Someone has shared 'I Can't Remember How To Talk To You' a smooth and hook fuelled pysch pop track. Allman Brown's 'Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles' is a gentle folk song that gradually morphs into something much more powerful. 'Full Time' from Field Guide is one of those personal songs that quickly becomes quite infectious and heading for a second listen. If you need a fix of feel good music and a bit of a lift Winter has it covered with the charming 'Bonsai'. Adámas blend genres like it's second nature to them, the result is splendid as 'Change It' ably demonstrates. From Denmark we have Rainbrother and their new album 'Island' from which we feature 'Honeybird' a song that suggests the album is well worth checking out. KEØMA sparkle with 'Lovers' a vibrant and danceable tune that is more than just a little catchy. Saltwater Sun have shared 'The Great Deceiver' the title track from today's E.P release as the band continue to impress in a big way!
Someone - I Can't Remember How To Talk To You.
Multi-disciplinary Amsterdam artist Someone, AKA Tessa Rose Jackson, releases her new single I Can’t Remember How To Talk To You via [PIAS] Recordings. A grooving twin-paced slice of infectious psych-pop, equally indebted to Tame Impala, Arthur Russell or early 90s French electronica pioneers Air, it is the final single taken ahead of her upcoming new EP Orbit, out 1st May.
The EP uses the metaphor of orbiting planets to comment on our overstimulated generation. It suggests that in spending so much time on our phones and social media, being constantly exposed to external distractions, we are ’orbiting’ around each other and our passions, rarely actually touching, resting, focusing long enough to truly connect.
The single in question also has a more personal, relatable meaning: “It’s the story of somebody meeting their ex at a party in a wobbly, punch-fuelled moment. In the verses, she’s all cool, kind of a lilting ‘Yeah, I’m doing great, I rock at life’, but in the pre-chorus little cracks start to appear. Suddenly, this hysterical chorus comes crashing in, and she’s ended up on top of the table, mascara streaming down her cheeks… as it turns out: Actually no, she’s not fine. And yes, that escalated quickly.”
Whilst the artistic undertaking around her debut EP Chain Reaction (creating a short film for each track on the record) was already ambitious, yet delivered flawlessly via Someone’s creative drive, the project around Orbit is again nudged up a level. Tessa wants to explore the intensity with which art and music can be fused, in a way that they enhance each other fully. Hence she has created an interactive Augmented Reality exhibition that combines Someone’s psychedelic music with cutting edge technology and hypnotic art.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allman Brown - Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles.
Since making his mark on the illustrious singer-songwriter scene with his breath-taking debut album ‘1000 Years’ in 2017, Hong Kong-born but London-based frontman Allman Brown looks to continue his ascension with his latest single ‘Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles’, lifted from his forthcoming sophomore full-length ‘Darling, It’ll Be Alright’.
Taking cues from other uplifting artists such as Bon Iver and The National, ‘Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles’ sits as a wonderfully serene yet progressive return for the frontman. Starting with a smooth and humble elegance that showcases his talent for captivating songwriting, the release slowly builds and builds into an explosive crescendo of epic and anthemic power.
Taken from his upcoming new album, ‘Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles’ looks to capitalise on the success of his previous releases such as his ‘Sweetest Thing’, a track that amassed more than 40m Spotify streams worldwide, leading to over a million listeners every month, and bringing his unique talent to the world stage over night.
Produced and recorded with long time collaborator Ian Barter (Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith) in January 2019 at his Reading-based home studio, the singer has taken the emphasis of his first record and built upon it with sheer gusto and aplomb. This new single acts as the gateway into his forthcoming LP, giving listeners a taste of what to expect and see how he has evolved as a songwriter since we last heard his voice.
Speaking about his new single, Allman Brown added, “Lonely Hearts, Los Angeles is about the distinct feeling of being alone in one of the most singular cities in the world, the sensation of all that grime, glamour and heartache that’s in the air. It’s also inspired by the weird and constant sonic disruption of my tinnitus; it’s a small effort to fight back against it. The song is an ode to everyone in LA struggling against the current to achieve their dreams.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Field Guide - Full Time.
In my opinion, songs are the 2am version of how you’re feeling. Full Time was born in the midst of a lot of life changes; I had just moved, my relationship was coming to an end and I was mourning the loss of the way things had been.
