Wynnm first came across our radar back in February with 'Fire On The Moon' which we described as "a gentle and melodic song with fabulous vocals above a restrained musical backdrop" and with the new song 'The Morning' it's a case of "have some more". === KEYSwere here last month and return with another fine track entitled 'Phases' which exudes some retro pop and rock vibes, something these folk are very good at. === Lady Dan shares 'Facta, Non Verba' today and its a highly addictive song, with a subtle musical arrangement that adds layers along the way supporting her gorgeous vocals.
Wynnm’s quicksilver sound is an elegant amalgamation of smooth folk and vital bass. Her music emerges from the dusty mirages of Arizona and the private mountains of Idaho and cycles to the electronic beats of her current residency in Amsterdam.
Though born amidst the sands and sunburnt rock faces of the Sonoran Desert in the Southwestern United States to an amateur harmonica player father and a first-generation Korean mother, Wynnm’s dark notes and honey-throated tones draw from experiences far beyond her landscape, circumstance, and family myths of origin. CD’s like Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Moby, The Doors, and Creedence Clearwater Revival spun in the family car on long road trips. She came of age with a love for bass beats and albums by powerful female vocalists like Annie Lennox, Portishead, and Fiona Apple.
Wynnm about her new single: "The Morning is a song of appreciation for those who make us the greatest versions of ourselves. Those who pull us from the edge. Those who free us from the heaviness of dark pasts. With driving, atmospheric drums and heavenly choral synths, ‘The Morning’ is needing, beyond wanting."
'Phases’ is the second single taken from KEYS ‘bedroom’ recorded album ‘HOME SCHOOLING: A collection of 4-track rarities’. As Matthew Evans (vocals / guitar / songwriter) explains: “Phases – When you start realising that these songs were going to be recorded somewhat intimately into a 4-track machine, it has an impact on the type of song you write. As Julian Cope says ‘The verses can lie if the chorus is pretty’. This is one of the most introspective tunes we’ve written. It’s the Lennonesque chords; they insist on a blue feeling.”
HOME SCHOOLING is proof of the importance of the spaces left between the integral notes, the spaces that let the songs breathe. The songs range from joyous early 70s Midlands pop, bucolic chamber pop, sweeping Krautrock grooves, fractured Big Star/Bad Finger songcraft to vamping 2 chord proto-punk freak-outs.
Through it all we hear the hiss of the 4-track cassette recorder turning, the sound of the endless possibilities and magic of the pop song spilling out in vivid colours . No second guessing or over thinking, only the joy of creating.”
Matthew summarises the collection of songs that make up ‘HOME SCHOOLING’ as “something to help us get through this lockdown. Hopefully you can use it too.”
The single 'Phases' is out August 8th, with the album 'HOME SCHOOLING': A Collection of 4-Track Rarities' to follow on August 21st, on Libertino Records.
Working out of Texas but with roots in Birmingham, Alabama, Lady Dan makes music which is self-described as “Melancholic cowboy sounds you can cry in front of your cat to.”
Lady Dan puts a pause on weeping pedal steel to tread new waters in fresh goth-folk single. “Facta, Non Verba” uses dead language to convey what she is feeling - but not before she paints an image with dirty drones, grimy feedback, and angsty vocals.
The subtle dissonance is an unsettling nightmare we all want to live in.
The Jayhawks have released their album XOXO today and taken from it we have the new single 'Bitter Pill' with the bands thirty year track record of creating great music remaining easily intact. === We featured The Commander In Chief in May with two songs 'Non Si Sa Mai' and 'The Manager' both taken from her brand new album 'Berit Vol.2' which is released this week, she also shared 'The Lockdown' recently which is another example of The Commanders exceptional talent. === From New York we have a new album 'Revelation' by Outlaw Folk Americana Musician Lara Taubman it's streaming in full below and put simply it's a gorgeous collection of wonderful songs. === Ci Gofod shared 'TV Screens' today and it's accompanied with a fine video that does justice to this very catchy song. === We featured KEYS twice last year and now have their new single 'This Side Of Luv' to enjoy, described by the band as an "attempt at joyous early 70’s Midlands pop" that description kinda makes sense.
