Porteau - Club Kuru

'Moon Maidens' is the third song from Porteau's debut album that we have featured this year, and the Indie folk couple continue to impress. Club Kuru share some fabulous psych pop/rock in the form of 'By The Windowpane' a dazzling piece of creativity.

Porteau - Moon Maidens.

Vancouver duo Porteau debut album, Water’s Gate has just been released. Heavily influenced by both traditional folklore and the West Coast landscape, Porteau uses this imagery as a backdrop to explore and unearth personal experience.

Porteau is the creation of Victoria Williams and Craig Stevenson. The Vancouver duo’s debut album Water’s Gate transports listeners to a world of pragmatic mysticism. Layers of lush vocals and washes of light, modulated guitar are the foundation of their songs. Pulling the record into diverse moods and through vivid textures, their sound weaves through folk-inspired passages, celestial soundscapes, and electronic flourishes. Ethereal and expansive, Water’s Gate is Porteau’s open space for experimentation, and carves a wave into their own unmapped styling.

Collaboration between the couple came about by happenstance. Victoria saw a painting of Andromeda by Gustave Doré and was instantly captivated. She asked Craig if he could help her write music that sounded like the painting looked – cold, urgent, yet liberating. A mutual understanding and inspiration was found from this piece of art. It was a driving and unifying force that was the genesis of Porteau. Using this as a catalyst, a record naturally revealed itself. Sounds which had been independently cultivated now flowed together and a confluence of ideas began to occur. They were heavily influenced by both traditional folklore and the West Coast landscape. Porteau uses this imagery as a backdrop to explore and unearth personal experience.

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Club Kuru - By The Windowpane.

Club Kuru have shared their new single 'By The Windowpane'. Following on from the release of ‘Cherry Bloom’ earlier this year, which earned plaudits from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and more. Both singles are taken from the band's new highly anticipated sophomore album 'Meet Your Maker'.

Following on from the band’s critically acclaimed 2018 debut LP ‘Giving In’, which featured their BBC 6 Music B-listed single, ‘The Memory Junkie', the duo’s new material sees them further explore their multifarious and eclectic sound, developing new textures and further pushing the boundaries of their meticulous and far-reaching brand of psych-pop.

Speaking about the single, Erskine says: "I spend time each day sitting at my first floor window and watching the people going by in the street below. ‘By the Windowpane’ was inspired by the times I sat there. Every now and then, I’d catch a reflection of myself in the glass, so I was looking through the glass and at myself at the same time. I felt sometimes that I was caught there: trapped in the windowpane. It made me think about the people who have disappeared from my life and how I couldn't see them anymore. And sitting there, rather than missing those people, I became content to watch the world go by and accepted how all things change."

Having recently completed a short run of dates with Jungle, Club Kuru are also planning further headline dates for 2019, with a Paris and London date already confirmed for May the band will be announcing further details in the coming months.

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Monday Mix: Traveller - John Mellencamp - Club Kuru - Elouise - Carl Louis

Traveller - All This Time.

Background - The summer of 2012 saw Gerry Sheridan and Simon Usher begin their songwriting partnership, which progressed to become Traveller in January 2016 when they were joined by Martin Yves on guitar and Brian Socha on bass.

By spring 2016 the band had written and recorded their debut EP at Chamber Studios in Edinburgh. Taking just four days to complete, 'All This Time' enabled Traveller to connect to an ever growing fanbase who are drawn to their Anthemic Rock wall of sound.

"There’s a sonic harmony that is often created by the band during rehearsals and it’s often from this that sparks the imagination to write" explains Simon. "We write about life’s journey, from the people we meet along the way to all the various experiences that we have, both good or bad..." Website here, Facebook here.

Not exactly brand new, however having received a piece on the band, I wanted to give them a feature because the EP that 'All This Time' is taken from, is such a fine collection of alt rock music. Mixing high quality musicianship, natural rock vocals and well written tracks seems more than enough to play a little catch up with the band.

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John Mellencamp - Grandview.

Background - On April 28th, Heartland rocker John Mellencamp will release his 23rd full-length album, Sad Clowns & Hillbillies featuring Carlene Carter, the daughter of June Carter Cash and stepdaughter of Johnny Cash, on Republic Records.  Sad Clowns & Hillbillies returns Mellencamp to the musical eclecticism that is, itself, a reflection of his wide-ranging musings on life. John Mellencamp is an authentic voice of American music and master storyteller with a commitment to creating traditional rock & roll, bittersweet songs of happiness and melancholia, and fervent political dissent. His passions and experiences resonate beautifully in this showcase of his music.  Sad Clowns & Hillbillies is produced by John Mellencamp.