We worked really hard to get the mood right for this EP and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
This EP is the first time I have ever completely self-produced my music. It was extremely satisfying to guide the direction of these tracks on my own.
The songs were mixed with Oz Fritz at Ancient Wave Studios, in Northern Carolina. The studio is located on a farm just outside of Nevada City. It was an inspiring place to exist for a while and focus on creating - Field Guide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter - Bonsai.
A new EP from LA's Winter is on it's way. The first single & video, "Bonsai", a technicolor whirlwind who's setting is the perfect dreamscape for the song's nostalgic summer energy. The video was directed by Ambar Navarro, who's videos for Cuco, Soccer Mommy, Anna Burch, you've likely seen.
The band is the songwriting outlet for Samira Winter, who grew up in Curitiba, Brazil with an American father and a Brazilian mother, before moving to the US at 18 for college. She started the project in her last semester in Boston then relocated to Los Angeles where the band currently resides.
Since then, she's built a loyal fanbase and toured the US and Brazil extensively. Despite coverage from Noisey, Rolling Stone, Line of Best Fit, and The 405, among others, she's managed to remain a hidden gem of LA's DIY scene, but her 2019 seems poised to change that.
Winter has toured with Speedy Ortiz, Broncho, Anna Burch, and played festivals such as Desert Daze and the Animal Collective Big Sur festival. They have toured internationally in Europe, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. Winter has released two records “Supreme Blue Dream”(2015) and “Ethereality”(2018) as well as the (mostly) Brazilian album “Estrela Magica” in collaboration with the psych band Triptides.
The Infinite Summer EP shows a more playful 80's spin on Winter's already nostalgic sound. With songs in both English and Portuguese, the five track EP follows the range of emotions any girl will experience in her bedroom daydreams. Infinite Summer will be out April 13th in partnership with Record Store Day as an exclusive to all indie record stores.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adámas - Change It.
About "Change It": An exploration of the everyday inner struggle. A lullaby for the broken, a song for those who keep going, against the day. A call of awakening, an invitation to transformation through the acceptance of who we are. A shameless procedure, a petition to love one self with no limits, no judgement, as is. To change whatever stands in between of who you were and who you want to be.
About Adámas: Formed in 2015 in a warehouse on Pico Boulevard and in the heart of Los Angeles' Byzantine Latino Quarter, Adámas began as a sonic/lyrical exploration of sounds and themes between friends inspired by Fela Kuti, Talking Heads and traditional music from around the world.
Since then, the group’s members, who have worked with the likes of Raphael Saadiq, LCD Soundsystem, Kanye West, Aloe Blacc, Celia Cruz, Jungle Fire and Monophonics to name a few, embraced their Greek/Colombian/West African/Californian cultural and spiritual roots as Afro Hellenic Punk, a unique infusion of Afro derived psych-funk/soul and electronic sounds that defies geography and time. Following their March 2017 single release titled “Living the Dream” (Belú Music), Adámas are now preparing for the release in Spring 2019 of their first formal offering, the EP titled “Liminal”.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rainbrother - Honeybird.
Danish band Rainbrother have released their new album Island. Fronted by songwriter Bjarke Bendtsen, the five-piece explore themes of voluntary isolation, lost love and self-acceptance over ten tracks.
In order to escape the rat race and record the album, the band relocated to the attic of an old farm along with producer Kennie Takahashi (Danger Mouse, Beck, Black Keys).
On tracks such as opener ‘Black Chemicals’, earthy, textured guitars are paired with distinctive vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. Elsewhere on the record, for example on ‘Rio Rita’, more progressive elements come to the fore with clear nods to Pink Floyd and a wider palette of sounds, both acoustic and electronic.
Along with touring their native Denmark and the UK, the band have appeared at Bestival, SPOT Festival and SXSW – where in fact the band made the news on the BBC and CNN for an immigration debacle involving their front man Bjarke. When he was denied entry, they had to improvise and they used a pre-taped performance from him projected on a screen behind a drummer while they played their parts in sync.
The metaphorical ‘Island’ refers to withdrawing from the digital noise of the physical world, taking stock of what’s important and choosing to spend more time with the people that you really care for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KEØMA - Lovers.