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The Jayhawks - Bitter Pill.
The Jayhawks have released “Bitter Pill,” the latest song from the band’s most collaborative album to date – XOXO, out today July 10 via Sham/Thirty Tigers. Written by Gary Louris, Tim O’Reagan and Karen Grotberg, “Bitter Pill” is a harmony-rich, infectious new track that illustrates the never-ending search for happiness. Parade featured it last week, praising the “sweet and sorrowful tune that captures the heart and moves the soul.” The Jayhawks also appeared on this weekend’s CBS This Morning: Saturday, performing two songs off the new album, “This Forgotten Town” and “Living In A Bubble,” in addition to their 2018 song “Gonna Be A Darkness.”
"This is a rare example of me writing a story song,” Louris explains. “I tend towards stream of consciousness writing, but 'Bitter Pill' is a linear lyric that explores the tendency for some of always searching for the next fix of happiness, the missing piece...never being happy with what one has. It is really a continuation on the theme of my song 'Lovers Of The Sun' from our Paging Mr. Proust album. It is a theme that hits close to home for me. And the song really blossomed when my old pal and forever Jayhawk Stephen McCarthy played such beautiful and blistering B-Bender guitar on it.”
After 30 years together, The Jayhawks have delivered their most diverse and wide-ranging set of songs to date. XOXO marks a new era for the band, with all four members contributing to lead vocals and songwriting for the first time. Showcasing The Jayhawks’ unrelenting ability to evolve while staying true to their authentic sound, the new album reminds us why they continue to be such an influential and respected band. XOXO has already garnered early coverage from MOJO, HuffPost, BrooklynVegan, Billboard and Rolling Stone, who praised the opening track “This Forgotten Town” as a “jangly roots-pop gem.”
Carrying on their success since returning to the core members from the late-90’s lineup, The Jayhawks released Paging Mr. Proust in 2016 and Back Roads and Abandoned Motels in 2018 to widespread critical acclaim. The culmination of five years spent growing even more together, XOXO is a sonically and emotionally cohesive album that stands as a testament to the band’s consistent forward motion.
Internationally acclaimed, trail blazing 7 string guitar virtuoso,singer, songwriter and pianist “The Commander In Chief” is releasing her much awaited new album; “Berit, Vol. 2” on July 9, 2020. It’s the 2nd album in a series of 4, with new, original music.
As always, it is impossible to place her album in just one genre, as it has elements reminiscent of the great rock bands of the -70s, European pop and her very own mix of catchy hooks and innovative songwriting. Her smooth electric guitar-sound, blistering guitar technique and dramatic piano arrangements give the listener a taste of her virtuosity, without giving into the temptation of showing off, as the main instrument on these “acoustic” albums is her four octaves, soulful, crystal clear, Norwegian voice.
By brilliant use of humour, satire and self irony, The Commander In Chief stands tall like a lighthouse, beaming confident rays of hope, laughter and compassion to a world engulfed in the darkness of political correctness; where everyone is afraid of offending someone - no matter how innocent their intentions are. She reminds us how important it is to be able to laugh at ourselves, and be humble, as she does with the songs “Messin’ It Up,” “Change of Seasons” and “The Manager.”
She assures us that even when we find ourselves under attack by evil forces, or when facing the potentially devastating consequences of someone else’s wrong decision, there is a way to turn something horrible into something funny, by looking at it through the lens of dark humour, as she does in the very personal songs “Trailer Trash” and “Go Back To Norway.” In those 2 songs she introduces her brother, William, as the voice actor and background singer.