Mellencamp’s new single is “Grandview” featuring Country music star Martina McBride. He released the track, Easy Target in January as a continuation of Mellencamp’s journey to convey the truth through this passionate and plain-spoken song. The video's release occurred on the eve of the inauguration. The song focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement as well as gun violence in America. Fans who pre-order Sad Clowns & Hillbillies will get an instant download of Grandview and Easy Target.

This summer, Mellencamp will tour for 22 stops across North America for his all-new Sad Clowns & Hillbillies tour kicking off on June 5th in Denver, Colorado with special guests, Emmylou Harris, tour-mate Carlene Carter and Lily & Madeleine. Website (including tour and pre-order details)  here.

If John Mellencamp needs any introduction, then you really do have a massive back catalogue of music to work your way through. New song 'Grandview' signals that a new album is on it's way, and the featured track suggests there are still plenty of ideas and thoughts to be shared from one of rock'n'rolls finest.

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Club Kuru - Giving In.

Background - Club Kuru are a British five-piece band, fronted by Laurie Erskine.

Beginning as Erskine's solo project, the current, psychedelic incarnation of Club Kuru developed through the process of him searching for his sound; one which truly incorporated his influences and character. Joining forces with Graham Godfrey (co-producer and drummer) and close friends Fergus Ireland (bass), Laurence Hammerton (guitar) and Jess Berry (vocals), in 2016 the group built their own studio in north east London and began their journey as a songwriting and production tour de force. "We really wanted to do everything ourselves. It was a case of laying it all out on the table and seeing what worked."

Collectively, the band cite influences from modern day artists such as Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala and Connan Mockasin, to classic greats including Shuggie Otis, Vangelis, Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones. There's a summery west coast vibe to their sonic output, mixed with some sleazy Americana, but ultimately the band are spearheading something unique; they're putting their British take on a US heritage sound - and it works. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Club Kuru last June and new song 'Giving In' is another beautiful and melodic track. Dreamy psych sounds flow and twist around, as the vocals sooth.

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Elouise - Saturn Bar.

Background - An original booze-sodden cry from America’s trailer park soul. Elouise Walker tells us the story of the song.

Saturn Bar is a sonic homage to my favorite dive in the Ninth Ward. I hung out there whenever I found myself in NOLA. It was long before the big flood. I heard about it from a lawyer after our cars collided outside New Orleans. I asked the nice southern gentleman for a good dive bar recommendation. The Saturn Bar came up.

He did not think I should go there alone and said I may not be able to get a cab out. He warned that most cabs didn't go out there late at night because the neighborhood was dangerous after dark. So of course...I went.

My journey began with a cab driver hopped up on speed. He was sweating, jittery and had a loaded gun on the front seat when he picked me up. He told me he was itching to shoot a car jacker that night because it just became legal.

He kept looking back at me and playing with his gun. In a moment that seemed like it would never end, I stared past the windshield at the southern stars and the black night sky on the other side of the tracks as the train rushed in front of us. In an agitated state, he went on and on about his murderous plans. I thought that was it for me, but sure enough, a few minutes later we pulled up to the dingy corner neighborhood establishment. The street was all dark except for a little old flickering sign with the planet Saturn on it. 

In a strangely protective tone, the driver asked me if I wanted him to wait outside. I declined and took my chances with the unknown. I was not sure I was gonna make it out on that one, but I did... and I definitely had earned a few drinks. It was never too crowded when I went there. Just a smattering of local bar flies here and there. O'Neil, the proprietor, was quite the host and would try to get the ladies to try on a pair of pink satin panties he kept behind the bar. He had pictures of past models (I am using that word liberally) that he was more than happy to show to anyone with interest. 

A cat sauntered across the bar rubbing it's fur against the container of straws. A chicken wandered about. A cockroach lay belly up right in front of the women's toilet. The beer was cold and the liquor was cheap but the bar was like nothing I had seen. It was dark, mysterious and a hoarders delight. It was scary. It was friendly. It was a whole other level of reality. It was Heaven. It was Hell.

The place was filled with murals and art and curiosities lit up only by colored neon lights. One of the patrons, Mike Frolich, had painted the murals as a make shift art gallery for the local children since it was a poor neighborhood and there were no museums in that area. Demons being ridden by whores, red skies and ships sailing to the New World.