“Lovers” is the first single from KEØMA's forthcoming album Saudade, and offers an honest and personal glimpse into the duo's lives. Sweeping synthesizers and chorus guitars ride shotgun to Klopfer’s cheeky vocal; which delivers pertinent observations such as “I am the one who chokes one your cigarettes and I don’t even smoke”. There’s a flirtatious tone to the whole undertaking that’s a side of KEØMA we haven’t seen before, with an intimate narrative we can all relate to.
The video features a home video-esque, carefree adventure while the two wander the charming streets of Paris. KEØMA is a collaborative project between Sydney-born, Berlin-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Kat Frankie and Cologne-based singer songwriter Chris Klopfer. Kat Frankie is a well known character in the German music landscape via her soulful indie pop, dynamic live shows and collaborations with top-tier German acts (Clueso, Olli Schulz, Casper & Materia). Chris Klopfer hails from the indie rock world, writing in both English and German and duetting with some of Germany’s finest singer-songwriters (Gisbert zu Knyphausen, Moritz Krämer).
This fateful and organically evolving project came together after Klopfer caught a performance from Frankie and suggested they write a song together. The name originates from a Castellari Spaghetti-Western movie about a gunfighter who returns to his hometown only to find out that it’s been ravaged by plague and menaced by outlaws.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saltwater Sun - The Great Deceiver.
Guitar pop powerhouses Saltwater Sun announce the arrival of their highly anticipated EP The Great Deceiver, released today 5th April and preceded by its explosive title-track.
Displaying the quintet at their anthemic best with a barrage of infectious guitars and melting hooks, the follow-up (and EP title-track) has a deeply personal meaning as frontwoman Jen Stearnes reveals: “I wrote this song to my younger self. I always wanted to sing but doubted myself because I hated my appearance and feared it would be scrutinised if I put myself out there.
We all grow up with unrealistic beauty standards, or expectations of how we should be and that makes me think about all the other people have been held back, or made to feel small or like they don’t have a place by those ridiculous standards and expectations. I’ve found confidence over time, but this song services as a little pep talk every now and then, and is here for anyone else who needs it; The Great Deceiver is about finding your voice, not giving in to self doubt and learning to be comfortable in yourself, whoever that is”.
Ramping up preparations for their EP release with impressive support slots alongside US alt-rockers Jimmy Eat World, Anteros and The Amazons, the Reading fivesome will be celebrating with a launch show in their hometown, before a slew of festival appearances at the likes of Live At Leeds and Liverpool Sound City, with more to be announced in the coming months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Showing posts with label Rainbrother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rainbrother. Show all posts
Friday, 5 April 2019
Monday, 4 March 2019
Hobby Club - Rainbrother - HunBjørn
Hobby Club make their second appearance on Beehive Candy this year with 'Bedroom'. In January we described their music as " bright indie pop - with some fabulous vocals and a crisp musical backdrop," the new song pretty much confirms they are very good at this. Rainbrother have a new album on the way and 'Warriors' suggests it will be well worth checking out, the band are creative and not stuck in any particular rock genre. HunBjørn shares a gorgeous electro pop song with lush synths and an expansive musical backdrop supporting some very engaging vocals.
Hobby Club - Bedroom.
Jangle-pop duo Hobby Club release their cheerfully melancholic single ‘Bedroom’ from their first EP ‘Video Days’ released 8th March on Manchester tastemaker label Heist or Hit (Her’s, Pizzagirl). Inspired by Arthur Russell, The Beach Boys and Kate Bush, Beth Truscott and Joe Rose’s sound is as unique as their vision of the world – sharing an unusual eye condition they only discovered after meeting each other.
‘Bedroom’, whilst about a bedroom and written in one, was ironically recorded in guitarist Joe’s favourite childhood venue, an ex-shipyard canteen. Faced with the constant threat of closure he describes ‘long nights panic tracking till the sun came up toiling away endlessly in the hopes we would finish before the builders kicked the door in.’
A “by-product of a fleeting obsession with 80's children's tv show theme songs, especially Fireman Sam which has the most perfect guitar tone you could ever dream of” ‘Bedroom’ is the demonstration of Hobby Club’s mastery of musical juxtaposition. Joe considers how “whenever I dip into the bad times, I always seem to counteract it by writing frustratingly happy songs, maybe in some vein attempt to reinterpret nostalgia into something that doesn't leave a sour taste in the mouth.”