She displays her big heart and compassion in the heartbreakingly beautiful “The Lockdown” - dedicated to everyone affected by the Corona Virus, and she challenges us all to do more in “So He Set Out Walking.” In the only Italian song on the album, she asks the big questions about life. See the video for “Non Si Sa Mai” here.
As always, there was no use of Auto Tune, or other means of “lack of talent compensation,” on “Berit, Vol.2.” While she has been a trailblazer with international success in heavy metal and classical crossover music; with TV show appearances, viral videos and major press, this is - perhaps - her most important release. It comes at a time when humour itself is under relentless attack, and artists no longer know what to do or what to say.
New York-based Outlaw Folk Americana Musician Lara Taubman's new album 'Revelation' represents a momentous rite of passage for the artist (both physically and spiritually).
Following an inner nudge, Lara travelled to record the album in Wolfe Island, Canada with Wolfe Island Records founder and producer Hugh Christopher Brown. She's still following that nudge, using her music and lyrics as alchemy while working through emotional pain and trauma.
With a signature sound that is all authenticity and effortlessly classic, Lara Taubman's haunting lyrics and melodies should appeal to fans of artists like Gillian Welch and Joni Mitchell.
From the Artist: “Revelation” is about my journey to heal through making music. Following a call to begin singing five years ago led me to a series of fortuitous events that created this album. Music always saved me, now I hope to return the favor. Due today July 10th on all platforms, "Revelation" will also be available on vinyl.
Ci Gofod is a bedroom project nested in the valleys of South Wales, although I have become familiar with the local scene, I have tried to utilise as much time as i could writing and recording any material that I could. What may make this project different is that I still have made it a goal to collaborate.
So, while still isolated, I have ensured to use the magic of technology to make frequent collaborations (while distanced of course). With this release we see a guest appearance from Lloyd Bastian from the band Pseudo Cool.
The new release is about monotony and I try to reflect this in the songwriting. The tune begins modest with a repetitive riff, but as the song draws to a close there is an explosion of sound. I hope that the ever changing dynamic of the song is worth your time.
This project has had great acclaim from the BBC, such as getting frequent airplay on BBC Radio Wales and hopes to turn heads with this latest release, particularly you of course.
“The hiss is another instrument” and it’s an instrument integral to the new recordings, sounds and songs by KEYS. Over the next few weeks we will be unveiling the latest collection of songs by the band, as Matthew Evans vocals / guitar / songwriter explains: “We recorded these tracks on Cassette four track machines during lockdown. Let’s not pretend we had access to an expensive studio, we didn’t.
It was a time to connect with bedroom songwriting again. These are not band arrangements worked out in a rehearsal room – these were written and recorded simultaneously. Not demos but songs that took shape during the "recording process.”
The hiss of the cassette turning is the sound of the endless possibilities and magic of the pop song spilling out in vivid colours at the exact moment inspiration took hold. No second guessing or over thinking, only the joy of creating.
A perfect example of this is the first single ‘This Side of Luv’. “This was our attempt at joyous early 70’s Midlands pop. 3-day weeks, winters of discontent, a Tory government…yet out of that bleakness came some heroic, ecstatic British pop music.
Music has the power to lift the spirit, if we can do that for 3 and a half minutes then we’ll feel our efforts were not in vain.” Matthew summarises this collection of songs, also written in trying times, as: “something to help us get through this lockdown. Hopefully you can use it too.”
From Sydney, Australia we have The Dockers with their new song 'Fake It', described as "cheeky and cheerful" it's also bright and rather catchy. === With earnest and gritty vocals John Tiller delivers 'Battle Ready' with plenty of passion, his folk, Americana or whatever other tag might describe best, is beautifully produced. === Back in April we shared 'Black and White' from KEYS who return this week with 'Bad Penny' just ahead of a new album release. This time we have a gentler, psychedelic and dreamy piece with gorgeous vibes throughout.
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The Dockers - Fake It.