I had long intoxicating discussions that I don't remember with O'Neil, other patrons and the local city trash collector who gave me a ride home in his '67 Ford. With old 12 inch wooden framed speakers mounted to the backs of the vinyl seats, he drove like a drunk bat out of Hell, blaring distorted music and making great efforts to try and run people down. It was a game he played after closing time. Making people literally jump out of the way of his swerving maniacal Galaxy. The journey was other worldly from start to finish. I looked up the bar after penning the song a few years ago and was sad to see that O'Neil, the owner, had died right after the flood. I am sure it was the ruin of his beloved alternate Universe that killed him.

The bands website is here, plus you can also download the track through Soundcloud. I have spoken highly of Elouise before and the chance to feature another track from their incredible album is an absolute pleasure. Put simply the band are unique, exceptional and should be heard!

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Carl Louis - Come With Me (feat. Frøder).

Background -  Growing up on the Nordic coastline, producer Carl Louis has spent much of his career broadening his musical horizons with a number of notable credits to his name. Originally a member of electronic duo CLMD, Louis co-produced a number of notable releases including ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, which went multi-platinum in Norway and was also premiered on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show. Afterward, Louis left the group in 2014 to pursue his own personal ambitions.

Having spent the last few years producing singles for other artists, including ARY’s debut single ‘Higher’, as well as releasing his own mini-album in 2015, Lewis has now returned to deliver his latest full-length ‘Memory Lane’.

While its title may suggest a more nostalgic sound, his latest material is a smorgasbord of contemporary influences and inspirations. With a largely classical direction, the mix of ideas and directions on his latest release are clear throughout.

Its opener and lead single ‘Come With Me’ sees the producer create an uplifting and powerful introduction, which sees him collaborate once again with Spotify Spotlight artist and ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ vocalist Frøder, and was released on the 24th February 2017 via Toothfairy. Facebook here.

A feast of sounds, beautiful vocals and a rhythmic and melodic vibe throughout ensures 'Come With Me' digs it's hooks in deep. Fabulous song.

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Genre Wander: Highland Kites - Club Kuru - Jasmine Rodgers - Hiva Oa - Harpooner

Highland Kites - This War Inside.

Background - Highland Kites’ confessional anti-folk could easily be misconstrued as indie rock. With their angular grooves, new wave leanings and sharp-witted lyrics, the LA-based twosome exude an off-the-cuff coolness that is effortlessly backed by a hard earned substance.  The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Marissa Lamar who spent the majority of her 20’s very ill with Lyme disease. As the symptoms progressed, Lamar medication increased and she found herself stagnating as the years passed her by. She watched friends fall away and became resigned to her predicament; not entirely sure she was going to make it. Music emerged as her saving grace; giving her a reason to persevere and ultimately share her life-affirming strength as she overcame her illness.

By weaving hope, positivity and closure into her songs, Marissa was able to create compelling and often dark content that ultimately felt uplifting. She still maintains her “goal with music is to make people feel better even though most of my songs are themed around painful experiences.” With a few original tunes under her belt, Lamar began gigging solo around LA and finally formed Highland Kites in 2014 with drummer Neil Briggs. Their first EP, So Vicious, caught the attention of producer Raymond Richards (Local Natives, honeyhoney, etc) who reached out to the duo about working together. They all clicked immediately and Richards ended up producing their first full length album All We Left Behind which climbed the college radio charts in 2015, with over 70 stations putting it in heavy rotation, and garnered notable mentions in local press including a glowing article in Buzzbands LA.

Marissa and Neil have again teamed up with producer Richards for their newest EP, Let Me Run, due out July 23rd. While the duo felt free to dive into a more into varied pallet of sounds, Lamar is admittedly a staunch purist about her work; keeping it is as close to its original state as possible. “I feel like parts of my past that I have had trouble talking about come out in waves and end up resulting in these songs and albums” Lamar asserts. “It's a form of closure for me and after writing Let Me Run I felt like a million bricks were lifted off my shoulders.”

'This War Inside' is the third of five songs on what is a splendid EP. Consistently melodic and varied in pace and direction, it's a fine collection of songs that deserve to be noticed.

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Club Kuru - Tonight.