Deceptively cheery, ‘Bedroom’ is Beth’s personal account of heartbreak: “turning you from a reasonable human being into a crumpled heap of gelatinous matter and tears, incapable of making a phone call or keeping track of your personal effects.” The track’s upbeat façade represents a feeble attempt to remain composed, when actually “going home to a darkened room becomes the best option after any minor setback whatsoever.” Beth confesses: “this song, in essence, is me ripping my heart out and showing it to all of you, in the hope that the person who I wanted to see it the most would.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rainbrother - Warriors.
Danish band Rainbrother are releasing new single ‘Warriors’ taken from upcoming album Island. The band tell us the new track is about finding conviction in your beliefs, whether they be about love, human connection or politics. In the modern age of increasingly fragmented and disparate, they long for “the old days, back when life was simple and you understood what you were fighting for.”
Fronted by songwriter Bjarke Bendtsen, the five-piece explore themes of voluntary isolation, lost love and self-acceptance over the album’s ten tracks. In order to escape the rat race and record the album, the band relocated to the attic of an old farm along with producer Kennie Takahashi (Danger Mouse, Beck, Black Keys).
On tracks such as opener ‘Black Chemicals’, earthy, textured guitars are paired with distinctive vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. Elsewhere on the record, for example on ‘Rio Rita’, more progressive elements come to the fore with clear nods to Pink Floyd and a wider palette of sounds, both acoustic and electronic.
Along with touring their native Denmark and the UK, the band have appeared at Bestival, SPOT Festival and SXSW – where in fact the band made the news on the BBC and CNN for an immigration debacle involving their front man Bjarke. When he was denied entry, they had to improvise and they used a pre-taped performance from him projected on a screen behind a drummer while they played their parts in sync.
The metaphorical ‘Island’ refers to withdrawing from the digital noise of the physical world, taking stock of what’s important and choosing to spend more time with the people that you really care for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HunBjørn - Who Are We To Love.
HunBjørn is a new act on the Danish indie and electro pop scene. Her musical universe is both raw and vulnerable. Catchy melodies, dreamy waves of synths, vocals and distorted guitars in a tight setting of bass and beats. HunBjørn released her debut EP “In Vacuo” in September of 2018, which received great reviews in her home country Denmark and when the first single “A Flutter Of The Heart” was released earlier that year in May, it immediately got selected selected by the hyped music Blog Soundvenue as one of that weeks “Top Tracks”.
She grew an engaged fan base on social media quite rapidly by using new technologies such as a messenger-bot called the She Bear Bot, an interactive behind the scenes experience for her EP that fans could join, and personal V-logs about every song and the story behind it. Now HunBjørn is ready with a second EP with the title “Next Summer”. She produced the EP herself and had it mixed by Brian Batz aka Sleep Party People, with whom she also worked with on her first EP.
The first single will be the song “Who Are We To Love”, which draws an even more electronic and dreamy approach to her music. The single is released March 1st on the Danish label All We Are Music. “Who Are We To Love” is a love song to the environment – a post-it in the forehead on all of us, to remind us that the environment is the responsibility of all of us.
HunBjørn aka Ulla Pihl, former lead singer and songwriter in the experimental pop band Lima Lima is inspired by the sonic structures in music and by the transformation of an instrument’s sound by using effects. Her lyrics always circle the grey areas in life and the complex feelings in relationships between human beings in a complex world. She’s inspired by bands such as Blonde Redhead, Japanese Breakfast, Grouper, Beach House and Alvvays. The name HunBjørn derives from the Latin origin of her personal name Ulla and means “a small she-bear” in Danish. The name is the incarnation of courage, vigour and feminine strength.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hobby Club - Bedroom.
Jangle-pop duo Hobby Club release their cheerfully melancholic single ‘Bedroom’ from their first EP ‘Video Days’ released 8th March on Manchester tastemaker label Heist or Hit (Her’s, Pizzagirl). Inspired by Arthur Russell, The Beach Boys and Kate Bush, Beth Truscott and Joe Rose’s sound is as unique as their vision of the world – sharing an unusual eye condition they only discovered after meeting each other.
‘Bedroom’, whilst about a bedroom and written in one, was ironically recorded in guitarist Joe’s favourite childhood venue, an ex-shipyard canteen. Faced with the constant threat of closure he describes ‘long nights panic tracking till the sun came up toiling away endlessly in the hopes we would finish before the builders kicked the door in.’