Party-starting rogues, The Dockers are excited to release their follow up single Fake It. A single for care-free wiggling and late night grinning.
Cheeky and cheerful, Fake It implores you to let go and just dance, the loose flow and jaunty rhythms are a wink and a nod to the gleeful abandon of troubles. In a dedication to keeping it simple and straightforward, front man and the face of a good (me, Murray Cooke says “basically every inner thought I had, and if I ever had a Twitter account or Tumblr account— these [lyrics] would be in it”.
The band was established in Campbelltown, western Sydney whilst working as lifeguards, the bands deep sense of irony and surrealist sense of fun attributed to snack bar sugar and chlorine. All members of the four-piece outfit are self taught multi-instrumentalists and display this in their live performances. Currently recording and playing gigs all over Sydney, they’ve headlined Valve Bar twice and played a killer sets at Red Bar, generating a ground swell for these high and dry lifeguards as their live recording of acoustic song Sweet Sunset has hit 10k views.
‘I was really into the cover of Twist and Shout. (I loved it that much that I couldn’t stop twisting and shouting)’ - The Music Producer
After the release of Moonshine and with Fake It to come, The Dockers party is only getting warmed up good for nothing but a good time.
Folk-rock, singer songwriter, alt-country, Americana, call it what you like, the art of telling stories through music refuses to die. John Tiller takes influence from Manchester’s rich and diverse musical heritage, incorporating the working class spirit of his hometown, though not without strong influences across the pond.
He looks to his songwriting heroes Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell for their profound ability to pen thought-provoking lyrics and to give equal importance to both story and song. Though these songwriting giants undoubtedly cast a lengthy shadow, it is through their influence that John steps out into the light, and sets out on a path that is uniquely his own.
Tiller is all but surgically attached to his guitar, having lived the lifestyle of a restless wanderer, travelling and playing everywhere from Oslo to Sarajevo, Kiev to Auckland, where there’s an audience, there’s an opportunity to share his music. Fast forward to Autumn 2019, and John has recently completed the finishing touches on his forthcoming EP Battle Ready. A compendium of tracks that unravel intimate tales of the romantics, the nomads, the fighters and poets.
The narrator often ambiguous, unreliable. Tiller plays with timelines, narrative form and structure. What emerges is a connotative collection of songs, leaning heavily on allegory and metaphor. This music will find a home with anyone thoughtful, anyone who has experienced anxiety or weighty, life changing events. It is for those seeking shelter from the short term, quick fix nature of modern life. At times political, at times personal and heartbreaking, depending on the listener's perspective this short but powerful collection of songs will feel poignantly out of time, or perhaps timeless.
With such a gloriously iconic title, KEYS new album ‘Bring Me the Head of Jerry Garcia’ is not only a collection of road tested songs but also a bold new start for the band. It’s the curtains pulled back on a cold frosty morning to let in beams of exotic, vibrant Indian summer light that brakes over the horizon to fill your tired eyes with wonder.
Recorded over two days in Resolven Miner’s Welfare Institute ‘Bring Me the Head of Jerry Garcia’ captures the KEYS live energy whilst still exploring new musical vocabulary, every note played being vital and of the moment.
The autumnal ‘Bad Penny’ is also announced today as the last single before the album release. The band launches the album at The Gate in Cardiff on 19th December with a big party with support from DD Darillo, Kidsmoke, HMS Morris.
Here are Matthew Evens the bands singers recollection of the creation of ‘Bring Me the Head of Jerry Garcia’
“The original intention and cod-manifesto for this album was “we don’t want anyone to like it”. It was an amusing and liberating stance and I recommend anyone to adopt this posture in the early stages of a project. We weren’t able to sustain that attitude but it certainly allowed us to take a few more risks, musically; and it definitely feels like the beginning of something, as opposed to some sort of conclusion.