Background - With the recent BBC Radio 1 and 6Music approved single 'Not Fot Me' signalling a shift in their musical direction and line-up, London five piece Club Kuru are excited to share more of their mesmerising psychedelia in the form of brand new cut 'Tonight'. The track will hit download stores yesterday (here).

What was previously the "languid R&B/bedroom producer" solo project of Laurie Erskine, Club Kuru evolved into a full band set up after he and some musical friends built their own studio in north east London. In the process, the group realised a collective love of 60's and 70's American RnB and soul, and a mutual obsession with analog synthesis and classic songwriting. Thus the reincarnation of Club Kuru was born.

All self-written, recorded and produced, 'Tonight' melds hazy melodies with soulful vocals and gliding guitar riffs, inviting the listener on a journey into a sexy and sinister dream land. Through modern production and psych-leaning undertones, the revived formation is aligned with the likes of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tame Impala and Connan Moccasin, or in the words of the band as having "the backbone of Shuggie Otis, the head of Serge Gainsbourg, and the cinematic aura of Vangelis".

Club Kuru will be showcasing their very special live show at the forthcoming dates, with more to be announced soon:

12/09 - The Castle, Manchester, UK
13/09 - Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, UK
15/09 - Corsica Studios, London, UK
16/09 - The Louisiana, Bristol, UK

'Tonight' is a gorgeous song. The various instruments seemingly melt into each other as the ethereal vocals fly above. Indie psychedelia, now that's one good genre.

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Jasmine Rodgers - Icicles.

Background - Produced by two-time Mercury nominee Dan Carey (Kate Tempest, Nick Mulvey), the infectious melodic resonance of ‘Icicles’ calls on trad sounds of Anglo, Celtic and Middle Eastern origin. Its pirouetted string-pickings, sustained bass notes, measured percussion and mystical ambience form an intimate folksy backing for Jasmine’s gleaming harmonies as she draws the listener into an impassioned quest for emotional rescue.

Born into an artistic family – her mother a Japanese poet, her father the legendary vocalist Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen) – Jasmine Rodgers knew her way around both keyboard and fretboard before she even enrolled at secondary school. But given her love for art and zoology (in which she has a degree), music was initially a passionate pastime rather than a full-time pursuit. This changed when her older brother Steve, on hearing the ethereal beauty of Jasmine’s voice, asked her to sing with him and they formed the group Boa. Boa went on to record two albums, achieving renown in the Americas, France and Japan, after their single ‘Duvet’ featured in the anime series Serial Experiments Lain. The group disbanded in 2005, but Jasmine continued her association with the anime/manga genre, writing songs for the soundtrack of Armitage: Dual Matrix, which starred Juliette Lewis.

Jasmine continued rehearsing, writing and recording, releasing an EP of self-penned alt-folk nuggets and collaborating with artists including Indian classical musicians Mendi Mohinder Singh and Waqas Choudhary. She found inspiration for new material in the exploits of her travels (live performances led her from the Royal Albert Hall to the Venice Biennale and the Edinburgh Fringe). It was one such journey to the Joshua Tree desert in California that inspired Jasmine to capture the best of her material on a full-length album. She enlisted producer Sean Genockey (Tom McRae, Futureheads), whose experience working at Joshua Tree’s Rancho de la Luna studio made him ideal for bringing forth the material’s widescreen yet rootsy vibe. Blood Red Sun, to be released later in 2016, was recorded at Black Dog Studios in London and is the sound of an exceptional artist drawing deep from global musical experiences to craft a set of inventive, euphonious 21st-century folk.

'Icicles' is a delicately crafted folk song, that is rich in textures and beautifully delivered, it's also highly addictive.

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Hiva Oa - A Great Height.

Background - New material from Hiva Oa has been a long time coming. Sometimes, it seems, a period of inactivity is better for a band than one of constant creation. With the release of their forthcoming EP mk2 (part 1), core members Stephen Houlihan and Christine Tubridy departed Edinburgh, returning to their native Ireland seeking renewed inspiration. Hiva Oa retain the mystery and ambition of their former incarnations, but inject a heavy thrum to their intricate patchwork style, and turn their attentions to themes of fear, loneliness, abandonment and awakening.

On lead single A Great Height the band continue their controlled experimentation by marrying primal, dizzying electronica and a swelling bass hum, with minimal guitar patterns to create a tightly wound, suffocating and intense atmosphere that sets the tone for the EP. Somewhat appropriately it’s an anxious listen, the influence of Thom Yorke on vocalist Stephen Houlihan here provides the forlorn, and almost hopeless, punctuating refrain “…and I fall from a great height.”  Elsewhere Seskinore demonstrates their skill in developing percussive motifs that flit from the suspenseful and shuffling, to eruptive, deafening, conclusions. A powerful resolution to each composition is never far from the minds of Hiva Oa.