A “by-product of a fleeting obsession with 80's children's tv show theme songs, especially Fireman Sam which has the most perfect guitar tone you could ever dream of” ‘Bedroom’ is the demonstration of Hobby Club’s mastery of musical juxtaposition. Joe considers how “whenever I dip into the bad times, I always seem to counteract it by writing frustratingly happy songs, maybe in some vein attempt to reinterpret nostalgia into something that doesn't leave a sour taste in the mouth.”
Deceptively cheery, ‘Bedroom’ is Beth’s personal account of heartbreak: “turning you from a reasonable human being into a crumpled heap of gelatinous matter and tears, incapable of making a phone call or keeping track of your personal effects.” The track’s upbeat façade represents a feeble attempt to remain composed, when actually “going home to a darkened room becomes the best option after any minor setback whatsoever.” Beth confesses: “this song, in essence, is me ripping my heart out and showing it to all of you, in the hope that the person who I wanted to see it the most would.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rainbrother - Warriors.
Danish band Rainbrother are releasing new single ‘Warriors’ taken from upcoming album Island. The band tell us the new track is about finding conviction in your beliefs, whether they be about love, human connection or politics. In the modern age of increasingly fragmented and disparate, they long for “the old days, back when life was simple and you understood what you were fighting for.”
Fronted by songwriter Bjarke Bendtsen, the five-piece explore themes of voluntary isolation, lost love and self-acceptance over the album’s ten tracks. In order to escape the rat race and record the album, the band relocated to the attic of an old farm along with producer Kennie Takahashi (Danger Mouse, Beck, Black Keys).
On tracks such as opener ‘Black Chemicals’, earthy, textured guitars are paired with distinctive vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. Elsewhere on the record, for example on ‘Rio Rita’, more progressive elements come to the fore with clear nods to Pink Floyd and a wider palette of sounds, both acoustic and electronic.
Along with touring their native Denmark and the UK, the band have appeared at Bestival, SPOT Festival and SXSW – where in fact the band made the news on the BBC and CNN for an immigration debacle involving their front man Bjarke. When he was denied entry, they had to improvise and they used a pre-taped performance from him projected on a screen behind a drummer while they played their parts in sync.
The metaphorical ‘Island’ refers to withdrawing from the digital noise of the physical world, taking stock of what’s important and choosing to spend more time with the people that you really care for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HunBjørn - Who Are We To Love.
HunBjørn is a new act on the Danish indie and electro pop scene. Her musical universe is both raw and vulnerable. Catchy melodies, dreamy waves of synths, vocals and distorted guitars in a tight setting of bass and beats. HunBjørn released her debut EP “In Vacuo” in September of 2018, which received great reviews in her home country Denmark and when the first single “A Flutter Of The Heart” was released earlier that year in May, it immediately got selected selected by the hyped music Blog Soundvenue as one of that weeks “Top Tracks”.
She grew an engaged fan base on social media quite rapidly by using new technologies such as a messenger-bot called the She Bear Bot, an interactive behind the scenes experience for her EP that fans could join, and personal V-logs about every song and the story behind it. Now HunBjørn is ready with a second EP with the title “Next Summer”. She produced the EP herself and had it mixed by Brian Batz aka Sleep Party People, with whom she also worked with on her first EP.
The first single will be the song “Who Are We To Love”, which draws an even more electronic and dreamy approach to her music. The single is released March 1st on the Danish label All We Are Music. “Who Are We To Love” is a love song to the environment – a post-it in the forehead on all of us, to remind us that the environment is the responsibility of all of us.
HunBjørn aka Ulla Pihl, former lead singer and songwriter in the experimental pop band Lima Lima is inspired by the sonic structures in music and by the transformation of an instrument’s sound by using effects. Her lyrics always circle the grey areas in life and the complex feelings in relationships between human beings in a complex world. She’s inspired by bands such as Blonde Redhead, Japanese Breakfast, Grouper, Beach House and Alvvays. The name HunBjørn derives from the Latin origin of her personal name Ulla and means “a small she-bear” in Danish. The name is the incarnation of courage, vigour and feminine strength.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, 26 January 2017
Genre Wander: Rainbrother - Asha - Luxury Mane - American Dreamer - Richard Edwards

Background - After the success of psychedelic folk outfit The Migrant, frontman Bjarke Bendtsen is ready to transcend furthermore into electronic folk-rock territory with the release of his latest project Rainbrother’s debut album Tale From The Drought, out on February 3 via General Bird [pre-order here].