To us, everything we’re doing is sounding really fresh and melodic. We’ve been playing these songs for years now and they still feel vital when we play them live. As always, we were listening to a lot of music during the production of this album. Bands like Hooded Fang, ESG, Ty Segall, White Fence, Women, Pavement, Scout Niblett… the list goes on.
Grizzly Coast shares a personal yet resolute song that engages from the opening notes. KEYS gutsy rock and roll is to the point and wonderfully stripped back on 'Black and White'. The album 'Reality Jockey' by William Steffey is presented in full below, as he takes us on an impressive musical trip across genres and styles. '6:30' from Super Paradise is a whirlwind of instrumental garage rock interspersed with electronic moments (yep you'll have to listen). Candy Says electro pop has a moody feel on 'Gravity' as it's intricacy and hooks work wonders.
Grizzly Coast - Half-Light Boy.
My new single, “Half-Light Boy,” is about the sobering realization that not every person you encounter will have the same heart as you. Someone else’s lack of care for you is often due to something lacking in them – it is never an expression of what you deserve.
I was walking home from the grocery store one evening, lugging way too many bags for one girl to carry comfortably. Passing by a venue, I noticed that someone who once held a big place in my life was playing a show there that very night.
There was a time when I felt close to this person. Having always been one of their biggest supporters, not getting an invite to their show that was right in my neighbourhood left me feeling pretty small. I went home and wrote this new song as a confrontation that I knew I would never bother to actually have.
My friend, Taylor Lucas, produced “Half-Light Boy” in his home studio. He also produced my previous single, “Zuzu’s Petals,” and is set to produce my album. It’s always fun working with Taylor; he’s so talented and has great ideas! - Grizzly Coast.
‘There you will find them, tucked away in between The Stooges ‘Fun House’ and John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band the KEYS, the band you never knew you needed until they changed your life.
Over four Albums, Eps and countless Singles during this millennium the KEYS have become a mythical presence on the Welsh musical landscape. The timeless quality of the band’s music, touches on the wide eyed wonder and boundless possibilities of the sixties pop song, West Coast harmonies, Motown backbeat and the aggression of post 1968 proto-punk, sets them apart as true believers in the communion of Rock and Roll. KEYS are very much a band for the here and now, shaping music from the moon dust of the past into a re-imagined future that is all theirs for the taking.’ – Libertino Records
‘Black and White’ is the confident and bold return of the KEYS. The single was recorded during the productive two days session for the band’s new album in Miner’s Welfare club, lost in the Neath Valley.
Matt Evens, the band’s singer and songwriter, explains the background and the writing process of ‘Black and White’: “I wrote it while playing the drums on my own one morning. I was trying to write a modern-day nursery rhyme so it’s kept really simple. Then it went through the KEYS machine and came out all reverb guitars and maracas. It starts off Scout Niblett and ends up all Stooges with some Ron Asheton-style wah-wah thrown into the mix. It’s still a very sparse arrangement though which is the point. The lyric comes from something a photographer said to us once “Don’t worry, they’ll look alright in Black and White”; Gwion (Lead Guitar) used to quote it all the time in a jokey way so it ended up finding a melody.”
Chicago native William Steffey is a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist with an extensive background that has found him challenging his creativity with every single, EP, album and music video.
Throughout his musical journey, Steffey has explored a wide range of genres; his songs range from rock and new wave to pop and electronic music.
Steffey’s new studio album, the much-anticipated Reality Jockey, features 11 tracks, including two instrumental passages with tonal and temporal components based on the ‘Golden Section,’ a ratio that occurs frequently in nature as witnessed by the spiraling pattern of sunflowers, the proportions of the human body and the way billions of stars swirl together to form our galaxy. The songs on Reality Jockey also embrace Steffey’s trademark versatility; each track illustrates his ability to bring different influences and sounds together under one roof.
The production of the album is on par with the quality of the songwriting; the tracks have a clear, punchy and sophisticated tone. The music sounds crisp without falling into the trap of overproduction.