The latter part of mk2 (part 1) begins to bring subtler intricacies to the fore. Christine is awash with swathes of gentle guitar, gifting the four-minute piece a transcendent quality that, coupled with another yearning vocal, offers the listener a brief glimpse into one of the EP’s more intimate moments, in this near-fearful, dream-like, serenade. Closing track Jonny Brazil again shifts unassumingly from sinewy indie-rock before revealing a raft of squalling guitars and inter-playing vocal melodies. Hiva Oa have become masters of developing atmospheres proving that, for them, a visit to old pastures has worked wonders.

Intense and swirling music drives 'A Great Height' along and the bare vocals work perfectly alongside. It may not be easy listening, however there is something quite compulsive here, that has me dipping back in for another play.

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Harpooner - Hush Up.

Background - Nashville three-piece vivid-pop band Harpooner will release their debut full length Rose Park on June 24th. Two years ago Harpooner migrated to Nashville from Indiana in search of better opportunities and a change of scenery. Since the move they have already shared the stage with Caitlin Rose, Margo Price, Cory Chisel, Water Liars, Future Birds, and Promised Land Sound.

Frontman Scott Schmadeke (vocals, piano, Mellotron, guitar, organ, synthesizer) formed the band in 2013 in Bloomington, IN with fellow former Indiana University students Max Mullen (bass, background vocals) and Josh Morrow (drums). Bloomington's rotating tight-knit community of musicians, artists, and writers gave Harpooner a freedom of expression and fertile ground to form a network of basement-show locations close to the IU campus. Recorded in Bloomington by Schmadeke and Andy Beargie, Rose Park digs into strange voicing and textures as an homage to the work of artists like Leon Russell's Carny, Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson, and Wings' Speed of Sound. Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Benjamin Booker, Natural Child) was enlisted for mastering duties at The Bomb Shelter in East Nashville.

Seated and singing close-up on the microphone, sometimes underneath a brimmed hat, Schmadeke delivers his cosmic awareness with a tenderness toward sensitive issues and big questions—like a Jeff Lynne that grew up in the suburbs of Indianapolis in the 90s. On “All I Get Back” and “Bigger Thoughts” he weaves the band in and out of sophisticated movements that shimmer and punch right on time—the kind of arrangements traded-in long ago by popular music for high-gain marketing strategies. He grapples with racial inequality on songs like “Carolines” and “Immigration” but not so that the songs become fodder for corporate social campaigns. Many of the songs on the album spring from a small fictitious midwestern town that Schmadeke imagines as a canvas for the ideas he and the band have picked-up along the way.

Morrow’s drumming is fierce and solid as a forging hammer made of electric current. And when performing live, Mullen, who stands between the other two, is the only one facing the crowd night-to-night—like a totem to calm confidence. Morrow cut his teeth on math-rock and has toured internationally with acts like Austin Lucas and Memory Map, while Mullen quietly makes furniture out of reclaimed wood in his basement to make ends meet. Schmadeke also plays keys in the band of Nashville singer-songwriter Andrew Combs.

Upcoming Shows:
June 18: Vinyl Release Party @ Blockhouse - Bloomington, IN
June 23: Vinyl Release Party @ The Basement - Nashville, TN
June 25: King's - Raleigh, NC
June 27: Petra's - Charlotte, NC
June 28: Soul Bar - Augusta, GA
June 29: Palmetto Brewery - Charleston, SC
June 30: Jack of Cups - Folly Beach, SC
July 1: Flickr Theatre - Athens, GA
July 2: Marty's PM - Birmingham, AL
July 23: BK @ Alphaville w/ Lord Youth, Horse Eyed Men and CVS at Night
July 24: NYC @ Bowery Electric w/ Girlyboi and Alice K
July 27: Lancerster, PA @ The Single File
July 28: Philly @ Ortlieb's w/ Pine Barons
July 29: Ann Arbor @ Luther Fest

Harpooner describe their music as vivid pop and having only heard 'Hush Up' so far, I think it makes for a pretty good description, that or vivid rock. This is an imaginative and powerful song, I would describe it as driving music, but only if you want a speeding ticket!

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