Tales From The Drought is all about making your way whilst on the road, dwelling on memories both beautiful and troublesome and coming to terms with the decisions that have been made. Album opener ‘Riverside’ is a stunning piece of songwriting that carries you away into the abyss and as the album continues, so do your thoughts. Each one a little more comforting than the next. Tales From The Drought invites the listener into a speckled dream, filled with steady beats, wistful Pink Floyd inspired guitar slides and a storytelling charm akin to the likes of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver.
Rainbrother was formed after Bjarke eventually found his way back to Copenhagen. While touring with The Migrant in Europe, he performed with a group of fellow Danish musicians and after moving back to his home turf, Rainbrother was born. The album was produced by Noah Georgeson (The Strokes, Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart) whose flickering elements have been spun into the group’s tight rock sound making Tales From the Drought both an earthy and elevating affair. Facebook here, see Tour Dates page for live details.
Rainbrother's interpretation of electronic folk-rock is sounding extremely good as the new song 'Blue' demonstrates. Rather than throw to many ideas or elements into the genre, this is a smooth flowing song with all the natural vibes you expect from folk and rock. Debut album next week!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - It is singer/songwriter Asha that you ought to have your eyes and ears alert for. Nearing the release of her debut single ‘Drowning’, Asha anticipates the opportunity that will inevitably open up before her in the Australian music scene.
With acoustic drive, lyric depth and imposing soundscapes, singer/songwriter Asha is making a name for herself beyond her hometown of the Central Coast.
At the age of 18, she has built up skills far beyond her age musically and lyrically. Asha began to blossom after finding an obsession for the acoustic guitar and spending endless hours teaching herself intricate pieces by artists such as Matt Corby, The Paper Kites, and Ben Howard. The convenience of being able to accompany herself so well has led her to recently be playing many solo gigs and shows in Newcastle and Sydney areas, and score great support slots with the likes of Alex Lloyd and Diesel.
The debut single ‘Drowning’ was released on 20th January and is a track that captures the emotional memory of a poisonous relationship. Written by Asha herself and produced by ARIA award winning producer Rod McCormack, they together conjured up a sound that fuses her acoustic background and lyric depth with impressive electronic soundscapes.
“This is the music that I want to keep creating. I’d love to keep evolving within this genre. But at the same time I’m not going to limit myself to anything,” Asha states. “Drowning was a song that I wrote and then forgot about. It wasn't even going to make the EP. One day I was reminded of the song, and we ended up recording it and it even superseded the title track of the EP Illusions, as we chose it to be my debut single.” The release of Asha’s debut EP Illusions will follow shortly after the release of her single ‘Drowning’, on February 3rd. Website here, Facebook here.
'Drowning' is a beautiful song in part because of Asha's delightful vocals but in addition because the music and production adds so much depth. Next weeks EP release is looking real good.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background - Luxury Mane are an American band formed on the southwest coast of Florida. The band consists of Billy Summer ( vox, guitars ), Kyle Lovell ( drums ), and Aaron Nelson ( bass ). These three handsome music makers churn future classics by melding pure id with solid gold song craft. They are true pioneers of the psych pop explosion in St Petersburg, one of the most vibrant and ambitiously creative music and art scenes at present. Luxury Mane's style is hard to pin down but has been described by fans and critics as Indie Rock, Art Rock, Experimental, and New Wave
Luxury Mane emerged from the remains of Summers' previous group, The Semis, one of Tampa's most influential, genre shrugging and self-destructive outfits. Summer and drummer Lovell have spent the last five years coming to their senses while writing, creating and recording at their home base studio, Hey! We Put Some Foam Up. Lolling in the St Pete sunshine has proved inspirational for this prolific group who have produced three LP's and one cassette since their inception including 2013's Natural Beauty, 2014's Gold Standard, the 2015 cassette, Isn't This Great?( Wiener Records ), and the 2016 release, Lux Runnin Out.
Lux Runnin Out was recorded and mixed by Billy Summer and Eric Stamile ( Le Blonde ) and mastered in Portland, OR at Stereophonic Mastering by Timothy Stollenwerk ( YACHT, Tune-Yards, The Oh Sees). Photos and layout were realized by legendary, St Pete, creative giant, Todd Bates, who helped the band capture a bold and minimalist approach to their product, breaking away from overused adjectives like "hazy, swirly, droned, stoned, and shimmery". Bandcamp here, Facebook here.
