Jr

Image
Jesse Jo Stark - Driftwood. Background - Singer/songwriter Jesse Jo Stark launched her own record label, “Sugar Jones Music,” in late January and inaugurated it with her first single, the achingly beautiful tune about love and loss, “Driftwood.” An exciting new artist on the rise, Jesse Jo has begun to carve out her own niche amongst the musical landscape with her beautiful lyrics and original melodies. Very few young artists have inherited bonds to the music world as much as Jesse Jo. Growing up in an environment that fostered creative expression, music came naturally to her and became a great way for her to express herself. Under the guidance and collaboration of notable musicians such as Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Jesse Jo began writing and recording in her teens. Jesse’s musical influences reflect her own eclectic tastes, ranging from country, punk, folk to rock and roll. Each genre shares the qualities that are most evident in her own

Sundays Finest: The Masonics - Sweet Gum Tree - Airpark - Siamese - Go Fever

Image
The Masonics - I Ain't Hurting For You. Background - The Masonics New Album Release "Obermann Rides Again". Masters of the Medway Beat made famous by Mr Billy Childish, this is the group that in our view should be the more famous one – with their more original style of raw and tender rock’n’roll songsmithery. Renowned drum wizard Bruce Brand played alongside Childish in the Pop Rivets back in the late 1970s and both he and gruffly charming singer/guitarist Mickey Hampshire were both in the Milkshakes in the early 1980s. (In fact, it was actually Mickey & the Milkshakes originally!) Bass thumper John Gibbs, meanwhile, cut his jib in his younger years in near-legendary Scottish group, The Kaisers. This new limited edition – 500 copies only – album of muscular British rock’n’roll from this widely celebrated beat power trio comes trampling merrily over a swathe of garage rock pretenders. While many young groups clutch equipment of equal quality (almost) and vintage, n