Ultimately, Reality Jockey is an authentic snapshot of Steffey’s artistic personality. The record channels his background as well as his ongoing passion for new musical direction. Like his previous releases, this project is about blending uncompromising creativity with appealing melodies.
Forming in Milan, Super Paradise, founded by Francesco Roma and Nicolò Spreafico, brought their self-styled dream-garage sound to London, releasing their debut album in 2016. From here it’s become a relentless live project, playing numerous scuzzy headline and support shows across the city’s buzziest venues, honing their distorted and hook-laden tunes. Joining Francesco and Nicolò for this endeavour is Anna Arfen (keys), Charlie Davis (bass) and Bradley Hillier-Smith (Drums).
Dropping infectious Lo-Fi singles and EPs over the last year or so with a sound somewhere between Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall and early Pixies demos, has nourished the live set. Tunes are often accompanied by highly stylised visuals, and their volatile new single 6:30 follows suit both sonically and aesthetically, whilst stepping things up in the energy stakes.
“The main inspiration came from “6:30” as a Caribbean dance move” explains lead vocalist Francesco, “I like that it could also mean 6:30am, dawn. End of the night, end of the dance. It’s always a bit of a weird time. You could still be out after an insane night, yet you’ll walk past people who are doing the complete opposite on their way to work. There’s a bit of uncertainty about it.”
This uncertainty is reflected in the sound. Flitting between dreamy segments and gritty riffs, tempos and rhythms shift around too to echo the confusion. It’s noise, tamed to inspire both emotion and energy in the listener.
“What we wanted to do with this track was create something which immediately jumped out and grabbed attention. The track starts with a hook that’s fast, impactful, frenetic and catchy, before taking the listener to unexpected places on a distorted journey of shifting tone and dynamics. Throughout we’re building anticipation, before unleashing a crescendo of noise, finally tying it back and returning unexpectedly to the original hook.”
Beanie Tapes is excited to announce the return of Oxford electro-pop band Candy Says with a new EP You Are Beautiful; We Are All Beautiful, to be released 7 June 2019 on cassette and digital. The band released the EP offline in November 2018, selling it exclusively on cassette at gigs as a protest against streaming culture and to reward the fans who turn up to support live music. The first two limited edition cassette runs sold out in two weeks. The new online version (and the third edition of the cassette) includes an extra track “Beautiful Feeling”, which was penned for the recent Netflix film Close, reached the Top 100 in the international Shazam charts.
The first track to be released is Gravity, a sultry pop tune whose bold beats and vintage synths have drawn comparisons to Christine & the Queens, Art School Girlfriend and The Knife. Julia Walker (singer/guitarist/songwriter) explains: “I was feeling empty and trying to find a connection with myself and my relationship. I desperately wanted to write an upbeat song but I’m coming to realise that I have a melancholy inside that I can’t seem to suppress not matter how hard I try.”
Gravity’s dream-like video was directed by frequent Beanie Tapes collaborator Siobhan Cox and features Julia returning from a night out and falling apart behind closed doors, where she can finally let her guard down. “I’m a very emotional person but I’m good at avoiding how I truly feel. I suppose we all do that to a certain extent, it’s how we survive. When we accept that we feel lonely, that we miss someone, a warmth, a feeling, that’s when we learn about who we are. Sometimes these feelings are impossible to understand, you feel like you’re drifting, empty and no matter how hard you try to find something to help you connect, you just can’t. I like reflecting that disconnect with the mechanical production feel and then my voice and lyrics being the conduit to finding the connection”
Candy Says recently recruited drummer Silke Blansjaar of Oxford indie punk favourites Self Help and are on tour with the new 3-piece line-up. Despite the melancholy lyrics, the Candy Says live show is somehow always uplifting. Nightshift again: “It’s like they’re on a mission to brighten up the entire world, one infectious slice of pop at a time.”