From the first chords 'Hard To Be Easy' has a sweeping and expansive feel. Laid back vocals and the swirling wall of sound intermingle, in what is a dreamy, pleasing song.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - American Dreamer, an Austin, TX based orchestral folk ensemble, specializes in approachable, yet sophisticated fretless pop. Their topical and politically driven material is couched in intimate chamber music, sonically falling somewhere between Sufjan Stevens and Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O’Connor’s Goat Rodeo Sessions.
Band spearhead Sasha Klare-Ayvazian first got a taste of the lush combination of folk and classical music when his roommate began playing cello along with his songs during his freshman year at Oberlin College outside of Cleveland, OH. Sasha attempted to capture this sound through multi-tracking American Dreamers’ self-titled EP, released in 2014, and continued ruminating on the power of this tradition until he returned to school to get his master’s degree. There he connected with new friends who turned out to be classically trained string players.
The newly formed line-up released the live EP, Winding up a Dream, in 2015 and began performing across Central Texas, snagging a Global Music Award along the way. As a band with four fretless instruments, the challenges associated with intonation forced the band members to become highly attuned to each other and after a solid year of writing and performing new material, American Dreamer was beginning to realize the sound Sasha had been envisioning for years.
Earlier this year, American Dreamer entered Austin Signal Studios and, with the help of engineer/producer Andrew Oedel, recorded their first LP Restless Nights. “Calling the record Restless Nights is a reference to our band name” Sasha reflects. “The American Dream doesn’t seem to be doing so well at this time, so we wanted to offer a form of respite and spent a lot of time exploring the space we wanted to create.”Website here, Facebook here.
'All The Time' is a stylish mixture of genres, where the 'ensemble' allow each element to come through and have there place. It's also a charming unpretentious pop song that's highly likable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background - On March 31, Richard Edwards will release his debut album Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset on Joyful Noise Recordings. The album was produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Cass McCombs, Beck) in Los Angeles, and features a stellar lineup of musicians including Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello) on drums and guitar work from Mike Bloom (Jenny Lewis).
"'Disappeared Planets' was written in the days following my separation from my wife," explains Edwards. "I woke up on pain medication from an abdominal surgery in a cold sweat with a premonition and the song fell out real fast, within a few minutes, I reckon. It was a real draining thing to write and made me kinda sick to listen to for a long time. Not so much anymore."
Edwards is also announcing his first live performances in over three years, at the first annual Gas Feed & Seed Festival in Davenport, IA and Rough Trade NYC - on sale this Friday, January 27.
In 2014, Richard Edwards (then frontman of Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s) was diagnosed with C. diff - a rare and potentially fatal stomach ailment. Shortly after releasing Margot’s final album he lost over 40 pounds, was to forced to abandoned a near sold out tour, and spent the next couple years recovering and writing a new record about absence. In 2015, after the dissipation of a longtime partnership & marriage, he underwent surgery on his abdomen and re-wrote the record about absence. The result is Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset, Edwards’ first post-Margot solo album. Website here, Facebook here.
As a taste of the forthcoming album 'Disappeared Planets' is a rich and very well produced song. Musicianship is as you might expect from the calibre of people involved, however that still requires a fine song. Richard Edwards does not disappoint, his vocals add character and meaning, the album should be something quite special.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Rosie Carney version of Radiohead's classic 'The Bends' album is shaping up to be a very special collection as the new single ...
-
I do not intend to write about Nick Drake here, except to echo the common view held by so many, who have come across his music down the yea...
-
Reloaded 27/May/2015 - I wanted to feature this set of sessions recorded for BBC radio again for a couple of reasons. Firstly because it ...
-
This is Sade performing live at Ahoy Hallen, Rotterdam, back on the 21st September 1984. This was a few months after her single 'Your ...
-
This is two demo recording sessions from Television in 1974 & 1975. The bands highly acclaimed debut album 'Marquee Moon' was r...
Zanna Black - Smoke and Mirrors Sound System - Remy Garrison - The Names - The Inciters
Zanna Black - This Town. With melancholic guitar and the loveliest vocals, Zanna Black lets out into the world her latest single, ‘This Tow...
